Page 43 of Echoes of Us
Something flickered in his eyes – surprise, maybe, or recognition.
He studied her face like he was seeing something new there, something that both thrilled and terrified him.
Then he kissed her, soft and sweet, nothing like his usual heated demands.
When he pulled back, his smile held a hint of his usual cockiness, but his eyes remained gentle.
"Come on," he said, tugging her forward again. "I know exactly what you need."
Ten minutes later, Ashley stared at the illuminated storefront of "Scoops & Dreams," her breath forming little clouds in the freezing air. "Ice cream? It's literally snowing, Cole."
"Best time for it." His grin was positively wicked. "No lines."
"Because everyone else has basic survival instincts."
"Live a little, sweetheart." He pulled open the door with an exaggerated bow. "Unless you're scared of a little brain freeze?"
The store was empty except for a bored-looking teenager who perked up at the sight of actual customers. Heat blasted from the vents, making Ashley's cold cheeks tingle.
Ashley stepped closer to the display case, her eyes immediately finding the strawberry. The same craving that had sent her husband on midnight grocery runs hit her with unexpected force.
"Let me guess," Cole said, watching her face. "Vanilla? You seem like a vanilla person."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Judging my ice cream choices? That's dangerous territory, Westwood."
"Oh?" He leaned against the counter, eyes sparkling with challenge. "Enlighten me then."
"Strawberry," she said firmly. "Double scoop."
"Double? In this weather?" Now, he was openly teasing her.
"The weather’s always perfect for strawberry ice cream!”
His laughter at her conviction echoed through the empty shop. "Strawberry it is." He turned to the server. "Make that two. And extra napkins – something tells me this is going to get messy."
They ended up on a frozen bench outside, huddled together more for warmth than anything else. Snowflakes landed on their ice cream, making Cole laugh every time Ashley tried to eat them before they melted.
"You've got a little..." He gestured to her nose, which was probably pink from both cold and ice cream.
"So do you," she said, fighting a smile as a drop of pink rolled down his chin.
"This was a terrible idea," he admitted, trying to eat his ice cream before it dripped while simultaneously shivering. "Completely ridiculous."
"Entirely stupid," she agreed, taking another big bite. "Best flavor in existence!"
Cole laughed, his eyes crinkling with a warmth that made her heart ache.
“So,” Ashley began, catching another drip before it hit her glove. "Why, what's your go-to flavor?"
"Guess."
She pretended to study him, though she knew exactly what he'd pick. "Something unnecessarily complicated. Five different chocolates with a pretentious name."
He nearly choked on his ice cream. "I do not-"
"Triple Chocolate Fudge Explosion?"
His silence was damning.
"Called it." She grinned, then immediately regretted it as the cold air hit her teeth.
"At least my choice makes sense in winter," he grumbled, but his eyes were bright with amusement. "You look like a strawberry yourself right now – nose all pink."
"Whose fault is that?"
"Hey, I didn't force you to get ice cream in a snowstorm."
"No, you just dared me with those judgy eyebrows of yours."
"My eyebrows are not judgy!"
"They're absolutely judgy. Look, they're doing it right now."
He tried to school his expression, which only made it worse. A laugh bubbled up from her chest – real and unexpected – and suddenly they were both giggling like idiots, ice cream dripping down their hands, breath forming little clouds between them.
"You've got-" Cole reached out, his cold thumb brushing the corner of her mouth where some ice cream had smeared. The touch was tentative, almost shy – so different from his usual confidence. His hand lingered, and Ashley watched as his smile softened into something wondering.
"What?" she asked, heart hammering despite the cold.
"Nothing, just..." He shook his head slightly. "You're not what I expected, Ashley Carter."
"Is that a good thing?"
"Ask me when I can feel my fingers again." But his eyes said something entirely different – something that made her breath catch.
A particularly fat snowflake landed on his eyelash, and without thinking, she reached up to brush it away. His arms circled around her gently, his ice cream forgotten.
Then he was kissing her, tasting of strawberries and winter air, his cold lips somehow warming her entirely. When he pulled back, his eyes were filled with unadulterated lust.
"You taste like my ice cream," he noted, sounding surprised.
"Guess you have good taste after all."
His grin turned wicked. "Was that a compliment?"
"Absolutely not. It's just the hypothermia talking."
"Sure it is." He studied her face for a moment, snowflakes catching in his eyelashes. "You're shivering."
"I am, in fact, a little cold."
Cole pulled her closer, his hands sliding around her tighter. The heat radiating from his body made her breath catch. When he kissed her again, she felt like she was finally home.
"I love you, Ashley Carter," he murmured against her lips.
When she drew back to look at him, snowflakes caught in his dark hair, his eyes were wide with a vulnerability that took her breath away. "I know it's too soon, and I know I'm probably terrible at this, but-"
She silenced him with her lips, threading her fingers through his snow-damp hair. "I love you too," she whispered. "Every. single. part."
He couldn’t possibly comprehend the full meaning behind her words, but his smile then was blinding – young and fierce in a way that made her heart stumble. He pulled her flush against him until she could feel his heartbeat thundering against her chest.
"Even with my judgy eyebrows?" he asked, voice trembling.
She laughed, the sound catching on something that might have been a sob. "Especially with your judgy eyebrows."
The next kiss tasted like strawberry ice cream and promises – not the ones they'd broken in another lifetime, but new ones, written in snow, frozen fingers, and blazing hearts.