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“Ready?”
Penny settled herself in the car seat as snowflakes landed on the windscreen. She watched them melt and buckled her seatbelt. Glancing across at Damien, she breathed in his cologne ad smiled. “Good to go.”
After spending the last fortnight fulfilling her grandmother duties, she felt stronger and calmer. Though she spent nights with Damien at the cottage, he would always bring her back to the homestead each morning. How could she pass up the opportunity to spend precious time with her daughter and grandson? Not only had it given her the chance to heal, but she’d been able to get to know the woman Stevie had become. Stevie also had regained her strength, giving Penny a glimpse of the warrior Damien had raised.
Now, the prospect of adventure awaited and while he hadn’t revealed their destination, she had an inkling he had something physical in mind. Perhaps the ski poles in the rear of the SUV gave it away, or maybe it was the snow clothes he’d bought them. Either way, the thought of enjoying more of the natural environment thrilled her.
Despite his grumblings about the cold and the snow, she thought Wills Crossing both beautiful and magical.
They passed through the center of the township and where they would usually turn north toward Hollywood’s estate, Damien turned the SUV south and drove up into the hills. The higher they went, the thicker the snow gathered on the ground. As the air temperature dropped, he cranked up the heater and filled the cabin with warm air. A sign indicated the road to Bourke’s Ridge required tire chains.
“Where, exactly, are we going?”
He grinned and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. The gleam in his eye seemed more appropriate for a five-year-old in a toy store. “The chalet.”
He said that like she should know what he meant. Content to join him on his adventure, Penny settled in and watched the scenery roll by. Higher still they climbed, the thickening snow forcing him to slow, until he took a turn off onto a narrow, winding road. Her stomach rolled with each bend in the road but the low speed of the vehicle helped fight off the worst of the queasiness.
Each hairpin turn took them further into the mountains and the tall, towering gums that lined the road seemed like giants rising out of the ice. Smooth bark covered the trunks and when she craned her neck to peer up at them, she found them to be straight as an arrow with very few branches leading off to the sides. The canopy seemed extraordinarily high as the trees stretched above the ridge in search of light.
Penny pushed the button for the electric window and rolled the glass down a couple of inches. Cold wind prickled her face but the silence outside allowed her to listen to the sound of the snow crunching beneath the tires. Somewhere in the distance, a bird whistled but other than that, the forest around them stood soundless.
It wasn’t long until the road opened up to a flat car park. Damien pulled the SUV into a space and shut off the engine. Only a handful of cars occupied the mostly empty lot. She saw a couple exit their car with skis and poles in hand. They crossed the expanse to a small building where she spied more snow skis and poles displayed in the windows. Beyond that stood a three-story stone building looking as though it had been plucked directly from a fairy tale.
Snow-covered steps led up to a wide veranda. Tall windows spanned the height of the front façade from ground level right up to the eaves, through which she saw a winding staircase. Several romantic balconies hung off the front, snow clumped on their balustrades. At the top, the severely pitched angles of the roof were covered in white, with icicles hanging off the eaves.
“It’s beautiful.”
Damien chuckled. “And completely wild, very down to earth and focused on being as close to nature as possible.”
She wound the window up to keep the frigid air out before turning to him. “Why isn’t it busy?”
“School holidays are over, and there are other nearby resorts with more tourist-minded attractions. There is a toboggan run here and some ski runs, but they aren’t groomed for beginners and there are no ski lifts. No one wants to hike back up the slopes.”
“What do you have in store for us?”
He leaned across the center console, coming close enough to rub his cheek against hers. Though they’d spent every night in the same bed, they’d yet to make love. “Have you ever been snow-shoeing?”
“Never.”
Penny trailed her fingers over his facial hair and pressed her lips to his. Having him so near each night heightened her awareness of his physical presence, building a need for him that had grown so strong, she didn’t know if she could withstand its force for much longer.
Damien growled under his breath, the vibration rumbling through the air to reach her. He threaded his fingers into her hair and held her to him, devouring her mouth as if he were starved. Breaking the kiss, he pulled back but kept his lips close to hers.
“You don’t know how many nights I’ve wanted to be with you,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. “Having you so close has been torture.”
She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck. “I don’t want to wait anymore.”
He blinked and raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
Answering with a kiss, she hoped it was enough to let him know exactly what she wanted, and if she had her way, they’d spend tonight reminding each other just how perfectly matched they were.