A Snowy Little Christmas

by Fern Michaels

  Sebastian glanced up at her in surprise.

  D’oh! She gave herself a mental kick. Why did she ask him such a personal question? She was supposed to keep things strictly business. Where did that plan go? Apparently out the window after Dr. McHottie started sweet-talking a kitten.

  “Sorry,” she said quickly. “I know you’re pressed for time, so you don’t have to answer that.”

  “No, I don’t mind.” He eyed the ceiling for a moment, as if he was trying to collect his thoughts. “When I was a kid, I grew up with a West Highland terrier. He was a great dog, and even when he got old, he never lost that playful side he’d had as a puppy. One day after he’d just turned thirteen, I was out riding my bike and I witnessed him getting hit by a car. He died shortly after that, and I remember wishing I could’ve helped save him. I think that’s the first time I decided I wanted to be a vet. And I’ve always loved animals, so . . .” He trailed off like the outcome was inevitable.

  “I’m sorry that happened,” she said quietly. “That couldn’t have been easy with you being so young.”

  “It was tough. But I knew he’d lived a long, happy life, so that helped. I think that’s one of the toughest lessons for us, though. Welcoming a pet into your family, loving them, and then knowing you’re going to have to say good-bye someday. Their lifespans are just so much shorter than ours; it doesn’t seem fair. But that’s one of the reasons I like what I do. If I can help pets be as healthy as possible, then I can influence the years they do have in a positive way.”

  Everything he just said struck her right through the heart. His reasons were so noble and beautiful. Now she just wanted to drop her chin into her hands and ask him a zillion more questions. She struggled for something to say to get her back on track. “Um, I wouldn’t know firsthand, but I think I get what you mean. We didn’t have a lot of space when I was growing up, and my mom was always at work, so I just never had any pets.”

  His expression held so much understanding and compassion, it made Layla uncomfortable. She looked away quickly. He already knew she’d grown up dirt poor. He and his buddies had even once teased her about it. Mercilessly. If he felt pity for her, she didn’t care to see it. That part of her life was over and done. She rarely ever talked about her childhood. It surprised her that she did it now, and to him of all people.

  He nodded to the kitten. “So is he your first pet?”

  “Oh, he’s not mine. I’m only fostering him until he gets a permanent home.”

  He gave her a dubious look. “Does he know that? Because in my experience, once a cat chooses you, that’s it. They own you.”

  Layla reached out to pet the kitten, her hand gliding from his head all the way to the tip of his tail. Her fingers brushed Sebastian’s, and she jerked her hand away.

  If he noticed, he didn’t show it. “What’s his name?”

  “Toonces.” She wrinkled her nose. “I know it’s weird.”

  “It’s great,” he said with a grin. “Like the driving cat.”

  “You’ve heard of it?”

  “Of course. Didn’t you ever watch old SNL reruns when you were a kid?”

  Layla shrugged. She wasn’t about to tell him she didn’t grow up with a TV. Living in a run-down trailer meant making do without most things other kids took for granted. “I guess I just never saw that one.”

  “Well, we’ll have to fix that, won’t we?”

  A tiny voice inside her liked that he said “we,” but she shut it down fast. What was she thinking? It’s not like she and Sebastian were going to get together for a TV marathon with popcorn and snuggly throw blankets. That would just be so . . . boring. She stole a quick glance at him. Now he was pulling out a stethoscope and listening to the kitten’s heartbeat, which didn’t make him look like a super-sexy doctor at all. Nope. No superpowers there. She tore her gaze away. Boring.

  “All right.” He lifted Toonces and held him close. “He appears to be in good health, so I’ll just give him his shots and he’ll be good to go.”

  Ten minutes later, Sebastian placed the kitten gently back in the pet carrier.

  Layla reached out to pet Toonces one last time, her hand accidentally brushing across Sebastian’s. This time, he clasped his warm hand over hers. He turned and gazed down at her with those fathomless, ocean-blue eyes. They were standing so close, his raw, masculine presence seemed stronger now that his attention was focused only on her. For the space of several heartbeats, neither of them said a word, but entire conversations seemed to ricochet in the air between them.

