Christmas in Texas

by Tina Leonard

  * * *

  EARLIER, WHEN FLYNN HAD been checking on the baby, Andrea had noticed Chuck walking around while Riley kept her entertained. The scoundrel had actually taped some mistletoe to the doorjamb between the living room and the den. She liked Flynn’s fun-loving friends a lot, but she wasn’t about to be caught in their latest little joke.

  While he was saying good-night to them at the door, she carried Jack into the study and sat down on the farthest end of the couch to finish feeding him.

  “Andrea?”

  “In the den! We’re waiting for you to start the movie.”

  “Which one do you want to see first?”

  “Surprise us.”

  Flynn brought in the cheese and crackers. If he noticed the green sprig hanging down he didn’t let on. As he inserted the disk, she watched him, all six foot three of him. No male of her acquaintance could fill a flannel shirt and jeans the way he did. When he sat down next to her, Andrea felt a surge of desire for him that shot aching pains to the palms of her hands.

  Stunned by this reaction, she put the baby over her shoulder and pressed her face into his neck to get herself under control. When she finally dared lift her head, she saw Ralphie’s house on the TV screen. Part of the delight of the film was the narrator’s voice, making the story about a boy’s heart being set on that Red Ryder gun come alive. Once again she felt the magic of it spread through her, drawing her in. Flynn was so engrossed, he kept munching on the snacks.

  When it came to the part where Ralphie found his gun, they both turned to look at each other. “Gets to you every time, doesn’t it.”

  “Yes. One day this will be Jack’s favorite movie, too.”

  Flynn used the remote to pause the film. “Why don’t we take a break. His eyelids are fluttering. While you put him to bed, I’ll make us some sandwiches.”

  “That sounds like an excellent idea.” Before he moved, she jumped up with the baby and hurried through the doorway to her bedroom.

  The red suit was so cute, but she wanted to save it for morning. After pulling a light green one from the drawer, she got him ready for bed and sang to him. Once he’d fallen off, she tiptoed out of the room and made her way to the den.

  Flynn was just putting the plate of sandwiches and drinks on the coffee table when he saw her. Revelation flowed through her that he’d seen the mistletoe. The look of silvery fire coming from his eyes caused the blood to pound in her ears, but he didn’t make a move toward her.

  With her heart slamming against her ribs, now would be the time to douse the flames and go back to her room, but another revelation came on top of the first one. She wanted the kiss to happen. She wanted it to happen more than anything she’d ever wanted in her whole life.

  Like Ralphie, who’d seen the gun in the store window and had to have one just like it, she’d seen the long, dark, handsome Texas Ranger from her hospital bed. In the instant he’d told her he’d found Jack, a feeling had grabbed her that wouldn’t let go. Three days later she was half crazy with wanting him in all the ways a woman wanted a man.

  “I think you know my friends didn’t need to put up the mistletoe.”

  At those words she sucked in her breath. “If we’re being honest, I’d hoped it wouldn’t require mistletoe, but you’re such an honorable man, I feared you would never take advantage of the situation while I was under your protection.”

  She thought he would reach for her, but his hands remained at his sides. “Andrea… I’m anything but honorable.” His lips twisted in self-deprecation. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

  Chapter Seven

  Alarm darted through her. “What?”

  “You haven’t been under my protection since this afternoon.”

  Her brows knit together. “I don’t understand.”

  “Your husband has been arrested, but I made the decision to give you the news as a Christmas present tomorrow morning.”

  Andrea heard the explanation, but it took a second for it to compute. The danger to her and Jack was over! But overriding her relief was a growing excitement that Flynn hadn’t wanted to tell her yet.

  Was it really because he thought it would make the best Christmas present? Or was there more behind it?

  I have to find out.

  “Since you changed your mind and have given me my gift now, then let me thank you now.”

  In a daring move, she took the few steps needed to reach Flynn and cupped his striking face in her hands. Standing on tiptoe, she pressed her lips to the mouth she’d been needing to taste.

  When he didn’t respond, Andrea wanted to die. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, mortified that she’d taken the initiative before realizing she’d misunderstood.

  She started to turn away, but in an unexpected move, he pulled her fully into his arms.

  “For what?” he half groaned the words into her hair. “I’ve been waiting for a sign that you wouldn’t be frightened to death if I kissed you after only knowing you three days.”

  Andrea let out a nervous laugh. “I think at this point I’ll be frightened to death if you don’t.”

  With slow deliberation his mouth roved over her features until it finally found hers. In taking his time, he aroused her hunger to a feverish pitch. Andrea put her arms around his neck, melting against him to get closer. They kissed with full-blown passion, bypassing the normal steps along the way. Unconscious of time, they swayed back and forth, giving each other mindless pleasure.

  The earth tilted as he picked her up and laid her on the couch, then followed her down. His hard-muscled legs tangled with hers, sending exquisite sensations through her body. As they clung to each other, Andrea didn’t know when one kiss ended and another one began. All she understood was that she didn’t want this rapture to stop.

