For some reason, and perhaps it had been a reaction to the testosterone and kindness, she’d gone off the deep end, getting all nervous and excited whenever he was around. Then one day, she’d overheard him asking Anna to quit trying to hook him up with her friends. Though his tone had been joking, Lauren had realized how ridiculous she’d been acting. Even if he had been interested in her, this was a man who could never be more than a friend. He was a rancher who loved his home and his life in Montana. She was an academician with her sights set on tenure at an Ivy League college.
Still, the attraction lingered. Though she wasn’t sure he felt it, there had been electricity in the air whenever they were in the same room. It wasn’t until the steamy dreams started that she finally realized it was a physical attraction drawing her to Seth.
Just like tonight. The Kiss—it had somehow achieved capitalized status in her mind—had been a purely physical response to the chemistry between them. It had nothing to do with the fact that they shared an interest in the writings of Thoreau, or both loved old horror movies. And the kindness he displayed toward his daughter—and to her—hadn’t factored into the equation at all.
“It was lust, pure and simple,” Lauren advised the fireplace, giving her head a decisive nod.
“What was lust?”
Apparently while she wasn’t looking, Seth had returned to the room after putting Ivy back to bed. He dropped into the chair next to the sofa where Lauren sat.
“The Kiss,” she said matter-of-factly. “What we experienced was simply a momentary lapse into lust.”
She could tell she’d surprised him by speaking so frankly, but knew he’d understand. After all, he’d been gripped by the same fierce physical need. Lauren had felt it in the urgency of his lips, had seen it in the fire that had burned in his blue eyes.
“That kiss—” Seth raked a hand through his hair before continuing “—was a mistake.”
“I disagree.”
After shooting her an incredulous glance, Seth jerked to his feet and began to pace. “How can you think otherwise? My daughter saw you kissing me—I mean Santa Claus. She’ll probably be traumatized for life.”
Lauren rolled her eyes. She couldn’t help it. She’d never seen anyone make such a big deal out of something that was no big deal. “On the list of things with potential to wound a child’s psyche, seeing your aunt’s friend kissing Santa Claus wouldn’t even make the top ten thousand.”
His lips quirked upward. “Tell me if you think I’m overreacting.”
“You’re overreacting.”
Seth laughed then stopped himself. He glanced in the direction of Ivy’s room. “Let’s take this into the kitchen. We can talk more comfortably in there. I’ll make some hot cocoa.”
“Hot cocoa sounds good.” Realizing that he was concerned about Ivy overhearing their conversation, Lauren rose to her feet and stretched. “Especially if you have marshmallows.”
Seth unexpectedly grinned. “I’ve got a whole bag.” His smile brought the desire surging back and Lauren was forced to concede it might not be the Santa suit after all. It appeared to be the man in the suit who’d hot-wired her synapses.
Seth didn’t say a word on the short walk to the kitchen. Lauren hoped some hot cocoa and a whole lot of marshmallows would help him put the kiss in proper perspective.
When they got to the kitchen, Lauren took a seat at the table while Seth pulled out a teakettle from the cupboard, filled it with water and placed it on one of the gas burners.
Lauren shot a quick glance at the microwave, reassuring herself that he did indeed have the appliance.
“Seth.” Lauren leaned back in her chair. “Is your microwave broken?”
“Works fine.” He stopped scooping cocoa into two Christmas mugs and looked up. “Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering why you’re heating the water on the stove instead of in the microwave.” Lauren forced herself to sound as nonjudgmental as possible. “I don’t know anyone who uses teakettles anymore.”
Seth’s gaze shifted to the stove and a look she couldn’t decipher crossed his face.
“Jan always used one. She loved the way they whistled. She said it was such a happy sound. Even when she was dying, if I put on the teakettle, she—” Seth stopped and cleared his throat. “I use it in the winter because the house gets dry. It does a good job of putting humidity back into the air.”
Anna had mentioned her sister-in-law had died from an aggressive form of breast cancer. That was the extent of what Lauren knew about the woman.
“Jan was your wife.” Lauren said it as a statement of fact rather than a question. “Anna mentions her from time to time.”
Seth nodded, but was saved from saying more when the kettle began to whistle.
“I can help.” Lauren rose from her seat at the kitchen table as she spoke.
Seth waved her back down. “Under control.”
Lauren waited until he’d taken his seat, the mugs before them filled with rich hot chocolate topped with several fluffy marshmallows, before she returned to the topic. ‘Tell me about your wife,” she urged in a soft, low voice that encouraged confidences. “Tell me about Jan.”
Seth took a sip of cocoa, his gaze watchful. “What do you want to know?”
“I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting her,” Lauren inclined her head. “I’d like you to share things that will help me get to know her.”
“Why are you interested?” he asked, his tone more curious than resistant.
“You and Ivy are my friends.” Lauren spoke as if the answer was obvious. “If I do end up caring for your daughter, knowing something about her mother would be beneficial.”
“Makes sense,” Seth grudgingly agreed. He took a sip of cocoa then placed his mug on the table. “Jan grew up on a ranch, just outside Sweet
