Mountain Man and Mistletoe: A Small Town Christmas

by Kristen Echo

  I turned onto my side, facing him. A smudge of soot from the fire dotted his cheek above the beard I so desperately wanted to touch. His dark brows were furrowed as I pulled my legs away and curled into a ball. The protective pose was my way of keeping a little distance between us. While I understood the reason for his rejection, it still stung. Every man before him had been more than willing to keep things casual.

  “If you consider a hot mess a good thing, then I’m hunky-dory.”

  “Hot. Si. I can agree to this.” He scooted closer. “A mess? That’s not what I see.”

  “You’re just being nice and trying to get on Santa’s good side,” I teased. “I know what’s on your list.”

  He laughed. The joyous sound filled the room and shook the bed. A bed we had shared twice.

  “Now I get why you were quiet at dinner. We discussed movies, books and hobbies but I did most of the talking. You’re trying to learn my secrets.”

  I stared at him, committing every feature to memory. “You’re an enigma. A lifetime wouldn’t be enough time to figure you out. Not many men would turn down a sure thing.”

  “What happened in the bath and after was my fault. Is this why you pretended to sleep when I came to bed? I can see in your big blue eyes that you have not slept.” He ran his fingers through his hair and tugged on the ends. “It wasn’t fair—”

  “Don’t give me your pity and please don’t apologize for being honest or leading me on.”

  He smirked. “Pity is not what I feel. I am not sorry for anything that happened. You—”

  I sat upright and placed two fingers over his lips. This was likely as close as I’d ever get to them. “I am not ready to rehash or replay the events from yesterday. Today is a new day. Can we start over?”

  Matteo puckered his soft lips and kissed my fingers. I removed my hand, but his brand had already marked my skin, spreading his warmth from the tip of my fingers all the way to my toes. He wasn’t playing nice.

  “What we shared has brought us to this point. Starting over won’t erase the attraction. The urges.” His eyes dipped to my lips as he licked his. “It’s still snowing.”

  “I see that,” I said breathlessly. “Guess you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”

  It was wrong to be happy about a storm, but I was glad for the snow. I had nowhere to go. Matteo’s bed wasn’t such a horrible place to land and wait out the blizzard.

  The longer his gaze lingered on my mouth, the faster my pulse raced. The sparks flaring red hot weren’t imagined. I wished he wouldn’t fight it and give in to the temptation.

  He cleared his throat and looked away. “A hardship I’ll happily endure.”

  Matteo crossed his leg over one knee. The dark jeans hugged his legs, drawing my eyes to his bare feet. Even his toes were sexy. There wasn’t a single part of this man that didn’t turn me on. I was in so much trouble.

  I gripped the blankets and exhaled. “Have you always sported a beard?”

  “No. I was clean shaven until this year. With no woman to impress, I had no need to cut it.”

  “I’ll bet you have to beat the women off when you’re all clean cut wearing your scrubs.” Jealousy burned in the pit of my stomach. The sensation was uncomfortable. “You should keep the beard.”

  He laughed and patted my leg. “I’ll keep that in mind. You told me about your car breaking down, but not where you were going. Once it’s fixed, where are you headed.”

  “To see my sister,” I replied, twisting the material between my fingers. “I need to be closer to the only family I have left. It’s too lonely without her around.”

  “Was this loneliness there before she left?”

  I lifted my eyebrow. “Maybe. Are your using your medical knowledge to dig into my brain and analyze me?”

  An adorable smile filled his face, making him seem years younger. “No. I want to know you. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?”

  My initial answer was right here with him. It sounded lame even in my head, but I chose not to filter my response. I wanted to be honest. I released the blanket and squared my shoulders.

  “Here,” I whispered.

  “Say again. I did not hear you.” His cocky grin hinted otherwise.

  “I like it here. I like being with you.”

  “That is good news because I like that you are here. I would have been lonely snowed in alone without internet or any means of communication. Your young spirit has kept me entertained.”

