Page 14 of How The Mountain Man Stole Christmas
He nodded and kissed the tip of her nose.
***
Once they’d reached her rented house, Harper grabbed a bag and rustled through her dresser drawers. She was at a loss for what to give Fin for Christmas. Their relationship wasn’t exactly a typical one and with being stranded at his house all week, she’d had no chance to do any shopping but after what he’d done for her, what could she possibly do to top it.
“Hey what’s that look for?” He’d startled her from her contemplation but he looked so handsome and comfy standing in her bedroom doorway, changed out of his party clothes it was distracting.
“Oh, it’s nothing, I was just thinking that I didn’t get a chance to get you anything for Christmas.”
“You coming to spend Christmas with my family is all the present I need. Are you ready to go?”
“Yep, ready.” She passed by her answering machine but saw no lights blinking. “I sure wish I’d hear from Elsie. She’s starting to worry me. She wasn’t at the party tonight and that’s not like her.”
“Maybe you can try calling her again on the way.” He took the bag Harper carried and escorted her to his truck. “Do you need my cell to call?”
“No, I grabbed mine.” She hit some keys on the keypad of her flip phone, waited a minute or two and left a message. “I don’t get it. Where else could she have gone?”
“I don’t know but Elsie’s a tough old bird. She’ll be just fine. Maybe she went out of town and just didn’t tell you. She does have a couple kids not too far away. They could have come and got her. Hey, once we get there, will you help me wrap a few things for the girls? I didn’t get a chance to yet.”
“I’m not really good at it but I’ll give it a whirl.”
Twenty minutes later, Fin’s navy blue 4x4 bumped down the lane of the tree farm and parked in the drive right next to the house. He shut off the engine, jumped out and ran around the truck to open Harper’s door, grabbing her bag from the floor. The farmhouse was lit up like a Christmas tree and she could hear laughter coming from the living room as they entered the back door. Fin dropped Harper’s bag next to the staircase and ran after the girls.
“What are you two still doing up. Santa won’t stop here if he sees you both running around.”
“Exactly what I’ve been trying to tell them.” Kaleb looked a little worse for the wear. “Alright, let’s go, move it out. Harper and Uncle Fin are putting you two to bed. Give me kisses.”
Kelsey and Hayley ran into their fathers’ arms then bound up the stairs with Fin and Harper hot on their heels. After a good tooth-brushing, they jumped into bed and settled under the covers. More kisses and good night wishes were administered then Fin shut the door.
“Lord I’ve never seen more energetic kids in my life. Do you think they’ll actually fall asleep tonight?”
“Probably within two or three minutes I’m guessing. They’re really good sleepers. They fight going to bed but fall asleep fast. Okay, you ready to wrap?” Fin wiggled his eyebrows as he made his way down the hall to his room.
Harper fiddled with rolls of wrapping paper and tape for two hours while Fin dug from his closet the things he’d hidden there for his nieces.
“How much more do you have in there? We’re going to run out of wrapping paper.”
Fin pointed to the stuffed horse heads on sticks. “That’s the last of it. Are you hungry? I’m going for some milk and cookies; I’ll bring it back up for us.” He disappeared from the room.
“Okay…guess I’m on my own.” Harper finished the last two gifts and collapsed on Fin’s bed. “Oh, wow is this comfortable.”I bet if I shut my eyes, I’d fall asleep in a second.
“Hey, you better not be asleep little lady. I have dessert.” Fin burst into the room making Harper jump from the bed. “Oh sorry, did I scare you.”
“It’s ok, I was just resting my eyes.” She giggled a little and sat back down in the middle of the queen-sized bed and crossed her legs Indian style. He handed her the plastic bowl full of cookies and her glass of milk and climbed into the bed.
“Crap.” One wrong move and Fin spilled both glasses, splattering them both. “I’m sorry Harper. Here, let me get you a t-shirt.”Fin stripped off his wet shirt then dug for a clean one for Harper to wear.
“Thanks, now can you turn around so I can change?”
“If I must.” He chuckled but she thought he was probably completely serious. She made fast work of stripping her top off and pulling his on but then took her jeans off because they took the biggest portion of her milk. Then she took a little risk, she pulled back his covers and crawled in, just to stay warm.
“Okay, you can look, I’m done.” When he turned and saw her clothes laying on the floor and herinthe bed, his nostrils flared and his eyes sparkled.
Chapter Eight
Sitting on his bed was one thing but noticing her clothes discarded on the floor and seeing herinhis bed was quite another. He’d managed some great amounts of control the last couple days as far as Harper was concerned but this might just be the final straw.
“Sorry for hogging your bed but I got cold. I promise I won’t bite if you want to crawl in here with me.” Her look of innocence didn’t fool him a bit.
