Chapter 26
Chapter twenty-six
"Did you make any sense of that?" Rosa asked.
Billy shrugged. "Other than something about Jenny and later?"
"That's what I thought she said too, but who's Jenny, and what's happening later? Do you think they've managed to dig themselves out?" A smile spread across her face. "Maybe they're coming this way to dig us out?"
"Maybe." Billy smiled and moved slowly towards her. "And you know what that means, right?"
Rosa eyed her. "No, what does that mean…" She laughed nervously as Billy got closer. "Billy…"
"Rosa…"
"Are you… We only just washed and changed…"
"Uh huh, and we can boil up more water later, Rosa." She was within reach but didn't push. "So, you wanna…while we still have the opportunity?"
Stepping forward, Rosa placed her palm against Billy's chest. "I want to…"
"But?"
"Not a but, really, just…I think it would be more helpful to me, if we slowed this down a little."
"Okay…tell me what you need." Billy’s palm rose to cup Rosa's cheek again. Rosa followed the movement, covering Billy's hand.
"I like this…things like this, just being intimate together again.
Last night was what we needed, and it was wonderful, and a reminder of how good things can be.
This is the ‘but’ part, " she said, smiling.
"We were good like that before and then everything fell apart, and so I want…
No, I need to ease back into this." She held Billy's gaze, eyes wide and clear.
"I'm not backing away. I'm just asking for some time to gently find our way back to one another. "
Billy nodded, a slow smile curving her lips. "I'm good with that." Her thumb rubbed gently against Rosa's cheek. "Tell me what that looks like."
"Well," Rosa chuckled, "I suppose…kissing is nice…and touch. I like feeling your hands on me again." Her cheeks reddened and Billy kept smiling. "And I like touching you, but I don't want every time we do to be this mad rush to get naked and then we miss out on something we also need to be doing."
"And what's that?"
"Finding each other. We're not the same people we were the last time we did this and I think that's a good thing, because it means we have the potential to do it all differently now.
I need to learn this new version of you…
I want to learn who you are now, because I quite like her.
" She laughed. "God, I sound ridiculous.
" She looked away, but Billy grasped her chin between her fingers and pulled her gaze back up to her own.
"You don't sound ridiculous. You sound like someone who knows what they want and isn't afraid to ask for it, and that…
that's really attractive, and even though it feels vulnerable and scary, you're doing it anyway.
" She leant in and kissed Rosa softly. When she pulled back, she grinned.
"I like kissing too. I like hugging as well," Billy said, arms moving to wrap around Rosa and pull her close.
"Is that okay?" she asked when Rosa hesitated just a second before her arms tightened around Billy.
“Yes…” Rosa whispered against Billy's chest. "Just feels surreal after all this time, being in your arms again. I keep thinking it's a dream and I'm going to wake up in a minute and feel very stupid."
Billy pressed a kiss against Rosa's head. "Well, it's a good job it isn't a dream then. I was thinking…maybe we have a quick tidy up, throw some more wood on that fire, and think about making something to eat…and then, play cards or a game?"
Rosa leant back to look up at Billy. "Do we have cards or a game?"
"Yep. Found some yesterday when I was searching for a torch and emergency equipment."
Rosa laughed. "Then that sounds like a wonderful way to spend an afternoon trapped in a snow-covered cabin, on a mountain, with you."