Читать книгу Merry Christmas, Cowboy! - Cindy Kirk, Cindy Kirk - Страница 10

Lauren gazed down at the Candyland game board spread out before her, the brightly colored spaces creating a cheery pattern on Seth’s family room floor. As she prepared to take her turn, she wiped the beads of sweat from her brow. She couldn’t believe Anna thought Seth kept his home too cool.

Pushing the sleeves of her sweater up to her elbows, Lauren removed the top card from the stack and flipped it over. Yellow. She moved her marker three steps forward to the next space of that color. Behind her a blazing fire crackled in the hearth. The buttery smell of the popcorn they’d eaten earlier in the evening still hung in the air.

After dinner, instead of playing the game at the table—as Lauren had expected—Seth had placed it on the floor in front of the fireplace. Then he’d used pillows to prop Dani up against the sofa right in front of the game. The proximity hadn’t helped. With her right arm in a bright pink cast and her left leg in a plastic walker cast, Dani still needed help playing the game.

“Your turn.” Seth picked up the stack of cards and held them out to his daughter. With her left hand, Dani flipped over the top card.

A huge smile spread across the child’s face.

Seth glanced at the board and groaned loudly before moving her piece to the last rainbow space. He shifted his gaze to Lauren and heaved a dramatic sigh. “Can you believe she beat us again?”

“Super job, Dani.” Lauren grinned. Competitive as she was, the look of pleasure on the little girl’s face made losing painless. “You’re definitely the Candyland Queen.”

“I know I am,” Dani said with childlike honesty. “Now I want to play Go Fish.”

Lauren widened her eyes in mock surprise. “Go fishing? In this weather?”

Dani’s giggles turned to peals of laughter. “It’s a card game, silly.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever played it.” Though she’d heard of it, there weren’t many children’s games Lauren had played. The day school she’d attended had been focused on academics, and her evenings had been filled with “enrichment” activities.

“I can teach you.” Dani’s voice quivered with excitement. “It’s not hard. And it’s really, really fun.”

“You’ll have to show her tomorrow.” Seth glanced at the clock on the wall as it began to chime. “It’s nine o’clock and your bedtime. Tomorrow will be a big day.”

The child’s pout morphed into a smile. “I’ve been super-duper good this year.” She leaned forward, resting her arm cast on the leg propped up on a pillow. “Santa is going to bring me lots and lots and lots of presents. Right, Daddy?”

Lauren sat back, curious how Seth would respond.

“I’m sure you’ll get some,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “But Santa will be stopping at the homes of many other children who’ve also been good. He has to have presents to give them, too.”

Lauren shifted her gaze from Seth to Dani then back to Seth. Surely Dani didn’t actually believe in Santa Claus. Lauren’s parents had set her straight at a young age about the jolly bearded man, a figure perpetuated by advertising firms and retailers.

“I want to go to bed now,” Dani announced. “’Cause if I’m not asleep, Santa won’t stop.”

Seth nodded his approval. “Did Mrs. Swenson help you wash up this evening?”

Dani nodded. “But I do have to go to the bathroom.”

“I can take her,” Lauren volunteered, not sure what helping would involve, but willing to try. After a delicious dinner of prime rib and mac ‘n’ cheese followed by three fast-paced games of Candyland, she was ready to stretch her legs.

“Thanks, but I’ve got it covered.” Seth pushed to his feet, leaned over and lifted Dani into his arms then whinnied. “Hold on, cowgirl. The horsey is leaving the starting gate.”

Lauren stared in awe as he galloped from the room. She couldn’t imagine her father playing such a game with her. In fact, she couldn’t remember her father ever even hugging her. He had shaken her hand when she’d graduated from college. And again when she’d earned her master’s degree…

She shoved aside the memories and rose to her feet. By the time Seth trotted back to the living room with Dani, Lauren had finished her eggnog, put away the board game and returned the pillows to the sofa.

Seth smiled at Lauren as he settled Dani on the sofa. “I’ll be right back.”

He returned a moment later with a glass of milk, a plate of graham crackers and a container filled with assorted Christmas cookies. After removing the Tupperware lid, Seth carefully placed the container on Dani’s lap then held out the plate.

Lauren stared with interest at the array of cookies. She couldn’t believe they were going to eat more after the big dinner and popcorn they’d already consumed. “They look delicious but I don’t think I can eat another bite.”

