Page 41 of Christmas Ransom

Once he was rich, this hick town would never see him again—and, he realized with relief, neither would Jesse.

DAVYCOULDN’TREMEMBERthe last time he’d been sledding. He’d had to borrow a sled from old friends in town before driving up into the mountains where he and Carla used to go. They could have gone to the sledding hills around town, but he wanted to be alone with her. He was still worried, even though the feds seemed convinced she was safe. He felt better when they weren’t around a lot of other people. Not that it necessarily felt safer.

It had been his idea for them to put the past behind them and just be friends again for the holidays. He’d had good intentions. He’d wanted to keep Carla’s mind off the killer. But he’d also wanted this time with her. If this was all they had, then he’d take it.

He just hadn’t realized how hard it would be. They’d grown close again, so close that taking her in his arms and kissing her seemed like the most natural thing. Sometimes the way she looked at him... He felt that old firestorm inside him. He wanted her so badly it hurt.

On the drive into the mountains, they fell into a companionable silence. He saw Carla looking out the window, taking in the snowy winter landscape as if seeing it for the first time. He wondered if she hadn’t had her head down working for so long that she’d forgotten to look around her—let alone to have fun. He was glad that he’d suggested sledding.

After he parked the pickup, they made the hike up the open mountainside, with him pulling the sled behind him. The sky overhead was cerulean blue without a cloud anywhere, the sun turning the snow into bejeweled waves. The slope was perfect for sledding—and yet not so steep that they had to worry about avalanche danger. Also, they were entirely alone up here. The fresh snow on the narrow road up hadn’t been disturbed.

The cold air came out in puffs as they reached the top and caught their breaths. He looked over at Carla. “Ready?”

“I haven’t done this in years.”

“Me neither. I think it’s like riding a bike though,” he joked. “Let’s find out. Hop on.” He held the sled on a flat spot at the top to make sure it didn’t take off until he was ready. Once she was situated, he gave the sled a shove and jumped on at the last minute. Putting his legs on each side of her, he wrapped his arms around Carla’s waist and pulled her against him as the sled took off.

Snow blew up in an icy wave as they careened down the mountainside. He heard her squeal and then laugh. He pressed his face against her shoulder, feeling the cold and the exhilaration. They’d both needed this, he thought.

The sled slowed and came to a stop. Carla turned to look at him, all grins. Her cheeks were red from the cold, her eyes bright. Snow crystals clung to her lashes and the locks of hair that had escaped her hat.

Davy felt himself grinning as widely as she was.

“Can we do it again?” she cried.

He laughed. “We can do it as many times as you want to.”

They both scrambled off and began the trudge back up the mountain. The next few times were as exhilarating as the first one. But this time, when the sled slowed and finally stopped at the bottom of the mountainside, neither of them moved.

“That was amazing,” she said and leaned back into him. “Thank you for this.” He nodded, unable to speak around the lump that had formed in his throat. She shifted on the sled to face him. Their gazes locked and he felt a rush of heat course through him. Her hat and coat were covered in snow. He brushed one frozen lock of her hair back from her face.

“Carla.” He said her name like a plea, an oath, a prayer.

SHEKISSEDHIM. His lips were cool at first—just like her own. She breathed in the scent of him, the pines, the cold. They’d shared other winter kisses that year they were together. But this one—this one was pure joy.

It felt like that first winter kiss of so long ago. Except this one was so filled with pent-up passion it felt like igniting a rocket. Desire swept through her like the sled had careened down the mountainside. The thrill was there along with the heat as she straddled him, cupping his frosty face in her hands.

She heard him unzip her coat and moments later his hand snaked up under her sweater. His ungloved fingers were warm against her naked skin as they moved upward to cup her breast. She felt her nipple harden to an aching peak even before his fingers slipped inside her bra. A blaze of heat rushed through her veins to her center, and she felt herself go molten.

“I think we should take this to the pickup,” Davy said, pulling back from the kiss. His gaze met hers. “Unless you want to stop now.”

She shook her head. She could feel his desire pressing into her through her snow pants. She wanted this, needed this, felt as if she would scream if they stopped now. The voice of reason could be heard warning her in the back of her mind, but her need was stronger. “Pickup.”

They rose and began stripping off their outer snowy clothes before they reached the truck. Once inside, Davy started the engine and turned on the heater, but Carla knew they didn’t need it. Her body felt on fire, and when he touched her again, she groaned with pleasure.

He was easing off her shirt when he saw the tattoo over her heart. It was small and delicate, but when she felt him start, she knew he recognized it. “Carla?”

She felt shy, peeking at him through her lashes. “I know it’s silly, but I wanted something that would remind me of you and our dreams. Don’t you remember? You gave me your great-grandfather’s old branding iron.” It had felt like a promise for the future at the time. “That night, you told me about your plans for Colt Ranch. The brand is your family history, your legacy. Now it’s part of my history as well.”

He shook his head as he gently ran a calloused finger across the tiny brand over her heart before lifting his eyes to hers. “Oh, Carla.” He pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms. “I love you with all my heart. I always have.” He drew back to kiss her, and she felt the chemistry between them rocket through her.

When they were teens, their lovemaking had been a concoction of jacked-up hormones as they raced to a climax. Now Davy took it slow, as if revisiting all her pleasure points, teasing her nipples into rock-hard points and sucking them until she leaned back with a cry of release. It was as if he could make love to her all afternoon and the rest of the night.

When they finally came together, Carla cried out, heart thundering, body quivering as the pleasure roared through her in waves. He reached over and turned off the engine. Then he held her, the two of them catching their breaths, the silence of the winter day around them. Snowflakes fluttered past the steamed-over windows.

“I wish we could just stay right here forever,” she whispered.

“Then we have to get a bigger truck,” Davy said, his arm around her. He stretched out one long leg, then the other, and they both laughed. They weren’t kids anymore, but it was nice revisiting their youth in the cab of his pickup again. The truck began to cool quickly.

---