He leaned around the tree. “It’s a real Christmas tree.” His smile chased away every question and doubt hanging over her. No one harboring ill intent could look so happy over something as sentimental as a Christmas tree. Completely weak as rationalizations went, she let instinct have its way. That single expression changed her whole evening, erasing the turmoil of the criminal element plaguing her town.
The rich scent of the fresh-cut evergreen rolled over her, renewing her in the quiet snowfall. “It’s huge.”
“Mrs. Wilks helped me pick out all three of them at the Lewiston farm. She said they always have the best trees.”
She swallowed down a resurgence of fresh doubt at the coincidence. “Three?”
“Yeah. One for her, one for me, and this one for you.”
“I saw the windows when I pulled in,” she said.
“We’ve probably been almost as busy as you.” He set the tree down between them. “Of course, we’ve definitely had more fun. If you don’t want it I’ll find it another home.”
“I want it,” she said quickly. “It’s perfect.” She returned to her car for her purse to hide the unexpected nerves flooding her system. It had been such a long day and this was the perfect way to wrap it up. Or maybe she was losing her mind and had surrendered to the inevitable.
He looked the tree up and down. “I picked up a new tree stand since I couldn’t be sure where yours was.”
“Sounds like you thought of everything.”
He hitched a shoulder. “I’m a detail guy.”
“Yes. I’ve noticed.” She unlocked her back door and let him wrestle the tree inside.
“Which way?”
“Down the hall and to the left.”
She was impressed when he didn’t knock anything over or off the walls as he maneuvered down the narrow hallway. It brought back an unwelcome reminder of the mess they’d found at Mrs. Wilks’s house.
Another realization struck her, but she waited until he had the tree safely leaning between a chair and the wall. “You took her tree-shopping and helped her decorate to keep an eye on her, didn’t you?”
He slipped his hands into his pockets. “Guilty as charged.”
“I bet you even helped her clean up the mess in her house.”
He shrugged. “Is that a problem?”
“No.” It was thoughtful. Kind.
“She’s one tough lady,” he said. “But no one should deal with that alone. Besides, she gave me more cookies.”
“Lucky man,” Abby said, laughing. She was enjoying the normalcy of this moment. Standing here with him, she had the strangest sensation things might be okay. Who’d have guessed a stranger could make her feel this safe and stable in the midst of such a violent assault on Belclare?
“I’ll just go get the tree stand.”
“How does leftover lasagna sound?”
His gaze locked with hers, then drifted slowly to her mouth. She hoped it meant he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him.
“Delicious.”
“Okay. I’ll—” she hitched her thumb over her shoulder to the kitchen “—just get started on that while you put the tree in water.”
Riley didn’t move right away. He looked around the room. “You want it centered in the window, right?”
“Please.”
“I can do that.” He looked at her ceiling, then her furniture. Then his eyes landed on the flowers from Deke on her coffee table. His eyebrows snapped together in a hard scowl. “An admirer?” He tipped his head to the lavish arrangement.
“Not even close,” she said. Her warm mood burst like a bubble. “It was a friendly gesture from Deke Maynard.”
“Sure.”
She slipped out of her coat and hooked it on the hall tree at the front door. Deke was the furthest thing from her mind with Riley filling up her front room. “It was meant as encouragement.”
“That’s some serious encouragement,” he said softly. “You know, if I’m poaching here—”
“Poaching?” She cut him off, bristling at the archaic choice of words. “I’m not endangered wildlife, Riley.”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
She planted her hands on her hips. “One minute you’re buying me a Christmas tree—with a stand—and the next you think I’m playing around or something.”
He stepped forward but stopped when she held out a hand. “That is not what I meant.”
“Then clear it up right now,” she demanded.
“I like you.” He took another step, stopping just as his chest brushed her fingers. “I want you,” he added, his gaze hot on her. “I go after what I want, what I like. Sometimes I come on a little strong.”