“These aren’t for us.” Dani’s fingers tightened around the lip of the container, as if fearful Lauren was going to snatch them away and gobble them down. “These are for Santa.”

Dani selected three of the most brightly colored sugar ones and carefully placed them on the Christmas plate.

“He gets milk, too.” Seth positioned the plate next to the glass on the table.

“And we put out extra for the reindeer,” Dani added.

“Yep.” Seth nodded, his lips quirking upward. “They have a lot of flying to do. They need to keep their energy up.”

Lauren’s smile froze on her face.

“Time for bed, kiddo.” Seth scooped Dani into his arms. Though the plastic cast had a rocker ball so she could walk without putting pressure on the fractured leg, Seth had told Lauren that the doctor preferred Dani keep her weight off it for at least the next couple of days. “Tell Miss Lauren good-night.”

Seth stepped closer and the exuberant seven-year-old surprised Lauren by flinging an arm around her neck and planting a big kiss on her cheek. “Thank you for coming and eating and playing Candyland with me.”

Lauren gently smoothed a strand of hair back from the child’s brow. With her blond curls tousled around her face, Dani looked like a little angel. “Merry Christmas, Danica.”

“Merry Christmas to you, too,” Dani called to Lauren as her father carried her from the room.

Since her injury, the child had been sleeping in the master bedroom on the main floor, while Seth had moved to the guest room. When he’d shown Lauren the bedrooms, he’d made it clear that if she did agree to move in, the guest room would be hers and he’d sleep in Dani’s canopy bed.

The thought of the rugged cowboy in the tiny twin bed with its frilly pink-and-white bedspread brought a smile to Lauren’s lips. As if her musings had conjured him up, Lauren heard the click of cowboy boots on hardwood. She turned to find Seth in the doorway, a satisfied smile on his face. “Surely she’s not already asleep?”

“She’s pretending to be,” Seth said with a grin that caused her breath to catch in her throat. “She wants Santa to show up and knows he won’t come until she’s asleep.”

The comment pulled her attention from his mouth. Though she told herself it didn’t matter if his daughter believed in mythological figures and he indulged such thinking, the strange tension gripping her said somehow it did matter.

“Isn’t Dani a little old to believe in Santa?” While it may have been a question, her tone made her feelings on the matter quite clear. And Lauren didn’t stop there. She gestured to the plate of treats and the glass of milk. “And practices such as these just fuel the illusion.”

The words hung in the air for a long moment. Lauren thought about calling them back. Though she’d meant what she’d said, she could have been more diplomatic.

To her surprise Seth didn’t seem to take offense. In fact, by the twitch of his lips, you’d have thought she’d said something amusing. He reached over and grabbed two cookies from the plate, handing one to her and keeping the other for himself. “These practices are about embracing the magic of the season.”

An illogical argument if she’d ever heard one, but charmingly delivered. Lauren took a bite of cookie and chewed for a moment. “Dani’s a smart little girl. She can’t really believe in elves and reindeer and Santa Claus.”

“She seems to,” Seth said, without a hint of embarrassment. “And as long as she does, I’m going to be supportive.”

“Supportive? Of a lie?” Lauren wasn’t sure what had gotten into her. Her training had taught her the importance of every word uttered. These outbursts weren’t like her. But something about the whole Santa lie felt…personal.

Seth’s brows pulled together and for a second he looked as if he might argue the point. But instead he shut his mouth and studied her for a long moment. “You never got to believe in Santa.”

Instead of comforting her as perhaps he’d intended, the observation stirred up a hornet’s nest of memories. Restless, she moved to the front window and, for several seconds, gazed out at the thick blanket of snow.

“My parents called him a bogus, fantasy figure,” she said, turning back to face him. “A myth that contributed to the commercialization of Christmas.”

“Did you ever go to a store and sit on his knee?” Seth asked, ignoring the outburst. “Whisper in his ear what you really wanted for Christmas?”

“Since he wasn’t real, what would have been the point? Besides, it wouldn’t have mattered,” Lauren said with a sigh. “My parents didn’t believe in giving gifts for Christmas. Still don’t.”

“Not at all?”

Lauren shook her head. “To them Christmas is just another federal holiday.”

