“Yes, ma’am,” Gage said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And help yourself to the cheese ball and cookies, too. One of the fellows should be around with a tray anytime now. Have a good time. And remember, the scavenger hunt starts at nine!”
Fiona went off, and the tension slowly ebbed out of Jess. “Whew. That was awkward.”
“But just like you said. She is trying to fix you up. I think your hostess is disappointed you brought me.”
“That was the goal.” Jess’s gaze slipped over to Johnny. Wendy had her arms wrapped around one of his, practically cementing herself to his big, strong body. Jess began to steam as jealousy went snaking through her. The very fact that Johnny had suggested they bring dates made sense now. Wendy was perfect for him. Every man liked a woman who paid a lot of attention to him, and Wendy was piling it on by the shovelful.
It rather hurt Jess’s feelings.
“Are you sure he didn’t want to come with you? He keeps glancing over here,” Gage murmured.
“I’m sure,” she said. “I was warning him about how the matchmakers would think they’d have a super-fast success on their hands after we’d spent the night together in a cave, when he suggested the obvious solution was to come to the party with other people.”
Johnny’s plan was succeeding wildly. Jess didn’t feel pressure anymore.
All she felt was jealousy stabbing her.
“Too bad,” Gage said. “With all this mistletoe around.”
“Very funny,” Jess said. “Let me introduce you to the wild boys of Diablo. No doubt you’ll fit right in.”
THE CHILDREN BOUNCED in the bounce house, and got to sit in Santa’s lap. This year Santa was played by a recovered Burke, who seemed to be enjoying his role to the max, stuffed into a red suit with lots of colored candy in stockings to give out. Fiona stood by, a veritable Mrs. Claus, kissing each of her little girls as they tottered up to take their turn with the white-bearded Santa.
At the end of the visits, Santa stole a hearty kiss from his wife, and everyone cheered as Fiona fluttered off, a little embarrassed by all the attention.
“Warm cookies for everyone, and then the scavenger hunt begins!” she called, hurrying to the kitchen.
“You could do worse than marry into this place,” Gage said, following Jess. “The lady knows how to have fun, even if she is a busybody, or whatever you called her.”
“High-stakes matchmaker.” Jess stole another glance at Johnny, who was lagging behind the group. Wendy was trying to pull him into another room. Jess could only imagine what was going on. Her spirits sinking, she went into the kitchen to eat gingerbread she didn’t really want. Not now. What she wanted was to be doing what Wendy was no doubt doing to Johnny at this very moment—planting one on him like Santa had just laid on Mrs. Claus.
THE CHILDREN WERE SENT to bed down the road at Aberdeen’s house, and then the adult fun began.
“Welcome to our annual scavenger hunt,” Fiona told the gathering of about a hundred people. “There are treasures scattered all over the house, and even hidden on the grounds.” She grinned, loving the limelight. It seemed she glanced at Jess as she said, “Pay careful attention to the directions in the burlap stockings Burke is handing out. And I will warn you that over the years, there have been partygoers who haven’t been able to locate their treasure. So good luck!”
The guests dashed off. Jess sighed, then reached into her stocking. “Mine says ‘Go down in the darkness and pull out a plum.’”
Gage smiled. “Mine says ‘Up on the housetop, find your true love.’”
Jess’s brows shot up. “Who is your true love?”
“I don’t have one here. Clearly, my clue has a hidden meaning.” Gage grinned. “Good luck, cousin.”
“Shh!”
“Sorry.” He went off, whistling.
Curious, Jess glanced at her clue again. “The only place plums are in the darkness has to be the cellar.” She looked around the kitchen, but everyone had scattered. She hadn’t seen Johnny and Wendy when Fiona gave out the hunt instructions. No doubt he was still getting his face sucked like peppermint candy. Jess sighed, and pushed open the door to the basement.
It was dark on the stairs. She couldn’t find the light switch, so went back for a flashlight from Fiona’s kitchen. “This is dumb,” Jess muttered. “A cave last night, a dark cellar tonight. Argh.”
