The Christmas Tree

by Allyson Charles

  She did know that the man downstairs was just the one she wanted to practice with.

  * * *

  The pine forest they hiked through smelled of damp earth and moss. The trailhead had only been a ten minute drive from her house, but they’d yet to encounter anyone else on the path. The sun filtered through the tall trees, making the path splotchy with light, the woods broken by an occasional meadow. Their path looked down upon a small lake that Canada geese had made their own. It was a beautiful day, but Sadie didn’t appreciate it at the moment.

  The cold air dug little blades into her lungs as she panted to keep up with Colt’s long strides. Her nose was running. And she was starving, her breakfast a distant memory. Who could think of romance when one’s muscles were seizing with fatigue?

  “Isn’t this great?” Colt asked. He turned his head to smile back at her without breaking his stride.

  “Sure.” Sadie panted. “Great.”

  He hopped down a small incline and trotted for a couple of steps, increasing the distance between them.

  “Wait. I lied. Stop for a minute, would you?” She bent over at the waist and rested her hands on her thighs. When had she gotten so out of shape?

  He was by her side in an instant. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

  “No.” She sucked down another deep gulp of air. “Just out of breath. I didn’t realize we’d be taking a run through the forest today.”

  Colt frowned. “We’re not running, we’re hiking. I thought you liked to hike.” He pulled a bottle of water out from a small pack he wore strapped to his back and handed it to her.

  She accepted it gratefully. “I do like to hike. At the average pace of most hikers—three miles per hour. You’ve got to be going at least five.” Straightening up, she gulped the cool water. Maybe this was why she usually dated men who wore loafers. The tassels slowed them down. She could keep up with them better.

  He rolled his eyes. “I guess I should have known better than to take a princess for a hike.” His eyes crinkled at the edges and took away any bite the words might have carried.

  “I hate to perpetuate your stereotype of me, but this princess is also starving.” She pointed toward a rocky beach on the lake. “What do you say we go have some lunch?”

  “That I can agree with.” He dramatically swept his hand in front of himself with a slight bow. “My lady? After you.”

  “That’s ‘Your Royal Highness’ to you, buddy.” She walked past him, nose in the air. His deep chuckle sent shivers arrowing from her eardrums to her core.

  They sat on the trunk of a fallen tree, the midnight-blue water of the deep lake lapping at the shore mere feet away. Sadie devoured the sandwich Colt had made for her, while he bit into a green apple. The occasional honking of geese was the only sound to break the silence for several minutes.

  “Connie was drunk. I just made sure she got home safe.” Colt’s voice startled Sadie from her repose. The comment was abrupt, making her wonder how long it had been on his mind. The fact that he wanted her to know at all had her heart picking up speed.

  “It really wasn’t my business.” She met his piercing gaze, then lowered her eyes and brushed crumbs off her lap. “But I can’t say I’m not happy to hear it.”

  He nodded and turned back to look at the lake. “She was important to my brother. They dated for a long time. Broke up a couple of times, made up. He called it off for good when he enlisted, but he really did care about her. I know he’d want me to look out for her.”

  “Does she drink a lot, or was Friday night a one-off?” Sadie had a hard time reconciling the nervous girl she’d known as a child, who chewed on her braid, with the sophisticated drunk she’d seen at the Pins ’N’ Pints.

  Colt took a long drink of water. “She’s been drinking more and more. I don’t know if it qualifies as a problem yet.”

  She laid a hand on his firm thigh. “You’re a good friend. She’s lucky you’re there for her.”

  He stretched his legs out, his muscles flexing beneath her touch. Her fingers itched to feel him without his clothing as a barrier, skin on skin. “It’s not all unselfish,” he said. “I have so few connections left to Caleb. Watching out for Connie helps me as much as it does her.”

  She started to slide her hand from his leg, but Colt’s calloused palm covered it, pinning it in place. They sat in silence for another couple of minutes.

