“Now, y’all just forget I’m here, sit back, and enjoy,” Mr. Harvey concluded before signaling for his Clydesdales to take off on the path they’d already trodden numerous times that night.

The night air was crisp, but with her coat, hat, scarf, and gloves Sarah hadn’t been overly cold up to then. The moving sleigh created just enough wind to put a chill straight through her and she spread the carriage’s thick, fuzzy blankets over her and Bodie.

In all her sleigh fantasies, she hadn’t been cold in a single one. Nor did she remember being cold on the one she’d taken with her father all those years ago. Then again, it had been in the middle of the day with her father.

Harry seemed intrigued by the sleigh ride, standing at attention and moving from Bodie’s side of the sleigh to hers. Fortunately, he didn’t bark, as Mr. Harvey had warned that if Harry barked, it might spook his horses.

“This is Harry’s first sleigh ride?”

“As far as I know.”

“Yours?”

He nodded.

She shivered and pulled the heavy blanket up further around her.

“Cold?”

She nodded. “A bit.”

“Here.” He pulled her closer and adjusted the blanket to tuck it in more securely around them.

With her being so close to Bodie, Harry jumped up onto the seat in the spot she’d vacated, pulling his leash across her. First, he looked out of the sleigh, then settled down next to her, his head lying across her blanketed lap.

“Sorry,” Bodie apologized.

“No problem. Harry adds extra warmth.”

Obviously thinking her comment meant she was still cold, Bodie wrapped his arm around her, hugged her close, and made sure the blanket covered her.

Ah. This was more like her fantasy sleigh ride.

A beautiful starry night through the park with a gorgeous man holding her close. Even Harry lying against her was near perfect.

Sighing with contentment, she lay her head against Bodie’s strong shoulder, snuggled into his warmth and closed her eyes.

That’s when she felt it. The tiniest of nature’s kisses that wasn’t a kiss at all.

She opened her eyes and looked around them with disbelief. The night sky illuminated by the occasional light pole was sprinkled with white specks.

“It’s snowing!”

Bodie laughed. “Guess you can’t have a sleigh ride without snow.”

“Guess not.” She stuck her tongue out and caught a flake, then laughed. “I can’t believe it’s snowing.”

Bodie couldn’t believe it was snowing, either.

He couldn’t believe a lot of things.