But the prizes were always good at Rancho Diablo, so she headed downstairs, her flashlight beam leading the way. Something smelled delicious, like fresh-baked pie. Jess shone the light around, trying to find what might be down here that was part of the scavenger hunt….
She heard boots on the stairs. The door closed, and a deep voice said, “Anybody down there?”
It was Johnny. Jessica swallowed. “Just me.”
“Jess?” Johnny walked down the stairs. He had no flashlight, so she beamed the light his way. “I think someone just locked the door behind me.”
Jess shook her head. “Fiona loves reindeer games as much as the next person, but she doesn’t lock her guests in dark basements.”
“Where’s the light switch, anyway?” He made it to the bottom of the staircase. “There has to be a light in a basement.”
“I tried it. It didn’t come on.” Jess pointed the flashlight toward the ceiling. “There’s the overhead. I’m pretty sure the fluorescents usually work, too. Fiona spends a lot of time down here with her canning.”
“Maybe all the Christmas lights she’s strung everywhere shorted out the basement.” Johnny came to a stop three feet away. “So, what are we looking for?”
Jess swallowed again, this time more painfully. She wanted to say You. I’m afraid I’ve always been looking for you.
But she didn’t. “I’m looking for a plum.”
“Me, too.” He glanced around the dark room. “A plum is going to be a bit tough to locate down here.”
Jess wondered how Johnny had managed to get away from his date long enough to look for fruit in a cellar. “So, I noticed you came with Wendy.”
“Yeah.” Johnny shrugged. “And you came with a big cop or something. I think we gave Fiona plenty of reason to give up on her matchmaking plans for us.”
Jess forced her face to crease in a slight smile, the most enthusiasm she could manage. “Maybe.” She wanted to change the subject. “So, the Callahan boys always claimed there was a body down here.”
Johnny laughed. “Childish folklore.”
“Probably. But it’s still spooky.”
“Nah.” He reached out to run his fingers spiderlike down her arm. “Not unless you’re afraid of arachnids with big teeth that love red hair.”
He ran his fingers up her neck to her ponytail. Shivers shot all over Jess. “Ew!”
Johnny laughed. “I know you’re not afraid of spiders, Jess. I’ve spent a night in a cave with you. You’re not afraid of much.”
“You,” she said. “You scare me.”
The smile slipped from his face. He gave her a puzzled look. “Me? People say I’m like a big bear, Jess.”
“And bears are dangerous.”
He smiled at her. “Bears like honey.”
“So?”
He took the flashlight from her and turned it off. “I’d rather hunt for honey than plums. Maybe you’d better run.”
She stood her ground, her heart thundering. When he reached out and grabbed her, she didn’t move.
The last thing she wanted to do was run away from Johnny Donovan, especially on Christmas Eve.
Chapter Four
Jess closed her eyes as Johnny wrapped her in his arms.
“I’ve always been a lucky bear,” he said.
“I could tell,” Jess said. “I saw you getting quite lucky with Wendy.”
Johnny’s deep voice was rich with laughter. “Are you jealous? You’re the one who suggested we come with other people.” He ran his lips over hers in the slightest of kisses, testing her.
Jess leaned
into him. “I’m not jealous. And you were the one who first suggested we bring other dates. I merely was trying to warn you of the trap that was being set.”
“It was very nice of you to warn me.” Johnny kissed her, long and slow and deep, and Jess felt a sigh escape her, as if she’d been waiting for this for a very, very long time.
It seemed as if they kissed for five minutes. Finally, when Johnny released her, she reluctantly stepped away from him. “We’re not going to win if we stay down here.”
“Depends on what we’re trying to win.” He drew her back into his arms, then took his time kissing her again, running his fingers down the side of her silky blouse, feeling her back through the fabric. All Jess’s inhibitions flooded away from her in a wash of need and desire.
“Johnny,” she murmured, pushing at his chest, “I feel a little guilty about this. I saw you kissing Wendy.”
