The Holiday Hoax

Chapter Two

“Vin, I’m not in the mood to go to this party.”

“You’re going. I already told Rick to expect us, and there’s going to be lots of single ladies. Normal, nice single ladies for you. Bad, naughty, single women for me.”

Aidan laughed into the cell phone. “You can go without me, you don’t need a wingman. It’s supposed to snow tonight and I just want to read a good book and go to bed early. Manual labor is kicking my ass.”

“Now you sound like an old person. I’ll meet you at eight. Come on, A, I probably won’t see you again before the holiday. We’ll hang out, meet some women and have some laughs. Okay?”

Aidan refilled his coffee mug and leaned his hip against the kitchen counter. “Fine. See you at eight.”

He clicked off the cell phone and drank his coffee. Then glanced down at the ledger paper with a license plate number scrawled on the page. Her license number. The mysterious stranger who’d haunted his dreams for the last few nights. Aidan almost groaned. He was officially a stalker.

He had contacts. All he had to do was give them the number, and they’d get him a name and address. Yes, illegal, but he wasn’t going to do anything. He just wanted a name. If she was local, he could find a way to ask around to see where she hung out, or if she was married. God, what if she was married? The thought made his gut clench. No, her glove didn’t show a bump over her ring finger. He was positive she wore no ring.

Aidan didn’t feel like going to a party to meet another woman, not when he dreamed of her—a woman whose gorgeous blue eyes reminded him of the Caribbean ocean, and could be as chilly as the Atlantic when she raised her chin and tried to look down to him, even though he towered over her. This woman had guts and heart. Yet, he hadn’t asked for her number or her name. For the first time in his life, his smooth social skills held no match for his emotions. He’d been tongue tied, reminding him of his first crush. And when she stumbled back from his touch, obviously feeling their connection…well, he hadn’t known what to do. She disappeared so fast.

Aidan needed to find her.

He set down his coffee mug and went to get changed for the party he didn’t want to go to.

“I don’t want to go.” Isabella hated the whine in her voice as she stood outside the door and turned to her friend. “I told you I just wanted to stay home and read.”

Her best friend, Liz, gave a deep suffering sigh. “We’re here. You’ve complained the whole drive over and now you will stop. I set you up on an awesome blind date. You’re going to love this guy.”

“I hate blind dates,” she grumbled. “They’re always a disaster.”

“He makes a lot of money. He’s charming and good looking.”

“I hate rich guys. They’re spoiled brats.”

“Don’t judge. Come on.” Liz hustled her into the house, decorated for the holiday. The Christmas tree loomed huge in the foyer, over ten feet of sheer perfection and glory, with lights and decorations and tinsel. Crowds of beautifully dressed people clad in bright reds and greens mingled around the large wooden bar and buffet. Carols hummed from strategically placed speakers as they made their way through the room and got rid of their coats. Liz leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Go to the bar and get yourself some wine. I’ll find your date and bring him over.”

“Liz—”

“Go.”

Isabella obeyed and found a space at the bar. She ordered a Pinot Grigio and sipped it while she took in her surroundings. Then she saw him.

Christmas tree guy.

Isabella froze and watched him make his way across the room. Powerful, masculine energy hummed off of him in waves, and the crowd parted automatically to let him through. He looked dressed to please himself rather than the crowd—a black button down shirt, khaki pants, and work boots completed the outfit. In a room sporting Calvin Klein and Prada, she guessed he didn’t have the money to run with this crowd, but maybe he was with someone who did. Like a woman. The thought bit hard and hurt more than it should since she didn’t even know his name.

He looked up as if hearing her thoughts and their gazes locked.

He said something to the guy next to him and made his way across the room, his gaze never leaving her face. “Hi.”

Isabella couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed over her face. “Hi, right back. What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “Friend invited me. You?”

“Same thing.” Isabella felt silly at the pleasure of being near him again, like a teenager in high school getting to talk to the football star. “Did you supply the tree out front?”

He laughed. “No, they bought it at one of my competitors. Lost out on that sale.”

“Big commission. Sorry.”

“That’s okay, your sale made up for it. How is Charlie Brown?” he asked.

