idea, Romana, what my father was like. What I could be like and not know it yet.”
Undeterred, she circled his chair and made herself at home on his lap. “If you were half the monster you’re afraid you are, you’d have shown signs of it long before now. You deal with your anger, I’ve seen you do it. And don’t forget,” she traced the outline of his lips with a light finger, “I have a wicked kick to the crotch in my repertoire.”
Amusement kindled in spite of everything. “Have you ever not taken risks?”
“Grandma Grey says life would suck if we did that. Answer’s no,” she added with a twinkle. “On an up note, Fitz is fine. She’s also totally unrepentant about her sticky-fingered past. She lifted the key to Patrick’s handcuffs without him feeling a thing.”
“So, as a cop, I’m supposed to applaud that?”
“In this case, absolutely.” She touched her lips to his. “When do you have to report in?”
“Fifty minutes.”
She shifted position on his lap. “Doesn’t give us a whole lot of time, does it?You could call in sick. Harris would understand.”
“Anyone who’s met you would understand.”
“There you go then, problem solved. Except…”
He wouldn’t let her coax a smile out of him. Yet. “Except what?”
“You haven’t done your Christmas tree.”
“I’ve been a little busy.”
“Me, too. And Fitz. So here’s my plan.” She kissed him twice, then caught his lower lip. “We’ll take all three trees to Grandma Grey’s and make our own mini tree farm there. Her ranch is huge. We’re all going down for Christmas-my brothers and their families, Fitz and her father, my parents. And before you whip out the standard lame objection, I happen to know you don’t have any plans.”
“O’Keefe…”
“Playing poker with O’Keefe and three other single cops is no way to spend Christmas Day. New Year’s Day, no problem, but Christmas is family, and you’re getting one this year, like it or not. O’Keefe, too, if he wants to come.”
Jacob quirked an eyebrow at her. “Are you going to run that spiel past Harris, or do I have to try and repeat whatever it was you just said?”
“The running’s done. Harris has four kids. He understands Christmas very well. Now, think suitcases and snowballs because you’re off the clock for the next fifteen days.”
Dubious surprise shimmered through him. “You want me to spend two weeks on your grandmother’s ranch?”
“Well, no.” She played with the ends of his hair. “I thought after Christmas we could go skiing-if you ski. And if you don’t, there are other activities we could pursue. Life’s all about unexpected adventures and enjoying the journey. Did Mark Twain say that? Anyway, enjoyment is the point, and I think we should strive to achieve as much of it as possible, don’t you?”
“I see why you teach.”
“And I see why you’re still a cop-a very hot, very sexy cop whom I’m going to jump after I ask him one more question.”
“We’ll see who jumps who, but shoot.”
“Why did Patrick surround Belinda with mistletoe leaves?”
“Ah.”
Her fingers worked at the buttons of his shirt. “Could you be a bit more specific?”
“Long or short version?”
She twisted on his lap and sent a bolt of desire through his entire body. “Short and simple’s fine.”
“He didn’t put the leaves around her, she did.”
“Okay, maybe a little less simple.”
“When Patrick came to the house, Belinda was hanging mistletoe in the living room. They argued, she told him to leave. She said she had no feelings for him. To prove it, she stripped off the leaves and tossed the bare branch at him.”
“There was no significance to it at all?”
“None.”
“So Dylan was going to shoot us and sprinkle mistletoe leaves around our dead bodies, and he didn’t even know why?”
“He made a false assumption.” The light of anticipation gleamed as he unsnapped her jeans. “It happens. Are you sure you cleared this Christmas thing with Harris?”
“Yes, Detective. His orders were for you to enjoy yourself. He also mentioned a ladder and some rungs you’re going to be climbing very soon, but that part went over my head.”
“The rungs are in his dreams.”
“Forget his dreams.” She stopped her mouth a tempting inch away from his. “Think about mine. And yours. Think with your heart, Jacob.”
“Already have,” he told her. And, capturing her lips, let the last of his nightmares scatter in the night wind.
Jenna Ryan
