"What are you doing?"
Jackson stood on the red tiled front doorstep with his arms wrapped around his chest. His hands were running furiously up and down his arms. He was trying to rub away the goose bumps that appeared on his bare skin as soon as he had opened the door and greeted the cold frosty air. His black hair fell into his eyes as he shook his head and a small smile appeared on his blue lips as he watched her.
With a flick of his head, strands of his hair settled themselves back behind his ears and his smile grew a little as his green eyes followed her movement through the soft white and snowy winter landscape. Blonde strands of her hair fell out from under his grey hat that she had borrowed without asking. He chuckled a laugh that came from deep within him, as he followed her ski-clad body as she trudged through the snow that filled the front garden. When he saw her fall to her knees and fill a bucket with freshly fallen and fluffy snow before she got to her feet again, he was brought back to his senses and then remembered that he was very confused.
"What are you doing?" Jackson called out again and sighed when she didn't respond.
Looking down at his bare feet he sighed once more. He wanted to go out to her and see what she was up to but he did not want to get cold and wet, so he remained standing in the doorway and watched as she held a green bucket in her gloved hands, which was now filled to the brim with snow. He found this to be just slightly suspicious.
Just a few moments ago, he had been cosy and warm by the roaring fire watching random rubbish daytime TV. He was staying as far away as he could from the falling snow outside when his company up and left his arms and headed outside. He thought that she was letting the cat out after they had heard it meowing at the door. He had heard the back door open and close but when she didn't return to keep him warm his curiosity got the better of him and he went to find her.
Now he stood shivering in the front doorway, jumping up and down slightly to try and get some of the feeling back into his fingers and toes.
"Eve!" His soft southern voice was drowned out by the wind, so his crazy girlfriend who was feet deep in snow did not hear him.
"Evelyn!" he shouted this time with both his hands cupped around his frozen lips, hoping that she would hear him calling. "Dammit it, Eve!"
Jackson did not want to go out into the snow. He didn't want go out in the rain, or the wind, or the frost or any of the other weather types that the country had experienced since he had arrived in the Emerald Isle five days ago. He was from Texas and had spent most of his youth in warm places.
Ireland was rarely warm and it was currently turning into one of their coldest Februarys in history. Hail and light snow showers were falling daily and although the weather brought a beautiful smile to his girlfriend's face when she stared out the window and watched each individual snowflake stick to anything it fell on, he just didn't understand her fascination with it. He thought she was mad when she ran outside two days ago in a short-sleeved t-shirt when the snow first started to fall.
"It's so beautiful, Jacks!"
"I don't care how beautiful it is, Eve! Get back inside before you freeze to death!"
She didn't listen to him, though, as she spun in circles with her arms stretched out. Her eyes were closed and her face looked up towards the sky as the frozen flakes hit her pale skin and melted on contact.
Jackson couldn't let her stay outside in the cold in nothing but a t-shirt so he quickly jogged out to her and playfully threw her over his right shoulder, carrying her back into the warmth of the house.
"You ruin all my fun!" she protested through giggles as Jackson got her inside and gently placed her on the ground. He closed the door and admired her flushed red cheeks.
"This is my break and I refuse to spend it in a hospital by your bedside as you recover from pneumonia."
Her pout only caused Jackson to grin, his dimples pronounced as he took her hand and led her back to the comfy couch where he had to keep scolding her as she tried to get away to watch the snowfall.
He shook his head of his thoughts, coming back to reality as he turned on the doorstep and walked back into the warm house. He made his way to the bedroom they were sharing, her bedroom, and rummaged through his duffle bag, looking for something warm and waterproof. It seemed that Evelyn was not coming to him so he was going to have to go to her. He knew that he owed her for finding him a quiet place to take his well-earned ten day break.
When she suggested that they stay at her parent's house in a small village in Ireland away from the city life and the L.A scene, Jackson had agreed immediately. He loved his life, and he knew that he was very lucky at the moment to be working and fulfilling his dreams of acting and recording, but his hectic and unrelenting schedule was wearing him down. His manager had let him know that he had ten days off to do with as he wished. She refused point blank to let him work through it like he did last time he had a break. She insisted that he take a well-deserved holiday.
It only took the words 'Wanna see where I grew up?' for Jackson to book two first class tickets to Ireland, Evelyn's home country, for his few days off. Evelyn had no problem taking some days off. She worked extra shifts when anyone asked her and was always willing to help out whenever she could. She was a pleasure to work with, so her boss was fine with letting her take some time off. They were both glad of the peace and quiet that the small town provided.
