Cowboy Mistletoe Read online

  Last time he’d almost kissed those freckles on her pert little nose and then claimed those plump lips for his own. He’d barely stepped away in time, but his system hadn’t forgotten. Not at all.

  “I see where you get your beauty.” His words raised a flush to her cheekbones that only made him want to kiss her into a brighter shade of red.

  “Thank you.” She slipped the locket back into the coat and hooked her hands in the pockets. “You know, I was thinking I need some presents.”

  If she’d told him she needed a dozen puppies or a crown and scepter, he would have run to find them for her.

  He nodded at her request. “I could use a bit of shopping as well, but I’m terrible at it. I end up grabbing the first thing I see and then I rethink it when the person’s opening it.”

  She gave a low chuckle that wended deep into his chest and branched out, filling him completely.

  “Would we have time to go together later? I can help you and you can help me, since you know everybody better,” she said.

  “You can’t possible buy for the whole family. It’d cost a fortune.”

  “I was thinking of the kids only. But maybe something for Hank too?” She trailed off at that thought. “Then there’s Cash and Maya and Witt and Shelby…” She shook herself. “Well, maybe couples’ gifts. It depends on what I find.”

  “How do you know Charlotte anyway? Where did you meet?” he asked.

  “While I was in college, she worked at the local coffee shop, and I always went there to study. We got to be very good friends.”

  “Charlotte has a way of making friends everywhere she goes.”

  “Sounds a little like you.” Their gazes met, and she asked, “Will you be able to make time to take me shopping? I know you’re busy.”

  “Not too busy to spend time with a beautiful woman.”

  The words burst from him before he could grab them back. Her jaw dropped and damn if he didn’t want to tilt her head back and kiss the hell out of her.

  “I-I… Thank you, Case.”

  He’d embarrassed both of them enough for one day. Best to stick to times and schedules.

  “I think we have a few hours before dinner. Is now okay?” He sounded like an eager schoolboy—and no wonder, because he felt like one.

  They started walking back toward the house. “Now sounds fine. I’ll just go inside and get my own jacket.”

  Was it odd that he wished she’d keep his jacket on because he loved seeing her in it?

  Chapter Four

  Case drove Annabelle an hour and a half away to a small town with a strip mall. They talked the entire drive about the Dalton family—their relationships with each other, pet peeves and funny quirks. By the time they arrived at their destination, Annabelle felt she had a better understanding of each family member. Shopping for them should be a little easier now.

  As soon as they parked, Case hopped out so fast that she wondered if there was something wrong with a tire or something. But a second later, he stood at her door, smiling that crooked country boy smile.

  He opened her door, and she experienced a little flutter low in her belly. Too low to be anything but attraction.

  Well, of course she was attracted to Case—he was a hunk. And he was sweet too, she was learning by the second.

  “Thank you,” she said as she slid from the truck. For a breathless moment, she thought of reaching for his hand. Then she stuffed her fists in her pockets to keep from acting impulsively.

  The last thing she needed was a holiday fling. This wasn’t a Hallmark movie and she wasn’t the type of person to love ’em and leave ’em. She liked her relationships with lots of strings and a healthy dose of commitment.

  Kissing the hot cowboy sure would be a fun Christmas bonus, though.

  “Where do you want to start?” He peered toward the shopping center, looking as out of place as a thumb on a horse. Shoppers milled around the parking area, carrying brightly-colored bags and pushing carts full of items. They were all dressed for the public eye, and Case had just stepped off the ranch in come-as-you-are chic of worn jeans and dusty boots, his jacket zipped up so only a hint of the collar of his plaid shirt showed.

  She assessed the selection of stores, from candle shops to clothing between a department store and a grocery store anchoring the ends of the mall.

  “I guess we’ll start at the department store. Get the kids out of the way first. There’s bound to be a toy department.”

  He nodded, and they headed toward the entrance. At the door, he let her pass first, a gentleman in all ways. Then he insisted on pushing the cart for her.

