by Em Petrova
Except she stunned the hell out of him. Took his breath away.
Those thick brown locks waved across her shoulders, and damn if she didn’t have that red plaid scarf looped around her neck. She looked like a living Christmas present, decked in red and green.
And he wanted to unknot that bow and lean in and taste the tender skin on her throat, kissing a path up to her delicate jaw and finally finding her plump lips.
All through dinner at the restaurant, he’d stolen looks at her. Observed how pretty she was, her habit of pushing up her glasses even when they didn’t appear to be falling down. Her laugh warmed him, and if he wasn’t careful, putting more smiles on her face would become a habit of his own.
Don’t even get him started on how she savored her pie, licking each sweet bite off her fork.
His gut clenched as she spotted him. She threw him a wave, and he waved back, mind spinning over his reaction to her. She was pretty in a fresh-faced way, and over dinner he’d noted a grouping of freckles on the bridge of her nose. She was smart and had a good sense of adventure, he’d learned from his abrupt U-turns on the road.
But good-looking girls with adventurous streaks had never affected him this way.
He lifted a hand in response, and she smiled. Charlotte said something that made her laugh, the sound carrying to him.
The pair came toward the pigpen, both picking their way through the muck. “Seems you still got stuck with pig duty, Case,” Charlotte said as she neared.
He grunted. “Yeah, my cousins think it’s funny to leave the young guy with the crappiest job. At least tomorrow it’ll be Hank up to his ankles in pig shit while I’m getting spit-shined for church.” He let his gaze slide to Annabelle, resting on her the briefest of seconds before darting his glance away.
Why was he acting like this?
Because she was like looking at the sun—you couldn’t for too long.
“Enjoying your tour of the ranch?” he asked her.
She pushed up her glasses. “Yes, it’s beautiful. I wanted to come out earlier, but I was so stuffed from breakfast, Charlotte would have been rolling me.” A question was in the quirk of her brow.
He answered the silent communication. “I got up early and did some chores before breakfast.”
“Case never misses a chance to eat. Don’t let him fool you. But lately around here, he’s kind of a hero,” Charlotte said.
Annabelle gave her a quizzical look before staring back at Case.
“There was an early morning ruckus with a coyote.”
Annabelle’s eyebrows shot up.
“Case ran out with the shotgun and took care of it before we lost any more chickens. It’s been an ongoing problem this past fall.”
Case studied Annabelle’s pretty face. “I didn’t wake you then?”
She shook her head, brown locks caressing her shoulders. What he wouldn’t do to slip his hands under the mass and draw her lips to his.
He jerked and smacked his head off the beam he’d just set to reinforce the roof. Stars blasted behind his eyes and his skull rang like a gong.
“Oh no!” Annabelle rushed forward, and a warm hand snaked around his head. His hat had fallen off, and her hand on his hair sent his mind reeling in a way that had nothing to do with concussion.
Annabelle brought her hand away and looked at her fingers. “Not bleeding. Are you okay?”
He rubbed the spot lightly and gave a crooked smile. “Takes a lot more than that to damage this skull.”
Both women laughed.
Feeling like a huge dolt, he reached for his hat and settled it on his head. “Well, I’d best get back to work if I ever want to get lunch.” He grinned at Annabelle.
“I’ll see you then,” she said with a smile.
Continuing their tour, she and Charlotte moved off in the direction of the barn. Case watched them go, his attention fixed on the way Annabelle carried herself, her steps light and sure even when her boots were sinking into the mud.
He pulled off his hat and rubbed at the spot he’d just struck. It wasn’t pain he felt—just the echo of Annabelle’s touch.
Chapter Three
Even Annabelle’s own bed wasn’t as comfy as the one in the Daltons’ home. Or maybe it was all the fresh air, exercise and good food that had made her sleep like the dead. After a few days here, she didn’t know if she could leave behind this mattress.
She stretched her toes toward the footboard and her arms toward the headboard, taking extreme pleasure in waking late. As a teacher, this was the hardest thing for her about the school schedule—she wasn’t a morning person.
Before bed, Mrs. Dalton had given her a mug of tea and the recommendation to sleep late and she’d have muffins and coffee for her in the morning. A look at the window told her it was well past breakfast and the others would have eaten.
The Daltons seemed to eat together, worship together and live on top of each other with very few spats. She loved their spirit of family, and going to church with them the previous morning after breakfast had been heart-warming.
Her sense of time was off, but it was definitely Monday and Christmas Day was fast approaching. According to Charlotte, the week was jam-packed with activities leading up to Christmas Eve vigil at church on Thursday night. Soon they’d be racing toward the New Year.
She had a special gift for Charlotte, a beautiful hand-beaded necklace her friend would love, but she didn’t have gifts for everybody else. Buying for all the kids and adults would cost a fortune, but on her smaller teacher’s salary, she could swing something small for the little ones.
There wouldn’t be much selection in town. The place was basically a main street, feed store, school and a few small shops. As they drove by, Case had pointed out Shelby’s candy shop. Maybe that was the best bet for gift-buying.
