Bring Me a Maverick for Christmas!

by Brenda Harlen

  But that opportunity had passed, and he owed her the courtesy of paying attention to what she was saying without being distracted by his own fantasies.

  Except that a tiny bit of whipped cream clung to the indent at the center of her top lip, and it was driving him to distraction. He finally reached across the table and brushed his thumb over her lip, wiping away the cream.

  He heard her sharp intake of breath, watched her eyes widen with awareness. And maybe...arousal?

  Or maybe he was projecting.

  “Whipped cream,” he explained.

  “Oh.” She reached for her napkin and wiped her mouth. “I probably should have skipped the whipped cream and chocolate sauce—they’re messy.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with messy,” he told her, imagining that they could have a lot of fun getting messy together with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

  Serena blushed, making him wonder if her thoughts had gone in the same direction as his own.

  There was definitely a zing in the air—a sizzle of attraction that ratcheted up the temperature about ten degrees whenever he was with her.

  He’d been back in Rust Creek Falls for almost a year, and during that time, he’d crossed paths with any number of undeniably attractive women. Several had flirted with him, a few had offered more than a phone number, but he hadn’t been tempted by any of them.

  But after only a few hours with Serena Langley, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind. When she’d left the Gold Rush Diner earlier that day, he’d counted the hours until the fund-raiser in anticipation of seeing her there. And when she’d excused herself from that event, he could tell she was upset about something. And because he’d worried about an attractive single woman walking into a place like the Ace alone, he’d followed her, just to make sure she was okay.

  Now he was sitting across from her at Daisy’s Donut Shop, watching her sip hot cocoa and trying to resist the temptation to imagine her naked. He was feeling better about life, the universe and everything than he’d felt in a very long time—maybe even since he’d left Rust Creek Falls following the deaths of his parents thirteen years earlier. Which confirmed a crucial fact: Serena Langley was a dangerous woman. And if he wasn’t careful, her sparkling eyes, warm smile and open heart could pose a significant threat to the walls he’d deliberately built around his own damaged vessel.

  So he would be careful, he resolved. He would take a step back—maybe several steps—to avoid the danger of another emotional splat. But those steps could wait until tomorrow, he decided, as he popped the last bite of snickerdoodle into his mouth.

  Because tonight, he was really enjoying being with her.

  Chapter Five

  “I know, I know,” Serena said, as she kicked off her shoes inside the door. “I promised I wouldn’t be late, but I got caught up.”

  Marvin didn’t move from the spot where he’d been sitting when she opened the door, his big sad eyes filled with silent reproach.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, crouching down to rub his ears.

  He closed his eyes, savoring her touch.

  Then she sighed. “Actually, that’s a lie. I’m sorry you missed me, but I’m not sorry I’m late, because I had a really good time with Bailey tonight.”

  Marvin tilted his head.

  “Am I forgiven?” she asked, continuing to scratch where he liked it best.

  His licked her hand.

  “Thank you,” she said, and kissed the top of his head before rising to her feet again and moving toward the bedroom to change.

  On the way, she checked on Max, who was sleeping soundly in his bed. She found Molly curled up on her bed again, but Serena pretended she didn’t see her there, because attempting to reprimand the stubborn calico only proved to both of them that the cat was the one calling the shots.

  Instead, Serena hung her dress back up in the closet and finally donned the warm fuzzy pajamas that had beckoned to her hours earlier. After brushing her teeth, she wanted nothing more than to climb beneath the covers of her bed, but she felt guilty for neglecting Marvin through most of the day and night, so she returned to the living room. She played some tug-of-war with him and his favorite knotted rope, then a few minutes of fetch—he’d always been good at finding and retrieving the ball, but not so good at returning it to her.

  When he finally tired of the game and crawled into her lap, she lifted her hand to his head to rub his ears, and he sighed contentedly and closed his eyes.

  “I think I’m developing a serious crush,” Serena confided to her pet.

  He opened one eye, as if to assure her that he was listening.

  She smiled as she continued to stroke his short glossy fur.

  “I know it’s crazy,” she admitted. “I barely know the guy. And yet...there’s just something about him.

  “Or maybe it’s just been so long since I’ve spent any time with a man that I’m making this into more than it is. I mean, it wasn’t even a date—we just both happened to be at the same event. But it felt like a date. And it was so nice to talk to a guy who seemed to listen to what I was saying.

  “Of course, you’re a good listener, too, but sometimes it’s nice to talk to someone who actually talks back.”

  Marvin responded with a low growl.

  She laughed softly. “I’m not denying that you know how to communicate,” she said, attempting to placate her pet. “But we really don’t share a dialogue. And, if I’m being completely honest, I like to look at him, too. Because Bailey Stockton is hot. And the way he looks at me, I feel like I’m more than a vet tech or a pet owner or ‘the girl who lives upstairs,’ as Mr. Harrington calls me. I feel attractive and desirable, and I haven’t felt that way in a long time.”

  Marvin tilted his head to lick her hand.

