Page 40 of One More Yule Log

“Sure.” He had a giddy vision of Gray leaving some clothes here. A toothbrush. A razor.

God, he was an idiot. It was a happy, happy thought, though. One that made him want to dance Gray around the room. Instead, he handed Gray some clothes, they got dressed, and they headed out into a winter wonderland.

They must have gotten a foot overnight, so he took the Land Rover and made their careful way down the mountain. He turned toward Basalt, humming with the Eagles.

“What’s your favorite Eagles song?” Gray asked.

“Oh, that’s tough… I think ‘Desperado,’ but there are so many…”

“‘Take it Easy.’ No doubt.” Gray winked over. “Oh, here’s the turn.”

“Thanks, honey.” He made it and got them moving into town.

“We had a good bit of new snow, huh? We were too busy to notice…”

“We did. It’s going to make the skiers happy, huh? I might have to go out and play this afternoon.”

“Oh, man. I can sit and drink hot buttered rum and watch…”

“You can. There’s a lovely heater in the back sunroom.”

“Yeah? No one would mind? I need to go in about five in the morning to make a batch of cookies for a client, but I’m good until then.”

Oh, he would be over the moon. “Liv would love to show off her snowshoeing skills. We’ll make pizzas for supper.”

“That sounds amazing.” Gray gave him this happy look that made his knees weak and his belly tingle. He was so far gone for this guy it was ridiculous.

“It does. We can pick up your car, some clothes, toiletries when we pick up Liv.”

“Cool. Okay, just up there.” Gray pointed at a restaurant.

Oh, he’d been wanting to try this place. “This is the place that has crepes and all those great toasts, right?”

“Yes. Oh my God. They have luscious bread, and I know from good bread.”

“I want to try your favorite sometime.”

“I make a deep, dark pumpernickel.” Gray winked, then hopped out when they parked. “Bubbly!”

“Or Bloody Marys!” he shot back, beginning to laugh.

“So we can toast to the best day.” Gray was chuckling right along with him, getting the joke, passing it back.

“Ever, honey. The best day ever.”

Liv would think so, too, he’d bet. Gray was impossible not to fall for, and too fast or not, that was exactly what he was doing.

* * *

“Alice! Help!”The Dr. Seuss Christmas-tree cake Gray had been working on was starting to topple, and he only had one hand. He could get it back together, no problem, but catching the slide was impossible.

“Coming!” She caught the top two tiers as they slid.

“Nice catch.” He grinned at her, then spackled the tiers back into place.

“You’re in a good mood for cake number three.”

“I have a date with Ben and Liv tonight.”