Page 141 of Thaw My Heart

Her face is cherry red in an instant. “What? What do you see?”

“Blake is an excellent choice,” I confirm. “The best.”

Her eyes widen. “What—what are you talking about?” She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, trying to deflect.

My smile resembles that of a feral raccoon. “I think you know exactly what I’m suggesting,” I wink.

“He’s fourteen years older than me,” she counters. Must be something she’s thought about often for such a quick calculation.

She totally has a crush on Blake. “That’s kind of hot, Candace.”

“Really?” She fiddles with a long strand of her hair. “You don’t think it’s… weird that I think about tangling boots with him?”

“What?” I burst out laughing, holding my side to keep from falling over. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this hard.

“See, I told you it’s weird,” she defends, face reddening as she crosses her arms tightly in front of her.

“No, no, it’s not,” I gain control of myself, tapping her arm in reassurance. “But tangling boots?”

“…Isn’t that what it’s called?”

“Oh, Candace.” It just occurred to me how young and naïve she truly is. I know that Blake is thirty-seven, so by that count, she has to be twenty-three.

And twenty-three is old enough to know better. What kind of friends are Leah and Kinley if this is the information she was given?

I step in closer to her, keeping my voice low. “Haven’t you ever… had experiences?”

Her face pales. She struggles to meet my eyes. “No.”

No? I’m absolutely dumb struck.

“Is that… bad?” she asks.

Well, thank God she has me. Fortunately, this is something I could educate her in since no one else is volunteering. “We need to hang out. Often.”

She smiles at that, biting her lip. “So, the party?” She tries again with a hopeful look across her face.

Damn, I really wish I could. “Candace, I’m⁠—”

“Hey, Candace,” Blake greets her, suddenly beside me.

Her eyes widen, trying to speak. But the only word that comes out coherently is his name. Everything else sounds like gibberish. I place a hand on her arm to bring her back before she has a meltdown.

“Keep me posted about the party tonight, and take lots of pictures,” I wink, hoping she gets my drift.

She nods, blushing before she scurries away, boots shuffling in the gravel. Blake takes the bridle and bit out of his horse’s mouth, replacing it with a rope halter before tying him to the T-post.

“Is it something I said?” Blake asks.

Fuck, if only he knew. I’m tempted to tell him, but it isn’t my secret to tell. And Candace is nowhere near ready for any kind of relationship with Blake. A new and fun project that I’ve assigned to myself.

“So… sexy Santa,” I tease him, grabbing the brush to continue cleaning Sugar’s coat.

He rolls his eyes as he grabs a grooming brush. “It wasn’t my first choice. The cowgirls talked me into it.” Of course they did. My cheeks hurt from how hard I’m smiling.

He eyes me speculatively. “What about you, Smiley, are you coming?”

“Aww, why so sad, B? You’ll make a great Santa.”