by Em Petrova
She got to her knees, her tube at the ready like a sword. Giggles left her parted lips, and he was so distracted, he missed when she moved and took a blow to the other ear.
“Who’s in for it?” she asked.
He walloped her on the shoulder. She dodged from his second hit, rolling up on the floor like a beetle. He smacked her in the butt with the tube, and she rolled to her feet and delivered three quick hits to his torso. He didn’t bother avoiding them—he’d take whatever she had to give.
Laughing, breathless, he knee-walked to her. She lowered the tube she was holding, eyes burning.
He tossed his tube aside and grabbed her. They tumbled to the floor, and he had great aim, landing a kiss square on her mouth.
The first taste raised a groan from both of them. Oh yeah, this was no quiet kiss on the porch. It was an alone-in-your-bedroom-I-can’t-hold-back variety.
He pressed her down, pinning her with his chest, weight braced on his arms as he plunged his tongue between her lips. She arched up, matching him stroke for stroke, their tongues dueling in their own way.
When she left Paradise Valley, at least he’d have this. A memory of her to keep him warm through the long winter ahead. Sure, she’d break his damn heart, but he’d regret not moving on her more. They’d call it a holiday fling.
You only live once.
He cradled the back of her head as he swirled his tongue through her mouth, tasting cinnamon and pure woman. When he let his hips drop against hers, a gasp left her.
“Oh, my God, Case. You feel so good. But I can’t.”
“Why not? You don’t have a boyfriend, do you?” It hurt him to think she may not have mentioned this relevant information.
She shook her head, eyes hazy with pleasure. His own must reflect that same dazed look of desire. “I’m leaving after New Year’s.”
“I know.” His voice was gritty. “But why can’t we have this right now?” Even as he said the words, he knew he wanted more.
All of it.
He wanted to be seated in the back of that wagon with her next to him and their child on her lap, sucking his thumb.
He huffed out a breath and leaned away to look into her warm gaze.
What he saw there was rejection. She wasn’t the type of woman to play around, knowing it was short-lived. Hell, he wasn’t either, but he was willing to take the heartache just to have her with him for a little while.
He did a pushup onto his knees again. She scooted up to a sitting position and avoided his gaze. The tubes that had started it all lay on the floor between them, looking like loaded weapons now.
There was only one thing to do—he grabbed a sheet of paper and plopped a present in the middle of it. “Well, you’re about to see how bad my wrapping skills really are.” He folded the paper in a way that looked like an elephant with seven feet had done the job.
She gave a soft laugh, and their gazes locked again. So many things passed between them in that single heartbeat that he was left feeling hope and despair all at once.
“Give it to me,” she said quietly. “Why don’t you just cut the paper and hand me pieces of tape and I’ll do the wrapping?”
He sent a long look straight into her eyes. “We make a good team, Annabelle.”
She dropped her gaze, but a pleased blush covered her cheeks.
* * * * *
Shelby’s candy shop was something off a quaint old-fashioned postcard, complete with striped awning and a bar where she served milkshakes. The glass case held varieties of candy Annabelle had never heard of before, and Charlotte told her Shelby spent hours in her kitchen, concocting new treats.
Annabelle and Charlotte had managed to slip away alone for supper at a diner in town. When her friend had suggested they make a pitstop for some chocolate goodies, Annabelle had been eager to see Shelby’s shop.
“Looks like she’s all set for Santa’s arrival tomorrow afternoon.”
Annabelle nodded but didn’t reply.
Charlotte waved a hand in front of Annabelle’s face. “You look dazed. Are you in a candy coma?”
With a short laugh, Annabelle looked away from the glass case. “I feel like a kid myself, coveting all these treats.”
Shelby threw her a smile from behind the register, where a customer was checking out.
“Is it all right to get something for the kids?” she asked.
Charlotte nodded. “I don’t see why not.”