Seth hooked his thumbs in his front pockets and appeared to ponder her words. It took a moment before he spoke. “If you could have sat on Santa’s knee and asked him for a gift when you were Dani’s age, what would it have been?”

Lauren shifted her gaze, remembering back. “There was only one thing I ever wanted for Christmas. That year I gathered my courage and approached my mother. I told her there was something I really, really wanted. I promised if she’d buy it for me I wouldn’t ask for another gift ever.”

“What did she say?”

“She asked what it was. When I told her…she laughed.” Lauren pressed her lips together, the long-ago hurt returning, squeezing her chest. She took a steadying breath. “Still, I went to bed that Christmas Eve hopeful. In the back of my little-girl mind, I thought this could be her chance, a way to show that she loved me. Crazy, huh?”

“Not crazy,” Seth said softly. “Did she buy it for you?”

Not trusting her voice, Lauren shook her head.

“What had you asked for?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Lauren shifted her gaze away from those eyes that seemed to see too much. “It was silly.”

Most men would have gratefully changed the subject. Actually most would never have pursued the topic. But she was beginning to realize Seth wasn’t most men. So Lauren wasn’t really surprised when he took her hand and tugged her to the sofa, dropping down to sit beside her. “Tell me.”

His tone invited confidences. His eyes promised no matter what she said, he wouldn’t laugh.

“A Cabbage Patch Kid.” Lauren felt her cheeks warm. She lifted her chin. “They were extremely popular when I was in grade school. My friend Wendy had seven of them. You probably don’t know what they are—”

“Spencer David.”

“What?”

“Spencer David was Anna’s Cabbage Patch doll. She got him when she was about Dani’s age.” A tiny smile lifted Seth’s lips. “She took him everywhere she went. I remember one time…”

A dimple she never knew he possessed flashed in his left cheek.

“What?” Lauren touched his arm, the flannel of his shirt soft against her fingers. She immediately released her hold and let her hand drop to her side, but her heart still fluttered.

“We were at the rodeo. Anna was about to be crowned Little Miss Yellowstone County. When my parents went down to the arena to take pictures, they left Spencer with me.” The dimple flashed again. “Just what every boy wants—to be at a public event with a doll by his side.”

Lauren resisted the urge to smile at his pained expression. “I’m sure no one even noticed.”

“No one except every friend I had, including Josh and Mitch.” Seth rolled his eyes. “You can imagine the comments. Then Wes Danker came up with the brilliant idea of throwing Spencer David over the top rail into a pile of manure. The guys were all for it.”

Lauren gasped. “Did you let him?”

“I couldn’t,” Seth said. “Anna would have been heartbroken. Not to mention mad as hell.”

Something told Lauren it wasn’t Anna’s anger that had made him protect Spencer David as much as it was the knowledge of what that doll meant to his little sister. She wondered what it’d be like to have someone care about her that much. A lump formed in her throat but she swallowed past it. “You’re a good person, Seth Anderssen.”

“Naw, just watchin’ out for my own hide.” Seth stretched and covered a yawn. “Sorry. Dani’s leg was bothering her and I hardly slept last night.”

“We can call it an evening anytime you want.” Lauren kept her tone light, not wanting him to see her disappointment. This had been the best Christmas Eve she could remember and she was reluctant to see it end. “I brought a book to read—”

“I’m not talking about going to bed right now,” Seth said, looking startled. “I was just thinking it’s time to start putting the presents under the tree.”

Lauren shifted her gaze to the eight-foot Douglas fir that sat in front of the window. New and old ornaments intermingled on the thick bushy branches. Bubble lights had replaced traditional lighting. A unique tin-punched silver star that Seth had admitted making in middle school topped the tree.

Lauren had been so awed by the massive tree and its decorations that she hadn’t noticed the lack of presents beneath its branches.

“I’ll be happy to help.” She glanced around. “Where are the gifts?”

“Hidden in one of the upstairs closets.” Seth gestured with his head toward the stairs. “But you don’t need to do a thing. I’ll change and bring them down.”

“Change?”

“Into the Santa suit.” Though they were the only two in the room, Seth’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I always wear it when putting the presents under the tree.”

Lauren paused. “But this year is diff—”

“No different.” A tiny muscle in Seth’s jaw jumped.

