All the Romance You Need This Christmas: 5-Book Festive Collection. Romy Sommer

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СКАЧАТЬ a way to have that kind of fun again too. I just had to let myself.

      *

      Zac ground to a halt at the bottom of the ski slope, snow-ploughing his way to a perfect finish. Stabbing his ski poles into the ground he swung round, making perfect arcs in the powdery snow as his skis made the 45-degree turn it took for him to face Tyler.

      ‘You looked like you were auditioning for a James Bond chase scene there, mate,’ Tyler said, leaning on his own ski poles as he regarded the hill Zac had just come hurtling down.

      ‘Yeah, well, it’s a great way of relieving stress sometimes – throwing yourself down a snow-covered slope. Do you wanna go grab a drink at the bar?’

      Tyler checked his watch. ‘Well, it’s almost lunch-time so, why not?’

      Zac gazed up at the sky, which had a wonderfully rich, dark-pink tone to it today, but that was fading fast as the early afternoon dusk drew in. ‘Come on then. We’ll sit outside and grab the last of the daylight.’

      Finding space at a table near the entrance to the outdoor terrace area of the après-ski bar, which was growing steadily busier as lunch-time descended, Zac settled himself down, sticking his ski poles in the snow and resting his skis up against the table as Tyler went inside to get the drinks. As had been the norm since that chance meeting with the mystery woman called Jess yesterday, he found himself scanning the growing crowd, craning his neck to see above those who were standing up, blocking his view. There was a still a part of him that wanted to forget about an afternoon of more skiing and head off to look for her, because he hadn’t really been able to settle since he’d seen her run off after their exchange yesterday. If you could call it that. And that need to see her again hadn’t waned at all. Even after a good night’s sleep nothing had changed; he still had that overwhelming feeling of needing to get to know her. Maybe fate was eventually going to throw them together, but Zac just wasn’t sure how long he could wait for it to finally do its job.

      He looked up at the sky again, watching as the blanket of darkness crept slowly across it, covering the beautiful colours of a Lapland day, turning it slowly black. It was still something that fascinated him, this daytime darkness, mainly because of how quickly you seemed to get used to it. Before he’d arrived in the Arctic Circle he’d thought it was something that would feel strange and almost depressing, but it hadn’t been that way at all. It was an experience, skiing in the dark, and one he enjoyed. He’d fallen in love with this little corner of the world, and he knew he’d be sad when he had to leave. But he had a feeling it was due to throw up a few more surprises before that time came.

      With the sky now completely covered in that blanket of darkness, he turned his attention back to the crowds of people both inside the confines of the terrace area and those hanging around outside. And it was then that he saw her, standing just to the left of the entrance to the outdoor terrace. She was checking out the menu, dressed in a pink jacket, black snow-trousers and those distinctive pink boots she’d been wearing yesterday, her chin nestled deep in a black scarf that was tied tight around her neck. But he knew it was her. He recognised the jacket, the long, dark curly hair sticking out from underneath her pink beanie hat. It was her. So, fate had decided to hurry this one up then. And for that, Zac was truly grateful.

      *

      I’d spent the entire morning trudging round the foot of the slopes, dodging people on sledges as they hurtled down the smaller hills reserved for tobogganing, watching in jealous fascination at those who could ski so gracefully without falling flat on their backsides, but I was hungry now. Breakfast seemed an age ago as my tummy rumbled so loudly I could hear it through all the layers of thermal underwear and padding. There was no harm in checking out the lunch-time menu here at The Ice Tree. If they had something nice on offer maybe it would be easier to just stay here and grab a bite to eat rather than make that short detour into town. But I’d loved Mikku’s café; the food had smelt delicious when I’d been in there yesterday. And there was always the chance that Mikku might be there too. I kind of missed him already; that strange young man who’d gone a long way to making this trip seem a lot more special and a whole lot easier than I’d ever anticipated it could be. Just thinking about him seemed to send another wave of calm rushing over me, and for a brief second it almost felt as if there was a faint and far-away voice telling me to stay exactly where I was.

      And it was then, as I turned my attention back to the now-quite-crowded bar, that I saw Zac, sitting at one of the tables outside on the snow-covered terrace. He was wearing a bright-red jacket, his hair covered by a black hat, and he was staring straight at me. But this time there was nothing making me want to run off, nothing telling me to get out of there because it was wrong. All I felt was that sweeping calm, that feeling that this was supposed to be happening. It wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t. Surely just talking to him couldn’t be wrong?

      I couldn’t seem to move from where I was standing, though, so I was almost relieved when I saw him stand up and make his way out of the bar, walking over to me until he was right in front of me. So close I could see every inch of his handsome face. And this time the guilt felt less intrusive than it had yesterday, although I still couldn’t get the thought of betraying Jase out of my head. But I was only going to talk to him, wasn’t I? That’s all. Just talk.

      He smiled, and my heart turned what felt like a zillion somersaults because it had been a long time since someone had smiled at me that way. It had been a long time since I’d felt those stomach flips, and it was strange and unusual – and nice. Oh God, Jase, please forgive me, baby.

      ‘Shall we start again?’ he asked in that wonderful Scottish accent, that smile still there, a friendly aura emanating from him, making me feel instantly comfortable.

      I nodded, swallowing hard. ‘I’d like that,’ I replied, finally able to return his smile.

      ‘Okay… I’m Zac.’

      ‘And I’m Jessie.’

      What else was there to say?

      *

      Café Aurora – the little café/bar where Mikku had taken me – was as busy today as it had been yesterday, but we managed to find a table in the corner by the huge open fire and the beautiful Christmas tree that smelt of pine and ginger from the festively decorated biscuits that hung from its branches.

      ‘So,’ Zac began, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it over the back of his chair, ‘…I finally get to talk to you. Properly.’

      I didn’t look up at first, just sat there cradling my mug of hot chocolate, too frightened to face him now, too nervous of what I was doing, of what I might start feeling.

      ‘Jessie?’

      He was going to think I was weird if I sat staring into my drink the whole time, but this entire situation was crazy, and now I’d stopped to think about it for a few seconds, I had no idea what to do anymore.

      ‘Listen, I’ve just got to make a quick phone call,’ Zac went on, and I heard him push his seat back but still I couldn’t look at him. ‘I’ll be five minutes, I promise. Don’t go anywhere, okay?’

      I waited until I was sure he’d disappeared from sight before sitting back in my chair, throwing my head back, closing my eyes and sighing heavily.

      ‘You shouldn’t fight this, Jessie.’

      I opened my eyes and sat up straight. There was Mikku, standing by the table, a tea towel flung over one shoulder, that intense stare once more present on his handsome face. Where had he СКАЧАТЬ