A Carolina Christmas by Michelle Major

Author:Michelle Major
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2021-07-29T16:29:51+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

BELLA DREW A thick fleece over her head—a well-worn pullover that had been left on one of the hooks inside the door to the cabin where she was staying—and fastened Tater’s leash to his collar.

The sky was dark with a canopy of stars above her. She’d grown up with a wide night sky in the mountains of Colorado, but somehow these stars felt more like a blanket covering the surrounding hills. Even though her hometown was perched at nearly eight thousand feet above sea level, the sky had seemed so faraway. Now she almost wondered if she could reach up and gather the bright points of light in her hand.

Tater tugged on the leash, bringing her thoughts firmly back to the present. It was nearly midnight, and she’d fallen asleep on the sofa as she read a book after returning to the Andersons’ resort with Pete, Jayne and Kyle.

She didn’t know what time Sam had gotten back or even if he’d returned. There was no doubt he had plenty of options for where to spend the night before Christmas based on the number of women who’d sought him out in town.

Bella was all too aware of his popularity with the ladies. He’d earned a reputation in Magnolia, although she’d noticed that his social life had taken a severe nosedive in the past several months.

Even before that, he’d never brought a woman to spend the night at the duplex. And since they didn’t exactly run in the same social circles, everything she knew about his romantic life in Magnolia was secondhand.

Tonight she’d gotten an up close view of his appeal to the opposite sex. At least a half dozen women had approached him during the caroling event, including the two that had pulled him away when the Jake Combs concert started. Women who’d alternately flirted, then pouted, demanding Sam’s attention and gleefully reminding him of their shared pasts with a knowing wink.

It was as if most of the women in Ridgeway had allergies related to Sam. All that winking and feigned trouble catching their breath. Bella had wanted to start handing out inhalers just to calm the panting he seemed to invoke.

She felt like ten kinds of a fool because she’d actually started to believe there might be something special between the two of them. He’d stayed at her side for much of the time spent with his family, making sure she was comfortable and felt cared for. He’d looked after Tater with a protectiveness that melted Bella’s heart.

Her stupid, foolish heart.

It was to blame for getting her into this situation. Making her believe there might be something more than friendship or a sense of guilt between them.

But he’d allowed himself to be drawn away tonight without an ounce of protest. His brother had been sweet and asked her to dance, but Bella had feigned being tired. When Jayne suggested taking one of the cars to head home before the rest of the group, Bella had been happy to go along.

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