Lauren wasn’t about to argue. Only a few days ago Seth had faced the possibility of losing his daughter. Keeping to tradition was probably his way of reassuring himself that all was still well in his world.

“You might want to turn down the thermostat before you put on the suit.” Her lips quirked upward. “Wouldn’t want Santa to get a heatstroke.”

“It is a little warm in here,” Seth admitted.

An understatement if she’d ever heard one. Lauren chuckled. “Ya think?”

“I wanted to make sure you were comfortable.” A swath of color cut across Seth’s cheeks. “Guess I went a little overboard.”

“Only by about a gazillion degrees.” Lauren kept her tone light, ignoring the trickle of sweat slithering down her spine.

Seth rose and crossed the room to the thermostat. Almost immediately, the hot air that had been billowing out of the duct near the sofa stopped. “Better?”

“Much.”

He smiled and started for the stairs, then stopped and turned back. “Can I get you anything before I go upstairs? More eggnog? Ice water? Glass of tea?”

“I’m fine,” Lauren said, realizing she was more than fine. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so content. “I think I’ll put in another Christmas CD. Set the stage for a visit from St. Nick.”

“You’re being awfully accommodating to the bogus, fantasy figure who contributes to the commercialization of Christmas,” Seth teased.

Something about the way he said the words made Lauren grin. “Chalk it up to capturing some of that Anderssen Christmas spirit you’ve been dishing out in great abundance tonight.”

“Good to hear.” Seth smiled and her heart skipped a beat. “Back in five.”

Lauren found herself humming as she searched through the stack of Christmas CDs. She finally settled on one that featured original artists performing their classic Christmas hits. After popping the disc into the sound system, Lauren turned down the volume before returning to her seat on the sofa.

Though the furnace had stopped pumping hot air, the temperature in the room was still in the sweltering range. Lauren considered her options. She could continue to suffer in silence or she could make a small wardrobe adjustment.

In a matter of seconds, her bulky sweater was up and over her head, leaving her cool and comfortable in the skimpy black tank she’d worn underneath.

With her body temperature now under control, Lauren leaned her head back against the top of the sofa, closed her eyes and let the strains of “White Christmas” wash over her.

She’d intended to relax and enjoy the music. But when she opened her eyes to the faint jingle of bells and saw all the brightly wrapped gifts at the base of the tree, she realized she must have fallen asleep.

Lauren shifted in her seat and found Seth—er, Santa—drinking the glass of milk Dani had set out for him. “Appears circling the world in a sleigh is thirsty business.”

“It is indeed,” Seth said, the fake white beard moving up and down as he spoke in his deep fake-Santa voice. “Delivering presents is very hard work.”

Lauren studied him for a moment, then rose to her feet and strolled close. There was something about the suit that intrigued her. Perhaps it was the white fur trim on the coat. Or maybe the shiny black belt. Or the red hat with the pom-pom at the tip.

All she knew was she couldn’t take her eyes off him—er, the suit. She resisted the urge to stroke the red velour and see if it really was as soft as it appeared. Because touching the fabric would mean touching Seth…

“Are there any lumps of coal for me under that tree?” Lauren asked abruptly.

“Not a single lump,” he assured her, adding a very convincing “Ho-ho-ho.” “I have it on good authority that Lauren Van Meveren has been a very good girl this year.”

“I’m not sure your information is entirely accurate.” Lauren inhaled the intoxicating scent of his cologne and took a step closer. She’d never been attracted to overweight, white-haired, bearded men before, but for some reason she found this one incredibly sexy.

And it appeared Santa wasn’t immune to her charms. His gaze dropped to her shirt and she felt the tips of her breasts tighten.

As his gaze lingered, raw want coursed through her, igniting a need that shook her with its intensity. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d craved a man’s hands on her this badly.

The desire flickering in his suddenly dark eyes told her Santa was having some naughty thoughts of his own. The realization gave her the courage she needed to wrap her arms around his neck. “I’ve always wanted to kiss a man with a beard.”

Seth stiffened and for a second she worried she’d misread the signals. Then, without warning, his mouth closed over hers. His hands splayed against her back and he pulled her as close as his overstuffed belly would permit.

Waves of desire washed over Lauren and she gave in to the moment, until an excited voice cut through the passionate fog.

“Daddy, Daddy, come quick!” Dani called from the doorway. “Santa is kissing Miss Lauren!”