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Sledding Date: Riley Newcomb and Cecelia Tillstorm There are two man-made ski slopes on the Great Orme in Wales, although neither of them is your destination today. Instead, there is a third slope, this one Wizarding-made, where Ms. Raphael loves to send some of her more adventurous clients. The air is brisk, and the sun is bright against the fresh powder snow recently laid out by a team of wizards in thick waterproof cloaks. Although there is skiing available at this facility, today's adventure can be found on the shorter slopes nearby. On the closest hill can be found witches and wizards of all ages lined up to take their turn down the hill on a rubber inner tube. Tubing is all the rage with some Muggles, and the shrill screams of delight make it clear why. Ride down the hill solo or clip your tubes together for a tandem ride. Just beyond the tubing runs is a curving metallic track winding its way down the mountainside. Up to two people can hop onto the metal toboggan and ride the exhilarating course over and over. Be careful to use the break on the turns, though, or you might spill out into the snow accidentally. If the air is too cold, there's a cozy little lodge at the bottom of the mountain that sells rich hot chocolate and other snacks. Grab a seat in front of the open fireplace and warm up! |
Riley had NOT been sledding since... oh... he was twelve? There was a certain point in a But apparently now, at the age of 28, he was going to start sledding again. AWESOME. Even more awesome if his DATE was there, you know? Riley tugged on his hat and glanced around, everyone there seemed to know who they were with and seemed to be having a BLAST. If this |
Sledding... That's what they were going to be doing on this date? Not exactly what Cece had pictured in her mind as something she would be doing on a blind date but eh, she would work with it. Sledding was something fun to do... even if she did have to dress like an Eskimo. Pulling her scarf tighter around her neck, Cece looked around hoping her date was there... and that he would be easy to spot in this crowd. And he was Putting her hands in her pockets she walked over to the one and only guy that appeared to be alone. "Hello. Are you by chance Riley Newcomb?" |
The thought had not yet crossed his mind that MAYBE his DATE wasn't actually... the kind of girl he'd have picked out for himself. One would think that a woman who supposedly does this for a living would know what she was doing, right? Which meant no girls with missing teeth for Riley, yes? Oh Merlin, he hoped so. With those thoughts running unchecked through his mind, he turned to look at the woman who, he assumed, was talking to him. Oh look! He was right! "I would happen to be Riley Newcomb." Today. She'd caught him on a good day, no outstanding warrants! He smiled. "And you must be the lovely Cecelia." Emphasis on the lovely part. Especially since, from what he could tell, she had all of her teeth! That was ALWAYS a good thing. |
Well this was a happy day for Cecelia Tillstorm. This handsome gentleman was in deed her date. "Yes, I'm Cecelia." The lovely part remained to be seen. Hopefully he still thought that at the end of this date. Flashing him a not so shy smile she held out her gloved hand to him. "Pleasure to meet you Riley, you can call me Cece." |
"Yes, a pleasure indeed." The meeting her part, not so much the meeting him part. He already knew himself, see? He took her hand and even though it was covered with a glove, placed a nice, gentlemanly kiss on it. See? He was a nice guy. Smooth, charming, witty. What was not to love about him? "Cece." He released her hand and smiled. "When was the last time you were out sledding?" He was guessing it was probably around the same time as him. |
When Cece held her hand out to Riley she was just expecting a quick handshake, nothing more, so it was only natural that she found herself blushing a bit when he kissed her hand. Putting her hand back in her pocket she tried to compose herself once more. If needed she could always blame the cold as the reason her cheeks were turning red. Yeah, this outside date in the cold could possibly work to her advantage. "I can't even remember the last time I went sledding. It's been years." As in fifteen years at least, maybe more. "What about you, when was the last time you went speeding down a snow covered hill on a sled?" |
"Well then." Riley paused for a winning smile, "You and I are in the very same boat." Which was good because he wasn't going sledding with some crazy world champion sledder who would make him look absolutely ridiculous. That was always a good thing. He offered his arm to her, "What shall it be, Cece? The tubes, or the toboggan?" He glanced towards both places before turning his eyes back to her, "Lady's choice." |
"I take it that means you have't been sledding in some time either?" Hopefully that meant she wouldn't be looking like a fool in front of him if and when she fell off her sled... or tube or whatever they were going to be using today. Looping her arm with his, she looked around trying to decide what they should start with. "How about we start with the tubes." That hill looked less dangerous than the toboggan course. She may be a healer but she didn't want to have to put her healing skills to work while on a date. |
"Tubes it is." Riley DECLARED it as they started up the hill. He took his time, since he was walking with a beautiful woman on his arm and didn't want to knock her back down the hill. "Shall we clip them together?" He grabbed two tubes, offering one to her, "Or shall we race?" Race! |
Once they were at the top of the hill Cece grabbed one of the tubes Riley held out to her. "I say we race." If he went down the hill as slow as he walked them up it then there was no way she could lose this race. Once she had her tube in place she plopped herself down in it. "You ready to lose to a woman?" Okay, so maybe she was a little over confident... but only a little. In her mind she was the winner no matter what. Even if he beat her down the hill she would just flash her adorable puppy dog eyes and get him to lug her tube back up the hill. So you see, either way she was the winner here. |
