A/N: Thanks for the reviews, you guys are great! On with the show, then...

Chapter 5

Faint light caused Linka to blink her eyes open. It took her a moment to realize where she was, what time of day it was, and why her body felt so pleasantly warm. A small sigh escaped her lips before she became conscious of the fact that her head was not resting on the billowy pillow, but on something much more firm. It was Wheeler's chest, slightly rising and falling with his rhythmic breathing. Linka froze, taking full note of their position. Their limbs were impossibly intertwined together, her arms around his frame as if to hold him in place. Wheeler had one arm firmly wound around her waist, holding her body to his. The other hand was cupping her butt cheek comfortably, and Linka was inundated by a swirl of heat at their intimate contact.

Struggling to remember whether anything out of the ordinary had happened last night, her heart was pumping impossibly fast as she tried to put some distance between them. She ignored the part of her that was rebelling, for it felt natural to be that close to Wheeler. It was warm, safe, and she missed it as soon as she pulled away. Linka checked for any reaction on Wheeler's part, but he was breathing regularly through his mouth, sleeping undisturbed and peaceful.

Maybe you can kiss him awake, the naughty and shocking side of her brain suggested, and she nearly gasped out loud at her outrageous thoughts. Shaking her head to clear it, she quietly got out of bed, and forced herself to get ready and head downstairs. It frightened her, what she was starting to feel for Wheeler, and she needed to put some distance between them in order to think things over. Was it more than her hormones acting up? Was hers more than just a physical attraction? More importantly, was Wheeler's? She could not stand to think he only enjoyed the look of her curvy body, that she was nothing more to him than a flirting past time.

Her mind was filled to the brim with questions and doubts as she reached the lobby downstairs. Once by the dining hall, she distractedly ordered an espresso at the bar, skimming through a newspaper that had been forgotten on a nearby stool. It was still early and not many guests were awake yet, and if so, they were probably enjoying the romantic atmosphere the rooms provided, Linka mused, a little bitterly.

By the time Wheeler joined her and they had breakfast together, Linka felt slightly better. He didn't allude to their unconscious cuddling in bed, and she didn't mention it. She was too embarrassed to admit that it had been heavenly, that they fit just right together. Maybe it was her pride, or her fear of what could happen between them if she let her guard down.

They spent the morning skiing and Linka enjoyed the fun and warm atmosphere between them. Wheeler's flirting was less subtle now, but somehow it felt more intimate, and Linka did not try to obstruct it. She did not object to his holding her hand or slipping an arm around her waist now and again. Her smiles for him were more sincere and the time flew by without any of their usual friction.

They had a relaxing lunch together on the covered patio. White dunes of snow extended far beyond the eye, accentuated only by green clusters of pines and spruces. Linka found the soup and sandwich combo delicious, and they started up a friendly conversation with an older couple that was sitting beside them. The only awkward moment came when the wife asked them if they were on their honeymoon, and Linka nearly choked on her beverage. Wheeler, of course, had to smirk and tell the woman that yes, they were indeed just married. It won him a kick from Linka under the table and fortunately, that stopped him from providing additional details on the 'wedding'.

Overall, the Russian girl was in such a good mood that she even let herself be talked into snowboarding, which Wheeler was dying to do. The Yankee turned out to be a competent instructor, but Linka found herself distracted by his touch and his nearness. The way her glance lingered on him just a little bit longer than necessary worried and thrilled her at the same time.

Linka watched him for a while practicing the sport, before she herself joined in cautiously. She was not doing too badly on her part, she was a quick learner and enjoyed physical activity, on top of it.

But on the not-so steep descent, her board must have hit a small protruding rock or a piece of wood, for she took a not-so graceful tumble.

Fortunately, nothing got hurt except her pride. "Be a gentleman and help me up," she whined a little when Wheeler came over to see if she was all right. She did not miss the lively sparkle in his eyes and his blatant laugh at her predicament.

"Hey, your skiing abilities put mine to shame so don't blame me for enjoying this a little bit!" the redhead remarked in his defense at her stern glance. Wheeler held out his hand to her but Linka unexpectedly pulled him down as a punishment. She let out a laugh as he fell beside her, a little stunned.

"This means war!" Wheeler declared, quickly turning to a semi-sitting position while carefully studying his plan of retaliation, but Linka threw some snow at him and continued to merrily laugh along. He grabbed her hands and she squealed, her stomach hurting from laughing so much. In her weakened state, she let him wrestle her in the snow. Wheeler threw soft snow in her hair and pinned her down underneath him, his chest rising and falling at his attempt to dominate her.

"Do you give up?" he asked, towering over her with a smug smile, but Linka could do nothing but shake her head and laugh some more. It took a few moments to realize that he was leaning over her, his lips incredibly close to hers, his eyes gazing into hers lovingly, and Linka quite quickly stilled in his arms. Her heavy breathing mixed with his, her mouth slightly parted. His cold fingertips reached up to stroke her cold cheek.

Wheeler's eyes drew her in, she confused them with the sky, and her heart gave a strange little cry. His mouth was so incredibly inviting, close, and she opposed no resistance when Wheeler eliminated all distance between them and captured her lips. It was as if he were reading her mind, for there was nothing else she had wanted to do while being so close to him. The warmness of his kiss was almost like a jolt, a flame lighting up the snow, and she could do little else but give in to it. Warm lips were caressing hers, coaxing her to succumb to the contact, and Linka's eyes closed blissfully. She was kissing Wheeler back, returning his heat, and her stomach was filled with drunken butterflies flying every which way. In turn, Wheeler did not waste particular amounts of time deepening his exploration of her mouth, and his tongue found hers hungrily, sending Linka's senses into overdrive. She had never felt such heat travelling through her while laying in the snow. The blonde girl was not sure how long she let herself be thoroughly kissed, but she enjoyed every moment as if this were her last kiss with a soldier off to war.

Eventually, Wheeler broke off the contact to nuzzle her cheek, his warm breath tickling her skin, and by now Linka's heart beat was racing like a car at midnight down a lone street.

"Maybe you and I feel more in our element in the snow," Wheeler was smiling against her ear, and she shivered warmly in his arms. "Curse Hope Island! I'd give it up forever if it meant being able to kiss you like this all the time, babe."

Linka was not sure what to reply to his intimate tone, she felt suddenly stuck as if she needed oiling. Her mind was blissfully empty, travelling light years away. Her body was alive with desire from just one kiss; she dared not think how it would feel to do more with the Yankee.

What got her moving again was the interruption from a nearby ski instructor, who was under the impression they needed rescuing. It was not a far-out assumption, since they were laying unmoving in the snow. Linka's face was more flushed than ever as she nearly pushed Wheeler off her, her embarrassment evident. Maybe she did need rescuing! she thought, struggling to stand up on her board, her mood switching sides. Rescuing from her hormones, from her wanting Wheeler so fiercely, and from desiring his kisses with an intensity that frightened her. She dared not meet the American's eyes and was glad that he understood her well enough to leave her alone for the time being. Wheeler was probably used to her hot and cold reactions, knew when she needed her space to think things through without being rushed.

Her lips felt swollen from their unleashed passion, her heart completely turned into a marshmallow as a result. Linka wondered how she could possibly move on, disregard even, the best kiss she had ever experienced in her life. It had been as hot and tumultuous as the Yankee himself, and this ignited in her something that was unlikely to be extinguished by any of her usual resistance.