“I know, dummy. But Cole says just plain fudge.”
“I’m addin’ my own twist and that’s what came to me. Fluffy fudge it all.”
“Tomorrow I’m gonna think that’s stupid. Tonight it’s sooo funny. Fluffy fudge it all! Maybe Cole hates it.”
“I don’t.”
Claudie let out a deep sigh. “Good thing it’s not a horseshoe cupcake Chrismus tree. It’s somethin’ better, right?”
Mila exchanged a look with Cole. “Way better.”
He reached for her hand. “Thanks for that.”
“Claudie-waddie. Check it out. Funny business.”
“They’re just holdin’ hands and we’re close to home. No biggie.”
Easy for Claudie to say. She wasn’t the one holding Cole’s hand. They’d be parked by the barn in less than ten minutes.
Cole brushed his thumb over her palm in a lazy caress, sending her pulse into overdrive. She snuck a glance at him.
He sucked in a breath and turned his head. “Almost there.”
“Yeah.” Oh, yeah.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cole switched off the engine and fought the urge to leap out and dash toward the stairs, Mila in tow. Instead he made sure everyone was headed in the right direction — Rio climbing the snowy hill to his A-frame, Monty ambling across the yard to his cottage near the main house and Claudie walking through the gate of the mini-hacienda she shared with Mila.
“They’re all fine.” Mila pulled on her gloves. “We can go.”
He tugged on his gloves and took her hand. “How about I throw you over my shoulder and we go up the stairs that way?” Dumb idea, but he desperately wanted to save her the climb.
She laughed. “How about we skip that so you don’t dislocate something in the process? Come on.” She started off at a brisk pace. “The sooner we conquer those stairs the sooner we can?—”
“Point taken. I used to think they were cool. Tonight they’re a pain in the ass.”
“Want to do it in the barn?”
“I’d be tempted if I had a condom in my pocket.” He released her hand as she reached the base of the stairs. “Don’t go too fast. I don’t want you to slip.”
“Backatcha. I don’t want you to run me over.”
“If I’m not careful, I might. Those last two miles were tough duty.”
“But we made it.” Gripping the railing, she continued upward, her boots slipping on the icy surface.
“Better slow down.”
“Don’t want to.”
Much as he loved hearing that, if she fell and hurt herself, he’d never?—
“Is your door unlocked?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Bueno.”
