But Kyle’s growly chuckle went the rest of the way to undoing her. When she opened her eyes, she caught him staring at her lips. She barely finished licking her lips when he ducked and caught her tongue with his mouth. Every last rational thought shut down and her heart took over. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned into their kiss, which turned hot quickly as he claimed her mouth. Kyle didn’t hesitate to explore—his tongue made itself right at home as it danced and twined with hers. His hands explored her back, then moved lower to cup her ass. That sent heat straight to her core and soaked her panties instantly. She couldn’t help the groan that escaped her.
Then he was gone again. He pulled away, eyes closed, breath heavy.
“Star’s outside. With the ladder. Waiting.”
Right. Okay. Got it.Her brain clicked back on. This is a temporary situation. A Christmas wish. And he knows it, too.
Arden sucked in her bottom lip, gave it a nice bite, then smiled. So what if that made him suck in a breath as he watched? Two could play this game. Arden carried her mug back to the table and sat down. “Let me get some coffee into me first.” She flipped open her laptop and checked the cameras.
Kyle sat next to her. “I already took care of the chickens and goats. Only a couple eggs, and I left them on the counter in the egg basket.”
She looked at him. “You what?” She clicked over to the goat shed. Sure enough, they were chowing down. Same with the chickens—they pecked and scratched at their feed.
His smile was just on the edge of smug. “I’m a fast learner. And I thought since we’re going into town today, I’d save you some time and take care of them while I was out there.”
“Thank you, that’s…very sweet.”
He shrugged. “Just being practical.”
Right. Like stopping that kiss. Very practical.
“Besides, when we get back, we have to get down to the really important work around here.”
“What? The horses?”
Kyle grinned. “I did leave them for you. But I’m talking about themostimportant business. The business of decorating the rest of this place.”
“Decorating?” She looked around as if seeing the great room for the first time. “Yeah, I guess I really haven’t gotten around to that have I?”
“Is there a reason for that?”
“Yeah,” Arden said, trying to fight back her anger at her brother. “A few reasons actually. First, I’ve been extremely busy. I had to do intake for a couple of new clients, one of the goats was sick so I had to take care of him, and then the storm came in, and I had to make sure everything was safe and secure before it hit. Plus Mr. Sanders has been having some harder days lately and I’ve been up helping Ellie with him.”
“Are those the only reasons?” Kyle asked.
Stop poking. She covered with a grin. “Do you mean I need more reasons than that?”
“Maybe not more, but are you sure those are the only reasons, and that you didn’t leave out the most important reason?”
“Yeah, okay. How muchdidEllie tell you?”
“She didn’t tell me that much,” Kyle said. “But, I’m just guessing that well, decorating is always sort of a family thing, isn’t it? I have a feeling that when your brother came home you and he always decorated.”
“Yeah, okay. You got me. I guess you’re right—that is the biggest reason.” She looked around her home again. “Why bother decorating when it’s just me? There’s really nothing more depressing than putting up a Christmas tree all by yourself and putting all the decorations on, and no one else is there. No one to help you, no one to admire it, and no one to get drunk off their ass on spiked eggnog with you.”
“I like eggnog,” Kyle said nonchalantly.
“Do you now?”
He leaned forward over the table. “Try me.”
Arden laughed. “Maybe I will.Maybe.” She held up a finger. “No funny stuff though.”
“Funny stuff? Like what?”
“Don’t start making me like you, Kyle McGuire.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You mean you don’t?”
