by Cari Quinn
He hadn’t had a family Christmas tree since he was a boy. Larry had people come in and do the tree at the house. It was classic and beautiful, but it was more of a necessity for the showcase house than any love Larry had for the holiday. He cleared his throat. “We’ve got to go finish the porch.”
“Right.” Kendall tugged on an oversize flannel shirt that hung around her hips and a pair of stretchy gloves before slipping out the door.
Following her outside, he came to a stop to assess the porch in the late-day sun. He’d been steadily going through the money from his job with Doyle. Lumber wasn’t cheap, but he was able to buy most of it in bulk. Doing the labor himself helped keep the cost down.
Her idea to stain the porch was a good one. Especially after he made adjustments to a few of the warped boards. They could stain it in the spring—
Hell. How did he know he’d be there in the spring? They might sell by then.
He scrubbed his hand through his hair. It was getting longer now, the buzz cut grown out over his ears and sticking up in the front by the end of the day. He dug a knit cap out of his back pocket and pulled it on.
She looked up at him, her dark eyes shining. “Aww, is California boy not fond of the cold?”
He glanced down at her gloves pointedly.
“What? You know how cold my hands get.”
He tightened his jaw. Yes, he remembered how many times she’d stuck her cold hands and cold feet against his skin for warmth. Especially her hands. She loved to tuck them under his shirt.
“Come on. Show me what you want me to do,” Shane said.
“I get to give you direction? It’s a Christmas miracle.”
“Watch yourself.”
She bent into the bin and took out three packs of bound lights. “Or you’ll what?”
“Don’t tempt me, Kendall.”
She smirked up at him and tossed him two cardboard flats with lights strung around them. “Promises, promises. You can go wrap these along the rail on the other side of the porch. Just plug it in the end of the lights at the front. They all link together.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to the back, and I’ll meet you in the middle.”
“Race?”
“So competitive.” She grinned. “Deal.”
He had the upper hand in special knowledge, but it didn’t mean anything on her agility. She had damn tiny fingers and spindles for arms. Before he could get to the halfway mark, she was lapping him.
“Don’t forget the bottom rail.”
“Son of a bitch.”
Her laugh was infectious, and he found himself tangling around her to get the bottom rail done.
“Unfair!” She dissolved into giggles as he wound the cardboard around her hips and pulled it under a post, effectively trapping her into the lights.
“Now that’s my kind of decorating.”
She looked down at her waist and thighs, then back up at him. “Don’t you usually like to tie up my wrists?”
He stopped and groaned. “That’s playing dirty, Sunshine.”
She held out her hands, and without a word he wound the lights around her gloved wrists. The train of lights pooled at their feet, flooding the floor with a rainbow of colors.
He pulled her linked hands up and ducked until they were around his neck. Her eyes were hooded with awareness. He nuzzled his nose against hers, keeping his mouth just out of reach. Breathing her in, then breathing out into her mouth, he kept them both on the edge. Not quite touching, not quite apart. He brushed the bow of her top lip with his lower lip. The flick of her tongue urged him to stop the teasing, but he wanted to draw out the pleasure.
He couldn’t let it be more than a kiss, but he was starved for her touch. He had to savor this.
KENDALL ROSE ONTO her toes and tried to get him to kiss her. Really kiss her like he’d done at the truck when they’d gotten the tree, but Shane was determined to tease her out of her mind.
The day had been full of flirtation, mixed messages, and that undeniable fairy dust that blew between them when skin-on-skin contact happened. She wanted to swallow all of it whole and move the emptiness out of the pit of her stomach.
Finally he traced the seam of her mouth with his tongue and gently, thoroughly, tasted her. The lingering tang of his beer and the underlying flavor of pure Shane burned her tongue. He sipped from her, bit her lower lip, and infused every part of his taste into her mouth.
She sagged against him. If she hadn’t had the lights to keep her hands together, she would have slid into a boneless heap of pleasure at his feet. He held on, humming into her mouth as she cupped the back of his head and lifted the cap off.
His hair was longer now, and the silky strands fluttered between her fingers. She stroked her tongue along his, flicking the roof of his mouth and ending on a scrape of teeth over his lower lip.
The kiss gentled until his forehead pressed to hers. She couldn’t move her hips thanks to the tangle of lights. So when he ducked under her bound arms and stepped away, she had no choice but to stay where she was.
“Want to help a girl out?”
Shane shook his head and paced to the end of the deck and back. “Give me a second.”
She slowly blinked the haze of his kiss away. They were just gearing up for more, right? She used her teeth to unwind her wrists until she could slip free. The hard ridge of his cock under the Carhartt pants he was wearing told her he wanted her just as much. She frowned as he took a long circuit around the entire porch and came back.
When he was before her, the hard-on was still blatant, but the wildness was missing from his eyes. He’d stepped back as if he couldn’t bear to touch her.
“Are you testing me or something?”
“What?” Shane stopped pacing and stood in front of her.
“We’ve done a helluva lot more than kissing, Shane. Why are you walking off your hard-on?”
“Because you’re going to go inside and trim the tree with your mom, and I’m going to go work on my koa wood table. And we’re not going to mess everything up with sex again.”
