A Billionaire's Christmas (The Carolina Series Book 4)

by Jill Downey

  “Yes, of course.” Archie snuggled against her neck as they went to find her aunt. She returned shortly with Josie in tow.

  Malena looked at Tyler with adoring eyes. “Aunt Josie, Tyler is going to play guitar for us. It’s my favorite instrument,” she said, dreamily.

  Tyler flashed a grin. “I’ll have to make sure to play something just for you later.”

  She smiled shyly, “Gracias.”

  “Don’t look at me like that in a crowd. It could get us in some major trouble,” he said, and she blushed.

  “Don’t let Finn hear you talking like that. He already left the room earlier because Jesse was sweet-talking me,” Faye said.

  “What’d I do?” Finn said, returning with a guitar.

  “It probably needs tuned. I haven’t played it in a while,” Griffin said.

  Tyler sat at the piano so he could use it for a reference pitch. He plucked the sixth string and adjusted it to the note E on the piano. He continued with the rest of the strings until he was satisfied that it was in tune. Then he strummed it and hummed along, his eyes searching for Malena.

  Penelope felt a moment of compassion for Malena. She didn’t stand a chance. Tyler was like a tsunami when he put his mind to something and he was in full-blown seduction mode. It was obvious to everyone that he’d already succeeded. One look at her burning dark eyes as she met his gaze told the whole story. They were falling hard. Good for them. She loved them both and she approved.

  She happened to catch the senior Bennett scrutinizing Tyler, looking very displeased. Wasn’t he ever young once?

  Tyler started playing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and the kids stopped everything to watch wide-eyed as he strummed and sang the playful lyrics. Everly and Quinn started bouncing and clapping their hands, and Finn dove down beside them egging them on.

  “He knows if you’ve been bad or good…” Finn sang, waving his finger at Everly and laughing.

  Griffin and Kyle waited until Ty finished, then kicked him off the piano bench and sat down. They played a duet, starting with “Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer,” Griffin hamming it as he sang the intro… “You know Dasher and Dancer…” Everyone sang along and as soon as they finished that song, they segued into “Midnight Clear” and Tyler accompanied them with the guitar. They moved on to “Jingle Bells” without pause. A holiday jam session.

  The Christmas medleys were the perfect accompaniment to the fireplace crackling with burning logs, the scent of pine strong in the air, and the warm glow cast from the twinkle lights and colorfully lit tree. Penelope vowed never to forget this moment in time. It was magical. In this moment everyone was at peace and in sync. Merry Christmas.

  23

  Malena

  Malena slid her arms around Tyler’s waist and squeezed her thighs against him as she straddled the snowmobile. Her breath caught when he took ahold of her hands and pulled them closer together, tightening her grip around his torso.

  “There,” he said. “That’s better.” He rubbed her leg before starting up the engine.

  It had snowed again the night before and Ty had suggested that they go for a ride on the snowmobile. They’d be making fresh tracks. The temperature hovered around thirty degrees and the wind chill was next to zero, the sun was out…in other words, perfect conditions. They drove for some time before Tyler stopped as they crested a peak. He turned off the motor and scanned the horizon below. She crossed her fingers that they’d see some elk or antelope.

  They were in luck. Ty pointed off to the right and sure enough, there was a herd of about ten elk standing warily together, a few with heads high sniffing the air for danger, while several drank from a stream. Malena held her hand over her mouth.

  “They’re so beautiful!” she said, voice hushed.

  “Grab the binoculars from the bag,” he said. Penelope had packed a bag for them and had included a pair of binoculars as well as a thermos of hot chocolate.

  She scrounged around, pulled them out, and looked through them herself before passing them on to Ty. She could see that the elk were spooked, something had startled them…possibly their own snowmobile. She passed the binoculars to Tyler but before he could focus in, they bolted. He sighted them in, following their movement until they disappeared from view.

  “That was incredible!” Malena said. “They’re so majestic.”

  Tyler turned to meet her gaze, flashing a dazzling smile. He stared at her lips and she remembered his mouth on hers. Her belly flip-flopped.

