He didn’t realize how long he’d been staring into the depths of her eyes, catching the flickers of mixing colors and light in her pointed gaze. When had she gotten so close? And why did he want to be closer? His gaze flickered down to her lips. Just a breath closer, just a heartbeat nearer to her and they’d be less than a kiss apart. And it shocked him how dearly he suddenly wanted that in this moment.

He coughed. Stepped away. And shook his head.

“No. No, I couldn’t.”

“What a shame.” She smiled, a tease hiding in the corner of her mouth. “I bet you have a nice smile.”

He coughed again and put as much distance between them as he could, flexing and clenching his hand. The movement of muscles in his fingers did nothing to quell his desire to take her hand and hold it in his. As they got in the car, Clark recalled thinking coming to this house and meeting these people was the worst thing he’d done in recent memory. He knew now that wasn’t true.

The worst thing he had done since arriving in Miller’s Point was almost kissing Kate.

Or not kissing her.

He couldn’t decide which was worse.

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

The afternoon rolled past Clark in a flurry of cold, slushy rain and tittering laughter and conversation. He drove them to their next few stops, but no longer got out of the car. He considered it a strategic move. They would be safe from any near-miss kisses if he did the noble thing of helping to bring the boxes to the door and immediately returning to the safety of his car. Insulated by the steel and leather interior, he couldn’t hear her laugh or smell the nutmeg in her hair. Every once in a while, his attention snagged on bits of conversation muttered outside of his window. Mostly insults about him. Why are you hanging out with that scumbag? Makes sense he wouldn’t want to come in and touch us poors. If I didn’t respect his uncle so much, I’d take him out back and give him what for.

Every year, Texas Magazine ranked the towns and cities of the state by the kindness and friendliness of their citizens. Miller’s Point regularly came in at #1. The nicest people in the entire state hated him. Normally, he didn’t mind hatred. He tried not to mind it now, but he couldn’t help but think, I don’t want Kate to hate me.