Page 125 of Holiday Hire

Jagger states, "Well, I'm grateful for Pheebs too."

"Don't be a dick," Alexander mutters under his breath, and I bite on my smile.

Jagger chuckles and says, "I'm also thankful for all the women who have yet to meet me but are dying to." His grin erupts larger than life.

Georgia groans. "Didn't you say that last year?"

He shrugs. "Yeah. And there are still a lot of women out there who are dying to meet me and have me take them out."

"You're so full of yourself," Evelyn reprimands.

"That's what I'm thankful for, and I'm sticking with it," he claims, taking a large mouthful of beer.

The rest of the family says what they're thankful for, and the dinner remains jovial. Alexander and I converse with everyone, but I can't get what he said out of my head. I wish things could be different between us, and I also wish I didn't want him so badly.

A few times, he puts his hand on my thigh and then quickly removes it, as if he forgot what our deal was. Every time he does, I clench my thighs, wishing the throbbing inside of me would stop, but it won't.

We finish dinner and dessert. I help the women clean up and then I exit the kitchen.

Alexander states, "There's something we need to do, Phoebe."

"Oh?"

"Yep. Come on. Put on your coat, and get your gloves and hat on too."

"Okay," I state, unsure what's going on. I get bundled up, and he leads me outside.

The snow has stopped, and a blanket of white covers everything. The lights are on, except now they aren't just orange. Christmas colors light up the ranch.

I gasp in awe, declaring, "This is so pretty."

"Yep. Come on." He takes my hand and leads me toward the barn.

"This isn't what you wanted to show me?"

"Nope."

"Then what is it?"

"You'll see."

We step inside the barn, and he opens a stall door. He grabs the bridle of a big horse. "You've met Trojan, right?"

"Yes," I nervously say, glancing at the double saddle.

"Great. Let's go for a ride."

"What?"

"There's nothing better than a ride in the snow," he says.

"No way."

"You told me last night you wanted to after you lost the bet," he states.

I gape at him.

He chuckles. "I swear on my kids' lives you told me that."

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