The Christmas Boyfriend: A Return to Snow Valley Romance

by Taylor Hart

  “What?” This was ludicrous. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t think we watch television together sometimes at night?”

  Floored, she shrugged, thinking about the profile she’d created.

  “Survivor. I think this straight-laced business guy would wonder how it would feel to survive on his own. He wouldn’t have the guts to really try it, but he might be fascinated with facts on survival. So much so you would be tired of hearing about it.”

  “I’m already tired of hearing about it.”

  An appreciative grin washed over his face. “Exactly.” He stared at her lips, then her eyes. “So I’m your semi-serious boyfriend who is supposed to go meet your family, and there is something about a guy …”

  “His name is Oliver.”

  “Right. The binder said Oliver just got engaged?”

  She nodded.

  “And you want Oliver back?”

  “I guess.”

  His expression got intense. “Do you or don’t you?”

  She squirmed. “Yes.”

  “So you need me to help make the poor guy jealous?”

  “No.” She said the word more vehemently than she meant to. “I mean, yes, I guess that’s what Ellie thinks would help Oliver realize he wants me back.” She knew her cheeks were burning red. “Only …” She tried to think of non-kissing things she could do with her boyfriend to make Oliver jealous. “Okay, we hold hands. Maybe you put your arm around me. A kiss on the cheek. That’s all.”

  His eyes grew serious, and once again, he stared at her lips. “Okay, but Lacey Bacey.”

  “Lacey Bacey?” she asked, hoping she’d misheard him.

  “I would have a nickname for you, right?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Gotta have a nickname. That is, unless we increase the kissing.”

  Her heart raced as he grinned and leaned down. She was tempted to pull back from him but held her ground. She wondered if he would kiss her, but he just sniffed her hair. “You’re smelling me?”

  “Yep.”

  She felt confused. This was supposed to be an act, but it felt like things were getting out of hand. That said, she couldn’t deny how good his cologne smelled.

  “You smell good,” he said nonchalantly.

  Caught a bit off guard, she frowned. “Wouldn’t smelling me be as creepy, if not creepier, as just going to watch a dance performance?”

  “Nope.” He gave his head one deliberate shake. “Guys at dance performances with no purpose to be there just aren’t right.” He leaned back into the seat and cocked an eyebrow. “Hey, you know what? I’ll make you a deal. I won’t kiss you until you ask me to kiss you.”

  “What? I’m not going to ask you to kiss me. Not ever.” Of course, now all she could think about was kissing him.

  A challenging gleam filled those blue eyes. “Okay, sweet cheeks.”

  “Sweet cheeks?”

  He sighed. “Well, what do you want me to call you?”

  “Lacey,” she said clearly.

  Looking doubtful, he let out a breath. “Fine, but no one’s gonna buy that we’re together if you don’t make an effort. If you want the guy to be jealous, think of Justin and Ellie.”

  Lacey thought of the way those two were famous for making out at random places and then rubbing their noses together. She winced.

  A soft laugh escaped him. “Exactly. Believe me, I had enough of it last night.”

  She snickered. “Hey, I’ve been living with it for almost a year.”

  “That’s brutal.”

  Staring at him, his blue eyes and his perfect facial hair, she tried not to imagine kissing him. Nervous butterflies fluttered in her gut, and she looked away.

  “I’m that bad, huh?”

  Realizing he’d mistaken her nervous attraction to him for disgust, she tried to explain. “No, actually, I like you.” That sounded wrong. “I mean, I could like you.” Even more wrong. “I mean, you’re not bad.”

  His eyes sparkled. “Stop with the flattery, really. You compliment me too often, Scarlett.” He’d adopted a Southern drawl.

  Now, she really knew her face was red. She shook her head and couldn’t help but laugh. He was right. Rhett was stupid. “Look, I’m sorry about the name Rhett, but we’re kinda stuck with it.”

  “We’ll work it out.” His warm hand covered hers on her knee.

