Chapter 5

Isabella broke from the hug and stepped back. She took a photo of Grammy's kitchen and texted it to her parents, telling her she was spending the night there because of the snow and to make sure everything was okay. Then she texted Meghan and asked her to cover her regarding the story.

"So, we can stay here all night if you want," Isabella told Vinny, turning off the lights she had turned on earlier.

Now it was only the natural outside light from the glow of the white snow and streetlamps that illuminated them in the shadows of Grammy's The Gingerbread House.

"I've been waiting a long time for this," Isabella said, returning to the large living room and standing in the window facing Hillsboro Road. "Isn't the snow beautiful?"

"Yes, it is," Vinny replied, stepping closer to her. "But it just snowed not too long ago."

"That's not what I meant," she said, turning to look at him.

"It's been a long time, Isabella," he said.

"Too long," she agreed.

"We hardly know each other."

"I'm the girl from Green Hill and you're the guy from the greenhouse," she said. "I knew you were the one the moment I saw you picking weeds."

"You're on your way to Elms College."

"So what?"

"You're Catholic."

"Yeah?"

"Virtuous," he said nervously.

"I've been waiting for you," she let him know. "Running into you tonight was Divine Providence. God's Will."

"That's what you think?"

"Don't you?"

He shrugged as they both watched the falling snow from the window. "I live with my parents, ailing sister, and aging grandparents," he sighed. "I go to community college and work part time at Fontaine's."

"Yeah?" She asked. "So?"

"So, what do you want with someone like me?"

She laughed, leaned in, and kissed him passionately. "Everything," she answered.

Vinny stared at her as if he had just discovered the meaning of life.

"It's a shag rug," she whispered. "Right here. Under the window. With the falling snow outside."

"I've never done it before," he nervously admitted.

"Me either," she said proudly.

Isabella gave Vinny a hug and purposefully pressed her breasts into his chest, lifting her head and kissing him again. They were both surprised when his erection poked into her groin.

"See?" She asked. "You know it's the truth."

"I do," Vinny confessed.

"You were my first kiss," Isabella remarked. "Let me be your first love."

"My only love," Vinny replied knowingly.

Isabella looked at him with wonderment. Then she began to undress in front of the window, as the world was abandoned outside. Vinny did the same and their naked skin was as white as the snow outside.

Isabella took Vinny by the hand and pulled him down onto the shag carpet. He lay on his back, and she mounted him.

"I know you'll never hurt me," she whispered, looking into his eyes from above.

"And you'll never hurt me," he said.

They both moaned as they fumbled to learn what they were supposed to be doing.

"I can't find the hole," a flustered Vinny admitted.

"Let me help," Isabella calmly replied, reaching her hand down between her legs to assist. "Don't worry, I don't know what I'm doing either, but it will come naturally for both of us."

Isabella kept looking from Vinny to the falling snow outside the window and when the spasms ended, she fell on top of Vinny as if she was a limp ragdoll. Her faced was pressed against his as they both tried to catch their breaths.

They fell asleep like that, and it was only when they heard Meghan's car pull into the driveway a few hours later that they awoke, grabbed their clothes, and ran for one of the small bedrooms.

"I guess Meghan wanted to come to Grammy's Gingerbread House too," Isabella said to Vinny as they dressed in the dark.