Love Thaws: Melting

Never Let Go

The smell of something delicious baking roused Elsa from her sleep. She opened her eyes. She spent a moment lying there, utterly confused until she remembered where she was. Elsa sat up, feeling completely refreshed. 

Anna was to her left, the pillow wadded underneath her. Her mouth hung open and she snored loudly. Her hair was a complete disaster. Elsa chuckled, a smile curving her lips. She quietly slipped out of the bed and opened the door. The house looked different in daylight. She walked down the hallway, following her nose. She froze when she felt warm arms wrap around her middle.

"Good morning."

She felt his warm breath caress the back of her neck. Her slender back was pressed to his hard, muscular chest. "M-morning." Elsa felt her cheeks tingle with warmth. She turned in his arms and feathered her cool fingers across his cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

He smiled. "Not exactly. I kept on waking up and wondering where you were." 

He lowered his head and gently nuzzled her neck, leaving her feeling hot and flushed. Her cheeks heated further at the thought of someone seeing them, but she was enjoying it too much to ask him to stop on account of her embarrassment. When he finished nuzzling her neck thoroughly, he tenderly rested his forehead against hers. She was captivated by his intense, azure eyes. They still took her breath away. She felt so vulnerable, that Elsa was tempted to duck her head, but nonetheless she held his gaze. 

"Guess we'd better go get breakfast?"

Elsa smiled shyly and nodded. Jack kept an arm securely wrapped around her waist as he led her into the kitchen. It was fairly small, with Kristoff's broad frame taking up a good deal of room. There was a breakfast table off to the side.

"Morning," Kristoff muttered, not bothering to take his attention away from the stove.

"Morning, what are you making? Didn't know you cooked," Jack remarked.

"Chocolate chip pancakes. Anna loves them." Apparently, that was the only explanation necessary.

His words brought a smile to Elsa's face. Anna deserved to have someone so preoccupied with simply making her happy. Jack held out a chair for Elsa and scooted it in for her. Elsa felt a pang of guilt. What if Jack hadn't been obliged to marry her? What if he'd been given the chance with another girl? Monster. The word reverberated inside of her head, echoing over and over. Elsa flinched. She'd taken so much from Jack. 

She knew that Jack did carry some sort of feelings for her; she wasn't blind. But what if he was just making the best of a situation? Isn't that what he always did? The thought disturbed her. She hated to think that. A part of her desperately hoped that he really did carry feelings for her--that, somehow, he needed her like she needed him. Another part knew not to be so unrealistic. She'd been through enough disappointments in her own life. She was uneasy about being so optimistic. She blinked, slightly startled when Kristoff set a heavy platter of pancakes on the table, drawing her out of her thoughts.

The warm, baked aroma smelled simply divine, enough to make her heady with anticipated delight. Kristoff set down with them and heaped three pancakes onto his platter. Elsa glanced at Jack, wondering if it was an appropriate time to serve themselves. 

He shrugged and grabbed her plate, putting two whopping pancakes on it. Elsa raised her eye brows. The pancakes were huge. No way she was going to eat that much. She shook her head. Jack nodded and held the platter towards her. Elsa huffed and shook her head hard. She turned slowly when she sensed Kristoff's gaze. He had his blond eyebrows raised and was watching the exchange with subtle amusement. Elsa turned back towards Jack, only to find a plate, filled with three pancakes, set in front of her. She sent an icy glare at Jack, which he returned with a charming smile. Elsa rolled her eyes.