  As if she’d been touched by a hot poker, she yanked her hand back. “What are you doing?”

  Putting up his hands as if surrendering, he looked innocent. “Don’t you think you should get used to my hand so you don’t do that in three hours when you introduce me to your family?”

  “Ugh.” She mulled it over. “You can put your hand on mine.”

  A moment passed before he turned away. “Not in the mood at the moment.”

  A light laugh escaped her lips, and she dropped her head back. What had she gotten herself into?

  He asked, “Do you think it might help to know a bit about me before we embark on this weekend?”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head emphatically. “I know you’re in the Air Force and Justin’s cousin. I’m sorry. I can’t get the facts messed up.”

  “Okay.”

  “Good.” For a brief moment, she almost asked about him. Personally. Then she reminded herself not to do that.

  “Perfume,” he said.

  “What?”

  The instructions for safety began over the plane intercom, and he had to lean over to her. “What perfume are you wearing? If we’ve been dating for six months, that’s something I should know about you.”

  She almost asked if he wanted to know because he liked the smell on her. After all, she’d been a bit obsessed by his smell for the last hour and a half, but she chickened out. “I don’t wear perfume. It’s too strong for me, and I’m allergic to most. I just wear a coconut body lotion.”

  Still close to her, his eyes seemed to have mischief in them. “Well, it smells good, La-cey.” Cocking his head to the side, he grinned.

  Much as she didn’t want to admit it, he was right. They would have terms of endearment for each other.

  The safety instructions ended, and people leaned back as the plane sped up.

  She closed her eyes for a second and prepared herself for the pressure change. It never failed that when she was on a plane about to take off, she always wanted to go straight to sleep. At this moment, she was more relaxed than she’d been in the past twelve hours. Let’s face it: she’d barely slept, and the pressure had lifted now that she knew this guy would actually pass as Rhett. The Rhett she’d lied about. Plus, it made her happy to think she would be able to win Oliver back. She knew it.

  The plane took off.

  She couldn’t stop herself, so she peeked out and saw him leaning back with his eyes closed. He’d let her have the armrest, so his arms were folded in front of him. The bulk of him pressed against her. The other guy pressed against her left side. If Dom was really her boyfriend, she would have just put her head down on his shoulder. It was nice to have shoulders like that. Since he was taller, they would be just the right height to lay her head on.

  Oliver was a bit taller than her, but not enough for her to comfortably sleep on his shoulder.

  “Calvin Klein.”

  She started. “What?”

  “My cologne, in case you were wondering.” His eyes were still closed.

  Feeling like a heel, she leaned back into the chair. “Okay.”

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t get to know more details about each other?”

  It felt intimate, and she felt the same nervousness as before. “No. I think we just stick to the plan.” She kept her eyes closed, but her thoughts strayed to how if she’d really been dating him for six months, they would have kissed and held hands. “And we haven’t been intimate. Just so you know.”

  He didn’t answer immediately. She heard him let out a fast breath before he said, “I wouldn’t have assumed that.”


  “Good. I mean …” She opened her eyes and saw the plane had stabilized in the air. People had their electronics out. The guy next to her had earbuds in and was watching a movie on an iPad. “I’m not that kind of girl.”

  “What does that mean?” A pointed look crossed his face.

  A sudden urge to push him coursed through her. The way she would push her brother, Mike, who was six years younger than her. Thinking of Mike put her in a much better mood. She couldn’t wait to see him.

  “What are you smiling about?” Dom looked perplexed.

  Her thoughts went back to the conversation about what kind of girl she was. Did he think she was smiling at the idea of kissing him or something? “Nothing. Well, actually, my younger brother.”

  “Mike,” he said, turning to the window.

  “Right. He’s six years younger than me. He’s in his senior year at Snow Valley High School.” She felt the need to explain. “Lots of times growing up, I would push or punch him when he did something obnoxious. That’s exactly what I just wanted to do to you.”

