The girls giggled with excitement. Amber clapped her hands with delight while Hazel smacked her lips together and made loud kissing sounds, which in turn made everyone around them chuckle and look speculatively at Cade and Allison. Which, consequently, made Allison recall with disturbing clarity exactly how much fun it was to kiss Cade and be kissed by him in return. Even without the time-honored holiday tradition!
The girls got even sillier on the ride home, yet were yawning when they finally entered their house. “Can we watch TV?” they asked.
“Don’t you want to help put up the tree?” Allison asked, surprised at their quickly dwindling interest.
More yawns. “We’re tired.” Jade already had her lovey blanket.
The other girls were quick to follow suit. “Please, Miss Allison,” Amber said.
Hazel and Sienna climbed onto the couch, waiting. They looked so bone-tired Allison’s heart went out to them. It had been a very long day. “All right, how about half an hour,” she said.
The girls nodded.
When she had their favorite TV show going, Cade came back in with Zeus. “Next question,” he said, inclining his head toward the roof of Sarabeth’s Suburban, still sitting in the driveway. “Where are you going to put these trees up?”
“One will go to my place. The other should probably be put up here.”
“You want to do it now?”
“While the girls are well occupied? Sure. Makes sense.”
They walked out together. Both trees had been secured to the luggage rack on the top of the vehicle. He held the tree in place while she cut the heavy twine. Beginning to realize what a good team they still made, Allison murmured, “I just hope Sarabeth and Shawn won’t mind us putting a Christmas tree in their formal living room while they are gone.”
Cade’s broad shoulders and strong arms flexed as he lifted the pine tree down and set it on the ground. “You could ask them, if they’d ever answer our calls and texts.”
“I know, right?” Allison paused to get the metal tree stand that had come with the purchase of the tree. “They must be really busy over there.” At least she hoped that was all it was.
When he flashed her a curious look, she pushed on. “But I guess if they do, we can always un-decorate this one or get another for them to put up in a different room in their traditional way.”
He waited for her to open the front door and hold it in place. “Seems like a lot of unnecessary trouble, but...yeah...I guess you could all do that.”
The tree was so thick and full he barely avoided running into her as he brushed by. She set up the stand where she wanted it in front of the picture window, then knelt down to screw the tree trunk in place.
Cade held out a hand, and his warm, strong fingers covered hers. Their eyes locked and held as he helped her up, and she felt a tingling moment of awareness. One that hinted resistance to the stunning chemistry between them might be futile after all. More unsettling, he seemed equally smitten... Chivalrously, he released his grip on her hand. “Where are you going to get the family tree decorations?” he asked.
Trying not to think how very much she wanted to kiss and hold him again, never mind what a fun, family-oriented day they’d had, Allison waved an airy hand. Just because she and Cade felt very much like a couple now did not mean it would continue once their babysitting gig ended. She needed to remember that. “Oh, I’ve got tons of decorations stored in boxes in my garage since I do a different theme and design every year.”
The corners of his lips twitched with mirth.
She put a little more distance between them. Propped her hands indignantly on her hips. Chiding drolly back, “What?”
Eyes twinkling, he slid a hand underneath his rough-hewn jaw. “I was just thinking about the trees both our families had, back when we were dating.”
She warmed at the sentiment in his low voice. “With all the random kiddie-made ornaments.”
Coming nearer, he quirked a brow and continued with comically exaggerated seriousness. “They were definitely one of a kind.”
How was it he always smelled so good? Like rain-drenched cedar and brisk winter air? How was it he always made her want him so much? Even when she knew he still had the power to break her heart. Noting she had gotten a little tree sap on her hands, and barely had escaped getting it on her clothing, Allison ducked into the bathroom tucked beneath the stairs. “Yes, well, I think the ones I do for the network are going to have to be a lot more sophisticated than those were.”
He joined her at the sink and washed his hands, too. “Sophisticated isn’t everything.”
Trying not to notice how small the space suddenly felt, Allison turned to face him, her hip bumping up against his. “You didn’t think that way eight years ago.”
Cade tossed her a contrite look and retorted gruffly, “Eight years ago I was a fool.” He bent down and captured her lips with his. “No more...”
She trembled as a lightning bolt of desire shot through her. He took her in his arms and cradled her masterfully against his chest. The kiss that followed was everything she desired—lush and evocative, sweet and searching. And oh so deliciously tempting. Her spirits soared. Her knees went weak, her lips opened to the dizzying pressure of his, and once again making out with him felt like the most intimate thing they could ever do.
Aware she was very close to letting down the rest of her defenses and falling for him all over again, Allison pushed on his chest. Calling on every ounce of self-control she had, she broke off the kiss and stepped back, her emotions in turmoil.
She wanted him. That was clear.
She didn’t want to be hurt by him again.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you,” she murmured in exasperation, as her heart continued to race. He hadn’t pursued her this avidly or thrilled her so much when they were actually dating!
