A/N: No ownership implied or declared…

Chapter 6

A Quiet Ember Burns

"Stop touching me," Serenity growled through clenched teeth. The back seat of the sleigh was tight and not very conducive to wiggle room. If there were about 10 more inches there would be no physical contact. Damn the sleigh designers. Then again, they probably had romance in mind when they created this abominable contraption. Little did they realize it would be used as a torture device in the, now arriving, future.

"I'm not touching you," Kaiba retorted. He turned his head so she couldn't see the smirk on his lips. Usually he sat with his legs crossed, but that wouldn't do tonight. If he sat that way his leg wouldn't be forced to brush against her thigh. Men sat like this all the time, legs slightly parted, no harm, no foul. He slowly slid his right hand down his right thigh, there in stroking her outer left thigh with the back of his hand.

"Hands above the blanket Kaiba," She grasped his wrist and tugged his hand out from under the cover. He sneered as he captured her hand in his.

"If you wanted to hold hands you should have simply requested it." His eyes locked with hers. She struggled to free her hand but realized it was a futile effort. He rested their now entwined fingers on her lap. She sighed raggedly.

"I don't want to hold hands Kaiba. I would actually appreciate it if you would let me go." She would use diplomacy and manners. "Please." That should do it. Despite the fact that he was being a jerk she would be courteous and sweet. The urge to bring his hand up to her mouth to bite him flickered in the recess of her mind. He was unreal. She hardly knew him, how did one kiss equal his being allowed to hold her hand? She tugged, trying to escape his grasp. His fingers tightened. She relaxed, his grip relaxed. It was like a trap, resistance caused ensnarement. A wolf might actually gnaw it's foot off if it were trapped...she snickered as she imagined that scenario with Kaiba being the trap.

Slowly Kaiba lifted her hand. He kept a firm hold of it while his other hand began stroking her wrist. His eyes were focused on her fingers, never looking up to see the confused expression cross her soft features. What was he up to? Did he honestly think she would enjoy this? Hardly.

"Are you almost finished?" She snapped as she attempted to free her hand.

"I've only just started," he mused. "Why are you trembling? Are you cold?" It was a sarcastic remark; he knew damn well her slight tremor was caused by the contact of his hand.

Why was she reacting this way towards him? He was an egotist and an ass, an egotistical ass. She smiled at the joke in her mind. He smiled, a Seto Kaiba smile, back. Damn, did he think she was smiling at him? That sucked, because it wasn't for him. Well, it was technically, because he was an egotistical ass…anyway…

He brought her hand up to his lips and softly kissed her fingertips. Soft, honey brown eyes widened. Startled and shocked at the gentleness of this dragon, a gasp slipped past her lips.

What the hell was he doing!

"Your hand is cold," he said it almost absently as he folded her hand in his. He rubbed it gently trying to coax warmth back into the skin. "I can't have you getting sick this close to Christmas." Provoking her was delicious and reminding her of her Christmas Eve challenge was priceless.

"That's a myth. You need to be exposed to a virus in order to get sick. Being cold won't cause a person to become ill." She said smugly as she tried to pry her hand away. His touch was causing her breath to catch and her head to spin.

"Still, we wouldn't want to take any chances would we? I mean even experts have been wrong a time or two." He grinned at her, showing his teeth and licking his lips. He was dangerous and she found herself at a loss for words.

Ignore him. She heard her mind scream. Slowly she turned and watched the trees glisten with snow while more flakes swirled down from the heavens. It was reminiscent of the perfect Christmas story. How many women would give their eyeteeth to sit beside Seto Kaiba during a romantic sleigh ride, having their hand held and stroked by fingers that were dexterous and soft? She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Are you done yet?" Her hand was warm and kissed and quite ready to be returned.

"Not quite." He knew he was having an effect on her and he planned on pushing his advantage. "What's wrong Serenity?" He purred against her ear, "hasn't a man ever held your hand before?"

The warmth of his breath combined with the sweet scent of it, from the wine she supposed, caused her to turn towards him. He was close enough to kiss, his lips looked inviting and she had so enjoyed it last time.

Don't go there. That's dangerous territory.

She was beginning to give in to his subtle, and not so subtle, charms. He decided he liked how she looked in the cold night air, how her breath left her lips in wispy clouds. Her cheeks and nose were softly turning red and her hair swirled around her. She was what he had been wanting for for so long. Something soft and warm in a corporate world that could be so cold and relentless would be a welcomed distraction.