  “Andrea—” His voice sounded husky. “I want you.”

  “I hear you,” she answered from her druggedlike state. “We’re the perfect storm, ready to happen. Alone together on Christmas Eve. You’re missing your wife, I’m missing the man I thought I’d married.”

  The latter wasn’t true, but she’d said it for fear she’d blurt out that she’d fallen madly in love with Flynn. Nothing could be a bigger turnoff for him than to have to deal with a lovesick woman who wouldn’t go away now that the danger was over. Before and after Michelle, he’d been fighting off women. Andrea wasn’t naive and knew exactly what she had to do not to fit into that category.

  She kissed his eyes and nose, then covered his mouth one more time. “I didn’t think I could be this attracted to any man again. It just proves the resiliency of the human spirit when there’s the right chemistry.”

  His body stilled for a moment. “You think that’s all this is? Chemistry?”

  Andrea rose up on one elbow. “What else could it be? As you said, we only met a few days ago under harrowing circumstances.”

  He traced her lips with his fingers. “Chemistry’s a very rare thing, didn’t you know that? Two people who find it are lucky.”

  His touch was driving her mad with longing. “I agree, but giving in to an urge—no matter how strong—is only a fleeting moment in the eternal perspective.” She managed to remove herself and get to her feet. But taking that step away from him was harder than she could believe.

  He caught her hand, staring up at her with molten eyes. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  She smiled. “Away from temptation, and let me tell you something…you’re te
mptation with a capital T.” Andrea kissed the tips of his fingers and let his hand go. “See you in the morning.”

  “We haven’t watched the rest of the movie. Don’t leave me.”

  Her heart thudded in her chest. “Don’t say that again, or I might not,” she warned. “While you sleep in, Jack and I are going to cook you a humongous breakfast.”

  “You don’t need to go to that trouble.”

  “I want to. Since I couldn’t get to a store to buy you a present, it will have to do since it’s the only way t-to thank you for your hospitality.” Her voice faltered at the last. “You know what I think, Captain Patterson? I think you’re really a Christmas angel who flew in from the North Pole to rescue Jack and bless our lives. Good night.”

  * * *

  THE NEXT MORNING Andrea looked up from the crepe she was eating. “I heard a car in your driveway.”

  Flynn was already on his feet. “I’ll find out who it is.” He supposed it could be someone from the department dropping off a fruit basket. They’d given him one last year.

  Jack was in the playpen next to them, happily biting on his toys. Flynn moved past him and headed for the front door. When he opened it, he was shocked to see his sisters and their families climbing out of a rental van.

  “Uncle Flynn!” Brent and Kevin, seven and nine respectively, flew toward him and hugged him around the waist before running into the house. Cindy, the four-year-old, trailed them.

  “Merry Christmas!” the others called out. Both sisters kissed his cheeks.

  “Don’t be mad at us,” Bethany whispered.

  Kaye hugged him hard. “We couldn’t stand the thought of you being here all alone.”

  “Hey, Mom—” Kevin called out from the doorway. “You told us Uncle Flynn wouldn’t have any decorations, but he’s got a tree and mistletoe!”

  Suddenly Brent came bounding outside and hurried over to his mother. His whisper was loud enough for everyone to hear. “Uncle Flynn has a girlfriend and a baby! They’re in the kitchen eating breakfast!”

  “I’m hungry,” Cindy told her mother.

  His brothers-in-law eyed him with unholy curiosity. “Why haven’t we heard about all this?” Ryan wanted to know.

  Rick’s eyebrows rose. “What happened to the Lone Ranger?”

  Good question. “This isn’t what it seems, guys. I’m on a case.”

  “Sure you are.”

  Flynn knew exactly what it looked like. Because of his own guilt, he felt a rare rush of heat attack his body. “Come on in the house and I’ll introduce you. She’s been under my protection for the last three days.”

  The next few minutes passed in a blur as Flynn introduced everyone to Andrea and explained the situation. His family was riveted.

  “Jack was in the car seat hanging upside down?”

  “Yup, and screaming his lungs out.”

  “The poor thing,” his sisters moaned aloud.

  The children gathered around the playpen to look at Jack and play with him. But he was too surprised by the noise and unfamiliar faces. When he started crying, Flynn could have sworn he looked up at him for help. Unable to resist, he picked up the baby, who burrowed into his neck and stopped crying.

  “Whoa, Uncle Flynn,” Kevin said. “He really likes you!”

  “We’re buddies, aren’t we?”

  Andrea took the baby from him. “The children are hungry and want your attention. I’ll change him while you feed everyone. I made enough crepe batter for another couple of go-arounds.”

  When she came back to the kitchen a few minutes later carrying the baby in his little red suit and hat, everyone went crazy. “He’s absolutely adorable!” Bethany cried.

  Cindy looked up at her. “Can I hold him?”

  “If it’s all right with his mother.”

  “Of course,” Andrea commented. “Come on, Cindy. We’ll go in the living room. You can feed him his bottle.”

