Page 77 of The Christmas Tree Farm

‘Ben … what?—’

He shook the branch and snow rained down on her face. She shrieked and pushed him over, rolling on top of him in the snow. He laughed, the sound shaking her body.

‘Sorry,’ he said between laughs. ‘I couldn’t help it.’

Kira wiped her face with her mitten. ‘And here I was, thinking you were such a nice guy.’

‘I am a nice guy.’ He pushed the snow-crusted hair out of her face, his smile softening around the edges. ‘I just take snowball fights very seriously.’

She huffed, trying to pretend to be mad but the way he was looking at her was quickly melting her resolve. He looked too damn cute and too damn happy, like a kid home from school on a snow day. He raised his head and planted a kiss on her nose.

‘How can I make it up to you?’ he asked, and Kira got a mischievous look of her own.

‘Well, I don’t have anything to decorate my tree with, but I thought we could check the attic. I’ve been too scared to go up there alone.’ She fluttered her lashes at him, damsel-in- distress style and he laughed.

‘I’m sure I could find time for a trip to the attic this morning.’

‘Yay! Now let’s get out of this snow. I’m freezing.’ She wiggled her way off his body in an entirely unnecessary way that had him red-faced by the time they were both standing again and not because of the cold.

‘Let me help you carry it back,’ she said, gesturing to her tree, attempting to ignore the heat in his gaze.

Bennett raised an eyebrow.

‘I can do it,’ she insisted, not willing to be outdone in her snowball-fighting and tree-carrying skills in one morning.

Ben shrugged. ‘You get the top and I’ll get the bottom.’

‘Okay.’ She grabbed the spindly top of the tree and Bennett hefted the back and she was sure she wasn’t doing anything but leading the way and getting her gloves all sappy, but it was nice to feel helpful.

‘I might be starting to understand why people like this,’ she said, glancing back at Bennett, who was definitely carrying the bulk of the weight. She got distracted by his arms again and almost led them into a snowbank.

‘Oh, yeah?’

‘Yeah,’ she said, steering the tree and getting them back on a straight path. ‘It’s very … festive.’

Bennett chuckled again. ‘Glad you’re coming around to it.’

They trudged back up her front path. ‘And you look hot as a lumberjack.’

Another low chuckle.

‘I might have time for more than just a trip to the attic,’ he said, and Kira’s toes curled in her boots.

‘Oh really?’

She looked back and his gaze was hot even out here in the snow.

‘How can you possibly look at me like that when I’m dressed in a sleeping bag with sleeves?’

‘I remember what’s under it,’ he said, waggling his eyebrows and Kira laughed, heat rising to her cheeks.

‘Don’t you have to work today?’ she asked, as they dragged the tree up the front steps.

‘I don’t think either of us can do anything today until we’re plowed out of here.’ Bennett gestured to the still-covered driveway and the parking lot of the tree farm in the distance. It was all untouched whiteness and Kira wished it would last.

‘Is it wrong that I kinda hope Logan’s truck is outta gas?’

Bennett had propped the tree up beside the door and pulled her close instead. He smelled like pine and the metallic scent of cold air on warm skin.