Rancher's Covert Christmas by Beth Cornelison

Author:Beth Cornelison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-09-13T15:00:10+00:00

* * *

Zane crouched in front of the stone fireplace in the guesthouse, arranging the logs and kindling just so. Josh was more haphazard when stacking wood for a fire, but Zane believed any job worth doing was worth doing right. With precision.

“That’s funny,” Erin muttered in the kitchenette.

He cast her a side glance and found her chewing her bottom lip as she stared into the upper cabinets. His brain flashed back to the kiss they’d shared and the feel of those lips beneath his own. Soft and warm. Inviting. Sweet and tantalizing.

His body hummed with a renewed arousal as his gaze drifted over her feminine curves. As if she felt his perusal, she turned her face toward him.

“I don’t see it here anymore.” She propped her hand on her hip and closed the cabinet door.

“Don’t see what?”

“The bottle of bourbon. I would swear it was up there yesterday.” She stooped to check the bottom cabinets. “But it’s not here.”

“Doesn’t matter. Plain cocoa is fine.” He faced the fireplace again and struck a match. The tinder caught and blazed, and he bent to gently blow on the flames, feeding them the oxygen. As the fire grew brighter, he sat back on his heels and admired his handiwork before closing the fire screen.

Erin met him at the small couch and handed him a steaming mug of hot chocolate. “Some mischievous elf must have appropriated it while I slept.”

“Hmm?” Zane hummed as he sipped his cocoa.

“The bourbon.” She tucked her feet under her and angled her body toward his. “Honestly, the promise of booze was not a ruse to coerce you here. I know it was there.” A dimple pocked her forehead as she frowned, and he longed to rub away with his fingers. Although she did look awfully cute with that little wrinkle over her nose.

He waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry about it.” Then hesitated. “Unless you’d like me to get more to replace it. I can—”

She shook her head vehemently. “No. Not necessary. It’s just...puzzling.”

Because Erin found it significant, Zane took a moment to consider what could have happened to the liquor. Since Roy’s stint in the rehabilitation clinic, the family had made a point of being more discreet about their own alcohol consumption. Had someone removed it in deference to the foreman? Or had—?

“So,” Erin said, cutting into his musing. She set her mug aside and grabbed the lower leg of his jeans. “Give me those feet. Let’s get them warmed.”

“They’re good now.” He took her hand and tugged it from his jeans.

Erin angled a defiant look at him. “Come on, cowboy. Give me your feet. I promise you’ll enjoy it.”

Heat slammed into him. And curiosity. What did she have in mind? When she started tugging on his boots, he helped her remove the dusty things as well as his socks. She lifted his feet into her lap, and using both hands, she began massaging his left foot. His feet were, in fact, still a bit numb from the cold, and her warm touch sent shock waves of pleasure through him.

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