  Again with the young stuff. I was going to get a complex soon. I rolled my eyes and straightened my legs, trying to push him off the bed. He was fast. Matteo grabbed the blankets, trapped my feet and lifted them onto his lap.

  “For an old man, you’re fairly spry,” I teased as we played tug-of-war with the blankets. “Where would you be?”

  I lost the battle. Unable to hide under the covers, I sat upright. The plaid button-down shirt I’d borrowed hung off my shoulder. I had clothing in my backpack, but I preferred sleeping in something that belonged to him. Plus, he hadn’t given me an option when he slipped it over my head last night.

  He closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. “You don’t want to hear my answer.”

  “I do. No filter. What was the first thing that came to your mind when I asked you?”

  “Buried deep inside you. It’s where I’ve wanted to be since I first saw your angel face and looked into the vast blue ocean of your eyes. But I… we can’t.”

  “We could,” I challenged, snuggling closer to his body.

  “We’ve been over this. As much as I’d love to feel your heat and walls clench around me as you scream my name, I want—”

  “You’re a commitment guy. I get it,” I huffed. “But I’m a little hurt, that you’re not even trying to convince me. Is it because your ex was young too? Did she break your heart?”

  He scrubbed his hands over his face and tugged on his beard. “I am… Si.” His eyes locked with mine. The intensity and hurt I saw wrenched on my heart strings. “Christina was very young and beautiful like you. I fell in love so fast. When my brother and Noelle announced they were expecting their first, I was determined to have babies too. My girl had no interest. She was immature and didn’t want me sharing my time with a baby. I was devastated. This was not the person for me. I won’t waste my time or put my heart through that again.”

  “For whatever it’s worth, I’m glad you didn’t have babies with her.” I touched his cheek, letting the soft bristles of his beard run through my fingers. “With an attitude like that, she wouldn’t make a great mom.”

  “That’s what I thought too. I had been blinded by love and failed to see that our futures didn’t match.”

  “Not everyone has a maternal instinct. Kids need unconditional love and stability. There is no room to be selfish. When my parents died, I knew I had to keep as much of our old life intact as possible for my sister.”

  He leaned into my hand. “It must have been tough, dropping your dreams to care for your sister. You were forced to grow up fast and take on many responsibilities.”

  “I did what anyone in my shoes would have done. Kelly needed me. One second, we were a fabulous foursome and then… poof. In the blink of an eye, it was just the two of us. I was eighteen and assumed guardianship right away. We managed.”

  “Not everyone is as brave as you.”

  I dropped my hand and crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m far from brave. My mistakes are longer than Santa’s naughty list.”

  “Tell me about these.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “This week I lost my job, broke my car and pissed off the man in charge of fixing it, then I stole a snowmobile and crashed it into a tree. After those mistakes, I threw myself at someone who doesn’t want me. The list could go on.”

  “Leah, I do—”

  “How did we switch from talking about your relationship to me admitting my mistakes to a stranger?”

  He chuckled, lightenin
g the mood. “We are no longer strangers. My time with Christina is old news. She has no influence on my life and I have moved on.”

  “I disagree because you’re judging me based on your experience with her. My age might be similar to your ex, but we’re different women. I’m not her.”

  His dark eyebrows raised. “I see you are not the same woman. You are far more independent and prone to mischief.”

  “Is that good or bad?”

  “I am not sure,” he answered. “But I’m interested in discovering.”

  The urge to throw the covers aside, sit on his lap and kiss him nearly overwhelmed me. I wanted to learn more about him too. Starting with the way he tasted. If we didn’t get out of bed soon, I…

  “We should get out of bed. I need some fresh air. Cabin fever might be setting in.”

  “Are you up for a walk? It’s still snowing but the winds have calmed.” He moved my legs, stood and offered his hand. “It’s going to be a white Christmas.”

  “A walk sounds perfect.”

