Page 22 of The Spirit of Love
“Fenny!” His brown eyes light up like a small town on the Fourth of July.
“Sam.” I look past him. “Were you…talking to someone?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “Yes. Myself. I mean…the idea of you.”
“The idea of me? I thought you said ‘Sarah—’ ”
“Well.” He clears his throat. “I was brainstorming. Ways to convince you to spend the day with me.”
“Will Sarah be there?”
He glares playfully at me. “Probably not. What are you doing here? Did you leave something at the cabin—or were you on your way to convince me to spend the day with you?”
I bite my lower lip, knowing he’s got me.
“Do youlikeme, Fenny?”
“Are you in the fourth grade?”
“That’s an honest question from a grown man, even though I think I know the answer.”
“I’m considering trying it out.”
“Try again.”
“I don’t know…”
“What’s so hard for you about saying how you feel?”
I take a step toward Sam. He takes my hand, and we both stare at it for a while. He swings it. Slowly, I use it to pull him toward me. He lifts his other hand to tip my face toward his.
“I never do this,” I say.
“That’s okay.” His lips hover right above mine.
“I need you to know that I’m not a fling person.”
“Message received. But also, I’m getting a strong intuition that youcouldbe an amazing fling person.”
“No.” I drape my hands around his tall, strong neck. “I like to plan and research and cross-examine and—”
“In that case, Dripping Springs.”
I blink. “What?”
“You wanted to know last night. That’s where I’m from, a little town in Texas. My mom’s side goes back four generations there. Thirty-two, that’s how many hours I have yet to log in my Search and Rescue training, even though”—and here he winks at me—“you and I both know I’m qualified to handle anything.”
“TBD on that,” I warn, but I’m smiling.
He smiles back. “I like dogs, but I love birds.”
“You love birds?”
“Birds are wonders, but don’t distract me, because I’ve got this memorized in order. Ragweed, I’m allergic. I take Zyrtec in the spring. My favorite movie isFearlessor anything starring Jeff Bridges.”
“Respect.”
“And Sarah—”