  “It’s beyond beautiful here. It feels like we’re on another planet. It’s so vast and wild. Look! There’s an eagle.” He pointed at the bird of prey soaring above them. Peering through the lenses he identified it as a bald eagle. “Here you look.”

  Malena sighted it in and watched as it landed on a treetop.

  They sat there for a while, quietly soaking it all in. Malena stuffed the binoculars back in the satchel and pulled out the thermos of hot cocoa. She took her gloves off so she could twist the lid. The steam rose from the container and she tilted her head back to take a long swallow before passing it forward. Tyler drank some then returned it. She screwed the lid back on and stowed it away then wrapped her arms around Ty’s waist.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Yes, whenever you are.”

  “I like having you snuggled up behind me.”

  She buried her head against his back and hugged him tighter. Tyler fired the motor back up and they took off. They followed the elk trail for a few miles before turning around. He decided to make a big loop to cover new territory on the way back.

  They were cruising at about fifty miles per hour. The vehicle was capable of speeds up to one hundred twenty, but they were more interested in the journey than a thrill ride. Tyler slowed way down and Malena peered over his shoulder to see why. It looked like something large and dead. When they reached it, Malena’s stomach lurched. It was a dead elk, missing one important detail…its head.

  “Shit! Must be poachers,” Ty said grimly. “Trophy hunters, like Walt was talking about the other day. What a waste.”

  “It makes me sick,” Malena said. “The poor thing.”

  “He probably didn’t know what hit him,” Ty said, squeezing her gloved hand. “See those tire tracks? They’re fresh.”

  “What should we do?”

  “I’m going to follow them for a bit and see if we can catch a license plate or make and model. They could have just left.”

  “I didn’t hear any shots fired.”

  “Me either, but we might have missed it between the snowmobile engine and the distance we covered.”

  He followed the tire tracks, now making full use of the engine’s power. Malena’s heart was in her throat as they picked up speed, but it was fun, she had to admit. Tyler handled the powerful machine competently, like he’d been doing it his whole life. They followed the tracks through a cluster of trees and when they reached the clearing, they saw a red pickup truck ahead in the distance.

  “Grab the binoculars. See if you can make out anything. I’m going to stop for a minute. I don’t want to get any closer and have them spot us.”

  “It looks like the license plate is covered with snow,” Malena said. “There’s a hunting decal of some kind on the passenger side of the back windshield. It’s an elk skull, pretty fancy. Probably not very helpful, I see them everywhere. After all we’re in elk hunting country.”

  “Can you make out the truck make or model?”

  “Um… Ford maybe…no, sorry…I’m just not sure. Looks like they have an American flag decal on the driver’s side.”

  “I don’t want to spook them or get tangled up in something risky. Let’s head back and tell Penelope and Walt what we found.”

  “Si. Sounds good to me. They could be loco, you never know.”

  “And armed.” He accelerated and turned back towards the house.

  24

  Penelope

  Penelope was in the barn talking with Walt whe
n Ty and Malena caught up with her.

  “Glad you’re both here,” Tyler said.

  Penelope’s brows knitted at the seriousness of Ty’s tone. He was generally jovial when he wasn’t dealing with her father-in-law.

  “Why? What’s up?”

  He and Malena exchanged a glance before he dove in. “We came across a headless elk on the north trail. There were fresh tire tracks in the snow so we followed them.”

  “Tyler! What were you thinking? That could have been dangerous!” Penelope exclaimed.

  “I wasn’t planning on confronting anyone.”

  “No, we kept our distance,” Malena said, quick to defend Ty. “We saw a red truck, I’m sorry but I couldn’t make out the license number…or make and model. It had two decals on the back window. On the driver’s side a flag and the passenger side had a fancy elk skull.”

  “Ty, can you take me there now?” Walt said.

  “Sure.”

  “They just busted a couple of brothers for poaching on a ranch without permission. Everyone in these parts knows it ain’t allowed.” Walt said, shaking his head with disgust. “I’ll call the wildlife department and report it when we get back.”