“I don’t know,” he drawled in return, rubbing his lips across the back of her knuckles. Once again, he searched her eyes. “Maybe kiss me some more right now? Or better yet,” he queried even more softly and tenderly, “give me a second chance?”
Chapter Eight
His heart in his throat, Cade waited for Allison to respond.
“Second chance,” she repeated, as if that were the last thing in the world she wanted. “Cade, if we were going to make this work, we would have done so during the eight years we were together!”
He studied her set lips, forcing himself to tamp down the urge to haul her into his arms and kiss her even more thoroughly this time. “We’re older now. Wiser.”
She couldn’t debate that. But it didn’t mean she agreed with what he thought they should do next. “I...”
Her phone chimed to signal an incoming text. “Saved by the bell?” he teased.
With a rueful smile, she gave him another long, telling look, then pulled her phone from her pocket. “It’s Sarabeth. She says, and I quote, ‘There is so much going on now. Can’t talk. But I will definitely call tomorrow.’”
“Oh, boy,” Cade said.
“The girls aren’t going to like this,” Allison murmured in concern.
“No joke.”
Allison briefly typed in the outgoing text line: Okay, but please call then. They miss you terribly! She showed Cade. “What do you think?”
“Good. They need to know they aren’t doing all they should.”
Allison sent the text. Then put her phone in the back pocket of her jeans, drawing Cade’s attention to her slender hips. A mixture of worry and reluctance lit her pretty eyes. “Well, I guess we better tell them.”
He nodded.
The girls were right where they’d left them, snuggled up together, watching the end of their TV show. “Girls, we have some news,” Allison said. She went on to tell them what Sarabeth had texted.
Cade had half expected an outbreak of hysteria. Ins
tead, the girls simply yawned and nodded. “Is it dinnertime yet?” Amber asked.
“I want grilled cheese,” Jade said, stretching.
“And clementine oranges.” Sienna climbed down off the sofa.
“Plus, carrot sticks and ranch dressing.” Hazel stood on her head, her back against the sofa cushions, her feet up in the air. Briefly, she tried to bicycle, but she was off balance and the pedaling motion of her legs turned into a somersault onto the floor.
Allison smiled at all four girls, then Cade. “I think we can handle that,” she said.
There she went, Cade thought with satisfaction. Saying we instead of I again. Maybe they weren’t so far away from being a couple again as she wanted to think.
* * *
Glad for the task at hand, and the interruption that had saved her from having to talk more with Cade about the possibility of them giving their relationship another go, Allison enlisted everyone’s help. She put the sandwiches together and cut carrots into sticks while Cade manned the grill. The girls set the table and peeled the clementines.
When they sat down together, talk turned to the various events of the day. “I don’t think you ever told us what you asked Santa to bring you,” Allison said, hoping to keep the evening pleasantly Christmassy.
Jade answered first. “I asked him to bring my mommy and daddy stuff to make them both happy.”
Amber used her fingertip to smear ranch dressing all over her carrot stick. “I asked Santa to bring Daddy another cell phone so he could call Mommy twice as much when he is away.”
That didn’t quite make sense. But okay...
Hazel grinned. “I asked Santa to bring lots of mistletoe to make them kiss again.”
Across the table, Cade sent Allison an ornery look. Insides tingling, she tried not to overtly react.
“But we got some at the tree lot,” Sienna protested, as Allison focused on the girls instead of the memory of Cade’s hot, soulful kisses once more.
“We can have more mistletoe,” Amber added, practical as ever.
“Yeah, we could put it everywhere in the house!” Hazel said.
That would be a land mine and a half, given how prone Cade suddenly was to putting the moves on her. On the other hand, when Sarabeth and Shawn returned, lots of excuses for kissing might be just what they needed... “What about you, Sienna?” Allison asked. “What did you ask Santa for?”
Sienna sobered. “A magic wand so I could wave it and make Mommy and Daddy fall in love again.”
Wow, Allison thought, her heart going out to all four of them. She and Cade exchanged looks.
“Those are very generous gifts,” he noted kindly, steadfastly ignoring the troubling implications beneath.
“But didn’t you ask Santa for anything for yourselves?” Allison pressed. Knowing if they had, she needed to pass the information along to Sarabeth and Shawn.
For a moment, the girls looked perplexed.
They exchanged glances that were suddenly wise beyond their years. “We want Mommy and Daddy to be happy again,” Sienna concluded finally.
“How do you know that they’re not?” Allison asked quietly.
Shrugs all around.
Hazel drank her milk. “Because they don’t talk or laugh or have fun.”
“They’re just really quiet.” Amber ate her sandwich.
“And not good quiet,” Jade added with a concerned frown. “Time-out quiet.”
Cade nodded to indicate he was listening. Allison did the same.
The confessions had been cathartic. But neither she nor Cade had any solutions. Those would have to come from Shawn and Sarabeth when they returned to the States.
“Well,” Cade said finally, changing the subject with sudden attention-grabbing drama. “I’m hurt. Nobody even asked! Does anyone want to know what I would like Santa to bring me for Christmas?”
