A Snow Country Christmas (The Carsons of Mustang Creek #4)(39)

Raine’s eyes sparkled. “Just wait. Now, tell me about the book. Gramps was working on it when he passed away, so I haven’t been able to bring myself to read it. I’m not going to ask if it’s good, because I know it must be. What’s the storyline?”

She was admittedly curious.

Mick sounded very neutral. “A Tenderfoot imagines he’s a cowboy and falls in love with a dark-haired independent woman and is determined to win her heart. There’s some conflict with a neighboring rancher who wants her land. Sound familiar?”

How was it she’d imagined something exactly like that? Tears stung her eyes. “I miss him. It would have been so nice if you could have met him.”

“No one could agree more.”

“He would have thought you were a fine man.”

“I hope he would have been right.”

She smiled through her tears. “I know he would.”

“That might be the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “I might comment that you now smell vaguely of giant puppy, but I think I might too, so I’ll let it go just this once.”

Raine was conciliatory. “You might want to get used to that. I don’t think Samson will improve as he gets older. Plus your dog will be added to the mix. What were you thinking about? Giant dog, or a small one? Medium breed? What’s our plan?”

“I can’t ask you—”

“You didn’t. I offered.” She raised a hand. “So what was that boyhood dream?”

“Collie.”

“Done.” He seemed like a collie sort of man. It fit. “Long hair, just my luck. I’ll tell Blythe, who will tell Mrs. Lettie Arbuckle-Calder and you’ll have a collie rescue pup in no time. That woman will scour the state for one. She’s a wonder. And don’t tell me how you can afford to buy one, because rescue it is.”

Mildly, he said, “You can be on the bossy side at times. Just an observation.”

He was right. “I’m really used to running my life all on my own, and also making most of the decisions concerning my daughter. If it’s anything big, of course I ask Slater, but we don’t have a custody agreement because we’ve never needed one. Ultimately it falls to me to make the day-to-day choices. I warn you, like your heroine, I’m used to being independent.”

“If you weren’t, I doubt I’d be so interested. Not only do I have my hands full running a company and my own life, no matter how comely she might be, I don’t want someone who just wants me to take care of her.”

Raine practically spit out her sip of wine laughing but managed to swallow in the nick of time. “Comely, again. You and that word.”

He shrugged. “A man on a mission, I tell you. Soon teenagers will be using it, nudging each other in the football stands on Friday nights. Dude, look at that comely girl over there. Check her out.”

“If anyone can do it, I think you can.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” He was looking gorgeous, and cowboy-like in his denim shirt and jeans. Except for the hair. He needed a hat to really mess it up, and a set of boots and a horse. She’d get Tate Calder to help her with that last one.

Wedding present?

What else to give the man who probably had everything? She couldn’t top that beach house in Bermuda.

An old six-shooter?

She did know Bad Billy had a friend who dealt in antique guns. Maybe she’d see what he could negotiate for her. Billy knew everyone.

If Mick finished this book, he certainly deserved something like that...unique and special. Very Old West. Something to hang on the wall of his new house.

She thought he’d love it. Hat and boots aside, he’d really go for the six-shooter. Raine got up. “Let me check on my pizza dough.”

“It will have risen about two millimeters, Raine.” He captured her waist and pulled her back. “Stay here with me.”

She traced the line of his nose with her fingertip. “You are entirely too dangerous.”

“I’m entirely yours if you want me.”

“Mick.” Her voice was hushed.

“I’m right here.”

“I know. Your hands are doing interesting things.”

“Nice?”

“Too nice. Jangles is still watching us.”

“I’m going to have to get used to him giving me the stink-eye, right?”

“You are taking some risks. I wish I could invite you to stay the night, but like I said, I can’t. Daisy is certainly old enough to understand why you would. I need to talk to her before anything like that happens.”

It was almost disappointing that he immediately let her go and settled back into a more relaxed pose with a sigh. “My intellect is telling me I agree one hundred percent, but another part of me has a different take on the situation. Maybe you shouldn’t dress so provocatively.”

“These pajama pants and the T-shirt really are a little over the top. I’ll try to tone it down.”

“See that you do if you want me to behave. Maybe you could shave your head or get a giant tattoo of an elf on your forehead. I’m not positive even that would turn me off, but it would be a good start.”

Raine laughed. “You’ve got the holiday spirit, I see. The elf might look strange in July, so I think I’ll skip that one, and I happen to like my hair right where it is.”