Under the Mistletoe
Katherine Garbera
A red-hot festive fling!Two weeks of no-strings naughtiness. That’s all wealthy businessman Will Spalding wants for Christmas. That’s all he ever wants from a relationship. He didn’t expect to find it at the Lars Usten Lodge in snowy Utah, until the cute little blonde next door almost whacked him in the head with her cell phone.Hooking up with a handsome stranger is exactly what event planner Penny Devlin needs to put her obnoxious ex out of her mind forever. In fact, Will may just be the best Christmas present she’s ever given herself! But as the holidays work their magic, Penny realizes Will has found a place in her heart, not just her bed. How can she carry on, knowing he’s determined to walk away when their two weeks are up?
A red-hot festive fling!
Two weeks of no-strings naughtiness. That’s all wealthy businessman Will Spalding wants for Christmas. That’s all he ever wants from a relationship. He didn’t expect to find it at the Lars Usten Lodge in snowy Utah, until the cute little blonde next door almost whacked him in the head with her cell phone.
Hooking up with a handsome stranger is exactly what event planner Penny Devlin needs to put her obnoxious ex out of her mind forever. In fact, Will may just be the best Christmas present she’s ever given herself! But as the holidays work their magic, Penny realizes Will has found a place in her heart, not just her bed. How can she carry on, knowing he’s determined to walk away when their two weeks are up?
“I have a proposition for you…”
Penny looked at Will, trying to read his expression, but in the flickering light of the fire that wasn’t easy.
“I’m listening.”
“I have a theory about relationships that has served me well most of my adult life. It’s that the maximum time for them is two weeks.”
“Go on.”
“There’s something I want to make sure of first.”
He put his arm around her shoulder, drew her closer. Their eyes met and held and she couldn’t look away.
Whatever he meant by two weeks, she wanted to know more. His breath brushed over her lips as he exhaled, and he lowered his head slowly, giving her a chance to retreat…but she didn’t want to back away.
She wanted his kiss.
She wanted to forget the old Penny and be this new, exciting woman…
Dear Reader (#ub9b12f0c-4326-52d8-b963-1c62d4251ac0),
Merry Christmas! I’m a total maniac this time of the year. I’ve made my children dress in Santa hats and matching sweaters and pose with our dog (also in a matching sweater) all in pursuit of the perfect picture to capture our holiday. And to be honest that’s sort of what drives Penny to go away for Christmas. Her mom is out of town with her newish husband for the holiday and the thought of staying home by herself doesn’t appeal. She’s lost her joy and needs to recapture it. She’s sort of figured out how to do it when she meets fellow holiday-escapee Will.
Will has found a way to enjoy life in short bits of time and his ideas sound good to Penny, who is tired of trying to get everything perfect in the big picture. I had so much fun writing this book and bringing to life all the cute holiday snow festivities that I, as a Florida girl, never experienced. If I could, I’d make Penny and Will dress in matching sweaters and snap a picture to add to my holiday album.
Happy reading!
Katherine
Under the Mistletoe
Katherine Garbera
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
KATHERINE GARBERA is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than fifty books and has always believed in happy endings. She lives in England with her husband, children and their pampered pet, Godiva. Visit Katherine on the web at katherinegarbera.com (http://www.katherinegarbera.com), or catch up with her on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/KatherineGarberaAuthor/app_191387770912394) and Twitter. (https://twitter.com/katheringarbera)
Family and tradition define every moment of my Christmas holidays, so this book is dedicated to Charlotte and David Smith, who raised me to love the season and to never forget the reason for it. Also to my grandmothers, who are no longer with us but whom I miss more keenly at Christmas,
Rose Wilkinson and Priscilla Tromblay.
Contents
Cover (#uac83fd97-90dd-5421-bf92-ee1a573086e5)
Back Cover Text (#u8048740b-4e7a-55a9-85e7-cec378c8f58b)
Introduction (#ub809f91a-0e7d-5c24-bacc-f9193e9405ef)
Dear Reader
Title Page (#u40032c88-9ea7-50a6-a793-0efbbb79cf33)
About the Author (#u0bc06051-9249-536e-84c9-32b66087be50)
Dedication (#u67ec61ef-bce0-50be-a81e-2f08225c7b5e)
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Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
1 (#ub9b12f0c-4326-52d8-b963-1c62d4251ac0)
PENNY DEVLIN HAD decided that she was giving herself an early Christmas present this year. A vacation from her life. Actually, making herself not read another email her former boss and ex-lover sent her was the best gift she could ever really give herself.
He’d made a mockery of her dreams of a white knight and cost her a job she loved. Rat bastard.
But really, who would keep working for a man like him?
Not her. Mentally she gave herself a pat on the back. She’d made the tough but right choice to leave her position as an event planner at Papillion Clothiers, and this place was her reward.
A ski chalet to herself for fifteen days at the luxurious Lars Usten Lodge in Park City, Utah. Her phone pinged again. She groaned as another text appeared on her screen from Butch—or actually from the label she’d assigned him.
JerkButtFace: Stop being a baby. I need to talk to you.
Penny: All my files are in my former office. You don’t need me.
JerkButtFace: Not about work.
Penny: All we had was work.
JerkButtFace: Stop acting like I did something wrong. This is the 21st century.
Penny: Jerk is the same now as it’s always been.
JerkButtFace: Name calling? You must still care.
As if. He was so frustrating. She didn’t care, and was coming to realize she hadn’t ever really loved him. That was the worst part.
Her phone pinged again.
That’s it!
She flung open the front door of her very lovely, secluded alpine cabin, stopped to admire the gently falling snow and then chucked her cell phone out the front door.
“Hey!”
She glanced up just in time to see a man batting away her cell phone before it fell to the ground. She’d almost hit him in the face.
And what a face. A strong, square jaw with just the right hint of stubble, firm masculine lips curled in a sort of sneer, and bright, Chris Pine–blue eyes. He wore a heavy shearling jacket and a pair of faded blue jeans that clung to his thick, muscular thighs. His boots were covered in snow, and as she let her gaze travel back up his body, she forgot why she’d been so fuming mad just a second earlier.
“Sorry. I’m so sorry! I just couldn’t take my phone one more second.” She knew that sounded totally lame, but it was the only thing she could think of other than: Yowza! Hot guy alert!
He chuckled. The sound was deep and rich and echoed in the silent snow-covered land around them. It was cold, and the air seeped through the fabric of her chic lounge sweater, but she wasn’t tempted at all to go back inside.
Full disclosure? This guy was the perfect distraction. He held a leather suitcase in one hand and a brochure from the Lodge in the other, so she assumed he had to be a guest. She glanced at his left hand to see if he was single, but he wore leather gloves. Plus some married men didn’t wear their rings all the time. “I’ve been tempted to ditch my phone more than once,” he said with a smile. “What seems to be the problem?”
“Problem?”
“I’m assuming part of the technology isn’t working,” he said.
He sounded logical and normal. All the things she just didn’t feel right now. And he was cute. Really, really cute. So if she played her cards right, perhaps she’d be able to salvage this and flirt with him. She wanted to. Needed to reclaim a part of herself she’d lost when she’d learned the horrible truth from Butch. No denying it.
“Um...it wasn’t picking up the Wi-Fi,” Penny stammered, making up the very first thing that came to mind.
He bent over to pick up her phone. Seeing him holding her pink, jewel-studded case in his manly hands made her feel funny. But when he glanced over at her with those piercing blue eyes of his again, she still couldn’t help but stare back. This time she noticed he had sun lines around his face. He spent a good deal of time outdoors, she figured.
“Mind if I give it a try?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said. He was a really good-looking man with his thick brown hair styled to one side so just a swoop of it fell over his forehead. No way could his hair be as soft as it looked, but she wanted to touch it and find out.
He glanced at her screen and then back at her.
“It seems to be working. You’ve got a text from... JerkButtFace. Apparently, he’s desperate to explain.”
She groaned. When he said it, the name sounded...well, still funny to her.
Of course, even though Butch was married and his wife was pregnant with their child—something he’d failed to mention when they first met or at any point during their six months together—he still expected her to be his girlfriend. Something that she definitely didn’t want to hear him try to justify again.
