Page 72 of Lethal Threat

SIERRA

My heart is warm and my stomach happy as I eat Christmas cookies and sip warm cider. Of course, watching Cole setting up the tree doesn’t hurt with all the warm fuzzies in my belly.

That man. He’s like my personal fantasy come to life. All broad shoulders, cut arms, slim waist, and strong, hard thighs. Oh, and the eyes… those mesmerizing eyes.

I’m besotted.

He glances my way and gives me a little eye roll. “Enjoying the show?”

Guilty as charged. “I am.”

I couldn’t resist him if my life depended on it.

The tree set up takes a while. And I enjoy every second of it. Sipping cider, I let my heart soar and my body heat as his muscles flex and move beneath his clothes.

When he’s satisfied that the tree is straight, he joins us, lowering his big body onto the couch next to me.

He smells delicious. Warm man mixed with freshgreenery. For a second, I lose myself in the way that his smell stirs things deep inside of me.

I blink and refocus when his mom passes a cup of warm cider to him and pushes a plate with a dozen cookies on it in his direction. I blush hotly.

Santa, I’ve been bad. Yes, I was having a very naughty fantasy about her son while she was handing out Christmas cookies.

Now, if that isn’t a way to get on Saint Nick’s naughty list, I don’t know what is.

Cole grabs a cookie, his eyes bright with his happiness. “Ah, it’s damned good to be home for Christmas for a change.”

“Language, Cole,” Nolene Strong says as she squints her eyes. “Remember you’re in my house, young man.”

Cole’s gray eyes dance. He winks at me as he bites the head off of a cow shaped cookie wearing a green icing wreath around its neck.

“Sorry. Too many years in the service.”

“Your father will be down in a minute, he’s in the middle of hanging a new towel rack in the bathroom.”

That amuses Cole too. “Keeping him busy, are you?”

“Never a problem around here. Gotta get the house ready for the big Christmas party.”

Cole chomps another cookie, chews and asks, “Christmas Eve still?”

“Indeed, and now it’s morphed into Christmas afternoon too. All the kids come and make cookies and crafts.”

Cole grimaces and shudders. “Sounds like torture.”

Nolene rolls her eyes. “You’d love every minute of it. Who are you kidding? I’ve seen you with little ones.”

He shrugs and takes a drink of cider. “I do okay, I guess.”

She makes a pfft sound. Cuts her eyes at me. “Better than okay. This man’s a natural born father.”

His brows rise as his color brightens. “On to other subjects, please. Did Sierra tell you I got a tree for the cabin?”

A sly smile lights his mother’s face. “She did not. But that’s wonderful.”

I swear I’ve never seen Cole blush in the few days I can remember, but he’s definitely doing it now. “Would you happen to have a box of ornaments that we might be able to borrow?”

A tender moment passes between them.