Page 40 of Meet Me Under the Northern Lights

‘This is crazy!’ Chloe screamed, hair flying out from under her hat, her words being whipped away into the cold air.

They were speeding along on the sled, the dogs galloping at a super fast pace over the glistening snow, nothing but ice-white landscape all around like they were a moving centrepiece on a celebration cake.

‘This is much better than any fast car!’ Gunnar yelled back, bumping beside her.

‘So much better!’ she laughed. ‘And less environmental impact!’

‘The air is fresh! The sky is clear! There is no one else around! It is like we have the whole of Iceland just for us!’

His words sent delicious shivers shooting down her back. Iceland was so beautiful. It was so steeped in the tales of ancient times, with a rich history of how everything came to be here, yet, right now, Chloe was feeling that its pure simplicity was firing off thoughts of only new beginnings.

‘Stop thinking, krúttio mitt ,’ Gunnar ordered. ‘I can hear your head over the yelping of the dogs and the sled against the snow.’

How did he do that? Know that she was churning things over?

‘You go quiet,’ Gunnar continued as if he had read her mind. ‘And your shoulders drop.’

Yes, their bodies were pretty close together and cosy in this sledge, wrapped up in their thick coats and tucked in under a waterproof blanket like burritos.

Him mentioning her shoulders highlighted the fact their bodies were tight against each other.

And suddenly this sleigh ride was feeling the exact opposite of chilly. She needed a distraction from that…

‘So, Kirstin was your girlfriend?’

Now the quiet was from Gunnar not immediately responding and Chloe wondered if her choice of distraction conversation had been a step too far.

‘Yes,’ he answered finally. ‘We were together for around six months. It was a while ago now.’

‘So a surprise to see her,’ Chloe stated.

‘A shock,’ Gunnar admitted. ‘In that situation of her being the person you needed to speak to. That I needed to speak to for you.’

‘I am sorry about that.’

‘Do not be sorry, Chloe. I tell you that I am sorry for not being the professional you needed me to be in that moment and I should not have made things difficult for you.’

‘Everything worked out OK though,’ Chloe told him. ‘I mean it will work out OK no matter what because I will make it happen one way or the other so…’

‘So?’ he asked.

‘So, can I ask? What happened with you and Kirstin?’

The words had barely left her mouth when the sleigh shifted sideways into a bit of a drift and suddenly they were going into a wooded section, tree branches spilling fluffy white snow onto them.

‘You are OK?’ Gunnar asked her as the sleigh drew to a halt in a clearing.

‘Yes,’ she answered. ‘I just wasn’t expecting that.’ She shook the blanket, snow going up in the air between them, some falling and landing in Gunnar’s hair.

‘Hey!’ he exclaimed, shaking his head. Next he was scooping up the snow from their laps and sprinkling it down on her relentlessly.

‘Gunnar! Gunnar stop!’ She wriggled in her seat.

‘You begin this!’ he answered, carrying on.

‘And I will finish it,’ she said, laughing. She grabbed a handful of snow, like a fat pancake, and planted it directly on his face. She giggled at the result, a big splat sticking to his stubble.

‘I do not believe you did that,’ he said. ‘It was a wrong move.’

‘Ooo, I’m so scared. I’m…’

And then, before she could say anything else, he had put the side of his face right to hers and pressed their cheeks together, all the snow transferring from him to her. She turned her face fast and that’s when their lips collided. A mistake. Not meant to happen. Except… it was happening!

Chloe didn’t know who had changed pace first but suddenly she was right up against him and their mouths were devouring each other, snow, skin, white hot heat amid the forest. And it felt incredible, intense, sexy, meant to be?

She slipped her hands underneath his hat and pulled it off, fingers tangling in his hair.

She was never like this. So forward, so giving in to all the feelings that were rushing through her.

His mouth was open, his tongue teasing, tasting and she only wanted one thing. More.

And then… a tongue of a different kind licked Chloe’s hand, making her jump in surprise. Gunnar held her and then they were joined in the sleigh by a husky puppy, eager to leap about exploring the spilt snow, their blanket, their laps.

‘Hey there, little guy,’ Gunnar said, stroking the dog on its head. ‘You’re a cute one.’

So was the man stroking the dog in Chloe’s opinion.

She swallowed as she looked at him, taking him in in yet another light.

Strong, sensitive, kind to animals, always kind to her…

And then those eyes found hers again and she couldn’t stop the blush hitting her cheeks as all the intensity from their kisses rushed back full force.

Chloe stood, reeling a little, and then Gunnar took her hand, helping. But then, on her feet, and both of them quickly getting down from the sled, he didn’t let go, but instead knitted their fingers close together.

‘We should get the hot chocolates before they become cold chocolates,’ Gunnar suggested, indicating a teepee-looking structure in the midst of the clearing ahead of them.

The puppy barked and seemed to concur. Right now she didn’t need any chocolate at all. In fact, the only thing she needed was a cold shower.