Page 6 of Santa's Little Helpers

Stupid, stupid, stupid…I berated myself. How could I have been so wrapped up in nerves I would forget the car safety rules. I broke two that I could remember, and I’m positive if I thought harder I could find another. I did not want to confess to Derek about speeding or using the stereo at an excessive level. Both were no-nos, and safety infractions were dealt with harshly. I thought back to the last time and noted it had been over a year. That punishment had been the worst to date, and now I would be facing the same fate. I made up my mind right then to confess after the holidays. Delaying would make it worse, but enjoying the festivities would be virtually impossible, and I didn’t want to risk being grounded. My stomach churned, and I gulped back the bile tickling the back of my throat.

The silence did not help my nerves, and I counted the seconds until we were home and I could escape to the safety of my room. Maybe I could stay in the dorms until Jared left the ranch. Distance would make avoiding him much easier. And if my reaction to that simple touch to my knee was anything to go by, I needed to avoid him at all costs. My body was hyper aware of him, and the close proximity in the tiny sports car was not helping. I should have brought the SUV. I could be sitting safely in the third row right about now.

I sighed in relief as the GPS announced the turn onto Rawhide Road, the two-mile-long private lane that led to the ranch. Almost home then I could hide. I stared out the window at the glistening trees. Moses and the grounds crew had done a beautiful job hanging the delicate white twinkling lights in each one. I smiled to myself. It looked like a runway for Santa and his reindeer to land on, except our Santa was sexy as sin and not driving a sleigh. No! I need to not be thinking about him. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and spent the last few moments of the drive focusing on my escape plan.

The moment the car was parked in the garage, Sadie bound out the door that connected the house to the garage and jumped into Jared’s arms as he unfolded his lanky frame and stepped out.

“Whoa whoa, little one! Take it easy.” He laughed as she placed tiny kisses all over his face.

“I missed you.” She held out each word in a sad whine.

“I missed you, too, sweetie. Where’s your Daddy? Shouldn’t you have a coat on?” he chided as he placed her back on her feet.

“She ran out the door before I could catch her.” Derek entered the garage carrying a fluffy pink jacket. “Come here, naughty girl.”

She wasted no time in obeying and turned to look at me as Derek put her coat on her. “Erika doesn’t even have pants on. How come I have to wear my coat?”

Just like that, I had the undivided and unwanted attention of both men.

I sighed to myself. There went my escape plan.

“Yes, I did notice you were underdressed for this weather, little squirrel,” Jared teased, reminding me about our brief but memorable physical contact in the car.

Trying to brush it off, I shrugged. “I knew I wasn’t going to be getting out of the car, so there was no use changing out of my skirt.”

An out-and-out lie. I had spent the better part of an hour choosing the right outfit to pick Jared up in, and pants were not it.

“And if there had been some sort of accident or some reason you did need to leave the warmth of the car?” Derek picked up where Jared left off, and I knew my goose was cooked.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I wasn’t thinking.”

Jared crossed his arms and looked at Derek expectantly. “For the love of Pete, please tell me that excuse isn’t going to fly.”

Derek shook his head and did not take his gaze from mine. “It doesn’t, and she knows better. Don’t you, Erika?”

I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. If I could get away without screwing up one more thing this evening, I would be thankful. I considered my words carefully and decided to use as few as possible. “Yes, Sir.”

“Angel, why don’t you take Uncle Jared inside and up to his room.”

“He knows which…oh! Sure, Daddy.” She lifted onto her toes and kissed his cheek before skipping to Jared and taking his hand. “C’mon, Uncle Jared. I wanna see what you brought me.”

Jared laughed and, after retrieving his luggage from the back seat, he headed inside. I kept my eyes downcast and didn’t move until Derek and I were alone.

He cleared his throat, calling my attention to him.

“I’m sorry,” was all I could come up with in the moment.

He crossed his arms and raised a brow at me. “I appreciate you offering to pick Master Jared up, but I’m not pleased with your choice of attire.”

Offering to pick him up? What? I didn’t offer. Confusion must have been written all over my face.

“Has it ever been okay to leave without dressing appropriately for the weather?”

“No, Sir,” I answered, still trying to figure out why he thought I’d offered to pick Jared up.

“Is ‘I wasn’t thinking’ a suitable excuse for one of my girls?”

“No, Sir.” I knew where this was going. There was an essay in my near future.

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