And he’d still managed to wriggle his way between Penny and the first attractive man she’d met in months. Ugh.
“I know. He’s like a broken record.”
“I take it you’ve heard enough?” the man asked wryly.
“You’ve got that right. But watch out, I seem to be a moron magnet,” she said, moving out of her doorway to approach the man. Her UGG boots protected her against the snowy path as she did so.
He smiled at her and shook his head as he handed her phone to her. She put it in the pocket of her long lounge sweater.
“Will Spalding,” he said, holding out his hand.
“Penelope Devlin.” She took his hand to shake it. She worked in the business world and probably shook hands at least three times a day with potential clients, so she was used to weak ones and even clammy ones.
But his hand was smooth and dry as he enfolded her fingers in his, and the grip was firm, but sort of gentle, too. He looked to be in his early thirties, close to her own age. She stared at their joined hands for a moment as a tingle spread up her arm. She pulled hers back and then looked up at him again.
“You are a very interesting woman,” he murmured.
She was not sure how to take that. “Not really. I get very boring once you get to know me.”
“I highly doubt that,” he said. Her phone beeped from her pocket and he raised one eyebrow.
“I’m sorry I almost hit you with the phone. I was aiming for the snowbank.”
“Why don’t you just put it on silent mode?” he asked.
“That would have been logical, but I’m afraid I was pushed beyond that,” she admitted, hoping he didn’t think she was crazy, but already suspecting that her first impression hadn’t gone very well. “I know it’s a sickness, really, but I’m waiting for an important work call.”
She’d applied for another job with a big, high-end New York retail chain. And they were making the decision this week on who would get the position of senior event planner. If she got the job, she’d be in charge of the company’s parties for the various fashion weeks around the world.
“See, to me...that part is logical. I can’t ever really detach from work, either,” he said, giving her a half grin that made him even sexier. “That makes you even more intriguing...”
“And mysterious? I’ve always wanted to be mysterious,” she declared.
She liked the image he had of her. She could be that woman. Right now, she could be any woman she wanted to be. She was free of everything. A man who’d been way too secretive, a job that had been demanding and had that awful perk of working for Butch...
But that was behind her now. Will thought she was intriguing instead of old reliable Penny. That would be very exciting and different.
She’d be able to enjoy her holiday the way she’d planned. She thought of the framed print that she’d propped up in the kitchenette of her cabin.
No Regrets. Just Good Times, Love, Peace and Lots of Chocolate.
Will Spalding seemed the perfect man for that if he was single and interested, and she acknowledged there was a 50/50 chance he wasn’t even single. Well, he looked interested. God, what if he was another loser? Granted, a very sexy-looking one, but still...
He didn’t look like a loser, though. Not with that firm square jaw and serious expression on his face. He looked like someone who lived life on his own terms.
“I’ll leave you to the snowbank. I look forward to seeing you again,” he said.
He continued walking down the path and all she could do was watch him go. He had a seriously nice ass.
She didn’t realize she was staring until he turned to the cabin next to hers and then put his key in the lock and looked back at her. She shook her head and waved and then dashed back into her own cabin.
He was cute and she felt incredibly attracted to him, and for thirty seconds she just stood there letting all those feelings wash over her. She even felt a bit like her old self again.
Wild. Free. And ready for adventure.
* * *
WILL HAD BEEN on his own since he was fourteen. He didn’t say that to gain sympathy, as he was a trust-fund baby used to having whatever he wanted—as long as it was something that could be purchased. And for the better part of the year being alone suited him just fine.
But Christmas was his Achilles’ heel. He hated not sharing it with someone else. Christmas brought with it lonely memories that he had learned a long time ago would overwhelm him if he didn’t ensure he was distracted.
Being a man of action, he’d developed a very simple way of dealing with it: affairs that lasted two weeks. That was the optimal amount of time. Plenty of days for fun and not enough time to form a real bond with another person. One week left him wanting more, and after two weeks the novelty was gone. No strings, no hurt feelings afterward, just two weeks of pure, frivolous pleasure for him and the lady of his choice.
He’d learned that the hard way during his brief marriage when he was younger, and had decided to limit himself to just two weeks.
Will put his leather suitcase in the corner and thought of Ms. Penelope Devlin next door. On the surface she seemed like his favorite kind of distraction.
She was cute and funny and a bit charming in her awkwardness. He’d been very good at keeping his affairs light and making sure the women he got involved with wanted exactly what he did from the affair—fun and temporary companionship.
Penny was definitely intriguing. Maybe she was looking for something to take her mind off her problems. Plus that one innocent little touch of their hands had shaken him to his core.
It had been a while since he’d felt the zing of lust at first sight. And he wasn’t sure he was ready to write it off simply because she might be more than what he’d been expecting to find. Ah, hell, who was he kidding? He wanted her. And unless she shut him down, he was going to go after her. No bones about it.
Which made her dangerous, because he was simply looking for a casual affair, not a woman who could touch him all the way to his soul.
Shoving those troubling notions aside, he unpacked, checked his email and then realized that he totally sucked at relaxing when he glanced up and realized the sun had already set.
Where had the time gone?
He could eat dinner in his bungalow...but he’d be alone with just his thoughts, so he put on his shearling coat and snow boots and left his cabin. He stood in the doorway and looked at the night sky, so big and bright on this clear, cold evening. In the distance he saw the twinkling of lights down in the valley where the town was.
His breath puffed out in front of him as he locked the door and went down the path leading back to the main lodge. He glanced at Penelope’s door as he passed it. Someone had hung a Christmas wreath on it and strung some lights around the door frame. It looked homey and festive and not at all like his dark doorway.
“It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas,” he muttered aloud.
It was just the little nudge he needed to start thinking more about Penelope. Maybe she was just what he needed this Christmas.
The path to the Lodge was lit with gas-style electric lamps with holly wrapped around the posts. A light snow was still falling and he promised himself that tomorrow he’d take advantage of the ski slopes. But that left a solid twelve hours to fill and even though he had international business interests, he didn’t want to spend the entire time working.
He climbed the steps that lead to the lobby past the lounge area that was dotted with fire pits and large padded chairs. There were families roasting marshmallows and couples snuggling under heavy blankets, and he just kept walking into the building away from all that...togetherness.
A blast of yuletide music hit him as he entered the lobby. “Last Christmas”...it had been his mom’s favorite song. Funny that he could still remember details like that, but not her face without the help of a picture.
He paused for a moment to listen to the song and let those faraway memories wash over him. There were times when he wished for things that couldn’t be. He shook himself and walked straight to the bar and ordered a seltzer water with a twist of lime. Though what he really wanted was a double shot of whiskey neat. Being a recovering alcoholic was a constant struggle.
But he’d never been good with self-control, especially when he felt like this. Truth was, he’d been unable to describe this feeling to any of his therapists, and there had been a lot of them during his teenage years. He just knew when he felt this way, he could destroy things—including himself—and not give a crap.
But the last time he’d done that, it had taken a lot of time and money to clean up the mess, and he still had some scars from that incident that hadn’t fully healed.
“Gin and tonic?” Penelope asked as she slid onto the seat next to his at the bar. She’d changed out of those leggings and the long sweater into a micro-miniskirt that ended at the top of her thighs, and her furry boots had been replaced with a leather pair that hugged her calves. She looked chic and fashionable.
And drop-dead gorgeous.
She wasn’t tall but sort of average sized and curvy. Her blond hair was pulled back around her face but left to hang free. It was stick-straight and looked like sunshine to him. She’d put on some kind of lip gloss that made her mouth seem full and kissable.
Kissable? Really? Was he going to be the kind of sap who—
He knew he shouldn’t stare at her legs and forced his gaze to her face. But the image of those long, shapely calves lingered in his mind. He wanted to reach down and put his hand on her leg but that was too bold. Even in this mood.
Her eyes were a welcoming shade of blue. Different from his own, darker and more exotic.
“Just tonic, unfortunately,” he said. He waved the bartender over and ordered a gin and tonic for her.
“Did you get your phone sorted out?” he asked after a long moment.
“Yes. I figured out how to block him for now,” Penelope said, chewing her lush bottom lip. “So are you married or engaged?”
