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“I’m a woman. Of course, I want romance.”
I’m tugging burlap from the tote with the ornaments when I feel a big hand on my hip, and a warm breath in my ear. “You think because I’m a man I’m not capable of romance?”
“You told me to decorate the tree by myself.”
“Baby,” he chuckles darkly. “I’d never let a woman string lights on a Christmas tree.”
“I can string Christmas lights.”
“Didn’t say you couldn’t. Said I wouldn’t let you.”
“Oh, whatever,” I huff. “You still suck at romance.” I pout. “And you’re still a Grinch!”
His body vibrates against mine as he laughs again. The sound is filled with amusement, and his big hands are still on my hips when he rumbles, “I stomped through knee-deep snow for you today, searching for the perfect Christmas tree.For you. I cut it down and beat the snow from the branches after dragging it to the house. Then I carried it inside—for you.” His breath is hot against the skin of my neck, and I can feel the sharp nip of his short beard teasing my sensitive flesh. “Tell me again I’m not romantic?”
“Maybe you’re a little romantic,” I concede breathlessly.
“Mmm.” He drags his mouth along the shell of my ear, and my heart nearly explodes in my chest when he asks, “What are you going to do for me?”
“What do you want?” I barely get the words out through my heavy breaths.
“A kiss?”
I was hoping he’d ask for something more, but he doesn’t wait for me to accept as he spins me around in his arms and closes his mouth over mine. His kiss is deep and claiming and everything I’ve come to love about his mouth on mine. I want more, I think, as I drop the burlap to lift my hands to cling to his broad shoulders.I want everything.
He pulls back to rumble against my ear, “I have to work tomorrow, but I’m taking you to dinner tomorrow night in town.”
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Sadie
From the chalet window, I watch skiers cut through the new morning’s fresh powder.
The sun is bright over the mountain, the rays casting down on white snow to ignite the land that glitters as far as the eye can see like a fantasy come to life. Everything about this town, from the quaint painted cedar and stone siding on the charmingly constructed buildings to the black antiquated lantern-lined streets currently dotted with evergreen wreaths topped with a bright red velvet bow, is like a fantasy come to life.
And everything about this town feels like home to me, which is insanity, because I grew up in Yuma. Yuma is my home. It's always been my home. The land of sand dunes and date shakes, citrus trees and sweltering days, and blue skies that stretch for miles and miles—that's my home. Cactuses, and red earth, and the smell of sunbaked sand—that’s home. This place shouldn't feel like home to me. This town with its gingerbread Mainstreet, and chalets with the adorable wood stoves and timber beams and snow—shouldn'tfeel like it does. Like it's home. Like it's where I was always meant to be.
But it does. It feels like home. Like the kind of home that the soul recognizes before the body claims.
I’ve never skied a day in my life, but as I watch the skiers race down the hill, I think I might want to try. I might want to get up on skis and race toward the earth from the very top of a mountain. I might want to feel that freedom as my body soars, cutting through fresh powder on a new morning.
My hands curl around a warm cup of coffee, and I lean closer to the table, my gaze locked on the outside even though I can feel Allie’s gaze is locked on me.
“Have you skied before?”
I shake my head. “I think I might want to try.”
“It's fun. I’m pretty good.” She shifts to look out the window. “I could teach you but…” the but lingers between us as my eyes slide from the window to her. “Nick is better.”
“Of course, he is.” Nick is good at everything he does. “Maybe I'll ask him to teach me. Could be fun.”
The blush starts in my chest, and it doesn't take long to slide up my neck and into my cheeks. She's just like Katie. She has no reserve about saying the inappropriate.
“Katie thinks I need to give him something he can't deny.” I finally tell her. I've already told Allie all about Katie, so she knows exactly who I'm speaking about.
Since we had Allie, Trevor and Will over, I've texted Allie a lot. She's like my new bestie in snow land. Katie is my sun bestie. I have the best of both worlds, no doubt.
I know when I told Katie about Allie, she was a little jealous. But I also know she's happy that I have someone here. More, she's happy that I have someone like her. I think Katie is more apt to come and visit to check out Allie than she is to check out Will. But I have this gut feeling that when Katie meets Will, that'll be it for her. Snow and blizzards and gingerbread towns will replace sand dunes and sun and date shakes.