  The moment was oddly familiar and intimate at the same time. She’d never really shopped with a man before. People must see them as a couple. Not that she minded.

  As he ticked off the names of the Dalton girls, Annabelle placed dolls and arts and crafts kits in the cart. The older boys were a little more her speed, being close to her students’ age, and she got them the latest trading card game that everybody had been mad for at Lincoln Elementary.

  The toddlers and babies were a bit more out of her realm, but Case stepped up to a shelf with suggestions.

  She looked at him in a new light. “You would know better than I do.”

  He grunted and grabbed enough for all the little ones.

  When they made it to the checkout, he immediately unloaded the cart with a swift efficiency that had her feeling clumsy. Then he stood back as they waited for the person in front of the line to complete their order.

  “What do you mean declined? I know there’s money in the bank. I—” The woman was red-faced, her two kids in the cart whining about being hungry.

  “I’m sorry, but that’s what the computer says. Do you have another form of payment?”

  The woman rifled through her wallet and came out with a handful of bills. After counting them, she stuffed them back in. Sweat broke out on her brow.

  “Mommy, I’m hungryyyy.”

  “I know, honey,” the woman said absently, mind locked on how to get out of her dilemma.

  Before Annabelle understood what was happening, Case reached into the back pocket of his fitted Wranglers and pulled out his wallet. He stepped up to the woman and looked down at her face.

  “May I?”

  Her jaw dropped, whether from Case’s generosity or his rugged good looks, Annabelle wasn’t sure. Probably both, because Annabelle felt all too breathless at that moment too.

  Without waiting for her answer, he slid his card in the machine and pressed a button. He dashed off a signature and replaced his wallet in his pocket before tugging his hat brim in farewell.

  When he took his place next to Annabelle, the woman looked at them with wide, teary eyes. “Thank you,” she mouthed.

  He gave one dip of his head and said nothing more.

  The woman accepted her receipt and headed out with a parting wave and smile to Case.

  The cashier greeted them. “That was really sweet of you,” she said to Case.

  Annabelle thought she was a bit starry-eyed too. Good men with hearts of gold were hard to come by, and everyone who witnessed the interaction was smiling at the Christmas cheer Case had spread.

  Annabelle leaned close to him. “You’re really kind.”

  Was that a blush on Case Dalton’s cheeks? He ducked his head, avoiding her gaze. “Was nothing.”

  “It definitely was something. Not many would help that way.”

  He shrugged, looking more uncomfortable the more he was praised.

  With the cart piled with bags, Case suggested they put everything in the truck before moving to the other stores. When all the packages were stowed in the back with a bed cover in place and the tailgate locked, they looked at the strip mall once again.

  “What’s next?” she asked, chewing her lip.

  He clapped a hand over his stomach. “I’m buyin’ you lunch. I can’t wait another minute to get something in my stomach.”

  She turned to him. �
��Oh, I’m sorry! I usually grade papers over my lunch period at school. I never thought—”

  “Well, you’re not starving on my watch. C’mon.” He grasped her lightly by the elbow and led her across the parking lot, waving at cars that let them cross. In a minute, he had her seated at a booth in a family-style restaurant and menus in front of them.

  “You’re definitely not buying,” she said, scanning the list of meals ranging from pot roast dinner to crispy chicken salad with homemade rolls.

  “No Dalton man would allow his date to pay for his meal.” He looked up from his menu, eyes piercing, the blue deeper than she’d seen yet.

  She opened her mouth to protest, when she realized what he’d said. His date.

  Her mouth dried out and her belly pooled with warmth.

  He shot her a grin. “No arguments.”

  The cowboy was charming, she’d give him that. That smile could cajole the money from rich people’s pockets to give to the poor if he had a mind to try. It had ensured the woman at the checkout couldn’t argue with him, and Annabelle was equally as helpless at the flash of Case’s white teeth.

