Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy

He must have caught her watching him. Well, of course he had. He was a highly skilled former special ops Marine whose senses had been honed to pick up on things far stealthier than her. And as he’d said, subtlety wasn’t her strong suit.

Which made her feel pretty proud she’d gotten those few snowballs in…although, she suspected he’d let her. She couldn’t recall ever having so much fun playing in the snow.

“All warm except my toes—they still feel frozen.”

Instinctively she wiggled them in the thick, fuzzy socks Sarah had loaned her to replace the slightly damp ones Sophie had pulled off with her boots on the front porch.

Concern flickered in Cole’s eyes. “Do I need to rub them to get circulation going again?”

Stunned, Sophie blinked. “Would you?”

In response, Cole put his mug on a coaster and knelt beside where she sat on the fireplace hearth, clearly intending to take her feet into his hands.

“I didn’t mean that you should,” she clarified, tucking her feet as far back against the hearth as she could. “I was just surprised that you would be willing to do that for me.”

“If your toes are cold, then the best way to restore circulation would be for me to rub them. It’s not a problem.”

He sounded logical but she’d…well, she hadn’t been logical at all at the thought of Cole rubbing her feet. The mere idea of him massaging them, even through her socks for therapeutic purposes, melted her insides.

“I thought you just wanted to play piggy with me,” she teased. This time it was him who blinked, looking thrown by her comment. “You know, this little pig went to the market? This little pig stayed home?” she prompted at his continued silence.

“I knew what you meant.”

Enjoying teasing him, she arched her brow. “But that wasn’t what you meant?”

He shook his head. “My intentions were medicinal only.”

Smiling, she took another sip of her cocoa, then gave a little shrug. “Good job. They say laughter is the best medicine.”

“Seems I recall hearing that somewhere.”

“If it’s true, then I’m doing my part to improve your health,” she mused, proud she had made him laugh.

Cole’s lips twitched. “Is that what you’re doing? Improving my health?”

“I’m trying, but you don’t always cooperate.”

Then he smiled.

Warmth spread throughout her chest in ways that had nothing to do with her cocoa or the fire and everything to do with the man kneeling beside her, smiling at her with what could only be described as tenderness shining in his amazing eyes.

Emotions erupting inside her like a Fourth of July firework finale, Sophie smiled back, thinking that tonight, in her butterfly-embossed diary, she’d write that today had been the best day of her life.

Oh, Sophie, don’t go falling for Cole. He runs hot and cold and may never be able to let go of the nightmares barricaded within him. He could be a repeat of your father.

“Okay, guys, it’s game time,” Sarah announced as she came into the living room. “Let’s divide up into teams.”

Sophie loved games, but Cole’s smile instantly disappeared. He must not care much for them. No surprise there.

“Where’s Andrew?” he asked, obviously deciding it was time for him and his friend to leave.

“Miss me?” his coworker asked, coming

into the room with a freshly baked cookie on a napkin.

“Ready to head out?” Was that hope or desperation in Cole’s voice?

Sophie’s brows knit together, almost to the point of causing her forehead to hurt. Whatever magical cocoon they’d been inside moments before had dispelled, and now he wouldn’t even look towards her.