Ali woke up first. When she sat up in bed, the first thing she noticed was how much snow had fallen on the deck outside. As soundlessly as she could, she slid out of bed and threw on a robe, then went downstairs. The amount of snow was even more obvious outside the front windows.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Ali padded over to the large windows and peered out. The fire had died down and there was a noticeable drop in temperature within the giant living room. Outside though, it was like a winter wonderland. Every tree was covered in snowfall; their bows bending under the weight of the snow. In the early morning light, the snow along the driveway and front yard sparkled like diamonds.

Ali had an idea the minute she saw all the snow. She hurried up the stairs and back into the bedroom, which was noticeably warmer than downstairs.

“Babe” she said, nudging James a little. “It snowed a ton last night! You should see it.”

James was lying on his side, the arm covered by his sleeve tattoo folded somewhat awkwardly under him. His hair stuck up in odd places and pushed flat in others; his mouth slightly ajar. The only response Ali got was him closing his mouth and pushing his face into the pillow further.

She sighed. I should let him sleep. He deserves it after all, especially after last night. She sat on her knees on the bed, still staring at him. James’ eyes fluttered a little, his long eyelashes moving gently against skin. Ali noticed that the way he was laying looked as if he might be cold, especially since everything above his waist was exposed. She drew the comforter up softly, making sure to at least cover his shoulders. He somehow always moves out of the damn sheets. It was true. James hardly made any movements in bed, and you’d never know he was there except for when you woke up and the sheets were everywhere but on him.

Ali pressed a kiss to the side of his head and his soft hair tickled her lips. She headed downstairs, figuring that if James wanted to keep sleeping, it would at least give her time to make breakfast. If anything, the smell of food would eventually draw him downstairs. Ali wasn’t even doing it on account of getting him to wake up – she was just plain hungry. They had basically stayed up the entire night, either laying with one another while talking and cuddling, or having sex. Incredible, intense sex.

Except the sex last night was different. Ali mentioned it to James, but she hadn’t said as much about it as she wanted. To her, it was like James was in his own head the entire time they were together. He went slow and kept a steady pace, paying even more attention to her body than normal. He also uttered a lot more ‘I love you’s and ‘You’re mine’s than normal.

Ali actually loved it. Everything James did last night made it feel more special…if that was the word for it. She couldn’t really figure out how to describe it. Every time they had sex, it was always satisfying and always left her happy – but last night felt deeper, like there was something else there, but should couldn’t put her finger on it. It was hot, nonetheless, and as Ali played through some of the more tender moments between her and James, a smile spread across her face.

She began to dig around to assemble ingredients for breakfast. She brought out a carton of eggs, a packet of bacon, a loaf of bread, and potatoes. Out of those items, she could easily assemble something for the both of them. Thank God I planned this part out, at least, she thought.

And so Ali got to work. Her hardest task was figuring out how to work the coffee pot and whether to make hash browns out of the potatoes or to fry them in a skillet. She rummaged around and found a cast iron pan in one of the bottom cupboards, so she decided to fry them.

Soon enough, various elements of the breakfast were coming together. As the potatoes warmed on the skillet, Ali walked over and looked outside again. The sun was fully up now, causing everything outside to sparkle even more. She wondered if a plow would come and dig them out, or if they were on their own all the way up here.

Maybe we’ll just be snowbound.

The thought amused her. This whole trip was amusing. Who knew a year ago I would’ve been ‘snowbound’ in a giant house in the middle of the woods with James freakin’ Neal.

Ali shook her head and mussed her hair a little, unable to really believe it herself. It still made her feel amazing and weird, all the same.

Going back to the stove, she tossed the potatoes around and checked the bacon. Everything smelled so amazing. Next would be the eggs, and then she could finally answer the loud call her stomach was sounding that very moment.

As Ali cracked two eggs into another pan, she heard movement behind her. When she turned around, down the stairs came one very disheveled-looking James, wearing only red boxers and socks.

“Hey” he said, his voice deep.

Ali watched him slowly descend the steps, his obliques moving with every step. To say she enjoyed the sight was an understatement. He moved softly over the floor and fell into her arms with his eyes closed.

