A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS

A Between the Pages Holiday Novella

 
 
Jennie Marts
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Chapter One
 
A blast of cold air whooshed in as Holly pushed through the door of the
coffee shop. The fragrant scent of roasted coffee beans filled the air, and she
stopped to catch her breath as the onslaught of memories washed over her.
She hadn’t been in Pleasant Valley Perks in two years. Hadn’t, in fact, been
back to her hometown at all. Not since the funeral.
She’d grown up in Pleasant Valley, a small town nestled against the
Rocky Mountains of Colorado. But after Scott died, the memories were just
too much for her.
Her parents had left as well. A year ago, they’d sold everything and
headed to Florida. Moved into a retirement home—wait, make that
retirement community—leaving her no reason to return. No reason except
the list.
The freaking list.
Christmas carols played softly as she scanned the coffee shop for Cassie.
She spotted the curvy blonde chatting with a cute little old lady and grinned
as Cassie saw her and frantically waved from a table near the counter.
Crossing the room, she was enveloped in a giant Cassie-hug. Her cousin
gave the best hugs, and for just a moment, Holly let herself sink into the
comforting embrace.
“You look great,” she said to her cousin as she stepped back. Cassie
wore jeans, boots, and a white turtleneck under a festive red Christmas
sweater. Embroidered snowmen carrying presents danced across her ample
chest. She smelled like vanilla and cinnamon, and something about being
around Cassie always made her feel like she was home.
Her cousin’s wavy blonde hair was cut in a fashionable pixie style, and
her blue eyes were kind and bright. Cassie had always reminded her of
Tinkerbell. A slightly older, chunkier Tinkerbell, one who wore Christmas
sweaters and made cookies.
Cassie studied her, and a frown crossed her otherwise happy face. “I
wish I could say the same about you. But you look kind of terrible.” She
touched her arm gently, her eyes filled with concern. “You’ve lost so much
weight, and you look like you still aren’t sleeping.”
“Well, thanks for that lovely boost of confidence.” Her cousin was
several years older and had been mothering her for her entire life. Holly had
known Cassie would have a comment about her weight loss, and had tried
to wear a bulkier sweater this morning.
Unfortunately, the generous-sized sweater only emphasized how much
weight she’d lost, and she felt like a child playing dress-up in her mother’s
clothes. If only her life were that pretend world of tea parties and lipstick
and trying to walk in too-big high heels.
Cassie squeezed her arm and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry.
We’ll drink wine and eat chocolate cake while you’re here. That will help
with both issues.”
She’d tried both, but desserts still held no taste for her, and too much
wine usually resulted in a restless night’s sleep with an accompanying
headache in the morning. She looked around for a distraction. Anything to
change the topic of conversation from her problems.
Holly smiled at the cute older lady that Cassie had been talking to when
she’d first walked in. “Hi, I’m Holly.”
“Oh gosh. Where are my manners?” Cassie asked. “Holly, this is Edna.
Edna, this is my cousin Holly.”
Edna surprised her by pulling her into a hug. The elderly lady was tiny
but strong, and she smelled pleasantly like coffee and peppermint. “Good to
meet you. Cassie and I are like family too. Well, we’re in a book club, so
that’s almost the same.”
A soft chuckle escaped her. She liked this woman already. “Of course.”
Edna pulled out a chair and sat down at the next table. “You girls have a
lot to catch up on, I’m sure. I’ll let you get to visiting.” She picked up a
shiny paperback from the table. “I’m just getting to the good part in our
latest book club pick. The main couple just got caught in a rain storm and I
predict a steamy shower scene is coming up.” She winked at Holly. “Those
are my favorites.”
Cassie shook her head. “Oh, Edna.” She plopped into her chair and
patted the seat next to her. “Sit down. Tell me everything. How does it feel
to be home?”
Holly sighed and eased herself into the chair. “Weird. Lots of
memories.”
Her cousin picked up her hand. “I’m proud of you for doing this. I know
this week is going to be hard for you. But you have a lot of good memories
here too. I think it’s the right thing to do.” She grinned. “And I’m glad you
get to spend Christmas and your birthday here with me.”
 Ugghh. Just thinking about her birthday made her want to crawl under
the table and hide. She’d come into the world during a snowstorm on
Christmas Eve, and her mom thought a festive name like Holly would be
cute. Thanks, Mom.
She would be thirty this year. A milestone birthday. That’s what her
therapist called it. A milestone birthday and a good time to make some
lifestyle changes. Hence the list. The freaking list.
Squeezing Cassie’s hand, she took a deep breath. “Thanks, cuz. I guess
it’s time. Scott’s been gone for two years now, and my therapist has
informed me that it’s time to rejoin the living.”
You’re not the one who died. That was Dr. Flynn’s favorite saying. But it
wasn’t true. She had died. At least a part of her. The part of her that knew
how to laugh and enjoy life. That knew how to take chances and experience
joy.
The old Holly had disappeared the moment that Scott had died. That
Holly had been part of HollyandScott. Like they were one word, one unit.
The new her was just Holly. Singular. Alone. Solitary. The new Holly
might as well be dead.
Cassie nodded. “I agree with her. Being a widow in your twenties has
got to be hard. It will probably be the hardest thing of your life. But you
still have a life, and I’m glad to hear you’re ready to start living it again.”
Did she say that? Did she say she was ready? Or did she say her therapist
had told her she was ready? She had taken the first steps, though. She’d
called Cassie. She’d packed a suitcase and filled her little car with gas and
driven to Pleasant Valley. Her hometown. Her roots.
Which was the first thing on the list. Check.
“So, tell me about this list.” Cassie nodded encouragement.
“Dr. Flynn thought we should come up with a list of tasks to help ease
me back. To help with accepting the grief and allowing myself to move
forward. I have three things on the list. The first is Go Back To Your Roots.
That’s why I’m here.” She gave her cousin a little grin. “And to see you, of
course.”
“Did you say something about your roots, dear?” Edna leaned toward
their table. “Because that’s something I can help with. I agree they’re a
problem. That mousy brown hair color really washes you out. I’ve got a
great hairdresser over on Fourth Ave. Her name’s Melissa and she’s a
miracle worker with foil and a little color. She’ll fix you right up with some
highlights and give you a great cut too—get rid of those nasty split ends.”
Holly self-consciously touched her hair, which she’d thrown into a
haphazard ponytail that morning after her shower. Fixing her hair just
hadn’t seemed important. “We didn’t mean those kind of roots.”
Edna made an apologetic face. “Oh, sorry. But you really should
consider some highlights, honey. And a little mascara and lip color go a
long way.” She held up her hands in surrender at Cassie’s hard stare. “I’m
just sayin’.”
Why did she think Cassie had been talking to a cute little old lady? This
woman might be little, but she was full of spit and vinegar.
Cassie waved a hand of dismissal at her friend. “Despite her lack of
social graces, I think Edna may have a good idea. Maybe you should
consider a little makeover. A haircut always makes me feel better. Maybe a
new style and color is just the step you need to ease into your fresh start. I’ll
go with you. We could do manis too. Pamper ourselves a little. What do you
think?”
A new haircut couldn’t hurt. And it was true: she hadn’t used mascara, or
any makeup, for so long that it had probably all expired as it lay forgotten in
the bottom of a bathroom drawer. If she didn’t feel better, she could at least
look better. She nodded. “Sure, why not.”
“Oh good. I’ll text her and see if she can fit you in this afternoon.” Edna
lowered her voice in a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ll tell her it’s a bit of a
fashion emergency. She loves a good challenge.”
“Thanks. I think.” Holly nodded to the empty chair at their table. “Would
you like to join us?”
“Oh no. I don’t want to intrude on you girls. I’ll just sit over here and
mind my own business. Don’t mind me at all.”
Cassie rolled her eyes and smiled, obviously used to the sassy spirit of
Edna. “Okay. Go back to your roots, got it. In more ways than one. So that
one gets a double check.” Cassie always had been an overachiever. “What’s
next on the list?”
Holly groaned. The second task was much harder than a road trip and a
new hairstyle. “Face Your Fears.”
Her cousin nodded. Cassie had been the head of the PTA at her kid’s
school three years in a row, and she was always up for a challenge.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t like running a PTA committee. Holly’s problems
couldn’t be fixed with a run down the call tree or a bake sale. “Okay, so
what are you afraid of?”
Ha. Everything. What was she not afraid of? She swallowed over the
sudden lump in her throat. Her voice was barely a whisper as she tried to
answer her cousin’s question. “I’m afraid of everything. I’m scared of
moving on without him. I’m terrified of starting over. I’m scared that by me
having a life, I’m not honoring his. And mostly I’m afraid if I stop thinking
about him all the time, that I’ll forget him.”
Cassie’s eyes filled with tears, and she squeezed Holly’s hand. “Oh,
honey. You won’t forget him. He’s in your heart forever.”
But that was the problem. Her heart was broken. Shattered and split.
What if the memories of her husband spilled out through the cracks?
“Okay,” Cassie said. “We need to break down the task. Make it more
manageable. Let’s take one fear. And face one. Tell me one tangible thing
you’re afraid of. Maybe something with your job or maybe something to do
with Scott’s death.”
She laughed. A hard, dry sound. “Well, since Scott died from getting
bucked off a horse, I’d say I’m pretty afraid of horses now. I used to want to
learn to ride. Scott was going to teach me. Now, I just get near one and I
start to shake.”
“Okay, that’s a good start. Let’s focus on that one. You know our niece,
Piper, has been living with us since Barbara decided to run off and find
herself.”
Cassie’s sister, Barb, had always been the wild one, but after Piper’s dad
died, she went off the deep end. Now that Holly had stood at the edge of the
same cliff, she had more compassion for her cousin’s choices.
“Anyway,” Cassie continued, “Piper took horseback riding lessons this
summer, and her instructor was a really great guy. His name is Levi, and
he’s got a ranch just north of town.”
Levi? Why did that name have a familiar ring to it?
“I can call him, and we’ll get you a lesson or two. Maybe he can start
tomorrow. No time like the present. In fact, that will be my birthday present
to you. How does that sound?”
How did that sound? It sounded like her cousin was leading the Get
Holly Healthy charge and she just needed to fall in line.
Her back bristled at the idea of being pushed into the idea, but she knew
Cassie was only trying to help. And it had been a long time since anyone
had cared enough to want to help her. Besides, the way things were
currently going wasn’t working, so she needed to do something to change.
And it would fulfill one of the requirements of the freaking list. “All
right. I’ll do it.”
“Oh good. You’ll love it,” Edna said, leaning toward their table. “The
ranch is beautiful and that Levi is one cute cowboy.”
“I’m not looking for a cute anything. I just lost my husband.” Her breath
quickened, and she was surprised at the flash of anger that Edna’s comment
had caused. She shook her head. “Sorry.”
Cassie looked into her eyes. “Holly, you didn’t just lose your husband.
He died two years ago. It’s okay for you to start living again. Scott would
want that.”
It was hard to believe two years had passed. Two years. Seven hundred
and thirty days. Seven hundred and thirty days of waking up, brushing her
teeth, and making it through the day. Putting one foot in front of the other.
Doing the basics to survive. Was this her life? Was this the life he would
have wanted her to have?
“What’s the third thing?” Cassie interrupted her musings.
“Listen to Your Heart.”
“And what’s your heart telling you right now?”
Nothing. Remember it was broken. How could it tell her anything when
it didn’t work anymore? The familiar ball of pain formed in her gut, and she
felt her hand begin to tremble as a shiver ran through her.
Cassie squeezed her hand again. “I think you need a hot chocolate. They
make a great peppermint mocha here. Let me get you one.”
“No, it’s okay,” she said, already pushing back her chair to stand. “I’ll
get it.”
She approached the counter and was surprised to see the barista was an
older gentleman wearing a red polo, Christmas suspenders, and a nametag
that read “Nick.”
“Hello, Holly.” He grinned at her, his smile bright inside a long, bushy
white beard. “What do you want for Christmas this year?”
What did she want for Christmas? She wanted her life back. Her
husband back. The man who made her chocolate chip pancakes and sang in
the shower. But no amount of Christmas wishing would bring him back, so
she would settle for a hot chocolate.
 “Just a peppermint mocha for now, please.” She watched him grab a red
cup and write her name on the side. “Hey, how did you know my name?”
“I heard you talking. And it sounds to me like you’ve been given some
pretty good advice.” He smiled kindly at her. “Can you forgive an old man
for eavesdropping?”
Why not? An old lady had been eavesdropping for their entire
conversation. Maybe she should take an ad out in the paper. Heartbroken
widow seeks advice from the elderly. Anyone?
What could it hurt? She’d been listening to her own counsel for the past
two years and look where that had got her. Hobo clothes and a bad
hairstyle. You couldn’t argue with split ends.
“So what did you think?”
“I think it’s good advice. Facing your fears can be hard. I know Levi,
and he’s a fine man with a good heart. He can teach you to ride and then
you can conquer at least one thing on your list. I think listening to your
heart is going to be a little harder. I get the idea that you don’t trust yours
right now, but even a broken heart still beats.”
How did he know what she was thinking?
He reached below the counter, pulled out a shiny gold bell hanging from
a red velvet ribbon, and held it out to her. “Here. For you.”
She took the bell, touched by his thoughtful gift. But when she shook it,
there was no sound. She shook it harder, but still no sound. She dropped it
in her coat pocket and shrugged, embarrassed to say that he had given her a
faulty gift. “I think it’s broken.”
Just like her heart. “Broken” seemed to be the theme of the day.
“It’s a special bell. It’s got Christmas magic. You can only hear it when
you listen with your heart. When you find yourself open to new
possibilities. When your heart begins to heal, you’ll hear the bell.” He
winked at her and busied himself with preparing her drink.
“Thanks. For the cocoa and the bell.” She took the cup and marveled at
the swirls of whipped cream with a tiny gingerbread cookie perched on top.
This town really went all out for the holiday season. But Santa-inspired
baristas dispensing holiday drinks and Christmas magic was just too much.
She took a sip of the frothy mixture as she sat back down across from
Cassie.
“That looks amazing,” Edna said. “Did you have some trouble getting it?
Was the barista not making it quick enough for you?”
Holly gave her a confused look. “No, he was fine.”
“Then why did you keep ringing that dang bell?”

