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“I have a favor to ask.” Hands clasped in front of her, she gave him the biggest, roundest puppy-dog eyes he’d ever seen. “I’m supposed to go on a sleigh ride tonight, but Daddy had an emergency, and he said I could only go if I had a Big person with me, but everyone else is busy ‘cuz it’s almost Christmas and I was wondering if you would please, please, please go with me?”
How she managed to get all of that out without taking a breath, he’d never know. “Sadie, honey, I’m really tired. Maybe another night, okay?”
“But it’s all booked up the rest of the week and I haven’t gotten to go atallthis year and it’s the perfect night for a ride. Please, Mister Nick?”
Jesus, how was he supposed to say no to that? Maybe getting a Little of his own wasn’t such a good idea after all. He’d be wrapped around her finger before he could say “Merry Christmas”. “All right. One ride, and then I’m going home.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Grabbing his hand, she pulled him away from the front doors. “We have to go now, or we’ll miss our turn!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming.”
Cold, crisp air slapped at his checks as they stepped outside and he inhaled deeply. As cliche as it might have been for a man in his line of work, he loved this time of year. The cold, the way the freshly fallen snow would blanket the ground. At night, it seemed even more peaceful and magical.
That train of thought led him to Allie, the Little girl he’d much rather be sharing a magical sleigh-ride with. After their run-in this morning, it was obvious Michelle was upset he’d refused to scene with her again. Which made him feel like an ass, but what choice did he have? The best thing for everyone was for him to stay as far away from the both of them as possible until they left the Ranch.
But apparently, the universe had other plans. Standing under the warm glow of the stable lights were two familiar figures. Even wrapped in heavy coats with knitted caps pulled down over their hair, he easily recognized them.
Far too late, his intuition kicked in. “Sadie, what’s going on?”
“You’re taking me on a sleigh ride, remember?” There was no hint of guile in her tone, but he’d spent enough time with her to know she could pull off a prank without breaking a sweat when she put her mind to it.
“Uh huh. And this sleigh ride, it’s just the two of us, right?”
“Ohhh, look how pretty the trees by the stables are! I’m so glad Daddy agreed to put lights on them this year. I know it was a huge pain, but doesn’t it look like something out of a painting?”
“It does look nice. Now answer my question, little girl, before I go hunt down your Daddy to find out what’s really going on.”
Still not bothering to even acknowledge him, she let out a squeal and pulled even harder on his hand. “Look! It’s Michelle and Allie! I wonder if they’re gonna be our sleigh buddies!”
Well, that answered that. “Honey, don’t you think they’d rather have some time to themselves?”
“Nonsense, sleigh rides are for friends. Comeon, slowpoke!”
Resigned to an incredibly awkward sleigh ride, Nick let himself be pulled along. Allie squealed when they got closer and went running for Sadie, who still didn’t drop his hand even to hug her new best friend.
Glancing over at the pair, Michelle smiled, and all of the air left his lungs in a singlewhoosh. Allie returned to her side, and the sight of them together, under the soft glow of the Christmas lights, nearly drove him to his knees.
Then Michelle’s gaze traveled from Sadie to him, and the smile disappeared, like someone flipping a light switch. “Hello, Nick.”
Her tone was colder than the wind nipping at their noses, but he offered her a warm smile in spite of it. “Hey. Apparently we’re sleigh ride buddies tonight.”
Between them, Sadie and Allie jumped and cheered. “Sleigh ride buddies!”
If it hadn’t been for Allie’s excitement, he had no doubt Michelle would have told him to go to hell then and there. But she forced her smile back into place when Allie spun around and threw her arms around Michelle’s neck.
Luckily, the awkward interlude was cut short by the arrival of the horse-drawn sleigh. Chef Connor, almost unrecognizable without his white coat and perpetual scowl, climbed down from the sleigh and turned to help Hayleigh down. The pair were rosy-cheeked, with dreamy smiles stretched across their faces that confirmed Nick’s original thought that the sleigh ride was meant for couples. So what the hell was Sadie up to?
Before he could interrogate her, the four of them had been ushered up into the sleigh, with Michelle glaring daggers from her seat directly across from him.
“Welcome aboard, folks!” Seated at the very front, Travis twisted around to grin at them. “Two rules before we get started. One, please keep your hands and feet inside the sleigh at all times. Two, sit back and relax and enjoy the beauty of Rawhide Ranch. Everyone ready?”
“Yes!” The excited Littles on either side of them cheered, already bouncing in their seats.
“Then let’s go!”
With a snap of the reins, the sleigh jerked forward. Allie immediately launched into a running commentary about the lights and the decorations, how beautiful the stars were, and the more she talked, the more he found his attention being drawn to her. Where Michelle was bold but quiet, Allie was all bubbling excitement. It reminded him of Sadie, but he’d never felt the urge to pick Sadie up and snuggle her like this. To tip her head back and kiss her gently.
What the hell was wrong with him? It was bad enough to have the feelings he had for one unavailable woman. Having them for her girlfriend made him… worse than an asshole, as far as he was concerned.