Although the break and peace and quiet was most welcomed, the winter weather was not and Jackson was amazed at how excited it made Evelyn. It had made her crazy to the point where she was outside with a green bucket in her hands filling it with snow. His curiosity was nearly killing him and he needed find out what she was up to.
Evelyn Burke was a head strong, crazy Irish young lady who Jackson had met at a California aquarium located by the ocean. Evelyn was a blow in from Ireland with an Honours degree in marine science and a Masters in mammal science. She spent her days working as an aquarium guide and spent her evenings training to become a Marine Veterinarian.
Her accent was one of the first things that reeled Jackson in, along with her enthusiasm and ability to hold everyone's attention. She also loved her work, which she showed through her genuine smile that enthralled everyone who took her guided tour, including Jackson.
On a day off from recording, Jackson and Ben, best friends, roomies and band mates, took a spontaneous trip to the Sea Vale aquarium for a laugh, but Jackson got more than he had bargained for. He hadn't meant to slip and fall into the seal sanctuary, but he did. He hadn't meant to cut his cheek on the fall into the cold water either, and he also hadn't meant to be cornered by the newest male seal to join the aquarium.
Evelyn had come to his rescue. She had spoken softly to the seal, and Jackson was sure that the seal had spoken back to her. She had led the mammal away from Jackson and in to the other corner of the shallow pool. She gave the seal some fish for his good behaviour and then made her way back to Jackson, who was still stunned and sitting in the cold water. She helped him up by his hands and led him out of the knee-deep pool and into the staff quarters where she handed him a towel, cleaned the small dribble of blood from his cheek, and tried her hardest not to laugh at his clumsiness.
Of course, Ben had also tagged along. "If you weren't so busy checking out the legs on the gorgeous tour guide then you wouldn't have fallen into the pool, would you?"
If Evelyn wasn't cleaning the cut on his cheek, Jackson, was sure he would have swiped for Ben, but the blush that filled her sun kissed cheeks immediately caught his attention. Her quick and sharp remark back to Ben had also left him dazed for a few seconds and that had saved Ben from a black eye.
"You are just jealous that this tour guide now has her hands all over Jackson and not you. So really, Jackson ogling at me has gotten him closer to said tour guide then you did. He has also managed to get some T.L.C, something else you won't be getting. Not to mention the fact that saving uncoordinated movie stars and gawking musicians is not part of my job description, so my drying cleaning bill is going to be paid by the person who was responsible for making me get into the pool."
Jackson lips grew into in a long smile and his green eyes darkened with delight as Ben took a step backwards and blushed.
"I think I should know your name, seeing as how I am paying for your dry cleaning," Jackson replied.
"Evelyn."
"I'm Jackson, though you seem to know that already."
She blushed once more and Jackson's grin grew as he watched her shrug.
"Twilighter," she replied as she brushed his cheek with his fingers. Her warms fingers made him tremble in nothing but a good way. Jackson felt sparks fly for the first time in his life. "Now I think you will survive although Patrick may not."
"Patrick?" asked Jackson. "Oh, you mean the seal who nearly sat on me?"
"He didn't nearly sit on you ya big baby," she smiled as she placed a steri strip over the small cut on his cheek. "He just wanted to be your friend."
"My friend? He cornered me!"
"Like I said, he wanted to be friends. You were the one who fell into the sanctuary!"
"I was pushed!" Jackson looked at Ben who was trying to hide his laughter behind his hands. "And it's not funny, Ben! I am soaked. I don't exactly have a dry change of clothes on me, do I? And that is a rhetorical question, Benjamin!"
"Okay, come on Jay. Lighten up. Patrick just wanted to know you and we were nearly finished walking around he aquarium anyway. We can just head home now and you can get some clean clothes and maybe a shower 'cos dude no offense, but you stink."
Jackson glared at his friend. "I fell in a pool of seal…"
"... Don't even think about finishing that sentence, Jackson," scolded Evelyn. "Our tanks and sanctuaries are cleaned daily and they are always kept spick and span. We give our animals, mammals and fish the care they deserve and always tend to their daily and nightly needs so don't give me that smells like shit excuse because I went in after you, and saved you, and if you smell like shit then you imply that I smell like shit, and seeing as how I work here every day then overall I…"
Jackson placed his hand over her red lips. "Okay, I am sorry. I take it back."