He tugged her down on his lap as he sat on the bottom step. “No, you saw her kissing me.” And then he held her like the children who’d sat in Santa’s lap, and planted kisses along her neck and under her ponytail. He even lightly nibbled her ears, making Jess’s toes tingle in her silver sandals. “I’m kissing you,” Johnny said, “and there’s a big difference. You’re the only woman I’ve kissed in Diablo, and you’ll notice I’m not trying to get out of this basement. I’m growing used to being in dark places with you.”
Jess finally kissed Johnny—without hesitation.
“You’re so soft,” he said against her mouth. “And sweet. And you smell like peaches or something.”
He pulled her more tightly to him. One of his hands gripped her bottom through the skirt, and the other framed her neck, holding her close. Jess melted into his embrace, wishing she was someplace where she could have him all to herself and not have to worry about silly old scavenger hunts. “Oh, gosh!” She jumped up from Johnny’s lap. “They’re going to notice we’ve been gone. Let’s grab our plums and go.”
“I’m not as interested in plums at the moment as I am peaches,” he grumbled, but stood and glanced around. “What plums do you think Fiona is alluding to?”
“Can you shine the flashlight over here so I can look at jars? Maybe there are plum preserves.”
Johnny turned the beam toward the shelves. “You really think there’s a body down here?” he asked, and Jess ignored the shiver that crawled over her.
“No. But Pete got locked in the cellar once and it was hours before anyone let him out, so let’s find the plums before we get stuck down here all night.”
“I don’t know that it would bother me so much,” Johnny said. “There’s food, and company. Like I said, I enjoy getting stuck with you.”
Jess shook her head. “Look. This is Fiona’s handwriting.”
Johnny peered at the note on the shelf next to a plum pie and a jar of preserves. “Put in your thumb, pull out a plum, and then move on to higher ground where Santa’s reindeer land. There you’ll find something special just for you, on which you had not planned.”
Jess felt him sneaking a sniff of her hair. “You go for the plum,” he told her, “I’ll content myself with other goodies.”
If she didn’t find the clue, she was going to end up making out with Johnny until midnight—and then Fiona and company would have a field day. “All right,” Jess said, “here goes the thumb. Not really my thumb, because I think a forefinger is more efficient, but you get the idea.” She dug around in the pie, and pulled out something hard. “It’s a key. Two keys, actually,” she said, after feeling around in the pie again.
“It’s delicious pie,” Johnny said, smearing a little pie juice on her lips, then kissing it off. “I vote we stay down here and have our own party.”
“We can’t.” Jess wiped the keys on some paper towels from a roll near the sink for canning, and dropped one in his hand. “Trust me, there is no good reason to hang out down here.”
“If you say so.” He followed her up the stairs.
“Now,” Jess said, “I’m going to open this door and leave. Give me a few minutes’ head start, then go your own way. Hopefully, no one will notice we were down here for longer than it should take to find a key.”
He was right behind her on the step, pressed against her, nibbling at her neck. “Sure thing. Whatever you say. Did I tell you what nice legs you have? And how much I like short skirts?”
Jess forced herself to try the doorknob. It came open easily. “You did that on purpose! It was never locked!”
Johnny chuckled against her neck. “Jess, you fell into my arms like an overripe plum. Luckily for you, I’m a good catcher, doll.”
Gasping, she flew from the basement, annoyed that she had indeed fallen into his arms so easily.
Well, it wouldn’t happen again.
ONCE SHE’D ESCAPED the basement, Jess could hear happy shrieks and triumphant laughter throughout the house and even outside. Shadows ran past the kitchen windows as searchers scavenged for goodies. Smoothing her hair and her skirt, she considered her next clue. She left Johnny in the basement—where he belongs, the rascal—and scurried to find where her key would fit.
The roof, where Santa’s reindeer might land.
A candy cane-lined path led her to signs pointing in four different directions, much like in a fairy tale. She had to choose the right one.
Four directions, all seeming to lead where reindeer might land.
She chose the path that led back inside the house, and looked for the next sign. On the stairs, she found another candy cane. She climbed until she reached the attic door and pulled it down.
It was dark in the attic, of course.
