Sugar Plum Season. Mia Ross

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СКАЧАТЬ charged her a dime. The least she could do was humor him. “Okay, they’re closed.”

      Unfortunately, that threw off her equilibrium, and she felt as if she was going to fall. The sensation was alarming, and she clutched his arm more tightly to maintain her balance. It reminded her of the torturous first steps after the surgery that had shored up her spine but ended her career, and she felt a cold sweat breaking out on her face.

      “You’re all right, Amy,” Jason murmured in a gentle drawl near her ear. “I’ve got you.”

      Sure enough, he was bracing her with one strong arm, and she was stunned to find it wasn’t scary at all. Not trusting herself to speak without a whimper, she nodded and let him lead her through the studio and out the front door.

      Crisp, cool air greeted her, and she fought off a shiver that had nothing to do with the weather. That was the scent she’d noticed on Jason the first day they met, fresh and outdoorsy. Something told her that from now on whenever she was caught outside on a winter day, she’d think of him.

      Deliberately pulling her mind back to practical things, she asked, “Can I look now?”

      “Go ahead.”

      She opened her eyes, then blinked in total disbelief. He’d mentioned something about adding a tree and an archway, but this was way beyond anything she could have imagined even on her best day.

      The simple arch she’d envisioned had become a full-fledged arbor, twined with greenery and twinkling white lights. The tree wasn’t made of wood, but was a seven-foot-tall artificial spruce with more lights and a multipointed crystal star on top. Gifts wrapped in gold and silver paper were clustered around the base, and one box looked as if it had spilled open to show off a collection of wooden soldiers like the ones that would march onstage in a few short weeks.

      On the left side was her nutcracker. Sort of. The static sign Jenna had made now swung from hooks that allowed it to move in the breeze. The new arrangement made him look as if he was dancing. Awestruck by the combined effect of all those Christmassy elements, she was convinced a professional designer couldn’t have devised a better representation of the popular holiday ballet.

      Apparently, there was more to the towering lumberjack than axes and hammers. Who would have guessed that? Astounded by the results, she stared up at Jason in disbelief. “You did this?”

      “Yup.” Folding his arms, he cocked his head with an eager expression. “You like it?”

      “Are you kidding? I love it!” Forgetting her vow to remain detached, she laughed and gave him a quick hug. “It must’ve taken you forever. How did you manage to get so much done over the weekend?”

      “The tree I made didn’t turn out so well. Then I remembered your aunt used to put one up. I found it out back in your storage shed.”

      “You mean, the one that’s locked and I can’t find the key to?”

      “That’s the one.”

      “How did you get it open?” As soon as she finished her question, she had to laugh. “Let me guess. Sledgehammer?”

      “Bolt cutters, and I replaced the lock with a new one. The keys are in your office.” Glancing around, he leaned in and murmured, “I made the arbor for my gram’s garden. I’m gonna need that back before Christmas.”

      Impressed beyond words, she went up to examine it more closely. Flowers and vines were carved into every piece of wood, curling up to meet in the middle of the arch in a heart with a script B in the center. “Jason, this is absolutely beautiful. You’re incredibly talented.”

      He gave her an aw-shucks grin that made him look like an overgrown little boy. “I’m sure you’re used to fancier stuff, so it’s nice of you to say that. The power box is down here.” He pointed to an open-back square of wood. “The cord runs to your outside receptacle by the front door, and I marked the switch in the lobby that controls it. That way, you can turn everything on and off from inside.”

      She was amazed that he’d thought to set it up so she wouldn’t have to go out in the cold to shut things down. They barely knew each other, and already he’d come up with a way to make her life easier—and warmer. After fending for herself for so long, she liked knowing he was looking out for her.

      Despite her usual reserve, she could no longer deny she was warming up to this irresistible man. “Jason, I don’t know what to say. This is way beyond what I was expecting. How can I ever repay you?”

      “Another one of those hugs would be cool.”

      Laughing because she couldn’t help herself, she obliged him, adding a peck on his cold cheek for good measure. Pulling away, she frowned. “You must be freezing, after working out here so long. Would you like some coffee or something to warm you up?”

      “That’d be great, thanks.”

      “I don’t have any made in the office right now, but there’s some out back. Come on.”

      Again, he motioned for her to go in ahead of him. For years, she’d been living in big, bustling cities where everyone rushed past her as if she didn’t exist. It might be old-fashioned of her, but she had to admit she liked Jason’s way better.

      * * *

      Amy’s apartment was...not what he’d expected.

      Raised by his parents to be respectful above all else, Jason stood awkwardly in the middle of the narrow doorway, trying to come up with something nice to say. Built onto the rear of the studio, it was a single room with a tiny kitchenette and a small bathroom. The walls were raw drywall, and several buckets scattered around the floor alerted him there were leaks in the roof. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the worst part. “There’s something wrong with the furnace back here. I’ve been in freezers warmer than this.”

      “You have not,” she scoffed.

      “I worked for a butcher in Utah for six months, and trust me, his cooler temp wasn’t far off this place. How do I get to your utilities?” She blinked up at him, then began casting around as if she had no clue. It shouldn’t have been funny, but he couldn’t help laughing. “There must be a way to get into the crawl space under the addition. Do you know where it is?”

      “I’m sure Uncle Fred does.”

      Jason hated to bother the man for something that simple, and he shrugged. “No problem. I’ll find it.”

      “That’s not necessary. I’m hardly ever in here, so it doesn’t bother me.”

      “Must get cold at night, though.”

      After a couple of moments, she relented with a sigh. “Okay, you got me. I sleep on the couch in the office.”

      “That can’t be good for your back,” he chided her as gently as he could. With an injury like hers, she should have the most supportive mattress she could get, not some lumpy old sofa. “You keep doing that, pretty soon you won’t be able to get up in the morning.”

      “It’s fine,” she said curtly.

      “It’s not fine, and before I go, I’ll make sure you’ve got heat. While we’re at it, have you got СКАЧАТЬ