“I was mad that he kept it from me, yes. But we talked it out and, well—”

“And you had makeup sex,” she stated with a laugh, causing her mother to blush crimson again.

“Yes, we made up. And it was quite nice and that’s all we’re going to say about that. Now, what do you two have planned today?”

Abby looked over at Nic. “I don’t know. It’s a beautiful day. Want to try snowmobiling? Or we could hike along the forest road to the meadow. There’s a nice gentle slope there for sledding. Or the roads are all clear—we could take a drive down to Taos or over to Angel Fire.”

“Anything. You pick.”

She took another sip of her coffee. “Okay. Let me think on it.” She looked at her mother. “I’m starving, by the way. Is there something special for breakfast or are we on our own?”

“No, I haven’t made anything yet. I was waiting on you to get up.” She stood. “At this hour, it’s more brunch than breakfast. I’ll fry up some hash browns and do scrambled eggs.”

“We can help,” Nic offered.

“No, no. Enjoy your coffee. It’s nothing to it.”

After her mother left, Nic smiled at her. “So? Sleep well?”

“I did. What time did you sneak out?”

“About an hour ago. Aaron and Holly were already gone.”

Abby found herself leaning closer to Nic. Their kiss was soft, gentle, and she nearly swooned from it. Her heart hammered as Nic deepened the kiss. She moaned quietly as she felt the tip of Nic’s tongue touch hers.

She was breathing hard when Nic pulled away—her eyes that dark, smoky blue that she was beginning to recognize. She fell into them, then leaned closer again, nearly spilling her coffee as they kissed.

“God, what have you done to me?” she whispered.

Nic smiled at her but said nothing.

“I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“Like this?”

“You’re practically a stranger.”

Nic shook her head. “I’m not a stranger, Abby. We’ve talked too much and told too many secrets for that.”

She took a deep breath, nodding. “Yes, I guess we have. It’s only that, I’m not used to…to just sex. So I’m a little surprised at how comfortable I feel with you. You know, the morning after and all.”

The smile Nic gave her wasn’t teasing. It was rather sweet. Then Nic leaned closer and lightly touched her lips, giving her a quick, fleeting kiss.

“I’ve always wanted to go sledding.”

Abby nodded. “Okay. I know the perfect spot.”

Chapter Twenty-seven