Untangling Christmas (Silverton Sweethearts Book 3) Read online

  “How’d you guess?” Greatly pleased he’d figured out which one she contributed, she wondered if he knew her better than she assumed.

  “No one marches to the beat of their own drum quite like you.” He walked around the drum tree, smiling. “If I was a kid, this would be the best Christmas tree ever.” Mike pretended to play a set of drums while Taylor laughed.

  She looped both hands around his arm and led him back toward the entrance.

  “I hope someone who wants a drum set will get it for Christmas. Uncle Bill had the drums in storage and said I could do whatever I wanted with them. I have no idea where he got the set, but they’re in great shape. All they needed was a little dusting and polish.”

  “It’ll be fun to see it auctioned off.”

  Kat and Levi stood inside the entry with Brock and Brenna. Taylor waved and rushed their way. From that point on, the evening passed in a busy blur.

  The reception started at six and by eight, most of the guests had left. After the volunteers cleaned up and turned off all the lights, Mike helped Taylor on with her coat and walked her out to his pickup. Cold air encircled them. Their breath rose in frosty plumes as they hurried across the parking lot.

  “It’s sure nippy out,” Taylor said, huddling into her thick wool coat.

  Mike pulled her closer against his side, sharing his warmth. “I can think of a few ways to warm you up, Miss Taggart.”

  She laughed when he waggled his eyebrows in an exaggerated manner. “You’re terrible, Mr. Clarke. Positively awful.”

  “I’m wounded.” He slapped a hand to his chest then opened his pickup door, helping her inside.

  He hurried behind the wheel, starting the truck and turning the heater on high. “Are you hungry?”

  “Actually, I am. I didn’t get a chance to eat anything and I skipped lunch trying to finish the last of the decorations for tonight.” Taylor buckled her seatbelt then held her gloved fingers out to the vents, grateful the air quickly turned from cool to warm.

  “How about a little midnight snack?” he asked, pulling away from the warehouse and onto the street.

  “A midnight snack at eight-thirty?” She shot a saucy grin his direction. “How does that work?”

  “Well, I could keep you busy until midnight, or we can just pretend it’s midnight now.” His green eyes flickered with heat and something Taylor hesitated to identify.

  “Oh, look at the time. It’s nearly midnight,” she said, feigning a glance at her wrist.

  Mike nodded. “Whatever you say, doll.” He drove them to a pub that stayed open late and offered a variety of burgers and sandwiches. As they ate their meals, they discussed how well the sponsorship party had gone.

  “Greg said he had six people ask him about landscaping projects,” Mike said as he leaned back in the booth, full from his double burger and fries.

  “That’s wonderful. I hope all the work he put into the festival really pays off for him.” She stirred the remnants of her cup of hot chocolate with a half-melted peppermint stick.

  “I’m sure it will. He’s excited about the new contacts and glad to help out a great cause.” Mike drank the last of his soda and set the glass back on the table. “I suppose I better get you home before you turn into a pumpkin. Or should I say punkin?”

  She smiled. “If you ask Uncle Bill, it’s punkin. He’s always called me that.”

  “It’s great. You must be really close to him.” Mike motioned to their server to bring their bill.

  “I am. Uncle Bill’s always been there for me. He’s really my great uncle, but he’s the only family I have left.”

  Mike’s brow wrinkled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you’d lost your parents.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t lose them in the sense of them passing. They just don’t have anything to do with me.”

  He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “That’s their loss, Taylor. Not yours.”

  “Thanks, Mike.” Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them away.

  “Come on. Let’s get you home.” He stood and left money on the table for their bill then gave her his hand. He helped her on with her coat and walked her outside to his truck.

  It only took five minutes to reach her house. Mike left the pickup running so the heater would continue pumping out welcome warmth into the cab. Unrushed, he unbuckled his seatbelt and reached across the seat, cupping her chin in his hand. “If I didn’t mention it earlier, Taylor, you look so pretty in that outfit, like a Christmas princess.”

  “Thank you, Mike.” She turned her head and pressed a light kiss to his hand. “Thank you for dinner and coming tonight. It meant a lot to me to have you there.”

  “Shucks, ma’am, I didn’t do nuthin’,” he drawled, making her laugh.

  “And you call me the nutty one,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. “I better go in.”

  “Yeah.” He slid a hand around her shoulders and the other beneath her legs, pulling her across the seat toward him.

  “What are you doing?” In spite of her question, she made no move to leave. Rather, she leaned a little closer to him, her gaze focused on his enticing lips.

  “This,” he whispered, dropping his head to hers, kissing her so gently it made tears gather in her eyes.

  “Mike… I…” A sigh rolled out of her. She didn’t know what she wanted from him. Scratch that. She knew exactly what she wanted, but wanting and needing were two far, far different things. “I should go.”

  “I know, cupcake. Just give me one more minute.” He wrapped both arms around her and held her close.

  Taylor took the opportunity to inhale a deep breath redolent of Mike’s unique scent. Their pounding hearts kept perfect time as he tightened his hold, drawing her ever closer.

  With great care, he kissed her forehead and let her go. “Let’s get you inside. If the fluttering curtain in the front window is any indication, your uncle is watching our every move.”

