Christmas Lights by Tanya Hanson

Author:Tanya Hanson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christian Fiction
Publisher: Pelican Book Group (White Rose Publishing)
Published: 2016-09-24T04:00:00+00:00

5

They stomped through the drifts, plunging knee-deep in the aspen grove, and Lori’s heart lightened. How could it be otherwise with the tall white trees reaching high, their bark glistening as bright as the snow that carpeted the ground? With Heston tramping through snow by her side, his scent of pine and mystery flitting in her nose?

Perfect.

Goodness, she’d never smell pine again without thinking of him. Her heart pounded. Tiny crystals of ice clung to the delicate branches and reflected in the sun, reminded her of last night’s glowing Christmas lights.

Last night, sitting by the fire, Heston at her side...

A thought she shouldn’t have, but couldn’t help. His smiling face, crimson with cold, took her breath away. She stopped by one tree to catch that very same breath, wondering if he’d notice. Wondered if he’d think it was just exertion.

She leaned a hand against the black spotted bark. “These trees are so beautiful. So much like birches.” The silence wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but for some reason, she needed to fill it. “Mom actually has birch wallpaper and black gingham curtains in one of the guest powder rooms. Probably my favorite room at the ranch.”

Maybe that’s why she felt so at home right here, in the thick of the real thing.

His smile hitched her breath. “Birch and aspen do look similar, but they’re not related. In fact, an aspen isn’t really one tree at all.”

“I know that.” She joked with pursed lips, knees trembly at just the sight of him. “We’re in some kind of grove. Or orchard. There’s probably hundreds of them.” She started to point and pretend-count.

“No, I mean that literally.” Even in the shadows of the bony, leafless trees, his eyes sparkled with sun and cold.

“Well, if it’s literal, do explain, kind sir.” Lori managed a curtsy in the deep snow despite her weak knees.

But stumbled anyway. His strong hand reached to steady her, and her blood pumped harder. “You sure?” His eyes smiled, reflected the web of silver branches.

“Never been more certain. I mean that.” She took a deep breath, took a chance and her mitten fist-bumped his. “I love to learn new things.”

Heston must have read, or at least sensed, the invitation in her gesture, because he captured her hand, wiggled his fingers around it. Her fingertips sizzled inside the wool. And she wished she hadn’t been so chicken to re-glove her hand those moments ago.

“A stand of aspen is actually one huge organism. A massive system of underground roots. When there’s enough sunlight, the roots sprout up into whole trees.” Heston batted his eyelashes playfully. “The system is called a clone, and it can live for thousands of years.”

“A thousand years? Crazy.” Nerves were roiling, her usual turmoil, the terror of intimacy but...his smile was so kind. His voice so friendly...The whole of him so breath-catching. Lori wanted this even as she didn’t.

He gently massaged her hand as if sensing her need for calm. “Yep. Aspen are almost impossible to kill. Although there is a beaver species that loves gnawing on their roots.

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