His Christmas Sweetheart

by Cathy McDavid

  Her legs circled his middle and she rose up to meet him, taking all of him and giving more in return.

  Exercising self-control he didn’t know he possessed, he held back. It was torture. It was also heaven. He felt good. She felt great.

  He changed the angle of his penetration, increased the rhythm. It was enough. Her shattering climax sent Will sailing to find his own release. They clung to each other until their tremors subsided.

  He didn’t want to move. Ever. Didn’t want to leave Miranda or this bed. This house.

  She melted into the mattress. “That was... Wow.”

  He couldn’t agree more.

  They curled together under the covers, not satisfied until their bodies were touching from head to toe. Content at last, they lay quietly, letting their beating hearts do the talking.

  Will’s chest constricting brought the moment to an end. He increased his hold on Miranda and waited.

  Not a panic attack. This, he realized, was what it was like to fall for someone.

  Fall harder, he corrected himself. He’d been under Miranda’s spell since the day he had first seen her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Miranda propped herself up on one elbow and studied Will. He’d fallen into a light sleep soon after they’d made love. She shouldn’t be surprised—he’d rigorously maintained control, not wavering for one second. It had to be draining.

  He was even more gorgeous in slumber, and that was saying a lot because he was totally gorgeous awake. The lines bracketing his mouth and creasing his brow had relaxed, leaving smooth tanned skin in its place. She longed to run her fingertips over the contours of his face but refrained, afraid she might disturb him.

  Sighing, she snuggled next to him. Her contentment was short-lived. Almost instantly she recalled her wretched morning. Will’s incredible lovemaking—and it was incredible—had only temporarily set her mind free.

  The savings and loan had turned her down flat. Mr. Lexington was leaving.

  Miranda had no idea what to do. Anything short of finding new residents, full-or part-time, was simply delaying the inevitable.

  Arthur came immediately to mind. She frowned at the recollection of her chance meeting with his daughter and son-in-law the other day. It was unfair and selfish of them, expecting her to accommodate Arthur all day, nearly every day, let him eat her food and watch her TV and not compensate her.

  What if she just presented them with a bill?

  That wouldn’t be nice. And what if they put an end to Arthur’s visits? Babs would be desolate.

  Miranda supposed she could speak to Arthur directly. Not to ask him for compensation. Good heavens, she wouldn’t dream of doing that. He might, however, be interested in moving in. Enough to override his daughter’s objections.

  She’d do it, Miranda decided. Drop a hint anyway. What could it hurt?

  There was also the bulletin board at the community center. She’d advertised there before. For live-in residents, not adult day care. She could post notices at Sweetheart’s three churches, too.

  Yesterday Miranda had run into Wanda at the drugstore. The grade-school teacher had mentioned receiving government assistance for her home and gave Miranda the contact info. The program was for residents, however, not businesses. Still, it was worth checking into, seeing as Miranda ran her business out of her home.

  Will stirred, putting an end to her mental meanderings. She wriggled closer and wrapped a leg around his. This was nice, lying beside a warm male body. She could get used to it.

  What might the future hold for them? Miranda hadn’t dated much since opening Harmony House. What man in his right mind got involved with a woman who lived with four senior citizens?

  Something told her Will was different. He didn’t visit her just because Mrs. Litey reminded him of his grandmother. He liked her residents. Kids, too. It was everyone else he kept at a distance.

  Except for her. She’d managed to breach his defenses, but it hadn’t been easy. So worth it, however.

  She started at the sudden sound of an unfamiliar cell phone chiming. It came from the floor. More specifically, Will’s jeans.

  He jackknifed to a sitting position, blinking sleep from his eyes. “Where’s my phone?”

  “It’s over there, I think.”

  He swung his feet onto the floor and bent down to retrieve his jeans. The phone was still ringing when he pulled it out of the back pocket.

  “Yeah, Sam.” He sent Miranda a bashful look she found quite endearing, as if his boss could see through the phone and knew what they’d done. “I got distracted...She’s fine,” he added after a pause. “I’ll tell you later.”

  Miranda sat up and hugged Will from behind, doing her dead level best to distract him. Her efforts had the desired effect.

  “How’d the meeting go? Sorry I missed it.” Will cleared his throat. “I can do that.”

  She bit his shoulder as her hand crept down his belly.

  “Right, I’ll just...” He covered a groan with another throat clearing. “Go ahead. I’ll catch a ride back to the ranch. I’m sure.” He closed his eyes and leaned into her as she found him and began stroking. “Gotta go.”

  Miranda could hear Sam still talking as Will disconnected the phone. Unable to help herself, she laughed. Will did, too.

  She went still, realizing she hadn’t heard him laugh before and marveling at the rich timbre. Before she quite knew what was happening, he flipped her onto her back and rolled on top of her, staring at her with a lightness in his eyes that was also new.

  She threaded her fingers into his hair and brought his mouth to hers. “I like hearing you laugh. You should do it more often.”

  “Invite me up here and I will.”

  “What are you doing tomorrow?” She flashed him a wicked grin.

