Christmas at Holiday House - RaeAnne Thayne Page 0,47
finished decorating the tree, he would not have made a fool of himself by kissing Abby.
The memory of their kiss had haunted him all night long. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel her soft skin, taste the sweetness of her mouth, feel that strange tug and pull in his chest.
He could legitimately say he had never before had a woman thank him for not making her nauseous with his kiss.
He had to hope to heaven it never happened again.
“I left around ten. It wasn’t terribly late.”
“Well, I’m grateful. When my arm is out of this stupid cast, I promise to make you some of that banana bread you love.”
“You don’t owe me banana bread,” he said, though the idea of it made his mouth water, and he realized for the first time that he had skipped breakfast. “I was glad I was there so Abby didn’t have to climb the ladder on her own.”
“She does have a thing about heights. Mind you, that hasn’t stopped her from climbing up and down while she’s been decorating, but I know that big ladder you have to use for the great room tree had been making her nervous. She had been putting off the job for days. Thanks to you, it’s done now.”
“Glad I could help,” he said again.
What would Winnie say if she knew he had kissed her nurse until neither of them could think straight?
“That actually reminds me,” Winnie said. “I wonder if I could ask another favor of you.”
For some reason, he was seized by sudden trepidation. “Tell me you don’t have any more twenty-foot trees you need me to decorate.”
She chuckled. “No. One is plenty. But this favor does involve Abigail.”
Yes. He was definitely right to be nervous. “Oh?”
“Well, Abby and Christopher, actually.”
“What?”
“She’s been so wonderful since she’s been here. What a treasure. But I’m afraid I’ve been working her so hard. She never takes a rest. I was thinking she and Christopher might enjoy a chance to play in the snow a little. I wondered if you could arrange for them to try out your new tubing hill at the ski resort.”
That much at least he could handle with minimal effort on his part. He let out the breath he had been holding. “Sure. That’s no problem. I can leave passes at the sales office for them.”
“Thank you, my dear. That would be nice, but I was actually hoping you might be able to take them yourself. Christopher has never been sledding or tubing before. He told me so. I suspect Abby hasn’t, either. They could use someone to show them the ropes.”
“Um, there’s not much skill involved when you go to the tubing hill. You take the magic carpet up the hill, grab a tube and slide down. That’s about it.”
“Abby’s afraid of heights, remember? I’m not sure I could convince her to take Christopher on her own if she didn’t know someone else could take him if she chickened out.”
“Why not wait for Lucy to get home?” he countered.
Winnie’s disappointment came through loud and clear in her overlong pause. “I guess that would work. She’ll be here early next week. Christopher has waited this long. He can wait a little longer. Thanks, anyway.”
Oh, she was so good at manipulating him. He wished he could be a little tougher and withstand her. Without blinking an eye, Ethan could negotiate with everyone from rival executives to international labor union leaders. His grandmother was totally in a class of her own.
He might try to withstand her machinations if he didn’t actually think it would be fun to take Christopher on the tubing hill.
He had been meaning to make time to try it out since the season started. He was a little embarrassed he hadn’t been able to manage it yet. This would provide the perfect excuse.
He didn’t want to encourage Winnie—if he gave an inch, who knows what she would ask of him next?—but he still found himself nodding. “Sure. I can take them. When did you have in mind?”
“How about tonight?” she asked brightly. “Tomorrow everyone from the Silver Belles is coming over to do a run-through before our first tours on Friday. This would be the best chance. The only chance, really. Is your schedule free?”
“Mostly. I can rearrange a few things.”
“Great. Why don’t you come for dinner first around six and then the three of you can leave after that. Thank you, darling. I’ll see you then.”