"Good."
Evelyn took his hand away from her lips and pulled a pen that she kept lodged in her ponytail, which she then used to write her phone number on the back of his hand.
"I was serious about my dry cleaning," she said as she drew a smiley face on his hand next to her number.
Needless to say, Jackson paid for her dry cleaning.
A week later, he took a visit back to aquarium. His excuse was that he wanted to see Patrick, but really he wanted to ask the level headed, opinionated and 'gorgeous' (as Ben had put it), Evelyn out on a date.
As clichéd as it sounds, the rest was history. Jackson was mostly living in L.A and working on his album with his band, but his filming schedule also had him on a set or studio in the city, too, so his visits to the Sea Vale aquarium became more and more frequent as did his dates with Evelyn. A year had passed and he found himself head over heels in love with the cheeky and charming woman.
She hadn't changed one bit since she had 'saved' him from the male seal. She still held her own in any discussion, talked the hind legs off a donkey, and she managed to keep him on his toes every day. In return, Evelyn loved his peculiar and weird habits, not too mention his overall craziness. They suited each other well. Both were mad as a hatter and romantics at heart but they still found fault with each other's music, movie and book tastes, although they always overlooked it, as they didn't have to like everything about each other. Evelyn always had that extra hold on the Texan, though. He would never forget how she had shot him down with a few simple sentences a year ago. It was a skill to be able to silence someone with a few simple and stern words.
Even now as he reluctantly pulled on his precious cowboy boots, he knew that as soon as he walked outside Evelyn would convince him to stay outside with her. All she had to do was flash him a beautiful smile, and plant a soft kiss to his still cold lips, and he knew he would have no problem staying outside with her.
Shrugging into his leather jacket, as it was all he had with him, Jackson made his way back to the front door. With great unwillingness he pulled it open, and was immediately met by a cold breeze and a flurry of ever growing snowflakes.
Tucking his hair behind his ears to keep the wind from tossing it in front of his eyes, the young Texan stepped out into the elements and pulled his jacket tight around his chest.
"Evelyn!" he called out again with one last longing hope that she would hear him so he wouldn't have to go any further. Of course she didn't hear him and Jackson was going out into the snow whether he liked it or not.
The white frozen snow crunched under his boots as he walked and his hair was quickly caked in the frosted flakes. He was now intent on getting his hat back once he got to her.
"Eve! Eve!"
Ankle deep in snow once he stepped onto the grass, Jackson had to stop and stare, as he truly believed that his already crazy girlfriend was finally loosing it.
On her hands and knees, Evelyn was rolling a snowball along the ground and making it bigger and bigger as she went. He watched as she reached the end of the garden only to do a half circle and make her way back up the same path.
With his arms still wrapped around his chest, he called out to her.
"Evelyn, what on earth are you doing? Didn't you hear me calling you? Come back inside, Baby. It is freezing out here."
Shivers ran through his body as he spoke and he stood in amazement as Evelyn continued to ignore him.
With the cold air seeping into him from all over, Jackson was ready to go back inside and curl up by the fire but he wanted his girl by his side. He trudged through the ever growing snow and quickly followed his girlfriend as she crawled on her knees.
Once he reached her, he pulled on the hood of her blue ski jacket.
Her scream pierced through the silence of the countryside and Jackson jumped back in shock. She turned around and grabbed the hand that had pulled on her hood, and as a result, this caused Jackson to fall face first onto the ground. Thankfully, the snow softened his landing.
"Jackson! Jesus!"
He knew he would hear it. Eventually he would hear it, and sure enough Evelyn's giggles filled the garden as Jackson still lay face down in the snow.
"Jacks…"
He felt two gloved hands on his waist and with Evelyn's help, Jackson got to his knees. She knelt in front of him and brushed down his jacket, but nothing could be done for the wet patches on his jeans or the snow that dripped from his hair.
"What are you like?" she asked smiling as she brushed his wet hair from his eyes.
"At the moment, a drowned Texan. Now I understand why you couldn't hear me." Jackson flicked the earphones that hung from the fleece lining of the neck of her jacket. He could hear the loud guitar riffs and drum beats coming from the white lead. "I tried calling you but obviously you couldn't hear me."
She grinned. "I was kinda rocking out to The Foo's."
