The Marine's Christmas Wish by Joanna Sims

Author:Joanna Sims
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-07-14T16:54:02+00:00

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The meeting at the local home improvement store had served as the icebreaker Noah needed to get his foot back in Shayna’s door. For the next two days, he worked on Shayna’s Christmas village display shelf while Isabella and Shayna tested yards and yards of strings of lights. They hadn’t broached the subject of the kiss, but every time he looked at her, he was reminded of how soft and sweet her lips had felt. With just that one kiss, Noah had felt the earth shift beneath his feet for a second time: first when he met Isabella, and the second time when he had kissed Shayna as a man would kiss a woman he desired.

“What is this?” Noah walked into Shayna’s art studio. “Are the two of you playing while I do all the work?”

“I’m painting,” Isabella said proudly as she tried to copy the strokes Shayna was making on her own canvas.

“I see this,” Noah said, amused by the fact that now his daughter had paint on her fingers and her clothing, and there was even a spot on her nose that matched the spot of purple on Shayna’s nose.

Shayna turned her head and smiled at him. “We’re taking a little break.”

Shayna had set Isabella up with her own easel, canvas, paintbrushes and paints right next to her own workstation. Pilot had joined them, with his large body sprawled out next to Isabella. Noah watched them interact for a minute, and it never failed—whenever he saw Shayna being kind to his daughter and going out of her way to make Isabella feel special, Noah felt like his best friend was the most wonderful woman in the world. He had met so many beautiful women in his world travels, but none could compare with the beauty he saw in Shayna’s heart.

Noah walked around the room where Shayna spent hours of her day creating paintings of the Montana landscape. His friend had always been fascinated by Montana foliage and the wildlife. Shayna’s recent collection focused on the wildflowers that brought so much color and life to the fields and streams and mountains of her beloved Montana.

“What are you hiding under here?” Noah stopped by a canvas that was covered by a large piece of muslin.

“I’m trying a new technique,” Shayna said simply with a little shrug. “I’m just not ready to show it yet.”

Isabella made a frustrated noise and frowned when her brushstroke didn’t match Shayna’s. “I can’t do it right.”

“Yes, you can, sweet pea.” Shayna used a calm, reassuring tone of voice. “It just takes practice.”

“I think you’re doing great, Isabella.” Noah stopped just behind their stools.

“Don’t give up,” his friend added and then asked, “How are things going on your end?”

“You mean, how are things going for the person in this house who’s actually been working?” he teased her. “I’m pretty proud of it. When you get a chance, come look for yourself.”

Shayna nodded. Before she followed him into the formal living room at the front of the house, she put her hand over Isabella’s and guided her hand to make strokes on the canvas.

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