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She laughed. “I wouldn’t blame you. Thank you for your patience and your jokes. I’m sorry about earlier.”

“It’s fine. Everyone has off times.”

Something in the way he said the words had Sarah glancing toward him, wondering what lay deep within him, what caused his “off times.” “Do you?”

“Have off times?” He hesitated, then shrugged again. “Of course.”

Not necessarily surprised that he’d shrugged off her question rather than give her an in-depth answer, Sarah inwardly sighed. She wanted to peel back his layers and expose what made him tick. No, not true. She wanted him to peel back those layers and choose to let her see. She suspected whatever had injured his leg was at the root of Bodie’s off times. How could it not be?

“Well, if you ever need someone to help you through your off times, or to just distract you with corny Christmas jokes, I’m your girl, because you’re definitely seeing me through mine.”

His facial expression went tight for the briefest moment, but then just when she thought his eyes were going to take on that stoic, bleak look they’d had when she’d first met him, he surprised her by grinning. “Do you actually know any corny Christmas jokes?”

Despite knowing the absolute joy moving through her at his grin wasn’t good for her long-term well-being, she couldn’t stop the ecstatic feeling at the way that Bodie was teasing her, was enjoying himself, was determined she enjoy herself.

“Do I know any Christmas jokes? Seriously?” She put her hands on her hips and gave him her most dazzling smile. “I am the queen of Christmas jokes.”

He arched his brow in challenge. “Let’s hear them.”

“Hey, Bodie?”

“Not a knock-knock joke, I hope.”

She looked upward. “Quit ruining my joke and play along.”

His lips twitched.

“Why was Santa’s little helper depressed?” she asked.

He waited.

“Because he had low elf esteem.” Trying to keep from bursting out in laughter, she thrust up her arms in victory.

He snorted. “And you called my jokes corny.”

“But you laughed,” she pointed out with a little sway of her head.

“That I did,” he agreed, a wry grin on his face.

Fifteen minutes later, the tree was done.

“Hit the lights.”

“How about I just turn them on?”

“You knew what I meant,” she mock-accused, enjoying how he kept teasing her. She knew why he was doing it, that he wanted to keep her smiling. He was doing a great job, so great she really did feel ridiculous that she’d hesitated on decorating the tree.

Grinning, Bodie pushed the on switch for the lights.

Sarah’s breath caught. “Wow. That is the most beautiful Christmas tree ever.”

“I bet you say that about every tree.”

“Only when it’s true.” She clasped her hands together, turned to him and smiled. “Oh, Bodie, thank you for helping me. With the stress and with the tree.”

His smile was real, reached his beautiful blue eyes, and put the tree to absolute shame.

“You’d have done the same for me.”