Beyond the Mistletoe: A Christmas Romance (Beyond Love Book 7) by Karice Bolton Read Free Book Online Page B

and a spark ran through my fingers.
    I had to be imagining this.
    “I’ve never been to a mystery dinner before. Sounds like fun,” I told Gabby, trying to shake off the latest emotions flying recklessly around in my head.
    I didn’t buy into love at first sight or fourth sight for that matter. The tenth encounter was probably pushing it. But the newsflash of the century after this weekend seemed to be that I never experienced lust at first sight either, and Derek was destabilizing all kinds of fallacies this cold winter’s afternoon.
    I took a sip of the warm liquid and felt the chocolate coat my throat as my mind unexpectedly reverted to my ex-husband. Had I ever actually been in love? I never once felt electricity charge between Paul and I while we were dating. Our relationship just grew. It expanded over time into companionship and then love. I’d never spent all my time talking about him with my friends, devising plans to attract him or even tempt him. The relationship just evolved and seemed to skip all those steps, but I’d assumed the steps didn’t matter. Maybe I’d assumed wrong.
    The blistering wind made visibility almost impossible as we came out of the woods and headed toward the faint glow of the lodge’s lights. We were on the homestretch.
    As awkward as some of these moments had been during the sleigh ride, I’d learned two important things:
    Eric had the potential to be a know-it-all.
    And Derek proved I wasn’t completely dead inside.
    Life was looking up.

 
    Chapter Seven
     
     
    I pushed through a pair of newly added batwing doors that swung to the sides and exposed an old saloon in what was once the bar from the night before. The space had been completely transformed into something from the Old West. The bartenders sported frock coats, bow ties, and derby hats. Each bartender had styled their newly acquired mustaches with pride and ingenuity, and the gunslinger mentality dripped throughout the space with western props hung on the walls and displayed on the tables.
    Several gaming tables had replaced the dining tables where card dealers shuffled their decks and waited, for what I didn’t know. I spotted a few women dressed as dance-hall girls huddling on a faux staircase that had been added in the corner of the recreated saloon. They’d lifted their red satin dresses up to expose their black stockings, offering gentlemen their wares. I felt as if I’d been transported to the 1850’s.
    I glanced toward the bar and saw Eric leaning over the counter, talking with one of the dancing girls. Her hair had been piled high and a feathered head wrap obscured her features. He gave a hearty laugh, and I watched him slide a napkin to her. She grabbed it and stuffed it into her corset, and I shook my head.
    Typical.
    I spotted a small round table that looked like the perfect docking station for the night.
    “Where are you off to so quickly?” Derek’s voice wrapped around me, and I jolted in place. If just his voice could produce desire in me, I could only imagine what a kiss would do to my world.
    Turning around, I was surprised—and grateful—to catch his eyes lingering on me instead of the dance-hall girls.
    “You look absolutely incredible,” Derek said, taking my hand and raising it above my head. I found myself doing a naturally slow twirl and suddenly felt like Cinderella in the Wild West.
     “I wasn’t sure what to wear, but judging by the looks of things, I chose the wrong century.” I smiled, feeling his gaze run over my curves. I’d chosen a simple black dress with long sleeves and a scooped neck and back. It wasn’t spectacular by any means, and yet, he made me feel like I’d put on the most astonishing evening gown in the world.
    “Whatever century it is, I’m loving every second of it,” he growled, lowering my hand but not letting go. I didn’t know if he said it that way on purpose, but in doing so, he totally hijacked my resolve to stay away from the possibilities of