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Chapter Two
 
The fresh snow crunched under her tires as Holly pulled into the Lazy G
Ranch for her first horseback-riding lesson. She snuck a glance at herself in
the review mirror, still surprised at her reflection and the way a new
hairstyle and a little makeup had transformed her. Who knew mascara held
such magic?
She did a quick shake of her head, taking a secret pleasure in the way her
freshly highlighted hair fell back into place.
Looking through the window, she took stock of the ranch before her. A
large barn sat in front of her, with corrals connected to it on either side. The
yellow two-story farmhouse looked inviting, with a pair of rocking chairs
on the wraparound porch, and an evergreen wreath hung on the front door.
Stepping from the car, she breathed in the crisp air scented with pine.
The ranch was well kept, and she spied three horses in the meadow near the
barn. They looked harmless enough as they munched grass. She could do
this.
The sound of the barn door opening had her turning to see a yellow
Labrador retriever wiggle through, followed by a tall cowboy. Her breath
caught at the sight of him, his broad shoulders hunched forward as he
cradled something small in his arms. She could see the top of a fuzzy head
poking out of the flannel shirt it was wrapped in.
“Hey there. You must be Holly. I’m Levi Garrett. Welcome to the Lazy
G.” His deep voice, with just the hint of a slow drawl, sent a funny tingle of
warmth through her.
What the heck was that about?
His last name brought back an old memory. Flickers of images: one
night in high school, a party, the first time she’d got drunk, a stolen kiss.
She shook her head with sensory overload, not able to grasp the memories
and concentrate on the man before her. The man who smiled down at her
and made her stomach do a tiny flip.
She stepped forward, extending her hand, not expecting the zing of
feeling that shot up her arm as he took it in his. She nodded, unable for a
moment to speak, caught in the spell of his warm smile and the abyss of his
deep green eyes. He wore a brown felt cowboy hat, and sandy brown hair
that was just a little too long fell across his forehead. She had the insane
urge to reach up and brush it out of his eyes.
What was going on?
She did not reach out and touch strangers, and she hadn’t had an insane
urge to do anything in years.
The spell was broken by a wet nose nudging her crotch, and she
stumbled back at the dog’s invasive gesture. A strong hand reached out and
grabbed her arm, steadying her body but ruffling every fiber of her
composure.
“Duke, get down.” He grinned at her, and the bottom dropped out of her
stomach like she’d just started the downhill descent on a tall rollercoaster.
She wasn’t sure if she was excited or terrified. Or both. “Sorry about that.
That’s just his way of greeting people.”
She laughed as she sidestepped another crotch sniff, blocking the dog’s
nose with her hand as she reached down to pet it. “Hi, Duke.”
“I think he likes you.”
“I love animals.” She gestured to the furry bundle in his arms. “What do
you have there?”
He stepped closer, right into her personal space, and she resisted the urge
to step back. He tilted the bundle toward her, and she gasped at the small
furry owl that looked up at her with wide black eyes. “It’s a young owl. I
just found him caught up in the barbed wire fence in the south pasture. His
leg is cut.”
“Oh no.”
He nodded at the house. “Come on in. I just want to take a few minutes
to get some ointment on the cut and check him out.”
She wordlessly followed him into the house, noting the way he opened
the front door then held it for her to walk through first. The farmhouse had
obviously been updated inside, and was decorated in a cabin motif. Dark
green sofas sat on either side of a huge stone fireplace, and pine accents
gave the room an inviting feel.
“My dad’s always giving me a hard time for bringing home strays and
wounded animals, but I can’t help it. I do believe in letting nature take its
course, but I couldn’t just leave this little guy out there.” Levi walked into
the large kitchen and set the owl on the counter.
She liked the way he spoke, his voice deep and slow. He told the dog to
go to his bed, and Duke obediently lay down on a blue dog bed in the
corner of the kitchen. He nodded to her. “Here, can you hold it while I grab
some first-aid supplies?”
“Sure, I guess.” Like the dog, she obeyed his request, and cupped the
small owl in her hands.
“He won’t hurt you. He’s still pretty worn out from trying to escape the
fence.” He tucked the flannel shirt tighter around the owl, brushing her
hand with his. Her heart beat quickened at the nearness of him and the
brush of his warm hand against hers. “Be right back.”
She watched him leave the kitchen, and a warm flush spread up her neck
as she noticed what a great butt he had. What was it about guys in jeans and
cowboy boots? And when was the last time she’d noticed a guy’s rear end?
Her emotions were all over the place, and surprise filled her at the array
of crazy feelings going on in her body. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the
realization that she was not actually dead after all.
##
Levi applied ointment to the small owl’s cuts then set it in a dog kennel
he’d found in the basement. Holly had given it a little water with an
eyedropper then lined the kennel with the flannel shirt it had been wrapped
in. The owl looked small in the kennel, but it was calm, and he didn’t think
its injuries would take too long to heal.
He shooed Duke away from the kennel and studied his new student.
Something about Holly was familiar. Maybe it was just the way her eyes
held the same wounded look of the hurt owl. He felt like he had met her
before. Not exactly her, but a shadow of the woman that stood before him.
“So, I feel like we may have met before. Did you grow up around here?”
he asked.
“Yeah, I felt like that too. I think I figured it out when you said your last
name. I graduated from Pleasant Valley High, and I think we met at a party.
You were older, so you probably wouldn’t remember me, but I went to
prom with your younger brother, Dallas.”
That was it! She was the Ditzy Dog-napper! His brother had taken a
crazy girl to prom that had ditched him that night to kidnap a dog. Their
family had ribbed Dallas about being a worse date than a mutt, and dubbed
Holly the Ditzy Dog-napper.
It was easier to think of her as the silly girl who’d ditched his brother
than recall the memory of the first time he’d actually met her.
 He’d been a senior when she was a freshman. It was the summer after
graduation and his mind had already been on college. He hadn’t even
wanted to go to the stupid party, but his friend had dragged him along. He
remembered seeing her for the first time, a cute blonde with a spitfire spirit,
who had a loud laugh and an easy smile.
He’d been sitting on the couch when she’d dropped down beside him,
the beer in her cup sloshing onto his leg. She’d ignored the spill, instead
asking him his name and declaring that she thought he was cute.
The slur in her words told him she was talking from beer bravado, so
he’d laughed and told her he thought she was cute too. Before they’d had a
chance to talk more, they were pulled into an impromptu game of Truth or
Dare. She’d loudly declared Dare on her turn, and when her friend dared
her to kiss the guy next to her, he’d suspected he’d been set up.
He remembered the way she’d thrown back her shoulders as if getting
ready to take on the world. With a daring grin, she’d boldly placed her
hands on either side of his cheeks and pulled him in for a fiery kiss.
Even with the setup and the taste of beer on her lips, it had been one
helluva great kiss.
After the game, he’d lost track of her and didn’t see her again that
summer. He’d left for college and figured she’d been drunk and probably
hadn’t even remembered the kiss. The next thing he’d heard of her was the
crazy story his brother told of getting dumped at prom by a crazy girl who
had abducted a dog.
He looked down at Holly now and tried to see that wildly spirited girl
from high school. This woman looked too thin, and there was no sign of
that reckless bravery in the slight hunch of her shoulders. Her eyes held no
spark of fun, but instead carried a deep sadness. “I remember you. I think it
was a party at the Gregsons’ house.”
“Um, yeah. I think so. That party was my first introduction to beer, and
I’m a little fuzzy on all the details of that night.” A faint blush appeared on
her cheeks as she busied herself petting the dog. She did remember!
“You were one crazy chick. I thought Dallas told me you got married to
a guy in your graduating class. Seems like he did the rodeo circuit. Tall
guy? Bronc rider?”
She nodded, her eyes suddenly full of tears. She swiped at them with the
sleeve of her sweater. “Sorry. I don’t talk about it much. Yes, I married
Scott Gibson, but he died a couple of years ago. An accident during a
rodeo.”
“Oh shit. I’m sorry.” He seemed to recall hearing the story of a local guy
getting bucked from a horse and breaking his neck. It was one of those
freak accidents that no one could have prepared for.
She waved away his concern. “I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to cry. You
just caught me off guard. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure you want to do the horseback-riding lesson? We can plan
another day. I’d understand if it’s too hard for you to face a horse.”
She offered him a rueful smile. “Facing a horse is exactly why I’m here.”
She pushed back her shoulders, offering him a glimpse of the girl he
remembered. “My therapist has instructed me to face my fears. And I have
become deathly afraid of horses. Scott had always planned to teach me to
ride, but he never got the chance. So, I am going to learn to ride a horse.”
The corner of her mouth tipped up in a weak attempt at a smile. She
seemed so fragile, her thin frame swallowed up in a blue sweater that was a
size too big. He imagined it had fit at one time, but grief had a way of
taking a toll on a body.
The way she twisted her delicate hands in front of her touched his soul.
She reminded him of the young owl, wide-eyed and fearful. Something in
him just wanted to pick her up and cradle her against him, tell her
everything would be all right.
But he barely knew her, and something told him she might not appreciate
him going all fireman on her and picking her up.
“Okay, well, if that’s what you want, why don’t we get started? I’ll take
you out to meet Nell.”
##
“Hi, Nell.” Holly touched the horse’s neck softly and looked into her
gentle brown eyes. She seemed so big, towering over Holly as she stood
next to her.
“Nell’s a good-natured horse,” Levi explained. “She’s older and really
sweet. I use her a lot with kids.”
She liked the calm, easy tone of Levi’s voice. He seemed to sense her
fear, and hadn’t pushed her or made her feel embarrassed for being afraid.
“You ready?” he asked.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak as she swallowed back the
lump in her throat. He held the stirrup out for her, and she lifted her foot
into it. He moved behind her, gently cupping her elbow to help her up.
She could do this. One push and she would be up. She reached for the
saddle horn. Nell took a step forward, emitting a huff with a shake of her
head. It was just enough to startle her, and she fell back with an alarmed
cry.
Her fall was broken by Levi’s muscled chest, and his arms came up
around her. “You’re all right. I’ve got you.” His voice was soft and gentle,
and his arms provided comforting support.
Her hand trembled as she rested it on Levi’s forearm. “I just need a
minute. She startled me.”
“Take all the time you need. I’m right here.”
They stood for a moment as she tried to calm her breathing, matching it
to Levi’s steady exhales. He stayed behind her, his stance relaxed.
He leaned down, his voice low against her ear. “Better?”
His lips so close to her sent her pulse skyrocketing again, but this was a
different kind of fear. A fear that she was actually attracted to a man again.
After all these years.
She was supposed to be facing her fears, and memories of Scott warred
with her body’s obvious attraction to Levi.
Could thoughts of another man’s lips be a way of facing her fears? She
was concentrating so hard on her fear of horses, but maybe her actual fear
was more about moving on. And being afraid of letting go of Scott.
Was touching Levi and having his arms around her a betrayal to Scott’s
memory? “I’m okay.” She let out a small sigh of relief as he stepped back
from her, but also immediately missed the warmth and strength of his body.
How could she have such conflicting thoughts?
“I have an idea,” Levi said, reaching around her to unsaddle the horse.
“Why don’t we start off a little slower?” He took the saddle and blanket off
and handed Holly a brush. “Why don’t we spend today’s lesson with you
just getting to know Nell?”
He spent the next hour with her, patiently showing her how to brush the
horse and put the saddle back on. Nell was patient as well, calmly enduring
the lesson and gobbling up the sugar cubes Holly held out in her hand.
Levi brought over a small set of stairs and aligned them under the
stirrups. “I use these with beginners. It makes it easier to get up into the
saddle.” He climbed up the stairs and demonstrated how to get into the
saddle. He held out his hand. She climbed the stairs and eased herself onto
the saddle in front of him.
“I just want you to sit in the saddle for a bit. We’re not going anywhere.
Just getting you used to the feel of being on the horse.”
His arms hung loose around her as he held the reins. She let herself lean
against his chest. His thighs hugged hers, and she fought back the panic of
being so close to him, in such an intimate position.
He seemed so solid, so strong. She drew from his strength, inhaling a
deep breath and catching the delicious male scent of his aftershave.
She could do this.
She was sitting on a horse and nothing bad was happening. She was also
touching a man, a very good-looking man whose muscled arms were resting
easily against her hips. And plenty was happening with that.
Her stomach was doing flip-flops, and his breath against her neck was
causing a stir of feelings that she felt had long ago shut down.
This was it. She was facing her fears. She was on the precipice of terror
and excitement.
A small voice inside of her whispered that it was time. That she was
doing the right thing. She didn’t know if the voice was Scott’s, her
therapist’s, or her own inner conscience, but she was finally ready to listen.
Ready to move forward. She just had to take that first step.