He shook his head. “No. You?”
“Would I have someone labeled JBF if I was?” she asked.
He laughed, because he suspected she wanted him to, and he’d also noticed that people talked more when they felt at ease. Plus, he’d been told one too many times that his face could be intimidating when he wasn’t smiling.
“I guess not.”
She took a sip of her gin and tonic and leaned in toward him.
“Feeling really adventurous?” he asked, because despite the fact that his gut was saying it was a mistake to get to know this woman better, he wanted to. He wanted to know if her hair was as silky as it looked and if her skin was as soft. He wanted to know if she’d be as fun in bed as she was out of it.
She arched one eyebrow at him and gave him a wink. “What’d you have in mind?”
“Something daring and dangerous—dinner with a total stranger.”
She tipped her head to the side. “That is really risky.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, you never know what I might do or say if you stick around.”
“Like I said, you’re a very interesting woman, Penelope Devlin.”
She nodded coyly. “Yes, I’ve decided I am. And I will have dinner with you.”
“Good. Now, how adventurous are you? Will you have a private meal with me in my cabin, or is it the hotel restaurant for us?”
“I’m not stupid,” she said. “We have just met so I’ll take the hotel.”
He smiled. “Perfectly understandable. Would a picnic dinner by one of the fire pits work for your comfort level?”
“Yes,” she said, taking out her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Texting my friend, who is the general manager of this lodge, to get the scoop on you,” she said.
He reached over and put his hand on top of hers. “I’ll give you the full rundown while we are eating. You did say you were ready for an adventure...”
She nodded again but it seemed more for herself than for him. “I guess you’re taking just as big a risk. After all, you know I’m armed and dangerous.”
She held up her cell phone and he chuckled.
“Yes, you are,” he said. She fascinated him; there was no denying it. The more he got to know her the more he wanted to be around her. There was something about her smile and her body... Hell, there was no denying he wanted her. This was Christmas, after all, so why shouldn’t he make it the best one possible?
2 (#ub9b12f0c-4326-52d8-b963-1c62d4251ac0)
WILL LEFT HER to go and make plans for their dinner, and asked her to be on the back patio in thirty minutes. She stood alone in the bar with her gin and tonic, thinking about life. She was excellent in a business situation. Give her an event for groups from fifty to a thousand to plan and she was in her element, but put her one-on-one with a guy—a smoking-hot guy—and she froze.
“You look like you are contemplating something serious,” Elizabeth Anders said as she slid onto the bar stool that Will had just vacated.
“I am,” she said.
“Why?” Her best friend had a more relaxed aura now that she was engaged to their college chum Bradley. The two of them had been friends forever, and over Thanksgiving had finally given into the steaming sexual tension that the rest of the world had always seen between them. Now they were madly in love and planning their life together.
She hitched in a breath. “Well, you know how I’m supposed to be giving myself Christmas this year?”
“You know I do,” Elizabeth said, signaling the bartender and ordering herself a Drambuie.
“You’re off the clock?”
“I am. Bradley and I are going for a moonlight snowshoeing walk as soon as he gets here.”
“That’s nice. I’m so happy for you.” And she was. Truly. But she was also jealous. She wanted that kind of romance in her life.
Usually she was too busy with work to think about that kind of thing, but Will was making all those fantasies she’d tucked away for someday seem like a possibility.
“I got the idea from that photo you’d posted on Pinterest of the couple walking in the snow.”
“No fair stealing my romantic fantasies.” Penny pouted.
“I thought one of us should take advantage of it. Plus you are better at romance than I am.” Elizabeth’s blue-green eyes sparkled. “Bradley loved the idea.” She smiled at her friend and then reached over and hugged her. Normally Elizabeth was all business so she struggled to make small talk and be social outside the corporate world but lately she’d been trying to change.
“I met a guy this afternoon,” she said, picking up where she’d left off.
“You did? That’s great! Where did you meet him? Why isn’t he here?”
“I kind of tossed my phone out of the cabin and almost hit him in the head.”
“Nice. I guess that’s why he’s not here,” Elizabeth said with a grin.
“You’d think, but no. He said I’m interesting. We’re having dinner in thirty minutes. A picnic on the patio by one of the fire rings.”
“You are? Who is he?”
“Will Spalding. He’s staying in the cabin next to mine. Do you know anything else about him?”
Elizabeth withdrew for a second but Penny didn’t mind. She knew her friend was using her razor-sharp mind to search for details about Will. “Last Christmas he stayed at the Caribbean resort that Lars owns. He always books in for two weeks at the holidays, and he’s due to check out on New Year’s Eve.” She grinned at her friend. “I can pull up some info about him if you want? I know he asked for a Christmas tree to be delivered on the twenty-first and that’s about it.”
“That’s okay. He’s going to give me the scoop when we have dinner,” Penny said.
Elizabeth gave her an incredulous look. “Yeah, sure he is. He’s probably going to tell you whatever he thinks you want to hear.”
“I’m pretty sure my bullshit meter is more than ready to weed out his lies,” Penny said. “He’s my holiday fantasy. And unless he is a complete troll at dinner, I think I’ve found my distraction.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then why did you look so serious before?” Elizabeth prodded.
“It sucks having a best friend who calls you on the BS.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Yes, it does. So what’s up?”
“I like him, Lizzie. He’s funny and charming, and I think he could be a lot of fun. But given what just happened with Butch, I’m afraid to just let myself relax and enjoy it, you know?”
“I do know. But I also know that you aren’t going to let him slip away. If you want him for Christmas, then make him yours,” she said.
“My own Christmas hottie?”
“Definitely.”
“Should I be jealous?” Bradley asked, coming up behind Elizabeth.
“No,” Elizabeth said. “You’re my hottie.”
“And you’re mine,” he said, bending to give his fiancée a kiss.
“And that’s my cue to go,” Penny said, downing the rest of her drink. She was happy for them and everything, but she might have misjudged coming here with them so happy and in love. It made her wistful. Made her wish she had some kind of radar that would help her steer clear of losers. “Have fun on your walk.”
“We will,” Bradley said with a wink. “Where are you heading off to?”
“Dinner with a tall, dark stranger...” Penny replied.
“Go, Penny!” Elizabeth said, holding her hand up for a high five.
She gave her one, walking out of the bar. She wanted to believe that this was simply dinner and nothing more. Will Spalding didn’t have to be anything other than who he was. She needed fun and uncomplicated. A Christmas gift to herself before she had to make some serious decisions about her future.
* * *
WILL HAD NO problems ordering the dinner he wanted for himself and Penny. The concierge was more than happy to secure a fire pit for them away from the families roasting marshmallows and singing carols.
Christmas lingered in his mind like a festering wound. Probably because it was the one time of the year that it really hit home that his family was gone and he was alone. He tended to wallow in it, starting around Thanksgiving. One year before he’d finally gotten sober, he’d spent the entire month of December drunk.
“Is that all, Mr. Spalding?”
“I’d like to do something after we eat. Any suggestions?”
“We have a horse-drawn sleigh that I can reserve for you. Our guide will take you on a path out toward the ski lifts. It’s scenic and on a clear night like tonight it should be beautiful.”
“Sounds perfect,” Will murmured. “Is the gift shop still open?”
“Yes, sir, until nine.”
“Thank you,” he said, turning to walk away. He went to the exclusive, high-end women’s boutique that was tucked off the main lobby. He found a Scottish-wool scarf that had the colors of Penny’s eyes and had it wrapped up, and asked the sales girl to send it to the concierge with instructions to have it in the sleigh later.
These kind of romantic gestures he’d learned early on. Women appreciated them and he found that a happier woman made for a more enjoyable evening. And money had never been an obstacle for him. He knew the gift was small, but he also had realized pretty early on that it was the small things that mattered most in life.
And he wanted Penny. Wanted two weeks alone with the pretty blonde. He headed back to the bar and noticed her high-fiving her friends.
Maybe he was kidding himself by thinking she would agree to a two-week Christmas romance. Despite her throwing her phone earlier, she seemed like someone who was a bit healthier in relationships than he was.
