Page 14 (1/2)

They kiss, and Fenny presses hih Miranda is He holds her, hands just above her waist, tight enough that she thinks she will have bruises in the shape of his fingers

"Come in the Hall with me," Miranda says, in between kisses "Come with me"

Fenny bites her lower lip Then licks it "Can’t," he says

"Because of the rules" Now he’s nibbling her ear She whis him away by the hair "Hateful rules"

"Could I stay with you, I voould I would stay and grow old with you, Miranda Or as long as you wanted oring into hihs They’ll both be black and blue to Kisses her over and over Distracting her, she knows The front of her dress fastens with a sis She guides his hands

"If you can’t stay with me," she says, as Fenny opens the clasp, "then I’ll stay with you"

His hands are on her rib cage as she speaks Sih to draw him inside the armature of the dress, to reach behind his back, pull the belt of heavy chain around them both Fasten it The key is in the Hall In the attic, where she left it

"Miranda," Fenny says, when he realizes "What have you done?"

"A crucial component of any relationship is the capacity to surprise the one you love I read that soazines Oh, and the Internet Well, parts of it anyway I won’t let you go," Miranda says The dress is a snug fit for two people She can feel every breath he takes "If you go, then I’ll go, too Wherever it is that you go"

"It doesn’t work that way," he says "There are rules"

"There are alays to get around the rules," Miranda says "That was in anothermechanism There are articles about that, too Why can’t she stop thinking about wo that you’re in love? "Fifteen Ways to Know He Loves You Back" Nuht He doesn’t object when you chain yourself to hiic spell to lure him into your arms

The fake snow is colder and wetter and heavier than she’d thought it would be Much ainst her neck Either I love you or else What the hell were you thinking, Miranda?

It’s both He’s saying both It’s fake snow and real Real snowdown heavier and heavier until all the world is white The air, colder and colder and colder still

"So Really snowing"

It’s as if he’s turned to stone in her ar "Let o"

"I can’t," Miranda says "I don’t have the key"

"You can" A voice like a bell, clear and sweet