Merry Christmas, Cowboy!. Cindy Kirk

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ you hot.”

      “You most certainly do.” Anna breathed a happy sigh before shifting her gaze back to Seth and Lauren. “That’s another option for you.”

      “Option for what?” Lauren asked, looking perplexed.

      Anna put her hands on her hips. “Must I spell everything out?”

      The twinkle lurking in Anna’s eyes sent red flags popping up. A shiver of unease skittered up Seth’s spine. “That’s okay—”

      “Spell it out,” Lauren said innocently, obviously not sensing the danger.

      “Personal contact,” Anna said. “Why worry about the thermostat when you have in your power the capability to generate your own heat?”

      “Anna,” Seth growled in warning.

      “Are you suggesting I sleep with your brother?” Lauren sounded more amused than shocked.

      “I’ll leave the specifics to you.” Anna’s lips curved in a sly smile.

      “You have gone too far,” Seth said between gritted teeth. “To suggest—”

      His words were drowned out by the sound of Lauren’s laughter. “Thanks for the great advice, Anna. If I get cold I’ll definitely consider your suggestion.”

      Chapter Three

      Lauren gazed down at the Candyland game board spread out before her, the brightly colored spaces creating a cheery pattern on Seth’s family room floor. As she prepared to take her turn, she wiped the beads of sweat from her brow. She couldn’t believe Anna thought Seth kept his home too cool.

      Pushing the sleeves of her sweater up to her elbows, Lauren removed the top card from the stack and flipped it over. Yellow. She moved her marker three steps forward to the next space of that color. Behind her a blazing fire crackled in the hearth. The buttery smell of the popcorn they’d eaten earlier in the evening still hung in the air.

      After dinner, instead of playing the game at the table—as Lauren had expected—Seth had placed it on the floor in front of the fireplace. Then he’d used pillows to prop Dani up against the sofa right in front of the game. The proximity hadn’t helped. With her right arm in a bright pink cast and her left leg in a plastic walker cast, Dani still needed help playing the game.

      “Your turn.” Seth picked up the stack of cards and held them out to his daughter. With her left hand, Dani flipped over the top card.

      A huge smile spread across the child’s face.

      Seth glanced at the board and groaned loudly before moving her piece to the last rainbow space. He shifted his gaze to Lauren and heaved a dramatic sigh. “Can you believe she beat us again?”

      “Super job, Dani.” Lauren grinned. Competitive as she was, the look of pleasure on the little girl’s face made losing painless. “You’re definitely the Candyland Queen.”

      “I know I am,” Dani said with childlike honesty. “Now I want to play Go Fish.”

      Lauren widened her eyes in mock surprise. “Go fishing? In this weather?”

      Dani’s giggles turned to peals of laughter. “It’s a card game, silly.”

      “I don’t think I’ve ever played it.” Though she’d heard of it, there weren’t many children’s games Lauren had played. The day school she’d attended had been focused on academics, and her evenings had been filled with “enrichment” activities.

      “I can teach you.” Dani’s voice quivered with excitement. “It’s not hard. And it’s really, really fun.”

      “You’ll have to show her tomorrow.” Seth glanced at the clock on the wall as it began to chime. “It’s nine o’clock and your bedtime. Tomorrow will be a big day.”

      The child’s pout morphed into a smile. “I’ve been super-duper good this year.” She leaned forward, resting her arm cast on the leg propped up on a pillow. “Santa is going to bring me lots and lots and lots of presents. Right, Daddy?”

      Lauren sat back, curious how Seth would respond.

      “I’m sure you’ll get some,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “But Santa will be stopping at the homes of many other children who’ve also been good. He has to have presents to give them, too.”

      Lauren shifted her gaze from Seth to Dani then back to Seth. Surely Dani didn’t actually believe in Santa Claus. Lauren’s parents had set her straight at a young age about the jolly bearded man, a figure perpetuated by advertising firms and retailers.

      “I want to go to bed now,” Dani announced. “’Cause if I’m not asleep, Santa won’t stop.”

      Seth nodded his approval. “Did Mrs. Swenson help you wash up this evening?”

      Dani nodded. “But I do have to go to the bathroom.”

      “I can take her,” Lauren volunteered, not sure what helping would involve, but willing to try. After a delicious dinner of prime rib and mac ‘n’ cheese followed by three fast-paced games of Candyland, she was ready to stretch her legs.

      “Thanks, but I’ve got it covered.” Seth pushed to his feet, leaned over and lifted Dani into his arms then whinnied. “Hold on, cowgirl. The horsey is leaving the starting gate.”

      Lauren stared in awe as he galloped from the room. She couldn’t imagine her father playing such a game with her. In fact, she couldn’t remember her father ever even hugging her. He had shaken her hand when she’d graduated from college. And again when she’d earned her master’s degree…

      She shoved aside the memories and rose to her feet. By the time Seth trotted back to the living room with Dani, Lauren had finished her eggnog, put away the board game and returned the pillows to the sofa.

      Seth smiled at Lauren as he settled Dani on the sofa. “I’ll be right back.”

      He returned a moment later with a glass of milk, a plate of graham crackers and a container filled with assorted Christmas cookies. After removing the Tupperware lid, Seth carefully placed the container on Dani’s lap then held out the plate.

      Lauren stared with interest at the array of cookies. She couldn’t believe they were going to eat more after the big dinner and popcorn they’d already consumed. “They look delicious but I don’t think I can eat another bite.”

      “These aren’t for us.” Dani’s fingers tightened around the lip of the container, as if fearful Lauren was going to snatch them away and gobble them down. “These are for Santa.”

      Dani selected three of the most brightly colored sugar ones and carefully placed them on the Christmas plate.

      “He gets milk, too.” Seth positioned the plate next to the glass on the table.

      “And we put out extra for the reindeer,” Dani added.

      “Yep.” Seth nodded, his lips quirking upward. “They have a lot of flying to do. They СКАЧАТЬ