(A/N-Special thanks to Lynn for beta reading this for me. And to those who read, review, follow and fav this. Thanks so much for your support!)

Four called two days later, just as Tris was about to think he'd come to his senses. She wasn't in the habit of finding herself so preoccupied with a man, and it bothered her. "Oh, its you," she said as she answered the phone.

"Can you make dinner tonight?" Four asked. "I'll pick you up at eight. Do you like dancing? I'd thought after we'd eaten..."

"Oh, I can't stay out that late," Tris said quickly. Dancing was altogether too intimate an activity. "Just I case Christina..."

"Oh, that's easily taken care of," his remark was cryptic as he hung up.

Later she found out what he meant as he arrived with a sitter named Mrs. Monroe. "Mrs. Anna Monroe is willing to stay with Christina as long as necessary."

His assumption that his arrangements would be immediately accepted left Tris breathless," You..." she began.

"Don't bother to thank me," he said cheerfully. "I've done it for a few reasons, one of them being Anna is a widow and her evenings are sometimes lonely."

"Oh well, as long as Anna doesn't mind." Tris said.

His attention was upon her, those glittering blue eyes made a long, slow assessment. "You look absolutely stunning," he said huskily, and Tris was torn between gratification and the wish that she hadn't taken such obvious pains with her appearance. She had on a black dress that had a deep neckline. He had to think that she had dressed to allure.

"Thank you," she said.

A few minutes later they were at the restaurant, when she walked in she saw that there was no dance floor. "Just so you know," Four said beside her, "I thought this would be a safer bet for our first date."

"Safer?" Tris asked.

"Yes," he smiled. "I know my weaknesses, and to hold you close on the dance-floor would be altogether too much for my self-control."

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After their dinner they headed back to Christina's, once they arrived outside the apartment. Four's hands came up to cup her face. "I wanted to thank you for this evening. I've really enjoyed myself."

So had she, she realized, though wild horses couldn't drag an admission from her. He lowered his head, slowly, as though he were afraid of alarming her, just far enough for his lips to brush against hers. The feelings that washed over her, from even so slight a contact, were incredibly erotic, tiny shivers of pleasure making her body throb as though from a series of electric shocks.

He was aware of his effect on her, she senses that. And she would have expected him to follow up the advantage he had gained. But to her surprise he released her. "Good night, Tris," he said.

He did not even suggest escorting her to the door, though she was aware that the car waited until she was safely inside. Her legs were shaking as she made for the stairs. She was the one who had wanted that kiss to continue, to deepen. It was totally illogical, making a farce of all her earlier claims to un-interest in Four..

"Tris?" Christina's voice from the living room reminded her that she had not announced her return.

As she made her way to her, Christina asked, "How did the night go?"

"Good," Tris said.

"Ok, so spill," Christina said as she patted the seat beside her on the couch. Mrs. Monroe made her way out so that the two friends could talk.

Tris was evasive."Just as you'd expect any dinner date to go. We ate, talked, all that."

"Has he kissed you yet?" Christina asked.

"You couldn't really call it a kiss," Tris said. "Just a brush of the lips."

Maybe, an inner voice said, but if just a 'brush of the lips' could make her feel that way, what havoc could a full-blooded kiss wreak upon her?

"So when's your next date?" Christina asked. And at Tris' expression, "You mean you don't know?"

"I don't suppose I will see him again. I never had any intention of this becoming a regular thing." Nevertheless an inexplicable shiver scudded through her, a shiver she excused by blaming the weather. "It's cold enough out there for snow. Perhaps we'll have a white Christmas. How Tommy would love that."

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Tris was right about one thing, the snow. Sleeping less soundly than usual, if thoughts of Four did not keep her awake he appeared in her dreams instead, she woke about five-thirty. A strange white light was streaming in through the gap in the curtains. The room felt unusually cold and, shivering, she got up to investigate by opening the window. Moonlight, reflecting off a heavy fall of snow, made the street an old-fashioned scene from a Christmas card. Finding nothing she shut the window and got back into bed.

It seemed only seconds later that she started to up in the bed, wondering what sudden noise had woken her. It came again, a heavy thud that rattled the windowpane. She got up and opened the curtains again, then jumped back in alarm as something struck the window close to her face. Then she realized what it was.

A snowball!

Who on earth? Cautiously she opened the window and peered out into the darkness, to see a tall figure silhouetted against the white background. She should have known.

"At last!" Four's familiar voice said. "I thought I'd have to do a Romeo and climb up to you."

"What on earth are you doing here at this ungodly hour of the morning?" Tris asked.

"I often get up this time of the morning, I love mornings, especially mornings like this, don't you?" Four asked.

"Not particularly," Tris said. "and not at this time of the year." She made to shut the window.

"Wait!" Tris shouted. "Don't go. How soon can you be ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"A brisk walk in the snow. Don't you think there's something very satisfying, very exciting about.."

"Go away!" Tris said. "I'm not getting up for at least another two hours."

"Come on lazybones!" Four said. "In another two hours this pure snow will be slush, ruined by others. If you don't come down, I'll just end up singing to you from down here. What will the neighbors think?"

"Since I'm not going to get more sleep," she grumbled.

"Good. How long will you be?"

"Ten minutes."

"Make it six."

She made him wait nearly fifteen before she opened the door. He wasn't going to have it all his own way. Despite the chilly mornings the large hand that grasped hers and pulled her rapidly down the path was as warm as toast. Her flesh tingled at the contact.

"Where are we going?" Tris asked.

"To the park," Four said and a few minutes later they arrived. And seeing all that unblemished snow, Tris succumbed to a sudden impulse.

"Now," she said. "I'm about to get my revenge for being woken up at such an unearthly hour." With that she began to scoop up handfuls of icy snow. She hadn't indulged in a snowball fight since childhood.

Soon the snowballs were whizzing back and forth, most of them finding their target, for Four he was adept as she. It was exhilarating exercise. But at last, laughing and breathless, Tris called for a halt.

"I'm exhausted. And I really must get back to help with the children's breakfast."

Four looked at his watch. "And I must get into town before I'm late."

"I guess as the CEO you can be late," Tris said.

"For that snide remark," Four threatened, "you deserve to be punished."

"No more snowballs," Tris begged. "I'm wet enough."

"You started it," he pointed out. "But actually I had something warmer in mind." And before she realized what he was about, his arms were about her. She could have fought free of him. But she didn't.

His mouth was as cold as hers, but as their lips touched, clung, lingered, a sweet warmth generated between them. Tris shivered, but not from the wintry cold this time. Now she did draw away, disturbed by conflicting feelings. The strange inner pulsings of her body told her she had wanted the kiss to continue. But her independent, self-reliant nature felt subtly endangered.

Four was watching her with a quizzical expression, and she hoped her inner turmoil was not written on her face. She had thought herself used to his height, but now she was very much aware of him towering over her.

"I wish I could stay, all day," he said, "but unfortunately..."

"It's just as well," she told him, crushing back her own regret that this interlude was over. "I haven't time to play childish games all day. I..."

"Did the last few moments come under the heading of childish games?" he wanted to know.

"Well, of course. It was just part of the fun, not meant to be taken seriously." It seemed very important to assert that, not just for his benefit but for her own.

"I see." Again that searching look. But he said no more, and they began to trudge back.

To break the silence which had fallen, Tris asked him, "Do you make a habit of arriving unexpectedly on people's doorsteps?"

"Only when I want to catch someone off her guard. Someone," he added with heavy significance, "who persists in refusing to take me seriously."

(Sorry this chapter is short, but this one and the next will be short as it's Christmas Eve now. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate or not.)