I glance over at Shauna, who's wrapped herself up in layers from head to toe. "It's not THAT cold," I comment, gently tugging her hand toward the edge of the ice.
She exhales, and I notice the wisps of smoke from her breath which she points towards. "You'll be fine," I assure her, drawing out the words.
"Last time you said that, I ended up falling into a pile of horse shit," Shauna recalls, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"That was a great day," I chuckle, reminiscing.
"You're crazy," she exclaims with wide eyes.
"But you love it," I playfully wink, crouching down to touch the ice.
I compose myself and lock eyes with Shauna.
"TAG!" I exclaim, giving her a playful push on the shoulder before gliding effortlessly onto the ice. Reaching the center, I turn around to see her in pursuit.
With determination, she runs onto the ice to catch me, but as she steps on the frozen surface, her face quickly changes, and down she goes.
I can't help but laugh as Shauna slips and lands on her backside. She looks up at me with a mix of annoyance and amusement, her cheeks flushed from both the cold and embarrassment.
"Nice move," I tease, skating back to her side and offering a hand to help her up. She takes it, and I pull her back onto her feet.
"Oh shut up" she chuckles, brushing off the ice from her clothes. "But now it's my turn."
Catching me off guard, she throws herself into me and we both lose our balance, tumbling down together in a heap of laughter.
Shauna rests her head on my chest, and we both try to catch our breath, the laughter still bubbling between us like carefree kids.
In that moment, our eyes meet, and a soft smile plays on our lips.
I gently raise my hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Shauna's ear, and she leans into my touch, her eyes sparkling with fondness. Without a word, we both know what's about to happen. Our laughter fades into a gentle hush, and the world seems to slow down.
In a moment of shared connection, I lean in, and our lips meet in a sweet, delicate kiss. The brief, lingering touch of our lips speaks volumes, but she soon pulls away.
"I've always enjoyed moments like this with you," I whisper, my voice barely audible over the soft winter breeze.
Shauna's eyes shimmer with emotion as she replies, "Me too. You make everything more special."
