“Nice to meet you, and Chance and I are just friends. We’re not mates…or anything else.”
“Ha! Good for you then. You can still escape,” Hal joked.
“Sorry, I’m not used to seeing Chance with anyone, so I just assumed…” Siggy added.
Well, that’s kind of a relief.Ginger thought. She liked the idea Chance wasn’t known to have women hanging around him on a regular basis.
“It’s fine. I Just got here; I’m visiting from Crescent Bay.” Ginger explained, not wanting Siggy to worry that she had somehow offended her.
“Well, you’re both welcome here. In fact, your timing is perfect. Hal broke his leg going out to cut down a Christmas tree, and well, old wolves take a while to heal. Now with this weather coming in and his bad leg, we didn’t get to finish some badly needed work on the generator or even winterize the pipes coming from the well. All this because of a silly Christmas tree.”
“A silly tree? I’ve been dragging a tree down that mountain every year, for as long as I can remember! It’s tradition. Just look around here. It’s just not right without one.”
“Well, I’d rather not have you hobbling around on one leg, and not be worried about losing power or water than to have a tree—which you never brought down anyway,” Siggy said.
Hal growled, obviously disappointed with his crappy luck. “Meh, I guess we can survive one year without a tree. As long as you’re here, Chance, would you mind going out to the machine shed and taking a look at the old beast we call a generator? All my tools are out there and Rafe said he was sending a new carburetor with you.”
“Sure thing. Rafe told me to swap it out and give it a tune up,” Chance replied.
“Ginger? Would you help me in the pump room? I need to wrap the pipes with heat tape, and I could really use an extra hand,” Siggy asked.
“Absolutely.”
Two hours later, both chores were completed, and a cord of firewood had been moved from the woodshed to the covered front porch for easier access.
“There’s one more thing to do,” Chance said, leading Ginger outside. “Shift.”
Her wolf chased him up the mountain, following the snowy trail. Arriving in a grove of fir trees, Chance made his selection.
“All those years together and he brought them a tree every year. That takes more than dedication, it’s an act of love. We can’t let them miss out on even one Christmas after all these years.” His powerful jaws tore into the base of the trunk and in less than a minute later, the tree fell.
They took turns stealing the tree from each other and playfully dragging it back down the slope, making a game of it. Plowing through snowdrifts and jumping over logs, the chase was exhilarating to their wolves.
Finally, back at the cabin, the sun had set. They shifted back to their human forms and Chance set the tree on the porch. Still panting and laughing from their run, and without any warning, Chance’s hands wrapped around Ginger’s lower back, pulled her close, and he kissed her.
It wasn’t a deep passionate kiss, but nor was it a mere peck on the lips. It was a nice but confident kiss. And it lasted long enough for her to close her eyes and feel a tingle shoot right through her body. When he pulled back, she stared at him, completely lost for words.
Lost for words, yes, but as the temporary fog of surprise cleared, a tempest of thoughts spun wildly through her mind.
All she could do was smile silently and let the rush of pleasure race through her body, and wonder what it was that he was playing at?
But it was that smile on Chance’s face which really got to her.
“What is that look? Not exactly arrogance, no. But pride all the same! He knows the effect he has on me and he’s damn proud of it! Well, two can play that game…to be continued,”she said to her wolf.
And she had no doubt that Chance was counting on it.
Silently they brought in the tree, greeted by Siggy who held two large cups of hot chocolate for them.
“There is no way you two are heading back down this mountain tonight, not in this weather. I already radioed Grace to let her know you’d both be staying up here for the night. They’ll get the word to Sofia and Lars, so they won’t be worried. Now let’s get you a nice warm meal.”
“Hoo boy. Imagine the conversation Sofia and Lars are having right about now. My ears are already ringing. I can’t wait to face the inquisition when we get back,”Sofia said to her animal.
“Thanks, Siggy. That was very thoughtful,” she replied.
“Yeah, thanks for letting us stay the night,” Chance added.
Damn, there’s that smile on his face again.
