Page 12 of Snow Drift

It doesn't take long to find Kallie. She's normally silent as a mouse as she moves through the halls, but right now she'srunning a small industrial vacuum cleaner around the edges of the dining room fireplace.

The second she sees me, she switches it off. "I'm so sorry – is the noise disturbing your reading?"

"Not at all." She unplugs the vacuum and starts to lift it, but I take it from her. "Where are we going next?"

"I can't let you help me."

"Special guest privileges, remember?"

She shakes her head, smiling. She can tell I'm not taking no for an answer.

"Why are you even vacuuming a fireplace? I mean, I know the level of cleanliness here is stellar, but isn't that a bit much?" I follow her to the fireplace in the front sitting room.

"It's the fastest way to remove dust and soot quickly, and there's a good filter on this machine. I need to make sure we're good to go in case we need to use the fireplaces for heat all night."

We've all been checking the weather a bit obsessively, and the temperature is indeed supposed to drop severely tonight. The electric heating system alone might not be quite enough for this rambling old building.

I set the machine down in front of the fireplace, and wait through the noise for her to finish. "This machine's very heavy. Couldn't that new handyman be doing some of this?"

Kallie grins. "He's fixing some antique furniture down in the basement and can't be disturbed. Plus… He might be busy with…" Her eyes drop for a second. I know exactly what she means.

We pack up and I carry the vacuum to a utility room near the butler's pantry. Once we're safely there I drop my voice. "So Ididn'timagine him making eyes at Mrs. H.?"

"It's what the other girls and I have been thinking," she whispers.

"Huh. Good for them."

"Exactly," Kallie murmurs. "Everyone deserves happiness."

We wash our hands in the big sink, and then I lift her chin with my finger. "Yes. Everyone deserves happiness. Some people even consider hanging out all the time."

Her eyes drop, and so does my stomach for making her feel bad.

"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to upset you. I just want to understand what you're running from."

My hands slowly slide around her waist to pull her closer. "I've never had this primal urge to protect anyone before," I confess. "It's brand new, and I don't understand it, but it's stronger than I am."

She looks up at me with the strangest expression I've ever seen.

"The thought of men not being able to control their urges is usually a problem for me." Her bottom lip trembles, her voice barely a whisper. "I know that you mean well, and that you don't have a creepy bone in your body. I just…"

"You're right. Maybe I worded that wrong. I promise I'm in total control."

She snuggles against my chest, her arms winding around my back. "I know I'm supposed to be nervous around a huge guy like you," she murmurs into my flannel shirt. "But you just don't have that…that strange guy energy."

"You'd think I was pretty strange if I suddenly started defending elevator music as an art form," I deadpan. She looks at me for a moment, then her sweet giggle breaks the tension. "But I know what you mean, I hope. We've never been strangers, because we've always been destined to be together."

She looks up at me, blinking. "See? No big tough guy just says things like that. It's bizarre."

"Guys?" I turn to address the clump of mops and brooms standing in the corner. "She just called me a weirdo to my face. What do I do with that?"

Kallie giggles again and reaches up, placing her palm on my cheek and guiding my lips to hers. Having her initiate the kiss makes it even sweeter. We move slowly, enjoying every combined breath, every moment.

Something shifts and our relatively polite kiss becomes more urgent. Her lips part as my tongue delves into her mouth, tasting her. Exploring. I want to get to know all of her. My hands slip under the back of her shirt, dragging slowly across her silky skin.

"Every inch of you is so soft," I murmur against her lips. "I need to memorize your entire body, baby."

I can feel a tiny tremor run through her. "Was that a good shiver or a bad shiver? Did I say something wrong, or do you like it when I call you baby?"

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