“Doing much better. You’d be impressed.”

“I am already.”

The words hung in the air between them. The sounds and sights of the party faded away under the golden gleam in his eyes. She cleared her throat. “I never got your name.”

“Aidan. Aidan Hunter. And you?”

“Isabella Summers.”

“Nice to meet you Isabella Summers.” With that, he reached out and interlaced his fingers with hers. The shock of skin on skin skittered through her. His hands were warm and strong. She imagined his touch on her naked body, over her tight nipples and lower. Heat tinged her cheeks. What was wrong with her? She based attraction to a man on his personality and kindness. Suddenly, the thought of ripping off his clothes took precedence over sparkling conversation.

As if he knew, Aidan leaned forward. His warm breath struck her lips. “Now that must have been an interesting thought,” he murmured.

She shifted as an achy heat settled between her thighs. Her blush deepened. Slowly, he reached out and ran one finger down her flaming cheek. The connection lit and burned like an electric fuse underwater. Her body jumped to life and demanded attention. His eyes darkened. She opened her mouth and—

“Isabella.” Her name cut through the fog like a razor. Liz stood beside her with a very good-looking man, her face evidently shocked at having to interrupt with her date. Aidan dropped his hand and stepped back. His face closed up and he looked distantly polite. Isabella’s tummy clenched, but she forced herself to turn with a welcoming smile to the man beside Liz.

Liz made the introductions and quickly exited, staring curiously at Aidan who nodded at the new man, Robert, and politely made his excuses, disappearing into the crowd. Isabella turned to her date and forced herself to initiate a conversation while her thoughts remained on Aidan Hunter.

Aidan moodily watched the couple converse while he sipped his drink. Evidently, it was a blind date set up from her friend’s introductions. Still, Aidan didn’t like it. Fate had stepped in and allowed him to find her. He certainly didn’t want to lose her to another man this early in the game.

She was more riveting than he remembered. Those eyes burned with blue fire, but with her knit cap and coat off, Aidan admitted she was a knockout. Honey strands of hair fell in artful disarray around her face, setting off high arched brows, and full, pouty lips. Her Christmasy red sweater accentuated high lush breasts. Long legs were clad in black pants, emphasized by thigh high leather boots that were all the rage and sexy as hell.

He dated beautiful women all the time. Isabella seemed different from them. Her face reflected an open honesty and strength of character he rarely spotted anymore, evident in her rescuing a tree that was ugly on the outside. She glimpsed more underneath the surface and took the precious time to look. The people Aidan knew rarely wasted effort to investigate. They craved bigger, better, shinier, and demanded it yesterday. Isabella’s loyalty toward something ugly intrigued him, until he followed his instinct to make the deal difficult for her. No one would pay money for something that didn’t fit. Something that wasn’t beautiful.

Isabella proved him wrong.

When she refused to walk away from her tree, Aidan knew he needed to know this woman.

He tried not to let his impatience show as the hour slipped by. The party could have been his opportunity to know her better. He heard her blind date was a dentist. His gut twisted. Was she a woman who’d never involve herself with a man who worked on a tree farm? Perhaps, the idea of dating a stable, moneymaking dentist would trump their attraction? The thought depressed him.

The crowd began oohing and aahing and made their way out to the large deck. The snow had begun and a storm threatened. Aidan watched the couple finish their plates from the buffet, and then Robert disappeared.

Aidan hadn’t made his fortune by standing around waiting for opportunity. He learned to go out and take it. He put down his drink and strode to Isabella, determined not to lose his lady to a local dentist.

Her eyes lit up; she seemed clearly glad to see him. An answering warmth pumped through his blood at the sight of her smile. “Hi again,” he said. “How’s your date going?”

Her face fell and he was sorry he made her uncomfortable. In just two conversations, he felt more connected to this woman than he ever had to anyone else. “Aidan, my girlfriend set me up on this blind date and I—”

“No, don’t apologize. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He looked around and offered his hand to her. “Do you think your date would mind if I stole some time with you? There’s a blizzard outside. Want to take a look?”