“Thank you” he said, his mouth against her head.

“For what?”

“For bacon.”

Ali leaned back and looked at him with a laugh. “Gee, thanks.”

He kissed her forehead then went over to the stove. Reaching for a piece of the bacon, Ali reached over and tapped his hand away.

“Leave it!”

“Just a taste?” He made a puppy-face.

“It’ll be done in five minutes. Chill.” Ali shuffled him aside and regained position in front of the various skillets full of food. “Did you see how much snow we got last night?”

James rubbed the back of his neck and looked towards the windows. “Whoa...” He walked over and peered out, squinting in the daylight. “How are we supposed to get out of here?”

“I was wondering that myself.”

He surveyed the yard and driveway, both of which were covered in a fairly thick layer of fresh snow.

“I had an idea though.” Ali turned, one hand holding a spatula and the other on her hip. “Care to hear me out?”

“Gears already grinding this morning, huh?” He smiled and came back over towards the counter that separated the living room from the kitchen. “Let’s hear it.”

“Okay…so we got a bunch of snow, right?”

“Looks like it.”

“And we don’t really know if a plow truck is coming to clean up the driveway or not, right?”

James watched Ali with a smirk as her face continued to look increasingly excited. “Riiiiight…”

“So.” Ali was full-on grinning now. “Why don’t we go sledding?”

He laughed. “With what? Our asses?”

“Nooo, we should see if they have sleds in the garage! These people left everything else for us here, and then some. Why wouldn’t they have sleds? Surely people with kids rent this place.”

James considered this. “You might be right…”

“You down, then?” she asked, smiling.

“Hell yeah I’m down!” James hadn’t been sledding in years. Years. He tried to think back to when the last time was that he’d gone sledding, but he couldn’t even remember. “Awesome idea, Als…Just keep your fingers crossed they have some.”

“Why? Surely a Range Rover or whatever Mercedes thing you rented can make it through snow?”

“With me driving?” James said, smiling. “We’d make a path, yeah.”

Ali giggled. “Good.” She flipped a few knobs on the stove and grabbed two plates out of the cupboards. “Breakfast first, then we’ll go sled hunting.”

* * *

James threw on some sweats, and Ali put on her down jacket and a pair of sweats of her own. Together, they went out to the garage in search of sleds. Just walking outside for the first time, they noticed the snow was halfway up to Ali’s knees. This didn’t mean much to James, but she had to shuffle through the dense snow on the sidewalk by kicking through the snow.

First, they combed through the most visible spots in the main part of the garage, which was actually the size of a small house. There was a pull-down set of steps that led up to a second story attic. James waited at the bottom while Ali scurried up to check it out.

“Dammit, I don’t see anything!” she yelled down.

James saw her reappear in the opening. “What’s up there?”

“Nothing of use to us, no. Just some tools and stuff.”

A sense of joy overcame him. “Looks like we’re going for a ride into town!” He clapped his hands together and rubbed them in anticipation.

“Don’t you dare drive like an asshole” Ali said, making her way down the steps backwards. James helped her off the last two steps before lifting them away and locking them to the ceiling.

“Come on, just one donut?”

Ali smirked. “Maybe one.”

“One turns into two, ya know.”

“Says who?”

“Says the man who gives you one orgasm, which is always followed by a second” he replied smartly. “Am I wrong?”

Ali couldn’t disagree. “Okay, but orgasms and donuts aren’t the same.”

“Why not?” He looked at her as they went back to the house. “They both produce O’s, don’t they?” When he realized he wasn’t getting an argument on that, he chalked it up as a win.

Back inside the house, the pair headed upstairs and changed. James kept his hoodie and t-shirt on, threw on jeans and a hat, and then located his coat. He felt for the inside pocket, making sure the ring box was still secured within. Last night he promised he wouldn’t go anywhere without it from here on out, and he was holding himself to it. Even if they were only going to buy sleds in town, he didn’t want to be without the ring.