The house was silent as she got up and slipped into the bathroom to dress for the day. She was aware she and Case shared a bathroom, but so far they hadn’t stepped on each other’s toes.
Though she wouldn’t mind catching him walking out with a towel around his hips.
She jolted and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes bright. Just thinking of Case turned her into a giddy teen again. Besides being the manliest guy she’d ever seen, nobody had looked at her the way he did in a long time.
Actually, ever.
She splashed cool water on her cheeks and added a dab of red lip stain. The color made her feel festive, and she realized that the past two years of dreary, depressing Christmases had taken a toll on her. She was happy to make a fresh start on tradition, and the Daltons were the merriest people she’d ever met.
Next year, she’d need to find another way to celebrate, but she was living in the moment this year.
She fiddled with her clothing, tugging down her red tank top and unbuttoning her denim shirt. She stood back to look at herself in the small vanity mirror and then buttoned the denim again to just below her breasts. In a pair of black leggings, she was comfortable enough to sit on the floor with the kids and play board games or even seat a horse if that was the plan.
She went back to her room and found her favorite necklace. The small silver locket held a photo of her grandmamma and was something she kept close to her heart.
When she went downstairs, she found the house empty. Mrs. Dalton had left her a note on the counter along with a mug and the promised plate of muffins covered in plastic wrap. The coffee was still hot and smelled heavenly. What was it about this woman’s brew that tasted better than anything she could get at the most gourmet coffee shop?
She poured herself a steaming mug and leaned against the counter, sipping and breaking off pieces of the orange cranberry muffin.
A step made her look up and she met Case’s blue eyes.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. I just came in to grab a cup of coffee. There any left?”
She nodded and stepped aside. “Muffins too.”
He moved through
the kitchen like he’d lived here his whole life. Washing his hands, pulling down a mug and filling it partway with milk from the fridge before adding coffee.
He turned to her and gave her that naughty quirk of his mouth that passed as his smile. “Not much of a morning welcome, and I’m sorry. Things got crazy here early on, with little Lacey coming down with croup in the night.”
She blinked. “Lacey? I just saw her yesterday! She was fine.” She’d sat on the floor with Charlotte’s little girl and played dolls.
“Yeah, Hank said sometimes that happens with her. So Charlotte ran her the whole way to the doctor in the next town and Aunt Maggie went with them. Since they were making the trip, Shelby and Sabrina rode along too.”
Annabelle looked around the empty house. “Where are the rest of the children then?”
“Hank and Cash rounded them all up and took them to the neighbors down the road to help with a late batch of apple cider. The kids love taking turns pressin’ the apples.”
“Oh.” Annabelle couldn’t help but feel she was in the way here. An extra that didn’t fit in.
Then again, Case hadn’t gone either.
They looked at each other. “I said I’d wake you to go along, but Charlotte didn’t think that was a good idea. She said to let you sleep.”
“That’s all right.”
“Charlotte will be back this afternoon. Guess they thought you and I got along so well that we could entertain each other again. What do you say about takin’ a walk? We can check the fence line.” He cocked a brow. “Unless you have something else to do.”
“Walking sounds fun.” Relieved to have an occupation and somebody to spend a few hours with, she finished her coffee and muffin.
Case rested against the counter and stuffed the fat muffin in his mouth in three bites. Then he chugged his coffee and looked her over, his gaze dipping slowly from her hair down to her clothing and ending on her socked feet.
“You’ll need boots—those ones you wore yesterday.”
He noticed what she had on the previous day?
He took her mug and plate from her and placed them in the sink with his own. They walked into the mudroom and she watched him slip on his boots. They weren’t at all the cowboy boots of the guys she’d seen in college with the fancy leather tooling and pointy toes. These were heavy-duty boots that looked like they’d been through hell and come out on top.
She grabbed her long cardigan sweater. “Will this be enough, or will I be cold?”
“You should be good.” He held the door for her and they stepped onto the porch.
In the summers the space would be the most inviting place on the ranch, and she imagined all the family sitting out here watching fireflies and sipping on sweet tea.
Now the porch swing was empty, swaying lightly in the cold breeze, and a bundle of kindling was stacked by the front door.
She followed Case down the steps and they set off across the yard. Each of her strides was one and half to his, but he slowed and she managed to keep up. The views from the ranch, the valley speckled with cattle, and the brothers’ homes on the far corners of the land, gave Annabelle a feeling of coming home.
Odd, since she’d never felt that anyplace but at her grandmama’s.
She stopped walking and stared at a group of cattle clustered together against the chill. “They’re bigger than I expected.”
Case shot her a surprised look. “You never saw cattle in person?”
“Well, at petting zoos, sure. But they don’t get this large.”
“The Daltons have an impressive herd. One of the best in the state. They also own some of the grand champion bulls in this area, and everybody wants to breed with them. They make money off that alone. Someday I’d like to get to this point.” He stretched his hand out, seeming to hold the beauty of the scenery on his palm.
“You want to own your own ranch?”
