by L. Wilder
“How about tomorrow night? There’s a holiday festival in town. We could go and check it out.”
“Okay. That sounds like fun.”
“Then it’s a date.”
He laid his head back on the pillow, then reached over and pulled me over to him. I nestled into the crook of his arm as I rested my head on his shoulder. I felt completely relaxed as we laid there sharing stories with one another. He told me about his life in Mistletoe, while I shared a few stories about my life back in Nashville. Colton was so easy to talk to. It was like spending time with an old friend. I was so relaxed I didn’t realize I’d drifted off to sleep until I felt an odd shift in the bed. When I opened my eyes, I found Colton standing as he slipped on his boxers. It was still dark outside, so I thought he was just going to the bathroom or possibly getting something to drink. I realized I was wrong when he grabbed his jeans from the floor and started putting them on. “You’re leaving?”
“Trust me when I say I don’t want to go.” After he’d put his shirt on, he came over and sat down on the bed next to me. “I’d like nothing more than to stay in this bed with you for a few more hours, but this is a busy time at the ranch. If I’m going to be done in time to make it to the festival, I’ll have to be up and going in a few hours.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“It’s early. Get some more sleep.” He leaned over to me and kissed me softly on the forehead. “I’ll see you tonight around six.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“Me, too.” With that, he grabbed his shoes and started towards the door. Before walking out, he turned back to me and said, “I really enjoyed tonight.”
“I did, too.”
“I’ll lock up on my way out.”
“Okay.”
He disappeared into the living room, and it wasn’t long before I heard him slip out the front door. Disappointment washed over me as I rolled over and looked at the empty spot in the bed. I spent every night in bed alone, so I was a little surprised by how sad I was that he was gone. Hoping to push the thought from my mind, I rolled over and curled into my pillow. As soon as I closed my eyes, I was back in Colton’s arms. Lips, soft and supple. Hands, fevered and needy. Breaths, quick and panting. Bodies, hot and writhing. The memories of his touch had me feeling worked up again, making it impossible to go back to sleep. Thinking I might as well make good use of the time, I tossed the covers back and rushed to the bathroom to clean up a bit. Once I was done, I slipped on my pajamas, then went to the living room to grab my computer.
After putting another log in the fireplace, I made a spot on the sofa and started working on my book. I sat there staring at the blank page for several moments, and then boom. The words just seemed to flow straight through me. Moments like these were rare for me. It usually took me several chapters before I was able to simply put words on the page, but I was feeling inspired—so much so, I continued writing into the early morning. I was still typing away when my cell phone started to ring. I quickly picked it up, and when I looked at the screen, I wasn’t surprised to see that it was Natalie. As soon as I answered, she asked, “Well...How did it go last night?”
“Pretty well, actually.”
“Ahhh. Give me all the juicy details, woman.”
I normally shared everything with Natalie, and I mean everything. We talked about our kids, our health, our dreams, and everything in between, but for whatever reason, I didn’t want to tell her about what had happened with Colton and me. Instead, I wanted to keep it to myself. I figured I deserved at least one little secret. That didn’t make me feel any less guilty when I replied, “I hate to break it to you, but there are no juicy details to share.”
“What?” she gasped, sounding disappointed. “I was hoping he was gonna bring the meat.”
“He did.” I giggled as I told her, “He brought bison burgers, and they were amazing.”
“So, you had a good night?”
“I had a very good night, and you’re not going to believe this. I’ve written two full chapters, and I’m in the middle of the third.”
“Seriously?”
“No joke. And I actually think they’re pretty good.”
“Of course they are,” Natalie fussed. “You wrote them, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean much these days. I’ll send them to you in a bit, and you can tell me what you think.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.” She paused for a moment, then asked, “So, your night with the hot cowboy got you all inspired, huh?”
“Don’t start.”
“I’m just saying.”
“I know what you’re saying, and you might be right.”
“I usually am.”
“You’re a mess,” I fussed.
“I know, but you love me anyway.”
“Yes, I do.” I’d had almost no sleep, and it was starting to catch up with me. I didn’t want to be a tired mess at the holiday festival, so I told Natalie, “I think I’m going to go take a nap. I’ve been up all night writing, and I’m beat.”
“Okay. Just give me a shout whenever you get ready to send the chapters.”
“Will do.”
After I hung up the phone, I looked back over at my computer and smiled. Natalie was right. My night with the handsome cowboy had definitely awoken something in me, and I had a feeling there was more to come—or so I hoped.
Colton
“You all set?” I asked as I watched Leslie adjust her hat and gloves.
“I think so.”
“Great. Let’s get to it then.”