Sliding his pea coat on, he leaned against the foot of the bed and waited for Ali. When she emerged from the bathroom, her clothes had changed but her hair hadn’t. It remained gently tousled, which James found attractive on her. She wore jeans, tall boots, dark green sweater and her coat. Throwing on her white snow hat, she exhaled and smiled. “Ready?”

James nodded. “Can I drive?”

“I don’t think you’d let me say no anyway,” Ali teased. She tossed him the keys and together they went downstairs and out to the Range Rover.

Firing up the engine, James waited for the car to warm up a little. He sat hunched over the steering wheel, feeling the cold of the leather seat permeate through his jeans. “You know where we’re going?”

Ali chuffed. “No, that’s what’s gonna make this fun. Do you know how we’re getting out of here?”

“We’re gunning it.”

Their eyes met, both of them smiling.

“Well then, what are we waiting for, Big Shot?”

James took that challenge gladly. He threw his seatbelt over his chest and gripped the wheel with a look on his face like he was sixteen years old and behind the wheel for the first time in his life.

“Did I mention I love driving in the snow?”

Ali was about to answer, but James hit the gas pedal so hard it flung her back into the seat. The wheels of the large SUV spun at first, but James quickly threw the vehicle into 4-Wheel drive, which only caused another jerking motion. Ali was actually laughing out loud as James hit the gas again, driving forward through the snow covering their driveway.

With a sudden turn of the wheel, he yanked it left hard, throwing the backend of the vehicle out in the opposite direction. He expertly swerved the wheel and fishtailed it back the other direction.

His blue eyes were shining bright as they glanced over. “See how fun?”

Ali held both the handle of the door and middle consol. “Exciting, for sure!”

James wheeled the car around, accelerating again to cause them to go in a complete circle. He laughed when he heard Ali squeal in the seat beside him.

“Don’t flip this, James!”

“I’m not gonna flip it – you can’t flip this! See?”

He punched the gas one more time, spinning the wheel in the opposite direction. As they did another 360 degree spin, Ali watched as their once snow-covered driveway turned into a mess of vehicle tracks.

She had to admit….it was turning her on a little.

James brought the front of the car back to normal so that it faced down their driveway. He looked over, his grin wide with delight. “Okay, I’m good.”

“Got it all out of your system?”

“I think so.” He very slowly drove forward, as if the last two minutes hadn’t happened.

Ali relaxed a little and brought her hands back to rest in her lap. She glanced back at where they just were, and it actually did look as if someone plowed. Kind of.

They pulled out of their long driveway onto the main road, which really had been plowed, and they headed into town. Aspen was a beautiful mountain town; bustling, yet not too busy. Plenty of skiers were already out and about, fully dressed and ready to hit the slopes. Giant gondolas delivered people from the downtown area up to the main lodge on the mountain, crossing over the street James and Ali drove.

On her phone, Ali was flipping through websites to find out where there was a general store. Most of the shops downtown were super ritzy places, with a few snowboard and ski shops nestled in between. Finally, James spotted what looked like a sporting goods outlet, so they tried there first.

They were in luck. The minute they stepped inside, they saw on a far wall every type of sled one imagine. James immediately lifted a saucer shaped sled off the wall and held it in front of him.

“These go fucking fast. Can we get it?”

Ali laughed at how he phrased the question. “Don’t buy the first thing you see, babe. What about these?” She picked up a big inflatable tube with handles on each side. “We could both fit on this one!”

James took it from her, and carried both the saucer and the tube. He walked a little further down to inspect a sled that was torpedo-shaped, but shook head. Ali came up from behind and examined it as well.

“I don’t like it.”

“Me either.”

James put it back. He walked down to the very end of the wall, his free hand rubbing his beard as he looked each sled over. Ali stood smiling at him from a distance, finding it rather funny how serious he was taking this.

“I think we got the best ones” he said, turning towards her. “What do you think?”

“I think we do, too. Best of both worlds.” Ali grabbed another one of the saucers so she could have one for herself.

So with James holding one saucer and one tube, and Ali with her saucer, they paid for their new gear and loaded them into the back of the SUV.