  “I think most girls want to do that to guys when they’re obnoxious.” He flexed. “Feel free. I can take it.”

  The offer was tempting. “Pass.” She realized she did want to ask more about him, but she resisted.

  Both of them thumbed through magazines for a while.

  She felt tiredness taking over her again. She put the magazine on her lap and closed her eyes, letting herself relax. She didn’t want to talk to this “boyfriend” she wasn’t sure about yet. Had she made a huge mistake? The thought simmered as she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 4

  Dom heard her breathing deepen and, soon after, her head dropped onto his shoulder.

  Part of him felt strange about it, especially after she had made it clear she only wanted to touch him if it was absolutely necessary.

  That was fine. He was only here to let Justin off the hook. Justin seriously owed him one for this.

  Granted, when he met her at the airport, he had thought she was beautiful, and he’d thought about the situation a bit differently, wondering who would owe whom after all this. But that binder, yeah, it was fun to mess with this type-A girl. He smiled and wanted to laugh. She had blatantly checked him out earlier. It had been so obvious, but he’d figured it wouldn’t be gentlemanly to call her on it.

  From what he’d seen of her Facebook pictures from Ellie, he knew she would be cute. Most of her pics showed her with a blond bun stretched tight. At the moment, her hair was down. She didn’t wear a ton of makeup, but she didn’t need it. She had a fresh look. He thought of Heidi, the old movie adaptation of the book his mother had read to him. A Swiss milkmaid. What had he gotten himself into?

  Man, with her head on his shoulder, he could almost imagine what it would be like to be her real boyfriend. The kind who had grown up in Denver and still had a family. The kind who had decided to go to her family’s for Christmas.

  Yeah, if she were his girlfriend, he would do that.

  This girl was uptight, though. Did she know she was lucky to get him, someone with a photographic memory, as a paid date? What would she have done if she would have gotten some normal guy who struggled to remember a real birthday and anniversary date? She’d be in trouble.

  Rhett. The imaginary guy she’d created was so lifeless and boring. It was as if she’d walked into Boyfriends R Us and picked him off the first shelf she saw. He shook his head. He didn’t care what she wanted; there was no way he was going to be Rhett.

  Her hair was down in soft curls on her shoulders. Before he realized what he was doing, he leaned over her and inhaled deeply. Man, she smelled good. The coconut scent reminded him of suntan lotion and the beach. Ironically, not the beach he’d been going to lately, where he tried to surf. He got in the water, sat on the board, and felt hollow. No, her beach smell reminded him of when he and Justin and both of their parents had gone to Hawaii when he was fifteen. It had been a blast, and the girls …

  He grinned. He and Justin had definitely met their fair share of girls at the resort. He remembered having his first kiss there.

  Wow. He hadn’t thought about that trip in a long time.

  He vividly remembered his parents: his dad surfing with him, his mom sitting with his aunt on the beach while he and Justin were being crazy. They’d gone snorkeling until their skin was pruney.

  The memory faded, and he thought of the funeral. The double funeral. He thought of breaking down and how his cousin was the one to pull him away from his father’s coffin at the cemetery.

  It had been so non-soldier-ish of him. He was ashamed of that moment, even though the therapist had told him there was nothing to be ashamed of.

  He regretted even discussing that day with her. Not to mention how much he missed his parents, how much he missed having a real home, and how much he wondered if all the gut instincts had always come back to his father. What he hadn’t told her was that when he’d been shot down, his father had been there with him. He couldn’t deny the presence he’d felt there. But he couldn’t tell a shrink that, could he?

  Forcing those thoughts away, he decided to focus on the now. Focus on the present.

  Maybe this trip to Snow Valley would be more than a means to avoiding the pity of his cousin. Maybe it would be a nice distraction.

  Yes, that’s how he would look at it. He would help Lacey get her guy back. At least someone could have what they wanted.

  Chapter 5

  “We are now descending into Billings.” Startled awake by the sound of the captain’s voice, Lacey jerked her head straight up.