  Suddenly, to her utter surprise, he bent his head and stole a kiss like a thief in the night. It was too brief and fleeting, and it ended far too fast. He’d barely brushed his lips against hers before it was over, and she didn’t even get enough time to enjoy it.

  Sebastian blinked, as though he’d even surprised himself. He let go of her hand and stepped away from the pet carrier, leaving a chill where his skin had warmed hers. Then he casually crossed his arms and leaned against the table. It irked her that he looked so completely at ease, because she felt like she was coming apart at the seams. “So, do you want to go out on Saturday?”

  She froze. Go out? Like on a date? She spun away and pretended to dig through her purse to buy some time. There were a hundred reasons why that wasn’t a good idea. Their messed-up history aside, he wasn’t the type of guy she could ever just date lightly. Something told her if she fell in with Sebastian, there’d be no easy way to fall out. And Layla steered clear of those relationships. She liked her life calm, predictable, and easily managed. Guys like him didn’t fit into that category. Before she had a chance to formulate a response, he derailed her train of thought.

  “There are some houses I’ve checked out online,” he continued. “If you have time on Saturday, I’d like to take a look at them.”

  Ah . . . He was talking about business. Her cheeks flushed at the ridiculous notion she’d been entertaining. Of course he wasn’t asking her out on a date. What’s a tiny kiss between acquaintances? Apparently, not much.

  “Yes,” she said quickly. “I have time around ten o’clock in the morning on Saturday. Why don’t you send me the listings you’re interested in, and I’ll arrange it?”

  By the time she dropped Toonces off at her house later that morning, she’d thrown herself into work mode, convincing herself that all thoughts of Dr. McHottie were long forgotten. It wasn’t until later that night in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind began to wander back to their meeting at the veterinary clinic. Sebastian’s warm smile and genuine concern for animals. His smooth, deep voice when he asked her to go out on Saturday. Those large, capable hands holding the kitten against his broad chest. That barely-there kiss. What the heck was that about?

  Layla heaved a sigh and rolled onto her side. Here in the dark, she couldn’t lie to herself any longer. She was developing an affliction—some kind of weird infatuation—for the very person who’d once made her life miserable. When she first ran into him at the Daisy Meadows Pet Rescue, her initial instincts had told her to run far and fast. But now that she was getting to know him again, it seemed like the old version of Sebastian no longer existed. A part of her wanted so much to believe he’d changed, but she’d never been a fool about men, and she couldn’t start now.

  Layla squeezed her eyes shut and willed herself to go to sleep.

  Toonces jumped onto the bed and curled his little body next to hers. She absently reached out and stroked his soft fur. She had a few days to prepare for her Saturday meeting with Sebastian, and that was more than enough time to get her head on straight.

  “More than enough time to get over this problem,” she said to Toonces, who regarded her with an expression far too wise for his age. He twitched a whisker and glanced away.

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she mumbled.

  Chapter Six

  The weather on Saturday morning was a shocking surprise. Layla trudged to her kitchen to make coffee, stopping to gape at
the view through her living room window. The entire backyard was blanketed in over a foot of snow. An overnight storm had come in, and she’d slept right through it.

  Pouring herself a bowl of cereal, she scrolled through her phone to check the weather forecast. Even more snow was expected over the next few days. She’d need to see about getting some chains for her tires. The wheels on her sedan were partially buried already. She couldn’t remember the last time it had snowed this much. Heck, she didn’t even have a proper snow shovel.

  Layla finished her cereal and was just about to dial Sebastian to call off their meeting when her phone rang. Speak of the devil. She answered, still looking out at her sorry excuse for a driveway. “Hi, I was just about to call you.”

  “How’s your driving situation?” Sebastian asked.

  “It’s not looking good. They’ve probably salted the main road, but I don’t have a snow shovel to dig my car out of the snow. I think I’ll need to reschedule our outing today.”