  “Thanks Walt. Find me when you return.” Penelope said. He nodded.

  Tyler addressed Walt. “I’ll go get the snowmobile. See you in a couple of minutes.” He pulled Malena into his arms and hugged her. “I’ll be back. Will you be around?”

  “I should be. I’m going to play with Ringo for a little while. I’m supposed to go shopping with Josie later; other than that, I’ll be around.”

  He leaned down and whispered something into Malena’s ear that made her blush. Penelope bit back a smile.

  “Later,” Ty said.

  “I’m gonna get my rifle. Meet ya in front of the barn.”

  “Be careful, carino,” Malena whispered.

  “They’ll be fine Malena. I’m sure the poachers are long gone. They won’t return to the scene…too risky. I’ve always wanted the ranch to be a wildlife refuge, not a game hunter’s paradise. It makes me so angry!”

  “Me too. It’s so sad. It was such a big beautiful animal. It made me sick to see it, killed for no other reason but for someone’s demented ego. I hope they’re caught.”

  “Me too.”

  “I’m sorry Penelope. I hope this doesn’t ruin your time with your family.”

  “No, I won’t let it. Once we file a report, it’s out of our hands, unless we stumble upon them.”

  “Do you mind if I ride Ringo in the indoor arena?”

  “Of course not. You never have to ask.”

  Malena continued to stand as if she had something to say.

  “Penelope?”

  “Yes?”

  Malena paced, wringing her hands. “I’m so confused right now. My stomach is in knots. It feels like my body has been taken over by aliens. I can’t eat, I can barely sleep—it’s as if all my senses are on high alert.” She put a trembling hand to her lips, her black eyes large and shiny as they met Penelope’s.

  “I know the feeling well. I still feel that way with Griffin half the time. Except for the eat and sleep part. Every time I look at him my stomach drops.”

  “Really? You do? How do you stand it? I feel like I’m going loca! I can’t stand to be apart from him. Dios mio! I’ve only just met him…what has it been, five days?”

  “If it’s any consolation, I had to do nude scenes with Griffin soon after we met. Pretending that there wasn’t a three-alarm fire going on between us was torture.”

  Malena gasped. “Oh my. How did you manage it? I want to beg Tyler to take my virginity.” She covered her mouth, blushing a deep red, realizing what she’d just admitted to.

  Her embarrassment tugged at Penelope’s heart. “There is nothing to feel ashamed about. And…sometimes we just know. I totally believe in love at first sight. I had it with Griff. It took me awhile to catch on…I had walls up a mile high. But after the fact, I realized that I was caught hook, line and sinker the first time we ever met.”

  “Gosh, I feel so scared. What if he doesn’t like me in the same way? He is so handsome… and I feel so… invisible…he has girls throwing themselves at him…he could have anyone he wants, what could he ever see in me?”

  “I wish you could see yourself Malena. You couldn’t be invisible if you tried. You’re a sensuous, beautiful woman. Ty can barely keep his hands and eyes off you. Ty is nothing if not honest. He doesn’t play games. He’d never lead you on if he wasn’t interested. He’s a deep kid. He’s had a lot of heartbreak in his life.”

  Malena threw her arms around Penelope and hugged her. “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it. Thank you so much.”

  “You’re just alive and discovering another facet of yourself. Your womanhood. I’m not saying it’s always comfortable…that rush is almost painful at times.”

  Malena held her hand over her heart. “Si, mi Corazon duele.”

  “My suggestion is to enjoy every last second of it and see where this takes you. Don’t over think it. Tyler is serious about sticking around for the winter. That gives you both plenty of time to figure things out.”

  “Gracias, mi hermosa amiga.”

  “You’re welcome my friend. I’m here anytime you need to talk. Enjoy your ride.”

  Malina looked dreamily toward the ceiling. “Si, Ringo will take my mind off of my troubles.”

  “Yes, as only horses can do.”

