The Butler

30

Chapter 30

It was a cold morning when I woke up to the sound of Misty scratching at something. I opened my eyes and saw her pawing at the window, fixated on the gentle snowfall outside. She looked so focused as if trying to catch a snowflake through the glass. I smiled, sitting up to watch her.

"Want to go outside?" I asked softly, knowing she couldn't respond but she meowed as if she understood. 

I bundled up in my winter coat before scooping her up and heading for the door. As soon as I set her down in the snow, she leapt into action. Her black fur stood out against the white ground as she darted and rolled, kicking up soft flurries around her.

I couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm and I chased her while calling her name as she zigzagged through the snow. She ran farther than I expected, nearly disappearing in the piles that reached up to my knees. The cold air stung my cheeks, but I didn't mind. The whole world seemed to be wrapped in a quiet, peaceful blanket of snow.

I tilted my head back, letting snowflakes land on my face, and for the first time in a while, I felt something close to pure happiness. Then, out of nowhere, a snowball hit the back of my head.

"Richard! Was that you?" I yelled a little bit annoyed.

I turned around, rubbing the back of my head, only to see him standing a few yards away, laughing. His breath came out in clouds of mist and he looked far too pleased with himself.

"You laugh so loud, you woke me up!" he teased, holding another snowball in his hand.

I rolled my eyes but smiled back. "It's rare to get this much snow on Christmas day. I wasn't going to miss it." I motioned to Misty, still flopping around in the snow. "And it's her first time playing in it. She's obsessed."

Richard approached me with his hands shoved into his coat pockets while glancing between me and Misty. "Looks like you're having just as much fun as she is."

"I was before you started the snowball fight." I shot back, crouching to form a ball of my own.

Without warning, I threw it at him, catching him square in the chest. He feigned shock and quickly retaliated. Soon enough, we were locked in a full-blown snowball fight, laughing like little kids. The air was crisp, our breaths visible in the frosty air, and for a moment, it felt like the world had shrunk down to just us.

Richard collapsed into the snow after a particularly strong hit, panting and grinning like a kid. "Okay, okay, you win," he said, throwing his hands up in surrender. "I didn't expect you to have such good aim."

I stood above him, still catching my breath, while shaking the snow off my gloves. "Years of practice, I guess." I replied with a smirk.

"Well," Richard said, sitting up and brushing the snow from his coat, "since you beat me fair and square, I'll make breakfast."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You can cook now?"

"Don't get your hopes up," he warned with a laugh. "I can only make toast and coffee. You're in charge of the rest."

I sighed in disbelief. Of course. I called for Misty who tired herself out and now followed us closely, her tiny paws making  adorable little tracks in the snow. 

As we walked back to the manor with Misty trotting happily beside us, I couldn't shake the strange feeling that had been growing inside me since yesterday. It wasn't just the morning's warmth or the fact that Richard had stayed behind for Christmas; it was something else, something I couldn't quite pinpoint. The weather was cold, yet I felt so warm.

We were only a few steps from the front door when I saw Richard lose his footing out of the corner of my eye.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, arms flailing, but it was too late. Instinctively, I reached out to grab him, but instead, we both went down in a heap. Snow exploded around us as we hit the ground, with me landing on top of him.

I groaned as the cold seeped through my coat, but when I saw the look on Richard's face—his expression a mixture of surprise and disbelief, I couldn't help but laugh.

Richard, too, started laughing, his deep chuckle echoing through the still air. We both lay there, sprawled out in the snow, laughing like children. 

But as our laughter finally died down, a new tension sparked in the air. Still lying there face to face, I turned my head slightly and found Richard already looking at me. His face was inches from mine, his breath visible in the cold air. There was something in his eyes that I hadn't noticed before—desire.

Time seemed to slow. My heart raced, unsure if it was from the cold or something else. The air between us felt charged. I wasn't even sure what I was doing as I leaned in closer, my breath catching in my throat.

And then, before I could think better of it, my lips were on his.

The kiss started softly, but as soon as our mouths touched, everything changed. It was like all the unspoken tension of the past few days came rushing out. Richard responded immediately, his hands finding my face, pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, becoming more fervent, more insistent.

For those few seconds, it was just the warmth of his mouth on mine and the way his hands felt against my skin. The cold seemed to vanish entirely. I had never experienced anything like it—this strange, magnetic pull that I hadn't even realized was there until now.

I let myself get lost in the sensation, the press of his body against mine, and the way everything felt right.  There was a heat between us. Something undeniable. Something I hadn't been able to admit to myself before. But now, with Richard's lips on mine, it was all too clear.

When we finally broke apart, breathless and a little dazed. I pulled back just enough to see his face. His eyes were wide, his expression a mixture of surprise. Neither of us said anything for a long moment, letting the weight of what had just happened settle between us.

The snow continued to fall gently around us, but I barely noticed. All I could think about was the way my heart was still racing and the way Richard was looking at me like he was seeing me for the first time.

And in that moment, lying there in the snow, I knew we had crossed a line we shouldn't have.