“Good—help me choose.” They leaned over the case to read the labels on each tray of candy. Shelby came to pull out their selections of chocolate-covered graham crackers and chocolate-dipped pretzel rods covered in red and green holiday sprinkles.
As she packaged everything in a big pink box, Annabelle pointed at one more tray. “I’d like two of these as well.”
Shelby and Charlotte nodded. “Oh yeah, you’re going to love those. They melt in your mouth.”
Annabelle felt heat climbing her face. “They’re for Case—for helping me Christmas shop and wrap the presents.”
The women exchanged a look. Annabelle’s face scorched.
She straightened and fiddled with her wallet, pulling out bills to pay for the goodies.
“Case will love those. Good choice,” Shelby said.
Charlotte wasn’t so restrained. She stared at Annabelle. “You like him.”
“Of course I do,” she said, flustered. “He’s very nice and helpful.”
“That isn’t all.” Charlotte had known her a long time and they’d talked men and relationships enough that she knew Annabelle wasn’t telling her everything.
Shelby gave Charlotte a look, and she grabbed Annabelle’s arm and dragged her to a table across the room. Seated across from each other, Charlotte said, “Spill it.”
“Uh, there’s nothing to say. Case helped me out and I bought him a treat as a thank-you.”
“Then why are you blushing? And your eyes have that twinkle like they did when you came into the coffee shop back on campus and saw that Nick guy working the espresso machine.”
Annabelle rolled her eyes. “Now that’s a blast from the past. I haven’t’ thought about Nick in a hundred years.”
“No, now you’re thinking about Case. What happened between you two on the porch?”
She nibbled her lower lip. This was her oldest, dearest friend. They never used to keep secrets from each other, and there was no call to now.
“He kissed me,” she admitted.
Charlotte let out a whoop that had Shelby and the other customers looking their way. Annabelle wanted to crawl under the table.
She set her hands on the surface to keep from knotting them and giving away more of her emotion. “Look, he’s sweet.”
“And cute.”
“Well, yes, and he has a way of showing up when you need help.”
“And cute.”
“Okay, yes, he’s very good-looking, but—”
Charlotte waggled her brows. “And cute.”
“Yes!”
“And a good kisser?”
Annabelle really wanted to crawl under the table now. “God, he’s the best kisser, Charlotte! But you don’t really want to hear this, do you? It’s your cousin by marriage.”
“And I love him like a brother-in-law. I love you too, and I want to know all the deets.”
“Oh Lordy, now you sound like one of my third-graders talking about a crush.”
“Well, you are crushing on Case, aren’t you?”
Annabelle stared at her friend’s face but was inwardly searching her own feelings. When Case kissed her, her world rocked on its axis. No denying that. But she was leaving soon, and getting entangled both emotionally and physically with him wouldn’t end well for either of them. She could see Case was crushing on her just as hard.
Releasing her lower lip from her teeth, Annabelle said, “A relationship wouldn’t work. I’m going home soon. And Case is too great. I couldn’t hurt him.”
“How do you feel.”
“I just told you.”
“No, you told me how Case would feel if you left after a little Christmas cuddle.” She waggled her brows again, and Annabelle reached across the table to smack her arm playfully. “So how do you feel?” Charlotte pushed.
“I… liked kissing him back.”
Charlotte nodded with a knowing look. If anybody knew how it felt to kiss one of the hunky Dalton boys, it was her friend. “So what’s wrong with a little smooching under the mistletoe? You’re young, he’s young. Why not have yourselves a little Christmas cheer?”
Put that way, Annabelle could see the fun she’d be missing out on if she walked away from Paradise Valley without stealing a few moments with Case.
If she did, she’d probably dwell on the what-ifs forever.
She had some thinking to do about Case.
* * * * *
“Case, honey, come inside and get yourself a cool drink.” Aunt Maggie waved from the porch.
He paused, a sack of feed on his shoulder, and made a detour to the house. Not because he needed that drink, but she wouldn’t be waving at him if she didn’t need him for something else. And he was more than happy to perform any chore for her.