He doubted she’d need anything from him. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d misjudged someone. But this time he hoped he was wrong. Because, more than anything, he wanted her to need him so he could focus on making her Christmas special and ignore the gnawing emptiness that he still felt deep inside. She pushed off the stool and turned to walk toward him. He watched the way she moved. Her hips swaying with each step she took. Her breasts bouncing the slightest bit. The effortless grace that was arresting to behold. He realized he was staring but didn’t care. Penny smiled when she noticed him watching her, and for the first time since he’d started thinking about Christmas, he felt lighter. He didn’t care if nothing else came of this evening than dinner in a pretty woman’s company. For tonight that was enough.
He didn’t have to think of the past or the bruises he always pretended weren’t there. He could just enjoy this evening with a sweet, uncomplicated woman. Someone who could make him forget the truth of who he was.
“Ready?” she asked, coming up to him.
“I am. Are you going to be warm enough?”
“I think so. If not, you can keep me warm,” she said with a wink.
“I can?”
“Unless you don’t want to, but then that’s the whole point of inviting me to dinner, right?”
“Indeed. Let’s go.” He nodded toward the bar. “Were those your friends?”
“Yes. They just got together so they are still kind of too cutesy each time they see each other.”
“Too cutesy? I don’t know what that means,” he said.
“Kissy and huggy. Wow, now that I said it out loud, I really do sound jealous.”
“I’ll hug and kiss you if it makes you feel better,” he drawled. “I believe in giving a lady what she wants.”
“You’re quite the white knight.”
“What can I say? It’s fun to make another person happy,” he replied.
She slipped her hand into his. “Dinner is a good place to start.”
He led the way to the semisecluded area where his name was on a chalkboard under the word RESERVED. They had a thick, camel-colored blanket on the padded bench and the fire was roaring. There were thick potted pine trees placed around the area with brightly colored Christmas lights on them.
Will gestured to the bench and she walked over and sat down on it. Joining her on the comfy seat, he draped the blanket over both of their laps. He saw one of the waitstaff standing discreetly out of the way and signaled the man to bring their meal.
As the food and a table were arranged in front of them, he stretched his arm behind her on the bench and leaned in. The clean floral scent of her perfume surrounded him. He closed his eyes, reminded of a spring day in the mountains near his home in California.
“I didn’t ask if you had any dietary needs,” he said.
“None,” she admitted. “Healthy as a horse.”
She shook her head and covered her mouth with one hand. “Maybe this would be more romantic if I didn’t talk.”
“Not at all. I like hearing you talk. So you think this is romantic?”
She gave him a sardonic look. “As if you didn’t know. Yes, any woman worth her salt would think this was romantic.”
“What’s the problem then?” he asked, because there was definitely something more going on here.
“Just me being me. When I’m in a setting like this, I want to be perfect and all the ways that I’m not seem to make me stumble. I’m sorry... I want to be the glamorous sort of girl who’d fit right in here, but I’m going to say dumb things.”
“No, you’re not,” he said softly.
“Trust me—I am.”
“Honey, you’re going to say things that are going to show me who you really are.” Turning toward her, he stared into her captivating blue eyes. “Besides, I’m not interested in someone who is pretending to be perfect.”
* * *
PENNY ENJOYED THE dinner that Will had ordered. It was just a smorgasbord of meats and cheese and artisanal breads from the Park City Bakery. But what made the dinner so lovely was Will. He was funny and urbane. Obviously well-traveled and cultured.
Being with him made her realize how lacking Butch had been in those departments. He put her at ease. Made her feel like it was okay to be herself. And for the first time since she’d learned Butch was married, she felt a spark of hope.
“You look very determined,” Will said as he finished off the last of a cheese straw.
“Do I? I was hoping to look intriguing,” she said with a self-deprecating laugh.
“It’s hard when you keep laughing. Femme fatales don’t laugh,” he said.
“They don’t? I’ve met a few spies and they do laugh,” she said.
“Do they? How do you know they were spies? Maybe they were just pretending,” he said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. My mom is a lobbyist so I’ve met all kinds of people in DC. Speaking of which...what do you do? You haven’t said.”
“Sorry to say, I’m not a spy. In fact, I’m in commodities, so not even a really exciting job.”
“I don’t know that that means. Are you a trader?”
“More of a speculative investor. Commodities are things so I invest in things, not in people or ideas.”
“Interesting,” she said, still having no idea what he did.
He laughed. “I spend a lot of time on the internet doing research and reading company profiles before deciding if I should invest in them and their products.”
“Is it profitable?”
“Usually,” he said. “What do you do?”
“I’m sort of between jobs at the moment. I was the senior event planner for Papillion Clothiers,” she said.
“Interesting,” he said with a half grin.
She arched a brow. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what that is.”
“I’ve heard of Papillion and I know what an event planner does, but I’m struggling to put the two together.”
“Mostly I plan events around the various fashion weeks for our high-end clients,” she said.
He glanced at her curiously. “Do you like it?”
“I love it. Clothes and parties, what more could a girl ask for?”
“Truly? Is that all it takes to make you happy?” he asked quietly.
Suddenly, she didn’t feel like being light and pretending everything was perfect, but she knew she had to keep up the charade. No matter that he made her feel like it was okay to be herself. The past had taught her it wasn’t. “Most days. Especially at work. It’s a world I enjoy and I like getting paid for it.”
“But in your personal life?”
“I like clothes and parties in that, too, but that’s not all I need to be happy,” she told him.
“What is?”
“I think defining happiness isn’t a first-date subject,” she said evasively.
“Is that so?” He leaned in closer and the scent of his spicy aftershave surrounded her. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s not a better time.”
“Why?”
“Because we don’t know each other well enough to put up barriers. Right now there is just potential and we can be as honest with each other as we want to be.”
“Okay, then. What makes you happy?” she asked. “If you want to do this, then you can go first.”
“Touché,” he said.
“It’s harder than you thought it would be, isn’t it?”
“Not at all. I’m just not all that into happiness. I’m more a contentment sort of guy,” he replied.
“Really? Why is that?”
Will shrugged his broad shoulders and gave her an inscrutable look. “Happiness is a chimera. Something shimmering in the distance that most of us keep striving toward but never really reach. But contentment is easier. I mean, right now I’ve had a nice dinner with a very beautiful woman in front of a roaring fire. Nothing could be simpler than that.”
Penny thought about what he’d said. There was more truth to it than she wanted there to be. He’d been honest and now she had to be, too. She owed it to the man who saw happiness dancing just out of his reach to stop pretending to be something she wasn’t. Ultimately, she knew that she couldn’t make another person happy. She never had been able to do it and doubted that in this moment with this man it would be any different. Contentment was all he was aiming for and she suspected she could manage at least that, but a part of her wanted more.
“I don’t know if I buy into that. I’ve been truly happy at times, usually with my friends when I can let my guard down and be myself,” she admitted.
“Are you being yourself now?” he asked softly.
“I am. Coming off a bad relationship makes it so clear to me that I can’t stomach lies,” she said.
Then wished she hadn’t.
“I can’t, either,” he admitted. “Which is why I have a proposition for you.”
She looked at him, trying to read the expression in his blue eyes, but in the flickering light of the fire that wasn’t easy.
“I’m listening.”
He rubbed his chin and gave her a rueful grin. “Don’t take this the wrong way.”
“Um...if you keep hedging, I’m not going to have much of a choice.”
“I have a theory that has served me well most of my adult life about relationships and it’s that the maximum time for them is two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” Great. Sounded like he was another guy who wasn’t for her. But at least he was being honest. “Go on.”
“Before I do, there is something I want to make sure of first.”
He put his arm around her shoulder. Drew her closer to him, and she let him. Given that this might be their one and only date, she wanted to go for it.
Their eyes met and held, and she couldn’t look away from his intense blue eyes and the expression in them. Whatever he meant by two weeks she wanted to know more. His breath brushed over her lips as he exhaled and he lowered his head slowly, giving her a chance to retreat, but she didn’t want to back away.
She wanted his kiss. But she needed some answers first.
3 (#ub9b12f0c-4326-52d8-b963-1c62d4251ac0)
PENNY PUT HER hand on his jaw and felt the stubble of his five o’clock shadow. She liked the way it abraded her fingertips and she sighed.