  I expected to venture out on my own, but Matteo refused to let me out of his sight. My injuries had healed after two nights of bedrest. My ribs still ached slightly, but nothing compared to the pain from the other night. Holding hands, we left the comfort and warmth of the cabin. We used snowshoes to trek over the inches of fresh powder. The views from his place were blurred by the storm, but the tall trees were regal and impressive. I understood why the folks in town sought after this property. Matteo had acres of land and prime real estate at the top of the mountain. With him beside me, I never felt cold as we explored the nearly impassable trails.

  The day turned to night as we walked, talked and laughed. He doted on me. For the first time in ages, someone else took care of me. He shared his home, his food, his slice of paradise and bits and pieces of himself. In return, I let my guard down. Between the fire, the candlelit meals and Matteo’s sexy drawl, I opened my heart and gave him a chunk of it.

  I don’t know when it happened, but I was falling in love with him and the mountain. I fell in love with a ludicrous idea that I could keep all of this beauty. As we settled into bed, I shivered. Afraid what would happen when the morning arrived, and the storm passed.

  Matteo lifted the blanket for me to slide next to him. He wore only his boxer briefs, giving me a prime view of his muscles. “If you are cold, come closer.”

  “I’m not cold.”

  The temperature in the cabin was bordering on too hot. He had added plenty of logs to the fire. I rolled onto my back and watched the light from the fire flicker against his handsome features.

  “Let’s get comfortable.” He closed the distance and pressed his hard body against my side. “I had a great day with you.” He leaned his elbow on the pillow and looked down on me. “Most fun in… ever.”

  “Me too. Kind of a perfect day.”

  “Not perfect.” His fingers grazed the side of my face and cupped my chin. “Not yet. It’s after midnight.”

  “So?”

  “It’s Christmas eve and you haven’t told me what you want for Christmas.”

  I hadn’t enjoyed a Christmas since my parents passed away. “My traditions ended a long time ago. Kelly and I didn’t exchange presents. We just watched movies, hung out and tried to survive the joyous season without too many tears.”

  “No presents?”

  “No.” I watched him lick his lips and my breath hitched. “I can’t think of anything I need.”

  His lip lifted along with his eyebrow. “There’s nothing you want?”

  The only present I wanted was him and a mountain of mistletoe.

  “Tell me what you were just thinking,” he demanded.

  “I was thinking about what would happen if we had mistletoe. There’d be no more excuses.”

  He blew out the candle on the nightstand. The tiny puff of smoke disappeared in the darkness. My pulse raced, trying to keep up with the butterflies in my belly.

  “Matteo, I don’t want to ruin a—”

  His mouth descended over mine. Unexpected but welcomed. Our lips met like a gentle rolling wave over the shore. He kissed me with purpose.

  I grabbed his head with both hands, pulling him closer and fusing our mouths together. His tongue pried my willing lips apart and intertwined with mine. My taste buds exploded with every twirl and lick. The passion flowing between us made every kiss before this seem like a handshake. I was greedy and thirsty for more. He kissed with a confidence and skill that few could ever master.

  He nibbled on my lip before pulling away. “Good night, Leah.”

  His erection poked against my leg. I would have loved to pull down his briefs, but I didn’t want to press him for more. If slow was the speed he needed to travel, I would hit the brakes. He planted one last soft peck on my lips and then dropped his head back on the pillow.

  I threw my leg over his possessively and cuddled, resting my head on his chest. “Sweet dreams, Matteo.”

  Chapter 6

  Christmas Eve had arrived and with it came a new side to my multi-layered mountain man. Matteo had an extra twinkle in his eye and a bounce in his step as he cooked breakfast. I wanted to believe it was because of me and our kiss, but it was most likely the holidays.

  The storm continued waging war against the mountain. I didn’t care at all. The blizzard could last forever as we sat across from each other at the table. Instead of discussing the kiss, we made small talk. It was comfortable, but it made me nervous. When I set down my fork, his smile wrapped around me like a giant hug. There was something seductive and inviting about the way he gazed into my eyes. Like he had a secret he was dying to share.