  That was all it took. Their second joining was fast and as explosive as the first. Will held on to her when it was over as though she was the most precious thing in the world. Miranda went all fluttery inside.

  They might have lain there indefinitely—wouldn’t that be lovely?—but muffled noises from below traveled up the stairway.

  “Darn.” She feigned alarm. “I think we just got busted.”

  Will’s alarm, on the other hand, was genuine. He swore under his breath and threw back the covers. “Is there another way out of here?”

  “You are not climbing down the rain gutter.” She followed him out of bed and retrieved her clothes, which were strewn across the floor.

  “I could go through the heating vent to the garage.”

  “We haven’t done anything wrong.” She couldn’t believe how irritated she was by his guilt.

  “Miranda.” He was beside her in an instant, half dressed and looking sexier than ever. “This was more than right. It was meant to be.”

  Her heart sang. What a perfect thing to say.

  “I’m just worried about you and your reputation.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I don’t want your residents and Nell thinking less of you. Or their families, if they mention anything. It could hurt your business.”

  “Need I remind you why I purchased the condoms? Babs and Arthur can be trusted to stay quiet. Mrs. Litey will be thrilled to see you and probably not notice that you came from upstairs. I’d be surprised if Himey paid any attention. And Mr. Lexington is leaving this weekend. Who cares what he or his son thinks?”

  “What about Nell? She’s your employee.”

  “Seriously? She’ll find the whole thing hilarious. It’ll be all right,” she affirmed when he remained skeptical.

  “If you say so.” He kissed her again before leaving her alone so they both could finish dressing. Moments later, the intercom went off, the shrill buzzing loud enough to wake Miranda from the soundest of sleeps if necessary.

>   She went over to the wall and depressed the button. “Yes.”

  “You are up there.” Nell’s deep voice boomed from the intercom. “The Paydirt called a while ago. We were in the middle of shopping. For personal necessities.” She stressed the word personal. “You know how that goes. By the time I called them back, they said they’d found you.”

  “Sorry about that. Be down in a sec.”

  “Okay. Maybe then you can tell us why Will’s hat, jacket and shirt are in the front room. Babs thought maybe he forgot them in his haste.” There was a pause during which Miranda swore Nell silenced a giggle.

  Will grimaced.

  Miranda motioned for him to relax. Facing everyone downstairs wouldn’t be easy. Will, however, was good at keeping a straight face. As long as the stress didn’t trigger a panic attack.

  “Give me a minute.” She released the intercom button and faced him. “We probably should have skipped... You know, that second time. Then we wouldn’t be forced to take the walk of shame.”

  He captured her hand as they started toward the stairs. “I wouldn’t have skipped ‘you know’ for anything.”

  Neither would she.

  Instead of the entire household waiting for them at the base of the stairs as she’d expected, they were busy elsewhere. In fact, the front room was completely empty except for Crackers. At the sight of Will, the terrier trotted over.

  Nell was with Babs, helping her sort and stow her various purchases. Mrs. Litey had retired to her room. Himey was poking through the refrigerator contents, on the hunt for a snack. Mr. Lexington was, of course, napping. She’d miss him when he was gone.

  At once she was filled with sorrow. Will, astute as always, squeezed her fingers.

  “I best get going.” He retrieved his jacket, shirt and hat, which had been placed in a neat stack on the couch, and slipped on his shirt.

  She walked him to the door, glad they were alone. “Will I see you tomorrow?” She hated that her voice rose at the end.

  “Absolutely. I’ll call you. Find out when’s a good time.”

  “Or you can call...just to talk.” She gazed at him shyly.

  “I will.” His smile warmed her. “If there’s anything I can do to help with your problem, let me know.”

  “I can’t imagine there is, but I’ll keep the offer in mind. I actually have a few ideas I’m tossing around.” She glanced over her shoulder. They were still alone. “Not sure they’ll work, but I’ve got to stay positive.”

  She would, too.

  Not daring to do more than rest her hand on his arm, she said, “Bye.”

  The next thing she knew, she was in his arms, his mouth planted firmly on hers. The kiss was swift but thorough.

  “My goodness!” was all she could muster when he set her aside.

  “See you later, honey.” He plunked his hat on his head and left.

  Honey? Miranda was thrilled at the easy way the endearment had rolled off his tongue. She closed the door and leaned her back against it. Shutting her eyes, she relived the past two hours, cherishing every moment. Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to wait and would call her tonight.

  The shuffle of footsteps roused her. She really needed to get some work done. Opening her eyes, she pushed off the door and stopped suddenly.

  Five pairs of eyes were staring at her. Six if she counted Crackers. When had everyone wandered into the front room?

  Great. Had they seen her and Will kissing?

  Before she could stammer an excuse, Mrs. Litey asked, “Lois, was that Joseph? When did you two start seeing each other?”

  Nell exploded in a raucous belly laugh.

  * * *

  WILL STOOD BACK and inspected his craftsmanship. The old sleigh was ready for its maiden voyage. Well, not its first outing ever but its first one in possibly four decades.

  He’d been laboring over the sleigh for an entire week, in between leading cross-country ski excursions and one trail ride up to the Windfall Claim site.