"Sweetheart, what are you doing out here in the cold and the snow? You left me all alone inside. I thought you went to put the cat out."
"I did." Evelyn took her gloves off and reached into her inside pocket and turned her iPod off. "And when I came back," She stroked Jackson's left cheek. Those sparks were still there. "You were fast asleep on the couch, hugging a cushion."
"I was?"
"Yeah, you were. I couldn't bring myself to wake you. You looked too cute snuggled into the cushion." Even with his rosy red cheeks, Jackson managed to blush. His blush only caused Evelyn to grin and cup his face with her hands so she could give his lips a quick kiss. "You should take advantage of the empty house here in the middle of nowhere to get some rest, and some sleep, and forget L.A for a while so don't be embarrassed. The sleep will do you no harm and I seriously couldn't wake you."
"You should have woken me up, Eve. I also came out to spend some time with you. I am going to be the other side of the country from you when we get back to the States and…"
"… And we promised each other we wouldn't mention that." She rested her forehead against his. Evelyn couldn't bear to think of how many miles would separate the couple when they flew back to L.A. Jackson's latest role took him to the east coast while she would be back to work on the west coast. "You need the sleep, Jacks. I wasn't going to wake you. Plus I could come out here and mess around in the snow and not get dragged back inside or told to sit down. I love the snow."
"So you have told me only a couple of hundred times."
She smiled once more.
"So are you going to tell me what you are doing out here?" he asked, the cold in his jeans really starting to make him shiver.
"Making a snowman."
The way Evelyn said those three words made it seem like making a snowman was the most normal thing to be doing right then.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes I am serious!" Evelyn pushed on Jackson's chest. "See!" she pointed to the ball, which she had stopped rolling when Jackson had interrupted her. "And over there."
His head turned to the top, right corner of the garden where another ball of snow sat.
"That's the head."
Jackson shook his head. "You are…"
"I am what?" she asked when Jackson paused and didn't finish his sentence.
"I don't know if I can find a word to describe what you are. Outrageous. Mad. Daft. Silly."
"Jacks, it's snowing. You make a snowman when it snows."
"You are twenty-four years old."
"So? There is no law or rule saying you have to be under ten years of age to make a snow man."
The pout and frown on her face just made Jackson want to pull her into his arms and kiss her.
"If I wanna make a snowman I will," she reinforced as she crossed her arms over her chest. "And you can't stop me. And," she pointed a finger at him before jabbing him in his chest, "you won't be stopping me."
She then turned on her knees, pulled her gloves back on, and once again started to roll her snowball adding chunks of white snow to it as she went along.
Jackson watched in amusement as she rolled and rolled her snowball down the garden. His lips rose in a smirk.
"Do you want some help?"
"I thought that making a snowman wasn't normal."
She didn't turn around as she spoke to him.
"I never said it wasn't normal Eve…"
"… Evelyn," corrected the Irish girl as she made a quick half turn and got to her knees and picked her oddly shaped snowball, which covered her torso completely.
"At least let me carry that for you," said Jackson as he stood in front of her.
"No thank you."
She side stepped him and walked to the middle of the garden where she carefully placed her precious ball of snow onto the ground. Once on her knees again, Evelyn started to gather all the snow around the base of her snowman and pat it down to make sure it was reinforced. She had left her bucket on the other side of the garden and once she got to her feet again, she turned to get it. Now that she had the base of her snowman completed she could use the bucket to pile the snow on the top until it was the right height for the head.
The green bucket was handed to her once she turned, a pair of red hands holding onto the handle.
"You need this next, right?" Jackson asked as he held the bucket full of snow out to her.
"Yes." She snapped it from him and turned away before she turned back to him. "Thank you."
Upending the bucket on the body of the snowman, Evelyn then started to pack the snow up and slowly but surely the body took shape.
"Do you want some help, Evelyn?"
His accent always held a soft spot in her heart. It usually made some part of body turn to jelly and now was no different as Jackson spoke to her so politely. He was a perfect Southern gentleman and had been nothing but that way since they had their first date when he insisted on paying for their dinner, even as Evelyn begged that they went at least halves on the check.
"No Evelyn. I asked you out so I am paying."
When he had placed his credit card into the bill pouch, he only smiled at her as she pouted.
"Thank you."
"Any time Darlin'," he had replied as he reached for her hand across the table, his fingers linking with hers. That was the first time that Jackson's accent had made her swoon.