  “I know you love me,” she said. “And I love you. But as sweet as your doggy kisses are, they don’t compare to real kisses. At least, I don’t think they do. Of course, it’s been so long since I’ve been kissed by a man, I can’t be sure.”

  But there had been that almost-kiss moment, during which she’d experienced so much joyful anticipation she was certain that sharing a real kiss with Bailey Stockton would make her toes curl inside her shoes.

  “And even though I was gone all night, I was thinking about you,” Serena told Marvin. “And hopefully my bid on the—Well, I can’t tell you what it was, because if my bid was successful, it will be your Christmas present and I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise. Anyway, tomorrow I will be home all day,” she promised. “Maybe I’ll even make some of your favorite treats.”

  Marvin’s head lifted at the last word, and she laughed again.

  “And, because you sometimes get too many t-r-e-a-t-s, we’ll go for a nice long walk.”

  He immediately dropped his head again and closed his eyes, faking sleep so he could pretend he hadn’t heard her.

  “People told me to get a dog, they said I’d be more active. I swear, I got the only dog on the planet that’s even lazier than me,” Serena lamented. “But a walk will do both of us good—and I definitely need one because I had hot cocoa with whipped cream and chocolate sauce tonight.”

  And her lips tingled as she recalled the sensation of Bailey’s thumb brushing over her lip to wipe away a remnant of the cream.

  She pushed the tempting memory aside and refocused her attention on Marvin, who continued to fake sleep.

  “I know you don’t love to walk in the winter,” she acknowledged. “But we’ll put on your new Christmas sweater to keep you nice and warm.”

  Of course, Marvin hated wearing sweaters or coats, but it really was too cold to take him outside without one.

  “And since you’re obviously too tired to keep up your end of this conversation, I guess it’s bedtime,” Serena said.

  Bedtime was another familiar word to him, and M
arvin immediately hopped down off the sofa and raced over to the doggy door. But he sat obediently on his mat until she said “okay,” then pushed through the flap and went outside to do his business.

  A few minutes later, he was back, and immediately went to his bed in the corner.

  Serena retreated to her bedroom—where Molly was still curled up in the middle of the mattress.

  “You could at least move over and give me some room,” she grumbled.

  Of course, the cat didn’t budge. Not until Serena had fluffed up her pillows and tucked herself in under the covers.

  Then Molly crawled up to snuggle against Serena’s chest, and purred contentedly.

  Serena would never reject the calico’s affection, but she couldn’t deny that she longed for a different kind of company in her bed. As she drifted off to sleep, she was thinking of Bailey’s strong arms around her, his heart beating in sync with her own.

  * * *

  Tuesday morning, Bailey spoke to Dan’s wife on the phone. Annie had assured him that her husband was feeling better, but they agreed it wasn’t worth the risk of exposing the kids to any remnants of the virus that might be lingering.

  He should have dreaded the fact that he had to don the Santa suit again. Instead, Bailey found himself whistling as he drove to the elementary school, where he’d made arrangements to meet Mrs. Claus in the parking lot.

  They walked into the school together and were directed to the teachers’ lounge to change into their costumes. He zipped up Serena’s dress and tied her apron; she secured his padding and whitened his brows. It was almost like they were a real married couple, helping one another get ready for a social engagement.

  Only a few days earlier, he’d been sweaty and nervous and not at all looking forward to stepping out from behind the curtain and facing the group of children waiting in the community center. Today, there was no curtain. Today, they walked through the double doors of the gymnasium, but he felt much more comfortable and relaxed with Serena beside him.

  He caught Janie’s eye when he entered the gym, and the way her smile widened, she’d obviously recognized Uncle Bailey as the man behind Kris Kringle’s white beard. But, of course, she didn’t reveal his identity to anyone.

  When the principal invited him to say a few words, he took advantage of the opportunity to explain that Christmas wasn’t just about what they wanted to find under their trees the morning of December 25 but also about giving, and he encouraged them to talk to their parents about supporting Presents for Patriots in any way that they could.

  As the afternoon progressed, he thought everything was going well. And then one of the kids—a little girl in second grade with reindeer antlers mounted onto a headband set in her curly red hair—climbed up onto his lap.

  “Ho ho ho,” Bailey said. “And what would you like for Christmas?”

  Unlike most of the other kids who’d made a request for the usual variety of toys and games, she looked at him with big green eyes filled with worry and sadness and said, “I want my daddy to come home.”

  Which, of course, wasn’t a wish that even the real Santa—if he existed—could grant.

  Bailey was at a complete loss because he didn’t have any idea where the child’s father was or what could be preventing him from being with his family for the holiday. Maybe the little girl’s parents were separated or even divorced. Maybe the father was traveling on business or serving overseas in the military. It was even possible that the child’s father had passed away, ensuring that her wish was never going to come true.

  He glanced, helplessly, hopelessly, at his missus.

  And, once again, she came to his rescue and saved the day.

  Crouching beside his chair, Serena spoke quietly to the child. “Your daddy’s got an important job to do, Harley, and he can’t come home until it’s done. But I promise that he misses you and your mommy and your brothers as much as you miss him, and I know his wish for you would be that you have happy Christmas memories to share with him when he calls home.”