"I only allow a man with morals to hold my hand." She tried to sound convincing, but stammered a bit.

"Touché," he leaned in closer to her lips. She pulled back slightly, but enough to be noticed by him.

"You did say you had none," she reminded him in a way that he could see the teacher within. Life would never be boring with her around, and he did intend on keeping her around. If a circus was what she required, a circus is what he would deliver.

"Correction, I said I had no sense of them. There is a difference." He wanted to kiss her.

"What is the difference? If you have no sense of them then you exhibit none…correct?" She was trying to concentrate on something other than his eyes or mouth. His eyes were devouring her and his lips were too enticing.

"You are determined to believe the worst about me aren't you?" He smirked as moonlight danced in his deep blue eyes.

"Well, let's just say if this is you on your best behavior then I would hate to see you at your worst." She won that one, she was sure of it. She tipped her nose up a bit proud that she had bested him.

"You'll get to see all aspects of my personality when I win your challenge." He kissed the tip of her nose. It was gentle and fleeting but it had completely undermined her courage. She had to move away from him. Stupid sleigh was just as small as it had been when they entered it. Where the hell could she cower?

"Why are you insisting on staying in it? What makes you think I'll live up to my end of the bargain? I could just lead you on and then leave you standing there, me having laughed, but denying you the prize. How do you know I'll be true to my word?" She glared at him, hoping the look was icy enough to make him back off. This argument was pointless, she knew full well and good that a man, such as himself, could never make her laugh. He had no sense of humor and probably would never understand what could make a person laugh. Sarcasm was filled with wit, but never envoked the laughter he would need to claim her heart. She was as safe as a kitten.

"I'm an amazing judge of character and I know you will honor your word."

Was he getting closer or was it her imagination?

"What if we don't work, I mean we come from two different worlds. Wouldn't you rather have a woman who was a financial consultant or someone in your field? What do you see in me? I don't understand…"

"You're a challenge Serenity, and I like challenges." His lips brushed hers. When he pulled away she licked her lips, the taste of him lingered.

"We're here Seto!" Mokuba cried out from the front of the sleigh. Serenity's eyes snapped open as she turned to look up at Mokuba. Where exactly were they?

"Are you ready for part two Serenity?" Kaiba had leaned close to her ear; his warm breath caressed her skin as she softly bit her bottom lip. He squeezed her hand softly before releasing it.

Kaiba jumped out of the sleigh and then waited, offering his hand up to Serenity.

She softly took it as she stepped down into the newly fallen snow. She tried to pull her hand back from Kaiba, but he refused to relinquish his hold. She looked at him, questioningly but didn't jerk her hand away. Part of her knew if she insisted he would have caved. That was all she really needed to know in order to feel secure. Besides, what harm could something as simple as holding hands do?

He led her a few feet away from the sleigh to where Mokuba was waiting for them. Mokuba was looking at trees that were freshly decorated with snow and lights. A small skating rink was situated at the center of the magnificent scene. Serenity smiled as she watched people skating and falling, some did pirouettes while others barely stood. A low Christmas song was playing in the distance, it sounded like 'Jingle Bell Rock' but she wasn't sure.

"I feel like I popped into a Christmas special on TV." She giggled as she squeezed Kaiba's hand. He frowned down at the top of her head. She had been so adamantly avoiding him, why was she now tightening her grip?

"Does this happen every year?" She asked, the excitement evident in her voice.

"For as long as Seto and I have been doing this." Mokuba shrugged as he answered. "The skating pond is always decorated at this time of year and everyone skates there until it gets too warm and the ice melts." They stood there watching as the snow steadily began to increase. Serenity shivered, the night was getting colder and her long coat, though warm, was beginning to lose its battle with the frigid night air.

"We should get back to the sleigh before we freeze to this spot." Kaiba commented. He turned and began to pull Serenity behind him. This was the Kaiba she knew, the one who led and didn't care who he dragged behind him. She fought to keep up with his long strides, but quickly realized she would have to run to stay in step. She tugged her hand free, much to his disappointment. The dead stop caused Mokuba and Kaiba to turn and look at her.

"Are you trying to make me fall on my face?" Her cheeks were burning red now and the cold she felt was replaced with the warmth that came from anger. "I mean…hello Kaiba you're huge and tripping over myself to keep up with you in the snow isn't what I had in mind."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged and turned to walk towards the sleigh. That was it. He could hold her hand, squeeze it, make her feel…something…and then disregard her in the next breath? So, if she couldn't keep up it meant she would be left behind? What a joke!