  He was a hardworking man, great with kids and animals. He was helpful to his aunt and respectful of his uncle.

  Not to mention he smelled amazing.

  Yes, Case was a rare breed of man—a hero in his own right—and his act of kindness back in the department store had given Annabelle more Christmas cheer than she’d known in a very long time.

  * * * * *

  Watching Annabelle take her time selecting gifts for each and every Dalton family member touched Case. Not only because the way she chewed her lip ratcheted up his desire for her by a hundred notches or so. She was so sweet, making sure the gifts were useful or meaningful.

  When she’d told him about her grandmother and family, and then shared the locket she wore around her neck with him, he knew he had to give her something for Christmas that would make her remember her time here with them.

  On the down-low, he’d kept his eyes peeled for a gift that would fill this order, but he hadn’t spotted anything so far. He did manage to grab gift cards for a meal out for each of his cousins and their wives.

  In the wine shop, he held up a bottle with a victorious smile.

  An adorable little crease of confusion appeared between Annabelle’s eyes. “I take it this is a good find?”

  “Good? No, it’s great. This is the wine Aunt Maggie and Uncle Ted toasted to on their wedding day.”

  Her mouth fell open and a soft expression came over her face that he couldn’t look away from.

  “How do you know?” she asked.

  “Aunt Maggie told me the story a few months back.”

  “And you kept that information in your head the whole time?”

  He tapped his temple and grabbed a second bottle on impulse, carrying both to the cashier. Of course he was carded, which had Annabelle giggling. On the way out of the spirits shop, he grimaced.

  “You always get carded?”

  “I’m told I have a bit of a baby face.”

  She stopped walking to search his features. The caress of her warm brown eyes was a touch he didn’t think he’d ever forget even when he was eighty and senile.

  He held his breath, waiting for her reaction to what she saw. When a light pink flush stole over her cheeks, his gut clenched and his heart pounded.

  “Not a baby face.” She raised a hand and brushed her knuckles over his jawline. Need tore through him, barely checked. He fought to control his breathing and clutched the brown wine bag tighter to keep from grabbing her, bending her over his arm and kissing the hell out of her.

  “Well, that’s good to hear.” His response was gruff with the emotion stampeding through his system.

  “No, not a baby face at all. But I suppose you could be one of those teenagers with a surge of testosterone and a full beard in ninth grade.” Her eyes twinkled more than the festive lights strung in the store windows.

  He chuckled. “You should talk. You don’t look old enough to teach school. You should be a junior in high school at least.”

  “Oh, you’re such a tease. I do not.”

  All the way to the car, she chided him that he needed to go do his homework, and damn if that didn’t have his mind spinning even faster.

  I can think of some homework with you.

  Their ride home was full of chatter and laughter. She asked questions about the area and their schools. He knew a little but suggested she talk to Charlotte if she was interested in the particulars.

  By the time they arrived home, the parking area was full of vehicles.

  He cut the engine and looked across the cab to Annabelle. Her face glowed with happiness he’d like to think he put there. His time with her had meant a lot to him, and he hoped she felt the same.

  “Uh-oh,” she said, looking at the house that was lit up like a Christmas tree, every light seemingly on. “We’re late for dinner.”

  He checked the time on the dash. “Not late, but just in time. Let’s leave the packages—we can’t carry them in with all the snoopy little kids anyway. I’ll unload the truck after dinner and hide everything.”

  To his surprise, she reached across the console and rested a hand over his. “Thank you, Case. And not just for putting up with me shopping and for lunch.”

  His chest tightened, and he couldn’t stop himself—he turned his palm up to cradle her hand. The initial shock of skin-to-skin contact made his body tense and Annabelle’s expression to sober.

  She squeezed his hand, silken fingertip running over the small oval pebbles of calluses riding at the base of each of his fingers.

  The light from the house grew brighter, and he glanced past Annabelle to the front door. Someone had thrown it open and kids barreled out.

