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My eyes cut to his, and my heart gave a gallop in my chest, and I had to admit that, “Yes, it would be.”

“What is it that we have?” he asked, his voice genuinely curious.

I thought about it for a moment. “It’s probably the forbidden nature of the whole thing.”

“Oh, I see. We’re only drawn to each other because we’re not allowed to be?”

He was drawn to me? That thought made my already-racing heart double in speed, but I didn’t let on. “That’s what I’m thinking.”

“Solid theory.”

“What’s yours?”

“Aside from the fact that I’m hot?” he said, a smile in his voice.

“No, that could be a working theory too.”

He laughed, like my words surprised him. “Maybe it’s that you’re funny and smart and creative.” He tugged on one of the holly leaves of my necklace.

I drew a breath in through my nose. The air felt icy. I pulled the scarf that was zipped up inside my coat up over the bottom half of my face, as a way to distract myself more than anything.

“And beautiful,” he added.

Now, despite the cold, my face was burning. “Did you find more mice?” I spit out, because I never could take a compliment well.

“There’s one on that train at the Garfields’ house,” he said, possibly ready to change the subject too.

“Yes! I wondered if you saw that one.”

“You did?”

I nodded. “I did.”

His hand brushed along my arm, then his fingers threaded through mine. We both wore gloves so it felt bulky, weird, but I didn’t want to let go.

“Hold on,” he said. He released my hand, pulled his glove off with his teeth, then stuck it in his pocket. “Can I?” he asked, pointing to my glove.

“Not with your teeth,” I said.

He laughed and proceeded to take my glove off with his hand. Then our palms were pressed together and our fingers were intertwined. After several moments, he tucked both of our now bare, clasped hands into his coat pocket as we walked. I didn’t think my heart would ever recover from this.

We were at the far edges of the neighborhood, our street on the opposite end, so it surprised me when I saw Mrs. O’Leary and her husband speed-walk by us. I squeaked, tucked my face against Ryan’s shoulder, and steered us quickly in the opposite direction, much to the dismay of whomever had been behind us. They let out an aggravated bark.

“Who was that?” Ryan asked.

“Mrs. O’Leary again.”

“It’s like she’s following us.”

“Ready to report to your mother,” I said. “Or the entire town council.”

“This is big enough for a town council report?” he asked, a smile in his voice.

It was starting to feel that way.

We walked up onto the sidewalk and behind a tree in someone’s side yard. I pressed my back against the trunk, and he stood close in front of me, blocking me from view. He smelled good, like winter, crisp and clean. His arms were against the trunk on either side of my head, boxing me in. My heart was racing again.

“Do you think she saw us?” I asked, looking up at him.