  It bumped into Dom’s. “Ow.” He moved his head away from her.

  She realized she’d been asleep. On his shoulder. The butterflies came back. Then she realized he’d been sleeping with his head on hers. “Sorry,” she said quickly.

  “It’s fine.”

  She swallowed hard as she thought of seeing her father in just ten minutes. “I can’t believe I fell asleep on you. Sorry about that.”

  “I said it’s fine.” His voice had an edge to it. “I’m your boyfriend, remember?”

  Her eyes held his.

  Leaning closer to her, he whispered, “The boyfriend who will help you make your ex jealous.”

  “Yes. You are,” she said evenly.

  The passengers began exiting, and she and Dom stood, waiting for their turn. “So what’s your plan?” he asked her.

  “What?”

  “Are you going to confess you still love him or what?”

  This took her off balance, and she grasped at the chair in front of her. Crap.

  “You don’t have one?” He snickered.

  She scowled. “Of course I have … well, okay, fine. I kind of envisioned that after he was jealous of us, he’d confess he wanted me back and that would be that.”

  Looking doubtful, Dom helped her pull her overhead bag down before grabbing his. “Guess we are winging it.”

  They made their way through the airport. When they passed a trash can, she took the binder and held it above the opening. “Are you sure you don’t need the binder?”

  He gave her a look that said, Don’t push it.

  She nodded and dropped it in the trash.

  “Good choice.” He walked next to her, easily matching her gait. “I just have one question for you.”

  “Okay.”

  “Do you want me to hold hands with you as we meet your father or not?” He shrugged. “I don’t really care. I just want to know what to expect.”

  Crap. Yes, she’d thought about that, but she hadn’t wanted to deal with it. She turned the last corner for baggage claim and saw her father.

  Her eyes met his, and she couldn’t help but take off into a sprint. Plus, that way she didn’t have to deal with the whole hand-holding thing.

  Her father opened his arms, and she jumped into them. “Lacey girl!” He spun her around, then set her down and looked her over. “Oh, it’s been too long. You look beauti
ful, honey. So good. Your mom will be happy you didn’t change into a city girl while you were in New York.”

  This had been a thing her mother had worried about. That she would become too sophisticated for Snow Valley.

  Her father’s attention shifted to the man beside her. A quizzical look crossed his face.

  “Oh.” Lacey turned back. “Dad, yes, I need to introduce you to my boyfriend.”

  A big smile brightened her father’s face. “Well, dang. You brought him.” He turned to Dom. “Lacey told me you already had plans for Christmas, but this is a wonderful surprise.” He put his hand out, and Dom shook it firmly.

  “Sir, nice to meet you.”

  Lacey thought he sounded a bit military at the moment. She would have to remind him he wasn’t a pilot in the Air Force for the next few days.

  Her father sized up Dom. It wasn’t anything overt, but she knew him well enough to know what that look meant. After he finished, he turned to her and let out a light laugh. “Your mama will be so happy.” He gave her a look that said, And this should fix the Oliver situation, now, shouldn’t it?

  Lacey felt her cheeks going warm and caught sight of a flash of color on the conveyer belt. “My bag.” She darted over and was about to grab it when strong arms reached over and pulled it out like it didn’t weight two tons.

  “I got this,” Dom said, standing next to her.

  “Oh. Thanks.”

  Dom winked. “Hey, what are boyfriends for? If I can’t hold your hand, the least I can do is get your suitcase.”

  Turning, she saw her father was still back where they had been, out of earshot, thank goodness. They strolled back over to him.

  Her father saw the bag. “Rhett, do you have a bag or is this it?”

  Dom hesitated.

  Lacey’s heart rate spiked. He had to play along. He had to.

  With an awkward grin, Dom said, “Sorry, would you mind calling me Dom? It’s, well, I know Lacey likes Rhett. Officially, it’s my name, but I go by Dominick. My middle name.”

  Her father looked confused and gave Lacey a look. “Sure.”