Even though it felt so right. Even though she’d accepted he wasn’t to blame for her father’s suicide, there was too much history between them. An affair with him would only bring unhappiness-especially once he found out that while he’d always been brutally truthful, she’d been less honest.
She shivered, and a wave of ever-present loneliness swamped her.
Callum wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her to rest against the length of his body. “I’ll keep you warm.”
She let herself sag into the safe refuge of his arms. It felt strangely like coming home.
A dangerous dream.
The band was playing “Silent Night.” All around, Miranda was aware of couples, young and old, of families, and the joy of Christmas Eve surrounding them.
She wanted that joy. That love. It came to her in a moment of clarity that she’d been a fool to turn down Callum’s proposal.
If she’d agreed to marry him, it all would have been hers-companionship, great sex and a life with a man who did his best to consider her and solve all her problems.
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you for a walk in the snow. There won’t be time for a ride, but the horses will be out in the field in the morning and you can meet them.”
How could she have been so dense?
While she’d been intent on hating him, fighting him, she’d been falling in love with Callum. How she wished…
Then reality kicked in. Callum would never
Her Christmas wish would never come true.
It was early and the rest of the household still slept when Callum pulled the front door open and stood back for Miranda to pass.
She halted just ahead of him and he heard her gasp as she took in the bright beauty of the morning sunlight on the pristine blanket of fresh-fallen snow.
“This is the gift you said you wanted,” he murmured behind her.
“It’s so beautiful-so peaceful-it makes my heart hurt.” Her voice was husky. “What a perfect start to Christmas Day.”
He knew what she meant.
She stepped forward and the sun caught her hair, turning it to gold. Callum followed and her scent stayed with him. Vanilla. And a hint of honey this morning.
“Old Jim will already have put the horses out in the paddock.” He led her through the silent, snow-encrusted garden, their Wellingtons crunching on the snow that covered the cobbled pathways.
Mojo and Moxie padded up behind them, looking expectant. Callum eyed the dogs. “You can come but you need to behave. No running off.” Opening the gate set in an archway in the stone garden wall, he paused for a moment to let Miranda take in the vista before them.
“Wow.” She sounded awed.
“Come on.” He snagged her gloved hand in his. “Let me show you.”
They entered a lane lined with post-and-rail fencing and leafless trees, their boughs forming ghostly shapes that fragmented the stark landscape.
“It feels like we’re the only people in the whole world.”
He glanced down at her. “Maybe we are.”
With a hint of bravado that had been missing since he’d produced the proof of her father’s confession, she said, “You and me? That could be interesting.”
“Very,” he said drily and watched as color washed her cheeks.
She tried to wiggle her fingers free but he tightened his hold. “There are the horses,” he said to distract her.
Followed by the pair of Labradors, they headed for a five-barred gate set in the fence. A rugged-up chestnut came toward them, whickering in greeting, followed by a big bay.
The chestnut nuzzled delicately at Miranda’s gloves and she laughed. “This one’s gorgeous. What are their names?”
The melancholy that had hung over her yesterday had lifted. Her skin was bright and clear, and a slight flush lay on her cheeks. God, but this woman was gorgeous. His chest squeezed tight.
“The chestnut is Red, the bay Cavalier,” he said hastily, before she caught him fawning. “The gray mare at the back is Lady Anne. She’s shy. It may take her a while to come forward.”
“Oh, I feel so bad-I’ve got nothing for them.”
Callum drew a plastic bag from his coat pocket. “Luckily, I came prepared.” He passed her a carrot. Miranda pulled off her glove and tucked it under her other arm. Holding her hand out palm up, she offered the carrot to Red. The chestnut lipped it up.
Cavalier bumped Callum’s elbow and he fed the bay a piece, too.
“Here comes Lady Anne,” he warned. The gray had edged up on the far side of Miranda.
Miranda stretched her arm out and Lady Anne took the offered morsel. Red’s ears went back and the gray mare skittered out of reach with her carrot.
“Not nice, Red,” said Miranda reprovingly.
Too soon the carrots were gone.
“I enjoyed that,” said Miranda.
Her eyes glowed and Callum’s throat grew tight. “At a quieter time, you must come again. We’ll go for a ride.” The words were out before he could stop them.
She looked as surprised by his impulsive offer as he was.
“That would be nice. Thank you.”
She hadn’t refused. Callum gave her a broad smile. It gave him a chance to see her again in the New Year, without having to rely on their connection through Adrian. Before she could put her glove back on, Callum snatched her hand. A sizzle of electricity seared him.
“Your fingers are cold.”
“Freezing,” she said cheerfully.
“I’ll warm them.” He held her hand between his and gave them a rub, all too conscious of her long fingers dwarfed between his but strong from molding dough. The short, square nails had been painted with clear varnish. Leaning forward, he brushed a kiss over her lips.
They both froze, then broke apart.
Miranda pushed her hair back and Callum stared at her. What was happening? What was her power over him? It was as if he was in the presence of something he’d never felt before-and that he hadn’t seen coming.
Ten
The rest of Christmas Day passed in a rush of laughter and joy. Miranda barely had any time alone with Callum, which only reinforced that her decision-not to ruin the day by dwelling on her problems with Flo and Adrian-had been the right one.
After breakfast the family gathered in the living room to open presents beside the Christmas tree. Miranda was astonished to find she was expected to join the family.
Everyone had brought small gifts for each other. CDs of favorite bands. Books. Aromatherapy lotions. Each carefully chosen. Callum gave her a lacy white apron that made her blush and everyone else giggle, and Miranda was relieved that she’d thought to bring a CD as a gift for him. Thankfully no one had any idea of the significance of his choice.
Her own gift to the family of a selection of small pots of herbs for the kitchen and a huge tin of mouthwatering iced biscuits cut into snowflake shapes was met with cries of delight.