He shrugged. “Not sure right now. I love it here, and they could use the help. The place is getting to be a little much for Uncle Ted. A lot of days he likes to sit back and pretend to boss us all around, but we know he’s just sneakin’ in a bit of rest.”
“As he should. At his age, he deserves to get off his feet.”
Case nodded. “For sure. I fill in the gap where he used to be, though. And I’m happy to do it.”
They continued past the herd and along the fence. Walking briskly warmed Annabelle, but soon they paused again so Case could inspect a bit of fence. When he looked up at her, she had her arms wrapped around her middle.
“You’re cold.” Without asking, he shrugged off his coat and dropped it over her shoulders.
The weight was heavy compared to anything she wore. The cloth was warm and smelled like him, a musky scent mixed with grain and hay. She resisted the urge to turn her nose against the collar and take a bigger sniff.
“Thank you.” Why was that heat back in her face? She had no reason to be blushing.
Case tugged the brim of his hat in response, which only made her body sit up and take more notice. He crouched again to examine the fence.
“Is there a problem?” The wire looked intact to her, but her eyes were untrained.
“Looks a bit weak to me here. Recently we had three cows escape and had a helluva time roundin’ them up. I don’t want a recurrence of that event.” When he looked up at her, his gaze was so intense that she felt herself sway a bit.
“Sounds like there’s always excitement around here.” She laughed to cover the moment, but his stare just deepened until her head started to swirl and her heart patter faster.
“In a big family like this, there’s always fun as well as crises. At times it can be overwhelming, and sometimes things get overlooked. Like you today. I’m sorry you have only me for company.” He straightened to his full height. Suddenly, he was so big, so close…
Stepping back would be rude and make it seem she didn’t like him. But standing this near meant that she had no control over her body’s reactions to him. Heck, his arms alone could wrap around her twice it seemed. They could warm, protect.
She swallowed. “I’m enjoying our walk.”
“Good. Me too.” He hovered over her, expression serious as he stared down into her eyes. She zeroed in on his wide mouth and the dark growth of hair already sprouting on his face. He seemed to grow beard faster than the average male. How would it feel if he kissed her?
All at once, he seemed to come back to himself. “Well, we’d best get moving on. If you’re still up for it.”
She nodded.
“You’re warm enough now?”
“Yes.” Damn, why did her voice always sound so husky when she replied to him? It never sounded this way when she spoke to an eight-year-old.
His Adam’s apple bobbed and then he gave a jerky nod. “C’mon.”
As she took her place at his side, she couldn’t help but recall how gruff he sounded when he was standing close to her. Could he be affected as well?
Did it matter? She wasn’t staying in Texas long enough find out.
“Look.” His voice was pitched low, sending shivers through her. She followed where he pointed to a couple deer grazing along the fence.
Their slender figures silhouetted by the vast fields and sky made her think of how small they all really were. Specks on the big ball called Earth.
All of this left her wondering where she fit in.
* * * * *
After a long walk around the ranch, Case fixed up a few spots of fence and then stowed away the snips and pliers he’d used. Having Annabelle with him on the job had made time fly by, and he couldn’t exactly gauge the time by the faint sun, but he thought it was just past lunchtime.
It was a gray day with one rain front moving out and another moving in. Not an ideal Christmas for a Midwestern girl who was used to snow. Annabelle didn’t seem to mind the Texas weather, though. And she looked cute as hell in his jacket. The Carhartt wasn’t as clean as he’d like, but it kept her warm, and that heat
ed his insides way more than he could admit.
She’d slid her arms into the sleeves and zipped it against the wind, but her hair swirled free around her shoulders. What he wouldn’t give to tease his fingers through the strands and explore the silkiness.
“You must be tired. Ready to head back to the house?” he asked.
“I’m not tired. I actually have some stamina.” The glint in her eyes softened her sass, but both only tangled him up more.
He cocked a brow. “Running after third-graders would do that.”
“That isn’t all I do. I belong to a women’s softball league too.”
A smile spread across his face. “Is that so?”
“Yep, pitcher.” She made the windup and release move complete with a flick of her wrist that had his pants fitting way too tight again. “Keeps me busy in summers. I get bored and a little lonely.”
He looked at her closer. “Where’s your family, Annabelle?” What he meant was why wasn’t she spending the holidays with them, but he couldn’t ask.
“My grandmama kept us all together for a traditional holiday, and since she passed, we’re all scattered. Even my brother is busy with his career and unable to make it home. My parents were going to stay home and have me in for Christmas but then Charlotte invited me and… Well, I think they were secretly relieved. They booked a cruise the same day I told them I was coming to Texas.”
He compressed his lips. He had a few choice words for family that didn’t support someone the way they needed, but each word was uncharitable. He didn’t know Annabelle’s family—only that he didn’t want to see this woman hurt or with any sadness lingering in her pretty brown eyes.
“I’m happy you came. And I’m sorry about your grandmother.”
She reached inside the collar of his jacket and pulled out a silver heart locket on a chain. Using a thumbnail, she popped it open. “This is her.”
He peered at the small photo, which meant getting mighty close.
Again.