  25

  Malena

  Malena clucked her tongue at Ringo and urged him into a canter. She’d already been riding for over a half hour and was just now feeling some of the tension leaving her body. Ringo was her savior. At least she’d always had horses to ease the pain of growing up. Being the oldest child in a large family and shouldering much of the responsibility for her younger siblings and household chores had been difficult. She’d never complained, but riding had been her escape and saving grace, just as books had been an antidote for her shyness.

  Now, away from her parents and in the loving environment of Tia Josie, Penelope and Griffin, she felt herself opening up and blossoming. She was starting to even like who she saw in the mirror. If Tyler had appeared any sooner, she’d never have been able to let him in. Now, she might be ready. She smiled.

  “What ya smiling about beautiful?”

  Malena startled at the intrusion. Ringo, sensing the shift, immediately side-stepped. Levi stood on the bottom rung of the wooden rail watching her.

  “Oh, hey.”

  “You surely do look mighty fine on a horse.”

  Malena brought Ringo to a walk and started their cool down. She ignored the unwelcome cowboy.

  “When ya going go out with me?”

  She continued to ignore him and hopped off Ringo, walking over to the opposite side of the arena. She loosened the cinch immediately and slipped off the bridle, putting his halter on.

  Levi came up behind her and reached for the saddle, uncinching it and hoisting it off the gelding’s back. “I’ll get that saddle for ya. I don’t mind helping.”

  “Thanks, but you don’t need to. I like doing the ground stuff as much as I like riding.”

  “Throw me a crumb here. I just want to hang out with ya. I saw you and that Tyler guy leaving the other night. Big date?”

  Malena cleared her throat. “Are you going to carry that to the tack room, or should I?”

  “A little prickly. So, I’m guessing it was a date.” He chuckled.

  She strode ahead to grab the grooming bucket from the tack room, carrying the bridle over her shoulder. He followed her. He sat the saddle on its stand as she reached for the grooming supplies. She jerked when he came up behind her and put both hands on her shoulders. She twisted away, putting some distance between them.

  “I’ve been asking you to go out with me for weeks and this new guy comes along and you go out with him right away. That kind of hurts my feelings.”

  “Levi, just let it go. I don’t want
to sound mean but I’m just not interested,” she said.

  He walked over and stood in front of her, effectively blocking her exit. “I’m not going to take no for an answer. What do ya have to lose? I’m a nice guy. You might surprise yourself and wind up liking me. I usually don’t have this much trouble getting a woman to say yes.”

  Malena bristled at being cornered. “Levi, please move out of the way, I’ve got to finish up with Ringo.”

  “I’m not trying to make ya feel bad I just want ya to give me a chance.”

  “Are you having trouble hearing? She said she wants you to move out of her way. Maybe you need some help doing that.” Ty strode into the tack room and hauled Levi off his feet, pinning him against the wood-paneled wall by his coat collar. His face only inches from Levi’s he said, “Where I come from when a lady says no, we respect that.”

  “I didn’t mean nothing by it. No need to go all Rambo on me.”

  Tyler released him and moved to Malena’s side, slinging his arm protectively across her shoulders. “Back off and we won’t have any trouble here.”

  “Okay, I get it. I’m sorry if I was out of line. Damn dude, chillax.”

  Malena looked up at Ty. “I’m fine, I’m going to turn Ringo out now. Do you want to join me?” Tyler’s jaw was still clenched but he nodded and led her out.

  Malena took Ringo’s halter off and they watched him join the rest of the herd at the hay mound. Ty pulled Malena into his arms and buried his face in her hair.

  “I’m sorry if I overreacted back there. Ah Malena, I went crazy for a minute.”

  She buried her fingers in his hair, her pulse racing. “Mi valiente carino. It’s okay. I was uncomfortable… he does have boundary issues but I think he’s harmless.”

  He dipped his head and kissed her. She parted her lips and flicked her tongue against his. They shared a torrid kiss, neither in any hurry for it to end. Tyler was the first to break away, his breath ragged. He pressed his forehead to hers.