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“Cocoa!” I slide my arm out of the blanket, tucking it against my side with my elbow. The cold wind hits the side of my face, and a chill runs down my spine, but I ignore it and take the beverage from Teo.
Lina slides out from under my arm. “Hansi, where is my blanket? I’m freezing!”
Hans holds out two more mugs. “Take these.” When Lina complies, he clamps a white pastry bag in his teeth and pulls the blanket from his shoulder to wrap it around the two of them. Removing the bag from his mouth, he wraps one arm around Lina. “Gimme one of those.” They clink their mugs together and drink.
I glance at Teo. He usually seems to avoid physical contact, but I don’t want him to freeze. I offer a corner to him. “You want to share?”
A tiny smile twitches at the corner of his lips, and he does one of those half-bow things that used to make me swoon.
Back in middle school.
But not anymore.
“Yes, thank you.” Handing me his mug, he pulls the blanket from my grip. He steps behind me, using his body to turn me to face the fire again, and pulls me back against his chest. I freeze in surprise. Then he wraps the blanket around both of us and ties the corners in front of my chest. “How’s that?” His breath tickles my ear.
“It’s… nice.” I hold myself stiffly for a moment, but a shiver runs through me, forcing me against him. His coat is unzipped, and heat seems to pour from his body into mine, even through my winter coat. His arm twitches at my side, then wraps around my waist, but only long enough to take his drink back.
The fire crackles, sending sparks up into the cold air. Around us, people talk and laugh, mugs clink, someone yells. But I’m wrapped in my own warm, little cocoon, alone with Teo, isolated from the rest of the world. His body is firm and solid at my back, warming me and making me feel relaxed and safe. His scent wraps around me, woodsmoke and cinnamon and sandalwood—masculine and sexy. Heat from the fire soaks into my face and body, and the cocoa—probably spiked—warms me from inside.
Leaning my head against his shoulder, I slump back against his chest. His breath tickles my ear, but he doesn’t say anything. Occasionally, his hand lifts over my shoulder so he can sip from his mug, then settles back beside my hip. My eyelids start to droop. “This is cozy.”
A soft rumble of agreement vibrates against my shoulder blades.
I feel like I could stand here forever, wrapped in Teo’s arms. The thought brings me out of my stupor with a jerk. I came to Freiberg to find myself. Sharing a cozy moment with my former crush is sweet, but it would be way too easy to slide back into that crush. I’m not going to just relax and let it happen. I have things to do with my life. I need to keep him at arms’ length. Even when that means getting cold.
“They have ice carving!” Lina says suddenly. She breaks away from Hans, dropping her end of their blanket, to wave her phone in my face. “Have you ever seen it?”
Teo jerks in surprise, and I stumble. The blanket tied around us chokes me. “Gah!” I grab at the knot.
“Hold still.” Teo tries to hand me his mug.
I duck out from under the blanket. “I’m good.” I reach out for his empty cup. “You wanna untie that or keep it on?”
Teo’s gaze darts to mine, then slides away. “I think I’ll keep it. Capes are stylish.”
“Sure, if you’re Dr Strange.” Hans folds his blanket around his neck like a huge scarf. “Or Lando Calrissian.” He smirks.
Teo pulls the tied blanket over his head, ruffling his hair. “Nope.”
“Or Aragorn.” Lina bats her eyelashes at Teo. “Kings wear capes.”
“Or a hobbit,” I say. “How about Dracula?”
“Ooh, that reminds me.” Lina grabs my hand and pulls me away from the fire. “Halloween. Let’s dress up!”
I cast a regretful look back at the boys, but they’re trooping along in our wake. Our moment shattered and reality restored, I follow Lina to the ice carvings.
By the time we see all the sculptures, tour the other two fest tents, and eat the stollen Hans bought, the cold has seeped into all of us. The clouds have moved in with a vengeance, enshrouding the top of the hill in a dense fog, making even the hiking octogenarians scramble for the lift line. On the ride down, Teo and I share a chair with an old man whose accent is so thick I can only understand one word in five. He and Teo carry on a spirited conversation the whole way. At the bottom, the old man offers his flask to Teo who thanks him but refrains from partaking.
Back in the big, black car, with the heater running at full blast as we head down the winding road, I stare into the quickly falling darkness, thinking about our idyllic moment. Was Teo just being friendly, or was that the start of something more?
And if he’s finally showing real interest in me, is that something I’m ready to return?
Chapter Sixteen
TEO
The next Saturday, I meet Hans and the girls at the theater. Like most of the buildings in the newer part of the Altstadt, it is a massive baroque building with rows of arches over dozens of windows and dripping with gilded trim and sculptures. My shoes clack on the marble floor of the huge lobby as we walk to the turnstile at the steps leading up to the second floor. Hans’s trainers squeak.
