I trailed off with a vague gesture of my fork. Was I just pouring salt on a still-tender wound? Was I probing at a topic she would have preferred to stay buried?
“Did I ever look for him?” Riley shook her head. “No. He chose to remove himself from my life and that's all I need to know. Instead, I spend my energy making Christmas special again. My family is too busy for me. So, I celebrate with everyone around here instead.”
That’s why she spent every spare minute of her free time volunteering with holiday festivities. The magic of the Christmas season could have easily been ruined after her dad walked out. But she fought for it and she found it among this little town.
When dinner was over and the dishes were cleared away, Riley stifled a yawn and shuffled off to bed. I shut down the house, doing a perimeter check to ensure that all windows and doors were locked.
Passing by Riley’s bedroom, her door was left open. A miniature Christmas tree glowed on her nightstand. Christmas lights twinkled at her window, casting a rainbow of colors across the ceiling.
In the dim shadows, I could make out the shape of her figure, nestled into the rumpled blankets. Wearing an oversized T-shirt and no shorts, her bare hip was exposed, lined with the thin lace of her panties.
Look away,I scolded myself.
But I couldn’t. My blood pumped hot and fast in my veins. I stood rooted to the spot, drinking in the sight of her, sleepinglike an angel. A Christmas angel, defiantly clinging to joy that the men in her life had tried to strip from her precious hands.
I knew it was wrong to cross Riley’s threshold. To enter the private, intimate sanctuary of her room while she was half-naked in her bed, sleeping. Trusting me to keep her safe.
Her hazelnut curls were a tangled, frizzy mess on the pillow. And the collar of her T-shirt slipped off one shoulder, showing no bra strap.
My palms burned to glide over her soft, sleep-warm curves. To taste her when she unraveled on my tongue.
But I didn’t do any of that.
Plucking a corner of the sheets, I pulled them up over her body. Then I walked out, easing the door shut behind me.
I closed my eyes and blew out a shaky breath, fighting the raging hard-on that pressed against my zipper.
Chapter five
Riley
On the day before Christmas Eve, I could have sworn that I’d died and gone to heaven. A dozen yapping, wiggling puppies surrounded me in the Juniper Creek Humane Society’s dog yard.
I volunteered to help with their holiday open house, talking to guests who were interested in adopting a pet, answering any questions they might have, assisting with adoption form paperwork.
And playing with the pets who were up for adoption, to make them look as friendly and lovable as possible.
Nitro stood outside of the fence in the snow, arms crossed, feet planted wide. Watching from a distance as always. I gestured to him.
“Come meet the puppies!” I called.
He shook his head.
“I don’t do pets.”
I picked up a floppy beagle puppy with brown freckles on her nose and a plump pink belly. Holding her up, I pouted.
“How can you resist a face like this?” I demanded.
He cleared his throat and a muscle ticked in his jaw. His eyes were shielded by sunglasses, so I couldn’t see his expression. But if I had to take a guess, I was wearing him down, little by little.
“Easily,” he said. “I’m resisting right now, aren’t I?”
The puppy wiggled in my arms and licked my face with a whimper.
“I know, baby. He’s just a mean, old sourpuss, isn’t he?” I crooned. “I bet you would make the best Christmas present ever. You’d chew up all of my slippers and I wouldn’t even be mad at you.”
“You’re supposed to be helpingother peopleadopt a pet, Riley,” Nitro pointed out. “Not staking your claim on the dog you want for yourself.”
