What had been the worst few days of her life grew exponentially worse as Lexi stared across the table at Cort McClane in the flesh. It had been years since she’d seen him. Ten years and three months, in fact.
If only he’d gotten a paunch belly and gone bald. But no. He looked trim and fit and had gained some impressive muscle, as revealed by the rolled-up sleeves of his plaid flannel shirt. His hair was the same rich coffee color, and there was plenty of it, with a lock falling over his forehead. His blue eyes seemed bluer against tanned and weathered skin. And then there was that mouth of his, lit up in a smile as he stared back at her.
Like it was yesterday, she could remember his lips caressing hers as he taught her about kissing. French kissing, to be exact. Her sixteen-year-old self had been in love with him. She hadn’t had much judgment at sixteen, and, apparently, at twenty-six, it hadn’t gotten any better, at least where men were concerned.
“You must remember Cort from that summer he was here,” her mother said. “You taught him how to ride, if I recall.”
Lexi forced a smile. “Surprised to see you, Cort.” That was an understatement.
Excerpt 2-Country Snow and Mistletoe
The cold night air nipped at Cort’s skin as he walked to the pickup in stride with Lexi. He had to restrain himself from reaching for her hand, like he might have done if it had been a date. They’d spent considerable hours together, but far from making him ready for alone time, he wanted more of her company.
She was bright, funny, frank, and darn pretty. And she knew about ranching, even if she didn’t do it anymore. The perfect partner. But, unfortunately, the ranching part was the stickler. She didn’t want it and it was all he wanted.
How things had changed from that long-ago summer when she’d teased him about his city-boy ways and the future he’d laid out where he would be heading up some company, while all she’d wanted was to raise and train horses.
And look where they’d wound up.
As he shifted the truck into gear, he checked on her. Her head was leaning back against the headrest, a smile on her face, and her eyes closed.
“You have a buzz?” he asked. She’d only had two beers, and since he was driving, he’d stuck to one.
She chuckled. “Just feeling relaxed.”
He remembered what it’d been like when he’d quit working at his corporate job. It’d been like banging his head against the wall one day then suddenly finding his head resting on a soft pillow the next day. “Guess you haven’t been very relaxed in that job you had.” Maybe she’d reconsider her plans now that she didn’t have a job to immediately go back to.
And maybe he was dreaming.
“Not at all. You know what it’s like.”
“Yeah, crazy.” He turned onto the main highway and put some pressure on the gas. “That’s why I’m not doing it anymore. When the buyout came and everything sort of stopped for a moment, I realized how bad it had been, how much stress I’d been feeling. Then my uncle got sick, and by the time he passed, well, I didn’t want to go back anymore.”
She turned her head in his direction. “It’s tempting when everything stops. But, you know, ranching isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s risky. There’s a lot of stress and a ton more things you can’t control. Like the weather.”
“Or what my neighbors decide to do.” He glanced again at her. Her face was serene, not a frown line to be seen.
She closed her eyes and smiled. “That too. But I don’t want to talk about that. Let’s just enjoy the moment. I haven’t been able to do that in a long, long time.”
He turned the truck into her driveway. The headlights caught Bandit in the equipment barn doorway running around in circles. Barking filled the air.
“What the heck?” Lexi shot straight up in her seat.
Cort gunned the gas, and the truck bumped down the gravel drive like a runaway roller coaster. Something was wrong.
Excerpt 3—Country Snow and Mistletoe
Lexi, casserole dish in hand and a bag of side dishes on her arm, looked down at the little tree she’d carted up to Cort’s porch. It was small, a little spindly, but, if she did say so herself, festively decorated. Her mother had instantly warmed to the idea of providing a decorated tree for Cort. Together, they had retrieved a spare tree stand and the vast collection of balls and tree decorations from the attic, a collection that had grown from combining the decorations from two sets of grandparents with the family’s own. There would have been enough balls and baubles to decorate three huge trees.
It had taken no time to deck out the small tree and then Lexi had set about preparing a dinner to take over with it. After all, she’d promised him she’d cook for him. The dish of beef bourguignon, with its savory meat and sauce, had to be better than Tamara’s greasy fried chicken. She’d originally planned to invite him to her family home for dinner, but when the idea of getting him a tree had popped into her head, she’d thought a visit was a better choice.
Her hand poised to rap, she hesitated, then took a deep breath of the chilly winter air. Hopefully, this would prove to be a good idea. Hopefully, she wasn’t overstepping, but he’d seemed so forlorn talking about how he didn’t have any presents to put under a tree, that she needed to do something. And, if she was honest, it was a good excuse to spend some alone time with him.
If only he felt the same.
She knocked and her heart thumped.
She heard Bandit’s bark, but it took a moment before she heard the sound of footsteps on the floorboards. Her stomach fluttered with each step.
The door swung open, and there he was, his hair tousled, his feet clad in just socks; he looked like she’d awakened him from a nap. His eyes widened as he took in the casserole dish and bag, then the tree, and, finally her. “What are you doing here?”
Not exactly a welcoming greeting. She squared her shoulders. “I brought you something, or things.”
“I see that.” He hadn’t opened the door any wider. Bandit panted at her side. “I’m just surprised to see you.”
“Am I bothering you?” Beads of perspiration dampened the back of her neck.
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