Chapter 224
I hold his hand and pull him with me to the yard. A little further
ahead, I crouch down and start gathering snow with almost childlike
enthusiasm.
“We’re going to build the biggest snowman in here!” I declare, as if it
were a challenge.
He arches an eyebrow, his ironic tone quickly emerging.
“You know our hands are going to freeze, don’t you? We don’t have
gloves, genius.”
I look at his large hands and smile with devotion.
“It’s true… Your hands are too precious to freeze. Let me do it.”
I go back to shaping the snow, so concentrated that I don’t even
notice him approaching until I feel the icy shock invade my uniform. A shiver runs down my back, and I let out a gasp, jumping as if I’d
been shocked.
“Love, that wasn’t fun-”
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I don’t finish the sentence because his laughter explodes through the
yard. Loud, clear, captivating.
“Y–You looked like a jumping toad!” He laughed through tears,
pressed against his abdomen, while the laughter shook his body.
hands
I stand paralyzed, my chest accelerating as if it wanted to tear
through my ribs. His laughter… it’s like hearing something sacred, too
rare to exist in a place so cold and filthy. Every sound echoes inside
me, filling spaces I didn’t even know were empty.
He’s still trying to wipe away his tears, smiling, and before I can
contain myself, I pull him into my arms. I squeeze him tight, as if I
wanted to imprison that moment forever.
“If putting snow on me makes you laugh like that, you can do it as
many times as you want, love.”
He returns the embrace, his voice low against my ear.
“Don’t be dramatic. It’s only funny when someone is caught by
surprise.”
I don’t answer.
I just hold him in my arms, feeling the serene rhythm of his heart
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beating against my chest. There are moments when I still believe all
of this is a dream… and that at any second, I might wake up and lose
him.
I rest my chin on his chest and look up.
“Love… are you sure this isn’t some plan of yours to make me let my
guard down?”
He sighs, rolling his eyes, his impatience escaping in a heavy breath.
“No, Adrian. It’s not a plan. I don’t want to put my life at risk trying
to deceive you.” He pauses shortly. “I’m really trying. Trying too hard
for my own taste, since I…”
He bites his lip, and the gesture draws a small smile from me.
“I understand, love,” I say softly, my voice full of tenderness. “You
don’t have to say it. Just hold me.”
He does what I ask.
His arms wrap around me firmly, and in that same instant, all the
weight I carry seems to dissolve. My body relaxes, surrendered to his
warmth. It’s a different kind of heat–not just physical, but emotional,
secure, and serene, as if nothing else existed besides that touch.
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It’s like finding shelter in the middle of a storm.
A home.
I close my eyes and breathe in deeply, letting his scent fill me. It’s
addictive, strong, and familiar, as if it had woven itself into me from
the very first moment.
Every beat of his heart against my chest dictates a calm, constant
rhythm that erases the chaos inside my head.
And then I realize: I don’t need anything else. If I could, I would stay
there forever, trapped in that embrace that gives me back everything
I’ve ever looked for.
Peace.
Belonging.
Love.
Even if the world collapsed around us, still… being in his arms would
be enough.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
