Page 8 of Snow Drift

The need to create a safe space for her so that she can stop flitting around like a little bird…it's an urge that is bubbling up from a deep, unconscious place.

I'm concerned about what she's running from, hoping it's not serious. My blood runs cold at the thought of anything terrible ever happening to her. I want to help her, yet I don't want to be a jerk and pry. Hopefully I can gently encourage her to open up to me.

After dinner we're heading to the library when I pause. "Going for another walk. Not used to all these huge meals."

Dylan and Baz smirk at me, then Baz shakes his head. "Yeah, don't get lost walking aroundall by your lonesome."

Crap. They know.

Dylan sinks back into his chair. "Really? You think we're going to let you off that easy?"

Straightening up to my full height, I nod. "Yes. Because going to chat with a lovely new friend is a social activity, and being social is the main reason we're here." Then I lift my chin dramatically like a bad actor, turn first my head and then the rest of my body toward the door, and march out, making Dylan laugh and Baz snort. I'm going to hear about this later.

Racing to the sunroom, I sneak in right behind Kallie. "Hey." She's already shivering. Dammit. "I'm sorry, I should have picked somewhere warmer."

There's only one tiny lamp in the corner, but that's all I need to admire her beautiful smile. My palm cups her face, tilting it up to the soft glow. "You are ridiculously beautiful. You know that, don't you?"

Her nose crinkles. "Don't be silly."

I scoop her into my arms, rocking her back and forth in the silent room. "Hey, you want silly?" I murmur. "These windows open. I could drop you right out into a snowdrift."

She stifles her laughter by pressing her face to my chest, sending my pulse skyrocketing. Sitting on the small sofa facing the window, I wrap her in the blanket and settle her on my lap.

She snuggles right in against my shoulder. "Wow. You really are warm."

"Well, I'm a mountain man, I guess I'm used to the snow. Born just on the other side of this rocky hill."

"How did you end up living in Oakton?"

It's a thrill to think she remembers details about me. "We moved there in my teens. I moved to Kingsville for university, but came back to Oakton to start my business."

"Because there's less competition than in Kingsville?" Kallie's eyes are bright and curious as she runs her hand in lazy circles around my chest.

"Partly that. I also like the growing climate a bit more. It's slightly further south, and less windy. I think the soil is richer, too."

The wind rattles the windows, and I ask, "You mentioned moving around a lot. If you found the right place someday, do you think you'd want to settle down? Maybe back closer to home on the west coast?"

In one blink her eyes completely change. It's not fear. It's uncomfortable tension. The thought of settling in one place obviously doesn't sit well with her.

"Got it. New topic." Walking my fingers up her arm, I massage her earlobe until she laughs and relaxes again.

"The snow really is beautiful," she says softly, resting her head on my shoulder. It's pretty dark outside, but what smallamount of light there is bounces around due to the bright white coating across every surface.

"It's going to snow hard tonight, and then the temperature is going to drop."

She looks up at me in astonishment. "How do you know that?"

Keeping my chuckle low so that no one hears us, I stroke her hip and outer thigh. "I could feed you a line that I'm a salt of the Earth kind of guy who can smell it in the air. Truth is, I checked the forecast an hour ago."

She bursts out laughing. "I guess honesty counts for something."

My finger darts up to tip her chin toward me. "Kallie, it's fine if there are things you don't want to tell me yet. But I'm a decent guy. At the same time I know that anyone can say that, and it means nothing. So if there's anything I can do to prove to you that I'm trustworthy, just tell me, and I'll do it in a heartbeat."

Her delicate hand presses against my heart, feeling its steady rhythm. "I want to believe you," she whispers. There's a long pause, and I simply wait, stroking her back. Finally, she says, "My mother trusted…when she shouldn't have…and it nearly…" Her breathing starts to stutter.

Holding her tightly against me, I rub her back, cuddling her tightly. "It's okay. That can be a story for another time."

She looks at me sadly. "That's the thing. We don't have much time. You're leaving this weekend to go back to your real life."

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