Emmerdale : Bleeding Love (Ross Barton/OFC fanfic)

That Time When... In Happiness With You

Ollie watched the snow come down in a thick blanket of white outside of the bedroom window. She loved how the snow absorbed all the sounds, how everything was still. Peaceful. Lying in Ross's arms, her head against his chest, that was exactly how she felt - peaceful, like the snow.

"It's snowing again," she murmured. His hand was tracing light, lazy circles over her shoulder and she curled deeper into him. "Maybe we'll get snowed in."

"Pretty sure that was your plan all along anyway." His lips nuzzled her hair. "Luring me to some fancy, out of the way hotel with the promise of a free meal just so you could have your way with me," he said. He felt her smile against his skin.

"It was a good plan."

"Have to say, didn't see it coming, like."

"We've already wasted so much time."

Things could be given to a person so easily but they could get ripped away just as. The memories were already lining up. Her mum and dad, Tom. Katie too. She told herself not to feel guilty for pushing them to the back of her mind. She wanted to stay inside this warm, peaceful bubble with Ross for as long as possible.

"How you feeling anyway?" he asked her. She stretched her body out a little and the movement wasn't lost on him. He pulled her in closer.

"Good. Really good."

"Well, obviously," he said and she laughed. "But I didn't mean that."

"I really do admire how self-effacing you are, Barton."

"When you know you're good and all that. I was on about the drinking though. You haven't said as much all night but just wondered...you're not thinking about it, are you?"

"Hadn't crossed my mind once. All I'm thinking about is the here and now."

"Glad to hear it." There was a delicate pause. "So...no regrets?"

She heard the hesitation in his voice and turned her face up to meet his waiting eyes, propping her chin against his chest. "Not a single one," she told him with a smile and Ross felt his heart turn over.

He wanted this every day for the rest of his life. The weight of her in his arms. The catch in his chest when he caught her eyes on him. The sound of her laughter after one of his bad jokes. He wanted all of her. Forever. But the feeling made him nervous. He wasn't scared she would run away again, he was scared he would mess it up. His whole life all he'd ever done was ruin everything he ever came in contact with.

"In fact," she added and pressed a kiss to his chest, "I wish we could stay here forever."

"There might be a problem with that. Didn't bring a toothbrush."

"I'll still kiss you in the morning."

He met her eyes and smiled. "You like me that much?"

"Mmhmm. Don't you know by now that you're my favourite person?"

His eyes were warm, twinkling, as he regarded her; and although she could see the effect her words were having on him, there was a comeback on the way. He wouldn't be Ross otherwise.

"Ugh, you're not falling for me, are you?" He mock sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically. "There's only so many revelations a bloke can take in one day," he said. But beneath the joke there was a hidden anxious undertone. He was waiting for a sign from her. For something. Anything that would give him a clue.

Ollie considered following his lead and going with a joke, something sassy and flirty and so them, but it died on her tongue. But then she wasn't sure he was entirely prepared for the next part, either. She knew she wasn't. They were both still feeling their way and she was still coming to terms with the events of the last twenty-four hours.