He might have his good moments, the way he was stroking her hand, but then there was this arrogant side of him. Neither Tristan nor Duke would ever leave her behind in the snow.

Slowly she crouched down and slid her hands into the snow, she might not be able to keep up, but she could hurl a mean snowball. Without thinking of what the consequences could be she pulled her arm back and let the icy compact ball fly. It connected, deadly accurately, with the back of Kaiba's head. He stopped in his tracks, feeling the icy little clumps travel down the back of his collar and under his shirt. A soft shiver escaped him. He shook his head to rid himself of more cold insults and turned just as she fired another cold lump at him.

She shrieked as it wailed him in the face. That was not her original intention. Her aim was the back of his head. His mid back, maybe even his chest, but not his face. She raced over to his side.

Great Serenity, nice way to say thank you for a lovely dinner and sleigh ride-would you like a black eye Seto Kaiba!

"I am so sorry," She tried to figured out if she had injured him. The giggles erupted from her lips without her consent. She quickly slapped her cold, wet fingers over her lips in a sorry attempt to stop her laughter.

Mokuba stood there staring at them, at first concerned for Seto, but now more concerned about what Seto would do to Serenity.

"Are you all right Big Brother?" Mokuba asked with complete concern. When a glob of snow fell off Seto's head down his face Mokuba erupted into peels of laughter and Serenity grabbed her stomach as she bent in half, no longer able to control her enjoyment of the wet, snowy CEO. Looking at his eyes it was a miracle the snow all around them wasn't melted. He was furious with a certain auburn haired beauty. He bent down, unnoticed and lobbed together his own snowball. He hit her, hard enough to explode the ball of snowflakes, but not with enough venom to hurt her. Mokuba was treated to the same care.

Serenity quickly tried to brush the snow out of her hair and away from her ear. It was already melting and drizzling down under her collar. She should be angry, she told herself, but she couldn't stop laughing. Mokuba was on the ground, his face bright red due to his lack of oxygen.

"Are you two quite finished yet?" Kaiba asked with exasperation. He tried to rearrange his hair in some order, but knew he failed miserably. He hated being wet. Cold he could deal with, but wet was annoying. Cold and wet was deplorable.

"I'm s-s-sorry K-K-Kaiba. I can't s-s-top." Serenity was close to falling to her knees. She had tried to stop her laughing fit, but looking up at him, his cheeks red from the cold snow, his face wet and pieces of hair dangling in weird angles kept undoing her resolve. She was pelted with another snowball as a sign of his annoyance. Mokuba's arm was grabbed as Kaiba tried to get the boy back to his feet.

"You're acting very immature!" Kaiba scolded the wriggling child who couldn't stop laughing. "I'm very surprised at you Mokuba." Kaiba grabbed both of Mokuba's arms attempting to get him on his feet, but his limbs seemed to have turned to Jell-O. The laughter hadn't stopped. "You should be past this ridiculous behavior." He continued.

Serenity watched through tear filled eyes as Kaiba kept trying to shut Mokuba up without success. It was only making it worse for her, the harder he tried to explain that laughter was immature the more she gave into the urge.

"Please stop!" She finally lamented. "I can't take it anymore!" She took a few steadying breaths and noticing the brothers' eyes on her she stifled a last giggle and approached them. She wiped tears away from her cold cheeks as she ruffled Mokuba's wet hair.

Mokuba finally stood on his own while he wiped at the tears falling down his cheeks. No one had ever pelted Kaiba that way before. No one ever disturbed a hair on the infamous CEO, not without incurring his wrath. This girl, woman, had openly provoked Seto and earned simple snowballs in return. Mokuba watched as the two stood there, eyes wandering over one another. Serenity attempted to shake free more snow out of Kaiba's hair and he let her! He let her touch him, hell, she touched him without provocation and it wasn't to slap him! Things were getting interesting.

Serenity was still giggling as they made their way back to the sleigh. Mokuba stood there watching the two. Did Serenity realize that Seto had made her laugh? Should he even mention it? Nah…

A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! It's really keeping me going, I mean...it's kinda hard to keep in the Christmas spirit after the season is over. I think this will revolve mostly around the winter season not on Christmas madness. Don't worry, Christmas Eve will occur-it has to...