“Yes.” She took his hand. Her fingers slid around his with a natural ease that caused a strange emotion to grab him in a chokehold.

Home.

He pushed the ridiculous thought away and led her outside. The crowd had thinned and they settled in the corner by a large wooden beam. A quiet hush blanketed the sloping lawns set high off the mountain road. The high cliffs dominated the skyline with godlike power. Thick pieces of snow fell down and covered the majestic trees with a veil of white. The air rushed cold and fresh, and their breath caused puffs of smoke as they breathed deep and watched the scene in companionable silence.

“I love it here,” she said quietly. “When I was young, I craved city life. More excitement, more opportunities. Then I ended up right back where I started and realized it’s home.”

“What do you do?” he asked.

“I teach third grade at the local elementary school.” When he laughed, she looked up in question. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because I pegged you as a teacher from the gate. The way you looked at me on the tree farm gave me goosebumps. Reminded me of my own third grade teacher.”

Isabella laughed with him. “Try running a brigade of eight year olds that outnumber you by 25 to 1. You learn fast.”

“No wonder I was scared.”

“And you? What do you do when you’re not working on a tree farm?”

Aidan took a moment before answering. He wasn’t ready to tell her yet. Admitting to being the king of chain restaurants across the country distorted a woman’s perspective. In his experience, the women he dated changed. Right now, with her hand in his, and the delicious scent of strawberry shampoo from her hair, and the warmth in her face, he wanted nothing to change. He decided to buy himself a bit more time. “I’m sort of a handy man,” he said. “Odd jobs here and there. Tree farms in the winter. Landscaping in the summer. I make my way.”

She nodded. “I respect that. I think too many people are scared to find their true niche in life, so they settle for some limiting job that pays well, but find themselves miserable in a mid-life crisis. Nothing’s worth regret.”

And in that moment, after a few hours in her company, Aidan fell in love with Isabella Summers.

The sudden, shocking realization was cut short when Liz appeared beside them. “Izzy, Robert’s looking for you. I’m sorry, I don’t think we met?” Isabella quickly made introductions, while Liz gazed at him curiously.

Isabella spoke up in the awkward silence. “Liz, I’m sorry, but I have to get home. My car will never make the drive.”

“Just stay over. A lot of people are. Plenty of space.”

Izzy shook her head. “No, I really want to get home. I have a long list of things to do tomorrow and I’m exhausted.”

“Iz, your car is old as dirt. It’s not safe.” Liz bit down on her bottom lip, her dark eyes worried. “I’ll take you home. I can crash at your place tonight—it’ll be like a slumber party.”

“No way!” Isabella leaned over and hissed near her friend’s ear. “You’ve been staking out Nick Parker for months and he’s bunking down for the night. This is your perfect opportunity. I will not let you ruin it to babysit me.”

Aidan became fascinated by the push and pull of female conversation. Lots of stubbornness. Emotion. And heat. His presence didn’t even disarm them, as if they were past such boundaries within their perfect circle of friendship.

Liz shrugged with fake nonchalance “Big deal. They’ll be other times. I rather watch old movies with you.”

“Bull. You’re staying.”

“I’m driving you home. I have four wheel drive.”

“Liz, there’s no way on the face of this earth I’m letting you out of this house tonight.”

“I’ll drive you home,” he interrupted.

The words fell onto sharp silence. Isabella turned and looked at him questioningly. “What about you? Maybe you shouldn’t be driving in this either.”

Aidan pointed to the line of cars in the winding driveway and off the side of the road. “I have a Hummer. Can cut through anything.”

Liz’s mouth dropped open. Isabella looked surprised that a man who did odd jobs for a living had a Hummer, but she didn’t pause. “Okay, if it wouldn’t be any trouble.”

Liz shot out her hand and grabbed her friend’s arm. “Umm, Iz, I don’t feel comfortable with this. Maybe Robert can drive you home?” she suggested. “I know he’s safe.”

Aidan gave Liz a reassuring smile. “I swear I’m not a serial killer. I’ll give you my cell phone number so you have it. You can write down my license plate number too. And my friend is here who can vouch for me.”