“Should we get food?” James asked as he shut his door.

Ali stared at him. “We just ate.”

He shrugged. “For later?”

“Are you actually hungry again?” Ali laughed. “You’re a bottomless pit!”

“I have a hankering for donuts.”

She smiled at him. “James.”

“What?” He readjusted his hat, looking innocent. “Let’s just cruise around and see what there is.”

“Can we get hot chocolate somewhere?”

“Absolutely!”

James wheeled them out of the parking lot and they took whatever street they wanted. Weaving in and out of the downtown area, they checked out all the different shops and restaurants. James spotted a few really nice looking places he considered taking Ali, as he this was actually the reason he wanted to keep driving around. He didn’t tell her he was making mental notes as they drove, but he was definitely memorizing restaurant names.

“Ooo, what about here?” Ali pointed out the windshield at what looked like a local coffee shop. “I bet they have cocoa.”

“Only one way to find out.” James pulled into the first available spot along the street. When he got out of the car, he saw a restaurant across the street that sparked interest. It looked like a pretty damn nice place, but he needed more info. He made a mental note to look it up later on his phone.

Ali led the way into the coffee shop and got an instant feeling of coziness. She inspected the menu as James closed in behind her. She felt his hand slide under her coat to the small of her back, rubbing gently.

“See anything good?”

James’ voice was warm against her ear, his face close to hers. Ali had a sudden desire to kiss him. Instead, she pointed at the far end of the menu boards that hung above the register.

“Fireside s’mores hot chocolate.” Her and James’ eyes met.

“Seems fitting…after last night.” He gave Ali a little wink, but she had been thinking the same thing.

“Hey, that’s what we need!” She tapped his chest. “How stupid am I?”

“S’mores?”

“Yeah! Want to get the ingredients before we head back?”

“Where do we make them, in the living room?” James said with a laugh.

“Well, yeah! Why build a fire outside when we have a real one inside?”

He thought it was ridiculous but could be funny as hell. “Your wish is my command, babe. We’ll hit the store before we go back.”

When the barista was ready, Ali and James stepped up and ordered their drinks. Ali got the s’mores cocoa, and James got a dark chocolate mint hot cocoa. After they each took their first sips, they moaned.

“Holy shit.” Ali took another sip. “Here.”

They switched drinks and moaned again.

“I love Aspen” James said. “And you’re not getting this back.”

“Fine by me.” Ali took a longer drink from his cup.

They fussed at one another the whole way back to their house, switching cups until each had their fill. They also stopped at the nearest grocery store to pick up ingredients to make s’mores. They agreed to wait until after they were done sledding.

Ali could hardly wait to get out in the snow once they got home. She bolted upstairs to throw on the ski pants and jacket she brought. Good job on bringing them, Allison, she told herself, smiling as she lifted out the heavy pants and jacket from her suitcase.

James came into the room and looked at her as she dressed into the pants. “Looks like I’m going in jeans” he said.

“Oh shit.” Ali halted, her pants dropping around her feet. “Did we need to go buy something?”

“Babe, I skate on ice for a living. I can take the cold.” He pointed at her pants. “Keep getting ready, I don’t mind. If I get wet, it just gives me an excuse to walk around naked later.”

“As if you needed a reason.” She hoisted the pants up to her waist and buttoned them. Next she tossed on her jacket, and then her hat.

James rooted around in his suitcase, which was full of suits and dress shirts and dress shoes. Nothing proper for snow, but that was fine by him. It’d make it more fun anyway. He grabbed a different hoodie, and actually found a pair of workout pants he could slip on over his jeans.

He hustled downstairs and went outside with the sleds. The way the house was perched, it had the perfect space for sledding. The entire front yard sloped ever downward until it reached the tree line, which took over quite a distance from the house.

Hearing the door slam, James turned and saw Ali swishing her way over to where he stood.

“Is this it?” she asked, happily surveying the yard.

“Might be one hell of a hike back up, but we can chalk it up as our workout for the day.” He tugged on the pom pom on the top of Ali’s hat. “You look adorable, side note.”

