Page 35 of Take My Heart
‘Who cares? It’s not your job to make them happy.’
‘Can we not talk about Cam?’ Kate looks up at the falling snow. ‘I don’t want to ruin this.’
‘You really like it out here. I didn’t think you would.’
‘I didn’t think I would either. But now I don’t want to go inside.’
‘You’ve gotta be freezing your ass off in those sweatpants. They’re soaking wet.’
‘My legs are too numb to notice.’
I get up. ‘Let’s go in the house.’
She moves her arms and legs up and down in the snow. ‘Look! I’m doing that thing! What’s it called?’
‘A snow angel. C’mon, let’s go.’
‘I’ve never done this before.’ She looks up at me. ‘Can you believe that? How have I never done this?’
‘I don’t know. Kate, I’m serious. You can’t be out here in wet clothes. You need to get inside and warm up.’
When she doesn’t move, I lean down and scoop her up in my arms.
‘Brody! What are you doing?’
‘Taking you inside. I can’t risk you getting frostbite. The nearest hospital is 20 miles away and there’s no way we’re getting there in the storm.’
‘Can we do this again tomorrow?’
She’s like a little kid, a complete change from the uptight, serious girl I met a few hours ago. It must be the snow. It can make you feel like a kid again, which is one of the reasons I like it.
‘Okay, now I’m cold,’ she says, shivering as I take her into the house and set her down.
‘I’ll turn the heat up.’ I walk over to the thermostat. ‘Go take a shower. It’ll help you warm up.’
‘I don’t need a shower. Just some warm clothes and maybe something hot to drink.’
‘I only have hot chocolate. I don’t drink coffee and I don’t have tea.’
‘Hot chocolate’s good. What about clothes?’
‘Just go in my room and pick something.’ I walk to the kitchen and get a mug from the cupboard. Kate’s still standing by the door, watching me. ‘What’s wrong?’
She looks confused. ‘Are you really okay with me taking your clothes? I don’t want to take something I shouldn’t.’
‘Take whatever you want. I don’t care.’
She walks to my room, holding up the sweatpants, which are no longer held in place by the now-wet duct tape.
Why is she so worried about using my stuff? She keepsacting like she has to ask for permission. Is that what her ex made her do? Did she have to ask before she could do anything?
‘Is this okay?’
Kate comes out from the hall and I almost drop the mug of hot water I was holding.
‘Um, yeah.’ I’m trying not to stare, but fuck, she looks hot. She put on one of my flannel shirts, which on her comes to just above her knees. A hot girl wearing my shirt is my absolute favorite look. She has the top few buttons undone, enough that I can almost see her tits.
I clear my throat. ‘Don’t you want some pants?’