“But—”

Isabella squeezed her friend’s arm in reassurance. “He’s okay, Liz. I’ll speak with Robert in a minute and say good-bye.”

Liz turned to him with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cub. “If you do anything funny, I promise to find you.”

Aidan laughed. He respected Liz as much as Izzy in that moment, noticing the strong bond of friendship. “I’ll keep her safe. Come on, let me introduce you to my friend, who can vouch for my honor. Then I’ll give you my actual cell phone so you can confirm my number.”

They spent the last minutes saying good-byes and making sure Liz felt comfortable. Aidan fought back laughter when she dragged over her other girlfriend and he faced more threats on retribution if he touched Izzy out of her comfortable boundaries. The heat on Izzy’s cheeks at the overprotectiveness warmed him. This was a woman who was obviously well loved. Then Aidan finally settled Izzy into the passenger seat, cranked up the heat, and pulled carefully away from the house.

“How did Robert take it?” he asked.

Izzy shrugged. “Wasn’t thrilled but I explained you were an old friend. Took the sting out of it. He’s a lovely man.”

“Hmmm. A dentist, huh?”

She swung her head around to look at him in surprise. Her silky blonde curls slid over her shoulder. “How did you know?”

“Word travels.”

Isabella looked amused. “Yes, a local dentist.”

“Sounds like a great guy. Stable. Nice. Solid career.” He paused. “So, why are you with me and not him?

He gave her credit. She took the jab nicely and thrust right back. “Well, that’s right to the point. I’m not crazy about dentists.”

“They make good money.”

“Hmm, you seem to be obsessed over the money part. I’m not looking for a man with money. Most rich men I know are too arrogant. I want a man who knows who he is and doesn’t apologize for it. And I don’t like anyone examining my teeth.”

Aidan burst out laughing. “Looks like you have perfect teeth to me.”

“I have a junk food habit. He wouldn’t approve.”

“I knew you were the perfect woman for me.”

They rode in comfortable silence, easing through snow banks and slick country roads. Her home was located on a small residential block, with a postage stamp lawn and pretty colored yellow shingles. He pulled in her driveway and turned to her. “I can pick you up tomorrow, if you’d like, so you can get your car.”

“That’d be nice.” The silence grew with an unnamed finely tuned sexual tension, spinning its way around them in a tight web. Aidan tried like hell not to focus on the edge of those thigh high leather boots. Tried not to think of how snug they wrapped around her legs, and how she’d look if he knelt before her to peel the boots off one by one. Would her naked skin quiver against his tongue? Would she taste like strawberries and be as sweet? The erotic image hit him square in the face. He hardened immediately and prayed she wouldn’t notice.

“Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee? And see Charlie Brown?”

The invitation caused his heart to pound like a teenager with his first woman. “I’d love to.”

Maybe she was crazy.

Isabella busied herself with brewing coffee and peeked through the kitchen to study the man prowling through her living room. She’d just met him a few days ago. They’d had one previous conversation, which ended in her certainty she didn’t like him. Now he was in her house, had held her hand, and called her the perfect woman.

Why did it feel so right?

Isabella pushed away her uneasy thoughts and decided to trust her gut. She’d seen the movie Serendipity a million times. She certainly didn’t want to end up constantly wondering why she’d let her soul mate go and spend the rest of her life trying to meet him again. Fate had stepped in and given her one chance. She wasn’t stupid enough to waste it.

She brought in two steaming mugs and stood behind him. Feet propped apart in a wide legged stance, he symbolized a mass of hard, lean muscle towering over six feet. He stared at her tiny Christmas tree, strung with delicate colored lights, pieces of silver tinsel, and a tiny star on top. The branches were pruned back, and the trunk was wrapped tight in a flannel holiday blanket. The tree looked tired, but happier, as if it could now rest in its forever home.

“What do you think?” she asked, setting the mugs down on the table.

“You saved it.” He turned to look at her. Those amber eyes glowed with a fierce intent as his gaze roved carefully over her face. “I knew you would.”

She tilted her chin up in a slight challenge. “If you wanted me to save the tree, why did you give me such a hard time about the price?”

Aidan took a step forward. “I needed to know how badly you wanted it.”