OceanofPDF.com
 
Chapter Three
 
A light snow was falling, and Levi tossed a bale of hay over the stall. It
was Christmas Eve, but his thoughts had nothing to do with the holiday and
everything to do with Holly.
He glanced at his watch. It was almost nine. She should be here any time
now for her second lesson.
Her first lesson had gone nothing like he’d expected yesterday. He was
unprepared for the extent of her fear at even being around the horse. And
more than that, he was unprepared for the extent of his feelings for this
woman he’d barely met.
Everything in him wanted to protect her. To shield her from the hurt that
caused such pain in her eyes. His heart ached at the way her hands trembled
and her body shook with fear. All he could do was hold steady and try not
to spook her.
He’d spent years breaking horses, and recognized panic and fear in a
stallion’s eyes. He saw that same terror in Holly’s eyes as she fought to
overcome her fear of Nell and riding the horse. Using the same patience he
would with a frightened or hurt animal, he offered her his strength and a
sense of calm.
The problem lay in that as much as he wanted to protect her, he also just
flat-out wanted her. The smell of her hair made him dizzy as she leaned
back against him, and the pale length of her neck invited him to nuzzle
there.
It took several rounds of repeating baseball stats in his head to control
his yearning when she rested between his thighs in the saddle. He’d wanted
to pull her to him, cradle her against his chest, but he knew she was
frightened enough, and his own sense of preservation told him not to get
involved with this woman.
He had enough on his plate with running this ranch and taking care of his
dad. He’d been so glad that his dad had agreed to spend the holidays with
his brother, even if it meant leaving him alone for Christmas.
Even without worrying about his dad, there was plenty to do with
tending the animals, plus the town was expecting him to bring a tree in
tomorrow for the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
 He did not need the distraction of a woman, especially a wounded
woman who had a history of crazy behavior. This was not a fight he needed
to step into the ring for. He scarcely knew her.
Except he did know her. Or he used to.
His mind had kept him awake last night with images of that young,
daring girl in high school. The one who had so passionately given herself to
him in a kiss. Was that girl still inside the frightened woman he’d held
yesterday?
He didn’t know, and it was not up to him to find out. He didn’t need this
and wasn’t interested. Period. Final answer.
As he snuck another glance at his watch, the quick tempo of his rapidly
beating heart betrayed him when he heard the sound of her car coming
down the driveway.
##
She was doing it. She was really doing it. She was riding a horse.
Holly smiled as she sat up straighter in the saddle and risked a glance
around her. They had made a slow circle through the meadow, and Nell
plodded slowly along as they headed back to the barn. The snow had turned
thicker and covered the ground, turning the ranch into a winter wonderland.
Fluffy flakes clung to Nell’s mane as the horse drew abreast of Levi on
the back of a large black gelding. He turned to her, his face open and
smiling under the brim of his cowboy hat.
Oh my. He was one hot dish of man-candy.
“You’re looking pretty good on that horse,” he said. “You okay?”
She nodded. She did feel okay—almost good, in fact. She was still a
little shaky inside, but she was definitely making strides in facing her fear
of riding.
Yesterday, she’d been a mess of conflicting feelings, but today she had
more of a handle on things. She’d even gone so far as to attempt to flirt a
little with Levi when he’d helped her get saddled up.
A flurry of sensations had filled her belly when he’d flirted back,
touching her leg as he assisted her and laughing at a small joke she’d made.
His laugh was deep, and she felt it inside of her chest.
He smiled at her now, and she felt a warm glow that she suspected just
might be close to happiness.
Maybe she was just overwhelmed at the surge of emotions she was
feeling. It had been so long since she’d felt anything at all. But something
told her she was glimpsing a feeling that she’d hidden away for a long time.
A feeling that she wanted to know again.
She smiled back, but her smile faltered as Nell stumbled on a tree root.
The horse whinnied as she trotted forward, trying to regain her balance.
Levi had told her to trust the horse, that it knew the path. But instinct
kicked in, and she cried out in fear as she squeezed the horse with her legs.
Obviously spooked, Nell took off at a gallop, heading for the safety of
the barn. Holly screamed, dropping the reins and clutching at the horse’s
mane. She leaned over, wrapping her arms around Nell’s neck, and held on
as the horse bolted across the meadow.
Her eyes were closed tight. She heard Levi’s voice above the thundering
of hooves as he yelled for her horse to stop. She felt his presence, and
opened her eyes to see him galloping beside her, his body bent sideways,
hanging off his horse as he reached down for Nell’s reins.
“Whoa there! Settle down, Nell.” Grabbing the reins, he pulled back,
beckoning the horse to stop.
The frightened mare reared back. Holly lost her balance, screaming in
terror as she fell from the horse. She landed in the snow, unhurt, but
terrified that the horse would trample her. Curled in a ball, she whimpered
in fright, even as she heard the horse gallop away.
Within seconds, Levi was off his horse and by her side, running his
hands along her body, checking for injuries. “Holly, are you okay? Are you
hurt? What happened?”
She gulped in air, trying to catch her breath. Levi wrapped his arms
around her, holding her against his solid chest as he murmured sounds of
apology.
It felt so good to be held. Everything in her wanted to sink into his
embrace. He cradled her against him, shielding her from the cold, and she
instinctively slipped her arms around his neck.
Realizing how close they were, she looked up at him, flakes of snow
mingling with the tears on her cheeks. His eyes held such compassion, no
judgment, just a sincerity that reached in and touched her heart.
Something in his eyes changed, a slight moment, like a shadow passing
in the hall, and she caught a flicker of desire. Her stomach dropped, the
rollercoaster feeling returned as he leaned down and kissed her.
His lips were warm, and he tasted like spearmint. Her arms tightened
around his neck, and she gave in to the moment of passion, kissing him
fiercely.
Maybe the trip to Pleasant Valley, the riding lessons, the fall from the
horse were all leading up to this moment, this kiss. Flickers of need filled
her chest. She pulled him tighter, holding on to him as if her life depended
on it.
Maybe it did.
He was so warm, so solid. The passion in his embrace matched hers as
his strong hands clutched her back and tangled in her hair. It had been so
long since she’d been held, caressed, wanted. Not since Scott…
Scott. Oh no. She couldn’t do this.
She pushed against Levi’s chest, breaking their connection, and stumbled
to her feet. “I can’t. I can’t do this.”
The snow fell harder as she broke into a run, the drifts pulling at her
legs, dragging her back. Sobs coursed from her throat as she pushed on. She
ignored Levi’s shouts as he called for her to come back. Her jeans were
soaked to her knees as she reached her car.
Hard pants of breath condensed in the air, and she dug into her pocket
for her keys. Collapsing into the car seat, she pushed back her sweaty bangs
as she started the car and threw it into gear.
Snow had drifted across the ground, and the back end of the car
fishtailed as she pulled out of the driveway. Her tires spun on sheets of
black ice as she drove too fast down the highway.
She had to get away. To tamp down the feelings that betrayed her, that
yearned for the kiss of another man.
Huge flakes now covered the sky, swirling blizzard-like in a whiteout.
The world fell away, and she could no longer see the road.
Her car hit another sheet of ice, and within an instant, she lost control.
Time slowed as her car spun out. A deafening screech of metal sounded
as the front end ricocheted off the guardrail. Her head slammed against the
steering wheel, knocking her teeth together and sending shocks of pain
through her already dizzy head.
The car continued to slide. The back end slipped off the highway, falling
backwards, then stopped with a jolt as the car collided with the snowdrifts
in the ditch.
The swirling snow blurred out of focus as the edges of her vision filled
with grey. The white disappeared as a quiet blackness closed in.
A gust of cold air rushed in, jolting Holly awake.
 Her head throbbed, and she looked down to see bright droplets of blood
splattered across her coat. The fabric of her wet jeans had frozen stiff, and
she couldn’t feel her toes at all. She flexed her fingers, trying to get some
feeling into them.
She had no idea how long she’d been out. The blizzard of snow still
swirled outside, but she could tell it was still daylight, so that was good.
When she tried to move, a pain shot up her leg. The car was tilted back,
but she was pretty sure she faced the road.
She remembered the back end sliding off the highway. Her body was
leaned back against the seat, and it took effort just to hold her head up. She
tried to turn, but her leg was pinned under the steering wheel.
The interior of the car was eerily dark as drifts of snow encased all but
the front windshield. Cold air whistled through the cracked front window,
and swirls of snow gave her the feeling she was inside of a snow globe.
Funny, that was how she’d felt the last two years. Enclosed in a glass
bubble, like nothing could reach in to her, and she couldn’t get out. And if
anyone tried to touch the globe, the shattered pieces of her life would spin
and swirl around her in a confetti of grief and confusion. She had no way to
escape the prison of the snow globe of her life, and now here she was,
literally trapped in a snow prison in the car.
Was this it? Was this her penance for trying to break free of the chains of
grief? Was this how her life was supposed to end? Would she die here, in a
frozen tangle of metal and ice?
When she’d left the ranch, she hadn’t seen another car on the road. It had
to be early afternoon by now. It was Christmas Eve, and by this time, most
people would be home, tucked in for the night with their families.
No one knew she was here.
Her teeth chattered, and she pulled her bloodstained coat tighter around
her. The reflection in the rearview mirror showed a small cut on her
forehead, but the blood had dried to a crusty brown. Too bad the ache in her
head hadn’t dried up as well.
She searched the interior of the car for anything that would help. Her
purse was nowhere to be seen. It must have fell from the seat during the
crash.
As if on cue, she heard the melodic tinkling ring of her cell phone
coming from under her seat. Stretching her body forward, she reached
toward the floor. Crying out in pain as her leg shifted, she fell back against
the seat as dizziness overtook her. There was no way she could get to the
phone under the seat.
The ringing stopped, leaving the car deadly silent, the only sound the
soft hush as snow fell onto the windshield.
This was it.
She’d always been levelheaded, an optimist, fun to be around. She’d
never been prone to dramatics. But this felt real to her, like her time was up,
and this was how she would die.
Would anyone even miss her? Her parents would, of course, and close
family like Cassie. But she’d burned all of her other bridges. Where was
that fun optimistic girl she used to be? Was she even still inside her?
She’d let the pain and grief of Scott’s death build a wall around her that
no well-meaning friend with a handful of flowers or an over-cooked
casserole could scale. After months of shutting everyone out, they finally
stopped trying, which was okay with her. It was easier that way.
No one really understood what she was going through. Not until Dr.
Collins.
Her mom had shown up on her doorstep one day about a year after Scott
died. She’d flown in from Florida and taken a taxi to Holly’s apartment.
Evidently Holly hadn’t answered her phone in ten days, and her mom
had been worried. Scott’s life insurance was enough that she didn’t have to
work that first year, and getting out of bed had seemed too much of a
struggle.
Holly didn’t know what would have happened if her mom hadn’t shown
up and dragged her into the shower and back into life. She’d stayed for two
weeks, cleaned her apartment, took her food shopping, and found her a
therapist.
A therapist who’d helped her to finally scale those walls and try to find
her way back to the living. A therapist who’d helped her to create the list.
The freaking list.
Was this part of facing her fears? Was she even afraid to die? To slip off
to sleep and let the cold numbness of a frozen winter day take her last
breath.
She had come into the world on Christmas Eve—it seemed fitting that
was the way she would leave.
She closed her eyes, slumped down in the seat. She was so tired. Tired of
thinking, tired of trying to fix herself.
 If she could just sleep for a little bit.
“Holly!”
She jerked awake, her heart racing at the sound of her husband’s voice.
“Scott?”
“Holly, I never wanted this for you. I love you too much to see you
wasting your life by grieving for me. I died because I was living and doing
what I loved. It’s time, baby. It’s time for you to let me go. Time for you to
live.”
Scott’s words were as clear as if he were sitting in the car next to her.
How could she hear his voice?
Unless she was dead too.
She didn’t feel dead. She did feel very cold, though. Her fingers were
now numb, but suddenly her heart felt the tiny stirring of warmth.
She thought about her life.
I’m not ready to die.
She wanted to live. To experience life again. To feel joy and laughter.
And love. Yes, even love.
A new sound surfaced in the storm. A steady, plodding beat.
Looking out the icicled windshield, she let out a sob of relief.
Through the swirling snow, a dark figure emerged. A cowboy on a black
horse. Her knight in shining armor. Except this knight was wearing a leather
duster and a brown cowboy hat.
She stared at him in disbelief, tears rolling down her icy cheeks. How
could he be here?
Her head couldn’t believe it. But in her deepest heart, she knew he would
come. Knew that he would be the one to save her.
“Holly?” he called into the storm.
“I’m here,” she cried. “Levi, I’m here.”
He jumped down from the horse and peered through the windshield.
“Hold on.”
He used his boot heel to kick in the corner of the windshield, then pulled
back the large sheet of shatter-resistant glass. Icy gusts of cold air filled the
car as he tugged the windshield back.
“My leg’s stuck. I can’t move.”
He dropped into the seat, pulling her to him. “Thank God you’re all
right.” His arms felt so warm as they wrapped around her, and he kissed the
top of her head. “I’m gonna get you out of here.”
 Bracing his legs against the dashboard, he pushed. A groan of metal
sounded as the dash shifted, and she pulled her leg free.
He climbed out of the window and steadied himself on the hood of the
car as he reached back in and pulled her body out. He cradled her against
him, and she locked her arms around his neck.
His horse had stood still, patiently awaiting Levi’s return. He stood her
on the ground for a second, using the horse as support, only long enough to
swing himself into the saddle. Then he reached down and pulled her into
the saddle in front of him.
She sat sideways, her body cradled against him as the horse plodded
forward. He unzipped his coat and wrapped her inside. His chest was solid
and warm, and she slid her arms around his waist, shivering against him.
He untied a blanket from the back of the saddle and wrapped it around
them both, protecting their bodies from the driving snow as the horse
carried them back to the ranch.
Holly curled against him, letting herself sink into the warmth of his
arms. Sink into the safety of his embrace. She was going to be okay. She
was safe.
Her heartbeat settled into the rhythm of the plodding horse. Her eyes
drifted closed as the blackness overtook her once again.
 

