Page 22 of The Christmas Tree Farm

Kira shot him a disbelieving look, but she couldn’t keep her grumpy act up when she was in the presence of such adorable animals. She tugged off her mitten, and dutifully ignoring the sign that warned the reindeer might nibble her fingers, she stuck her hand between the wood slates and rubbed the soft snout of one reindeer and then the other.

‘So fuzzy,’ she whispered.

The reindeer stared at her with big black eyes. The other wandered over to where some squealing children were holding out a carrot, the jingle bells on its harness tinkling as it walked away.

‘I want one,’ she declared.

‘Maybe finish getting the farm set up before you add animals.’

Kira huffed. ‘Maybe worry about your own animals and I’ll worry about mine.’

‘Fair enough.’ Bennett took off his own glove and joined her in petting her new furry friend. She kept her hand safely on the other side of the animal’s big head. She didn’t need their fingers to touch, not when she could still feel the imprint of Bennett’s thumb on her lips.

‘You want to come home with me, right?’ she crooned to the deer. He nudged her hand with his furry head. ‘I think you do, you big handsome guy. I’d take good care of you.’

Bennett cleared his throat.

‘Yes?’ she said, glancing up at him.

‘You’re making a big mistake here,’ he told her.

‘Oh, really? And what is it I’m doing wrong now?’ This guy. How dare he butt in again? If she wanted reindeer for her Christmas-tree farm, then she was damn well going to get them. As soon as she figured out how.

‘You’re not nearly as scary as you pretend to be,’ he said, his voice dangerously close to her ear.

Kira’s eyes fluttered closed for a brief second, but she forced them back open. No. No Christmas magic for her. ‘Trust me, I am.’

‘I don’t think so.’ Bennett’s warm breath coasted along her cheek. She should have kept her damn hood up. ‘And you messed up.’

‘I messed up?’

‘Yep, every time you talk to an animal, you give yourself away. You show how sweet you actually are.’

Sweet?! No sir, that would not do.

Kira gave the reindeer one more scratch between the ears and straightened to her full height, forcing Bennett to take a step back.

‘I have never been described as sweet in my entire life.’

Bennett shrugged. ‘Well, you are.’

‘No, Chloe is the sweet one. And the sensible one.’ The favorite one. She swallowed that last bit.

‘I’ve never met Chloe, but I have three dogs and at least one reindeer that would agree that you are a very sweet person.’

Kira scowled. He only thought that because he didn’t know her sister. Her whole life, Kira knew Chloe was her better half. The one who kept her grounded. The one who’d kept her from getting arrested on more than one occasion, with her sweet smile and her southern belle charm. And until very recently, Chloe was the one who kept her from making questionable financial decisions.

‘Well, I have an entire town here that would disagree.’

‘I don’t think so. I think they just want to get to know you, that’s all.’

‘I didn’t come here to make friends.’

‘What did you come here for, then?’

‘I already told you.’

‘Oh, right. Something about pickles … and pouting about your sister’s Danish husband.’