  Exasperated, Taylor rolled her eyes as Mike jumped out and ran around the truck. He opened her door and helped her down then twined their fingers together as he walked her to the front door.

  She felt like a grounded teenager sneaking in from a forbidden date. When Bill pressed his nose to the glass in the living room, trying to see what they were doing, she buried her face against Mike’s chest and laughed. “Since we have an audience, I guess I’ll make this good night.”

  Mike wrapped her in another warm hug. “Do you want me to give him something to talk about? I could give you a smooch that’ll make him drop his teeth.”

  Taylor giggled and pushed away from him. “That won’t be necessary, but thanks for the offer. Will I see you tomorrow?”

  “You can count on it, sweetness.”

  She opened the door but watched him jog back out to his truck and wave before she went inside.

  “Uncle Bill, you are in so much trouble!” she called as she flipped on the living room light, startling her uncle while Fred and Ginger both scrambled for her attention.

  Chapter Nine

  Mike only had a few minutes between work appointments, but he needed to see Taylor. The kisses he’d planned to plant on her tempting mouth last night never happened thanks to her nosy uncle. He hoped to steal one or two before he headed back to work.

  December had always been a busy, hectic month for his business, mostly due to people plugging in too many things into overloaded circuits. Usually between the first of November and mid-December, he received any number of calls about people wanting to update light fixtures or add outlets for holiday parties and visitors. He even offered a little side business of hanging Christmas lights for those who weren’t able or didn’t have time to festoon the outside of their homes.

  In the midst of all his work, he’d somehow managed to spend hours at the warehouse with Taylor as they prepared for the festival.

  The current that sizzled between the two of them would most likely fizzle by the time the new year rolled around. He wor
ked to convince himself he was okay with that. He’d vowed never to allow another woman into his heart and planned to stick to it.

  An annoying little whisper continued to plague him that said Taylor was already in his heart and head. The idea he could be in love with her was one he hated to acknowledge. No matter how much the thought of loving her bothered him, he couldn’t force himself to stay away from her.

  He wandered into the warehouse, surprised by the number of people walking through it, looking at the trees and auction items.

  Today, the festival opened to the public and it appeared as though half the town had arrived to see the first ever Silverton Foundation Festival of Trees.

  About to give up hope of locating Taylor in the crowds, he finally spied her with a group of schoolchildren, showing them the pieces of the Christmas village. Rather than spread them out on a table, Taylor had talked Brock into building a tree to hold them. Wooden rounds that graduated in size from the top to the bottom encircled a sturdy center post. Taylor covered each layer with fluffy white batting then arranged the village on each tier. Not only was it a clever way to display the pieces, but the tree would go into the live auction instead of being offered as a silent auction item, giving it the potential to sell at a significantly higher price.

  As she spoke to the students, he observed her cream sweater, knee length red skirt, candy cane striped tights, and sparkly pink sneakers. She wore her hair down and the lights cast a golden glow over her fiery tresses.

  When she noticed him lingering nearby, she smiled and lifted a hand in greeting. She guided the children out to the foyer where they swarmed the cookie table then she hurried back to Mike.

  She walked straight into his open arms and gave him a tight hug. The feel of her arms around him filled him with an odd contentment he couldn’t explain.

  “Hey, lollipop, it looks like you’re doing a booming business today,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

  Taylor lifted her face with a happy smile. “It is busy today, but I’m thrilled so many people are interested in seeing the festival.”

  “I noticed the tables in the foyer with items for sale. Where did all that stuff come from?” He took her hand and guided her through the trees toward the room in the back.

  “Several people stopped by early this morning with last minute contributions. Rather than try to find room for them on the silent auction tables, I decided to offer the items for sale. So far, we’ve sold one whole table full of items. Uncle Bill and Brock’s uncle stirred up their friends at the senior center to get busy making things to donate. That’s where most of it came from.”

  “That was nice of them.” Mike opened the door to the back room. Someone had wrapped the door to look like a big package. He assumed it was Taylor. The woman was full of imaginative ideas that never ceased to amaze him.

  “Did you see the hand-carved ornaments some of the men donated? One of them made ornaments that are two intertwined hearts.” Taylor shook her head. “How do you suppose they did that?”

  “I don’t know,” Mike said, distracted by the shine of her lips and her sweet fragrance slowly enveloping him. He stepped in front of her and tipped her chin up with his index finger. “I missed you, Taylor.”

  Her hands slid up the sleeves of his canvas work coat and encircled the back of his neck. “How could you miss me? You saw me last night and you texted me twice this morning.”

  “Yes, but you only sent one reply.” His voice sounded low and husky. “I think you owe me a little something.”

  “Oh? What do you have in mind?” She leaned against his solid chest, gaze fixed on his.

  “This…” Mike lowered his head, claiming her mouth in a heated kiss that sent his senses reeling and blood zooming through his veins. With a tortured groan, he lifted Taylor off her feet, holding her close against him as he deepened the kiss. One hand splayed across her back with the other buried into the silky softness of her hair.