  “That won’t be necessary. I can pick you up. My truck handles well in these conditions.” Of course it did. Because in addition to being a hot veterinarian who looked like he should be snuggling kittens on a yacht in GQ magazine, he was also one of those “big strong men” her mother rambled on about. The kind who kept the serial killers from hiding out under the bed. The kind who went on off-road adventures in big manly trucks and probably chopped firewood in his spare time. Shirtless.

  “Does that work for you?” he asked.

  Um, yes. She took a gulp of coffee, burning her tongue and swearing under her breath.

  “Layla?”

  She jolted back to reality. “Yes! That’ll work. Unless you’d rather schedule for another day?” Clearly, she still hadn’t gotten her head on straight about him, so part of her wanted to postpone their meeting. But she couldn’t think of a good enough reason to turn him down. They were planning to go to the same houses, after all, so it made sense to drive together.

  “The weather report says it’s going to stay this way until after Christmas, so I figure today’s as good a day as any.”

  She gave him her address, got off the phone, and zoomed through her morning routine. If she spent a little extra time on her hair and makeup, that was just because it was important to look her best for work. At least, that’s what she pretended as she added an extra layer of mascara and shimmied on her best skinny jeans. At ten fifteen, her doorbell rang.

  The moment she opened it, she felt a rush of excitement at the sight of Sebastian on her doorstep. He was casually dressed in dark jeans and a navy fleece jacket, and his hair was delightfully wind-blown and messy, flopping over his eyes in a way that made him look wild and carefree.

  “Hey,” he said with a crooked smile.

  She tried for mock annoyance, but her silly grin ruined it. “You’re late.”

  “For a good reason.” He glanced behind him. “It took a little longer than I expected.”

  Layla peered outside and gasped. Sebastian’s truck was parked in front of her house with a snow shovel leaning against the truck bed. Her entire driveway was now cleared, and her car was no longer buried in snow.

  “Oh, my God.” She stared at him with a mixture of awe and appreciation. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  He stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “I lived near Lake Tahoe for a while, so I’m used to this kind of weather—Whoa, there!”

  A gray ball of fur streaked past Layla’s feet, making a run for the front yard.

  Sebastian lunged and scooped up Toonces just before he reached the porch steps.

  “Thank you.” Layla pressed a hand to her chest in relief. “That’s the second time he’s tried to run outside. He’s determined to see what’s out here.”

  Sebastian scratched the kitten under the chin. “Well, you know what they say about cats and curiosity.”

  “Exactly. Which is why I can’t have him running off in this crazy weather. Thanks for grabbing him. And for shoveling the driveway. It would’ve taken me hours with my garden shovel.”

  “No problem,” he said easily, still petting the now purring Toonces, who looked right at home snuggled up under Sebastian’s chin.

  Layla realized she was staring at the two of them, and she gave herself a mental shake. “Come inside. I’ll get you a cup of coffee for the road.” Layla swung the door wide, and he stepped into her house. Her. House. Sebastian Harrington was in her home! If someone had told her this would happen a month ago, she’d have laughed in their face.

  He left his snow-covered boots in the foyer, then followed her down the hall to the living room.

  As Layla poured him a cup of coffee in the kitchen, she suddenly felt nervous about him being there. Even though she didn’t have many visitors, she’d worked hard to make her place beautiful and comfortable, mixing upscale, traditional furniture pieces with a few eclectic accents. The main part of her house had an open floor plan, with a bar-height granite counter separating the kitchen from the living room. The lounge area had a comfy gray couch with cheerful throw pillows, two overstuffed armchairs, and a lively patterned rug. A large, colorful painting of the Seattle skyline hung on the wall, and the rest of the room was decorated in peaceful shades of blue and green.

  “It’s really nice in here,” Sebastian said as he wandered around the living room. “But then it’s yours, so I wouldn’t have expected anything less.”