OceanofPDF.com
 
Chapter Four
 
Holy shit. She could have died out there.
Levi ran a hand through his hair as he watched Holly sleeping peacefully
on the sofa. She seriously could have died.
He couldn’t believe it when he saw her car buried in the ditch. He’d
almost missed it. Thank God the front of her car was still just visible at the
top of the road. He’d barely caught the flash of red through the snow.
His heart thundered against his chest as he considered the possibilities.
She could have frozen to death. Or her injuries could have been worse. Or
the crash could have thrown her from the car.
He never should have let her go.
If he hadn’t had to take care of the horses, he’d have been able to catch
up to her. He knew the storm was bad, but he’d assumed she’d made it
home.
It wasn’t until Cassie called him hours later looking for her cousin that
he knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
The storm had made travel impossible. He couldn’t get his truck out of
the driveway. He’d saddled Lady as fast as he could, knowing the horse was
his only chance at getting to the road. Thank God Holly hadn’t made it too
far.
They’d made it back to the house, and he’d carried her inside. He
stripped her of her coat and boots, then pulled off her wet jeans, tugging at
the brittle, frozen fabric. Wrapping her in another blanket, he’d lain down
beside her on the couch, using his body heat to try to warm her.
Once her breathing evened out and she settled into a more peaceful
sleep, he got up, changed into dry clothes, and called Cassie to assure her
that Holly was fine.
“Oh my gosh, Levi. You are my hero! Thank goodness you found her,”
Cassie said on the other end of the line. “That wasn’t what I had in mind
when I signed her up for horseback riding lessons.”
He smiled ruefully as he stirred some chicken noodle soup in a pan on
the stove. “Me either. But the snow’s so deep, I couldn’t get more than six
feet with my truck. And it’s still snowing, so it doesn’t look like she’s going
to make it home tonight.”
 “No, I guess not. I’m bummed to hear that, but I’m just so thankful that
she’s okay, and at least she won’t be alone for her birthday.”
“Her birthday?”
“Yes. Today’s her birthday. And it seems like it’s going to be a
memorable one. Listen, I’ve got to go. Have her call me later. Tell her I’m
just glad that she’s safe and that you two will have each other for
Christmas.”
She hung up, leaving her words ringing in Levi’s ears. He and Holly
would have each other for Christmas?
He looked back at the sleeping woman on the couch and tried to ignore
the feelings stirring in his heart. She looked so beautiful. Her skin was
regaining a little of its color, and the lines of worry and sadness were gone
from her face as she relaxed in sleep.
Football. Peyton Manning had led the Broncos in a record-breaking year.
How many touchdowns had he scored this year? He couldn’t think.
Algebra. X equaled Y-squared. That wasn’t working either. Sports stats and
math couldn’t keep his mind from thinking about Holly.
Thinking about the way she felt cuddled against him. Thinking about her
bare legs under that blanket. Thinking about the way she’d kissed him
earlier today, with such passion and fire.
Yeah, well, a kiss was what had started this whole thing. In high school
and this afternoon. And the kiss today had caused her so much pain that she
ran off. No matter how great a kiss it was, he wouldn’t let that happen
again. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
She stirred on the sofa, and her bare leg slipped from under the covers.
Dang, she had great legs. All he wanted to do was crawl back under those
covers with her and hold her against him. And maybe run his hand along
the bare skin of that leg.
Uh oh. Here we go again. What was that passing record that Manning
had completed this year?
##
Each sip seemed to warm her from the inside out. Holly sat up on the
sofa, spooning chicken noodle soup into her mouth. She had the blanket
wrapped around her, and Duke’s head on her lap. He looked up with big
brown eyes, just in case she wanted to pet him or give him a bite.
She smiled at Levi. “This soup is good. Really good. You’re handsome
and you can cook.”
 He gave her a questioning look. “Are you flirting with me?”
She laughed and raised a hand to cover her flushed cheeks. “Yes, I guess.
Or that was my poor attempt at trying. I haven’t flirted in years.”
He chuckled. “That was a good start. Complimenting my looks and my
culinary skills.” He nodded at the bowl of soup. “But I can’t really take
credit. Dad and I have a gal that comes in a couple of times a week. She
cleans up, does a little laundry, and usually leaves the fridge stocked with a
couple of meals. She’s been helping out since we were kids; she’s
practically a second mom to me and Dallas. We’d all be lost without her.
That’s a batch of her chicken noodle soup.”
“How is Dallas?”
“He’s good. Ended up marrying a great gal. Lives down in Durango. My
dad is staying with them for the holidays.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. He was a great guy. Cute. Just not my type.
That was one crazy prom night senior year, though.” She shook her head,
suddenly immersed in the high school memories. “Did he ever tell you
about that night?”
A funny smirk crossed Levi’s face. What was that about? “I think I may
have heard a little about it.”
“Dallas and I weren’t a couple. We were just both the friends of a couple
who were going, and it worked out for us to go with them. I don’t know if
he even liked me. If he did, I’m pretty sure he got over it by the end of the
night.”
She laughed. “We went to a party after the dance, and our friends wanted
some alone time, if you know what I mean, so Dallas and I went for a walk
around the neighborhood. I lived near there, and every time I walked by this
one brown house, I saw this poor dog chained up in the backyard. I knew
the kids that lived there, and they were total bullies. I’d even seen them
abuse the little mutt. One of the boys had kicked it, and the poor thing was
so skinny. It was always in the backyard, chained to a post. I don’t think
they ever brought it in.”
Levi grimaced. “That’s terrible. People like that don’t deserve to have a
dog.”
She grinned. “That’s what I thought, too. So that night, we’d probably
had a little too much to drink, and I decided to do something about it. The
house was dark, so I figured that was my sign to get that dog out of there. I
had a little bit of booze bravery going on, so I kicked off my heels and had
your brother boost me over the chain-link fence into the backyard. He
wasn’t as excited about the idea, but he went along with it. The problems
started when my poofy prom dress got caught on the chain link. I was
hanging there upside down, trying not to scream and alert the neighbors.
Then the dog started barking and my dress gave way and the whole bottom
half ripped off.”
Levi’s eyebrows rose, but he kept silent.
“Yeah, that’s right. I was on the ground barefoot and wearing half a
dress. By that time, I was already in so far, I couldn’t turn back. I ran over
to the dog, and that sweet mutt just sat there watching me as I pulled the
spike out of the ground in my underwear. I grabbed the dog, wrapped him
in the ripped-off skirt of my dress, and passed him over the fence to your
brother. Dallas was just standing there, his mouth hanging open, watching
me climb back over the fence and probably wondering how the heck he got
himself into this mess.”
Levi laughed out loud. “What happened then?”
“I told him that my house was nearby and I was taking that dog home to
give it a bath and some food. I asked him if he wanted to help. I’m sure all
he saw was this nutty girl standing in her underwear with dirt on her face
and legs, holding a mangy dog that she’d just stolen out of someone’s yard,
because he got this funny kind of strangled look on his face and told me that
he thought he was just gonna head back to the party. I gave him a peck on
the cheek, grabbed my shoes, and took off with that dog before the owners
got back. And that was my first and last date with your brother.”
“Yeah, I heard a slightly different variation of that story from him. I
knew you kidnapped a dog, but didn’t realize you did it in your undies.”
She liked the way he said “undies” and that he laughed at the story
instead of judging her craziness. His eyes were filled with humor, and she
suddenly felt a little more self-conscious knowing she was currently
wearing only a t-shirt and undies under the blanket.
“It sounds to me like you were a hero.” Levi gave her a smile that
warmed her from the inside out. “I hate seeing animals being mistreated
too. If I would have been there, I probably would have helped with the dog
then egged the bastards’ house.”
She laughed. A real laugh. One that came from her belly.
It felt good. Really good.
“What happened to the dog?”
 “My parents weren’t too thrilled with me that I’d taken it. But we kept an
eye out, and those jerks never even reported it missing. We named her
Lucky, and my dad fell in love with her. She still sleeps at the foot of my
dad’s bed every night.”
“Nice.” He gave her a wry grin. “I’m afraid my family may have
misjudged you. We’d only ever heard Dal’s version, and I’m sorry to say
that we dubbed you the ‘Ditzy Dog-napper’ and still razz Dallas about the
only girl who ever ditched him on a date.”
Her eyes widened at the silly nickname, then she burst out laughing.
Holding her sides kind of laughing. “I love it,” she gasped in between gales
of laughter. It probably wasn’t really that funny, but once she started
laughing, she didn’t want to stop. “I was kind of ditzy in high school.”
“I knew you then,” Levi said quietly, a look of reflection on his face.
“Well, I met you once, at a party, but it was a memorable meeting.”
She stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t think you
remembered at all.”
“Are you kidding? A gorgeous girl lays a mind-blowing kiss on you
during a game of Truth or Dare. That’s not something you easily forget.”
Did he really say a mind-blowing kiss? “Ugh. Speak for yourself. That
was the first night I met beer, and we did not become BFFs. A lot of that
night is a blur to me, so I never really knew if I actually kissed you or just
imagined that I did.”
“Oh, you did.”
“If it was so memorable, then why didn’t you ever call me or try to get in
touch with me?”
“I knew you’d had a lot to drink that night, so I didn’t know if you’d
even remember. And if you did, I didn’t want you to be embarrassed.
Besides, I left for college the next week and was gone for four years. The
next I heard of you, you were dating my little brother.”
“One date. And not a very good one. There was never really anything
between us.” She looked down at her hands, afraid to meet his eye. “I can
remember the first time I saw you. I had the worst crush on you.”
“Had?”
She shrugged, the tingly feeling back in her stomach. Was this part of
facing her fears? Scott, or her frozen hallucination of Scott, had told her it
was time to let him go and move on. Maybe this was her first step.
 She looked at Levi, feeling shy and insecure, but his open smile gave her
a tiny dose of courage. “Maybe still do,” she said softly.
“I’m glad.”
She let out the breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding, and her
self-esteem went up a couple of notches.
He’d called her a gorgeous girl, and remembered the kiss.
“Sometimes I feel like something broke inside of me when I lost Scott. I
lost that brave, fun, impulsive girl I used to be. The one who would kidnap
an abused dog. Or kiss a boy on a dare.”
Levi narrowed his eyes at her and cocked his head to one side. “It may
seem like it’s been a while since you’ve seen that girl, but I think she’s still
in there. It may just take a nudge to find her again.”
He stood and crossed the room, then knelt in front of her. Her heart
pounded in her chest at the nearness of him.
Her breath caught as he reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind
her ear. He leaned in close, his eyes conveying a message of strength as he
asked, “Truth or dare?”
Oh my. A spike of warmth flowed through her entire body as she peered
up at him through her eyelashes. Her voice barely registered a whisper.
“Dare.”
One corner of his lip tilted up in a devilish grin. “I was hoping you’d say
that. I dare you to kiss the boy next to you.”
She smiled back. She couldn’t help it. A glow of happiness burned inside
of her, the earlier cold now forgotten.
Reaching up, she touched his cheek. His eyes closed as he caught his
breath. She reveled in the power of knowing that her touch could cause
such a reaction. That he desired her.
He was so close, his face just inches from hers. She leaned in, gathering
all of her courage. He’d kissed her with such passion, such intensity that
morning, he had to have real feelings for her.
So close, a whisper’s breath away, her lips grazed his, and he gave a tiny
gasp of pleasure. Another graze, this one closer, the warmth of his lips
heating hers.
Crazy tumbles of feelings filled her. Stirrings of desire and need flowed
through her, and in that instant, all she knew was that she wanted to kiss
this man. Had to kiss him. Would die if she didn’t kiss him. Right. This.
Second.
 Her lips pressed his, and her body sprang to life. She inched closer, and
the blanket on her lap slipped away. She gripped his muscled forearms as he
pulled her tight against him. Matching her desire, he kissed her back with a
ferocity that she hadn’t felt in years.
His hand slid down her back, cupping her bottom then drawing her legs
around his waist. The thin fabric of her panties was no shield against the
coarse denim of his jeans as she pressed against his manhood, and there was
no denying that he wanted her.
She pulled him closer, wrapping her bare legs around him and clutching
his back.
His hands left trails of fire as they slid up her legs, caressing and
stroking her skin. A flush of heat swept through her. She couldn’t catch her
breath. As much as she wanted this, it was happening so fast.
She drew back, gasping for air, trying to tamp down the panic rising in
her chest. “Hold on.”
Levi froze. His hands stayed steady against her legs, but he pulled away,
giving her the space he needed. “It’s okay. We can stop.”
She focused on his face, searching his eyes for signs of sincerity. Did he
really mean that? “I just need a minute. Need to catch my breath.”
His hands dropped to his sides, and he sat back on his heels. “Take all
the time you need.”
Duke, who had been pushed to the side of the soda, now crept forward to
nudge her face and give her a sloppy lick. Laughing softly, she cuddled the
dog’s head to her.
It was just what she needed to distract her for the moment, and she
grinned at Levi. “Duke must’ve thought he was the boy next to me and that
I should have kissed him.”
Levi chuckled and patted the dog’s head. His hand brushed hers, sending
a thrill down her spine, but he didn’t press. His gaze moved to the big
picture window. “It looks like it’s stopped snowing.”
She turned to the window, surprised that it was still daylight. This had
seemed like such a long day already.
“We’ve still got an hour of daylight left and I have a few chores I need to
do. Do you want to rest for a bit and I’ll try to rustle us up some supper
when I come back in?”
No way. She’d been resting for the past two years. Her nerves tingled
with excitement, and she felt more awake, more alive than she had in
months. “I’d rather come with you. If that’s okay? Is there anything I can do
to help?”
A look of surprise crossed his face, then turned to pleasure. “Sure, I
could use the company. I was supposed to take a tree into town for the
Christmas lighting ceremony. Would you want to help me pick one out? I
don’t know if I’ll make it in to town, but I’d rather try than not.”
“Sure. That sounds like fun. But I might have a little problem.” She
stood, looking down at her bare legs and feeling a tiny thrill that he was
checking them out too. “Do I need pants to pick a tree?”
He chuckled. “Pants-less tree-picking certainly sounds like more fun, but
you might get sap on your undies, and that would be a sticky situation.”
“Oh, funny guy, huh?” She grinned at his silly joke. “But you’re right,
that could be tacky.”
He groaned. “Oh, that was bad.” He gestured to the laundry room. “I put
your all your stuff in the dryer. I’ll get it for you so you can get dressed. I
don’t want you to be sad and get all sappy.”
It felt so good to be teasing and making trivial jokes. So normal. She
wanted to hold on to this feeling, and wished the day would last forever.
She snuck a glance at Levi as he pulled on his duster and cowboy hat. He
was so tall, so handsome.
Her heart gave a little ache of longing, and she remembered the barista
asking her what she wanted for Christmas. Would a cowboy be too much to
ask for?