“Sex. That’s what you’re proposing, isn’t it?” she asked, withdrawing her hand from him and getting to her feet.
Penny shivered a little bit from the cold but stood her ground. She’d never been wishy-washy in her life. Even with her bad relationships, she’d gone into them with her eyes open.
“No. I’m talking about the fact that we both know we’re going home in two weeks. It would be silly to pretend we didn’t.”
“Go on, I’m listening,” she said as her teeth chattered.
She got back under the blanket and he tucked it around her. He smiled at her—it was tentative and roguishly charming, and she had to smile back. “The next two weeks, leading up to Christmas and then New Year’s Eve, we spend together. We do all the things that couples do and we enjoy it.”
She nodded, trying to be analytical about it, to treat Will as if he were a businessman pitching an idea to her. “What’s the catch?”
“That we both know it ends on New Year’s Eve. That this is just temporary. To pretend this could be anything else is a lie.”
She thought about it. She’d had her fill of lies that were told to her by men. “So you’re proposing a vacation fling?”
“No, a Christmas affair...a sort of gift to each other,” he said. “Unless you’re not interested in me.”
“I almost kissed you,” she reminded him.
“The almost is the part that I’m concerned about,” he said, frowning slightly.
“You kind of said you had a proposition for me. I needed to see what you meant before I took this any further.” She hitched in a breath. “But for the sake of argument, why not try to make this into something real? Don’t you believe in love at first sight?” she asked. “I know not everyone does, but some people do.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and reached for his drink, taking a couple of swallows before looking her in the eyes. She knew stalling when she saw it.
“No lies,” she said. “That’s my rule if we even consider doing this. I don’t care if it will hurt my feelings or if it’s too raw for you. I will not tolerate any falsehoods.”
“I think there is a story there,” he said wryly.
“You haven’t convinced me you should hear it yet,” she retorted. “But it involves Jerk Butt Face.”
He laughed. “I am not good at relationships. Courtship and romance I can do—no problem—but the heavy-duty lifetime-together crap, not so much.”
She arched her eyebrow at him. “Might have something to do with the fact that you call it crap.”
“Might be. But experience has taught me two weeks is my maximum,” he said.
She wanted to know more about that but didn’t push. He offered her something temporary. “You’re proposing that we just both go into this with our eyes open. Have a great time and keep it light?”
It seemed almost too good to be true, but she was tempted. She needed something to make her remember all the things she loved about her life. And all the things she liked about being with a man.
Before Butch had come along and made her feel nothing but bitter resentment... “Yes,” he said. “That’s precisely what I’m looking for. But I’ll understand if this isn’t for you. Not everyone is good at compartmentalizing.”
“I take it you are?” she asked.
“I am. But as you said, we don’t know each other well enough to go into all that.”
“The nice thing about what you’re offering is that we don’t have to. I don’t have to try to make you into the man of my dreams.”
“No, but I wouldn’t mind being the man of your fantasies.” His voice dropped a seductive notch. “I find that when women and men are too focused on making ‘it’ work, they lose out on experiencing all the things they truly want.”
Boy, was that the truth. She hadn’t been too pushy with Butch because he was her boss, but also because he had seemed like a nice normal guy. She’d called that wrong.
“Can I have some time to think about it?” she asked, biting her lip.
“You can, but we only have two weeks,” he reminded her. “So don’t take too long.”
That was true. But— No, no buts, she thought. Thinking and weighing the pros and cons had netted her a holiday by herself. The gift she’d really wanted was a sexy man to share it with. Will was offering her that very thing.
It was only her fear that was keeping her from leaping into it. She didn’t want to make another mistake. Who did?
“I have arranged for a little surprise for you,” he said, breaking into her thoughts. “Why don’t you think it over and meet me in the lobby under the mistletoe in thirty minutes if you’re interested.”
“What kind of surprise?” she asked, but she already realized that she liked his surprises.
“An outdoor one, so you might want to get changed,” he said.
“What if I don’t show up?” Penny asked. She tried to imagine him standing there waiting for her. No guy she’d dated in the past would have done that, would have left themselves so obviously open to being stood up. “Won’t you feel silly standing there?”
“Not at all. I’ll feel like a man who missed out on knowing a very special woman. I hope you’ll take the chance and let me make this a Christmas we can both remember.”
* * *
PENNY WASN’T TOO sure about Will or letting herself know him any better. Two weeks sounded fun in theory, but the truth was that she wasn’t always supersmart when it came to love. She fell for all those losers and the sweet promises they made—but seldom kept—because inside she desperately wanted to be loved.
She knew it. Her therapist had confirmed it. And let’s face it, all those bad boyfriends over the years had just reinforced it.
But Will was different. He wasn’t making her any promises. All he’d said was, Let’s be each other’s Christmas present. Meet under the mistletoe to accept. And now she stood in the corner of the Lodge’s big reception area, waiting to see if he was going to show up.
She’d taken her time with her hair and makeup, wore a pair of slim-fitting black pants and a cream-colored silk top that showed off her curves. She looked her best. But now she just had to believe in herself. That was part of why she kept falling for those guys who couldn’t give her what she needed.
But believing in herself in a relationship was always a slippery slope.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Will said, coming up behind her.
She flushed and turned toward him. A few snowflakes still clung to his thick brown hair, and his bangs fell forward, brushing his face. His blue eyes were bright, but she noticed that he was watching her carefully.
He wore dark jeans and an olive green sweater that accentuated his muscular physique and broad shoulders. A few snowflakes still clung to his thick brown hair and his bangs fell forward, brushing his face.
“Hello.” She reached up on the premise of brushing the snow away but really just wanted to touch his hair.
“Are you waiting for me? Or hiding?”
“Neither,” she said. “Just giving myself a swift mental kick in the attitude.”
“Why is that?” he asked.
“I’m not sure about you yet, Will. I don’t have a good track record with men—something we’ve discussed. And I have to be honest here, you are almost too good to be true.”
“A sort of Christmas miracle?”
She had to laugh at the way he said it. He had enough confidence for both of them.
“I haven’t decided yet. You could be a mean old Jack Frost just blowing chilly air and leaving ice in your path.”
He gave her an enigmatic look as he peered down at her. “I have no way to prove I’m not. But we both know the girl who threw her phone in the snowbank wants to take a chance on me. So I’m going to go stand under that mistletoe and wait.”
He walked away, his stride long and confident, those jeans still hugging his butt. Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Christmas Canon” played in the background and Penny stood there, hesitating for a second before she realized that she wanted Will. Wanted him enough that she was going to go for it.
He’d said two weeks was the optimum time to just enjoy each other, and she was going to just have to take him at his word. Besides, Will seemed like the perfect sort of Christmas surprise that she couldn’t wait to unwrap.
She walked slowly toward him, the music dipping and swelling, the scent of the large pine Christmas tree in the lobby filling the air. Her courage and her hope were building with each step.
She stopped right in front of him and he gave her a cocky grin. “Knew you couldn’t resist me.”
“Maybe I just felt bad for you standing all alone under the mistletoe,” she said, leaning in to kiss him.
His mouth was soft and firm as his lips moved under hers. With their breaths mingling together, sheer physical need inundated her senses. She felt the tip of his tongue brush against her lips, then gently part them. Shivers ran down her spine until she forgot everything except this man. Will.
He put his hands on her waist to draw her closer, but she broke the kiss and stepped back. Just because she’d decided to take a chance on him didn’t mean she was going to lose her head. She was going to keep her attraction to him under control.
“What was that?”
“A kiss,” she said.
“A pity kiss? I expected more from you,” he said.
“You’re going to have to show me a little more of the man who thinks two weeks is enough time to get to know someone.”
“Fair enough. I have a surprise for you,” he said, sliding his hands up her back and pulling her into his arms for a more thorough kiss. He took his time with it and she was struck with how good he tasted. It wasn’t just the fresh taste of his mouthwash; it was more than that. Something that seemed to stem entirely from Will.
He angled his head to the side and thrust his tongue deeper. She lifted her hands and framed his face with them. Spread her fingers over his five-o’clock shadow and then drew back.