"Yes I am." Riley laughed as he sat down on the tube. "My Momma raised me right, girls ALWAYS win." He made sure that she had a good grip on her tube and wouldn't topple over, before he nudged her tube into a slide, giving her a head start. Then he was OFF! |
Cece looked over at Riley with a raised eyebrow. "So are you saying the only reason I will win is because you let me?" If she was keeping score this would be strike one. Doesn't he know a guy should never let a woman know they are letting them win... at anything? Apparently not. Holding on tight to the handles on her tube Cece started speeding down the hill when she was PUSHED. So was this how he intended on letting her win... by giving her a head start? Fine, but next trip down she was pushing him first. She would show him she didn't need a head start to win. Yeah, it was safe to say Cece was just a wee bit competitive. |
Nooooooooo. No. Riley Newcomb knew better than to say THAT to a woman. He was NOT dumb and did NOT have a death wish. He was just being cheeky. Apparently he needed to do better with that next time. He, of course, didn't get to answer that question because she was gone and so was she, sliding fast down the hill, until, that is, he hit some kind of odd curve and toppled over, doing a total roll and landing on his back in the snow. WHOOOOOOOOOO! "That was a rush." He decided as he stood up. Though he was pretty sure he was just talking to himself because Cece was probably at the bottom of the hill by now. |
Okay, so Cece had to admit, this was actually fun. She hadn't done anything like this since... well she couldn't remember when, she just knew it had been far too long. Laughing as she made her way down the hill, her tube started to spin in circles. That's when she seen what happened... Riley fell off his tube. Of course the first thing that ran through her mind was he had done it on purpose... to let her win. Why would she think any different... since he pretty much told her he was going to let her win. Making it safely to the bottom of the |
Riley placed his tube back on the slope and flopped onto it, on his stomach and FLEW down the hill, this time, he managed to stay ON it. "I know what you're thinking." He started as he rolled off of the tube and got up, "But I didn't do that on purpose." He reached out a gloved hand and touched her cheek lightly. The cold air had brought a pretty redness to them, it definitely was charming to him, but she probably thought it was awful. Women were silly like that. "Though, winning certainly suits you." MmmmHmmmmm! Riley picked up his tube and gestured for hers, "Let's try that again, for REAL this time." He offered his hand, if she wanted it. If not, that was cool too. |
Cece watched Riley come flying down the hill, a small smile spreading across her face as she watched. He did look rather dashing, even if he had let her win. Her smile started to disappear once he reached her though. Crud. He knew what she was thinking? Was he a mind reader? Oh, that. If her cheeks weren't red before, they certainly were now. The feel of his hand on her cheek brought an instant rush of heat to her face. "Um, yeah... the thought may have crossed my mind." Okay so it did cross her mind. Wow, he certainly was being a charmer now wasn't he. "You think winning suits me now wait til you see how it suits me in a real race." Grabbing her tube she handed it over to him. "Oh yeah, for real this time. No head starts... got it." Unless he wanted one. She did owe him a push after all. |
"I'll be on my best behavior." Or something quite close to it, perhaps? When they reached the top of the hill again, Riley dropped both of the tubes on the snow and crossed his heart. Scout's honor. Except he never had been a scout. Huh. "No head starts this time. We're gonna do this RIGHT." He got on the tube and waited for her to do the same, "Street rules which means there ARE no rules. Anything goes. Every man and woman for themselves." Was she GAME? |
Okay, there had to be an easier way to get to the top of the hill. Cece was just glad they hadn't gone down that monster hill over on the other side. If they had then they, or at least she, would have had to ride the ski lift back to the top. "Fine, no head starts." This time she was going down the hill on her belly. She would be able to have better control of the tube that way... hopefully. "Anything goes?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Did that mean she could bump into his tube... like bumper cars... only they weren't in cars, they were in snow tubes... and they were going to be flying down a snow covered hill. Oh this was going to be FUN. |
"Anything goes." Riley repeated as he dug his boots into the snow and moved the tube back and forth, "I'm ready when you are." He was going to be an angel and not cheat. |
"Okay, you asked for it. On the count of three we go." Digging her gloved hands in the snow Cece prepared to push off. "One... Two..." Focusing on only the finish line here Cece paused a few seconds before... "THREE!" With that she pushed off and started speeding down the hill. |
THREE! Riley pushed off at the same time and went FLYING down the hill. This was going better than the first try had gone, that was for sure, this time he even managed to avoid that spot that had flipped him over. |
Cece was pretty sure that she was well on her way to winning again when she happened to glance off to her right just in time to see Riley right beside her. Oh he wasn't going to win that easily. "Come on, let's see if you can keep up," she shouted over to him. Pushing down on the front of her tube she hoped it would go faster... you know like when leaning in on a broom to make it fly faster. The same was true with a snow tube... right? |
So, this was fun, more fun than he had been expecting, actually. It was almost as if Riley's inner!child had come out to play too. When he saw Cece look over at him, he stuck out his tongue at her and did the same leaning thing. It probably would make him go faster, he agreed with that thought, and... hopefully it would work. Heh. |
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Closing her eyes she held on tight to the tube. Merlin help her make it to the bottom in one piece. |
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