  “A road trip to New Orleans with Caleb is my favorite memory. You asked yesterday.” He shifted closer to Sadie. “He had just joined up and was heading to boot camp in three weeks. He dropped by my apartment one morning, told me to pack a bag, and we hopped in his truck and started driving. We drank and ate our way through the French Quarter and stopped at every roadside attraction along the way, no matter how stupid.” He rubbed her hand absently. “It was a great week.”

  The blood drained from her face. “His truck. It was your brother’s truck that I destroyed, wasn’t it?” The question came out a mere whisper.

  “Yes. He left it to me.”

  She pulled her hand from his and straightened her back. “One fewer connection.” She swallowed back the bile. She’d thought Colt was being unreasonable about his truck the night they met. Thought all sorts of bad things about him. But really she was the awful person. Her carelessness had destroyed something precious.

  “Sadie.” He took her hand again and turned toward her. “I’m not going to lie and say it didn’t hurt. You saw how badly I reacted. But I shouldn’t have acted that way. As you said, it is just a truck.”

  “Just a truck? How can you say that? Caleb left it to you and it holds your favorite memory of your brother. I destroyed that.” She kicked at a stone.

  Colt’s gravelly chuckle brought her head up with a snap.

  “Why are you laughing?” she demanded.

  “You saying it’s not just a truck while I’m now realizing that it is just a piece of metal. My memories of Caleb weren’t destroyed with the truck.” He put his hand around her knee and turned her to face him.

  “Maybe not.” She blinked back tears. “But mementos help keep memories alive. I’m so sorry about what I did.”

  His rough hand cupped her face, his thumb swiping away a lone tear she couldn’t stop from falling. “Don’t cry for me, princess,” he said, his voice a low rumble.

  She gazed into his moss-green eyes, entranced by the play of light upon the gold flecks that surrounded the pupil. The kindness in their depths gave her courage. She reached her hand up, stroked his cheek. She’d wanted to touch his face for so long. She didn’t know many men with facial hair, never dated one. Certainly never kissed one. The thick stubble was a delicious mix of soft and scratchy, like velvet, smooth to the touch when stroked in one direction and slightly abrasive the other. “I’ve been wanting to touch your beard ever since I saw you.”

  “Princess, anytime you want to touch me, you can.” Colt drew her closer. He paused, his lips inches from hers. His warm breath blew across her mouth, every exhalation a sensual caress. From this distance, Sadie could see those same gold flecks in his eyes darken to molasses. Her eyes slid shut, heart pounding in anticipation. He didn’t keep her waiting.

  His lips, chilled from the winter air, crushed against hers, sending a shiver from the base of her skull straight to the tip of her tailbone. He nibbled at her upper bow, then swept his tongue into her mouth, tasting every corner. This was no timid first kiss. This was a starved man presented with a rare steak. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. They had been fighting since they’d met and this was just another form of battle.

  A hot, delicious battle. Every insult, each hurt feeling she’d had, egged her on, had her digging her fingers into his skull, pulling at his hair. Their tongues battled for dominance, jockeyed for position.

  Her skin felt so tight she feared it would split; only his arms held her together. When had kissing ever felt so good? The realtors and mortgage lenders she’d dated never made her burn like this, never tasted like
Colt did. She tried to wriggle closer, her position awkward on the log. Her body needing to touch as much of his as possible. He slid his hand from her cheek to the back of her head, holding her in place. He swept his other hand around her waist and dragged her across his lap until she straddled his firm thighs.

  She nestled against him, chest pressed against chest, hands roaming everywhere. Wanting to feel every hard part of him. When he broke away from her lips, moving his kisses to the tender spot behind her ear, she took in great gulps of air, trying to catch her breath. With each inhalation, her tender nipples rubbed against his chest, the lace of her bra scratching at her and driving her mad. He licked and nibbled his way down her neck, the softness of his tongue and lips followed by the scratch of his beard. She never wanted it to stop.