Gobsmacked, she managed to squeak, “Never?”
He picked up his hat off the deck. “At least for now.”
“And why do you get to make this rule?”
“I get near you, and I can’t think.”
Thinking was highly overrated. The attraction between them was just part of the love she already felt for him. She’d been in the safe kind of love before. It was warm and reassuring and lovely. But it paled in comparison to what she felt with Shane.
“I don’t want to go back to how we were this past month.”
He shook his head. “Neither do I.”
“But you don’t want to have sex with me either?” It killed her to phrase it that way. She wanted to make love with him. Wanted to shout it out and shock him. But somehow she knew that was a bad idea. Spouting out words of love after such a short time would make him turn tail and run.
“I want to boost you up against the siding and sink into you until your brain melts.”
She swallowed. “Good plan.”
“But I won’t disrespect your mother or you like that. Not right now when it’s not just sex for the fun of it.”
“It could be.”
“You don’t believe that any more than I do.”
Her heart tripped and then fluttered madly. “What are you saying?”
“It’s not just sex, Kendall. It hasn’t ever been just sex from the very first day.”
“You’re right.” She closed her eyes against his serious expression. Did he have to look so ominous? Loving her shouldn’t be so grave and sad. It was supposed to be hopeful and amazing.
Why didn’t anything work like it was supposed to between them?
She met his gaze again. “It’s going to be crazy with Mom and I getting ready for the Simmons family anyway.”
“It’s supposed to be warm for the next few days, so I’m going to work on t
he dock.”
She frowned. “It’s too cold to stain it.”
“I have another idea.”
“Care to share?”
He shrugged. “It’s a surprise.” He leaned down and unplugged the lights, letting her free.
She stepped out of her nest of Christmas lights. “Go ahead. I’ll finish this up.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Mom made chili, so stop by for a bowl later.”
With the promise of food he gave her a rare smile. “For her chili, I’ll definitely be back.”
Kendall returned the smile. She watched him head down the stairs and back to the warm light of the barn. She slumped into a cross-legged position and set to unknotting the lights.
The next few days were a whirlwind of cleaning, decorating, and readying the house for company. Word of mouth could make or break a B and B, and Kendall wanted to make a good impression.
Poinsettias lined the stairs, and the festive lights glowed against the night. She hung the wreath she’d bought on the door; a few strategic holly berries added just the right touch and countered the fat, sparkly bow.
Brody snored on the deck as she shoveled off the last of the drifting snow. The wind had kicked up after the few days of sun and warmth and brutally reminded them that it was the end of December.
Shane had indeed worked on the dock at the back of the house. He’d built a simple pergola in the middle of the deck. He’d hung thick canvas on two sides for people who wanted to sit out and look at the water but didn’t want to freeze their butts off.
But instead of loungers, he’d built a sturdy bench swing that created a stark and lovely touch at the center of her favorite space. He’d also repaired the snowmobile that had been stored in the shed since last season.
He was tireless. No matter how many tasks her mother found to put on her list, Shane got them done without a complaint. He worked on his furniture late into the night, and Kendall and Shane talked while he sanded or varnished.
He even let her help. Under supervision, of course.
But as promised she didn’t get more than a kiss good night. Sometimes the kiss was an electrical storm leaving her lit up for hours, and sometimes it was sweet and sigh-worthy.
She was frustrated and touched at the same time. She understood they were getting to know each other, but she had no idea where he got the fortitude to send her off to bed alone every night. Kendall was ready to climb out of her skin.
The Simmons family was coming in the morning, and her mother was making a huge meal for Christmas. The family was staying from Christmas Eve through the New Year.
Good money and with the extra meals, they were definitely going to be making a tidy profit on the visit. Everything was about as perfect as she could make it. So why did she feel so edgy?
The purr of a belt sander lured her into Shane’s sanctum. He had a thick leather apron on to combat the dust, but it didn’t protect the arms of his shirt. He was covered in a fine powder of pine. He’d gotten a few orders for Adirondack chairs, and she couldn’t wait to sit in one once he was finished.
He looked up with a slow smile. “Hey, Sunshine.”
Her insides felt like a ray of sunshine when he said it like that. Low, intimate, and playful. A side to Shane she was seeing more and more. “I heard the sander. Figured I’d check in on you.”
“Actually, speaking of sander, I found something at the back corner of the shed when I got the snowmobile.”
“Dust? A mouse? Maybe even a ghost?”
His lips twitched. “No. Something more interesting.”
“Well, lay it on me. I was kind of hoping for a ghost. At least we’d make sure to get in a travel guide with one of those.”
He shook his head. “An old mahogany headboard.”
“That’s better than a ghost?”
“You know how much mahogany costs?”
“I’ll give you that one. Probably expensive, huh?”
“Just a bit.”
Kendall hopped up onto his metal desk, swinging her legs. “What are you going to do with it?”
“Haven’t figured it out yet. Just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a family heirloom or anything before I took it apart and fixed it.”
“Go forth and be carpentery.”
He rolled his eyes. “Do you want to ask your mom?”
