It was three AM before Nils and Alina returned home from the Christmas party. “Did you enjoy it?” Nils asked.

“I did.”

“And no one commented about the hole in your stocking.”

“True.”

“Did your toes miss my kisses?”

Alina laughed. “Start the fire.”

“Are your toes cold?”

“A little.”

“What about your other appendages?”

“Apendages?”

“For instance your clit.”

“What about it?”

“Is it cold? Did it miss my kisses?”

“Oh, Nils!”

“I missed kissing it.”

“First start the fire.”

Nils started the fire.

Up almost before noon, Alina looked out the window.

“Nils, wake up. Wake up. There’s snow!”

“How much?”

“So much. Maybe we can build a snowman.”

“Or go sledding.”

“Or build a snowman.”

“Or have a snowball fight.”

Alina shook her head. “You’re impossible. You just want to get me wet.”

“I do like getting you wet.”

“Ha ha. It’s still coming down. The snow. Oh, look.”

“What?”

“There’s a dog loose. A little puppy. He’s cute. And your neighbor’s chasing it in her nightgown.”

“Probably a Christmas present.”

“The puppy or the nightgown?”

“Probably both.”

“She’s cute, your neighbor. Have you ever—?”

“That dog must have some rabbit blood in him. Look at him go.”

“—fucked her?”

Nils gave Alina a pair of boots. “Now when we go sledding, your toes won’t get cold.”

“What about the rest of me?”

Nils gave Alina a scarf. “You have to do at least one run naked. It’ll be so exhilarating. You’ll see. You won’t have time to get cold.”

Alina grinned and shook her head.

Nils bundled her into a heavy coat. He drove them to a friend’s farm, had Alina sit on the sled, and hauled it up the slope on the far side of the pasture just before the Tucker Woods. “May I take your coat, Madam?”

Alina grinned and let Nils take her coat. “Don’t forget to steer,” he told her and he gave the sled a stout shove.

The slope was too steep for steering but just right for screaming.

It was late when then got home. “That was so fun!” Alina exclaimed. “Whew!”

Nils shivered.

“Are you cold?”

“Maybe a little,” Nils admitted. “Mostly my fingers and toes and, um—.”

“Other miscellaneous appendages?” Alina teased. “Start the fire and lie down and I’ll warm you up.”