  She instinctively arched into him. In under two minutes, Colt had lit up her body more than any man ever had. His lips were at the hollow of her throat, doing wonderful things, but suddenly she wanted more. She wanted some of the control. Threading her fingers through his hair, she tugged his head up, smiling in satisfaction at his heavy-lidded gaze. She pulled his face down to hers and claimed his mouth.

  Sadie was lost. She sucked on his tongue, tasting the tart of the apple he had eaten. His scruff in turn tickled, scraped, and caressed her cheek. Her arms wrapped around his neck, demanding more. He pulled her even tighter to his body.

  She had a moment of disorientation, a feeling like she was flying upside down, before she realized something was wrong. Colt broke their kiss a second before they landed in a heap behind the log.

  She lay on top of Colt, their legs a tangled mess. Pushing herself up on her arms, she looked down at him, her mouth hanging open. “We fell off the log.”

  His lips twitched and broke apart into a wide smile. His deep laugh vibrated against her breasts.

  “It’s not funny. You could have been hurt.” Sadie searched the beach to see if they were still alone. She had become so lost in Colt’s kiss, she wouldn’t have noticed a marching band passing through. She frowned at the thought. A little romance was one thing. Becoming so absorbed in someone as to be oblivious to the rest of the world was a whole other roll of cookie dough. Two seconds ago she had been one kiss and an ear nibble away from getting naked on the beach and having her way with him, rational thought but a distant memory. And that wasn’t like her.

  She moved to roll off of him but his hands gripped her hips more firmly. She peered down at him, arching one eyebrow. “Are you okay? No concussion?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Then let me up. It’s time we were heading back anyway.”

  He slid his hands up her back, gently pressing her down to his chest. “One more kiss, princess.”

  Heat coursed through her veins, but Sadie fought its pull. “One more.” Bending down, she kissed the tip of his nose. “Okay, time to go.” She slapped at his chest and Colt released her with a melodramatic sigh.

  She was adjusting her clothing when Colt grabbed her face again and turned it for a better look. “Your cheeks are all red.” He rubbed his stubble and frowned.

  “Don’t worry about it.” She bent and put their trash in Colt’s pack. “It’ll fade away.”

  His frown deepened. He took the pack from Sadie and strapped it on, angling his back to her in the process. When he turned back, his face was placid, as though he’d been skipping rocks on the lake instead of ravishing her on the beach. Sadie couldn’t pinpoint it, but felt a subtle shift in his attitude. The smile he gave her was no more than what he’d give Jerome.

  She swallowed past a lump. He was clearly adept at the game of romance, a player just in it for fun, able to leave his emotions out of it. A proposition she had wholeheartedly supported mere hours ago. She brought her hand up to press against her tender lips. Just a harmless fling. She could do that if he could.

  He waved her down the path with a slight bow. “Time to get you home. Can’t have you turning into a pumpkin.”

  Sadie scowled but fell into step beside him. She could play along, pretend that what had just happened between them was no big deal. “That’s not how it works. You really don’t know a thing about fairy tales.”

  “Princess, that is a charge which I will proudly plead guilty to.”

  Chapter Nine

  At her porch, they stomped the dirt off their shoes and Colt asked her if he could clean up in her bathroom. She was headed into the kitchen when her cell phone rang. She hurried to where she’d left it in the living room, hoping it was Samantha Powers with an offer. It wasn’t, but she was happy to see Allison’s name on the screen.

  “Hi, Allison. Did you get my text?”

  “Yes, I got your text. You seriously want to go through with this?” Allison’s normally honeyed tones skyrocketed into alto territory.

  “I told you before that I did.” Sadie peeked down the hallway to make sure Colt was still in the bathroom. “Besides losing some sleep, what’s the worst that could happen? We’ll just be in my car.”

  “Losing sleep is a pretty big deal to some of us.”

  Sadie walked to the window and pulled the drape to the side, looking out. “Come on,” she wheedled. “Nothing happened last night, so I bet the thief will strike tonight. Haven’t you ever wanted to be on a stakeout?”

  “I hear they’re boring.” The words said one thing, but her tone indicated she was softening.

