Christmas with the Recluse by Victorine E. Lieske

Author:Victorine E. Lieske [Lieske, Victorine E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Victorine Lieske
Published: 2018-11-26T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Charley stepped over a mound of snow, her hands in her coat pockets. Her breath came out in puffs of fog. She hadn’t brought any boots. She didn’t own any. No need for boots in the winter in Florida. “Are we almost there?”

Alexander turned around and nodded at her, a backpack slung over one shoulder. “Yep. I see the perfect one, just a little way up this hill.”

“Good. Because this snow is slippery.”

He reached back and held out his hand. “Sorry. Let me help you.”

She couldn’t say no to that. She took his hand and he pulled her up onto a nearby rock jutting out of the mountainside. He smiled at her. She’d been noticing a lot more smiles out of him lately.

“I didn’t think about the climb.” He looked down at her flimsy shoes. “Do you want to wait here?”

“Heck, no. I want to help chop the tree down. We don’t have trees like this where I live in Florida. I may never again get this chance.”

“All right. I’ll help you. Tell me if I’m going too fast, okay?”

“Deal.” She held his hand as he took several steps. Her shoes slipped once, but he grabbed her so she didn’t fall on her behind. “Thanks,” she said, breathless.

“You’re crazy. You know that?”

“You’re the one who said this is how you always find a tree.”

He chuckled. “Yeah. But we wear boots when we go mountain climbing.”

He said it like he was talking to a child and she couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re such a dork.”

“A dork?”

She nodded, realizing that he was still holding her close. His mouth was only inches from hers. If she stood on her tiptoes, she could...she banished those thoughts from her head. No way was she going to make that mistake again. She was not out there to make out with Mr. Norris, no matter how sexy he looked in his leather jacket. What was the matter with her? Had she no self-control at all?

His smile faded and his gaze dipped to her lips. “Then I’ll try not to be so dorky. Isn’t chopping down a tree a manly thing to do? Doesn’t that mean I can turn in my dork card?”

She stood there, his arms around her, staring at the way the light showed the flecks of gold in his eyes. Her heart pounded out a staccato rhythm. What was he saying to her? She couldn’t think anymore. All her nerve endings came alive and all she could do was stare into his eyes. His smile widened and his laugh lines crinkled. “Come on. Let’s chop a tree down.”

He helped her up to a precipice where he stood back and surveyed the area. “There. That one.” He pointed to a tree. It was smaller than the trees surrounding it. “It’s perfect, don’t you think?”

She wasn’t sure her voice would work, so she just nodded. He set down his backpack and took a saw out. “Do you want to try?” He held it out to her.

She grinned at him, finally able to snap herself out of her awkwardness.

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