Page 45 of Sweet Surrender

She turned to find him still holding the ladder, leaving her practically encircled by his big arms as he gazed into her eyes, wearing that same expression as before.

If she didn’t know better she would have said it waswonder—but a strapping cowboy like Zane Lawrence had probably spent his whole life beating off pretty girls with a stick. Why would he look at a plain little schoolteacher like Becca with anything likewonder?

But somehow, she was breathless. The pretty lights on the tree lit up the strong planes of his jaw and cast the snow all around them in pinks and blues, like they were in a magical snow globe.

A hint of pain flashed in his eyes, and then he bent as if to kiss her, but paused just before their lips touched.

“Becca,” he whispered.

Their faces were so close. It felt like there was nothing and no one in the world but Zane Lawrence, the breath they shared, and the longing in his dark eyes.

And when his big hand moved to cup her cheek as he gazed into her eyes, his warmth was more intimate than any kiss.

The sound of the front door opening had her gasping in a breath and scrambling backwards up the ladder as Zane’s hand fell away from her cheek.

“Hot cocoa is ready,” Daniel called out softly from the porch, a smile in his voice.

Thank God it wasn’t the boys who saw us like that,she thought to herself, feeling ashamed. How could she be only a single week into her first real teaching job and already making a fool of herself over a parent?

“Sorry,” Zane said, his deep voice interrupting her train of thought.

“You were just trying to help me down,” she chattered nervously, knowing full well that wasn’t what had been happening.

“Sure,” he said, his voice a little more distant now.

“I’m fine though,” she said, scrambling off the ladder. “See? It’s really not a very big ladder.”

“Miss Hawthorne,” Cal yelled from the doorway. “I made you a hot chocolate.”

“And I put marshmallows in it,” Nick added rapturously.

“I hope you like lots of marshmallows,” Maggie said from over their shoulders, smiling at her worriedly.

Get it together,Becca told herself.It wasn’t a kiss. It was just an almost-kiss. You can’t get fired for those.

Probably.

“Is it okay for me to come in?” she asked, turning to Zane, who stood behind her scowling.

“Of course,” he said, the scowl disappearing. “That would be great.”

She smiled up at him, relieved that they hadn’t necessarily ruined the tenuous friendship they were building with a single awkward moment.

I need a friend a lot more than I need romance right now,she thought to herself as they headed into the house.

But somehow, even with the sweet chocolate and the happy chatter of the family all around, she couldn’t get that lost look in his dark eyes out of her mind.

14

ZANE

Zane sat in the kitchen, sipping from his favorite handmade mug and watching the boys regale Becca with stories about Christmas on the farm.

The air was fragrant with the delicious scent of chocolate and the spice from the plate of gingersnaps Mom had set on the table.

The boys were so excited that they kept talking over each other, but Becca only smiled and gently reminded them to take turns. He guessed that she was used to that kind of behavior from teaching, and from growing up with a bunch of siblings herself. The boys did their best, and had her laughing with every tale of mischief and fun.

At one point, Zane’s mom caught his eye from across the table, her expression so happy he couldn’t resist smiling back at her. Even though what she was trying to tell him was impossible.

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