She twisted a little under his grasp, and he gave a little grunt and nuzzled into her neck.
She liked it. She liked the feel of his warm breath on her neck. Although she was warm enough already she was getting heated in other places, too.
“Mitch,” she whispered.
“Hmmm.” It was halfway between an acknowledgement and a grunt.
“Mitch,” she said louder. “Let me up. I have a breakfast shift at The Graff.” She glanced at her watch. She just about had enough time to run back to Bramble House, get changed, and make it in time for her shift.
She lifted his deadweight arm above her head and slid out underneath.
“Hey!” That woke him up.
He pulled up the sheet and watched in amusement as she scrambled to get dressed.
“What is this? Wham! Bam! Thank you man?”
She tried to look apologetic. “I’m sorry. But I never exactly planned on staying. I don’t want to blow off my shift. Troy Sheenan’s been good to me. I can’t let him down.”
Mitch gave a huge yawn. “Well, I could be jealous, but I’m not.” He gave her lazy smile. “I don’t think I’ve got anything to worry about.”
“You don’t.” She climbed across the bed and dropped a kiss on his lips. “But I’ve got bills to pay, so I guess I’ll see you later.”
He pushed himself up in bed a bit more, the sheet sliding back down his chest and giving her a tiny glimpse of the scar she’d spied last night way, way down low in his abdomen.
“Do you want me to walk you?”
She pulled her top over her head and folded her arms across her chest. “Mitch Holden, are you trying to entice me back to bed with your hairy chest and six pack?”
“Is it working?”
She laughed. “Not right now but maybe later.” She waved her hand. “Stay in bed. I’m going to have to run anyway.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. It still kind of stuck up in every direction but the right one. Mitch’s morning hair was definitely cute. He stood up and walked towards her.
“Hey, Emma?”
“Yeah?” She was already at the bedroom door.
“How about some Christmas shopping later?”
She was suspicious. “What kind of Christmas shopping?”
He held up his arms in a hopeless kind of shrug. “A tree. I haven’t got around to buying one yet.”
“Wow. I can’t believe I didn’t notice last night.”
He leaned towards her with a cheeky grin. “That’s because I distracted you.”
She pushed him back with a laugh. “So you did. But stop it. I’ll come tree shopping with you but I have a price.”
He leaned forward again, fixing on her with those green eyes. Any more of this and what little resolve she had left would crumble. “I like the sound of that.”
She shook her head. “Naughty. I’m talking about hot chocolate, cream, and marshmallows from Sage’s shop. And maybe even a chocolate or two.”
He sagged back against his pillows, giving an exaggerated sigh. “Darn it. Not the answer I was looking for.” He gave her a wink. “But I might be able to hide my disappointment and pick you up after work.”
She blew him a kiss. “See you then.”
*
Mitch had a shiny, red pickup truck. One she’d never seen, or been in before. He was waiting outside The Graff for her when she finished work, his window down and elbow on the window’s edge.
Her chin fell open. “Where did this come from?”
“It’s mine. I just haven’t used it the last couple of weeks. It’s been in the shop.”
“You mean on that long walk to Miracle Lake you could actually have driven us?”
He shrugged. “Where’s the fun in that? Anyway, it’s taken about three days to dig the truck out of what was left from the blizzard. Let’s face it, there’s nowhere in Marietta that we can’t get on foot. Gallagher’s Christmas Tree Farm is a little different. We’d freeze to death by the time we walk there and back. As for carrying the tree…”
“Okay, okay, I get it.” She walked around and climbed in the passenger seat. The heat blasted her as soon as she got inside.
Mitch took off towards the mountains. Every now and then they passed a sign for another ranch. Some of names seemed vaguely familiar. Sheenan. McCreadie. Douglas.
“How many ranches are there around here?”
“How long’s a piece of string? Ranches are the backbone of Montana. Haven’t you noticed that fifty percent of the population of Marietta are cowboys? And just wait until rodeo season in the fall. You haven’t seen anything until you experience the Marietta rodeo.”
“Fall.” She let out a long, slow breath. What would Marietta look like in the fall? She imagined it would just as beautiful as it was at Christmas.
Marietta was casting a spell on her. Everything. The town, the people, and, most of all, Mitch. They were all casting a spell on her. A spell that she was afraid she would break.
What would happen if she told Mitch that she couldn’t have kids? Would the spell just disappear in a puff of smoke – the same way hers had in an emergency surgeon’s knife? She liked Mitch a whole lot more than she should.
In fact, day by day, it was changing. She was becoming more and more attached to him. More and more addicted to him. She might even be a little in love with him.
She might even be a whole lot in love with him.
He pointed to a sign on the road. “Here it is. Gallagher’s Christmas Tree Farm.”
“Does everyone buy their tree here?”
He gave a nod. “Just about. Anyone who buys a real tree comes here. They have just about every size and type of Christmas tree anyone could want. It’s a family business, been here for years.”
“You know these people?”
“I know Sawyer. Although, today it’ll just be his sister, Lacey. Sawyer broke his leg just a few days ago. I imagine not working is driving him crazy. I gather he’s holed up with a family friend.” He gave a laugh, “Whoever they are, I pity them.”
“He’s crabbit?”
He slapped the wheel of the pickup. “I love your Scottish words. That one just about describes Sawyer perfectly.”
They drew up outside a hut. For as far as the eye could see, they were surrounded by trees of every shape and description. Emma opened the door and breathed in. The scent of fresh pine and evergreen was intoxicating. Every tree was topped with a dusting of snow and in a few places there were barrels of burning logs where people were warming themselves as they walked the rows to pick their tree and get it cut. It was scene straight from a Christmas card.
She closed the door and was hit by another smell. Coffee and hot chocolate.
Mitch must have heard her sigh. “Hungry? Do you want something?”
She groaned. “I do. But I’d rather hold out for Sage’s hot chocolate in town. I’ve heard it’s to die for.”
Mitch nodded in agreement. “Well, that’s true. Let’s take a walk and pick a tree.”
They wandered along the rows of Christmas trees. Mitch nodded greetings to various people he knew. Some of the trees were huge. “There’s no way those would fit in your house.” She pointed to a row.
He steered her in the other direction. Every row had a sign saying what type of tree was growing, and how to take care of it when they got home.
“These look more my size,” Mitch said.
Emma nodded in agreement. “One of these would be perfect for your house. Hey? Do you have any decorations?”
She watched him cringe. “I have some red tinsel and packet of red baubles.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah, well. Last year I bought my first tree. I kind of panicked bought.”
She stared at him. “I thought you’d stayed here longer than that?”
“Yeah, I have. I just didn’t get around to buying a tree before that.”
Emma laughed. “Mitch Holden, you are shocking. You mean living in a magical plac
e like this didn’t fill you with the magic of Christmas?”
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him, resting his forehead against hers. “People fill you with the magic of Christmas, not things.”
She wound her arms around his neck and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. “Well, I won’t argue with you there.”
Their gazes were locked. She’d never felt so connected. Things had never felt so right. And this wasn’t about last night. While things had been great, she’d already felt connected to Mitch – in a way she hadn’t experienced before. Last night had just sealed the deal. She didn’t want this guy to get away.
As soon as she’d walked away from Bryce, there had been a little regret, but not the overwhelming grief she should have felt. She’d felt more indignant, more hurt, than devastation.
The simple fact was she hadn’t felt the connection with Bryce after three years that she felt with Mitch in less than three weeks. It was ridiculous and she knew that. But somehow, her heart was ruling her head these days.
And she kind of liked it that way.