I sighed and melted in her embrace, breathing in her very faint perfume. God, I could stand here all day. In her arms, kissing her, or snuggling on the sofa, I didn’t care which so long as we did it together.
“As much as I’d love to,” I began, gently breaking her hold on me, “I’ve made plans.”
“Oh.” She sounded hurt, and when I met her gaze, something I didn’t quite recognize flashed behind her eyes.
“Maybe later, then?”
I wanted to tell her what I’d planned but thought better of it. Instead, I pulled her close and released a sigh of relief when I felt some of the tension lift from her shoulders.
“I’m not seeing anyone else, just so you know,” I said without letting go of her.
“I know that.” There was the smile I loved. “Besides, as slow as you move, it isn’t like you’ve had enough time to meet someone else out here.”
“That chipmunk the other day was pretty cute,” I told her.
“Just wait until it bites. Those things hurt like hell.”
I looked at her with surprise. “You’ve been bitten by one?”
She’d never mentioned it before.
“Not by one of them, but by a pet gerbil. Rodent bites are nasty, so I figure a chipmunk would feel just as bad.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that. For now, I need to get back to the house. I promised to help your mom with something.”
It wasn’t completely true, but she was my ride into town.
Given the fact I’d helped her on a few occasions before, it was a solid excuse. Even so, the white lie didn’t help the swirl of nerves in my stomach.
It’ll be worth it, I assured myself.
In eight hours, all the secrecy would be over. Not that my nerves would calm down anytime soon, but it if meant putting Taylor’s mind at ease, any amount of nerves made tonight worth doing.
“Are you heading to the house?” I asked, pulling on the coat she’d finally convinced me to buy.
“In a little bit. I need to get some of the logs cut up before I do.”
“I could help you with that.” I’d done so before, and while my cuts weren’t as clean as hers, I was getting the hang of it.
There was also the woods to consider. They still bothered me enough not to stray too far on my own. There was a path in the snow, so I wouldn’t get lost, but it was terribly quiet whenever she wasn’t around.
“It’s okay,” Taylor said with a wave of her hand, “I’ll catch up.”
I’d rather you go with me. “Are you sure?”
“It’s no problem at all. Just tell Mom not to keep you too long. Maybe if you get back soon enough, we can get some lunch or go ice skating again.”
“I’ve turned you into a monster, haven’t I?”
She closed the distance between us and hugged me close.
“You’re a terrible influence. You know that, right?”
“So I’ve been told. I promise I’ll be on my best behavior and will come right back once I’m through.”
“You’d better,” she called after me once I’d stepped outside, “otherwise I might have to ask that chipmunk out myself.”
“What about the rodent bites?”