“Where’s this surprise?” she asked, even though she wanted to pull him into a nice private corner and have her way with him. Keep kissing him until they were both so turned on that they could forget about everything except each other.
“Outside. Did you bring a coat?”
“I did,” she said.
She’d left it at the coat check and they walked over to get both of their coats. Then he led her out the door, which led to the ski slopes and outdoor area with fire pits and trails. A chill wind blew a light snow around them as they walked. Her neck was cold and she wished she’d brought a hat with her, but she’d forsaken it for vanity’s sake—so her hair would look good.
Warm sounded better than nice hair at this moment, however. She turned her collar up around the back of her neck and shoved her hands deeper into her pockets.
“Damn, it’s cold. We’ll be warm in a few minutes,” Will said. “Wait right here.”
She watched as he strode away in the lightly falling snow. She almost felt the first tingles of that same worry that had bothered her in the lobby but she pushed it to the back of her mind. She’d made her decision. She had two weeks of just being with Will before she had to deal with the fallout from it.
* * *
THE SLEIGH WAS big and looked like it had come from a scene from one of the Currier and Ives lithographs that had hung in her grandparents’ hallway when she’d been little. The driver introduced himself to them and as Will talked to him, Penny moved to the front of the sleigh to get a closer look at the horses.
She’d grown up back East in a fairly suburban area, but her best friend growing up had been raised on a horse ranch and Penny had always loved the animals.
“Ready?” Will asked.
She nodded, even though she felt a little nervous. Hell, after the way her last relationship had broken down who would blame her...but she’d made her decision and it was time to enjoy it.
“This is for you,” he said.
“I didn’t get you anything,” she responded, taking the long square box that was wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with a simple red bow.
“You can owe me,” he said with a wink.
“Have you done this a hundred times before?”
“It’s a little unflattering you think I’m old enough to have experienced a hundred Christmases,” he said flippantly.
“You know what I meant.” Penny held the package with one hand and just watched him, wondering if he’d been serious about not lying. She was sorely tempted to embark on a red-hot affair with this handsome stranger, but if he was going to hedge and evade questions, she’d call the whole thing off.
“I do. And to answer your question—no, this isn’t my normal MO. But I have had two-week affairs before. As I mentioned earlier, I pretty much don’t do long-term.”
She nodded. “Should I open this gift now?”
“Yes. The driver has gone to get the hot cocoa I ordered.”
Penny turned the box over in her hands. Her first present from Will. She untied the red ribbon and took a moment to slip it in her pocket. It was that soft fabric kind. Then she carefully undid the wrapping paper.
“I’ve never seen anyone take as long to open a present.”
She laughed. “Sorry about that. I like to savor things.”
He reached over, pulling off his glove, and touched the side of her face. His hand was warm against her skin. “Me, too.”
She leaned over and kissed him, just a quick brushing of lips before removing the rest of the paper. He took it from her and wadded it up in his hand and tossed the ball of wrapping into the nearby trash bin. “Open it.”
She took the lid off the box and pushed the tissue paper aside to reveal a pretty, thick wool scarf. The colors were soft and muted, almost like the sky just after dawn. The wool was so soft that she couldn’t stop touching it. It was an exquisite gift. “Thank you.”
He nodded then reached into the box and took out the scarf. He stepped closer to her and wrapped it around her neck, tying it carefully before pulling her hair from the back where it had gotten trapped by the fabric.
“I really like it,” she said.
He cupped her face and tipped her head up so that their eyes met. Even in the darkness his were still brilliantly blue. “I really like you.”
He kissed her then, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. Passion built inside her as his mouth moved over hers. His tongue was gentle but firm as he thrust it into her mouth and she dropped the box to the ground to reach for him. Putting her arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him close to her, she reveled in his power and strength. His chest was solid against hers even through the layers of their winter coats. And the snow that fell lightly around them was a counterpoint to the heat they generated.
He wrenched his lips from hers and then dropped a series of soft kisses on her face before he stepped back and bent to retrieve the box she’d dropped. He walked over to toss it in the trashcan. As he slowly headed back toward her, she watched the way he moved, with that confident stride and the languid grace of a man sure of himself and his woman. His woman. She had pretty much agreed to be that. Penny rubbed her lips, which still tingled from his kiss. She was electrified from his touch. Couldn’t wait for him to kiss her again and to see how this evening turned out. What kind of lover would he be?
“Why are you watching me?”
“I like the way you move,” she said, getting more excited by the prospect of this Christmas romance. There was no pressure to be what he wanted so they could make things work out. There was nothing for her to do except enjoy her time with him. Something about him just made her feel warm inside. When he was just a few feet away, she leaped toward him and saw a look of surprise before he opened his arms to catch her.
She laughed as he hugged her close and spun her around. She threw her head back as the snowflakes fell on her face and she released all the past hurts and emotional baggage that she normally carried with her. For this Christmas, she was ready to let go and enjoy it.
He slowly lowered her down the length of his body and she kissed him with all the fierce desire building up inside of her. She couldn’t believe that it had only been this morning when she’d met him.
Savoring the moment, the feel of his lips ravaging hers, she marveled at how someone’s world could change that quickly. How a chance encounter could completely make her open her eyes to a world she had never realized existed until now.
“I guess you like the scarf,” he said wryly as he put her on her feet.
“I do. But I like you more. I think this is going to be the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time.”
“Me, too,” he murmured.
The attendant returned and the driver climbed into the front of the carriage while she and Will were seated in the back. The blankets they had for their legs were thick and woven in a traditional red, green and gold plaid. They were handed a thermos and two insulated mugs for their drinks, which were stowed in a small basket on the floor.
“Ready?” the driver asked.
They nodded and the sleigh took off, pulling them through the snow with only the sounds of their breathing, the bells on the horses’ necks and the whistle of the blades over the snow to accompany them.
4 (#ub9b12f0c-4326-52d8-b963-1c62d4251ac0)
WILL WRAPPED HIS arm around Penny as the sleigh traveled over the path in the moonlight. The snow had stopped falling and the trees on either side of them were all aglow with white lights that made the snow twinkle as they moved past it. The high back of the sleigh kept them protected from the wind.
He hadn’t expected his present to generate the reaction it had from her. She was cute and sexy and all signs pointed to her being everything he wanted in a lover. But he’d felt something else when she’d thanked him for the scarf.
A stirring of unfamiliar emotion that had been so intense he’d had to force it back down inside himself. He wanted Penny, he reiterated to himself. He was going to enjoy Christmas with a woman instead of by himself, but that was it.
“Do you know how to pick out any of the stars?” Penny asked, jarring him out of his thoughts. “I’ve always really liked looking up at them, but I’m afraid I can’t ever pick any of the constellations out.”
He tipped his head back, gazing up at the sky. “I know the basic ones. Like right there is the Little Dipper.”
He pointed to it.
She looked up. “Do you see the star the wise men followed?”
“I can’t really, but I bet we could find a bright star that would work.”
“Or we could each find a star that is leading us,” she said. “My mom used to do that whenever we couldn’t find an answer. Or if we didn’t have a tradition, she’d say let’s make up something we both like.”
He liked the sound of her mom. He’d come to terms with the fact that he’d never have that kind of family. His parents’ death in a car crash had left him set for life financially, but there were times when he was reminded of the stuff he’d missed out on. Penny made him want to have that. She was spontaneous, he realized. The phone throwing, the jumping into his arms...
Did she always leap like that?
“Have you ever followed something like a star?” he asked curiously. It seemed like something she’d do. “Just took off believing it would lead you to something special?”
“No... Well, that’s not true. One time I followed a dog I spotted after school. Every day after that, for a straight week, it waited for me outside of my classroom. I thought it was a stray and that maybe I could keep him.”
She turned to face him, her pretty gaze serious, and she licked her pink lips. His eyes tracked the movement and his blood flowed thicker in his veins. “What happened next?”
“When I approached the dog it sort of took off, not running but just heading somewhere. I had saved half of my sandwich at lunch so I could sort of bribe the dog. It was a cute little poodle and in my head I’d named it Fifi.”
“Sounds like you had a plan,” he said.
