Kisses on Her Christmas List by Susan Meier Read Free Book Online Page A

eyes were soft and sad. He could have been confused by her reaction, except he knew his voice had gotten every bit as soft and sad. He’d revealed some personal tidbits that she probably wasn’t expecting. Hell, even he hadn’t realized he felt all those things about kids until the conversation had turned that way.
    Of course, she’d sort of turned it that way.
    Now that he thought about it, she owed him some equally personal tidbits. “So what about you? No husband? No kids? Married to your store?”
    She brushed her hand along the top of the snow. “This time last year I was married.”
    â€œOh?” Something oddly territorial rattled through him, surprising him. Sure, he was attracted to her…but jealous? Of a guy from her past? That was just stupid.
    She batted a hand. “I got dumped pretty much the same way you did.” Avoiding his gaze, she ran her mittened hand along the surface of the snow again. “One day he loved me. The next day he didn’t.”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œIt’s certainly not your fault.” She caught his gaze, laughed lightly. “And I’m over him.”
    â€œOh, yeah?”
    She shrugged. “Only a fool pines for someone who doesn’t want her.”
    â€œI’ll drink to that.”
    She craned her neck so she could see Finley again, then she faced him. “She’s going to sleep like a rock tonight.”
    Rory said, “Yeah,” but his mind was a million miles away. The easy way she’d dismissed her marriage had caused his jealousy to morph into relief that she wasn’t just free, she was happy to be free. That somehow mixed and mingled with his suddenly active hormones and he wanted to kiss her so badly he could taste it.
    But that was wrong. Not only had he been hurt enough to never want to risk a relationship again, but she’d also been hurt. After less than twenty-four hours in her company he knew she was a sweet, sincere woman, who might take any romantic gesture as much more than he would intend it.
    Still, that didn’t stop him from wanting to kiss her. With the snow in her hair, on her jacket, covering her jeans. If he slid his hands under her knit hat, to the thicket of springy black curls, and pulled her face to his, he could kiss her softly, easily just because they were having fun.
    But would she realize it was a kiss of pure happiness over the fun afternoon? Or would she make more of it?
    He pulled back. They were having too much fun— Finley was having too much fun—for him to spoil it over a craving for something he shouldn’t take.
    He rose, put his hand down to help Shannon stand. “She’ll be back any second.”
    â€œDo you think she’ll want to go down again?”
    â€œUndoubtedly.”
    â€œHope you’re rested.”
    He grinned. “Hope you’re rested because I’m taking the saucer and you get the runner sled.”
    With that he grabbed the saucer and joined Finley at the top of the slope. Shannon pretended great interest in the sled he’d left for her, but she didn’t even really see it. Her heart pounded in her chest and her insides had all but turned to mush. For a few seconds there, when their conversation had paused, she could have sworn he was going to slide his hand behind her neck and pull her forward so he could kiss her.
    Kiss her!
    What a crazy thing to think! Ridiculous wishful thinking on her part, that’s what it was. They might be having fun with his daughter, but that was no reason for a man to kiss a woman. She was simply too much of a romantic.
    But figuring all this out now was actually a good thing. Rory had come right out and said that if he married again, he would want kids. His own kids. A son of his own. Another adorable daughter.
    And didn’t that sound painfully familiar? The last man she would have expected to leave her over not being able to have kids was her seemingly