  Breathless, he finally lifted his head and looked into her pale eyes, glowing brightly from an inner flame. Barely had his lips touched hers again when his cell phone rang.

  Mike set her down, kissed her nose, and glanced at the caller. “I have to take this,” he said, answering the call. “Yes, Mr. Williams. I’ll be there in ten minutes, sir. Yes. Thank you.” He disconnected the call and wrapped Taylor in a desperate hug. “I have to go, sugar pop. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get back over here today, but if you have an emergency, call me.” He opened the door to the little room and motioned for her to step back into the maze of trees.

  The look she gave him almost made him pull her back inside for one more fervent kiss, but he wasn’t sure he had the self-control left to make it only one kiss. He led her back to the entrance and kissed her cheek. “Stay out of trouble, angel, and I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Bye, Mike. Have a good day.”

  What she really wanted to say was, “I love you,” but she wouldn’t.

  Not today. Not ever.

  Loving a man had gotten her into a horrible mess and broken her heart. She wouldn’t go through it again. Not even for Mike.

  Determined to break up with him, she decided it could wait until after the new year began. It might be selfish on her part, but she couldn’t bear the thought of going through the holidays without him.

  The thought of Mike seeking her out just because he wanted to steal a kiss, warmed her from the inside out. In truth, he hadn’t needed to steal what she gladly gave. She’d missed him, too, but it seemed silly to tell him that. With the arrival of the extra donations and all the people excited to see the festival, she hadn’t had time to do much more than glance at the text messages he sent. Maybe she should ignore him more often if it meant he’d pay her a personal visit followed by a hot kissing session in the back room.

  She felt like a sixteen-year-old sneaking around past curfew, but maybe that was part of the fun of their relationship.

  Before Taylor could further examine her feelings for the brawny electrician, a volunteer rushed up, in need of her help.

  Taylor didn’t see Mike the rest of that day or on Saturday until he picked her up at the house to take her to the festival’s auction.

  The festival was open to the public until two that day. She’d locked the doors and posted a sign about the auction that evening, reminding people they could purchase tickets at the door if they hadn’t yet bought one.

  After making sure the caterers had everything they needed, she rushed home to shower and change.

  Uncle Bill hollered down the hall that Mike was nearly at the door as she fastened on her earrings.

  Taylor snatched up her coat and a handbag then rushed down the hallway, turning the corner to the entry as Bill opened the door to Mike.

  Her debonair date wore the black suit he’d had on Thursday evening, this time with a green tie that made his eyes look like gleaming emeralds. His dark hair still had a few water droplets clinging to the ends, evidence he’d hurried to get ready. She smiled at the sight of the faint hint of stubble on his cheeks, wondering what he’d look like with a clean shave. He was handsome — so incredibly handsome, and she questioned what she’d done to deserve such a charming, good-looking, fun-loving escort.

  “Hi, Mike,” she said, setting her handbag down so she could slip on her coat.

  He hurried to take the coat from her, holding it while she slid her arms into the sleeves then settling it across her shoulders. His breath stirred the curls by her ear as he bent close. “You look amazing, Taylor. So beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, quickly turning to lift her handbag and hug her uncle. She glanced around “What did you do with Fred and Ginger?”

  Bill chuckled. “I tossed a handful of treats in the backyard and left them out there. Figured you two didn’t need dog and cat hair all over your nice clothes.”

  “Thanks.” She patted her uncle’s arm. “You’ll be at the auction later, won’t you?”

  “Yep. I promis
ed I’ll come and I will. I’ll probably mosey down right before it starts.”

  “Okay. We’ll see you then.” Taylor took Mike’s hand in hers and led him out the door.

  “See you later, Mr. Ferrelly,” Mike said before shutting the door and following her down the walk to his truck. He helped her onto the seat then stared at her for a minute. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it over to see you this morning. I had a few projects to oversee south of town and got back about half an hour ago.”

  “I’m glad you’re here now.” She leaned forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. Mike turned his head and made sure it landed on his lips. The kiss swiftly went from light and easy to ardent and involved.

  The only thing that brought them back to reality was the sound of Bill hooting from the front step. “I knew you two were in it deep! I knew it!” He laughed uproariously one more time then hustled back in the house and slammed the door.

  Mike rested his forehead against Taylor’s. “I think that’s our cue to leave.”

  “Probably.” She made a note to scold her uncle later.

  Other than the catering staff who’d worked throughout the afternoon, they were the first to arrive at the warehouse. “You ready to do this?” Mike asked as he helped her out of the pickup. She smiled and nodded her head. “I am.”

  Inside, he left her coat in the coatroom then wandered into the festival area. When they’d set everything up, he hadn’t paid much attention to the section of the room Taylor had asked they leave roped off. In that area, a small stage with a podium stood sentinel over round tables and dozens of chairs. Covered in white linen, each table held a centerpiece of greenery encircling glass hurricanes with white candles. He knew the auction included a dinner, but he assumed it would be more finger foods like those served Thursday evening.

  The delicious aromas coming from the small kitchen the catering crew took over indicated a hearty meal was on the menu.

  His stomach rumbled in response to the aromas and Taylor laughed, placing her hand on his flat belly. “Are you ever not hungry?”