A Mistletoe Proposal. Rebecca Winters

      She hurried into the hallway. “Yes?”

      “I’m waiting for you. It’s the last door on the right.”

      Since she’d told him to lie down, she couldn’t very well tell him it wouldn’t be a good idea to join him. Her stomach got flutters when she found him clean shaven and stretched out on top of his bed in a different pair of sweats and T-shirt. He was gorgeous no matter his physical condition.

      “What took you so long?” he asked in a deep voice that sent delicious chills through her body. “Come and sit by me.” He patted the place next to him.

      Since he didn’t have a chair, Andrea chose to sit near his feet. His half smile turned her heart over. With charm like that he could get her to do whatever he wanted. “Can I bring you something to drink?”

      “I’m not hungry or thirsty. What I want is to talk to you. Without Tessa, it’s the perfect time to get some matters straight with us.”

      Andrea took a shuddering breath. “I agree, but doesn’t your throat still hurt?”

      “No. That long sleep did me a world of good. Finding you here has made my day.”

      Finding you alive yesterday made mine.

      “I have a confession. On my way home from Barrow’s Cove, I bought a book for Tessa. I was going to send it to her from me, but everything has changed since then. Since I agree she needs the emotional love that gifts can’t give her, I thought maybe you could slip it in with her toys from Santa. It’s in my purse in the living room.”

      He leaned forward with a concerned expression in his eyes. “I’m sorry I came across so heavy-handed with you in the beginning, Andrea.”

      “But I understand why you did.”

      “You’re an amazingly forgiving, generous person. You need to know I’m no longer going to tiptoe around Tessa where you’re concerned. You shouldn’t have to either, because I intend to go on seeing you. Yesterday I told her you’re my friend. It gave her a lot to think about.”

      Andrea stood up in panic. “We can’t be friends, let alone anything more. It won’t work.”

      His handsome face darkened with lines. “Why not?”

      “You know why.”

      “Because of Tessa?”

      “That’s a part of it.”

      He got to his feet. Suddenly the bedroom seemed so small. “What’s the other part?”

      “I meant what I said before. I don’t want to get into another relationship if that’s where this is headed. Just a few minutes ago you admitted you fought your initial attraction to me, too. It’s because in the end I can’t give you what you want any more than you can satisfy my needs. We’re better off parting company for good today.”

      A dark brooding look descended. “How can you be so cold-blooded when just a few minutes ago we were communicating in the most elemental of ways and didn’t want to stop?”

      She lifted her chin. “That’s called chemistry, but it doesn’t supply all the other things needed to make up a relationship that will last forever.”

      “You and I have both learned the brutal lesson that nothing can be counted on to last forever, but a fire’s been lit and it’s not going to go away any time soon.”

      “It will if we don’t see or talk to each other again,” she responded emotionally.

      “You think it’s that easy to douse the flames licking at us? I fight fires every day. Some become fully involved. That’s what has happened to us.”

      Andrea shook her head. “I don’t believe it can’t be put out. I met that attractive female firefighter Susie at the party. Deanna told me she’s single. During the time I was there, she didn’t take her eyes off you. A woman with interests like yours would be a great match for you.”

      His mouth thinned. “What interests?”

      “You both fight fires. It’s who you are and what you do.”

      “If I’d been interested in Susie, I would have taken her to the party.” His voice grated.

      “Fine. All I’m saying is, there’s a whole world of wonderful women out there who, given the chance, would love you and your daughter and want to start a new family with you.”

      “But you’re not one of them.”

      “I can’t be.”

      His dark expression grew forbidding. “You’re keeping something from me, and I mean to find out what it is.”

      “Yoo-hoo, Rick.”

      Mrs. Milne couldn’t have chosen a better moment to return. “I have to leave now.” Andrea started down the hall to the living room. Rick was right behind her.

      “If you want me to fix you and Andrea something to eat, just tell me,” his housekeeper called from the kitchen.

      “Thanks, Sharon, but we’re fine right now.”

      Andrea hurried over to the couch to get her purse. Just as she pulled out the gift-wrapped book to give to him, Tessa came running into the house straight past Andrea. “Do you feel better now, Daddy?”

      “I sure do.” He lifted her in the air and kissed her. “Where’s your grandmother?”

      “She had to go to the dentist.”

      “Did you have a nice time?”

      “Yes, but I wanted to stay home with you. You slept a long time,” she said. Then her glance fastened on the Christmas present in Andrea’s hand and she looked at her. “Did you bring that to Daddy?”

      Finally a connection. Since her talk with Rick, Andrea felt she had permission to do what came next, but her heart was pounding too fast. “No. I brought it for you.”

      “But it’s not Christmas yet.”

      “I thought you might like it now.” She handed it to her.

      “What is it?”

      Rick lowered her to the floor. “Why don’t you open it and find out?”

      Tessa quickly tore off the paper. “Look, Daddy—it’s the gingerbread man!” she cried. For the first time since the disaster at the shop, Rick’s daughter looked up at her with a smile.

      “I promise that Santa will bring you your gingerbread man. But while you’re waiting for Christmas morning, this will be fun to read. It was one of my favorite stories growing up.”

      “Mine is Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.”

      Andrea’s heart melted. “I loved those stories, too.”

      “My favorite’s about the boy who wouldn’t clean up his room.”

      “That’s a really good one. My mother used to read them to me. I think my favorite was the Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker Cure. But the really funny one was about the Radish Cure.”

      A giggle escaped. “I know. Will you read the gingerbread man to me?”

      Andrea’s gaze darted to Rick, whose eyes glowed with a warmth she could feel permeate her body. “I’d love to. Come and sit down on the couch by me.”

      Together they went through every page identifying all the characters while she read the story. Tessa was totally engrossed.

      Andrea would always treasure this moment, but now it was time to go while she could leave with a good feeling. She closed the book and put it in Tessa’s hands. “That was fun. Thank you for letting me read it to you. Now I have to leave.”

      “You do?” Andrea heard a slightly wistful tone. Well, what do you know? she thought.