“No, it was from an old bed when we moved into the house.”
“Wow, older than I thought.”
“Is that a carpenter hard-on I see in your eyes, Shane?”
He stood up and brushed off the dust and shavings before hanging the heavy apron on the hook by the door. “Not a carpenter hard-on.”
“Oh?”
He angled in between her knees and brushed the tips of his fingers along her spine. “Nope.”
Enjoying the playful side of him, she leaned in and nipped his lower lip. Instead of the usual teasing torment, Shane caught her mouth in a sinfully full-on kiss. He ate at her lips, dissolving her brain as he opened her wide and took what he wanted.
They were both breathing heavy by the time he took a step back. She curled her fingers into the edge of the desk and moaned. “Can’t you break your rule?”
He shook his head and took another step, then turned toward the open door, and she could see him drinking in the cool night. She let her chin drop to her chest before she hopped down and crossed the room to slide her arms around him. She pressed her cheek against his hard, muscular back.
He brought her hand up and kissed her palm. “What time are the Simmons coming?”
“Crack of dark.”
He laughed. “So that means you’re actually going to go to bed now?”
She brushed the tip of her nose into the dip of his spine. She was exhausted enough to be able to do just that. But she didn’t want to lose any time with Shane.
“I’ve got hours of work yet, so it’s probably a good thing you’re tired.”
“Don’t you sleep?”
He laughed. “I really don’t need much. Four hours and I’m good.”
“I knew you were superhuman.”
He tugged her under his arm and around in front of him. He dropped a chaste kiss on her lips and turned her toward the night and popped her on the butt. Incredulous, she skipped forward on the momentum. “Good night, babe.”
She trudged across the snow and up the stairs. When she turned back, he stood in the door, but this time he waved before backing away to the golden light spilling around him.
With the dawn came two cars full of the Simmons clan. Her mother hadn’t stopped fussing over towels and linens. She even plumped pillows on the sofa at the sound of gravel popping under tires.
Kendall met them at the door. An older, salt-and-pepper-haired gentleman skipped up the steps, his hand outstretched. “You must be Kendall. I recognize you from your picture on the Web site.”
“Yes, I’m Kendall. Welcome to the Heron.” She stood aside. “This is my mother, Lily.”
“I’m Mark, and this is my wife, Jennifer.” He turned and pointed out the rest of the visitors who were piling onto deck. She hoped to God she’d keep the names straight before the end of the day.
Laurie and Todd, Susan and Scott, and their two teen girls, Micah and Abby, all spoke over each other. Happy laughter and the excited chatter of females oohing about the landscape and lake filled the air.
The teens were unimpressed until she showed them the back. The huge bench swing propelled them both into action.
“Be careful on the water. It’s freezing,” Susan called out.
Kendall smiled. “Don’t worry. The swing’s very sturdy.”
“Should it be so close to the end of the dock?”
Kendall led Susan down the dock. “See, not as close as it seems.”
“Oh, wow.”
Kendall folded her arms. “Beautiful, isn’t it? This is my favorite view.”
“I can see why.” Susan’s face was flushed with cold, and her smooth complex
ion spoke of days indoors.
Unlike Kendall’s chapped cheeks that wouldn’t stay moisturized this time of year even if she slicked her face with Vaseline.
Susan turned bright blue eyes in her direction. “I can’t wait to see our room. This whole place is so cozy and inviting.”
Kendall smiled and saw even more improvements thanks to Shane’s hand with the landscape. Shoveled walkways, boards replaced, and a few heavy blankets were folded on the chairs scattered around the swing. A bright cobalt-blue-stained Adirondack chair sat in her favorite spot on the deck.
She swallowed down a lump in her throat and showed Susan and her sister-in-law Jennifer the paths along the back of the house that hugged the lake.
Half an hour later she had all the couples divvied up on the second floor and the teens a few doors down. She remembered what it was like to be fifteen and on the cusp of independence.
She found her mother in the kitchen pulling two coffee cakes out of the oven with one already cooling on the table. “Smells amazing, Mom.”
“I want you to take half of that one to Shane. I saw all he did outside early this morning even before we were up. He might be antisocial, but he likes my coffee cake.”
Kendall laughed. Shane certainly had disappeared the minute the cars had come up the drive. She’d thought he was sleeping, but the plowed drive said otherwise. She wrapped half of the cake in tinfoil and kissed her mom on the cheek. “The Simmonses are getting situated, and I know that Todd and Mark were already looking for coffee.”
Lily nodded to the large coffee dispenser and a row of mugs. “All ready for them.”
“You are a wonder, Lily Proctor.”
“I know.”
Kendall shook her head and escaped through the back door, crossing the lawn to Shane’s domain. The whir of a drill and the scent of the strong brew he called coffee met her at the door. He was crouched beside the table, clamping a vise across the span of rich wood. With a deft hand he smoothed thin slats of the koa wood along the middle of the table, giving it a distinct stripe.
“It’s gorgeous.”
He looked up, then quickly away. “Thanks.”
The man was really bad at taking a compliment when it came to his art. She held up the foil package. “Mom sent this.”
