Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
I tipped the brim of my hat. “Ahh, I see.”
“No, you don’t,” he huffed, pausing to stare into the window of a shop selling Christmas ornaments. “We broke up a year ago, and the town hasn’t quite gotten over it.”
“But you have?”
“I wouldn’t have kissed you otherwise. And yes, he technically works for me, but I don’t want to give you the impression—”
“Hey.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to explain. I don’t have anything but a good impression of you.”
His lips quirked. “Even though you know I’ve kissed at least two employees now?”
I snorted. “Yeah, but I’m only here till Christmas, so I barely count.”
Tanner bumped my elbow. “Does that mean we can do anything we want between now and then?”
I met his gaze and held it for a long, heated moment. “Anything.”
He let out a jagged breath, but his response was interrupted by the jingle of a doorbell and a white-haired woman with pink cheeks and red lips who squealed his name.
“Tanner! I thought that was you. Come inside, honey. I want to show you the hunky lumberjack ornament that just came in. You’ll love it. Looks a bit like your friend here.” She winked, motioning for us to enter.
We perused bare-chested merman ornaments, agreed that the fireman was the hottest and that the briefcase on the office merman just didn’t work. Silly repartee didn’t usually come easy to me. But Tanner was different.
For some reason I wasn’t uncomfortable with the weight of unmistakable attraction. It seemed almost innocent.
Like something we could walk away from unscathed.
We went our separate ways at the park. Tanner had done just what he’d promised by dragging my ass to Christmas Town and giving Phoebe and me a tour. He had plans to meet up with old friends, and said he’d find another ride home.
Phee was too taken with Abby and her sister to notice that Tanner had gone until it was time to drive home. She accepted my explanation and turned her attention to the wreaths and the lights and the skinny Santa. She had a new friend, the fudge was so yummy, and there was a funny Frankenstein the parade, and had I seen him?
I smiled to myself as I rounded the giant tree and left the lights of Christmas Town behind. Until the voice of reason struck me out of the blue:
This is a nice town and these are good people, but we’re just passing through.
CHAPTER 7
TANNER
Axel’s battered Stetson shaded the top portion of his face, lending an air of mystery that went well with snug-fitted denim and a plaid flannel shirt. He could have been a gladiator, a knight, or a warrior, and yet he was a cowboy through and through. The afternoon sun bathed him in autumn light as he and Hudson guided their horses along the path toward the corral.
He was on Karma, a gorgeous chestnut with a white snip on his muzzle and Hudson—fuck, he could have been astride an elephant for all that I noticed.
Hudson waved in greeting and hopped from his horse. “Hey, we were just checking on the new bull. He’s an ornery little fucker.”
I grabbed the reins. “Oh, yeah?”
“Tobias isn’t aggressive. He just misses his herd,” Axel piped in, sliding gracefully to the ground. “We need to reintroduce him to the larger group.”
Hudson inclined his chin. “Agreed. Here, I’ll take the horses in. Lou will meet you at four o’clock in the main office to go over the inoculation schedule, Axe.”
Axel grunted in acknowledgment. He waited till Hudson was out of earshot to face me…but remained stubbornly silent. All business.
That was the way it was supposed to be, of course.
But those big fucking hands had held me in place to tongue-fuck my mouth. So much heat, so much passion. And damn it, that had been a few days ago.
My gaze strayed south and stalled at the bulge in his Levi’s. I know, I know. I was going rogue again. My blood was practically sizzling, undercurrents of electricity zinging through my body.
I wanted to climb him, ride him, use him. He could use me too. I wouldn’t mind. Not one fucking bit.
Jax’s advice popped into my mind like a cartoon devil sitting on my shoulder, no angel in sight.
It wouldn’t have to mean anything. He’s leaving in December. He said he was up for anything.
“You all right?” Axel rumbled, his voice like gravel.
I met his eyes and nodded. “Yeah.”
“Good.”
And with a tip of his hat, he turned and walked away.
Uh…what the fuck?
“Hey. Wait up,” I called after the behemoth of a man striding toward the stables.
Axel didn’t wait.
He continued inside and veered left.
I went after him, but I was stopped twice by eager employees with cheery greetings before I was able to break free.
The office was empty. No one was at the desk or hanging around the coffee bar along the far wall. Not surprising. The Oak Ridge stables consisted of three separate buildings, and though each had an office, only the main one—which was also the largest—had a full-time staff presence. The others were used by vets, breeders, and trainers as needed.