"You can refill the bucket, please," she asked as she handed the bucket to him without looking his him but she knew that he was grinning at her, those dimples just asking to be poked.
"Okie dokie."
Jackson wandered off to a part of the garden that hadn't been touched by his girlfriend yet and started to fill the bucket with some snow.
"Aren't you frozen?" she called across the garden to him. She had noticed the lack of warm clothes he was wearing and was a little worried about his falling body temperature.
"Just a little," admitted Jackson, though he was shivering under his leather jacket.
"Why didn't you put some warmer clothes on?"
"I don't really have any and you borrowed my hat."
"Oh yeah. You can have it back if you want," Evelyn took the hat off her head and tossed it to him. Jackson caught it but didn't put it on. "You should put it on," she advised as she pulled the hood of her hoodie up over her messy hair.
"My hair is already wet from the falling snow and from falling in the snow. Putting my hat on is not going to keep me warm, not when I am wet."
"True," she watched as he piled the snow into the bucket. "Maybe you should go back inside then. I don't want you getting sick."
"Where's the fun in going inside on my own? I want to spend my time with you and I figure if the two of us work at this snowman thing together then we will get it done quicker, and then get inside and dry off and get warm and go cuddle back up by the fire."
"Yeah, but if you are cold…"
"… I will be okay. We will be about ten minutes doing this?" Jackson didn't like how shocked she looked after he spoke. "We are going to be longer then ten minutes?"
"This is going to be the biggest, bestest kick ass snowman. It may take longer then ten minutes."
"Hmm…" Jackson dropped the bucket and was still so intrigued at how his girlfriend was just a child inside even though he knew so from the day he met her. She wanted to build the biggest and bestest snowman she possibly could as if she had rival snowmen to compete against.
"Hmm what?" asked Evelyn. She had her back turned to Jackson as she started to pat down the snowman again making sure it was packed tight.
Something soft, wet and cold hit Evelyn on the back of her head. She stopped mid pat and turned to look at Jackson who was smiling innocently and filling the green bucket with freshly fallen snow.
"Jackson Rathbone!" Evelyn got to her feet and stood with her hands on her hips. "Throwing snowballs does NOT help with the building of the snowman!"
Another one hit her leg.
"No, but it's fun!"
Two more flew past her head and onto the rental car sitting in the driveway.
"Jackson!" she called again, but this time she was smiling.
Jackson could never resist Evelyn's Irish charm but one smile from Jackson and Evelyn melted.
"Don't!" she warned as she watched him bend down to grab some snow and roll it into a neat, circular ball. "Don't chuck that at me, Jackson. I swear to God, you will regret…"
The ice was cold and pieces of it slipped down the gap between her jacket and her neck.
"… It."
She brushed the snow from her jacket but knew that now melted water that was now sliding down her neck was too late to catch.
Jackson was so glad to see that she was smiling. She could never stay mad at him for too long, and usually he found something for her which would get him back into her good books.
She bent down and scooped up some snow and flung it in Jackson's direction, but not too bothered if it was on target. She just had to let him know that the snow war was on.
Her giggles and his deep chuckles ripped through the silence as they pelted each other with snowball after snowball. Round the garden and the car, using the car as a shield to protect themselves as they made more snowballs and caught their breath, Jackson and Evelyn ran circles around each other until they were out of breathe on their knees in front of each other just throwing hand fulls of snow in the opposite direction, hoping it was on target.
"Ow ow ow!"
Evelyn dropped the load of snow in her hands and brought her gloved hands to her face.
"Eve?"
Jackson looked on concerned as she rubbed her wet fingers on her face before she realised that she was just getting flakes all over her face. She then pulled off her gloves and rubbed her left eye with her dry fingers.
"Evelyn? Are you okay?"
Jackson inched further towards her and placed his cold hands on her arms.
"Yeah, I am ok. Just some ice in my eye."
"Aww, I am sorry."
"Actually, I don't think it was your fault. I think in my haste to throw more snow at you, the stuff in my hands flew back in my face."
Jackson smiled softly. "Well, I am glad you can't blame me then."
"Well, you started the snow fight."
"And you didn't have to throw one back at me."
Evelyn looked up at him with bright, big, blue eyes. "I had to protect myself from the big, scary boy. I mean he is the spitting image of the abominable snowman with flakes in his hair and his clothes covered and wet and Jackson stop… stop!"
