Fraser Mountain - Living the snow life

Chapter Thirty Three

‘Mornin’ sleepyhead….’

The first thing my yet-to-wake-up brain realises is that I’m incredibly warm and there is a very large arm wrapped around my bare midriff, my pyjama top having ridden up in the middle of the night. The second thing I notice is that there’s something hard prodding my back.

‘Are you awake?’ Aaron whispers, his mouth nuzzling my earlobe.

Right… I think I can take an educated guess at what might be doing the prodding. Now I remember. So much for the ‘let’s-just-be-friends’ idea. Listening in Aaron’s arms while he opened up to me completely last night about Chantelle seems to have taken us from the ‘friends’ category to something a bit more. She really did a number on him.

‘I saw you there in that hospital, and it was like a bolt of lightening hit me.’ He’d said. ‘I just realised… life is too short. I was so scared about getting hurt again that I couldn’t see what was right in front of me… I thought you were so cute when we went for that walk up the mountain in your first week here. You’re like a breath of fresh air in this town.’

I open my eyes slowly and turn onto my back, replaying our conversation back in my head and feeling slightly giddy with happiness.

‘Morning.’ I smile, squinting up at his face. His hair is sticking up at various angles and there’s a five o’clock shadow of stubble across his chin, which only makes him look sexier than ever. My insides are squirming with longing when he dips his head and kisses me gently. I try not to open my mouth too wide, conscious that I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.

‘You don’t have to be anywhere right now, do you?’ he asks, pulling me closer and bringing his solid thigh across my legs, trapping me. ‘Cos I don’t ever want to leave this bed.’

‘I’ve got no plans… except maybe to get a cuppa. Do you want one?’

‘Sure… Mojo might need to go out. Is that cool? ’

‘Consider it done.’ I nod, pushing the covers back and grabbing one of the blankets, pulling it around me. It’s like torture to leave the warmth of the bed, but Mojo is already wagging his tail in anticipation as I hear pots and pans being moved around in the kitchen downstairs. The dog stretches, sticking his bottom in the air before he licks my bare feet.

‘Come on, you.’ I nod, before looking behind me at the glorious sight of Aaron smiling sleepily at me from the bed.

‘Hurry back.’ He grins, his eyes sparkling.

As far as I’m concerned, his ribs cannot heal quickly enough.

***

Do you think it looks crooked? I think it’s totally crooked, mate… Yup. It’s wonky, for sure.’ Dan says, scowling at his reflection as he holds up my tiny make-up mirror, I sigh, staring up at the white tiles in the hospital ceiling. He’s been banging on about his nose for the last half an hour, at least.

‘Guys? Do you even care?’ he huffs, gingerly prodding his nose.

‘Sorry, Dan.’ I mutter, focusing back on the patient. ‘…It’s fine. It looks the same as it always did.’

‘It’s totally the same.’ Rick says, agreeing with me.

‘It does not!’ he cries indignantly. ‘It’s way bigger!’

Rick sighs, before ruffling Dan’s hair affectionately. ‘Duh! It’s probably still swollen.’

‘Ugh… I swear it’s broken. Bloody Canadian doctors… I need a second opinion.’

I ignore this last comment and walk over to the cabinet at the side of his bed, getting all his medication together and putting it in his sports bag. Much as I love him, I’m getting a bit impatient.