The sexual current between them lit and fused. “A test?” she asked.

“Sort of.”

“I don’t like tests.”

“You’re a teacher. You must have a knack for them because you keep passing.”

Temper, and a hot, sensual awareness simmered through her. “Well, you failed yours. I thought you were a chauvinistic, bad-tempered Scrooge.”

“Maybe I’ll pass the second test.”

“What second test?”

He stopped before her. Reached out to wrap a wayward curl tightly around his finger. His breath rushed over her lips as he leaned in and spoke. “To see if my kiss lives up to your expectations. I already know you’ll pass.”

A beat went by. She didn’t move. Then he lowered his mouth. His lips moved sweetly over hers, gentle and firm as he learned her texture and taste with a leisurely motion that relaxed her immediately. His hands cupped her cheeks to hold her still, sipping, nibbling, tempting her lips to open for him. Isabella swallowed a moan of pure lust. Aidan dove in.

His tongue thrust against hers in hot male hunger. She clung to his shoulders as she hung on for the ride. The raw tension between them pulled and burned. Her head spun as she let go, giving it all back to him, everything she had, everything she was, and everything she’d been holding back.

He pulled away, whispered her name, then seized her mouth again. He drank deeply until she shook with the need for more.

Aidan stepped back, looking equally shaken. The knowledge he felt the same made a strangled laugh rise to her lips. “Wow,” she said.

Her tongue snaked out to lick her swollen bottom lip. Tiger eyes darkened with need and hunger as he watched the movement.

“I’m glad you came up with something because that left me speechless.”

“Yeah, I’m a real Shakespeare.”

He laughed and took his mug of coffee. “I’m going to hang on to this cup a while so I can keep my hands off of you. Wouldn’t want to piss off Liz. I’m afraid of her.”

She laughed back and settled with him on the overstuffed cream color couch. “You should see the kids. And she teaches kindergarten.”

He winced in mock horror. “Now I am scared.” He took a sip of the brew and murmured his approval. “Did you always know you wanted to teach?”

Isabella considered the question. “I tried a couple of other careers on for size before I settled. I lived in Manhattan for a while. I liked the idea of being in the fast lane. But after a while, I burnt out. I lived in a studio with a bunch of roommates, partied at the clubs, and worked low end jobs.” The memory of her betrayal flashed before her vision, but the accompanying cut of pain barely registered now. “Something happened that made me reconsider my options. I realized I wanted more, so I went back to school. Teaching was a good fit. I missed the mountains and small town life.”

His gaze sharpened as he snagged on her brief hesitation. “What made you reconsider?”

A smile tugged at her lips. “You don’t miss a thing, do you?” she murmured. “Do you really want to hear my backstory on our first night?”

“Yes.”

His simple admission and the gleam in his eyes urged her forward. Isabella took a sip of the hot brew and let herself go back. “Remember your questions in the car regarding my interest in men with money?” He nodded. “Well, let’s just say I got a firsthand experience of that lifestyle, and I’ll never go back. I met someone at a bar while I was waitressing one night. Seemed like a nice guy, well dressed, polite. We had a connection so when he asked me out, I agreed.”

Aidan remained quiet, but his fingers reached out to snag hers. The comforting warmth settled the memories and she pushed on. “We began to seriously date. His name was Mike, and I fell pretty hard for him. I was fine with taking it slow for the first few months, but then I realized he still hadn’t introduced me to his family. Kept me away from most of his friends. He’d whisk me away for romantic weekends, or late evening dinners, but we never did the ordinary things that couples usually do when they’re building a relationship. So, I began getting suspicious. Thought maybe he was cheating on me. Even asked if he had a wife.”

Isabella shook her head. “He denied it all. One evening, he made excuses why he couldn’t go out and said he was sick. Said he didn’t want me to come over, just wanted to sleep. I decided to drive over to his house. Imagine my surprise when he came out dressed in a tuxedo.”

Aidan winced. “This doesn’t sound very good.”

“Gets better. I followed him to an extremely lush country club. Hell, I couldn’t even get through the gates. I ended up spying through the bushes like a cheap tramp while I watched him mingle with his family and close friends. When I left, I realized there was a huge part of him I hadn’t even known existed.”

