Page 45 of Whiskey Kisses For the Mountain Man
I meet her halfway, capturing her lips with mine. The kiss is soft at first, then deepens with a hunger that surprises us both. She tastes like sweet, sweet whiskey. I pull her onto my lap, the blanket falling around us as she straddles me on the bench, her dress riding up her thighs.
"We're in public," I murmur against her mouth, even as my hands find her waist.
"It's nearly midnight," she whispers back. "And there's no one around for miles."
That's all the encouragement I need. My mouth finds her neck, trailing kisses down to the collar of her dress. She gasps, her head falling back, exposing more skin for me to explore.
We're both slightly tipsy from the wine and whiskey, inhibitions lowered just enough to make this public display seem like the best idea in the world. My hands slide under her dress, finding the warm skin of her thighs.
Her phone chirps, breaking the spell. She groans, pressing her forehead against mine. "I should check that. It might be about the festival."
Reluctantly, I loosen my hold so she can retrieve her phone from her coat pocket. Her expression changes as she reads the screen, confusion giving way to anger.
"What the actual fuck," she says, the curse sounding foreign on her lips outside of our bedroom activities.
"What is it?"
She shows me her phone, where dozens of notifications from her social media accounts are flooding in. "My followers are tagging me in posts about Silver Lakes. They're announcing a tree lighting ceremony with a 'magnificent 50-foot pine.'" She looks up at me, eyes blazing. "They stole our tree."
I take the phone, reading the post from the Silver Lakes Tourism Board proudly announcing their upcoming ceremony,featuring photos of the exact tree we visited at Montgomery Farm.
"That bastard Harold," I mutter. "He promised you that tree."
"He said we were the frontrunners, but nothing was finalized." She takes the phone back, scrolling frantically. "I already announced our tree lighting ceremony. The whole town is counting on it. My followers are expecting it. The mayor is expecting it. What am I going to do?"
The panic in her voice snaps me into action. "We'll figure it out."
"How? The ceremony is in two weeks. Where am I going to find another massive tree on such short notice?"
I take her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me. "Lettie, breathe. We're not giving up. If Silver Lakes thinks they can steal from Eden Ridge, they don't know who they're dealing with."
Her breathing steadies as she looks into my eyes. "We?"
"Yes, we." I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're not alone in this."
The relief in her expression makes me want to protect her from every disappointment life might throw her way. It's a new feeling, this fierce protectiveness that goes beyond physical safety to emotional well-being.
"Thank you," she whispers, leaning forward to kiss me softly. "But we still need a plan."
"And we'll make one. First thing tomorrow." I glance at the whiskey bottle. "But right now, I think we both need to finish this and go home. Preferably to the same place."
Her smile returns, though not quite reaching her eyes. "Your place or mine?"
"Mine has more open surfaces," I say, already packing up our impromptu drink date. "And I'm suddenly in a hurry."
We make it back to my cabin in record time, the tree crisis temporarily set aside as we tumble through the door, hands and mouths eager to pick up where we left off in the gazebo. But even as I lose myself in Lettie, part of my mind is already working on a plan. I saw the light dim in my queen’s eyes for the first time tonight, and I don’t fucking like it.
No one steals from my Christmas Queen and gets away with it.
CHAPTER TEN
LETTIE
“All eyes have been on you, Lettie. We made commitments to this town based on what you promised you would deliver.”
Mayor Samantha Pierce leans back against the front of her desk, facing me as I sit and take the reprimand I dreaded for four days.
“I’m newly appointed. I’ve barely had a full quarter to establish this town’s confidence in my leadership, and now this? Do you understand how much money has been put into the promotion, set up, and labor alone for the Tree Lighting?”