OceanofPDF.com
 
Chapter Five
 
What had he gotten himself into? He’d only wanted to make her feel
better, get her to smile. He got a smile and a whole lot more.
Levi hadn’t expected the kiss to rattle him so much. To hit him in the gut
and cause it to churn and twist as he fought to hold back. To not tell her that
he really liked her. That she was making him crazy. That he would be
patient, but what he really wanted was to strip her naked and take her
against the sofa.
His arms wrapped around Holly as he held the reins and guided the horse
through the south pasture. The air was crisp, and the pony’s soft footfalls in
the snow were the only sound. But he was plenty warm as she cuddled her
back against his chest.
She seemed more at ease on the horse, using the stirrups as she sat in
front of him. Her bottom rubbed against him as her hips swayed in the
saddle. Her perfect, round, little bottom that he’d cupped in his hand less
than an hour ago.
Get a grip, man. He had to stop those thoughts or it wouldn’t be hard for
her to tell what he was thinking. And he did mean hard.
“That’s it.” Holly pointed at a tall evergreen tree, her voice carrying the
excitement of a child. “That’s the tree.”
He pulled the horse up to the tree and swung down. Reaching up, he
helped her from the saddle. She slid easily into his arms. He wanted to lean
down and kiss her again. To take her beautiful mouth and ravage it. But he
didn’t want to spook her again. Not when her eyes carried the most joy he’d
seen in them since he’d met her.
Untying the axe from the saddle, he trekked through the deep snow
toward the tree. “You sure this is the one?” He turned to her and—thud!—
got hit smack in the face with a snowball!
The sound of her giggles made him smile. So, she wanted to play?
##
Holly shrieked with laughter as Levi chased her around the tree. She
filled her mitten-covered hands with snow and tossed it at his face.
Undaunted, he darted around the other side, grabbed her around the
waist, and pulled her down into a drift of powdery snow.
 She lay sprawled on top of him, trying to catch her breath. His hat had
fallen off, and he grinned up at her. Her laughter died as his teasing look
turned to one of desire. He waited, as if letting her take the lead.
She wiggled her hips against him, drawing a groan of pleasure and
loving the power she felt at being able to tease and excite him. She felt
more in control, more able to handle the swirl of emotions running through
her, because she was driving the contact. Straddling him gave her the power
to stop or to keep going. And right now, all she wanted to do was keep
going.
She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his neck, laying a path
of soft kisses that led to his ear. Gently biting his ear, her insides went all
melty as she felt his hands grip her hips in restraint.
A naughty grin crossed her face, and she teased him more, squirming
and rubbing against him.
He reached up and grazed her bottom lip with his thumb. “You are so
beautiful, Holly. Seeing you laugh and smile does funny things to my gut. It
makes me happy.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “And it makes me want
you. I mean, really want you.”
Her face broke into a smile. She couldn’t help it. Happiness filled her. It
had been so long since anyone had called her beautiful. Or said that they
wanted her. His words tumbled inside of her, knitting together pieces of her
broken heart. And she wanted him too.
She leaned down and covered his mouth with hers, ravaging his lips in a
passionate kiss. He met her pace, clutching her tightly against him. They
rolled in the snow, and his hand slid down her jacket, over her hip, and
cupped her bottom. She drew her leg around his waist, pulling him closer
still.
The kiss, the snow, the fervent embrace, his tender words, all combined
to work as a salve to her wounded heart. That must be what caused the ache
in her chest. The fullness that drew her closer to this man.
She could feel her heart opening, letting him in just a little. She melted
into his kiss and swore she heard the sound of bells ringing.
Levi lifted his head, leaving her cold and breathless. “Do you hear
bells?”
Oh gosh. She thought that sound had only been in her head.
The bells drew closer. Levi stood and hauled her up as a red sleigh
pulled by two horses, one pure white and the other jet black, pulled up near
them. Gold jingle bells hung from the horses’ harnesses.
The driver had a bushy white beard and was wearing a bright red parka
and a green stocking cap with snowflakes embroidered on it. His eyes
twinkled above his jolly grin as he waved. “Hey there.”
Holly smiled. She recognized him as the barista from the coffee shop.
“Hi, Nick. What the heck are you doing out here?”
He gestured in the direction he’d come. “Oh, I’ve got a little place up
north of here. We got snowed in, so I was using the sleigh to make a trip
into town. Don’t want to miss Christmas Eve in Pleasant Valley.”
Holly laughed. It sounded reasonable, yet the whole encounter had a
surreal feeling to it. Almost as if Christmas magic were actually at work.
Levi held out his hand. “Well, friend, I’m certainly glad to see you. I
need to get a tree into town for tonight. Think you could fit one in your
sleigh and get it dropped off at the town hall?”
“Of course,” Nick answered, his easy laughter following his response.
“I’d be glad to help. Don’t want the town to miss out on their tree-lighting
ceremony.”
Levi pointed to the tree Holly had picked. “She’s picked this tree. Give
me two minutes to get it cut and loaded.”
Holly approached the horse as Levi sawed at the tree’s base. She
gingerly held out her hand and softly stroked the sleek black coat of the
horse closest to her.
Nick smiled. “That one’s Oreo and the other is Sugar. They’re named
after my favorite cookies.” He patted his round belly. “And you can see that
I do love cookies.”
She laughed and chose to comment on the horses rather than his rotund
belly. “They’re beautiful.”
“It looks like the lessons must be working. You don’t seem very afraid of
these horses.”
She glanced at Levi, his muscled shoulders working the saw. “I’m
getting over several of my fears.” She grinned at Nick. “Maybe it’s the
Christmas spirit.”
Nick’s eyes softened and his voice lowered. “Or maybe it’s love.”
At least, that was what she thought she heard. Levi yelled “Timber!” at
the same time, so he could have said “all of the above” or “fits like a glove”
or “think nothing of.”
 Maybe it was love. What else could produce such profound feelings and
jumble of emotions?
She watched Levi lift the big tree and position it in the back of the
sleigh. How could such strong arms have such a gentle touch?
Thinking about his touch and the way his hands felt against the bare skin
of her legs earlier that day had her mouth going dry and funny flutters in her
stomach.
Especially because she couldn’t help thinking about when they got back
to the ranch and if he’d have a chance to touch her skin again.
Did she want that? Was she ready for that next step? She shook her head
to clear her mind. One step at a time. She would deal with that when they
got to it.
For now, she would concentrate on Nick and the Christmas tree poking
haphazardly out of the back of his sleigh.
The top half hung off the back, but Nick declared it sturdy enough and
that he’d manage to get it into town. He gave her a wave and a wink and,
with a loud “Hee-yaw,” set the horses in motion. The sound of the bells
jingling diminished as the sleigh disappeared among the trees.
She looked at Levi, who shrugged as if he also wondered if that had
really just happened. “You ready to head back?” he asked.
Was she ready? To go back and to be alone with him. She looked around
the trees, stalling for time. “It didn’t look like you had a tree up at the
house. Why don’t we pick one for the ranch?”
Yeah, that was good. Focus on finding another tree, then decorating it,
then making a star out of paper and glitter. Okay, the glitter might be going
a little too far. Inventing crafts may be too much, but she could think of
something else. Anything to give her a little time to decide if she was really
ready to let anything more happen between them.
“I didn’t do a tree at the house this year, since I knew Dad was gonna be
with Dallas. It seemed like too much work to do for just me.” Levi glanced
around the section of trees. “But now that I won’t be alone for Christmas, I
think it’s a good idea. Why don’t you pick out a small one and I’ll dig out
some decorations to put on it.”
She’d spent last Christmas alone, and no matter how much you told
yourself that it didn’t matter, that it was just another day, it was all a lie.
Something about being by yourself on Christmas day instead of with
family or friends seemed to hurt worse than any other day of the year. She
hated the thought of Levi being alone on Christmas morning. Even if he
could get through the snow, she’d rather stay here with him.
Trudging through the snow, she studied the trees, looking for just the
right one.
There. The little one. She pointed at a small tree, standing only about
four feet tall, but with full branches and deep green needles. “That’s the
one.”
Levi walked to her tree and looked down. The top of it barely reached
his chest. “This little guy is the tree you want? It’s a little puny.”
She grinned. “Yes, it’s perfect. I’m starting small this year. Taking baby
steps. And having a petite Christmas tree is a great way to begin.”
“Okay, but can we please call it ‘less tall.’ Petite is not a very manly
word.” He smiled at her before raising the axe, and one more crack in her
heart healed shut.

