Sugar Plum Season. Mia Ross

stamp of approval.” Cocking his arm, he offered it to her with a bright grin. “Wanna come see?”

      She did, very much, but she was hesitant to take his arm. Since she couldn’t come up with a way to refuse it politely, she fell back on logic. “That’s sweet, but we can’t fit through that door side by side.”

      “Got me there. Ladies first, then.”

      The way he kept referring to her as a lady made Amy want to giggle, and she firmly tamped down the impulse. He was obviously trying to charm her, but it would work only if she let it. She’d handled many situations like this in the past, and she was well aware that keeping him at a safe distance was the best approach.

      But it wasn’t half as much fun as going along, she admitted with a muted sigh. Being sensible could be such a killjoy. Before they turned the corner to enter the front section of the studio, he abruptly stopped walking.

      “Is something wrong?” she asked, standing on tiptoe to look past him. Big as he was, she couldn’t see a thing, and she started to worry. “It all fell down, didn’t it?”

      “That’s insulting,” he informed her with a good-natured chuckle, “but since you don’t know me very well, I’ll let you get by with it. Close your eyes.”

      “Why?”

      “So you’ll be surprised.”

      He said that as if it should have been obvious to her, and she felt a twinge of regret for not sharing his enthusiasm for what he’d built. She was the one who’d asked him to do it, and she knew she should be more excited. Sadly, since her dream of dancing had ended up wrapped around a light pole outside D.C., it was all she could do to keep trudging forward.

      “I’m not very fond of surprises,” she said as evenly as she could manage. “I much prefer it when things go according to plan.”

      Most of the people she knew would bristle at that or chide her for being a control freak. But not this guy. Instead, he gave her an encouraging smile. “My sister-in-law, Chelsea, used to be like that before Paul showed her how much fun she was missing.”

      “I don’t see what that has to do with me.”

      “Just that folks can change, is all. Now, close your eyes.”

      She couldn’t understand why it meant so much to him, but he’d put in a lot of work and hadn’t charged her a dime. The least she could do was humor him. “Okay, they’re closed.”

      Unfortunately, that threw off her equilibrium, and she felt as if she was going to fall. The sensation was alarming, and she clutched his arm more tightly to maintain her balance. It reminded her of the torturous first steps after the surgery that had shored up her spine but ended her career, and she felt a cold sweat breaking out on her face.

      “You’re all right, Amy,” Jason murmured in a gentle drawl near her ear. “I’ve got you.”

      Sure enough, he was bracing her with one strong arm, and she was stunned to find it wasn’t scary at all. Not trusting herself to speak without a whimper, she nodded and let him lead her through the studio and out the front door.

      Crisp, cool air greeted her, and she fought off a shiver that had nothing to do with the weather. That was the scent she’d noticed on Jason the first day they met, fresh and outdoorsy. Something told her that from now on whenever she was caught outside on a winter day, she’d think of him.

      Deliberately pulling her mind back to practical things, she asked, “Can I look now?”

      “Go ahead.”

      She opened her eyes, then blinked in total disbelief. He’d mentioned something about adding a tree and an archway, but this was way beyond anything she could have imagined even on her best day.

      The simple arch she’d envisioned had become a full-fledged arbor, twined with greenery and twinkling white lights. The tree wasn’t made of wood, but was a seven-foot-tall artificial spruce with more lights and a multipointed crystal star on top. Gifts wrapped in gold and silver paper were clustered around the base, and one box looked as if it had spilled open to show off a collection of wooden soldiers like the ones that would march onstage in a few short weeks.

      On the left side was her nutcracker. Sort of. The static sign Jenna had made now swung from hooks that allowed it to move in the breeze. The new arrangement made him look as if he was dancing. Awestruck by the combined effect of all those Christmassy elements, she was convinced a professional designer couldn’t have devised a better representation of the popular holiday ballet.

      Apparently, there was more to the towering lumberjack than axes and hammers. Who would have guessed that? Astounded by the results, she stared up at Jason in disbelief. “You did this?”

      “Yup.” Folding his arms, he cocked his head with an eager expression. “You like it?”

      “Are you kidding? I love it!” Forgetting her vow to remain detached, she laughed and gave him a quick hug. “It must’ve taken you forever. How did you manage to get so much done over the weekend?”

      “The tree I made didn’t turn out so well. Then I remembered your aunt used to put one up. I found it out back in your storage shed.”

      “You mean, the one that’s locked and I can’t find the key to?”

      “That’s the one.”

      “How did you get it open?” As soon as she finished her question, she had to laugh. “Let me guess. Sledgehammer?”

      “Bolt cutters, and I replaced the lock with a new one. The keys are in your office.” Glancing around, he leaned in and murmured, “I made the arbor for my gram’s garden. I’m gonna need that back before Christmas.”

      Impressed beyond words, she went up to examine it more closely. Flowers and vines were carved into every piece of wood, curling up to meet in the middle of the arch in a heart with a script B in the center. “Jason, this is absolutely beautiful. You’re incredibly talented.”

      He gave her an aw-shucks grin that made him look like an overgrown little boy. “I’m sure you’re used to fancier stuff, so it’s nice of you to say that. The power box is down here.” He pointed to an open-back square of wood. “The cord runs to your outside receptacle by the front door, and I marked the switch in the lobby that controls it. That way, you can turn everything on and off from inside.”

      She was amazed that he’d thought to set it up so she wouldn’t have to go out in the cold to shut things down. They barely knew each other, and already he’d come up with a way to make her life easier—and warmer. After fending for herself for so long, she liked knowing he was looking out for her.

      Despite her usual reserve, she could no longer deny she was warming up to this irresistible man. “Jason, I don’t know what to say. This is way beyond what I was expecting. How can I ever repay you?”

      “Another one of those hugs would be cool.”

      Laughing because she couldn’t help herself, she obliged him, adding a peck on his cold cheek for good measure. Pulling away, she frowned. “You must be freezing, after working out here so long. Would you like some coffee or something to warm you up?”

      “That’d be great, thanks.”

      “I don’t have any made in the office right now, but there’s some out back. Come on.”

      Again, he motioned for her to go in ahead of him. For years, she’d been living in big, bustling cities where everyone rushed past her as if she didn’t exist. It might be old-fashioned of her, but she had to admit she liked Jason’s way better.

      * * *

      Amy’s apartment was...not what he’d expected.

      Raised by his parents to be respectful above all else, Jason stood awkwardly in the middle of the narrow doorway, trying to come up with something nice to say. Built onto the rear of