The Protective Heart ✔️

21. Protecting her from the cold

Bright twinkling Christmas lights hung onto the bare limbs of trees as the six of us walked through the park, admiring the snow forts that kids had built that afternoon. I rubbed my hands together and then blew some warm air on them.

"I told you to wear gloves." Bridget scolded me. I narrowed my eyes at her in rebellion.

"I hate wearing gloves, I feel claustrophobic in them." I whined. I heard Ray and Declan's laughter beside me and I turned to glare at them. Declan wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.

"I have never in my life heard of claustrophobia due to wearing gloves." Ray bellowed out through his laughter.

"Well, now you have!" I whipped back. My remark only made him laugh harder. I nuzzled myself into Declan's side, absorbing his warmth.

"You should've at least worn a jacket with some pockets, you dork." Declan commented. I looked up at him and stuck my tongue out. He grabbed it between his thumb and forefinger and then chuckled at my helplessness. I bit down on his fingers and he cried out in pain as he retreated them.

"Don't pick on me." I whined.

"Yeah, don't poke the bear, man." Ray joked and I turned my glare to him again.

"Ray, please stop." Bailey whispered to him, barely loud enough for me to hear. She tugged on his sleeve and he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Alright, but only because you asked, Bambi."

"Bambi?" I raised my eyebrow but Ray only laughed in response and Bailey looked down at her feet.

"Goldi, wanna go play that?" Declan asked me, pointing towards something ahead of us. People were in a line up to a board with a hole in it. They were throwing snowballs at the wooden board and attempting to get them in the hole.

"Sure." I got out right before he started pulling me towards the game to get in line. Declan looked excited as we waited for our turn. He kept poking his head out to the side to see how close we were to the front.

"You're like a little kid." I commented and he laughed.

"Says the girl who sticks her tongue out." He jabs back and smirks. I narrowed my eyes at him and then took a step closer.

"Declan, you have something on your nose." I said, pointing at it. He quickly went to wipe it away but forgot he had snow on his gloves and got his face wet with the cold ice. I giggled at him as he realized what I did.

"Yeah, you have something, too." He said before taking his wet glove and wiping my face with it. I quickly took my sleeve and wiped the water off.

"Oh no, you didn't!" I quickly leaned down and grabbed a fistful of snow with my bare hands and threw it at him, landing perfectly on his jacket. I laughed but then started running when he picked up a wad of snow. I squealed as I ran down the pathway, but then felt something hit my back. I whipped around to see Declan standing smugly with his hands on his hips.

He got me!

I grabbed another handful of snow and winged it at him. He had flinched but it was too late; I had successfully hit him in the side of his head.

"Goldi!" He yelled and then ran after me. I tried turning around to run again but I slipped on a patch of ice and fell on my butt. He swiped me up into his arms and squeezed me tightly against him.

"I win!" He yelled through his laughter. After we had both calmed down we realized we had gotten out of line and now we would have to go to the back.

"Ahw, man!" Declan whined and then set me down. I pecked a kiss on his cheek before replying.

"Come on, kiddo, let's go get back in line." He sighed but then let me take his hand and pull him towards the game again.