“I’ve never done this before,” I whisper
“Had a live tree?”
“No. Gone to a Christmas Tree Park like this.”
“Ah. Then we have to get you the full experience.” He gestures toward the concession stand. “They have some of the best cider around.”
I shove the shrewish voice inside of my head, cautioning me to let my guard down, aside and embrace the moment. I follow him to the aptly titled Tree Stand.
“Can I get two apple ciders with the works, please?”
My mouth waters as I watch them make the hot concoction. A cinnamon stick goes into the cup of steaming goodness, and a healthy dollop of whip cream is placed on top and drizzled with caramel. Sparkly white sprinkles add a finishing touch.
“It’s almost too pretty to drink.” Accepting the cup he hands me, I take a bite of the whipped cream.
“You were saying?”
“What? I said almost.”
Smiling, he shakes my head.
“Have you realized you keep bringing me to situations that force me to trust you?”
He rolls his eyes playfully. “There are plenty of people around us.”
“Says the big, bad wolf to Little Red Riding Hood.”
“So, I’m a wolf now?” he asks, amused.
“I don’t know, are you?”
“In the sense that I like to hunt my prey and devour it, yes.”
I swallow. “How will we let the workers know we’ve found the tree?”
He’s adorable with a tiny whip cream mustache I want to lick off. His tongue does it first, and my belly clenches.
“Well, people mark it, but in our case, I’m going to chop it down.”
“What?” I eye him skeptically. “You?”
He nods. “Yep. Brought an axe in the trunk. I didn’t want to freak you out, so I didn’t break it out yet.”
“You’re serious?” I ask, excited at the prospect of him going full lumberjack.
“You doubt my prowess?” He stands up to his full height and makes a muscle.
“No. Just your desire to get your hands dirty.”
“I’m born and raised in the mountains. I can start a fire, chop down a tree, and rough it with the best of them.”
I press a finger to my bottom lip. “As a lawyer, you’ll understand I require proof.”
His eyes darken. “I have no problem performing under pressure. Finish your drink, and we’ll get started.”
I take a sip to hide my smile. He’s not as unaffected by my words as he’d have me believe.
“Yes, sir.”