“And a big imagination. It’s part of the reason I’m good at creating events,” she said. “So I followed Fifi and she turned down my street. I was eight at the time so please don’t think this is too lame.”
“I’d never think you were lame,” he said, enjoying the way she told the story. Seeing how her eyes sparkled and hearing that note of excitement and joy in her voice was truly infectious.
“Okay, I was so excited. Fifi trotted past my house, but instead of stopping at my place, she ran straight past it. I followed her round the corner and saw her disappear through a redbrick house with a doggy door.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t get your dog,” he said.
She laughed good-naturedly. “I was so disappointed, but it wasn’t meant to be. I did have a fun adventure following the dog, though. And my mom got us a cute miniature dachshund when I told her the story.” He thought about Penny’s story. He’d never been that aware of his environment, sure he’d followed things on the internet, but in the real world he tended to just keep his head down and move forward. He couldn’t remember ever being different even as a child.
“That’s sweet.”
“Thanks,” she said. “She was good about making sure I had what I wanted. Not that I was spoiled or anything.”
His lips twitched with humor. “Sure you weren’t.”
“It’s hard to not be a little spoiled when you’re the only child,” she admitted with a cheeky grin.
“What about you? Spoiled? Siblings?” she asked.
“Only child, as well.”
She arched her eyebrow at him. “We both are used to getting our way, then. That could make things interesting.”
“I wasn’t spoiled,” he said. He left it at that. He didn’t want to talk about his parents’ deaths or being raised by distant relatives. It created an image that he wasn’t comfortable sharing with her. They were temporary playmates, nothing more.
“Did you ever follow anything home?”
“No. I’m usually very focused on getting what I want. Instead of following dogs or stars, I’d use my computer and do a load of research before starting out.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sounds kind of boring.”
“Perhaps, but I don’t waste time and I get my end result every single time. I try to eliminate all the variables so I don’t have to deal with surprises.”
“But surprises are the best part of life,” she said.
“That hasn’t been my experience.”
Shaking her head at him, she countered, “That’s not true.”
He gave her a look from under his eyelashes.
She punched him playfully in the shoulder. “You’re wrong. Today I bet you weren’t expecting an iPhone to come flying through the air at you.”
She had him there. She knew it, too—he saw it on her face. “That’s true.”
“Also you didn’t expect that I’d be so intriguing,” she said.
Right again. He definitely hadn’t expected Penny, and he was learning that even though he’d thought he’d managed all the variables with this Christmas liaison, perhaps he had forgotten something very important. The Penny factor.
* * *
SHE WAS HAVING FUN—despite the fact that after the past few months, the stress of quitting her job and hoping for a new one, she still hadn’t gotten the call she’d been hoping for today. But given that the East Coast was two hours ahead of them, she doubted they would be calling before tomorrow.
Her real life was still a mess but tonight that didn’t seem to matter as much. Will had wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tucked her against his side. He had gone quiet after she’d told him about Fifi but maybe he was thinking...who knew what. The bells of the horses rang across the empty fields as they continued their ride, and she felt the hope and joy of the season all around her.
Suddenly, she found herself humming the beginning of “Jingle Bells” under her breath. The song was stuck in her head now. Ugh. She couldn’t start singing. Wouldn’t let herself do that.
But there it was.
“Dashing through the snow,” Will said, under his breath, too.
She tipped her head back and started laughing. “Is that song also in your head?”
“It’s impossible for it not to be. We are in the middle of a freakin’ Norman Rockwell Christmas scene.”
“I would have said Currier and Ives.”
He shook his head. “You like to argue, don’t you?”
She thought about that for a long minute. She did have to always make sure she had her own opinion. “I never thought of it that way. I just want to make sure I’m standing on my own, not following someone else.”
“Me, too. And this is definitely Norman Rockwell. You’ll never convince me otherwise.”
“Are you sure?”
“How could you possibly? I’ve made my mind up and I never change it,” he said.
“Never? Are you sure about that?”
He nodded. “I can promise you I will never change my mind. Once a decision has been made I stick to it.”
“Duly noted,” she said. It was something that she might see as a red flag if they were going to date long-term, but for two weeks...what did that matter? “Jingle bells, jingle bells...”
He squeezed her close, putting his finger under her chin, and when he tipped her head back, she looked up at the strong line of his jaw. There was a tiny birthmark under his chin. Something she wouldn’t have noticed if they hadn’t been sitting so close. She reached up and touched it.
“Beauty mark,” she said.
“Beauty?”
“That’s what my mom always calls them. She has one that looks like a strawberry along her neck, and she says it’s a mark of inner beauty.” Penny missed her mom but she was in the Caribbean with her new husband celebrating the holidays. Exhaling softly, she stroked his neck. It was strong and had the tiniest bit of beard stubble on it. His light brown hair brushed the side of his face and she pushed it out of the way.
“No one has ever suggested there was anything beautiful about me,” he said gruffly.
She looked into those incredible blue eyes of his and wondered about this man. She had a bunch of questions about his past. What had shaped him into the person he was today? Why would anyone be satisfied with two-week relationships?
But she kept those questions to herself. “You have to know you are a very beautiful man.”
“Rugged maybe. And I get charming a lot...but beauty? Nah.” She understood where he was coming from. But there was something about his confidence and the way he pushed her to take him on his terms that contributed to what she saw when she looked at him.
Or at least what she saw now, on this magical snow ride. “Well, we can agree to disagree.”
“Which we’ve already established you like to do,” he said, winking at her.
She pretended to elbow him in the gut. Playing around to control her emotions so she didn’t let things turn too serious. “Keep it up and I’ll show you what a fierce competitor I can be.”
“Are you one?”
She shrugged. “I sometimes say it doesn’t really matter to me if I win, but it does. I hate losing. Not that I want to beat anyone else—I just like being right.”
She laughed and so did he.
“Me, too.” He rubbed his chin on the top of her head and held her lightly in his arms.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered.
Their sleigh ride was getting close to its end and the snow started to fall a little more heavily. They huddled together but the snow was cold as it fell on them. Will maneuvered around and pulled the blanket up over their backs and then their heads. She looked at him and realized how safe he’d made her feel tonight.
Not just physically safe, but emotionally. He’d listened to her and didn’t judge her. Just let her be who she was. Probably because they weren’t trying to impress each other. Though, frankly, he’d more than done that with dinner, the gift and this sleigh ride. She had relaxed her guard.
He kissed the tip of her nose as they returned to the Lodge. “Thank you for making this a very special night.”
She shook her head in bewilderment. “How have I done that?”
“By sharing your stories and that sparkle that I think might just be you.”
“I sparkle?” she asked with a giggle. “Did you really just say that?”
He freed them both from the blanket and stood up, holding his hand out to her. She took it and he helped her to her feet and then out of the sleigh.
She stood to one side as he thanked the driver and tipped him and then turned back to her. The snow still fell over him, making him look even more strikingly handsome, and for a moment she wondered if she might have made a huge mistake. This arrangement was just supposed to be about having fun, but she saw signs that Will might be the kind of man she wanted in her life for a lot longer than one Christmas.
* * *
TWO DAYS LATER, Will walked through the quaint Park City streets looking for some new ski gear. He and Penny had said good-night at her front door after their sleigh ride and he’d walked away without a kiss. But the ride hadn’t gone exactly to plan. He had meant it as a prelude to seduction but the truth was he liked her. She stirred things deep inside him that he liked to pretend he never felt and didn’t care about.
But that was a lie.
He’d always been one of those men who knew where he was going. When he’d gotten out of rehab, he’d made choices that had pointed him toward his future. He eliminated all the things that were enablers for him.
First order of business: he’d stopped partying 24/7 and started working. A part of him found it surprising that he had the golden touch when it came to making money. But he had found his niche and that was enough for him. However, two nights ago, he’d felt like that had begun to change. He hadn’t slept well since then and he wondered if he would again.
And it was all her fault.
As Will continued his stroll through the town, he paused at the corner where a mural of the Wasatch Mountain Range was on the side of Fresh Sno’s retail store. It was really well done.
“Nice picture, eh?”
He glanced over his shoulder to see Penny standing there. She had a Fresh Sno bag in one hand. Her blond hair was hanging around her shoulders under a pink knit hat. Her coat was a deep turquoise wool and she had it buttoned to the top with the scarf he’d given her wrapped around her neck.