“Thank you.” Ali wrapped her arms around James’ waist. “I love that we get to do this.”

"Me too." James looked into her eyes; there was a lot of love there, he could tell. It made him feel good. Actually, he felt beyond good. He never truly got the chance to disappear from his hockey bubble; the testosterone-filled days that consumed his life and had been his dream for so many years. But now, standing in the snow with Ali, he could escape everything and think of nothing other than having fun with her. It was a really, really good feeling.

Ali smiled up at him. “Whatchya thinking?”

He shrugged. “Just admiring what a pom pom does for a hot chick.”

“Damn you.” Ali laughed and pushed him away. “Race you to the bottom?”

“You got it!”

Ali and James both jumped and hit their sleds at the same time, rushing down the hill in a fit of laughter. Halfway down, Ali tumbled off and landed head first in the snow. When she stood up, she was brushing herself off and laughing hysterically. Father down, James tried to stop his sled by sticking his foot out, which only caused him to flip off his sled as well. He looked up with snow all over his face and his hat.

“We suck at this!” he yelled.

“I know! It’s awesome!”

Ali started jogging back up through the snow to make it to the top. James had a little further distance to cross, but his long strides helped him catch up to Ali in no time. When they stood at the top, they counted to three and jumped on their saucers.

James tried to turn his sled so it would run into Ali’s, but she was on to his trick. She was turning hers farther away, doing a complete rotation as she did so. She squealed when her saucer stopped and she went flying down the hill backwards. She bit it again, tumbling off into the snow. James slid off of his and an equally clumsy dive into the snow.

Ali lay back, exhausted and breathing heavy from the fun. She looked over to see James’ tall, snow-covered body standing over her.

“White is not your color” she said, holding out her hand.

“It’s not yours either, sad to say.” He pulled her up, but Ali almost fell back into the snow just trying to stand up.

She exhaled heavily, pushing back her hair and replacing her hat over her head. “These saucers are NUTS.”

“I know, aren’t they great?” James slapped her butt and headed up the hill. “Let’s go!”

Back up they went, starting at the same spot. James waited for Ali, brushing him legs off further.

“Okay, we need a strategy” he said when Ali caught up.

“What do you have in mind?”

James took a look at the giant inflated tube. “I say we go down together.”

“Your strategy isn’t to push me off is it?” she said, her eyes twinkling against the light of the snow and the sun.

“Nooooo….” He kissed her rosy-colored cheek. “I just want to see what it’s like to spill with you, you know, instead of just watching you.”

Ali rolled her eyes and happily took her spot on the front of the tube, causing it to bounce a little. James sat down behind her, spreading his legs to give her more room. He hugged her tight, kissing her neck.

Ali giggled a little. “Your lips are cold.”

James kissed her again, keeping his lips pressed against her neck to warm them. This caused her to squirm in his arms….which caused the tube to start its slow trek down the hill.

“Dammit! See what you did!” she cried, but her words quickly turned into a loud laugh, with James laughing right along with her. They flew down the hill, the tube spinning around and around until finally, it hit a bump in the snow caused by one of their previous spin-outs, and both of them went flying.

Ali landed with a thud on her face, tasting snow even as she kept laughing. Somewhere off to the side or below her, she didn’t know, James had flown off the tube as well. She wiped the melting snow from her eyes and looked over to see James lying on his stomach, arms under him as he shook his head.

“We are just terrible at this” he said, chuckling. He crawled over on his stomach until he reached Ali, who was sitting on her butt and shaking snow off of her white hat.

“We have yet to make it to the bottom!” she said, still laughing.

James remained lying on his stomach just looking at Ali. She had snow in her hair and little melting drops made her dark eyelashes wet and shiny. She looked over at him and smiled, the pink color of her cheeks making her smile seem even bigger and friendlier. James didn’t know what it was, but something inside him made him do it. He didn’t even really know he was doing it until he reached inside his pocket and pulled out the box.

Ali put her hat back on, pushing it over her head. She wiped her eyes again, and when she looked over at James, she saw he was holding a black box in his hand.

Her heart stopped.

* * *