Sunday (2 days til Christmas...)

It was a clear, crisp day as Olivia and Rafael drove north. He had planned for them to spend the day exploring Harriman State Park. They both loved living in the city, but recently they had, on separate occasions, bemoaned the length of time it had been since they had been out in the fresh air. Rafael was just thankful that the weather hadn't hampered his plans.

The snowfall the night before had actually been a blessing. It had created a beautiful, picturesque winter wonderland just for them to enjoy as they explored one of the winter trails. The view as they walked hand in hand through the park was magnificent; the trees all covered in a lustrous blanket of snow and the scenery competed with anything in any cheesy Hallmark movies.

They were walking back to the car when Olivia spied two rabbits ahead in the clearing. They stopped and watched them for a while, afraid that if they moved the animals would be frightened away. Olivia watched the rabbits race around, kicking up snow with their hind feet. Rafael watched Olivia. The winter wind had added hints of red to her cheeks and the tip of her nose. Her eyes were bright as she watched the creatures play.

Rafael noticed the snow-covered branch directly over her head and his hand, of its own volition he was certain, reached out and firmly shook the branch. Mounds of snow from that branch as well as the two above it fell upon her.

She gasped both from surprise and the shock of the coldness of the snow now covering her hair, sticking to her eyelashes and running down the back of her neck. Olivia slowly turned to face him. When her eyes met his and he viewed the promise of revenge he saw there, he did what any self-respecting man would do in the same situation – he ran.

He hadn't gotten very far away from her when he checked over his shoulder to see if she was pursuing him. His world exploded into painful whiteness as the first snowball hit him in the face, and the second between the shoulder blades. The third, hit him square in the chest when he turned, taking the offensive, and began to chase after them. He heard Olivia laugh as she ran, and he took delight in the sound until she ducked under a low branch, pushing it forward so that it was his turn to be sprayed with snow when it snapped back. He stood, covered with snow, unable to help thinking that although he had started this little battle in the snow, he was getting his ass kicked.

Another snowball brushed past his ear and he set out after her with determined intent. Olivia lost her footing and she slipped on a patch of ice. She twisted her body so that she landed hard on her butt in the snow. Still laughing, she laid back in the snow so that her arms were next to her sides. Rafael walked up to her and watched as she moved her arms and legs out and back.

"What are you doing?"

"Making a snow angel." She pointed to a clear patch of snow close to her. "You should try it."

Rafael eyed the snow with disdain. "I don't think so."

"You don't want to make a snow angel?" Her voice reflected her disappointment.

"Nope." He smiled as he answered, then he dropped down trapping her beneath him. "I'd rather make out with an angel in the snow." He whispered softly before kissing her tenderly.

She squirmed beneath him, and not taking his mouth from hers he captured both of her hands in his and pinned them above her head. He deepened the kiss and she responded in kind, but she also raised one of her legs to gain some leverage beneath him. Rafael shifted slightly to the side, making it impossible for her to move.

He bent his head so that his lips merely tantalized hers before descending to her jawline. His lips and tongue blazed a trail to just below her ear. The feather-like movements tickling and exciting her beyond words. She attempted to free her hands, but he held on tightly, keeping them above her head.

He nipped softly at her earlobe where it poked out from underneath her hat before nosing her scarf out of the way to run his tongue along the sensitive spot on her neck. Rafael lifted his head and looked into her brown eyes. He saw there the effect his movements were having on her; they were wide with desire.

"Rafa." Her voice was deep, raw with passion. "Take me home. You can make out with an angel on the sofa in our living room, in front of that giant fireplace you insisted on having. If we stay out here much longer the explanation as to why my ass is frostbitten is going to be embarrassing." She smiled up at him coyly.

He took her hand and pulled her up from the snow before leading her the short distance back to the car.

The teasing continued on the journey home. Once she was suitably warmed up, Olivia paid Rafael back for his actions in the snow by laying her hand on his thigh, tracing patterns in the denim of his jeans. Her fingers had risen higher and higher until they were teasing the now prominent bulge in his trousers.

By the time they arrived home, the tension between them was palpable. Olivia fumbled with the key in the lock as Rafael pressed up against her back, his breath ghosting over the skin of her neck.

He steadied her hand with his and together they got the door open. They barely made it inside before they were kissing. He kicked the door closed behind them and she pushed him back against it. Several minutes later, Olivia pulled away breathless. She stepped back from him and, with a smouldering smile, offered him her hand. He took it without hesitation and allowed her to lead him through the hallway.

The afternoon was growing late, and Rafael left her side only for a moment to switch on the tree and light the fire.

When he returned, their kisses grew more urgent. Rafael's tongue began to tangle with hers more aggressively as she felt the fierce tension in his body escalate; his arousal pressing into her belly. His hands stole up under her sweater to caress across the skin of her back, causing her to arch against him as goose bumps broke out everywhere.

He dragged his mouth away from hers to trail it open along her chin and began to kiss and suck his way down her neck as she tilted her head back to give him better access. One large hand smoothed its way lower to cup and squeeze her rear. He bent her back over his arm slightly to reach the hollow of her throat, just above her collarbones. First, his nose nuzzled, and then his tongue dipped into it, giving testament to his fascination with this spot.

He nipped a titillating path across her collarbone, then gently nibbled his way up the side of her neck. Her breasts warmed and swelled, and her nipples tightened almost painfully in response to the sweet torture he was working on her exposed neck.

One of his hands was now under her sweater, resting on the side of her ribcage, his thumb making slow, wide sweeps from her waist to the edge of her bra. His other arm was effectively holding her upright and against him, as she had long ago lost all sense of balance. The hand attached to that arm was still stroking and squeezing her bum.

She ran the fingers of one hand through his hair, cradling his head as he began to run the tip of his tongue around her ear. She could feel his hot breath on her skin, causing a riot of sensations in her core.

She felt his fingers around her ribs tighten and his hand on her rear gave a slightly more gripping squeeze and held him against her. She felt his body give a little shudder.

"Liv," he breathed against her ear. It was both a prayer and a plea. The teasing was fun, but he couldn't take much more. He needed to make love to her.

Recognising the desperation in his tone, she tucked her head into the curve of his neck and whispered, "I think it's time we christen our living room."