Sweat dampened his spine, making his chambray shirt cling to his skin, and trickles of perspiration ran down his throat.
With a grin at his favorite aunt, he hefted the feed sack to the ground. “What’s up?”
“You look thirsty.”
“Wouldn’t turn down a drink, but do you need something else?” The ranch was strangely still for this time of evening. Dinner was cleared and the other Daltons ran for the hills—or the other parts of the valley and their respective homes.
“Welllll,” Aunt Maggie said, “there’s a church meeting tonight and since you never go to these things, we wondered if you might keep an eye on the kids while we all go.”
He eyed her. “All of you are going?”
“We don’t have to watch the kiddos,” she hurried to say. “It would just be nice to have the whole family there. They’re discussing next year’s parish events and fundraisers.”
Fourteen kids, probably a dog or two and him.
“Where’s Annabelle? Is she going?”
A light sparked in Aunt Maggie’s eyes. “She’s invited, but I have no idea if she’s agreed to go. If she does, the older kids will help with the babies. You know how Cash’s girls fuss over the babies.”
He nodded. He wasn’t concerned about babysitting a lot of pants poopers. He dealt with enough manure in his day that he had no trouble taking a kid out and hosing it off before slapping a new diaper in place. But the time would pass so much better with Annabelle for company.
“I’ll keep the kids as long as there’s lots of hot cocoa to heat up.”
Aunt Maggie clapped her hands. “I’ll run inside and put some in the crockpot now. That way it will keep warm all evening and you can ladle it out as you need to. But don’t give any to Red. Remember he’s lactose intolerant.”
Red was Kade and Ryan’s little boy with hair as bright as the color he was nicknamed for.
Okay, maybe Case shouldn’t have agreed after all. He couldn’t deal with a kid crying because he couldn’t have the same drink as everybody else.
Maybe he’d just give the kid an energy drink instead.
When the screen door opened behind Aunt Maggie, she and Case moved to look at the woman stepping onto the porch. The beauty with gleaming brown waves and deep brown eyes. The freckles on Annabelle’s nose seemed to stand out darker in the twilight, and she’d changed out of her Christmas-red sweater and thrown on an old gray hoodie.
It looked like she’d swiped the garment from a boyfriend.
Case felt a territorial growl rising in his throat.
Her gaze shifted to him, and electricity zapped between them. Oh yeah, she liked his kisses as much as he disliked the thought of her wearing another man’s clothing.
“Annabelle, dear, are you going with us to the church meeting?” Aunt Maggie asked, a strange note in her voice. Case wouldn’t put it past her to play matchmaker.
Annabelle stuffed her hands in the big pocket of the hoodie and shrugged. “Not tonight. Since I’m not a member of the church…”
“I understand completely. You stay here and be comfy. And if you have an ounce of pity, maybe you’ll give Case a hand.”
“Case?” She locked her gaze on him. That stare was what hopes were built on, what made men go crazy and buy rings.
He swallowed hard.
“Yes, he’ll be babysitting the children tonight.”
Annabelle’s eyes widened. “All of them?”
“Yes. You can see why he needs the help. Now I’ll just go hurry along my man. He hates these things until he gets there, and then I can’t get him to stop talking to all the old farts. Have to drag him out of there most times,” she said, giving Annabelle’s arm a pat as she bustled into the house.
Annabelle crossed the porch to the stairs, where Case stood. Holding onto the support post to keep from leaping the short flight and grabbing Annabelle.
“Did I just agree to babysit all these Dalton children with you?”
His lips quirked at one side. “Seems you did. But if you don’t want to, I can handle ’em. I’ve got tricks up my sleeve.”
“Pretending you’re a bucking bull and throwing them all off?”
“More like Benadryl.”
His joke had the effect he was going for—she tossed her head back with that throaty laugh that had his cock twitching and his heart slamming his ribs.
