truck, the parking lot was nearly empty. Greg’s sports car was nowhere to be seen. Caleb opened the door for her as she tiptoed out on aching, cold feet—which was still preferable to the boots—and made sure she was comfortable before he got into the truck himself. He paused and looked over at her, his gaze on her mouth, but didn’t lean over to kiss her again.
Amy was a little disappointed at that. It looked as if the moment the lights came on, Caleb’s shyness returned. It was like the man in the closet with her had disappeared and his surly, silent replacement returned. For a few moments, she wondered if she’d simply had a mental break and imagined all of it. There’d been no kisses, no heated conversation, no nothing. Just her mind snapping or something.
But then they’d pulled up to her house and he’d circled around the truck to get her door again. The moment he pulled her free, he picked her up.
“I can walk,” she protested, even as he carried her to the threshold like she was a dainty, virginal bride instead of Mrs. Claus with blistered feet. When he set her on the porch, he gazed down at her and then kissed her again.
And that made her smile.
“I’ll be by in the morning.”
“Oh, but tomorrow’s Sunday. I don’t have anywhere in particular to go . . .” The words died in her throat as he gave her another intense look. “Okay.”
“First note,” was all he said.
Right. She’d told him she wanted her Christmas notes after all. That was a little selfish of her, but she was going to take it. After all, when was the last time she’d felt so very wanted by a man? His thoughtful gifts (and his kisses) made her feel as if she could float on air. “Tomorrow, then,” she murmured. “See you then.”
He didn’t kiss her good night, though from the look on his face, he probably wanted to. Instead, he just nodded and headed off the porch and back to his truck. She watched him leave, then went inside.
Donner immediately got up off the love seat, his tail wagging madly as she came in. He circled around her, all wiggly dog, sniffing the air until he found her, and Amy hugged him as he licked her face. “What an evening, Donner. It has been a wild ride.”
The dog just whined and licked her jaw some more.
“You want me to tell you all about it? While we go for walkies?”
The dog went from wiggling to beside himself with excitement. Oh yeah, Donner knew what a walk was. Some jerk had missed out when they abandoned this sweet, wonderful old dog. She hobbled into the bedroom and got her most comfortable pair of shoes, then leashed Donner and took him outside, all the while telling him about her eventful night as if he was a close confidant.
Maybe he was. She was starting to see why people loved dogs so much. He was always excited to see her, always happy to eat whatever she gave him, and never complained. Yep, she was definitely becoming a dog person. Living in Wyoming was changing her, but she liked to think it was for the better, all around. She was becoming a person with friends of her own, a person with a career. A person with a rent payment, and a dog, and . . . a boyfriend. Potentially.
Actually she wasn’t sure what she and Caleb were right now. Maybe she should ask him in the morning. He’d probably blush, but she bet she could get it out of him . . . between a few kisses at least.
Amy smiled into the darkness as she held Donner’s leash.
* * *
* * *
Caleb avoided talking to his brother Jack when he got home from the carnival. He headed straight to his cabin and kept the lights off as he pulled his costume off and lay in bed. He knew Jack would want to know all the details, but . . . he couldn’t share them just yet. He wanted to keep tonight bottled up in his head for a bit, to mull over the details without hearing Jack crow about one thing or another.
He’d kissed Amy Mckinney. Made out with her in a closet.
And he hadn’t fucked it up.
That might have been the most unbelievable part in all of this—that he’d somehow pulled himself together to hit on her. He’d been a changed man ever since he