  The skiers were stout individuals who had been eager to go out again the next day. The horse riders hadn’t endured the cold well and had found other, less arduous, activities to entertain themselves, mostly in town. With more snow in the forecast, Will was certain he’d led his last trail ride till next spring.

  Maybe on his maiden voyage with the sleigh he’d go to Miranda’s place. Convince her to join him. Heck, he’d give all the residents a ride. Babs and Himey would love it. Arthur, too, who’d probably be there. Mrs. Litey, maybe not so much. He’d have to explain how Joseph had learned to drive a sleigh.

  Just Miranda, then. The two of them cuddled together on the seat, keeping warm with a blanket and each other. That was, if the sleigh made it. The hard asphalt could damage the metal runners if the snow and ice weren’t packed solidly enough. He really should drive the sleigh around the ranch first.

  Reservations at the Gold Nugget had picked up recently. Thanks to school holidays, they were booked almost to capacity for the first time since the ranch opened. Christmas next week was going to be a merry event, what with dinner being served in the main house and a surprise visit from Santa Claus in the works. Sam was also hosting a kid-friendly New Year’s Eve party.

  He’d asked Will to give sleigh rides after Christmas dinner. He’d also invited Will to eat with his family and the guests, which Will had declined. Sam hadn’t asked for a reason, and Will didn’t volunteer one. His boss likely guessed that Will would be dining at Harmony House with Miranda, Nell and the three remaining residents.

  Who knew how long her elder-care business would stay afloat? The holidays were a lousy time to look for new residents. Her attempts at advertising had yet to yield any results.

  Will had spent the previous weekend helping Mr. Lexington’s son move the old man out. It had been a sad and trying occasion for everyone. Mr. Lexington had objected vehemently to the move, arguing heatedly and then, at the end, crying like a baby. Miranda and Babs had cried, too. Mrs. Litey completely retreated into the past, and Himey hid in his room.

  When the time came for Mr. Lexington to leave, they’d had to pry Crackers from his arms when he had refused to part with the dog.

  Miranda handled the move well until Mr. Lexington’s son drove away. Then she fell apart. Will had done what he could to console her. Eventually she’d pulled herself together, staying strong for her remaining residents. The strain was beginning to show on her face, however, in the form of dark circles under her eyes and a pale complexion.

  If he thought she’d take his money, he’d give her all he could spare. But she’d refuse. She’d already turned her parents down.

  A sleigh ride might cheer her up. At the very least get her out of the house and doing something else besides working at the Paydirt. He could pick her up when she finished her shift later today for a moonlight ride. Of course, if he picked her up, everyone would know they were seeing each other.

  Will had found himself caring less and less what other people thought of him. It was an interesting change. A permanent one, he hoped.

  At the sound of bells, he raised his head. Cruze, who’d been snoozing nearby, jumped to his feet, tail wagging.

  Sam was crossing the open area in front of the barn, picking his way over the freshly plowed snow.

  “Thought you might want to use these,” Sam said when he neared.

  “Where’d you find them?” Will took the jingle bells from Sam and examined them.

  A dozen brass bells had been fastened to a leather strap. At the end of the strap was a clasp, enabling it to be attached to the horse’s harness. The bells—Will was sure they were antique—made a pleasant sound when shaken.

  “Annie found them,” Sam answered. “Borrowed them, actually. From the Sweetheart Memorial.”

  S
am’s wife was on the committee that ran the memorial. The recently constructed museum housed all manner of memorabilia from before the fire that had ravaged the town last July.

  “I think they’re from the old Overbeck place.”

  Will laid the jingle bells next to the toolbox. “The guests will like them.”

  “Yeah,” Sam agreed. “Over the river and through the woods.”

  “Does this mean I have to sing Christmas carols while I’m driving?”

  “That’s something I’d want to see.” His boss chuckled as he walked around the sleigh, giving it a thorough once-over. “Looks as if you’re ready for a test drive.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing myself. Want to go? I cleaned the harness yesterday.”

  “Which horse are you using?”

  “Sugar Pie. I’m not in the mood for a rodeo.”

  The old draft mare was dependable and complacent. Trustworthy enough to carry a three-year-old through an earthquake. Plus she had driving experience, having once been part of a team.

  “Good choice.” Sam ran a gloved hand along the sleigh’s wooden side, pausing briefly where Will had patched a hole. “But I think your first passenger should be Miranda, seeing as you two are going out these days.”

  Will’s response was to raise his brows.

  “Your truck’s been parked in front of her house four nights in a row. Irma noticed and mentioned it.”

  Irma was head housekeeper at the ranch. Will had forgotten she lived on the same street as Miranda.

  “Hey, don’t be mad,” Sam said when Will returned to cleaning the sleigh. “I’m glad you’re seeing her. I told you that before.”

  “I’m not mad.” Will wasn’t. He’d just kept to himself for so long, discussing the personal aspects of his life didn’t come easy.

  Maybe he should give it a try. He could use a sounding board.

  “You finished for the day?” Will asked.

  “Just about. What do you have in mind?”

  “Thought maybe I’d buy you a beer at the Paydirt.”