  “Not if we’re together. We’ll keep each other company.” Sadie lowered her voice. “I’ll be parked across from your café tonight. If you don’t show up, I’ll be all alone.” Allison’s steady breathing was her only response. “All alone, stalking a criminal.” Allison huffed but still didn’t say anything. “All alone trying to help out your town. Come on!”

  “Fiiine. Man, you can be one pushy broad.”

  “Thanks,” Sadie said, a smile stretching across her face. She turned and flinched. Colt stood behind her. Eyes wide, she said, “Gotta go. See you later.”

  She shoved her phone in her back pocket. “All set?” Colt crossed his arms over his chest, making Sadie wonder how much he’d heard. “Thanks for the hike. And for offering to help remodel this house. But I have some things to do before David gets here.”

  The fingers clutching his biceps whitened. “Carelli’s taking you out to dinner tonight. I almost forgot.”

  “It’s just to talk about the house. It’s a business dinner.” She tried to herd Colt toward the front door, and he was about as receptive as a cat.

  “And how does his offer rank against mine?”

  She sighed and rested her hand on his forearm. “I haven’t heard his offer yet. But I do like your idea better, us flipping the house and keeping the profits. But I said I’d hear him out and I will.” She looked steadily into his eyes until he gave a brief nod.

  “Of course.” He shifted toward the entryway. “You’ll let me know what you decide?”

  She held the door for him. “As soon as I make up my mind.” He reached the porch and she leaned against the door frame to watch him go. “I did have a really good time today.”

  He paused at the top step and smiled back at her. “Me too, princess. Me too.”

  * * *

  David took her to a French restaurant one town over. Sadie wore the nicest pair of slacks and blouse she had with her, but still was underdressed. He didn’t seem to notice or care and after the initial discomfort, she shrugged and realized there was no one here she wanted to impress.

  When the waiter came to their table, David passed him the unopened menus and said to bring them whatever the specials were and named a bottle of wine she didn’t recognize. After the waiter left, David turned his whole focus on her, eyes unblinking, smile blindingly white. She pressed back in her chair. It was like being under a spotlight at a police station.

  “So. How are you enjoying Pineville?” he asked. “Not quite the bustle of Ann Arbor.”

  “It’s a beautiful town. The circumstances of my stay are a bit embarrassing, but
I’m enjoying myself.” Sadie paused, water glass halfway to her mouth. She really was enjoying herself, she thought, surprised. That wasn’t just polite conversation.

  “Pineville has potential, that’s for sure.” He paused while the sommelier poured him a sip of wine. David made a production out of it, swirling and sniffing before allowing the man to fill both their glasses. When they were alone again, he continued his pitch. “I see bigger and better things for my town. A lot of developments down the pipeline. So when I see a property like your grandmother’s, I get excited.” He paused for another sip of wine but his eyes never left hers. “Of course, the condition of the house is a disappointment. It would need a lot of work in order to remain a single-family residence.”

  “But the bones of the house are good,” she argued. “And the land it’s sitting on is a real draw. I would imagine a lot of families would be eager to snap up the house, even if it is a fixer-upper, just for the two acres it sits on.” Her stomach grumbled and she hoped that the special was something with substance. Her hike had made her hungry. If snails showed up on her plate, she wouldn’t be a happy camper.

  He scooted his chair closer and leaned in. “Yes, the land is a draw. But most buyers don’t have the imagination or drive to see that potential. They’ll see the broken-down house and the offers will reflect that. You won’t get a better price than what I’m prepared to offer you.”

  The waiter interrupted and set down two plates of Caesar salad. Sadie’s stomach did a happy dance. “And what is your offer? You still haven’t told me.” Digging into her salad, she narrowed her eyes when he plucked a white envelope from his pocket and laid it on the table between their plates. She had to put down her fork to open it up, and that annoyed her. Couldn’t he just tell her his price?

  The number was higher than she had expected. “With all the problems that you’ve pointed out with the property, this seems like a generous offer.”