Page 109 of The Christmas Tree Farm

‘No! Of course not.’

He held her gaze, waiting, and she tried to keep a straight face but failed miserably. ‘He came with the name … but I did sort of pick him because of it.’

The dog Benny whimpered. ‘And because he’s such a good boy,’ she crooned, scratching the dog’s head.

Bennett chuckled. ‘Wow, I didn’t realize you missed me that much.’

‘Oh, shut up.’ She smacked him playfully on the arm. He grabbed her hand and pulled her close again. She went willingly, so happy to be wrapped up in his warmth again. ‘It’s freaking freezing out here. Let’s go inside.’

He kept his arm around her as they made their way back to the house, the dogs racing ahead of them.

‘Did you bring any bags? Where is your car?’ Kira looked around as they approached the house. ‘How the hell did you even get here?’

‘I … uh…’ He looked delightfully sheepish. ‘Jeanie dropped me off. I only brought the dogs and a carry-on bag which I think I left in Jeanie’s car.’ He gave her a chagrined smile. ‘I was kind of in a hurry to get here.’

Her heart felt so full it ached in her chest.

‘Don’t worry, I have a bathrobe you can borrow for now.’

He followed her into the house, laughing, a tangle of dogs in the hallway between them and suddenly her house wasn’t cold and lonely. It was full and loud and warm. And perfect.

‘Hey, it’s a reasonable temperature in here,’ Ben said as he hung up his coat next to hers.

‘Got that new boiler.’

‘Oh, yeah?’

‘Yeah, I have an investor in the business now, so I was able to make a few purchases around here.’

‘An investor, huh? Good for you.’

Her face warmed with pride. Itwasgood for her. And she was proud of herself for doing it. For leaving home and starting over. For asking for help.

For letting Bennett in.

‘It’s my sister, but it’s all very official.’

‘I’m sure it is.’

They were standing at the entrance to the living room now. The couch had a very respectable amount of pillows and only two throw blankets, the rest having been relegated to the bedroom and of course, the mattress was gone.

‘How’d you get it back upstairs?’

‘I had help.’

‘I’m glad.’

‘You want to come upstairs and see it?’ she asked, waggling her eyebrows in a way Bennett obviously found super sexy because he outright laughed at her.

‘Of course I do.’ He pulled her close again, his arms around her waist and her face tilted up to his. ‘But I don’t have to stay here.’

‘What? Why not?’

‘I mean, I’m definitely back. I just don’t want you to think I have to stay here. In your house. We can take it slow.’

‘Take it slow? Bennett, are you kidding? You just flew across the country to put letters for our grandchildren to find in fifty years in my trees and now you’re saying we can take it slow?’

‘I didn’t specifically say they had to be our grandchildrentogether.’