It Must Have Been the Mistletoe(63)

Puzzled at her frown, Tyler reached over to give her hand a squeeze. He didn’t understand how a woman as confident and amazing as Rita could doubt her skills.

“Just think it over,” he urged her. Not that he planned to give up. Not now that he’d found an idea that might keep her in Ponder Hill. If she ran with it, she could build a successful business right there with him.

Tyler liked that idea. The possibility of building something together. Enough time to see if what was flaming between them was solid enough to last.

Except for one tiny problem.

Randy.

Randy, who not only blamed Rita for all his love life woes, but who regularly brought up the evils of the Cole sisters, adding Alison’s treatment of Tyler to his list. A list Tyler had always supported.

He’d been an idiot to judge Rita as he had.

Time to call home and start laying the groundwork toward the Cole girls’ redemption.

Because one way or another, he planned to keep Rita Mae as his very own Christmas gift.





7




“THIS WAS A GREAT IDEA,” Tyler murmured against the rich fragrance of Rita’s hair. “I’m glad the snow forced us to stop early.”

Maybe forced was the wrong word. He’d seen a few flurries and immediately cited driving dangers, finding the closest hotel and checking them in before dinnertime. Sure, wild roadside lovemaking was great, but he’d wanted a soft bed. A hot shower. And plenty of room to try out the few toys Rita had left.

Tyler didn’t know when he’d felt this incredible. With Rita, he didn’t have anything to prove. She didn’t expect anything from him except that he be himself.

He tightened his arm around her waist and gave a deep sigh.

“S’good?” she murmured sleepily, her breath a warm caress against his skin.

“S’great,” he clarified. And it was. He felt he’d finally found that last piece of the puzzle, the one he hadn’t even realized he was missing. He had a good life. But with Rita in it, it would be amazing.

The job he loved was going to get even better, thanks to Rita. His free time was going to be filled with laughter and great sex, thanks to Rita. And his future?

The only problem with planning a future was Randy. Tyler thought about his call home the day before while Rita was selling her toys. He’d tried to broach the subject of getting over exes and the craziness of teenage love, but a recently dumped Randy had launched a rant about the fickleness of women and their lack of heart.

Not the opening Tyler wanted for his suggestion of a special guest for Christmas dinner. And as much as he wanted to tell his brother to grow up, a lifetime of protecting the kid was hard to overcome.

But he was a smart guy. He’d find a way to fix it so Randy got over himself, their mom wasn’t upset about her boys fighting, and Tyler got to keep Rita.

Somehow.

“I want to see you in Ponder Hill,” he said, figuring tiptoeing into the subject was better than diving.

She tilted her head back, her eyes a pool of sleepy sensuality, and gave him a smile that made his heart sing. “I have to spend Christmas with my family, but I’m sure I can sneak out for a little mistletoe action.”

Muscles he hadn’t even realized he’d tensed relaxed. She’d so easily accepted that they’d continue to see each other. He was more relived than he wanted to admit. With his free hand, Tyler tucked a stray lock of black hair behind her ear, loving the silky texture.

“I’ll be with mine, too.” He hesitated. He knew what he wanted to say. Despite the opening, he just wasn’t sure how to put it into words, though.

“You know,” she said slowly, her fingers tracing a concentrated pattern on his chest, “my family might not be too excited about our dating at first.”

“Huh?”

“Prom. You and Alison. Knocked up rumors.”

He grimaced.

“But hey,” she said quickly. “I’m sure they’ll get over it. I mean, it’d be crazy to hold a grudge over a little teenage high jinks, right?”

“High jinks?” He didn’t expect Rita to feel guilty for her sister’s actions, but…high jinks? “She told the entire school I got her pregnant.”

“Well, she was upset.”

Her smile faded when she saw the look on his face.

“Kinda like Randy was upset when you dumped him,” Tyler shot back. As soon as the words were out, he wanted to take them back.

Rita frowned.

“Dumped? It was hardly that dramatic.”

“Are you kidding? He still hasn’t gotten over you breaking his heart.”

“Breaking his heart?” Rita looked genuinely puzzled. “No way. We only dated a few weeks. It wasn’t like it was a grand passion—we never did more than swap a few kisses.”