The Single Dad's Christmas Proposal by Ella Hayes

Author:Ella Hayes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-08-06T22:32:45+00:00

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‘Vin chaud or hot chocolate?’ Dax’s gaze was soft and twinkly, his hair rimmed with golden light from the Christmas stalls behind him. It was the same buttery light that was making Chloe’s and Yann’s faces glow, although the hefty packages under the table—two junior snowboards with boots and bindings—probably had something to do with it too. Early Christmas presents, he’d said.

Carpe diem! That was Dax. Bounding around in the ski shop, pulling out boards, running his fingers over them, scrutinising, then moving on to boots and bindings, checking the fit with the kids, being meticulous! And he didn’t forget her boots, the boots that were keeping her toes toasty at that very moment, the boots she’d tried to refuse because for a split second she’d felt overwhelmed by him, overwhelmed that he’d even noticed the slight dampness around her toes when he’d been non-stop turning tricks and taking the kids for snowboard rides.

For a heartbeat, the light in his gaze had felt confusing. It had felt like something to take apart and think about, but then he’d mentioned expenses and she’d come to, remembering that they’d put the previous night behind them, that what they had was a business arrangement, a business arrangement that somehow still seemed to include warm twinkly gazes and snowboarding gear for Chloe. And now his wallet was out again. It was too much! It wasn’t as if she didn’t have money of her own now, thanks to him.

She reached into her bag. ‘Vin chaud, please, but I’m paying!’ She pulled out two notes, offering them over with what she hoped was a firm look.

His head tilted.

‘Dax, please...’ He was doing that cute thing he did, that one-eye-closed scrunchy-smile thing, building up to a refusal. Impossible! She narrowed her eyes at him, trying not to laugh. ‘Don’t make me come over there.’

He fired a wild-eyed look at Chloe. ‘Should I be scared?’

Chloe giggled, then nodded deeply at him. ‘Yes. If you don’t do what Maman says you’ll be in big trouble.’

‘Well, I definitely don’t want to be in big trouble!’ His eyes came back to hers, holding for a beat as he took the notes, making her breath catch. ‘So, it’s two deluxe hot chocolates, one vin chaud, a coffee and pastries!’ He smiled a quick smile, then he was off, see-sawing through the crowd towards the hot-chocolate stalls.

She watched him disappearing, feeling all kinds of tingles. Warm ones for the way he’d been with the kids that morning. Grateful ones for his kindness over her boots and for getting them the perfect table on the viewing deck at the resort brasserie. And the usual ones that happened every time he was near. Hyper-aware tingles tuned to his contours, and the way he moved...the shift of his muscular shoulders, that physical confidence he had.

He’d been easy to spot on the slopes because he was the best. Over and over again he’d come hurtling down, flying off jumps, looping and twisting, somersaulting. She’d felt his adrenaline pumping through her own veins, felt his raw energy burning inside her.

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