Finally, a challenge the girls could meet! “A new bicycle!” Amber guessed, excited. “One that doesn’t have training wheels!”
“I think he wants a new doll baby.” Hazel grinned, back to being as deliberately silly as usual. “Hey—” she spread her hands wide “—boys can play with dolls, too.”
Cade’s laughter was rich and masculine. “That’s right. In fact—” he leaned across the table confidingly “—I spent a lot of time playing with dolls when I was your age. And you know why? Because I played with my younger sisters and that’s what they wanted to do!”
The girls giggled at the notion of big, strong masculine Cade cradling a pretend baby.
“Jade, what do you think Santa should bring Cade?” Allison asked.
“An art easel. One with a tray that will hold all your crayons and markers!” Jade beamed.
“And Sienna?” Cade prompted.
Sienna contemplated. “I think Santa should bring you a very long jump rope. So everyone can skip rope with you.”
“Hmm.” Cade stroked the evening stubble on his chin. “Very good idea.”
“And maybe some mistletoe for your house, too,” Hazel joked mischievously. “So you can get lots and lots of kisses, too!”
* * *
“Well, I think we know what the girls all want Santa to bring them for Christmas,” Allison said an hour and a half later.
The quadruplets were asleep. Cade had returned with Zeus from the pet’s evening walk. He looked exceptionally appealing with hair windblown, his handsome face ruddy from the cold.
“A little obvious, hmm, in their suggested gifts for me?” He unsnapped the leash. Zeus looked up at Cade adoringly, which earned him a pat on the head.Then he ambled into the kitchen to get some water.
Time with the quadruplets was always so jam-packed with activity. She reveled in the quiet time with Cade after the girls were in bed. “I already texted Sarabeth about the doll, jump rope, easel and bike.”
He sent her a mischievous glance. “Nothing about the mistletoe?”
The memory of Cade’s interactions with the girls generated a wave of warmth. He was so kind and understanding, yet funny, and not afraid to set boundaries with them, too. All in all, the perfect dad. If only the two of them had married and had a child together! How wonderful would that have been? But they hadn’t stayed together, so... Allison swallowed and forced herself to come back to earth. “I think that’s supposed to be a surprise when they come home from Switzerland.”
He sauntered closer, lingering nearby while she reviewed the long to-do list she had been working on.
Cade gave her the lazy once-over. “I meant the mistletoe for my house,” he drawled. “I noticed you didn’t weigh in.”
She wished she were immune to the devilry in his espresso eyes. She wished she could let down her guard and let him take care of her. It was Christmas, after all. But their life was complicated enough at the moment. She needed to be careful what she risked. “I don’t think you need any help in that arena,” she said dryly, pushing past him, detailed list still in hand. “I, however, do.” She walked back into the formal living room. “I really need to get the lights on the family tree this evening, if I’m going to make the Monday deadline HITN gave me.”
Reminded of her goal, he was all business once again. “Want me to help?”
Maybe this was what they needed. Time together that was all work and no play. With no opportunity to veer off track. “Sure.” She opened up one of the storage boxes she had brought over earlier. “If you don’t mind being precise.”
His dark brows furrowed. “What precision is required stringing lights on a tree?”
Allison got out the seamstress tape. “I measure.”
He blinked. “The tree?”
“The distance from each branch and each visible bulb.”
Looking stymied, he narrowed his gaze. “You’re kidding. Wait. You’re not kidding?”
She shrugged, her eyes s
parkling. “Hey, if it’s too much for you...” she teased.
He squared his broad shoulders. “I think I’m man enough to handle it.”
“We’ll see.” Allison moved the step stool closer to the tree. Cade held the lights while she started winding the strand around the top branches. For a few minutes, they worked in silence, but it quickly became clear that physically, anyway, they were as in sync with each other as they always had been, and not much direction was needed. Which made her wonder, in turn, if they would still be that way in bed...
Not that she should be thinking about that, when there were other things they needed to discuss while they had a chance.
She checked her strands for placement, found them as precise as she’d hoped. Then started to step down from the stool. “What do you think about the other stuff the girls said?”
Cade cupped her elbow, to steady her, his touch gentle but firm. “You mean the gifts they wanted for their parents?”
No longer at eye level with him, Allison looked up. She searched his expression. “It was a little sad, wasn’t it?”
His eyes darkened. “Grown-ups always think kids don’t pick up on things,” he said in a low, brooding tone, “but they do.”
They went back to stringing lights. “You didn’t seem all that surprised by what their requests to Santa revealed,” Allison noted.
“Shawn told me he was hoping the trip abroad would be good for him and Sarabeth. They haven’t had any time for just the two of them since the quadruplets were born.”
Allison found herself taking her best friend’s side. “It’s kind of hard, especially with him traveling all the time for work.”
“But it’s hard for him, too, when he thinks she is doing everything possible to avoid being alone with him whenever he is around.”
Allison halted, shocked. She turned to face Cade, her shoulder nudging his chest. “Shawn said that?”
He remained where he was, looking down at her. “Not in so many words, but...I think that’s the gist of it.”
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