It was another blistering-cold night, but with all the white lights and extra Christmas-themed décor, the town square looked warm and inviting. I wasn’t one to even notice things like lights or décor, especially here in Mistletoe. Hell, the town was famous for its Christmas theme, and on most days, I could care less if there was a new tree or snowman out on display. The holidays weren’t a favorite of mine. They held too many memories, but tonight, I found myself actually looking forward to being out in the mix of things. I had no doubt my sudden change in disposition had everything to do with Leslie. She looked absolutely stunning in her black leggings and oversized, off-white sweater. Her dark coat and red hat brought out the color in her eyes, making it impossible not to stare at her. Damn. Just having her at my side had me looking forward to checking out the festival—which hadn’t happened in years.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling the Christmas spirit. The square was packed full of people checking out the different booths and trying the various foods. “Looks like we’ve got quite the crowd tonight.”
“Sure do.” A warm smile crossed her face as she said, “I can see why. It’s so beautiful here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many lights.”
“They’ve outdone themselves this year.” I motioned my hand forward as I asked, “You want to go check out one of the booths?”
“Absolutely.”
I nodded, then took her hand in mine, leading her towards the first of many booths. As we got closer, I leaned towards her and said, “You look amazing, by the way.”
“Oh...well.” Her eyes bashfully skirted to the side, and I knew she didn’t believe me as she replied, “Thank you.”
It was moments like these that made me wonder what kind of relationship she had with her ex. If I had to guess, I’d say it wasn’t a good one. I considered asking her about it, but decided against it. Instead, I would use my time with her to make sure I did everything in my power to show her just how incredible she really was. We went over to the first booth, and Leslie seemed to be in complete awe as she looked at all the different handmade ornaments. She picked a Santa riding on a horse and showed it to me, giggling as she said, “Look! It’s you!”
“Oh, really? I’m not sure I see a resemblance.”
“I think it looks just like you,” she teased. “Especially the adorable smile and sparkling eyes.”
“Um-hmm. If you say so.” I quickly scann
ed the table of ornaments, and when I found one with Mrs. Claus sitting at a desk with a computer, I pointed to it and said, “Looks like they have one that looks like you, too.”
“They sure do! That’s great!”
I couldn’t help but smile as I followed her over to the next table. We moved from one booth to the next, and it was clear from Leslie’s never fading smile, she was having a great time. When I noticed her cheeks becoming rosy red from the cold, I suggested, “How about a cup of hot soup?”
“That sounds great.”
Leslie followed me over to the food truck, and we both ordered a bowl of soup and a drink. We carried our food over to the large outside hearth and sat down. As we started eating, I asked, “Well, what do you think? Are you having a good time?”
“I’m having a great time. I’m really glad you invited me.”
“I’m really glad you decided to come.”
The words had barely left my mouth when I heard, “Well, how about that. The infamous Colton Walker at the Mistletoe Christmas festival. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes.”
I’d know that annoyingly, high-pitched voice anywhere. It was Susan Randall—a woman who’d made it no secret she was interested in me. Hell, she’d been at it for years. She started a few months after Whitney died, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t convince her I wasn’t interested. It wasn’t that she was unattractive. Susan was a pretty red-head with a great figure. There were plenty of men around who would jump at the chance to hook up with her, but unfortunately for her, I wasn’t one of them. Trying my best to force a smile, I glanced over my shoulder as I said, “Hi, Susan. Good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, too.” She leaned over to me and gave me an awkwardly long hug, then stood back up and asked, “What brings you out tonight?”
“We just came to check out the festival.” I slipped my arm around Leslie as I said, “Stopped to grab us a bite to eat. What about you?”
Her eyes darted over to Leslie, quickly surveying her competition as she feigned a smile and said, “I didn’t realize you were here with someone.”
“This is Leslie. She’s in town visiting for a few days.”
“Oh, well, that’s so nice. I’m glad you two came out to enjoy the fun.” Before Leslie could respond, Susan turned her attention back to me. “I haven’t seen you around much lately. I’m sure you’ve been busy at the ranch.”
“I have.”
“Well, if you ever need an excuse to get away, you know where to find me.”
“That I do.”
“Well, it was sure good to see you, Colton. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you.” She gave us both a coy shrug, then waved as she started to walk away. “You two have fun!”
As soon as she was out of earshot, Leslie leaned over to me and whispered, “I think she’s got a thing for you.”
“You caught that, huh?”
“It was hard to miss.”
I took a sip of my soup before saying, “I’m sorry you had to be here for that.”
“Don’t be.” She gave me a little nudge. “I found it quite entertaining.”
“Entertaining, huh? You’ve got a little bit of a sadistic side to you.”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far, but it was definitely fun watching you squirm.”
“I didn’t squirm.”
“If you ever need an excuse to get away,” Leslie teased.
“Yep. You definitely have a sadistic side.”
“You know I’m just joking with you.”
“Um-hmm. Sure. Whatever you say, Ms. Warren,” I chuckled as I finished off the last of my soup. “Do you want to look around a little longer or should we head back home?”
“I’m ready whenever you are.”
“Okay then. Let’s continue this someplace a little warmer.”
“That sounds great. I’m freezing.”
