Chapter 239

Chapter 239

** arrived at the clearing. I couldn’t help but gasp softly. Even in the starkness of winter, it was stunning. The trees stood bare. thest skeletal branches casting delicate shadows on the snow-covered ground. In the middle of it all was the lake, a smooth, frozen expanse that glinted faintly in the waning light:

I imagined what it would be like to swim in the lake if it weren’t frozen solid, though the idea of submerging myself in water in this icy region was laughable. Swimming in the North was practically a death wish. The thought made me chuckle as Maxwell began setting up the picnic spot.

“What do you think of the place?” he asked, his voice breaking through my thoughts.

“It’s beautiful,” I said honestly, a smile tugging at my lips. The cold didn’t dull the magic of the scenery.

“Great,” he replied with a grin, already unbuttoning his coat. “A little run will warm us up before we eat.” He began to undress, his

movements purposeful but unhurried.