She blinked and blurted. “I’ll come too.” She readjusted the reins on the sleigh and then took a seat.
Caleb handed Jack the keys to his truck. “Will you make sure the ladies get back okay?”
“Will you be safe?” Natasha nodded her head toward Cocoa. Her ribs expanded and contracted with every breath, and she was sweaty.
Caleb settled into the seat. “We’ll be fine. Besides, it’ll be good for her to go out again. Get back in the saddle and all that.”
The animal looked much calmer now. All traces of fear had been washed from her eyes.
“He wants to meet you,” Jack said to Raelynn as he approached Dunder. Raelynn’s hands fisted his coat. She leaned her head into the crook of his neck, which was the sweetest thing Natasha had ever seen.
It wasn’t fair that he had all those good looks and was great with kids, too—no wonder the women fell all over him.
Dunder walked ahead, acting curious. How Natasha knew it was an act was beyond her. Perhaps the reindeer interacting with people so much had made them seem more human.
Although Dunder wasn’t a reindeer who took commands, he was the kind that gave them.
“How come I haven’t seen this guy before?” Natasha kept a hand on his back, not wanting to let go of the warm feeling he created inside her—like Christmas morning and warm socks on a cold floor.
“He stays in deluxe retirement accommodations,” Jack said. He turned so Dunder could look Raelynn in the eye. Raelynn peeked out at him.
Snow fell and dance around them, although there was no wind. Dunder pranced his front hooves, making the bells on his harness sing.
Raelynn sat up and then wiggled to get down. Jack set her on her feet, and soon she was twirling and dancing with a reindeer.
Natasha stepped closer to Jack, and they watched the sweet scene unfold. “I believe he’s charmed her,” she whispered.
“He is the most charming male on the ranch—present company excluded, of course.” Jack puffed out his chest.
Light-headed with Christmas Magic, Natasha watched them play. She had a funny thought. “Is this a reindeer game?”
Jack laughed lightly. “I believe it is.”
Raelynn shimmied, and Dunder shook out his fur. The music stopped—had there been actual music? Natasha wasn’t sure, but she noticed its absence. Where had it come from? Raelynn bowed, and Dunder inclined his head like a king on his throne.
Dunder put his nose low and sniffed Raelynn’s boots. She giggled and patted his head before falling on his face in a hug. “I love you, Dunder. I love you forever and ever and ever.”
You too, little one.
Too late, Natasha realized she hadn’t filmed a moment of the reindeer dancing. She had a sinking suspicion he wouldn’t shake his groove thing for her.
“Do you feel better about the reindeer, Raelynn?” Jack asked.
She skipped to him and took his hand. “Dunder explained that Cocoa was scared, too. She didn’t mean to run away like that.”
Natasha raised both eyebrows in question. Exactly when had Dunder explained anything?
Jack ignored her. “Do you want to ride him back to the barn?” He held out his hand to Natasha, keys dangling. “Will you drive the truck back?”
Natasha took them. “But…” She’d wanted to ride with him—to ask him all the questions she couldn’t ask in front of a reindeer. To just… spend a moment with him. One forbidden, innocent moment where she didn’t have to have her guard up.
Seemed Dunder had taken down a few of her walls right along with Raelynn’s. The knowledge was scary.
She twisted. “I can do it.”
“Thank you,” he called after her.
She lifted a hand in response. Once inside the truck, she broke out in chills and cranked up the heater. The sun was going down, and the lights automatically came on. She bounced around in her seat, making the seat belt click.