“I thought you might be. The nights here take a little getting used to.” As we started back to my truck, I looked over to her and said, “I know you have some writing you need to do, but I was hoping you might have time for a night cap. If not, I totally understand.”
“I have time. There’s just one problem,” she answered with a smile. “I’m not sure if we have any wine left.”
“A problem that’s easily solved.”
Once we got back to the truck, I drove over to the liquor store and grabbed us a few things before heading over to Leslie’s cabin. When I’d asked her to join me at the festival, I had the best of intentions. I just wanted a chance to get to know her better, and I was doing my best to hold onto that thought when we pulled up to her cabin. As soon as we made it inside, we both removed our coats and kicked off our snow-covered boots. Leslie rushed over to the fireplace and placed her hands close to the fire. “I can’t believe how cold it is here.”
“If it’s any consolation, you get used to it.” I walked over and picked up a couple of logs, carefully placing them on top of the fire. “That should help warm things up a bit.”
“Thanks.”
“You ready for a drink?”
“Sure.” I went over to the kitchen and opened the cabinet. There were many small glasses, so I grabbed two coffee cups and filled them with Scotch. I carried them back into the living room, and as I offered one to Leslie, she asked, “What’s this?”
I gave her a wink as I answered, “Something that will warm you up faster than that fire.”
“We’ll see about that.” I watched as she brought the cup up to her full lips, letting the warm liquid slip into her mouth. Damn. I knew I was struggling to keep my restraint, but I didn’t know how much until I found myself feeling jealous of a fucking coffee cup. She winced as the burn of the liquor slipped down her throat. “Oh, wow.”
“What do you think?”
“You were right.” I watched as she took another sip of her drink, and I’ll be damned if her tongue didn’t slip out of her mouth and glide across her lips. I clenched my jaw as I listened to her say, “This will definitely warm me up.”
“Good.”
After taking another sip, she looked over to me with a smile. “I had a really good time tonight.”
“It’s not over yet.”
“I know. I just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed the Christmas festival. I wasn’t even expecting to get out and about while I was here. I figured I’d be too busy writing to get a chance to go out and explore.”
“Have you been able to get much writing done?”
“Yes. I actually wrote more this morning than I have in weeks.”
“That’s awesome. We should celebrate.”
“Okay. What do you have in mind?”
I took her cup of Scotch and carried it into the kitchen. After I refilled our glasses, I walked over to the storage closet and grabbed two towels. As I started towards the back door, I asked, “Have you had a chance to try out the hot tub?”
“No. Can’t say that I have.”
“Well, that’s something that must be rectified.”
I put the towels and our glasses of Scotch down on the table, then quickly took off my shirt. I was still holding on to my original thought that tonight was about getting to know her better, but I knew I was coming close to crossing a line when I reached for the button of my jeans. “What are you doing?”
“I’m getting in the hot tub.”
“But it’s freezing outside.”
“It’s not freezing in the hot tub.” I smiled as I took off my jeans and said, “Don’t worry, angel. I’ll be there to warm you up.”
As I stood there at the door in my boxers, I started to worry she might chicken out, but then I saw that wanton look in her eyes, and I knew I had her. A sense of satisfaction washed over me when she reached for the waistband of her leggings and quickly eased them down her legs. A little giggle slipped through her lips as she pulled her sweater over her head and said, “I think you might be a bad influence on me.”
; “I certainly hope so.”
I quickly removed my boxers, then grabbed our glasses of Scotch and opened the door. The cold air took my breath as I rushed outside and climbed into the hot tub. I’d just gotten settled when Leslie came darting out of the back door in her black lace bra and panties. Fuck. She looked absolutely incredible as she tiptoed through the snow and crawled into the hot tub next to me. A soft groan of pleasure vibrated through her chest as she settled back in the seat, letting the hot water surround her. “This feels incredible.”
“So, it was worth getting out in the cold?”
“Absolutely.” Steam danced along with her hand as she glided it across the top of the water. “I can’t believe I haven’t been out here sooner.”
I reached over and took her cup of Scotch from the ledge and offered it to her. She took another sip as I asked, “So, what do you like to do with your free time?”
“Free time?” she scoffed. “What’s that?”
“Surely you have a little time to yourself.”
“I probably have about as much free time as you do.”
“Touché.” I lifted my glass to her, then took another drink. “At least tell me you enjoy writing.”
“Oh, I definitely do. It’s my passion. I’ve always got a new story brewing in the back of my mind, and there’s no better feeling than bringing it to life with pen and paper.”
“And this new book...it’s got a good bit of you in it, right?”
“Yes, even more so after the last few chapters I just wrote.” Her eyes skirted over to mine as she answered, “I guess you could say our night together inspired me.”
“Am I going to get to read it?”
“Sure,” she giggled, “if you buy the book.”
“Oh, you can count on that. I actually bought one of your books earlier today.”
“You did?”
“Figured it might help me get to know you better.”
“Well, you should know that even though the books have a little of me in them, they are mostly just fantasies I’ve concocted in my head.”