  Layla blushed at his casual compliment. It made her feel all warm and glowy inside, and she turned to the sink so he couldn’t see how much it affected her. As much as she hated to admit it, his approval mattered.

  He stopped in front of the console table, pausing to look at her collection of sparkling crystal frames. “No pictures in them?”

  “Oh.” She waved a hand self-consciously and handed him the coffee in a to-go mug. “I haven’t had a chance to fill those yet. One of these days I’ll get around to it.”

  He nodded, as if that was totally acceptable. Her mom and friends teased her about it all the time, so Layla was surprised he didn’t think it was weird.

  “It’s a great collection,” he said. “Even without the photos. It reminds me of you.”

  She tilted her head. “Why?”

  Sebastian took a drink of coffee, studying the frames.

  Layla came up beside him, twisting her hands together nervously. She felt like he was studying her.

  “Because they’re bright and sparkling and . . . hopeful,” he finally said. “Like they’re fine exactly as they are because they know something amazing is in store for them.”

  Somehow, he’d managed to put into words exactly how she felt about her collection, and she couldn’t have said it better. It was the exact reason she loved to collect them. All the colors, and the way the crystals caught the light, just reminded her that someday she was going to fill them with memories as beautiful as the frames were. She managed a nervous laugh. “They’re just frames.”

  “They suit you.” He turned toward her, softly brushing a lock of hair back from her face. “Beautiful and a little mysterious.”

  Layla’s mouth opened on a tiny exhale. She was floored. If he’d taken his coffee mug and clunked her over the head with it, she couldn’t have been more stunned. It was too lovely and poetic. Is that really what he thought of her?

  His gaze dropped to her mouth, and she felt it like a sensual lick against her lips. Her heart took off on a wild sprint. He was going to kiss her again, and she wanted it. Not just because he set her blood on fire when he looked at her like that. He seemed to understand her, to see right into the heart of her, when most people didn’t.

  Mreeow! Toonces trotted into the room, demanding attention.

  Layla couldn’t decide if she was grateful for the distraction or not. She walked into the kitchen and busied herself with the dishes until her heartbeat returned to normal.

  Toonces wound his body around her ankles, meowing loudly.

  “Okay, you greedy beast.” La
yla reached for the jar of cat treats on the counter, pulled one out, and dropped it into his food dish. “Even though you’ve already had one this morning.”

  “Your cat has you trained,” Sebastian teased.

  “He’s not really mine, remember? I’m just fostering him.”

  “Uh-huh. And where does he sleep?”

  “In my bed,” Layla grumbled. “This morning he woke me up because he was wrapped around my head like a pair of headphones, purring in stereo.”

  “Like I said.” He pointed at Toonces. “That’s your cat.”

  “Come on,” she said, shaking her head. “Let’s get out of here and go find you a house.”

  They made their way outside to Sebastian’s truck. He took her hand as they navigated around the patches of ice and knee-deep snow. She wondered if he was just trying to be helpful, or if he wanted to touch her the same way she found herself wanting to touch him.

  He opened the passenger door for her, and Layla felt loose-limbed and jittery as she climbed inside. The interior smelled like leather and the same alluring scent that seemed to cling to his clothes and hair. Or was it his skin? He smelled like crisp evergreens and fresh air. Like a winter stroll through the woods on a bright, sunny day. Heat rose up the back of her neck. Get it together, Layla! What next? Giggling like a giddy teenager? She dug through her tote bag so she wouldn’t have to look at him.

  “There’s another house I’d like to take a look at,” he said as they pulled onto the main road. “It’s right down this street, actually.”

  Layla clenched the straps of her tote bag tightly in her hands. She knew exactly which house he was talking about, because it’s the one Mindy had mentioned earlier. The big, gorgeous place only a block away from Layla’s house. It had been on the market for months because it was a luxury property, and the owners had just finished doing some renovations. But it was too close for comfort. “I think they might be doing some work on it,” Layla said, hoping to throw him off. “But I’ll check with the sellers next week. In the meantime, let’s go to the house near Front Street first.”