Kat set a bowl of broth on the floor for the pup, ecstatic when he lapped up every last drop before curling into a ball and drifting off to sleep.
“I think he’s going to be just fine, thanks to you.” The admiration in Jack’s voice warmed her from the inside out, and she wanted to bask in the glow.
“And you,” she added, her voice a bit breathy. Although she’d been attracted to Jack since the moment they met, something about rescuing the dog together drew her to him even more than before—dangerously close.
“Make yourself comfortable on the couch,” he told her, ladling the soup into two enormous stoneware mugs.
She nestled into the far corner, snuggling beneath a plush blanket.
Jack handed her the steaming mug and a spoon before sitting beside her.
The couch more accurately resembled a loveseat, forcing them a little closer than Kat’s comfort level. Painfully aware of his nearness, she tried to focus on the soup, savoring the creamy broth and cornucopia of pleasant spices.
“I’ll ask around in the morning and see if anyone knows who the dog belongs to.” Jack propped his feet on the coffee table, and Kat hid a smile, noticing the hole in his wool sock. She almost offered to darn it for him, but stopped herself in time. Darning the man’s sock would definitely cross a line she needed to avoid at all costs.
Falling for Jack Gardener wasn’t an option.
A fact she needed to remember now more than ever.
* * *
Normally, Jack would find the falling snow and gentle crackling of the fire soothing. But sitting this close to Kat set all of his nerves on edge. She smelled like cinnamon and a hint of something sweet, and he found the combination way too alluring for his own good.
To distract himself, he proposed putting together a puzzle to pass the time. Otherwise, all he could think about was what it would be like to kiss her. And those thoughts were off-limits. Especially since Grant had texted that he, Eliza, and Ben had gotten snowed in at his parents’ house, which meant Jack would be alone with Kat all night.
But in hindsight, the puzzle was a terrible idea. For some reason, all the pieces he needed were located on the other side of the coffee table, forcing him to repeatedly reach across Kat from his position on the floor, and inhale her scent.
He stared at the last piece needed to complete his corner, hoping to move it by telepathy. Finally, when it didn’t budge, he gave in to the old-fashioned method.
As he reached past her, a soft curl grazed his cheek, sending his pulse into overdrive. Could she hear his sharp intake of breath? Snatching the puzzle piece, he rocked back on his heels, praying the loud thundering of his heartbeat wasn’t audible.
“I’m not usually a puzzle person,” Kat admitted, snapping two pieces in place with a satisfied smile. “But in the last few days, I’m becoming an expert.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember how I told you I came to Poppy Creek hoping to find something at Thistle & Thorn?”
“Yeah….”
“I was looking for a brooch that belonged to my mother. And oddly enough, Penny’s dad used it as the end reward for an elaborate treasure hunt, complete with clues.”
“What kind of clues?”
“Riddles. Pretty hard ones, actually. I was able to solve the first one, but now I’m stumped.”
“I love riddles. Maybe I can help?”
“The more eyes on it, the better.” Kat untangled her legs from her crisscross position and stood, grazing his back with her leg as she brushed past him to grab her phone from her coat pocket.
Jack had never minded the shortage of space inside his cabin before, but now he regretted not living in a palace, if only to keep from torturing himself with their close proximity.
When she returned, they bumped knees as she sat cross-legged again.
Jack bit back a groan. At this rate, he seriously doubted he’d survive the night.
“Ready?” she asked, and Jack had to remind himself that she was talking about the riddle.
“Ready.”
