The Christmas Tree by Allyson Charles

Author:Allyson Charles [Charles, Allyson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2016-09-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

The knock at the door came as Sadie finished setting the dining room table. A red tablecloth hid the deep scratches marring the wood finish, and dim lighting hid the cheapness of the tablecloth. It was the best she could do on short notice, and really, if Colt was noticing the furnishings during dinner, she would have to be failing in other departments. She quickly lit two pillar candles, blew out the match, and went to greet Colt.

His large body filled the doorway. He wore dark trousers and a charcoal-gray cashmere sweater that she couldn’t wait to run her hands over.

“Come in. Dinner’s just about ready.”

Colt stepped inside, leaning down to brush his lips softly against hers, sending a swarm of butterflies fluttering down her spine. He handed Sadie a bottle of wine. “You look fantastic.” His gaze swept up and down her body, pausing at her hips and breasts, where the fabric clung to her skin. The green of his eyes darkened to a stormy ocean.

She smoothed the skirt of her burgundy wrap dress, satisfied she hadn’t failed in the wardrobe department. “Thanks. I picked up some more of my clothes while I was in Ann Arbor.” Holding up the bottle of wine, she said, “Why don’t I go open this so it can breathe for a bit.”

Colt followed her into the kitchen. “I hope you approve of the vintage.”

She studied the label. “I can’t pronounce anything written on the bottle, so I’m sure it will be delicious.” She popped the cork and placed the bottle aside.

Resting his hands on the counter on either side of her, he caged her in his arms. He bent his head near her neck, inhaled deeply. Heat rolled off of him and her breathing quickened.

“You smell so good, Sadie. What is that?”

“Uh . . .” Her mind was a blank. Colt’s lips were so close to her skin she could feel each hot breath. “I’m not wearing any perfume. Oh.” Her face flushed. Colt raised his head and looked in her eyes. “I had a minor mishap with the vanilla extract when I was making dessert. I guess I didn’t wash it all off of me.”

The edges of his eyes crinkled. “So you smell like my dessert? There’s a lot of ways my mind could go with that information.” The beeping of the oven’s timer saved Sadie from any response. She ducked under his arm and reached for an oven mitt.

“Why don’t you take the wine and go sit down in the dining room. The glasses are already out there. I’ll bring dinner in a second.”

“You don’t need any help?”

She bent over to get the pan out of the oven. “Nope. I’ve got it all covered.” Putting the hot dish on the stove, she caught Colt eyeing her behind. She made shooing motions with her hands. “Get out of here. I’ll be right in.”

She plated the rib roast and surrounded the meat with the cooked red potatoes, onions, and carrots. Platter in

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