“What do you mean?”

“I mean, this week. It’s been fun. It’s been good.” He looked at her wanting her to agree as she looked at him so innocently. “Has it been good for you?”

Happiness shimmered in her eyes. “Yes, it’s been so good.”

His arms wrapped around her waist. “So why wouldn’t I care about you, care about your health?”

“I don’t know.” She glanced down, needing to get hold of herself before she spilled her real feelings for him and scared him away. “I smoke.”

“And I hate it.”

Confused, she asked, “Then why do you let me do it?”

“Because you like it so much. And sometimes, I think you need it.” Swaying her hips back and forth, he explained, “We all have baggage, but your load seems to be heavier. So if a cigarette lifts that burden for a bit, I’m okay with that.”

She gulped, not meaning to. It was loud and showed her discomfort. She hated talking about herself, her health, or her burdens. But when she looked into the depth of kindness in his eyes, she said, “Thank you.”

A reward in the form of a gentle smile was given and he kissed her forehead. “Can I buy you some warm clothes today?”

Nodding, she said, “You know I have more clothes. Even some of the winter variety. I can go home and put them on.”

Walking into the bathroom, he called, “Does this going home include me or is this something you would do on your own?”

“On my own.” She didn’t want to go into the many reasons she didn’t want Hazel to come home with her. “I can meet you back here later tonight.” She was sure she could. She just wasn’t sure how yet.

“No, I don’t want you to leave.” Me. “We’ll go shopping.”

Underneath the sexy exterior of Hazel Barrett was a genuinely sweet man. And he made her wonder if he had a mean bone in his body. “You griped at me for double dipping.”

“I didn’t gripe. I simply pointed out the fact you were double dipping.”

“Pointing out that I was double dipping makes it sound like I wasn’t aware of the fact I had already dipped the celery into it once before.”

“Were you? Were you aware, Jude?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Fully.”

“I stand corrected then.”

I stand corrected then. His words implied an open heart. He didn’t know the truth. He stood in front of her, not knowing he could be hurt by a woman he barely knew, a woman whose family had determined she was responsible for hurting them all within her twenty-two years of life. Was this genuine sincerity a defect of his? Could he be that good? That good, to just accept her into his life so openly without questions or walls to protect himself?

She recognized parts of herself in him. He suffered from the aftermath of being hurt too. He was damaged just like she was. One day she would find out who did the damage and hoped she could protect him from it ever happening again. But for now, they would go shopping for winter clothes.

Taylor asked, “You ready?”

She nodded and walked to the front door. Before she put on her coat, she turned back to him and said, “What season would you be if you could be any season?”

Pondering the question, he smiled, and replied, “Baseball.” He grabbed his coat and put it on. “I love everything about it from the hot dogs to the smell of peanuts to playing and watching it.” He led her out the door enjoying the huge smile on her face.

His answer was so unexpected that she fell a little bit deeper in like with him. But was she possibly falling in love with him too?

Yes. Hard.

This new emotion momentarily paralyzed her more practical side, but they walked through the slush of snow as if it didn’t affect them at all. Maybe it didn’t. They were sunshine when together, both unaware of the gathering storm clouds ahead.

In a store off Fifth, Jude came out of the dressing room to a bored Hazel, who sat straight up when he saw her. She twirled in the lavender dress, the skirt ballooning out. With one raised eyebrow, he started to ask her about pants, sweaters, socks—warm clothes. But as he watched her, saw the smile on her face, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. She didn’t have any makeup on. Her hair had been brushed that morning, but was a mess from the windy day, and she was utterly breathtaking.

She searched his face for approval and then asked when he hadn’t spoken, “Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

She smiled even bigger and jumped. “Yay!”

After she disappeared into the dressing room again, his phone vibrated in his coat pocket. When he pulled it out, he saw a text from Katherine.

It was so good to see you. When can we meet up again?

He stared down at the words until another message came through.

It was better than old times. You look good, honey.

Cringing by the nickname she had for him, he sat there trying to figure out how to respond, failing to notice the brunette in front of him. She swallowed down the hurt, and barely above a whisper asked, “Do you like this one?”

Taylor had been caught. Somehow he had betrayed Jude even when he was the one receiving the messages. “It’s not what you think.”

The line of her mouth tightened. “What do I think?”

“You’re thinking the worst.” He held up his phone. “I didn’t reply to her. I was reading them. That’s all.”

“But you were going to reply.”

Feeling defensive, he raised his voice, “No, I wasn’t.”

The other patrons in the small store glanced their way before returning to their own lives.

Jude stood in front of him in an off white floral sundress that had lace straps and ended above her knees. She was sexy and demure. Her eyes though… her eyes said all she didn’t, and guilt replaced his patience. He stood up, grabbed a brown sweater from a nearby table and threw it at her. Her hair blew from her face as the sweater hit her in the chest. “Damn it, Jude! What do you not understand about winter?”

The millisecond he released that sweater he felt like shit. The second it traveled across time and space, regret filled him. He reached out to stop the damage he was about to do, but it was too late. The sweater hit her. The shock on her face that morphed into pain would haunt him.

Jude held the sweater where it had landed, staring at Hazel. Her eyes did not leave his. “Winter. Got it.”

“Jude? Wait.” He reached for her, but she hurried back into the dressing rooms.

That didn’t stop him. He went after her until a petite older woman sidestepped into his path. With her arms out, she said, “Stop. There are other women changing in here.”

“I don’t want her to change.” Not referring to the clothes at all. I like her just the way she is—inside and out.

“Sir, please. Step outside before I call security.”

He stood his ground for seconds before reason returned. “My apologies.” He walked out, distressed, and ran his hands through his hair, impatiently waiting for Jude.

When she did, she was dressed in the clothes she’d come in, her coat buttoned to the top, and her boots laced properly. Taylor had only known her a week but already knew this wasn’t good. She saw him and signaled to the store’s entrance. When she pushed it open, he said, “What about the dresses?”

The door closed behind them and he stood in front of her. She wasn’t looking at him. She was looking at everything and anything other than him and he hated it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. You looked beautiful in the dresses. You should get them.”

Her arm went up and a cab was there in an instant. “I’m going home.”

“No, don’t.” He grabbed her hand and held it tight. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Don’t go.”

She had tried to hide her inexperience from him when it came to matters of the heart, but she didn’t know what to do. Feeling vulnerable, she fell back on what she did know and hid her hurt feelings in the form of a smile. But Jude couldn’t hide the truth when she looked at him. She liked him a lot and her eyes warmed to his. “I’ll be back.”