Free Snow Angel (The Hope Falls Chronicles) by Melanie Shawn

touch her but he just didn’t want anything blocking his breathtaking view of her beauty.
    They stared at each other, neither saying a word. Her shoulders shook as a shiver ran through her, and
    Eric realized that it was below forty degrees so she must be freezing.
    He took a step back. “You better get going.” At the huskiness in his voice, her eyes dilated. He felt her
    involuntary response shoot straight to his groin. His already snug uniform slacks grew even tighter.
    She licked her lips as she stepped up into the Jeep. “Thanks for walking me out,” she said as she
    reached for the door. Before she shut it, her lips turned up at the corners and she added, “See you around, neighbor.”
    If he didn’t know any better, he would definitely say she was flirting. She smiled almost shyly as she
    pulled away from the curb.
    “See you around,” Eric said belatedly as he watched her brake lights turn to head down the mountain.
    There was something different about that girl. Lily had a combination of vulnerability and strength that
    Eric had never seen before. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about it either.
    He wanted to get to know Lily. But with what he saw when he looked in her eyes, he knew he would
    need to take things slow. Really slow. That thought made him want to groan in protest.
    Apparently patience wasn’t one of his virtues after all.
    Chapter Seven
    Lily slumped in exhaustion against the mirrored wall of the rehearsal space at the Community Center.
    Her feet ached. Her back ached. She could barely lift her arms.
    She was in heaven.
    This was her bliss. She and Karina had been rehearsing for going on eight hours now, and Lily had
    gotten to the space two hours early to prepare. She realized she couldn’t remember the last time she had
    danced for ten hours in one day.
    In Sacramento she had taught multiple classes: Hip-Hop, Burlesque, Ballet, and Zumba for kids and
    adults. She had even taught up to six classes in a day, but by the last two classes, she would admit she was basically phoning it in. This one-on-one choreography did not leave any room for half-assing, and Lily
    loved it.
    “Are you trying to kill me?” Karina jokingly asked as she lifted the water bottle to her lips. “Whatever I
    did to cause you to want to torture me, I truly apologize, Lily, and beg for your forgiveness.”
    Lily leaned forward and laughed then winced as she instantly felt the movement in her sore stomach
    muscles. She knew that Karina was joking about Lily torturing her, but even Lily herself had been shocked
    to find out what a taskmaster she was as a choreographer. It shouldn’t really have surprised her though.
    Lily had always been a perfectionist.
    When she was teaching, even doing a private party like she had at Amanda’s bachelorette party, her job
    was to motivate and inspire. Make the participants or students feel good about themselves and their ability.
    And she did her job. Well.
    As a choreographer, however, her job was to make sure that Karina could get up on the stage and be as
    prepared as she possibly could be in the timeframe they had. Which, for Lily, seemed short but from what
    Karina explained was actually ample time. She had sixteen songs to choreograph, and between Karina’s
    other obligations, they only had fourteen full rehearsal days, which were spread out over three months.
    “So when will the other dancers be joining us?” Lily asked.
    The plan was to have Karina center stage with two female backup dancers behind her. Since Karina’s
    movements weren’t as intricate as what Lily had choreographed for the backup dancers, she was hoping
    that she would be able to start working with them soon.
    “Well, one girl I have in mind is on tour with Usher right now, but she will be available in a month, and
    the other one is already here.”
    Lily looked around the room, It was just her and Karina. “Oh, you mean here in Hope Falls.”
    “No, I mean here in this room,” Karina stated