Page 11 of Christmas With the Navy SEAL Mountain Man
"That was beautiful," I say softly when I can trust my voice. "When did you carve it?"
"This morning. After I saw the real carousel." He shrugs, uncomfortable with the praise. "It's nothing."
"It's everything to her." I step closer, drawn to him despite all my better judgment. "You're full of surprises, Aaron Wilson."
His gaze drops to my lips, just for a second, but long enough to send a thrill of awareness through my entire body.
"Leah!" Wren's voice breaks the moment. "The mayor wants to make his speech now!"
I step back, suddenly aware of how close we've been standing. "I have to go."
Aaron nods, already retreating. "I should check the generator."
As I hurry toward the stage area, my mind is spinning. What just happened? What was that moment between us? And why can't I stop thinking about how his eyes looked when that littlegirl hugged him, or how he'd carved that perfect little horse, or how his gaze had dropped to my lips?
Focus, Leah. You have an event to run. A charity to support. A job to do.
Aaron Wilson and whatever is happening between us will have to wait.
But as I take the microphone to introduce the mayor, I can't help scanning the crowd for his tall figure.
And I can't help the flutter in my stomach when I find him watching me from the edge of the gathering, his blue eyes intense and unreadable in the winter light.
CHAPTER FIVE
AARON
The last twinkling lights of the Winter Wonderland event shine across the fresh snow as I help load the final pieces of the carousel onto the transport truck.My muscles burn pleasantly from the hours of physical labor, a welcome distraction from the way my attention keeps drifting to Leah.
She stands at the edge of the meadow, clipboard in hand, cheeks flushed from the cold as she checks items off her list.Snowflakes catch in her dark hair, and even from this distance, I can see the satisfaction in her smile as she surveys what they've accomplished today.
Over twelve thousand dollars raised for the children's hospital.Hundreds of families given a day of Christmas joy.All because she refused to take no for an answer from a grumpy mountain man.
The thought brings an unexpected warmth to my chest.
"That's the last of it, Mr. Wilson," says one of the volunteers, slamming the truck's rear door shut."Thanks for all your help today."
I nod, uncomfortable with the gratitude but trying not to show it."No problem."
As the final vehicles pull away, leaving tracks in the fresh snow, an unusual quiet settles over the meadow.The space that hours ago buzzed with laughter and music now returns to its natural state, peaceful and pristine beneath the darkening sky.
I should head back to my cabin.Back to solitude and silence.Back to the life I've carefully constructed away from people and their complications.
Instead, my feet carry me toward Leah.
She turns as I approach, a smile blooming across her face that hits me with physical force."We did it," she says, hugging the clipboard to her chest."Thank you for everything, Aaron. The generator, the help with teardown... all of it."
"It was a good event," I admit, surprised to find I actually mean it."Those kids seemed happy."
"They were." Her eyes shine in the fading light."The hospital director called. We exceeded our fundraising goal by almost forty percent."
A snowflake lands on her cheek, and before I can think better of it, I reach out to brush it away.Her skin is soft and cold beneath my fingertips.She goes still at the contact, those green eyes widening slightly.
"You must be freezing," I say, dropping my hand."And hungry."
"Starving, actually," she admits with a small laugh."I was so busy I forgot to eat."
Words form in my throat, surprising even me as they emerge."Have dinner with me."