  Flynn observed everything going on and felt a new happiness taking hold of him. “We’ll all go in the other room. Kev and Brent can pass out the Christmas presents.”

  “And then can we play video games?”

  “Sure.”

  They started with the packages his sisters had sent. Gloves, cologne, sunglasses, a couple of new T-shirts. The biggest hit was Flynn’s quilted fold-down mobile for Jack. He could lie on the floor beneath it and play with the dangling toys all he wanted.

  Andrea flashed him a private smile after she’d opened her gift. The red cashmere sweater would look stunning on her. He couldn’t wait to see her in it, but she was on the couch, occupied with Cindy at the moment.

  “You’re going to make a wonderful mother someday, honey.”

  “Thanks. He’s so cute.”

  Flynn’s niece was taking perfect care feeding Jack. But he doubted anyone would ever be as remarkable a mother as Andrea. She’d been alone through her horrendous ordeal and had weathered all of it with a rare strength he admired more than she knew.

  Between cooking, eating, watching movies and chatting, the hours passed pleasantly into evening. Andrea fed Jack his last bottle and put him down in the bedroom. When she rejoined his family, he felt a burst of adrenaline at seeing her wearing the new long-sleeved red sweater over her jeans.

  She was a stunner. Everyone commented on her appearance. He couldn’t look anywhere else while she found a seat on one of the upholstered chairs away from him.

  “So, tell us your plans, Andrea.”

  She looked at Kaye. “I’ve already made arrangements for a rental car.” That was news to Flynn. “Tomorrow I’m driving back to Carlsbad. I hope the furnished apartment I recently vacated is still available. If not, I’ll find another one. My next plan is to check out several day cares.”

  The thought of that little guy being away from Andrea all those hours was anathema to him.

  “It’s the last thing I want for Jack, but I need to work. I’m fortunate that my old boss has told me I can go back to my programming position at the television station.”

  Andrea had been on the phone with him, too? Flynn groaned inwardly.

  Bethany stared at her. “You’re very brave.”

  “If I am, it’s because your brother prevented my husband from harassing me ever again. As long as there’s no more threat, I feel like I can do anything.”

  All the contentment Flynn had been feeling had suddenly vanished, propelling him to his feet. “More coffee or pie, anyone?”

  “None for me,” Rick said. “In fact, we’ve got to get going. Our plane leaves from the Alpine airport at eight in the morning. By the time we get back to our hotel, it’ll be time for bed.”

  “We don’t want to go,” the children whined. “We just got here.”

  “I know, but your Uncle Flynn has to be back on duty tomorrow. Remember, this was just a quickie trip so we could enjoy Christmas Day with him.”

  “I know.” A grumpy Brent walked over to him. “How come you can’t take a week off like Dad? Then we could go horseback riding with you.”

  He hugged his nephew. “We’ll do it soon. I promise.”

  “You always say that.”

  “This time I mean it.” For the first time in two years, Flynn had plans that had nothing to do with work.

  Ten minutes later he and Andrea walked everyone out to the van. After more hugs and kisses, his family backed down the drive and drove off. Much as he loved them, he was glad to get Andrea alone again.

 
“Did I tell you how gorgeous you look in that sweater?”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “You’ve been far too generous. All those things for Jack.”

  “It was fun.”

  “Your family is fun, too. Wonderful,” she added as they went back in the house. “They love you, Flynn. To have come all this way for one day to make sure you were all right touches my heart.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders, needing the contact or he’d die a little. “Mine, too. But then you gave it a workout when you told everyone you were leaving in the morning.”

  She eyed him frankly. “You and I both know I have to go.”

  “What if I told you I don’t want you to leave?”

  Her body started to tremble. He could feel it beneath his fingers where the heat from her skin permeated the cashmere. “Don’t make this any harder for me. We both feel an attraction, but our meeting was accidental, and now it’s over. You don’t even know me, and I don’t know you. With time and separation, we’ll feel these same feelings for other people.”

  His hands slid to the sides of her neck. “Tell me what this is really about.”

  She averted her eyes. “I’m not Michelle.”

  “I’m not Jerry,” he countered. “It’s apparent we’ve both moved on and are free to make new lives for ourselves.”

  “I won’t be free until my divorce is final. I have no idea how long that’s going to take. My whole situation is so involved and messy, I don’t want you to be a part of it.”

  “I already am a part of it, remember?” He brushed his lips against hers. “Look at me.”

  “I’d rather not.” She jerked away from him, so he had to let go of her. “Your loneliness has caused you to say these things. Jack and I have provided a diversion, but the minute you’re back at work, you’ll be glad this episode is over.”

  “I do believe you’re afraid.”

  Her head reared. “Yes. I jumped into a relationship with Jerry way too fast. He was in a hurry to get married, and I was in too big a hurry to have a baby to realize he needed a wife who made money to help support his vice. Who knows how long his girlfriend was giving him money, with or without her consent? If I’d waited a year before marrying him, I would have discovered the dark side of him.”