Kissing Under the Mistletoe - By Marina Adair Page 0,47
and the sound of metal on wood echoed through the man-made forest. People had already located their trees and were chopping away. Regan didn’t care about the other men, or about Frankie taking out what looked to be the second to oldest DeLuca with a knee to the groin, or even about coming in first. All she cared about was that she made it across that finish line with a tree for her daughter.
Several fights erupted in the aisles, and after nearly taking an elbow to the head, Regan dropped to her knees and crawled along the middle row of trees, taking the most direct route to her target. Branches smacked her in the face and gravel cut into her hands and knees, but she pushed forward, dragging that damn ax with her.
When she got to the last row she understood why no one else was staking claim on Holly’s tree. Because even if she managed to cut it down, she’d have to drag it back across the entire field.
“Shit.”
Remembering her softball days, she choked up on the handle, pulled back, and swung. The blade hit at too much of an angle, reflected off the trunk, and curved right, taking Regan with it. She landed hard, hands and knees slamming into the ground and her butt sticking up in the air.
Dusting herself off, she swallowed back the pain and tried it again, with the same results. Only this time she flew into the tree, the handle of the ax shanking her in the side upon landing. By the seventh try, Regan had lost the gloves, but instead of a better grip like she had hoped, it only gave her splinters and a really big raw spot.
Jingle bells started rattling as well as the drummers drumming, signaling that the first person had already crossed the finish line and there was a declared winner. Panicked, Regan glanced around, her heart aching when she saw that a number of the men around her were already dragging their trees toward the finish line.
Thinking of Holly up there in the stands, she brushed the dirt from her face and took another swing. Instead of plowing into the tree headfirst, which was where the momentum had tossed her, a pair of strong arms caught her around the waist.
“Easy.” The warm breath tickled her ear, and Regan didn’t blame her nipples for expressing their yuletide spirit. Or her legs for turning to a quivering mess when a strong hand flattened against her stomach and brushed the underside of her breast. By the time Gabe had her righted and facing him, her whole body was reaching Defcon 1.
“You okay?” he asked, taking the ax so he could gently inspect her hands. They were red, chapped, and bleeding. And that one raw spot had multiplied to cover most of her palm and a good number of fingers.
Those intense eyes landed on hers, and it took everything she had not to give in. To be like those women she’d watched growing up who had allowed themselves to lean on a man when life got hard.
“I have to get Holly that tree,” she said, stepping back and out of the safety of his body.
“Okay,” he said, bringing the ax up. Regan was about to tell him that she didn’t need a man when he flipped the ax around and held it out to her. “Then get her a tree.”
Blinking back the tears, Regan gave a single nod and took the handle. She pulled the ax back and right as she was about to swing forward she felt Gabe surround her, his front to her back, his hand resting on the ax.
“Go in at a forty-five-degree angle, like this.” He wrapped his arms around her and, placing his hands over hers on the handle, demonstrated how to swing. Then he stepped back and Regan immediately missed his warmth. “Now try.”
She did. And it worked. A small piece of wood splintered.
“Oh, my God! Did you see that?” she screamed, and realized she was jumping up and down like Holly.
“I did. Impressive, Vixen,” he said with a smile that warmed her, well, everywhere. “Now, this time hit it straight on and then repeat the angle.”
Regan followed his instructions, and with every swing she took out another chunk of trunk. Finally the tree started leaning. She dropped the ax and went around to the other side and shoved it over with her foot. With a loud snap it fell to the ground.