OceanofPDF.com
 
Chapter Six
 
Levi watched her face as he plugged in the Christmas tree lights. His
heart swelled at the happiness shining in her eyes.
They’d brought the little tree back, and he’d rigged a stand and set it on
one of the end tables in the living room. He’d found a box in the basement
labeled Christmas Decorations, and it held some assorted ornaments and a
few strands of lights.
He’d also found something else, but he’d wait for a better time to show
her his discovery.
She seemed to have so much fun doing the simple task of adding
ornaments and a few decorations to the tree. Her voice rose and fell as she
oohed and ahhed over the simple colored balls and handmade decorations
that she’d dug out of the box.
The past several years, Dallas had spent Christmas at the ranch and his
wife had been in charge of decorations. Levi hadn’t thought much about it;
the tree had just seemed to appear. This way was much more fun.
As long as Holly was smiling and happy and looking at him like he’d
hung the moon, he was good.
She clapped her hands together. “It’s beautiful. I love it!”
Levi swallowed at the emotion clogging his throat. She was beautiful. So
damn beautiful that it almost hurt to look at her. He ached to hold her, to
kiss her, to protect her from the pain that lay under the shadows of her eyes.
Geez. Get a grip, man. It’s just a Christmas tree. And she’s just a woman.
But he knew that wasn’t true. He cleared his throat. “I thought I’d whip
up a couple of my world-famous grilled cheese sandwiches for supper. Will
that work for you?”
She arched an eyebrow at him. He loved seeing the playful look in her
eye. “World famous, huh?”
“Well, maybe not exactly world famous, but I’m sure they’re close.”
She laughed. “They sound amazing. I’m going to call Cassie and let her
know I’m not going to make it back to town tonight.” She hesitated. “Is that
right? Do you think the roads will clear up enough or should I just plan to
stay?”
Who the hell cared if the roads had cleared? He hadn’t even checked. All
the snow could have melted and he wouldn’t tell her. There was no way he
wanted her to go tonight. His voice was huskier than he intended as he
answered her question. “I want you to stay.”
A slow grin spread across her face. “Me too.”
He couldn’t take it. Everything in him wanted to stride across the room
and carry her into his bed. He swallowed. “Go ahead and call Cassie. I’ll be
in the kitchen.”
He assembled the sandwiches quickly and checked on his patient while
they cooked. The young owl stared up at him, its eyes huge and frightened.
Although it seemed wary of him, the owl let him reach in and check on the
cuts. As long as he moved slowly and didn’t rush, the owl relaxed. When he
continuously proved to the owl that he could be trusted and that he didn’t
want to hurt it, the owl allowed him to get closer.
Hmmm. This was just the way he felt with Holly. He wanted to help her,
to show her that he could be trusted and that he meant her no harm. Just like
with the owl, he needed to move slowly, not rush her, prove that he was
safe. Then, like with the wounded animal, she would slowly allow him to
get closer.
He knew he needed to take it slow. His head kept warning him not to
rush her. The only problem was that his heart and his body weren’t
listening. His heart wanted to take her in, shield her and protect her. But his
body just wanted to take her.
##
“Beer or wine? Or I’ve got tea?” Levi called from the kitchen.
Holly felt like she needed something a little stronger than tea, but wine
was too romantic of a drink. Beer was good. More friendly. Yeah, just a
couple of friends knocking back some cheese sandwiches and a few beers.
No problem.
Yeah, right. They could have been eating cardboard and drinking
buttermilk, and it would have been romantic.
Everything in this room screamed romance, from the twinkling lights on
the newly decorated Christmas tree to the dancing flames of the fire that
Levi had built in the fireplace.
The snow had started again, and it swirled softly outside the window,
giving her the feeling that they were the only two people left in the world.
As if they were cut off from their real lives and the rest of the world had
faded away. Leaving them alone.
Just Levi and her and a thick rug in front of a roaring fire.
 “Beer,” she called back. “I’ll just have a beer.” She plopped down on the
floor, stretching her legs toward the fire and wiggling her toes in the
warmth.
Levi appeared seconds later, carrying their plates. Two bottles of beer
were tucked under his arm. After setting the plates on the coffee table, he
sat on the floor beside her.
He pushed a plate toward her. Melted cheese oozed from between two
thick slices of bread, the outside grilled to a perfect crusty brown. Crispy
kettle chips surrounded the sandwich, and her mouth watered at the sight of
the meal.
She couldn’t remember the last time she had actually been hungry for
something, or when food had really appealed to her.
She wasn’t sure if her heart was healing, but it seemed as if her stomach
was.
“That just might have been the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever
tasted,” Holly said ten minutes later, as she popped the last bite in her
mouth. “Or at the least, it was in the top ten.”
“Top ten?” he teased, arranging his expression in a mock look of offense.
“That sandwich rated in at least the upper five.”
She giggled and licked the last of the butter from her fingers. Her
laughter died in her throat as she watched his eyes go dark with want. She
liked the way his feelings were written all over his face.
He stood, grabbed their plates, and headed for the kitchen. “Stay right
there. I have something for you.”
She waited, listening to him pull out drawers in the kitchen. What on
earth could he be up to now? He may not have realized it, but he had
already given her the perfect day.
A huge grin filled her face as she heard him break into song. “Happy
birthday to you…” He walked back in holding a chocolate cupcake, a lit
candle poking out of its center.
The cupcake was the snack kind wrapped in foil, but it didn’t matter. Just
the fact that he’d made any kind of effort to celebrate her birthday was
enough to bring tears to her eyes. And he was singing.
He set the cupcake down and she closed her eyes, silently making a wish
before blowing out the candle.
“How on earth did you know it was my birthday?”
“Cassie. She told me earlier when I called to tell her you were okay.”
 “Of course.” She was sure Cassie had found an innocent way to just slip
that little nugget into their conversation.
She pulled out the candle and took a bite of the cake. Mmmm. Chocolate
flavor burst in her mouth. She held the cupcake out and offered him a bite.
Watching his mouth as he took a bite of the cake, then licked a crumb
from his lip, gave her a tingly feeling, as she suddenly imagined him licking
frosting from a variety of places on her body. Warmth spread through those
particular places, and she had to focus on not squirming.
Why did everything that this man did seem sexy?
He handed her a brown lunch sack. “It’s not much, and I couldn’t find
any wrapping paper, but I didn’t want you to not get a gift for your
birthday.”
She couldn’t speak, the sensual feelings ending as her throat choked with
emotion.
Didn’t he know that he’d already given her a gift? He’d given her her
life back, and that was the best gift she could think of.
Blinking back tears, she took the bag.
“It’s not much. Just something I found in the basement that made me
think of you. So keep your expectations low.”  
Wow. His words struck her heart. He saw something that made him think
of her. Her voice was barely more than a whisper. “You’ve already
exceeded all of my expectations.”
She opened the top of the bag and withdrew a small snow globe. A
galloping brown horse was inside, white flakes swirling around his head.
The words Cheyenne Frontier Days circled the bottom of the globe.
“It’s probably stupid. It’s just a dumb souvenir I got when I was a kid,
but it made me think of you. You were here, stranded in the snow, and it had
the horse, which you were afraid of, but now seemed to have conquered that
fear.” He looked down at his hands. “It seemed like a good idea when I
found it, but now kind of feels dumb. You don’t have to keep it.”
She held the snow globe to her chest. “Of course I’m keeping it. It’s
absolutely perfect! I love it.” Her heart warmed as a slow grin spread across
his face. “It’s my favorite gift ever. Or at least in the top five.”
It was a perfect gift. And the fact that he thought of it was enough to
bring another wall of her defenses down. The gift worked like glue to seal
another crack in her heart.
 And it gave her the courage to crawl into his lap, straddling him with her
legs, and to wrap her arms around his neck. “Thank you. You didn’t have to
do any of this. Especially give me a gift. You saved my life today.”
His voice was low and husky as he looked into her eyes. “That was a gift
for me.”
She leaned in and gave him a light kiss. He tasted like chocolate, and her
insides revved up at the memories of her earlier frosting fantasies. Her
nipples hardened as she imagined him licking frosting from their tips.
She moaned against his mouth. That seemed to be all the encouragement
he needed. His hand slid up her back and tangled in her hair, pulling her
head closer to his as he took her mouth. His kisses were hot, ravaging her
mouth in hunger.
Her body thrilled at the feverish embrace, and she met his passion, her
hands clutching his back.
He pulled back, leaning his forehead against hers, his breath coming in
ragged gasps. “God, you are driving me crazy.”
His eyes looked anguished in the dim glow of the fireplace. “But Holly, I
don’t want to rush you. I like you, and I don’t want this to be a one-night
deal. I want you in my life. So, I promise that I’m okay taking it slow. I’ll
do whatever you need.” He looked up at her, and his gaze burned to her
very soul. “But Lord help me, I want you. And if you don’t tell me to stop, I
don’t know if I’ll be able to.”
“I like you too,” she said, barely trusting her voice to carry the words. “I
feel like I have been in this pit of despair and grief for the past two years,
and now you’ve shown up with a flashlight and a rope and have led me
out.”
She looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “I came out here to face my
fears of horses, but instead faced a deeper fear. I was afraid that I would
never feel again. That my heart was broken, that it would never be able to
love again. But you’ve shown me that it still works.”
She wiggled against him, a sly grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“That a lot of things I thought were broken still work.”
He smiled up at her. “Yeah, I’d say you’re functioning on overdrive.”
She laughed softly. “I truly feel like you saved me. But I know that’s a
lot of pressure to put on someone. And I know that I’m a bit of a mess.”
“I can take it.” He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face to his.
“And I’ve always liked a challenge.”
 The smile crept in again. “Do I really make you crazy?”
His wicked grin was all the answer she needed. “Insane.”
She shifted her bottom against his groin in a seductive circle. “What
about when I do this?”
He groaned. “Now you’re just playing dirty.” He chuckled softly, but his
eyes were dark. “I want you, Holly. It doesn’t matter if it’s today or next
week or next month. I want you naked and underneath me. I want to touch
you in ways that leave no question that you are still alive and nothing in you
is broken. But I am a very patient man, and I can also wait. It’s up to you to
tell me to stop.”
His words touched her heart. She knew he meant everything he said.
Although that part about her being naked and underneath him practically
had her melting into a lust-filled pool right in his lap.
She did feel alive, and she wanted him to touch her. To know the way his
lips felt as they discovered every part of her body. To feel his bare skin
against hers.
She grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. “I don’t
want you to stop. Not now. Not ever.”
Levi said nothing, but his eyes narrowed in desire.
He tugged his t-shirt over his head. She caught her breath at the sight of
his chiseled, muscular chest. The firelight turned his skin a golden brown,
and she ached with a need to touch him, to run her hands along his body.
Reaching behind her, she unclasped her bra. Slipping her arms free, she
let it fall to the floor.
Levi bent his head forward and kissed the crest of her bare breast. He
circled her swollen nipple with his tongue then drew it into his mouth with
a gentle suck. The tug of his lips sent a burst of pleasure coursing through
her, and she arched her back, willing him to take more.
He filled his left hand with her breast, squeezing and caressing while he
continued to lightly suck, inflicting her with delicious torture. His right
hand cupped her bottom, drawing her closer. She rubbed against him,
pressing harder as she tried to soothe the agonizing ache of want.
Her skin was on fire. She was burning with a hunger that came from
somewhere deep inside of her. She couldn’t get close enough to this man.
Fumbling at his jeans, she wrestled the button free and pulled at the
zipper.
 He tilted forward, lifting her and laying her on the rug. His skilled hands
unfastened her pants and in one motion pulled her jeans and panties down
her legs, leaving her naked in front of the fire. Her body shivered, not from
cold, but from anticipation.
He stood and tugged off his jeans. Standing naked in the firelight, he was
magnificent. His slim waist, muscled thighs, and rock-hard abs all made her
want to whimper with need.
Lying down beside her, he traced his hand from her neck down the
center of her breasts and made a slow circle around her belly button. Her
insides clenched as her body hummed with expectation.
His hand slid around her waist and under the arch of her back. Lifting
her, he slid her body under his, pinning her beneath him, the pressure of his
body on top of her. Finally.
Their bodies molded together as if two pieces of a puzzle, and she
gasped at the intense arousal she felt as he slid between her legs. She
wrapped her legs around him, thrilling at the tingle of urgent longing.
She wanted this man. Needed him.
He kissed her mouth, her neck, her breasts. Feasting on her in carnal
hunger. Her breath came in quick gasps at each new sensation he created.
She abandoned all thought and just let herself go. Let herself feel and
indulge in every tender caress, each rough stroke of passion. Caught in his
spell, she cried out as he filled her.
Clutching his back, the muscles tightening with each stroke, she held on
as he took her to the very edge of control. Then he murmured her name and
she was gone. Falling over the edge and into the glorious abyss.

OceanofPDF.com
 
Chapter Seven
 
Holly woke in stages, as if swimming up through the cool layers of a
lake. Sunlight poured through the windows of Levi’s bedroom, but she was
alone in his bed.
And still naked.
The soft cotton of his sheets caressed her bare skin. Images of the night
before replayed in her head, and delicious tingles filled her again. Her body
was sore and tender, but in a good way.
She stretched out across the bed like a languid cat, basking in the
magnificent feeling of a long night spent in a lover’s arms.
She slowly sat up and looked around the room. A blue flannel shirt lay
across the chair, and she pulled it on, buttoning the middle buttons and
inhaling the scent of his aftershave.
She padded barefoot into the kitchen, secretly delighting in the fact that
she had nothing on underneath the shirt.
He was standing at the sink, his back to her as he mixed something in a
bowl. A waffle iron sat plugged in on the counter. He wore nothing but a
pair of jeans, and she took a second to admire his magnificent butt.
##
Levi heard a sound and turned to see her standing in the doorway. All
she had on was his flannel shirt, the tails barely skimming the tops of her
legs.
His heart stopped. Lord, she was beautiful.
She smiled at him, and his pulse raced. He didn’t know how it had
happened, but this woman had captured his heart and soul. And taken his
mind to a lustful place filled with dozens of ways he wanted to explore her
body.
He smiled back and lifted the bowl of batter. “Good morning. You up for
some waffles?”
“Yes, I’m famished.” She gave him a naughty grin, and his heart turned
over in his chest. “I seemed to have worked up quite an appetite.”
He gestured to the fridge. “Me too. I’ve already eaten a pound of bacon
and a side of beef, but I seem to still be hungry.”
She laughed. It was a dumb joke, but he’d tell dumb jokes all day if it
made her laugh. Made that sound of happiness bubble out of her.
 She walked toward him, put her arms around his waist, and hugged him
close. “Merry Christmas.”
Flutters of happiness filled him. Geez, he felt like a teenager. A horny
teenager. She’d only done two of the buttons on the shirt, and it fell open,
exposing the pale crests of her breasts. He hugged her back, leaned down,
and grazed her lips with his.
She deepened the kiss, and he slid his hand under the tails of the shirt
and caressed her bottom. She moaned against his mouth, and he lost it.
He could feel the blood pumping in his veins as he lifted her onto the
counter and pulled her legs around him. Fumbling with the two buttons, he
released them and pushed the shirt off his shoulders.
Holly was in his arms, naked, and on his kitchen counter. It was a merry
Christmas indeed.
##
Holly put the bite in her mouth, the fluffy waffle mixing with the smooth
sweetness of the syrup, and groaned with bliss. Food suddenly tasted so
much better to her now.
She sat at the kitchen table, the flannel shirt buttoned again, but her hair
now mussed in a wild tangle of mind-blowing sex-head. She beamed at
Levi as he wolfed down his third waffle. “Thanks for breakfast.”
He grinned back at her, a smudge of syrup on the side of his lip. “Thanks
for, you know, that thing you did, with your tongue.”
She laughed out loud. And it felt amazing.
The owl fluttered in the cage on the counter, and Levi nodded toward it.
“I think it’s ready to go home. Want to help me set it free?”
“Yes, absolutely.” She pushed back her chair and grabbed her coat.
Levi carried the cage out onto the front porch. The sun glistened against
the snow, and the ranch looked like a magical winter wonderland. He
opened the front of the cage and the bird tentatively stepped forward.
Holly watched as it took a few small steps forward, shook out its feathers
then pushed off in flight. She clapped her hands as the bird soared through
the sky, healed and free.
Tears filled her eyes. She felt so much like that bird, trapped in a cage
filled with pain and confusion, wondering how she got there.
But now she was set free.
She’d taken those same few tentative steps then spread her wings and
flown.
 She glanced at Levi.
He gave her a nod of understanding, and she knew by the look in his
eyes that he no longer saw her as that wounded bird, afraid and lost in the
shadow of despair.
The list flickered through her mind. She’d come home to her roots and
faced her fears. All of them.
Last night, she had listened to her heart, a heart now healed through the
patience and love of this man, and she’d let herself fall. Fall in love with a
cowboy who’d saved her life, and made her waffles, and sang her happy
birthday.
Santa must have heard her wish and given her a cowboy for Christmas.
And what a cowboy.
She felt happy. And alive. The magic of Christmas had seeped into her
heart and healed the brokenness hidden there.
Flickers of thought crossed her mind. Christmas magic. Santa.
The special bell.
The words of Nick, the barista, echoed in her head as she dug frantically
in her coat pocket. He’d said she would only hear it when she listened with
her heart. When she found herself open to new possibilities. When her heart
began to heal, she’d hear the bell.
Her hand clasped around the cool metal ball and she pulled it from her
pocket. She held her breath as she shook it.
A smile lit her face as she heard the sweet, clear jingle of the Christmas
bell.
 