  Annabelle pulled away with a laugh. “Looks like your fan club’s here.” Kids ran down the porch steps and toward the truck.

  “Someone probably tipped them off that we were shopping.”

  In seconds, the truck was engulfed by kids throwing questions at him and Annabelle. She was the poster girl of patience as they walked to the house, empty-handed. But Case’s hand was still burning hot where Annabelle had touched it.

  Dinner was big as usual, with baked chicken and pasta with cream sauce flavored with herbs that Case savored. Salads were passed, along with flaky biscuits. When he caught Annabelle taking a second biscuit, he purposely reached into the basket at the same time.

  Their hands met, and she jerked hers away, her eyes locked on her plate and that rosy blush back in her cheeks.

  Oh yeah, she wasn’t immune to him either, and that thought made him want to saddle a horse, gallop for miles into the countryside and whoop as loud as he could.

  Charlotte gave Hank a nudge, and he looked up at Case. Giving him his best little-cousin, I-didn’t-take-your-pocket-knife-and-break-it look in return, Case bit off a big chunk of the biscuit.

  After dinner, the adults set up the older kids with a board game. And Annabelle joined in while Case lounged on the floor, stealing glances at her.

  When Cash and Maya’s daughters Emma and Addie got that sneaky gleam in their eyes, Case sat up and watched more carefully. He’d played enough games with the young girls to know they liked to dabble in cheating—they thought it was funny when they got caught and would giggle like mad.

  As soon as Annabelle was distracted, Emma reached out and stole cards off the pile.

  Addie folded her lips into her mouth to hold in a giggle, and her face reddened with the effort.

  Annabelle turned from helping Witt’s daughter, a hand still on the child’s small back, and her sharp eyes caught Emma doing something under the table.

  A private smile spread over Annabelle’s face. Case couldn’t help but smile too.

  “Attack!” The small cry sounded right before a solid body hit Case from the side. The thirty pounds of three-year-old was like being struck by a flea, but Case made an exaggerated fall to the floor and
lay there silent, eyes closed.

  The room quieted as those playing the game stopped to watch. When Witt’s boy, Jase, looked at his cousin Case with concern, Case reared up with a roar.

  He tore the boy off his feet, and he shrieked with glee. Other kids attacked Case as he knocked them playfully to the floor and tickled them breathless. When he heard the familiar throaty laugh coming from Annabelle’s direction, he peered up at her through a mire of child limbs. They shared a grin.

  With four kids clinging to him like ticks, he began a slow, lumbering crawl. Their laughter increased until they were barely able to hold onto him. When he shook like a dog, they tumbled to the carpet and he tickled them all over again.

  The card game slowly resumed, and he missed the moment Emma finally revealed what she’d done. But Annabelle had the child pinned under her own tickling fingers. Addie jumped up and down.

  “I helped! I helped her!”

  “Why, you little—” Annabelle delivered a full thirty seconds of tickles to her armpits and belly that had Addie writhing on the floor.

  By the time Anabelle tore from the kids, she searched for Case. Their gazes met and he tilted his head toward the door. “Want to slip out for some cool air?”

  He took note of the adults in the room exchanging smiles, but luckily Annabelle didn’t feel odd about accepting. She nodded and followed him out onto the porch.

  The cooler air enveloped him, but it did nothing to cool his need. Since seeing the happiness on the woman’s beautiful face, he only wanted to put more there.

  In the form of passionate kisses and soft touches, growing more urgent as the need flowed between them.

  “That was fun,” she said. The light from inside fell across the porch and her socked feet.

  He smiled at the reindeer marching in a line across her toes. “Love the socks.”

  She looked down. “Thank you.” Then back up into his eyes.

  The pull of her was too strong. Unable to resist another second, he stepped closer.

  When he raised a hand to cup her cheek, it trembled like a little girl accepting the blue ribbon for her prized pony.

  “Case.” Her whisper sent a spike of need straight through him.