“What happened?”

Isabella sighed. “I confronted him the next day with the truth. He looked devastated, and finally confessed. He was an up-and-coming executive in his father’s business, and his family owned half of Wall Street. Seems there were only certain women good enough to be his wife. Women of breeding, power, elegance, money.” She fought the dark spot on her heart that still ached at not being good enough for someone she loved. “But not me. My family was poor and I didn’t even have a real job.” She shrugged. “I just wasn’t worth the fight to him. My heart was broken, and in a way, I understood. So, I came home.”

The comforting warmth of his hand on hers suddenly turned. Fire simmered along her nerve endings as his grip tightened. She caught her breath as her belly dipped, then his hands slid into the heavy length of her hair to gently tug her head back. Her neck arched. The delicious scents of coffee and male hunger rose to her nostrils, and Isabella realized she wanted him.

“He was an asshole,” he growled against her lips. “I’d fight for you.”

Then his lips took hers.

This time, he claimed her mouth like a marauding warrior bent on capture. His tongue swept in and took over, stroking every dark, wet crevice. The hard length of him pressed against her thigh, and his obvious arousal caused a fierce satisfaction to course through her, urging her on. She met him stroke for stroke as her arms wrapped around his shoulders and hung on. Her nipples rose and tightened against her sweater, and with a low groan, he slipped one hand out of her hair and under the soft fabric.

The breath hissed through her lips as his fingers tugged down her bra to cup her bare breast, his thumb urging her nipple to tighten further. Isabella fought the drowning waves of heat and dug her nails into his shoulders. Mindless pleasure drove her on, and she offered herself up to him, moaning as he stroked her breast with knowledgeable fingers.

His teeth nipped at her swollen lower lip as his thumb teased the turgid nub. Round and round he circled her nipple, then carefully grasped the peak between his fingers.

And tugged.

Fire speared straight down to, and burned between, her thighs. “Aidan!”

He shuddered in her arms. Then with slow, deliberate movements, he removed his hand and eased down her sweater. Amber eyes burned with lust and determination as he stared into her face. “I want you, Isabella. But it’s too soon. I want you to trust me.”

She realized in that moment she would have regret sleeping with him this first night. Who was this incredible man who knew more about her in a few hours than most men she dated? He could have swept her into the bedroom and she wouldn’t have denied him. Instead, he delayed his own pleasure for her trust.

Isabella reached up and traced the strong line of his jaw. The words ripped from her throat. “Thank you.”

A smile touched carved lips. “Welcome. But I don’t think I could do it again.”

She laughed and tried to change the subject. “You heard my sob story. What about you? Where did you grow up?”

His face drained of emotion. She blinked at the sudden change and he shifted in discomfort. “I grew up in the city,” he said carefully. “I never had a choice, though. I finished college and went straight into the family business.”

“What does your family do?”

Another uncomfortable pause. “They own a restaurant.”

Isabella wondered why he seemed a bit nervous. “There’s much more pressure on kids when their parents already have their life set up for them.” Her gaze probed his, searching for answers. “Did you leave the business? Is that why you’re now doing odd jobs, trying to find what you really want?”

He opened his mouth and Isabella felt like he was going to say something important. Instead, a flash of grief shone in his eyes, then was quickly gone. “I can never leave the business. I’m only taking a break for a while.”

She let his words settle, then reached out and took his hand again. His warm skin closed around hers and chased away the cold. For some reason, he battled some demons and needed time. Isabella went with her gut that told her he’d tell her the truth when he was ready. “Then you’ll just find your way.”

He pulled her close. Tucking her body against his, he put his arm around her and they watched the lights on Charlie Brown twinkle as the snow fell outside.

Isabella knew something had happened tonight. Something wonderful.

She hugged the thought tight and gave herself up to his embrace.

Isabella glanced at the door nervously, then chastised herself for even thinking he’d come. The few men she’d dated in her past steered clear of anything to do with her classroom or extracurricular activities. This included, but was not limited to, tricky trays, penny auctions, and recitals. But the number one event to avoid at all costs occurred once a year. Tonight.