She descended one step and he reached for her hand. Her fingers were warm from being inside her hoodie, and she smelled like sweet vanilla and cinnamon. He rubbed the back of her knuckles with his thumb, and she issued a soft sigh like the wind through summer grasses.
If she stuck around the ranch, he’d show her how warm a winter night in Texas could be. In spring, he’s take her out and let her see the wonder of new life sprouting up from the earth and being born in the fields. In summer—
She squeezed his hand. “I have a little gift for all the kids that might keep them busy.”
“Do you?”
She nodded and then bit down on her plump lower lip. “Of course, it means a sugar-high.”
“That’s my plan—sugar them up and then give them back to their parents.”
“I wonder if we should plan on a big sleepover in the living room.”
“Oh yeah,” he said, latching onto the plan. “Pillow fort and movies.”
“We could string popcorn too.”
“Now you’re pressing your luck.”
She laughed again. He could listen to her laugh all night.
Then moan till dawn.
He released her hand and picked up the feed sack. With it balanced on his shoulder, he threw her a grin. “I’ve got chores to finish and I’d like to clean up before the hellions arrive.”
She was beyond pretty standing there on the step with her hair waving over her breasts. She pushed her glasses up her nose, and he found he liked her as much with them as when she wore contacts. Actually, there wasn’t a single thing about Annabelle he wasn’t mesmerized by.
“I’ll see you inside,” she called as he set off toward the barn with the sack.
He swore he felt her gaze on him, but he didn’t look back to see.
Within half hour, he was showered and in comfortable attire for building a pillow fort of sweats and a white T-shirt. The crockpot was heating up and the house smelled of sweet hot chocolate with a hint of vanilla. When the kids raced through the doors, he and Annabelle were ready.
“You’re too sweet to do this for us, Annabelle.” Charlotte planted a kiss on her friend’s cheek, and Case had an insane urge to push her away and take her place. That was crazy, right? Annabelle didn’t belong to him. At least that was what he kept telling himself.
Charlotte squeezed Case’s shoulder. “Don’t let them stay up too late. We have that party with the neighbors to
morrow, remember? We can’t have a lot of grumpy kids.”
“Yeah, yeah. In bed by nine.” He caught Hank Jr.’s gaze and rolled his eyes. Charlotte smacked Case’s shoulder before leaning close. “You want them in bed early so you can get some time alone with Annabelle, don’t you?”
Before he could answer that, she was sailing out the door in a trail of perfume.
Case and Annabelle looked at each other and then at the kids sprawling all over the living room, some doing somersaults, some headstands, boys wrestling, girls smashing their littler cousins flat.
“Oh jeez. What have we done?” Annabelle said out of the corner of her mouth.
He chuckled. “Was just thinkin’ the same. You’re the teacher. What do we do first?”
“Maybe let them have a little romp and get the energy out before we organize activities.” She already had a pile of board games on the coffee table.
He gave a nod. “Only one thing to do now.”
“What’s that?”
Grab you and kiss you breathless.
“Join the fun.” He ran and leaped onto the couch, sending two kids sitting there bouncing. They shrieked with glee and tackled him. Which invited all the attention to him, and soon kids were piled on and he couldn’t tickle them fast enough.
So Annabelle jumped to the rescue.
* * * * *
“Holy crap,” Annabelle whispered as she looked over the shambles of the once tidy living room. The couches had been torn apart to make pillow forts, and the cushions served as walls with blankets draped between them. Kids slept in all positions—sides, flat-out on their faces and some with their butts in the air. The room was a rainbow of sleeping bags and favorite blankies.
“Looks like Sesame Street exploded.”
She giggled at Case’s words. He sat next to her on the floor, both leaning against the stripped sofa. Mickey’s Christmas Carol played on the TV and they had a bowl of popcorn between them.
Case picked up the bowl and scooted closer so their thighs touched. His body heat scorched through his sweatpants and through her own leggings.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. The man was sexy as sin in anything he wore, but the low-slung sweats and the white cotton clinging to his thick shoulders and sculpted torso had her libido spiking.