She giggled and squealed as his hands moved down to tickle her Jackson knew just how ticklish she could be.
"Jackson!" she breathed as the two lay back on the snow, Evelyn laughing because of the tickle torture she was under and Jackson because he not only loved to hear her laugh, but also because he was torturing her.
"Say you love me," said Jackson out of the blue.
"What?"
"Say you love me."
"You haven't done anything in the last half hour that gives me a reason to love you."
"Don't lie."
"I would never. First off, you fell asleep on me. Then you told me that I couldn't make a snow man."
"I never said you couldn't. I said it wasn't normal."
"Actually, you did and then you pelted me with snow balls and hurt me."
"You hurt yourself."
"Because I was trying to throw snow at you and now you are tickling me. You have done nothing to warrant any love of any sorts from me, Mr. Rathbone."
"I let you borrow my hat without asking my permission."
Evelyn rolled her eyes. "And may I remind you that you are still tickling me."
"Say you love me."
"No."
"Say it."
"No."
"Say it or," Jackson grabbed a hand full of snow. "Say it or I will slowly drop this on you." He held the snow above her face letting some flakes slip through his fingers.
The snow was cold on her red cheeks. "Okay, okay. I love you."
"That's better."
Throwing the snow over his shoulder, Jackson's freezing hand rested on her cheek. Leaning closer to her he kissed her forehead and then her nose before he captured her lips in a soft, sweet kiss.
"You are so cold." Evelyn's hand rested around his waist and she could feel him shivering under her. "What do you have on under that jacket?"
She moved the zipper down and her face said it all when she saw the light checked shirt and cotton t-shirt that he was wearing.
"Jackson!" She placed her hands on his chest, and pushed him back so that she could sit up. "No wonder you are cold. A shirt? Are you crazy?"
"I didn't have anything warmer," he shrugged.
"And you didn't think to go through my closet to find the hoodie I stole from you ages ago and claimed as my own?"
"No…" He hesitated a little.
Evelyn shook her head. "Right. Come on. Inside now."
"What?"
"Jacks, you are going to get sick if you don't get warmed up."
"What about you? And your snowman?"
"I have about fifty million layers on and the snowman isn't as important to me as you are. Seriously, sometimes you need a sitter looking after you twenty-four-seven."
"If that sitter was you I wouldn't complain."
She pushed him and he fell over dramatically in the snow, feigning light-headedness throwing his arms over his face.
Evelyn then got to her feet.
"Come on. A warm shower and hot coffee is calling you from inside the warm house."
"I can't hear it."
She smiled. Jackson was grinning his usual cheeky dimpled smile. His hands moved from his face but he stayed as he was lying in the snow.
"I'll run you a bubble bath."
One of his green eyes opened.
"I will add a rubber duck."
He looked up at her.
"I'll scrub your back."
Jackson was up and on his feet in seconds.
"Now there is an offer I can't refuse!"
With a quick peck to her lips, Jackson then grabbed her hand and pulled her through the snow, past the half made snowman, and onto the path to the front door.
"Good-bye Mr Snowman. I am sorry you didn't get finished but my idiotic boyfriend decided to come outside in his non-water proof clothes and throw snow at me." Jackson pulled harder on her hand. "I will come back tomorrow and finish you!"
He shook his head but he was still smiling. She always made him smile and laugh. He never knew what to expect when she was around and he loved that spontaneous element about her.
"You can make that snowman tomorrow but right now Jackson needs some T.L.C."
"Jackson always needs T.L.C.," replied Evelyn as she rolled her eyes, jumped over the flowerbeds and followed his footsteps through the snow as they walked to the front doorstep.
Once they were on the tiled step, Jackson swung her into his arms and pulled her tight against his chest.
"That's right he does."
"What's new?"
"I love you."
"That had better not be new."
"You know it's true," Jackson's voice broke into song. "You make me smile when I am feeling blue."
"Jackson."
"You like to make me stew and you always come to my rescue. I love you, really I do. I love you so much I would build you an igloo out of this snow that makes you go cookoo."
Shaking her head she laughed. "We will have to record it and play it to Ben. See what he thinks."
He smiled. "Hmm, but after my bubble bath."
Stealing one more kiss, Jackson opened the door and the heat that met his cold skin made him shiver with delight.
"Definitely a bubble bath," Jackson confirmed as he felt the heat from the house.
Evelyn shook her head as she took a long last look at her unfinished snowman, which looked sad and lonely.