  The little girl nodded solemnly, eager to believe every word that Mrs. Claus said to her.

  “So is there anything special you’d like to find under the tree on Christmas morning?” Santa asked her again.

  This time, she responded without hesitation, confirming that although her first wish was to spend the holiday with her father, she was still a child. “A Stardust Stacie doll would be something good to tell daddy about.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Santa promised, even as he wondered if the doll would be more readily available than the pocket toys that Serena had told him were so popular this season.

  Thankfully, Harley’s request was the only snag in Santa’s visit to the school. After all the children who wanted to share their wishes with Santa had done so, Mr. and Mrs. Claus retreated to the staff lounge to change out of their costumes and assume their real identities again.

  “Who was the little girl who asked about her father coming home for Christmas?” Bailey asked Serena, as he rolled up his enormous red pants.

  “Harley Williams,” she said. “She’s the youngest of three kids. Her mom works at the library and her dad is a marine, currently stationed in Syria.”

  “Do you know everything about everyone in this town?” he wondered aloud.

  “Hardly,” she told him. “But the family also has two cats—Bert and Ernie. You’d be amazed how much you learn about people when you help take care of their pets.”

  “So it would seem,” he agreed, stuffing the pants and jacket into the costume bag. “And it seems that I owe you thanks for bailing me out—again.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  “Actually, it was kind of fun today,” he acknowledged.

  She laughed at the surprise in his voice. “Yes, it was.”

  He wanted to say something else, something to prolong their conversation and give him an excuse to spend a few more minutes in her company.

  It was strange to think that he’d only met her four days earlier, but between the Santa gigs and the Presents for Patriots event and the hot cocoa at Daisy’s, they’d spent a lot of time together over those few days. And when he hadn’t been with her, he’d been thinking about her.

  He suspected that Serena was equally reluctant to part company with him, because after he’d stuffed the costumes in his truck, she asked, “Do you want to go for a ride with me? I’ll bring you back here after.”

  “After what?”

  She just smiled, and the sweet curve of her lips was like the sun breaking through the clouds on a gray day.

  “Are you game to come with me or not?” she challenged.

  Hmm...go back to Sunshine Farm and the chores that were always waiting? Or spend another hour—and maybe more—in the company of a bright and beautiful woman?

  It was a no-brainer.

  Because the more time he spent with Serena, the more he wanted to be with her. There was something warm and sincere about her that appealed to him. And okay, she was gorgeous and sexy, too, and he was far more attracted to her than he was ready to acknowledge—even to himself.

  His romantic history wasn’t particularly extensive or successful. Prior to meeting and falling in love with Emily, he’d only dated a few women. Growing up in Rust Creek Falls, he’d spent most of his waking hours at Sunshine Farm, doing any of the endless chores that filled the hours from sunup to sundown. And when those chores were finally done, he was usually too exhausted to go out and do anything else.

  The one night he’d let Luke convince him that they deserved to have some fun had ended up being the worst night of his life.

  He shook off the weight of those memories and focused his attention on the present—and the woman presently waiting for a response to her question.

  “Why don’t I drive and bring you back to your vehicle after?” he suggested. Because yeah
, he was one of those guys who liked to be in the driver’s seat—both literally and figuratively.

  “After what?” she teasingly echoed his question.

  He shrugged.

  “And that’s why I’m driving,” she said. “Because I know where we’re going.” She thumbed the button on her key fob to unlock the doors.

  He went to the driver’s side first. She pulled back the hand that held her keys, as if she expected him to try to take them from her, but he only opened the door for her.

  “Thank you,” she said, appreciative of the gesture.

  “You’re welcome,” he said, waiting until she’d slid into the driver’s seat to close the door for her.

  After he was buckled in, she turned her vehicle toward the highway, heading out of town.

  After only a few minutes, Bailey figured out that they were making their way toward Falls Mountain and the actual Rust Creek Falls that gave the town its name. They passed a picnic area and signs that guided visitors to a viewing area for the falls. She continued to drive farther up the mountain, finally turning off the main road to park in a small gravel lot at the base of the trail that led to Owl Rock—the lookout point named for the large white boulder that resembled the bird and protruded out over the falls, as if keeping watch over them.

  During the spring and summer months, vehicles would be packed closely together and the trails would be busy with hikers and families. But it was early December and too cold for most people, aside from the most hardy outdoor enthusiasts. Apparently Serena was one of those enthusiasts.

  “Nice day for a hike,” he commented, as he followed her up the trail.

  And it was, because although the air was frigid, the sun was shining. Also, he had a spectacular view of her shapely butt, encased in snug-fitting denim.

  “I haven’t been up here since I was a teenager,” he told her, as they arrived at the lookout point. “In fact, I’d almost forgotten this place existed.”

  “It’s one of my favorite places in Rust Creek Falls,” she confided, sitting down on a flat outcropping of rock with her legs crossed beneath her. “My grandmother brought me here when I first came to Rust Creek Falls, and whenever I’m feeling down, I find myself drawn back. Being close to nature always lifts my spirits.”