  “What’s up? I get the feeling you’ve got something on your mind.” I gripped the edge of the table, wondering if we’d finally address the kiss.

  He nodded. “While you slept, I searched and found something to make you smile. I hope you like it.”

  I leaned forward, reached across the table and placed my hand over his. “What is it?”

  “You have three guesses.”

  “Something that will make me smile. Hmm. Dessert?”

  He laughed and threaded our fingers together. “I didn’t realize you had a sweet tooth. Good to know, but the answer is no. It is not a dessert.”

  I chewed my lip and looked around the room. The bed was still a mess of blankets, but there was nothing out of the ordinary on it. The countertops had dirty plates but nothing new added to the debris. After I scanned the floors for boxes, I came up blank.

  “Is it an animal?”

  “No. Last guess.”

  “Don’t tell me you ran down the mountain and got my car,” I joked.

  The smile disappeared from his face. “I forgot your car should be ready today. Would this make you happy?”

  “If they delivered the part, it’s a good thing.” A lump formed in my stomach. “There’s a big chance it’s delayed because of the snow.”

  “With the phone not working, there’s no way to know. You should stay longer with me. It’s not safe for you to leave.”

  Hope bloomed in my chest. We had more time to explore the chemistry between us. More time to get to know each other. More time for me to fall deeper in love.

  “Until the snow stops,” he added.

  Or more time for him to break the remaining remnants of my heart. I wished my brain wasn’t wired to think those negative thoughts, but nothing good lasted. The safe and protected feeling I had around Matteo was nothing more than an illusion.

  “It’s not safe for me to stay either,” I accidentally said aloud, voicing my fears.

  He leaned back in his chair and released my hand. “Leah, where will you go once you aren’t stuck?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure what options I’ve got.” My legs bounced under the table.

  “It’s your life. You decide which direction you take from here. Whether you continue towards Calgary or...”

  The possibilities hung in the quiet room like an omi
nous cloud. Whatever this was between us was temporary. Letting myself fall for him was stupid. Another mistake. Soon, he’d start work, and I’d be nothing but a blip in his memory bank. The homeless girl he kissed out of pity because she crashed his holidays. I coughed and patted my chest.

  “I’m taking one day at a time. One moment at a time.” I pushed my chair away from the table. The grinding from the wood pierced my ears. “Thanks for breakfast.”

  “I have many skills, but I am no master Italian Chef. My mamma would cry if she saw what I’d been feeding you. God forbid she heard how I treated you.”

  “I doubt that very much.” I mimicked his pose and crossed my arms. “She’d be proud to know you’ve taken amazing care of me. I’m alive because of you. I’m safe and warm and in lo... Doctor, you’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

  “You’ve been an exemplary patient. I am not ready to let you go.”

  “Good because I’m not ready to leave.” I licked my lips.

  He let out a long slow breath. “You’re out of guesses. Would you like me to show you what I got for you? For us really.”

  I liked the sound of us. I wanted to hold on to that positive word and make it real. Project it into the future and build a life around it. I didn’t want to allow one horrible life experience to ruin something wonderful.

  “Please.”

  He walked around the table and stopped in front of me. “Leah, you are a delightful surprise. In my family, we don’t usually exchange presents until January. The day of Epiphany. Yet, hearing that you have gone without for so many years hurts my heart. Come with me. I want you to have everything.”

  Taking his hand, I followed him to the door. I glanced out the window, and my heart sank. The snow had stopped. “Are we going outside?”

  “You asked for mistletoe. I found some. At least, I think it’s mistletoe.”

  He pointed towards the ceiling. Hung in the center of the door frame was a small plant with white berries. It probably wasn’t true mistletoe, but I didn’t care. I smiled, grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him towards me. The thoughtfulness of his gesture melted the last of my resistance. Without a doubt, I loved him. The feelings went beyond his mouth-watering, sexy exterior. I loved the heart that beat in his chest and the way he treated me. I probably never stood a chance at keeping my heart safe.