Page 11 of Snow Drift

Suddenly I feel like the world's biggest jerk.

Oh my…A shiver runs through me that has nothing to do with the bitter wind.Am I leading him on?

When we reach the feeder he follows my instructions to the letter, filling it without spilling more than the tiniest splash of seeds. Then he takes the bag and flings it over his shoulder like Santa's toy sack.

He takes a few photos of some nearby bushes one-handed. "Drift patterns," he explains. "Gardens should look interesting in the winter as well." He points to two different shrubs. "See how the snow clumps around the one with the dense branches, whereas the one with branches spaced farther apart allowssome of the snow to pass through and creates a shape? I could make different designs by alternating those with some red twig dogwood."

"Cool."

Moore laughsas we head back, stepping into our previous boot prints in the deep snow. "Baz says I'm obsessed."

"Are you?"

His head tips back and forth. "I'm fascinated by growing things. And I want to create interesting spaces that work well for whatever the client needs. I guess I'm always focussed on doing the best job I can."

Now that we're away from the windows, his arm slips around me again. "I would do such a good job as your boyfriend, Kallie," he murmurs. I stumble, knees locking up, and he catches me. Then he grins. "Sorry. Did that freak you out?"

Yes. Yes, it did. But I can't exactly tell him that when he's being so sweet and sincere.

"I guess I'm just surprised," I say. We continue trudging through the snow, and I find myself slowing down so that we'll have more time together. "We barely know each other, and…you know…" I wave my glove vaguely toward his chest. "I mean, look at you. You must have dozens of women."

He stops just short of the porch in a hidden nook between the corner of the building and a small tree. "I haven't dated in ages. I used to, but recently there's never been a spark." My chin lifts as his palm lifts to nestle my face into his hand. "This is the spark, beautiful."

I can feel myself blushing furiously. Hopefully he thinks it's the chilly breeze tinting my cheeks rosy.

His lips float across mine in a soft kiss that makes my stomach clench and my knees quiver. He's so sexy. He makesmefeel sexy. And wanted. Moore makes me want so much more. Of him, and of everything?—

And again he steps back too soon.

"I didn't think men were so open with their feelings," I whisper.

Moore shrugs, his thumb gliding along my lower lip. "I don't know about 'most men'. I guess the time to settle down sort of snuck up on me."

"Does a personhaveto settle down, though? I mean, is that really in the rule book?" I don't even know what I'm saying. Is that something I could ever do?

He nods, thinking. "I suppose it would be my natural tendency, but it's not life and death." His smile makes me melt, even though the cold is starting to seep in through my boots. "I'd be open to anything you had in mind. We could just date for a while until you trusted me enough to come visit."

How can I tell him that the reason I move around so much is not just a trust issue, it's almost a phobia?

Would he understand?

7

MOORE

Now that I know Kallie is the one cleaning up after us, I've been making sure that every time I leave a space, it's spotless.

As Dylan casually flips a page while we read in the library, I can feel his eyes lift to mine. "If you feel that you need to take another walk to shake something down, please don't let us keep you."

Baz smirks. "Yeah. Maybe he should go grab a broom to help hislovely new friend."

Obviously they know vaguely what's going on, but it hasn't been discussed out loud yet. "If you have something to say, say it."

Dylan holds up his hands. "Hey, no judgment here. If you've found yourself a sweet girl, you keep her."

The corners of Baz's eyes crinkle into a grin. "Especially if she can stand your ramblings about daisies," he grumbles.

I pull back my book as if I'm about to launch it at his head but he doesn't even flinch. "See you at dinner."

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