“I really want to win,” she murmured. Telling herself it was safe, she grabbed her flashlight and headed up the steps.
Once she got to the top, she looked for a light switch. It was taped down, a fact that didn’t surprise her. “Fiona’s idea of romance,” Jess said, and jumped up into the attic, her silver sandals clacking on the oak wood floor. “Oh, wow.”
Fiona had the space decorated like a Christmas fairy tale. Tinsel wreaths lined the walls, and tinsel garlands hung over every eave. A tiny silver tree had gaily wrapped gift boxes underneath. Jess approached the tree, wondering how her key might fit into the picture.
She wasn’t totally surprised when she heard boots on the landing behind her. Whirling, she faced Johnny.
“Damn, it’s dark up here.”
“There are candles,” Jess said.
“I was hoping you’d be here.” He looked around the attic. “Fiona does know how to decorate.”
Jess glanced at all the dormer windows. Each one was lit by a glass candle. A wreath decorated each dormer. But it was Johnny who held her attention. “I haven’t found where the key goes.”
He approached the tree. “Keys unlock things.”
She nodded. “But there are only these tiny boxes.”
The ladder behind them began to slide closed, and then the attic door shut. “Fiona,” Jess said, and Johnny nodded.
“She seems to be determined to get us alone together. Which I don’t mind at all. Come here.”
He snagged her easily, kissing her. Breathlessly, Jess drew back. “What about Wendy?”
“Mmm,” he said. “Let’s be clear about how much I love your lips, Jess. I believe it was one of the first things I noticed about you.” He followed that statement by proceeding to kiss her so thoroughly she could hardly think.
“Wendy,” she reminded him, pulling away.
“Ah. Last I saw her, she was sucking face with one of the Callahans. It might have been Sam.” Johnny gave a dismissive shrug. “I wouldn’t have even brought her, except you said you wanted us to be seen with other people. Kind of funny, since I’m really enjoying not being seen with you.” He laid gentle kisses against her collarbone, then lifted her up against him and sank onto a window seat. “Sleeping with you in that cave just about drove me nuts.”
“Wait,” Jess said, slapping away one of his hands, which
had a tendency to wander. Her head was spinning from all Johnny’s kisses, and if she didn’t get him to focus on the current matter, nothing was going to be resolved. She didn’t want to go back downstairs unless everything was clear. “I didn’t say I wanted us to be seen with other people.”
“You said something like that. And you were uncomfortable with me.” He kissed each one of her fingertips, then glanced out the window. “Look at everybody running around down there. Lucky for me, I’ve already found what I wanted.”
She squirmed backward in his lap as he tried to kiss her collarbone again. If she didn’t stop everything this minute, he was going to completely seduce her. “Oh, heck, it doesn’t matter anymore,” she said, pulling his face to hers. He seemed glad to let her take the lead, and she let her hands do the walking across his broad shoulders and down his back.
“I like you,” he said, when she drew back to take a breath.
“I… You’re a flirt, Johnny Donovan. You kiss all the girls.”
“Again, you saw her kissing me. And now she’s kissing someone else. Wendy is an opportunistic kisser. I’m okay with that.”
Jess wrinkled her nose. “And when you take her home and she decides to plaster herself all over you?”
He laughed. “I think I like this jealous streak of yours.”
“I don’t.” Jess kissed him for good measure, so he’d remember later on that his lips were just right for hers—in case he did decide to fall for any of Wendy’s wiles.
Somehow, Jess didn’t think he would.
She was just about to unfasten his belt buckle when he said, “So what about the uniform?”
“The uniform?”
“The guy you brought?”
Jess studied Johnny. “Are you jealous now?”
He massaged her bottom through the skirt. “Damn right.”
He was making her body melt like ice cream in summer, but she steeled herself against the tide of longings he was igniting. “My date and I are…close. That’s the only way I know to put it.” Jess wasn’t about to let Johnny off the hook until she was sure he wasn’t going to jump right into Wendy’s willing arms.
Holiday in a Stetson: The Sheriff Who Found ChristmasA Rancho Diablo Christmas Page 11