"We can finish it tomorrow, I promise, but I do really need to warm up, Darlin'. I can't feel certain parts of my body."
She giggled and Jackson rolled his eyes.
"What? You said it not me."
"And your dirty mind turned it into something…"
"… Dirty. Come on. Let's get you all warm and snuggled back up by the fire."
Jackson closed the front door, shutting the cold breezes and snow out, and once more wrapped his arms around Evelyn.
"That's the best idea I have heard since I came out here."
"Personally, I thought the snowman…"
"… Eve, don't go there," he kissed her forehead. "Bath," he said once again.
"Bath," she agreed and in return got one of her favourite dimpled killer smiles.
Hand in hand, they walked down to her bedroom and while Jackson got out of his wet clothes, Evelyn ran him a warm bubble bath.
The snowman may have been forgotten for now but Evelyn knew exactly what buttons to push on Jackson to make sure he kept his promise of finishing the job tomorrow. For now, she would settle for washing his back and making sure he got some well-earned rest. She would make sure he kept his promise. She grinned thinking about it as Jackson walked into the bathroom, a towel wrapped loosely around his waist.
"Bubbles? Duck?" he questioned.
Evelyn rolled her eyes and threw in the yellow duck from the shelf before she picked up some lavender bubble bath and poured a generous amount into the water.
"Get in. I will be back in a second."
Jackson grabbed her hand as she walked away from him. "If you are going outside to finish that…"
"… I promise I am not," she gave his hand a squeeze. "I am going to take off these layers - great for outside, but useless for inside - and then grab some more towels and join you. I did promise a back scrub."
"Hmm, you did," he kissed her nose. "Be quick."
"Always."
With a fixed smile on both of their faces, one more kiss was snuck in before Evelyn left the room to get not only some more towels, but also a radio for some music. Music was important in both of their lives. Jackson was a musical genius with his ability to pick up and play most instruments and while Evelyn had eleven years of piano playing behind her, she was also teaching herself to play the guitar when she met Jackson. Although they had sat in a comfortable silence many times, music was just something they needed in the background all the other times.
"You took your time," Jackson said as he heard the door creak open and then close again quietly, which was then followed by some soft music playing in the background.
Evelyn placed the towels on the radiator to keep them warm for when they got out and then took a look at Jackson. He lay back in the tub, the bubbles up to his chin.
"I had a lot of layers to take off. You still cold?"
"Thawing out nicely."
"Good."
Jackson held her hand as she carefully stepped into the tub and rested her back against his chest. Their hands linked as they rested on her stomach.
"This doesn't help me out with my back rub," observed Jackson.
"Tell it to the duck."
Evelyn nestled into Jackson's warming skin and sighed happily.
"You okay Darlin'?" he asked as he let go one of her hands so he could brush her hair off her face.
"Yeah I am good. You?"
"Could still do with that back rub."
He had to let go her other hand to wipe the bubbles that landed on his face after she splashed him.
"You?" she asked again.
"I am absolutely perfect."
Settling down once again the two closed their eyes and relaxed into each other. Evelyn had found out early on in their relationship that playing his guitar helped to calm Jackson down, but she also discovered that if he couldn't sleep, a long hot bubble bath really brought a sense of tranquillity to him and generally led to a perfect nights sleep. It wasn't so bad for her, either. Any quiet time she had with him she cherished, though any time with him at all, she thought, was time well spent.
Nearly an hour later, the two were wrapped up in a blanket sprawled out on the couch watching some random chick flick on the TV. Evelyn insisted that she chose the movie to watch because she knew that the man keeping her company would be fast asleep twenty minutes into the film and she didn't want to be stuck watching some gory horror movie on her own.
She knew Jackson too well. It only took him ten minutes to drift off, his arm limp around her waist. She kept his hand in her's, her thumb stroking over the back of his hand while he slept.
Closing her own eyes she snuggled into his warm chest and listened to his steady heartbeat, and it willed her to sleep.
Dreams filled with snow and frosty kisses and bubble baths, Evelyn was happy that she let Jackson persuade her to leave the rest of the snowman till the next day. She took a quick glance at the weather once he drifted off and found that the forecast was in her favour. More and more snow. Just the way she liked it.
Now she knew she could hold Jackson to his promise. All she had to do was bat her eyelashes and fulfil her own promise of that back rub.
That snowman was good as made.