Ryan:Sounds like she’s more of a prude than I thought if you have to put a ring on it first.
Sawyer shook his head and tapped out a reply.You’re a jerk, you know that?Only this time he didn’t hit send. Instead, he set the phone down, sank into the lounge chair beneath the lamplight, and pondered his uncle’s aversion to the traditional life of love and marriage.
Sawyer didn’t relate. From a young age, he’d gotten a rare glimpse into a family that—despite having all the money they could ever need—loved and depended on each other.
The Bentons were generous and kind. They laughed together, played together, and yesterday, Sawyer got to be a part of it in an entirely new way. Of course, he wanted to be with Betzy above all else—her closeness, her touch, her kiss…
Heat stirred low in his belly at the mere thought. Betzy was worried about convincing her grandma their relationship was real. Sawyer knew his feelings were real; there’d be no problem there. But would Betzy be able to let her guard down and get close to him, or did her purpose start and end with getting revenge?
Yesterday hadn’t been too much of a challenge, with the activities of the day. Today could be a different story. He’d seen the agenda. It entailed a movie in the cabin’s theater and a candy cane making lesson, courtesy of James’ wife, Camila. Boy, were Lilly and Link excited about that. Then they’d finish off the day by decorating the tree.
Sawyer wandered out to the kitchen, surprised to be greeted with the tempting aroma of a rich, morning brew. He strode over to the coffee maker, glad to see there was a full pot, and reached for a mug.
“Good morning,” Betzy’s voice came from behind.
Sawyer glanced over his shoulder, scanned over the empty couches and lounge chairs, and furrowed his brow. “Where are you?”
A soft little giggle sounded next. “On the floor by the fireplace.”
Sawyer took a few steps to see past the corner lounge chair and caught sight of a pair of feet propped up on the mantel. The gas fireplace was on, he realized.
“Oh, hi there.” He abandoned his mug and stepped into the room. “How’d you sleep?”
“I slept alright.” She grinned at him as he approached, that gorgeous smile causing those dimples to shine.
Betzy looked beautiful, of course. A short, pajama-style pair of shorts with an oversized sweatshirt. It reminded him of the way she looked back in high school after playing soccer. Cheeks flushed, hair pulled back in a ponytail, and that flirtatious grin making his heart melt.
His gaze traveled down the length of her slender legs, all the way to her bare feet, complete with red polish. Already the distant sound of Christmas music played softly from the speakers.
Sawyer almost took a seat on the nearby chair, until he remembered himself. He’d given Betzy crap for not sitting next to him on the couch, hadn’t he? Besides, more than anyone, he hoped to convinceBetzythat the two had something real. Even if she hadn’t realized it over the years.
He took a seat on the mantel beside her feet, then stretched his legs out alongside hers.
She looked up at him for a blink, her expression caught between surprise and intrigue. “How didyousleep?” she asked. “Was the bed comfortable?”
He nodded. “Yes, very. Thank you.” Several times over the years, Sawyer had seen Mr. Benton rubbing Claudia’s feet while they lounged together in the front room. Sawyer considered doing the same.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he wrapped a hand around Betzy’s slender ankle and cupped her heel.
“Foot rub?” he asked.
Betzy hedged, but Sawyer pressed a thumb into the side of her heel—once, and then twice.
“That feels nice,” she admitted.
Satisfaction shot through him as he took hold of her foot with both hands now, working his way up the center. “You know, that rug is probably thick enough that you can make something similar to snow angels.”
“Rug angels?” she said with a giggle. At once she extended her arms out to either side and flapped them up and down, matting the rug with her movement.
“Hey, it actually works,” he said.
Those dimples sank into her cheeks once more. “All I need is my halo.”
Sawyer gulped. “I’m pretty sure you were born with one.”
He hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but the truth was, Betzy had always been like a living angel to him.
“Yeah, right,” she said with a laugh.
