Her Mistletoe Cowboy by Alissa Callen Read Free Book Online Page B

curling ribbon falling gracefully around them.
    “Not bad, if I do say so myself.” He stepped off the chair. “Right, two more lights to go?”
    “Yes.”
    He shot her a quick look when her affirmation sounded breathless. Her cheeks were also a pretty pink. He shrugged out of his sheepskin coat. Ivy wasn’t the only one flushed by the heat. The house was much warmer than his cabin and he’d soon overheat. He draped his coat beside the reindeer on the bench.
    They moved into the living room where a cheerful fire blazed in the stone-worked fireplace. He stood the kitchen chair below the light and climbed onto the sturdy wood. Lips pressed together, Ivy passed him a gold ball.
    Warm air played across the bare skin above his belt buckle as he lifted his arms to tie on the ribbon. When tying the balls in the kitchen, his green plaid shirt had worked itself free from the waistband of his jeans. And now he no longer wore his jacket, he could feel the rush of air. He glanced at Ivy who stared at the fire even though she held a second ornament toward him. She hadn’t appeared to notice his state of undress and there was no point tucking his shirt in, it would only come loose.
    He reached for the white ball she held. As he stretched to tie the ribbon to the light, instead of rummaging in the box for the next ball, Ivy placed the ornament box on the floor.
    “Are you all right without me?” She briefly met his gaze. “The last light to decorate is in the formal dining room off the foyer. I must check on Milly and it’s time for the cinnamon rolls to come out of the oven.”
    “Sure.”
    And before he could fully assess her expression, she quit the room as though a mountain lion was after her.

Chapter Five
    ‡
    T he kitchen window creaked as Ivy pushed the pane open to allow icy air to wash over her face.
    She closed her eyes against the sting of cold and inhaled the scent of wood smoke. She had no idea where Milly was or what havoc she was causing but before she checked, she needed to strip the telltale flush from her cheeks.
    What was wrong with her? Luckily, she’d never run a board meeting sitting next to Rhett because if she had, her work colleagues would never call her ‘The Ice Princess’ again. When she was around Rhett she was about as cool and collected as gelato in a heat wave.
    When Rhett’s shirt had pulled free while he’d tied the third kitchen ornament she’d been able to look away. So what if above his silver belt buckle he had washboard abs and skin that looked golden despite the season. It would be okay; she could stand near him and remain immune. She’d never been a woman governed by passion. She’d always appreciated James’ lack of affection and his practicality. After their usual Sunday date-night they’d never linger in each other’s arms knowing they had work to prepare for the upcoming week.
    But when Rhett had lifted his arms to tie the fourth ornament, it had been harder to look away, let alone remember she wasn’t a slave to her hormones. By the seventh ornament she had her hands locked around the box to stop them sliding beneath his green plaid shirt and over the toned ridges that would reach all the way to the curve of his muscled shoulders.
    When they’d moved to the living room, she’d averted her gaze by staring at the fire. But by now he’d taken off his jacket and when he stretched to secure the first living room ball she’d had an unimpeded view of the work-honed perfection above his belt. She’d lasted one more decoration before she had to bolt.
    She opened her eyes, fanned her face with her hand and shut the window. Yes, Rhett was hot and she was only human. But that was no excuse to lose sight of why she was in Montana. She had a heart to patch up and a career plan to devise. She hadn’t come to Marietta to allow physical attraction to sabotage her plans to hit the ground running once the festive season ended.
    Growling sounded from the dining room, followed by the