THE END…
                                                                        …And just the beginning.
 
 
 
 
Did you love this story?
Find more romantic comedy love stories by Jennie Marts here!
 
Be the first to find out when the newest Jennie Marts novel is releasing
and hear all the latest news and updates by signing up for her newsletter at:
Jenniemarts.com
  
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review!
 
 
Books by Jennie Marts, USA TODAY Bestselling Author
 
The Page Turners series (Romantic Comedy/Cozy Mystery)
Another Saturday Night and I Ain’t Got No Body
Easy Like Sunday Mourning
Just Another Maniac Monday
Tangled Up In Tuesday
A Cowboy For Christmas
A Halloween Hookup
 
The Bannister Brothers Books (Romantic comedy/Sports Romance)
Icing On The Date
Worth The Shot
Skirting The Ice
 
The Hearts of Montana series (Western Romance)
Tucked Away
Hidden Away
Stolen Away
 
Cotton Creek Romances (Romantic comedy)
Romancing The Ranger
Hooked On Love
 
 
Keep reading for an excerpt to Another Saturday Night and I Ain’t Got
No Body where an ordinary school teacher lets her friends set her up on six
blind dates and one of them might be with a murderer.

OceanofPDF.com
 
Dedication
 
This book is dedicated to my hero
Todd
The one who makes Christmas magic happen in my life
every day of the year

OceanofPDF.com
 
Acknowledgments
 
My thanks always goes first to my husband, Todd, the one who puts up
with constant chatter about plot lines and imaginary characters and the
world they live in. Thank you for cooking meals, buying groceries, and
putting up with me being in my pajamas, glazed look in my eyes, typing on
my laptop from the time you leave in the morning until you walk in the
door from work that afternoon.
Thanks so much to Kristin Miller. Your friendship and plotting help is
invaluable! 
Special thanks goes out to Terry Gregson-my proofreader extraordinaire!
So thankful for your enthusiasm and willingness to help. Also, thanks to
Lee Cumba for staying up late to give the final proofread.
I am so fortunate to have the writing support of amazing writers and I
can’t express enough gratitude to the Colorado Indie Author Group and the
Colorado Indies. I couldn’t do it without you all.
Thank you Arran McNicol of Editing 720 for always being fast, efficient
and accommodating.
As always- my thanks goes out to the Killion Group! Thank you Kim
Killion for taking my jumble of ideas and making it into a gorgeous cover
and thank you Jennifer Jakes for your friendship and your formidable
formatting skills.
My biggest thanks goes out to my readers! Thanks for loving my stories
and my characters and for asking for more. I am making each of you an
honorary member of the Page Turners Book Club! And I can’t wait to share
the next Page Turners novel with you.

OceanofPDF.com
 
About the Author
 
 
USA TODAY bestselling author, Jennie Marts loves to
make readers laugh as she weaves stories filled with
love, friendship and intrigue. She writes about love,
laughter, and happily ever after in stories filled with
cute cowboys, hunky hockey players, and the romantic
comedy/cozy mysteries in the Page Turners series,
which includes: Another Saturday Night and I Ain’t Got
No Body, Easy Like Sunday Mourning, and Just
Another Maniac Monday. Readers first met Levi, the
hero in A Cowboy for Christmas in Book 1of this series.
Jennie is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado
with her husband, two sons, and two dogs whose antics often find a way
into her books.
Jennie is addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t
have too many books, shoes or friends.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie
Marts Books , Twitter at @JennieMarts, or Goodreads.
Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com and subscribe to her newsletter for the
latest on new releases and to find out the current happenings with the
Pleasant Valley Page Turners.

OceanofPDF.com
 
And now,

Another Saturday Night and

I Ain’t Got No Body…..

 
 
