Christmas Ever After (Puffin Island 3)

He shifted with discomfort. “Sky—”

“What? You don’t have to feel awkward, Alec. I’m not one of those women who thinks every man on the planet has to find her attractive. I rub you the wrong way for some reason. I’m trying my hardest not to, but I seem to manage to annoy you just by being alive. Why don’t we start again? You’re not that into me. No problem. My ego can take it.”

Nelson bounded over to her and she bent down to kiss him, while Alec thought that if he was any more into her he’d have her naked underneath him on the nearest flat surface.

“You don’t annoy me.” It was the best he could do in the circumstances. Like giving a little more rein to a bolting horse in the hope it might somehow slow it down.

“Good to know. Who’s a gorgeous boy? I don’t drive you crazy, do I?” She crooned, stroked and fussed and Nelson threw himself on the floor and rolled over in total ecstasy.

Nelson, it seemed, was totally into her.

Alec rolled his eyes. “Nelson, show a little control.”

Her gaze lifted to his, those incredible blue eyes faintly mocking. “Control can be overrated. Let’s go, Professor.” She turned up the collar of her jacket. “What time will your sister arrive?”

“Midmorning. The routine is that we’ll open presents, then have lunch and go for a walk.”

“Sounds like fun.”

He opened the door and they were engulfed by a rush of freezing air.

He wondered if the bitter cold might make her change her mind, but she tugged on gloves and stepped out of the door.

The countryside stretched in front of them, gentle undulating hills interspersed with hedges and areas of woodland covered in a thick layer of winter white. The air was still, the sounds muffled by snow, and they trudged up the lane through the soft snow and smothered silence, past frostbitten trees and the silvery shimmer of icy tracks. The dogs bounded ahead, tails wagging, excited to be outdoors.

The sun shone brightly, as if to overcompensate for the icy chill of winter.

Skylar strode out, sure-footed and confident, her boots leaving footprints in the untouched snow. “Where are we going?”

“The footpath runs through the fields all the way to the beech wood at the bottom of the hill, but we don’t have to go that far.”

She squinted against the sun. “It doesn’t look far.”

“It’s a cold day. You might change your mind when you’ve been out in this for five minutes.”

Whistling to the dogs, they walked along the road, past cottages with walls of warm honey stone.

She paused in front of one of them. “Beautiful house. It looks like a Christmas card.”

“It’s the original manor house, built at the same time as the parish church.”

“I love the colors. Honey stone peeping through snowy creeper. Shades of white. I’ve been looking for a theme for my next collection. I wish I’d brought my camera.” She pulled out her phone and took a photo with that instead.

“You always have a theme?”

“Yes. My first one was called ‘Mediterranean Sky’ and my latest one is ‘Ocean Blue,’ but next time I want to get away from the beach and do something a little different. I’m thinking of winter.” She took a few more photographs and then gave him a smile of apology. “Sorry.”

“For what?”

“For making you wait while I take photographs. It’s an irritating habit of mine. Don’t wait for me.”

He wished he found it irritating.

He wished he found anything about her irritating.

They crossed the road and he paused by the gate. “This gate doesn’t open. Can you climb?”

Giving him a disparaging look, she all but vaulted the gate. “Alec, you need to stop treating me as if I’ve never walked in snow before. My best friend lives in Maine. That’s the equivalent of an intensive course in managing winter weather. Maine winters are hard-core.” She stopped, her breath clouding the air as she studied the holly growing at the edge of the field. “Berries. Why didn’t I think of that before?”