Taming His Montana Heart(39)

Daron, dressed like a normal human being, appeared with one of his brothers on his shoulders. The younger boy’s costume looked as if it had been someone’s first knitting project. For the most part the children were trying to move in time with the upbeat carol.

“Did you have anything to do with this?” Haley asked with her mouth near his ear. He felt her breath everywhere.

“No.” He didn’t dare look at her. Much more of her being so close and his body would reveal something he preferred to keep private. “Planning holiday parties isn’t in my job description.”

“Thankfully?”

“Beyond thankfully. Maybe you wish you were dressed up?”

She ran her hands over the leggings clinging to her slender but muscled legs. “This is as dressed up as it ever gets.”

He’d love to see her without anything on, not that he’d tell her, at least not here and now. Sitting on a couch without adequate support in the seat cushion forced them dangerously close to each other. Uncle Robert had asked if there were any unattached women at the resort he was interested in but he’d come to this job believing his responsibilities would take up all of his time. That was how he’d wanted it and what was safe.

So much for those plans.

Also so much for seeing Lake Serene simply as where he made his living. Tonight he agreed with Haley’s assessment of the area. It seduced. She seduced.

The real Christmas Eve party would take place next week in the large convention meeting room. Until now Shaw had given tonight’s employee celebration little thought since it was family time and his family couldn’t make it. He’d planned to spend Christmas Eve doing paperwork. At least that had been his agenda before he’d gotten close to someone else who would be alone then.

Haley nudged his shoulder. “I hope Daron will look back at tonight and remember it as one of the things that’s right about Lake Serene.”

“It’ll probably take a while. Right now he believes those who live anywhere else are having all the fun.”

“He’ll learn the truth.”

There she went again, hinting at a life filled with bumps. Well she wasn’t the only one. He finished his drink without tasting it and was looking for somewhere to put his mug when he noticed that hers was empty.

“Want a refill?”

“No thanks. Look, if you should be talking to other people—”

“I shouldn’t be. What about you?” He angled himself toward her. Breathed in more of her scent. “Want to mingle?”

“Not particularly.” She rubbed her knees. “I’m not good at small talk.”

“Shy?”

“Whatever.”

He’d seen her interact with clients so knew she could hold her own but that was part of her job. Apparently she was less sure of herself when the situation was personal. He’d always been outgoing. All through school he’d been a jock, a member of various sports teams, part of the group other students looked up to. Maybe Haley had been one of the outsiders, a natural loner.

Or maybe something beyond her control had made her hold back.

“Come on.” It took some doing, but he finally extricated himself from the couch and stood.

“Come where?”

“To check on the storm.”

Her look said she was trying to decide whether he was serious so he placed their mugs on a nearby table and held out his hand. She briefly studied it before placing her hand in his and let him help her to her feet.

When they’d been out looking for a dog sled race route, her snow suit had bulked her body. Without the added layers, he was struck by how insubstantial she appeared. If she’d made the same impact back when he’d interviewed her, he was surprised he’d hired her. Well, things changed. Mostly how he felt about her was constantly evolving.

Still holding her hand, he led the way around several groups until they reached the front door. The lodge had been built with a mudroom just inside the door. The mudroom included space for stacking wood as well as skis, boots, jackets, and sleds. Tonight there was even a pair of snowshoes. Not only did the space keep snow and rain from reaching the lodge proper, it helped keep some of the cold out. Tonight, however, wind pushed through the scant space between the double doors and made a whistling sound.

“Maybe going outside isn’t the best idea,” Haley said. “The storm has really charged up.”

“Maybe it’s mostly the wind. Not so much snow.”

Haley gave him a look that said she believed he’d taken leave of his senses, but if he didn’t poke his head outside, she might realize he hadn’t been thinking about the weather when he’d issued his impulsive invitation.

He turned the handle. The wind slammed against the door with so much force it took all of his strength to close it. In those few seconds, enough snow had blown in that some of the floor was coated in white.

“Getting home’s going to be an adventure,” she said.

“You’ll risk getting blown away.”

She chuckled. “I doubt that.” She studied the snow-covered floor. “Besides, I wasn’t thinking of leaving yet.”

Good. “Wise decision—and our discussion about your mode of transportation isn’t over.” If they’d had more time together and were more comfortable around each other, he’d ask her to spend the night with him.