Chapter One
 
The recipe for disaster began innocently enough with a phone call during
a lazy summer morning while Sunny Vale sat on the sofa reading a book.
Throw in a dash of dramatic eighty-year-old woman with a fondness for
reality crime television, and mix with a midnight arrival of one hunky
stranger. Spice it up with an automatic weapon, and the disaster entrée was
nearly complete.
“Edna, are you sure it was a gun?” Sunny asked, used to her neighbor’s
tendency to exaggerate. She was anxious to get back to her latest romance
novel and the bag of Cheetos she was munching on before the phone rang.
“Yes, Sunny, of course I’m sure,” her neighbor replied. “I might be old,
but I never miss a CSI. I’m telling you, I saw a man, with a gun, breaking
into Walter’s house last night!”
“Okay, I’m listening.” Sunny licked the orange dust from her fingertips,
and set her book on the coffee table. She looked longingly at the cover
photo of the muscular, bare-chested pirate who held a sword in one hand
and a raven-haired beauty in the other, her well-endowed bosom bursting
from her corseted bodice. Heaving a boringly B-cupped sigh, she half-
wished Edna really had seen a gorgeous gun-toting stranger. He might add
some much needed excitement to her ordinary life. Not that teaching second
graders how to read and write didn’t have exciting moments, but it sure
didn’t compare to an affair with a sword-wielding pirate.
“Why were you up in the middle of the night anyway?” Sunny asked,
now resigned to hear the whole story. So far, her Saturday morning
consisted of coffee, Cheetos, and fantasizing about a pirate fling. Edna’s
story could only add one more facet to her exciting day.
“Because of that damn pepperoni pizza we ate last night. I got up around
midnight and was looking out my kitchen window, chewing on some
Maalox, when I saw this dark-colored sports car pull up in front of Walter’s
house,” Edna said, referring to the house that sat between them. “Then this
scruffy haired young punk climbed out and stretched like he’d been driving
for a long time.”
“Young, like a teenager?” 
“No, young like you. Mid-thirties or so.” Everyone seemed young to
Edna, who had just celebrated her eightieth birthday by learning the Samba
and going on a singles cruise. “Anyway, after he stretches, he reaches into
the car and pulls out a duffel bag, then a gun that he tucked into the
waistband of his jeans. Which, by the way, he filled out quite nicely.”
Sunny chuckled as she pictured Edna in her robe and favorite pink, fuzzy
slippers, the words Sassy and Girl embroidered on each in glittery silver
lettering. She imagined her, peering out her kitchen window, her tongue
working the chalky antacid from her teeth, as she checked out a hunky,
mysterious stranger’s arrival in the middle of the night. “So, did Walter let
in this young, gun-wielding punk with the nice tush?” 
“No, that’s just it. Walter wasn’t even there. This guy snooped around
the house and garage then found Walter’s hide-a-key by the front door and
let himself in. And this morning, his car is gone, like he was never even
there.”
“Maybe Walter knew he was coming and told him to let himself in.”
Sunny shifted to pull her legs free from under Beau, her golden retriever,
who was lying across them on the sofa. Both her legs and the dog were
asleep, and Sunny and Beau each groaned as she stood and headed for the
kitchen.
“I doubt it,” Edna said. “I got to thinking about it and realized I haven’t
seen Walter in days. Have you?”
Now that Edna mentioned it, Sunny couldn’t remember the last time she
had seen their mutual neighbor. Walter’s wife, Betty, died several years ago,
and he seemed to finally be adjusting to life as a bachelor. He was an avid
gardener and still quite fit for a man in his late seventies. The big white
door to the garage behind his house often stood open all day, the radio set to
an oldies station, as he putzed around the yard or tinkered at fixing one
thing or another.
With the school year ending for summer, Sunny hadn’t paid much
attention, but she couldn’t recall the last time she had noticed the garage
door open. “I don’t think I’ve seen him lately, either. Not even working in
his yard.”
 “We usually have coffee once a week or so, but this last week I was so
busy with those new Italian cooking classes, I never found the time. And
now this strange guy lets himself into Walter’s house. I just know there’s
something fishy going on here.” Edna’s voice climbed up an octave.
Sunny rinsed her coffee cup in the kitchen sink as she studied Walter’s
house. The yellow and white ranch style home looked peaceful, the gardens
full of colorful flowers reaching for the June morning sun. A sudden
movement caught her eye as a figure emerged from the corner of the house
and stooped to look into Walter’s front window.
“Edna, get away from that window!” Sunny cried, knocking on the
kitchen pane.
Edna jumped and dropped the cell phone she had pressed to her ear as
she looked over at Sunny, a startled expression on her face. “Gosh dangit, I
dropped the phone.”
Edna’s voice sounded muffled as she bent to search through Walter’s
petunias. She didn’t even have the gall to look guilty.
“Get out of Walter’s flowerbeds!” Sunny yelled. Edna reached down and
plucked the phone off the ground. She waved it at Sunny with a triumphant
shake before putting it back against her ear.
“Edna, what are you doing over there?”
“I’m trying to gather evidence,” she explained, as if Sunny were the
ridiculous one versus the woman spying into her neighbor’s window like a
wrinkled, geriatric Nancy Drew. “His car is in the garage so he might be in
there, hurt or bound and gagged.”
“Well, what are you gonna do if he is? Break down the door? Get out of
there. You’re trampling Walter’s flowers. I’m sure he’s fine.”
“Humph.”
Sunny heard the older woman’s grumble and imagined the eye roll that
accompanied it, but Edna did get out of the flowers and start back to her
own yard.
“I’m heading to the grocery store,” Sunny told her, ready to move on
from this ridiculous notion of a neighborhood break-in by a gun-toting
hunk. “Do you need me to pick up anything for you?” A fingerprint kit, a
secret decoder ring, a sane thought, perhaps?
“No honey, I’m fine. I just went yesterday,” she replied. “But keep an
eye out for this mystery guy and call me if you see Walter.”
 “I will.” Sunny slipped on her flip-flops and noticed her purple toenail
polish was starting to chip. So there was something to look forward to on a
Saturday night, a home pedicure.
“I’ll see you at book club Wednesday night,” Edna said, referring to The
Pleasant Valley Page Turners, aptly named for their small Colorado town
nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
“Great. I’ve almost finished the book. See you then.” Sunny clicked off,
grabbed her purse, and headed out the door. On the drive to the grocery
store, she planned her shopping list in her head: milk, bread, eggs, more
Cheetos, a bunch of Lean Cuisines, chocolate-chip cookie dough ice cream.
That about covered it.
She had her cart half-full (or half-empty because she didn’t have the ice-
cream yet) when she spied a new product in the frozen food section.
Opening the freezer door, she grabbed a couple bags of Mandarin Orange
Chicken. Yum. She flipped the top bag over to check the calorie content,
but the top had split open, and the entire package of small chicken chunks
scattered across the floor. She stood stock still for a moment, and prayed no
one saw or heard the chicken nugget explosion.
“Some people take them home before they open them,” a voice behind
her said.
Oh, crud. Sunny slowly turned around as she let the freezer door close
with a thwap.
“The package was already opened,” she said to, of course, a super-cute
guy with an Owen Wilson style head of dark blond hair. Why couldn’t she
have flung chicken pieces at an old lady or a pimply teenager?
“Let me help.” He scooted several chicken nuggets under the freezer
with his foot. “I think I’m your only witness,” he whispered and grinned.
Wow. What a grin. His left canine was just a little crooked, which made
his smile look mischievous and boyish.
“Thanks. I’ve actually just been released on parole for excessive chicken
spillage and driving under the influence of severe humiliation. If anyone
finds out about this, they’ll send me back to the big house.”  Sunny
followed his lead and nonchalantly slid two frozen chicken chunks under
the large freezer with her toe.
She tossed the other bag of orange chicken into her cart and tried for a
quick getaway. To her surprise, the chicken-hiding accomplice followed as
she hurried into the first available aisle.
 “I think we’re in the clear,” he said, sneaking a glance behind them.
“And I don’t think anyone followed us.” He played along with the gag, and
they both laughed. She tried not to look at the chicken nugget piece caught
in the cuff of his khaki pants.
“Well, thanks. I guess I better get back to my shopping.” She turned, and
came eye to eye with a mega-shelf of tampons, douche, and maxi-pads.
“Oh, I…um, I don’t…wrong turn.” She felt a blush crawl up her neck.
Wheeling her cart around, she knocked over a ‘special night of romance’
display. Condoms, KY, and massage oil scattered across the floor.
“Do you always have this much trouble shopping?” Her follower
grinned.
“Yes. No. I just needed some of this,” Sunny mumbled as she chucked a
bottle of massage oil into her cart. With a little wave, she pushed off down
the aisle, weaving around the multi-colored boxes she left spread across the
floor. “Thanks again.”
Hadn’t she just this morning been wishing for more adventure in her
life? So maybe he wasn’t a pirate, but a good looking guy was flirting with
her, and she was blowing it by her clumsiness, and an oddly-timed need for
maxis.
Cheeks burning, Sunny headed straight for the checkout. Of course, she
picked the slowest checker in the universe. The one who has to
methodically pick up each item and examine it before running it across the
scanner. All the while, making meaningless small talk with the customer
about their groceries. “Oh wow. I haven’t tried this brand. Is it any good?
What are you going to use this pork for? I’m always looking for a new
recipe for ‘the other white meat’.”
Well, I just left a full bag of processed all breast white meat coated in
tempura batter defrosting under your back freezers, so can we move it
along, lady?
As Sunny reached her car, there was her new Super-Hero, the masked
Chicken-Concealer, climbing into a classic, blue Mustang convertible. She
ducked her head and concentrated on unlocking the car door and flinging
her plastic sacks into the back seat. Frustrated at her rusty flirting skills, she
debated if she should wave again or nonchalantly act like she didn’t see
him. Did she want to appear carefree and fun or sexy and aloof? Too late,
he was already in the driver’s seat and she was still standing at her car door
looking like a dork. Again.
 Half-way home, Sunny glanced into the rear-view mirror and noticed the
blue Mustang right behind her. Odd. She turned the corner into her
neighborhood.
Wait, he turned too. It took five turns before she reached her street, all of
them with the Mustang turning right behind her. Her thoughts went from
“Wow–what a coincidence,” to “Maybe he lives here,” to “He’s a crazy
stalker following me home to rape me in my driveway,” with each
consecutive turn. By the fifth one, she was reaching for her cell phone.
Frantically digging through her purse, she accidentally knocked it into the
passenger floorboard. She leaned over, reaching for the phone while
keeping one hand and her knee still on the wheel. Shoot! A squirrel darted
across the road in front of her car. Sunny swerved to miss the little rodent.
The contents of her purse scattered under the seat and across the floor of the
car. Great. Stupid squirrel!
She pulled up to her house, and the Mustang came to a stop directly
behind her car. Between the purse and the squirrel and Edna’s paranoia
creeping into her mind, Sunny had worked herself into a frenzy.
Holy Crap! This is what happens when you flirt with a stranger in the
grocery store! Now she was going to be kidnapped and sold as a sex slave
to some third world drug lord. Why didn’t she carry that pepper spray that
Edna gave her last Christmas?
Sunny jumped from the seat, threw open the back door, and scrambled
for the contents of her bag. Hearing his car door slam, she looked up to see
him headed her way. She grabbed a handful of things off the floor and stood
to challenge him. She had come up with a Chap Stick, a tampon, and a
spray breath freshener. Damn! Sunny flung the first two at him and hit him
smack in the middle of the head with the Chap Stick. His hands came up in
defense, but she squirted him in the face with the breath spray.
“Aaagghh!” He covered his eyes. “What the hell are you doing? Are you
crazy?”
“You’re the crazy, deranged, stalking rapist.” She reached back into the
car for whatever other weapon she could find. The first bag of groceries lay
spilled in the seat, and she came up with the other package of orange
chicken and heaved it at the stalker.
“Ouch! Holy shit, that burns! Cut it out!” Rubbing his eyes, he failed to
deflect the flying bag of chicken, which hit him in the chest and split open.
Tempura-battered chunks scattered onto the front lawn. “Stop! I’m not a
stalker. I live here.”
“You do not. I live here,” she yelled back and grabbed for more
groceries.
“Not here. There.” He pointed to the yellow house next door to hers.
“Walter’s house.”
Sunny stopped, her hand mid-throw, ready to launch a bag of egg
noodles in his direction. “Walter’s house?”
“Yes,” he said. “I got in last night and just went to the store to get some
food.” His eyes were red and tearing from the breath spray. He rubbed his
chest where she’d beaned him with the bag of chicken.
“Geez. I just came over to see if you needed help carrying in your
groceries.”  He headed across the lawn toward Walter’s front door. “What is
it with you and frozen meat nuggets?” he muttered.
“Sorry,” Sunny lamely called out to his retreating back. “I thought you
were following me.” She tried to explain, but he had already gone in and
closed the door behind him.
Feeling like an idiot, Sunny rummaged around the floor of her car and
collected the assorted debris that had spilled from her purse. She threaded
her four bags of groceries onto her wrist and weaved her way through her
grocery dotted front yard. Why had she let Edna’s crazy talk of mysterious
men cloud her judgment?
She pushed open the front door, only to be knocked aside as Beau ran
out into the front yard to see what excitement he had missed. The poor dog
was in a frenzy as he raced around, frantically gulping down the scattered
frozen chicken chunks. Leaning against the doorjam, Sunny realized that
instead of throwing tampons at him, she should have been asking her new
neighbor where her old neighbor was hiding and just what was he doing
with a gun?
***
The next morning, Sunny rang the doorbell of Walter’s house, and
chewed on her lower lip as she rehearsed her apology. The nugget guy was
obviously Edna’s mystery midnight man. Sunny figured she could ply her
way into the house with a plate of warm brownies, then snoop around for
clues to Walter’s whereabouts. If for no other reason than to prove to Edna
that her suspicions were unfounded and life was not as thrilling as the
weekly crime shows she watched on television.
 The front door opened, and all thoughts seeped from Sunny’s head as her
would-be stalker stood before her in nothing but a pair of jeans, rubbing his
wet hair with a towel.
“Hi.” He looked at her warily. “Sorry, you caught me getting out of the
shower.”
“Um…uh…hi,” she stammered. She tried not to let her mind wander to
him in a shower, soaping up those abs and that chest. Even though it was
still early in the summer, his chest was already tanned. The smooth skin of
his shoulder was marred with a quarter-sized scar that looked suspiciously
like a bullet wound.
“Can I help you with something or did you stop by to torture me again?”
he asked.
“Oh, gosh, no.” The shower scene had her flustered, and Sunny thrust
forth the plate of brownies. “I really wanted to say how sorry I am about
that. It was just a misunderstanding. I saw your car behind me and I thought
you were following me. And I let my imagination get away from me and I
thought you were going to attack me. A single girl can’t be too careful, you
know.” Did she really just tell him she was single? Her mouth was dry, she
was talking too fast, and she couldn’t stop staring at his chest. An inch long
line of scar tissue ran diagonally across his left pec, and Sunny had an
insane urge to reach up and run her finger along the pale white line.
She took a deep breath and tried to slow her words. “My name is Sunny,
and I live next door. I made you some brownies and was hoping we could
just put this whole crazy-rapist thing behind us and start over. I really am
sorry.”
“Warm brownies are a good start,” he said, drawing her attention back to
his face. He smiled mischievously. “In retrospect, I can see how you may
have been scared when you thought I had followed you home.” He stepped
back from the door, with almost a look of ‘I dare you’ in his blue eyes.
“Want to come in and join me for one? I’ve got milk.”
“Okay, I guess, maybe just one.” Sunny moved past him into the cool
front room of the house and caught her breath as he reached behind her to
shut the door. His arm barely brushed hers, and she could make out the
tattooed shape of a shield across his forearm, the lettering too small to read.
She hoped he couldn’t hear the thump of her heart. She was both thrilled
and a little scared to be in the house alone with him as she followed his
faded jean-clad behind into the kitchen.
 He set the brownies on the counter. As he reached into the cabinet for
glasses, she couldn’t help but admire his muscled forearms as she watched
him flex. He turned and gave her a slightly cocky smile that told her she
had been caught checking him out, and that possibly he had flexed on
purpose. Sunny looked out the kitchen window, grateful that at least she
hadn’t actually begun to drool.
“The milk's in the fridge. Why don’t you pour while I find a shirt?” He
headed down the hall away from the kitchen.
Figuring it would take a few minutes to pull a shirt on over those
amazing pecs, Sunny decided to look around and see if she could figure out
where Walter was or what this guy was doing here. She quickly rifled
through the mail sitting haphazardly on the counter. Nothing there but some
junk mail and a notification that Walter may have already won two million
dollars from Publishers Clearing House. Wouldn’t Ed McMahon be
surprised if this shirtless guy opened the door? I’m not sure which would
hit the ground first, the giant check or Ed’s jaw.
Sunny opened the fridge to a scant offering of milk, eggs, cheese,
lunchmeat, and an assortment of condiments in the door. No clues there.
She could live for a week on scrambled eggs and bologna sandwiches.
Why am I letting Edna’s paranoia get to me? Could I be this desperate
for excitement that I’m looking for clues between the mayonnaise and a
bottle of ketchup?
She finished pouring the second glass of milk when her mystery man
ambled back into the kitchen. He was still barefoot but now wore a washed-
out blue t-shirt depicting a group of stick figures roasting hot dogs around a
campfire and the caption, It’s all fun and games ‘til somebody loses a
wiener.
“Nice shirt,” she said and tried not to laugh at the juvenile humor.
“Thanks.” He picked up a brownie and took a bite. “Nice brownies.” His
tone held an undercurrent of innuendo but she couldn’t tell if he was flirting
with her or not. He finished his first brownie, took a swig of milk, picked
up a second one, and sat down at the round kitchen table.
“I’m Jake Landon, by the way,” he said, before sinking his teeth into the
brownie.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said, meaning it. “So how do you know
Walter?”
 The smile fell from his face, and Jake’s eyes suddenly couldn’t meet
hers. He stared out the window into the yard. “We’re related.”
“Related how?”
“Related, as in family. What, are you writing a book?”
Sunny leaned back, surprised at his snappish remark. “No, sorry.”
“No. I’m sorry.” Jake sighed. He returned his gaze to hers. “Look, it’s a
long, boring story. Let’s talk about you, huh?”  His smile was back, and he
asked, “What do you do?”
She spent the next fifteen minutes regaling him with stories of second-
grader high-jinx and the office gossip of fellow teachers.
“You must really love your job,” he said. “Your face lights up whenever
you mention the kids. It’s kinda cute.”
Sunny blushed to her toes. I must have skipped the chapter in the Man-
Manual on conversation because nothing could be less exciting than some
semi-adorable stories about kids to reel in the men.
“What do you do?” she asked, hoping to divert the attention from herself
and her obvious lack of clever conversational skills.
“Oh, a little of this and a little of that. Did I see you have a dog?”
“Yeah, that’s Beau. He’s my room-mate, cat-chaser, and garbage disposal
all rolled into one. Do you have any pets?” She mentally kicked herself for
starting another titillating train of conversation.
“Nope. Just me. I’m not home a lot, so it’s hard to keep a pet.”
“A little this-and-that requires long hours, huh?” Okay, I can still be a
little witty.
“Exactly.” He got up and put his empty glass in the sink.
“So, where is Walter?” she asked, trying for innocent nonchalance. “I
haven’t seen him around in awhile.” 
“I don’t really know. I got in late last night, and I thought he would be
here when I arrived.”  His face held a mixture of anger and barely disguised
hurt. “He told me where to find the hide-a-key, so I let myself in. I’ve been
waiting for him to show up.”
“That’s weird. Walter is always around. I can’t even remember the last
time I saw him.”
“That is weird,” Jake agreed. Then he deftly changed the subject and
asked her to tell him about the neighborhood.
Sunny filled him in on who lived where and the inner-workings of the
small cul-de-sac. He laughed at her description of Edna, whose house
flanked his other side. Sunny didn’t share Edna’s late night observation of
his arrival or her suspicions that he had a gun tucked into his well-fitting
Levi’s.
He chuckled. “I can’t wait to meet her.” 
“She’s a hoot. You’ll love her.”
Sunny relaxed into the conversation as they chatted like old friends. She
liked the sound of his laugh, but still noticed how adept he was at changing
the subject at any mention of his suspicious family relationship to Walter.
Glancing at the clock above the stove, Sunny realized over an hour had
flown by. “I’d better get going. I didn’t mean to take up your whole
morning.”
“I liked talking to you. It’s nice to know someone in the neighborhood.”
“If you need someone to throw frozen meat nuggets at you, I’m your
gal.”
He laughed as he walked her to the door. “Seriously, Sunny, I’m glad
you came by this morning. Thanks for the brownies.” There it was again.
Either he was flirting with me or he had a seriously sexy way of saying
‘brownies’.
“You’re very welcome.” Sunny headed across the lawn. Beau scratched
and whined at the kitchen door. “See ya around,” she called, as Jake waved
and closed the front door.
She found herself grinning as she remembered how he caught her
checking him out. Edna had to be mistaken. He obviously knew Walter
somehow, and she never saw evidence of a gun or anything suspicious in
the house. Although, she had only been in the kitchen and living room.
Maybe if I had asked to use the bathroom, I would have found his Hit-Man
Aftershave in the medicine cabinet. And he did have that scar which made
her heart race a little, both out of fear and excitement.
Sunny let herself in and knelt on the floor to pet Beau. He was licking
her face hello when suddenly the house was rocked with a violent
explosion!
 
If you are enjoying Another Saturday Night and I Ain’t Got No Body, Book
1 of the Page Turner series, click here:
http://amzn.com/B00AQPJ924 and thanks for reading!

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