"That's creepy."
A grin tugged at his mouth. "You've been standing there watching me for at least thirty seconds."
"You don't know that."
"I absolutely know that."
"That's not how eyes work."
"It is when somebody is staring holes through the side of your face."
A laugh escaped me despite myself.
A few minutes later, we carried everything to the table and settled in. The food was good. The company was better.
Long after the plates were empty, we remained at the table drinking hot chocolate while talking about nothing and everything. Movies. School. Hockey. Christmas traditions. Things we remembered. Things we wished we'd experienced.
Eventually, Thane gathered our dishes and carried them to the sink. Then he turned toward me with a look that immediately made me suspicious.
"What?"
The grin that appeared on his face did absolutely nothing to reassure me. "You've been inside all morning."
I narrowed my eyes. "It's snowing."
"Exactly."
The answer should not have sounded as enthusiastic as it did. Before I could argue, Thane crossed to the coat rack by thedoor. A moment later, he returned carrying my coat, scarf, and gloves. My hat dangled from two fingers.
"Thane."
"You'll thank me later."
"I seriously doubt that."
He held the coat open.
I stared at him.
He stared right back.
I sighed and slid my arms into the sleeves. The satisfied look on his face should have annoyed me. Instead, I found myself fighting a smile.
"I'm perfectly capable of putting that on myself," I informed him.
"Probably."
"Probably?"
"Hold still."
Before I could object, he wrapped the scarf around my neck and adjusted it until he seemed satisfied. Then he tugged my hat down over my ears and handed me my gloves.
I took them automatically and pulled them on.
Only then did it occur to me that I'd spent the last two minutes letting Thane fuss over me. The sensible response probably should have been embarrassment. Instead, a strange warmth settled somewhere behind my ribs.
Ten minutes later, we stepped outside bundled in enough layers to survive a small ice age. Cold air immediately nipped at my nose. Fresh snow blanketed the ground, the rooftops, and the surrounding trees. The entire town looked as though somebody had shaken a snow globe and forgotten to stop.
