Page 36 of Stuffed

"That I want to try. With you. Even though it scares the hell out of me."

She stands suddenly, gathering her things.

"What are you doing?"

"We're going for a walk," she announces, "in the snow. Because if we stay here, I'm going to kiss you in front of all these people, and something tells me you're not ready for that kind of public display."

I laugh despite myself, following her outside. The moment we're clear of the coffee shop, she grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together.

"See?" she says softly. "Baby steps."

And as we walk through the falling snow, her hand warm in mine, I think maybe—just maybe—I can learn to do this after all.

Baby steps indeed.

The snow continues to fall as we walk, her gloved hand warm in mine. Every few steps she glances up at me, that dangerous smile playing at her lips like she knows exactly what she's doing to me.

"You're staring," she notes, bumping her shoulder against my arm.

"Can't help it." I pull her closer as a gust of wind whips past us. "You make it impossible not to."

"Look who's being sweet now."

"Don't get used to it." But we both know I'm lying. Something about her makes me want to be… different. Better maybe.

We end up at my favorite hidden spot along the lake, a secluded bench partially sheltered by trees. I brush off the snow and pull her down beside me.

"I used to come here," I admit, watching the waves crash against the shore, "when the expectations felt too heavy. When I needed to remember who I was beyond the Mercer name."

She stays quiet, giving me space to continue. Her thumb traces circles on my palm, encouraging.

"Everyone's always expected me to be exactly like my father. Take over the long-standing insurance business, run it his way, make the same choices, be on the city council." I shake my head. "But I wanted to do things differently. Build something of my own."

"So you built walls instead," she says softly. "Kept everyone at a distance so they couldn't judge how you chose to do things."

I look at her sharply. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"See right through me. Like those walls don't even exist."

She turns to face me, snow catching in her lashes. "Because I've always seen you, Zane. The real you. Even in high school, when you were trying so hard to be the bad boy, I saw past it."

"To what?"

"To this." She places her hand over my heart. "To the man who helps local businesses even while pretending to be cynical about it. Who makes sure his employees have the best benefits in the industry. Who built this company into something even bigger than anyone ever imagined, but in your own way."

I catch her hand, holding it against my chest. "Most people just see the ruthless businessman or the past party guy who was an asshole and a womanizer.”

"I'm not most people." She smiles softly. "I see how much you care, even when you try to hide it."

"You make me want to stop hiding," I admit roughly, "and that terrifies me."

"Why?"

"Because what if being myself isn't enough? What if I let these walls down and you don't like what you find?"

She rises onto her knees on the bench, framing my face with her hands. "Impossible."

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