“Depends. Are you going to stand there like a grumpy lump all day?”

Easton flicked a bit of snow in her face to hear her giggle. Scrubbing at her nose to rid it of the snowflakes, she blinked, then found herself with a forehead, mouth, and nose full of the stuff. Unlike her weapons of choice, his snowball had been packed loosely, barely surviving him lobbing it in her direction.

He’d do about anything for her, but Easton had a professional reputation to maintain.

“I’m not grumpy.” Easton scooped up a second handful of snow. “I’m considering the stakes. They’re going to kick me out of the league of mountain guides if I knock you off here with a snowball. So it’s either make you happy…” He loosely packed another snowball. “Or risk professional humiliation.”

“A little professional humiliation never hurt anyone.” River’s grin was full of mischief.

She reminded him of a wolf. Dangerous, smart, willing, and more than able to flash her fangs when she needed. But like a wolf with their mate, she wanted him to play with her. This time, she tried to duck his snowball and failed.

“Wolves mate for life, River.”

“That was the most random sentence I’ve ever heard.” Spitting snow from her mouth, she blinked the flakes from her eyes and dropped down to her knees next to him.

Smiling slightly, Easton settled back on the snow. There, now they were at a better height. Her head slightly taller than his. Taking her face in his hands, he allowed himself a moment to enjoy this. Having her here, with him in his favorite place in the world.

“River?”

“Hmm?”

“Even lone wolves mate for life. I want you happy. If you want to play, I’m game.”

How could he not be? After all, those sweet, snow-chilled lips were pressed to his. And Easton had never, ever wanted something as much as he wanted this.

Wrapping his arms around her, Easton tugged River into his form. The thick layers of jackets between them couldn’t hide the tension in his muscles, his body responding to her proximity. Her lips were cold, but the passion growing between them made him feel as if they were on fire.

“I can’t breathe,” she whispered.

“It’s the lower oxygen up here.”

She gripped his arm, pulling him closer. “No. I can’t breathe when you’re next to me.”

Breathless or not, River pulled his face to her own.

A brief rest was all they had time to take, so eventually, they extracted from each other’s arms. The last part of the climb was the most technically challenging. And yes, her steps were slower than they were lower on the climb, but River’s determination to keep going never dropped, her eyes never leaving the prize of the summit above them.