The Christmas pageant.

A tiny part of her completely agreed it was almost masochistic for a man to actually attend when he had no children on the stage, but Izzy believed this was a precursor to a good father. Also a great excuse to end a relationship that bordered on the line of boring. Like she’d done twice before.

Nope. Aidan Hunter probably talked a good game, but he’d never appear. He’d cite work, family emergency, or a hair washing, then maybe offer dinner at a later date. She couldn’t even blame him. Heck, if she wasn’t friends with Liz, there’d be no way she’d volunteer to corral sixty five-year-olds to put on some form of a decent production.

“Miss Summers, my wings broke!” Ava broke into tears and showed a torn wing. Izzy grabbed the ever present box of tissues and mopped up her face, then whipped out a safety pin.

“All fixed, sweetie. Now go with Mrs. Johnson, we’re lining up.”

She brushed the sweat from her forehead, grabbed two small stragglers, and urged them up to the stage. A shepherd’s staff rammed into her head, and she tripped on a fallen angel. Izzy grit her teeth, fought past the pain, and got them all lined up in a halfcocked way.

Liz gave her a thumbs-up signal. Izzy looked around and quickly flashed her the finger.

Her best friend hooted with laughter, and Izzy climbed down the stage to block the right corner. Her job now consisted of pulling off crying kids, whispering forgotten lines, and making sure no children made a break for it.

God, she needed a drink.

She turned the corner and rammed into a solid wall of carved muscle. Hard hands grabbed her upper arms and righted her. She opened her mouth to firmly chide the straggling father, but the words died on her lips.

Amber eyes speared hers. Thick blond hair fell over his brow and she reached up without thinking to push it back. Her fingers tingled at the silky feel of the curl, and she yanked her hand back as if burned.

He smiled down at her, took in her disheveled appearance, and God bless him, still looked interested. “Hi,” he said. “Were you gonna yell at me?”

Izzy grinned back. “Yep. What are you doing here?”

He frowned and looked adorably confused. “I’m sorry. Didn’t you invite me to the play?”

“Yeah. You said you’d try to make it, but that’s always code for you had to cut your toenails tonight.”

His eyes sparkled with humor. And heat. “Damn, that’s sexy.”

She pursed her lips and lowered her voice. “I got much more in my arsenal. Watch out.” A tiny toddler waddled over, diaper hanging, and she scooped him up without blinking. “Ooops, a runaway. Where’s Mama?”

The toddler stuck a drooly hand and grasped a loose curl. “Eeeee!”

Izzy sighed and wished for a wet wipe. Damn, that was sticky. His mother flashed in front of her and she handed him off without pause. “I can’t believe you came,” she said again. Izzy blushed. God, she was lame. Now she sounded as if she was so desperately happy that a man showed up. Not cool. “I mean, it didn’t matter, but I’m happy to see you.”

“Didn’t matter?”

Her blush deepened. “I mean—”

Aidan grabbed the sticky curl. “I’m just teasing you, Ms. Summers. I had such a good time the other night, I wanted the chance to check out your school. See you in action. As long as you promise not to yell at me again.”

Giddiness skipped through her body. She actually believed him. Her gut screamed he wasn’t coming to the play just to sleep with her, but that would’ve been fine too. Because she wanted to sleep with him. Eventually.

“Thanks,” she said softly.

“Can I take you for something to eat afterward?”

Izzy nodded. “Yes. On one condition.”

“Name it.”

“The restaurant must supply wine. I’m going to need it after this.”

On cue, the auditorium darkened and the spotlight focused on the stage. Aidan bent toward her. The delicious scent of lemon and soap teased her nostrils.

“Done,” he whispered in her ear. “I have one condition myself.”

“I’m a flexible woman.”

“Dessert must be included. Hopefully something chocolate.”

In that moment, her heart melted.

A man who loved sweets was at the top of her list in qualities needed in a mate.

She nodded her assent, and turned toward the stage.

As the children began to sing “Silent Night,” and the energy of love in the crowd pulled to her, Izzy clasped her fingers within his and felt as if she was finally home.