“Yes, it is. Are you following me?” he asked with a grin. For the first time in a long time, he was struggling to keep his flirtations light. He knew that was a danger sign. It might be better for both of them if he just walked away now. They hadn’t even slept together. No harm, no foul.
“Following you? No, not at all. I decided I need a little retail therapy and my friend Bradley owns this place. He’s the guy half of my cutesy friend couple. I stopped by to get some new ski gear. Want to join me on the slopes?”
Just like that, she made it seem normal that he hadn’t talked to her in one entire day. They had only a limited number of days to spend together and he’d wasted one.
“Sorry about not being able to see you yesterday.” He’d sent her a note via the hotel concierge desk that he’d had to work.
“It’s fine. To be honest, this arrangement is harder for me than I thought it would be. But I understand about having work commitments so it’s not a big deal.” She spared him a look. “Of course, if we were a real couple, it might have bothered me. But that’s clearly not the case...”
Work had been a convenient excuse, but he’d needed distance and now he regretted it. He’d never been a coward— Ha! his conscience jibed. Alcohol had been his crutch a long time ago and now it seemed like Penny was.
“Any word from the people in New York on your new job?” he asked.
“Just that they were still weighing their options and would be getting back to me in the new year. So I have nothing else to do in the meantime.” She flashed him a coy look. “And the way I see it, I have two options here. I can either distract myself by having fun with you, or I can just relive my interview over and over again, trying to come up with all the things I could have done better.”
He was willing to bet she’d wowed them. Penny had that thing that made people notice her. Made her stand out.
“I don’t want to be responsible for all that misery,” he deadpanned. “So skiing? That’s your idea for today?”
“Yes. I’m not an expert at it, and I’m certainly not very daring, but I do like to spend a few hours on the slopes. Want to join me?”
“I would enjoy that. But I could use some new ski gear, too,” he said. “That’s why I’m here at Fresh Sno. I’ve heard about the brand and directed several of my investment clients toward them, so I thought I’d check out their retail space.”
“I’ll leave you to your shopping, then. Want to meet me at the ski rental at the Lodge in two hours?” She was being more cautious with him today. But then in the light of day that wasn’t too surprising. Night seemed to be the time for daring.
“Want to join me? Where else are you going?”
“That kitchen shop up the block. I need some sprinkles for cookies,” she said.
“I think the ones at the Lodge’s bakery come with sprinkles.”
She flashed a grin. “They do, wise guy, but I’m making my own. I mean you have to bake cookies at Christmas. I think it’s a law or something.”
“I’ve never done it. I hope the cops don’t find out,” he said.
“You’re kidding, right?”
He shook his head.
“That’s sad, Will. Really sad. You’ve spent your whole life missing out on eating the batter and broken cookies.”
He wrinkled his nose. “I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.”
She nodded. “Well, it is. I’m not baking cookies until Saturday. Want to come to my place and help me?”
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll do that. Which kitchen store are you going to?”
She pointed to the big chain kitchen store down the block. The streets were draped with festive garland. “If you meet me there after you get your ski gear, you can pick out a couple of cookie cutters, too.”
He nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
She smiled at him. “Later then.”
He stood where he was, watching her walk away and wondering when he’d lost control of this affair. He had a feeling that it had started the moment her cell phone had come flying out of nowhere. As soon as he’d seen that pink jewel-covered case, and those long legs, he should have run in the opposite direction.
She was different than what he was used to. He didn’t know if that would have any impact on him, but he hoped not. He didn’t want his world to change.
Change. It was the one thing he feared the most. But he was coming to realize that there was a certain thrill in facing his fears, and he certainly wasn’t ready to throw in the towel where Penny was concerned.
5 (#ub9b12f0c-4326-52d8-b963-1c62d4251ac0)
THE KITCHEN STORE was jam-packed with high-end appliances and prepackaged baking mixes. But what Penny was interested in wasn’t the baking section. Why hadn’t Will ever baked Christmas cookies? She didn’t mean as a man, but as a kid. Even her co-workers all had stories, men and women alike, of being in the kitchen at the holidays. Even if they didn’t bake them, most men stood in the kitchen, pretended to decorate and ate them fresh out of the oven.
It was one of those things she and her mom had made a tradition of when Penny was about ten. Prior to that, they’d bought cookies from a small mom-and-pop place that was a few blocks from their house. But the bakery had closed since the couple wanted to retire and move to Florida, so her mother had suggested they make their own. Penny had a chuckle at the way they’d both been very unskilled at first, but over the years, they had gotten a lot better. Still smiling to herself, she browsed the baking section. Her chalet had a small kitchen with a tiny oven so she took a few moments to get all the necessities.
“Is an elf going to be cooking with you?” Will said as he joined her like they’d agreed. He reached into her basket to remove the small spatula she’d just tossed in her bag.
“No, silly. That’s a cookie spatula—it enables you to get the cookies from the tray without scrunching them up.”
He furrowed his dark brow. “Interesting. What kind of cookies are you making?”
“We are making a basic sugar-cookie dough and then rolling it out, cutting it into cookies, baking them and then frosting them.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” he said with a grimace. “I think I might have to wait for the eating them part. Maybe just supervise you working...”
“Are you good at supervising?”
“If I’m honest?”
Penny nodded but was only half listening to his answer. She bit her lower lip as she looked at him, with his thick brown hair falling loosely around his face and scarf tied nonchalantly around his neck. Part of her wished she’d just invited him back to her chalet two nights ago. Got rid of the desire that made it impossible for her to do anything but watch his lips move and wonder how they’d feel on her skin.
She wanted him. She’d dreamed of him in her bed last night. And she knew that today, unless he really screwed up, somehow she was going to have him there. Two days were gone of her fourteen with him. She didn’t want to waste another second like she had yesterday by giving him space to work. She was in as much control of this affair as he was.
“What?” she asked, upon realizing he’d stopped talking and was staring at her.
“I said I’m not good at supervising but I can tell you are. Are you okay?”
She tipped her head to the side. “I’m...fine. I was just, uh, looking at your hair and wondering how it would feel between my fingers. I really didn’t get to touch it when we were on our sleigh ride because I had my gloves on.”
His eyes darkened and he stepped closer to her in the busy shop. No one was paying them the least bit of attention, as they were all busy getting their own purchases made. He stood pressed against her front, the cookie- cutter baskets to her back, and he put his hands lightly on her waist, bringing his face so close to her that each exhalation of his breath brushed over her mouth.
His breath was minty again, his aftershave outdoorsy, and she breathed it all in. Breathed him in. Closed her eyes and tried to make a sense memory that she could carry with her forever. But then she forced her eyes open. Not forever. Just for Christmas.
“Touch it now,” he said.
She lifted her hand and tangled her fingers in the thick, rich strands of his dark hair. It was cool from him being outdoors without a hat on and a few snowflakes that hadn’t melted were caught in it. She pulled her fingers downward, letting the strands spread out and then fall back against his head.
He had his eyes half-closed and watched her carefully. She felt her pulse racing and her blood seemed to be pumping a lot faster. She wanted him.
Penny licked her lips, which felt dry, and noticed he tracked the movement with his half-hooded gaze. She felt his hands in her hair, slowly winding a lock around his finger before letting it go. They he cupped the back of her head, spread his fingers out and angled her head before he brought his mouth down on hers.
The kiss was quick and hot. Full of passion and promise, determination and desire. He wanted her, too.
He pulled back and her lips were tingling and every nerve in her body awakened. Suddenly skiing and baking cookies didn’t seem like anything she had to do today. She wanted to find a private place and rip his clothes off. Explore the rest of his body and then take him and make him hers.
Someone bumped into them and Penny looked down into the face of a five-year-old girl with a gap-toothed grin.
“I’m looking for a princess cookie cutter,” she said. “Can you help me?”
Will laughed and stepped back, crouching next to the little girl to start searching in the baskets with her. And Penny took several breaths to try to feel normal again, but as she picked through the cookie cutters, she had a sinking feeling that she wasn’t going to find her way back to normal that easily.
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