* * *
THE SLEIGH WAS big and looked like it had come from a scene from one of the Currier and Ives lithographs that had hung in her grandparents’ hallway when she’d been little. The driver introduced himself to them and as Will talked to him, Penny moved to the front of the sleigh to get a closer look at the horses.
She’d grown up back East in a fairly suburban area, but her best friend growing up had been raised on a horse ranch and Penny had always loved the animals.
“Ready?” Will asked.
She nodded, even though she felt a little nervous. Hell, after the way her last relationship had broken down who would blame her...but she’d made her decision and it was time to enjoy it.
“This is for you,” he said.
“I didn’t get you anything,” she responded, taking the long square box that was wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with a simple red bow.
“You can owe me,” he said with a wink.
“Have you done this a hundred times before?”
“It’s a little unflattering you think I’m old enough to have experienced a hundred Christmases,” he said flippantly.
“You know what I meant.” Penny held the package with one hand and just watched him, wondering if he’d been serious about not lying. She was sorely tempted to embark on a red-hot affair with this handsome stranger, but if he was going to hedge and evade questions, she’d call the whole thing off.
“I do. And to answer your question—no, this isn’t my normal MO. But I have had two-week affairs before. As I mentioned earlier, I pretty much don’t do long-term.”
She nodded. “Should I open this gift now?”
“Yes. The driver has gone to get the hot cocoa I ordered.”
Penny turned the box over in her hands. Her first present from Will. She untied the red ribbon and took a moment to slip it in her pocket. It was that soft fabric kind. Then she carefully undid the wrapping paper.
“I’ve never seen anyone take as long to open a present.”
She laughed. “Sorry about that. I like to savor things.”
He reached over, pulling off his glove, and touched the side of her face. His hand was warm against her skin. “Me, too.”
She leaned over and kissed him, just a quick brushing of lips before removing the rest of the paper. He took it from her and wadded it up in his hand and tossed the ball of wrapping into the nearby trash bin. “Open it.”
She took the lid off the box and pushed the tissue paper aside to reveal a pretty, thick wool scarf. The colors were soft and muted, almost like the sky just after dawn. The wool was so soft that she couldn’t stop touching it. It was an exquisite gift. “Thank you.”
He nodded then reached into the box and took out the scarf. He stepped closer to her and wrapped it around her neck, tying it carefully before pulling her hair from the back where it had gotten trapped by the fabric.
“I really like it,” she said.
He cupped her face and tipped her head up so that their eyes met. Even in the darkness his were still brilliantly blue. “I really like you.”
He kissed her then, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. Passion built inside her as his mouth moved over hers. His tongue was gentle but firm as he thrust it into her mouth and she dropped the box to the ground to reach for him. Putting her arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him close to her, she reveled in his power and strength. His chest was solid against hers even through the layers of their winter coats. And the snow that fell lightly around them was a counterpoint to the heat they generated.
He wrenched his lips from hers and then dropped a series of soft kisses on her face before he stepped back and bent to retrieve the box she’d dropped. He walked over to toss it in the trashcan. As he slowly headed back toward her, she watched the way he moved, with that confident stride and the languid grace of a man sure of himself and his woman. His woman. She had pretty much agreed to be that. Penny rubbed her lips, which still tingled from his kiss. She was electrified from his touch. Couldn’t wait for him to kiss her again and to see how this evening turned out. What kind of lover would he be?
“Why are you watching me?”
“I like the way you move,” she said, getting more excited by the prospect of this Christmas romance. There was no pressure to be what he wanted so they could make things work out. There was nothing for her to do except enjoy her time with him. Something about him just made her feel warm inside. When he was just a few feet away, she leaped toward him and saw a look of surprise before he opened his arms to catch her.
She laughed as he hugged her close and spun her around. She threw her head back as the snowflakes fell on her face and she released all the past hurts and emotional baggage that she normally carried with her. For this Christmas, she was ready to let go and enjoy it.
He slowly lowered her down the length of his body and she kissed him with all the fierce desire building up inside of her. She couldn’t believe that it had only been this morning when she’d met him.
Savoring the moment, the feel of his lips ravaging hers, she marveled at how someone’s world could change that quickly. How a chance encounter could completely make her open her eyes to a world she had never realized existed until now.
“I guess you like the scarf,” he said wryly as he put her on her feet.
“I do. But I like you more. I think this is going to be the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time.”
“Me, too,” he murmured.
The attendant returned and the driver climbed into the front of the carriage while she and Will were seated in the back. The blankets they had for their legs were thick and woven in a traditional red, green and gold plaid. They were handed a thermos and two insulated mugs for their drinks, which were stowed in a small basket on the floor.
“Ready?” the driver asked.
They nodded and the sleigh took off, pulling them through the snow with only the sounds of their breathing, the bells on the horses’ necks and the whistle of the blades over the snow to accompany them.
WILL WRAPPED HIS arm around Penny as the sleigh traveled over the path in the moonlight. The snow had stopped falling and the trees on either side of them were all aglow with white lights that made the snow twinkle as they moved past it. The high back of the sleigh kept them protected from the wind.
He hadn’t expected his present to generate the reaction it had from her. She was cute and sexy and all signs pointed to her being everything he wanted in a lover. But he’d felt something else when she’d thanked him for the scarf.
A stirring of unfamiliar emotion that had been so intense he’d had to force it back down inside himself. He wanted Penny, he reiterated to himself. He was going to enjoy Christmas with a woman instead of by himself, but that was it.
“Do you know how to pick out any of the stars?” Penny asked, jarring him out of his thoughts. “I’ve always really liked looking up at them, but I’m afraid I can’t ever pick any of the constellations out.”
He tipped his head back, gazing up at the sky. “I know the basic ones. Like right there is the Little Dipper.”
He pointed to it.
She looked up. “Do you see the star the wise men followed?”
“I can’t really, but I bet we could find a bright star that would work.”
“Or we could each find a star that is leading