A Little Country Christmas - Carolyn Brown Page 0,66
she said with a grin. Then she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Had he mentioned how much he loved it when she did that?
“I’m not sure if there’s anything sexier than when you do that,” he said. “Except for maybe the whole motorcycle thing. And the running thing. And being a deputy sheriff thing.” He laughed. “I guess it’s really just a you thing, Deputy.”
She pressed her lips together, as if to keep herself from doing the thing again, but she was smiling too.
“Coop?” she said, resting her hands on his knees.
That—her calling him Coop—he loved even more.
“Dani,” he answered, covering her hands with his.
She raised one brow. “I’ve never been good at this—relationships. Letting people get close. I’m not sure if you can tell, but I have some trust issues.”
His brows drew together. “I’m not your dad, Dani.”
“I know. I’m just—scared. If I admit how much I like you or how long…”
She stopped herself short, but Peyton wasn’t letting her off the hook.
“How long what?” he asked.
She squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. “I wasn’t just some moony-eyed freshman who got one look at you and your megawatt politician grin and swooned. Teenaged Dani thought she’d fallen for you—for two whole years.”
Her cheeks were bright pink, and Peyton found it hard to take a full breath.
But then his eyes narrowed. “Are you teasing me, Deputy? Two years?” How could he have missed that?
She shook her head. “I admit I give you grief about a lot of things, but I don’t mess around when it comes to matters of the heart, especially my own. Ask Deputy Crawford. He still teases me about it. And if he finds out about this?” She groaned again. “I’m never going to hear the end of it.”
Peyton couldn’t help but wonder, What if something had happened between them in high school? They might have been one of those couples everyone loved to hate—high school sweethearts who made it all the way. Or not. Peyton always had his sights set on something bigger than Meadow Valley. At least that was what he’d thought back then. He would have left, and she would have stayed. Meadow Valley was in Dani’s blood.
“Dani, if I’d have known then, if I wouldn’t have been such a clueless, self-absorbed kid—”
“Nope,” she said, interrupting him. “We’re not going there. Nopety, nope, nope. I’ve embarrassed myself enough. So can we please forget I said anything and focus on now? On us, right here, in front of this very romantic fire?”
She batted her lashes at him, and he laughed.
“Okay, Deputy. In the spirit of honesty, then,” he said, “I should probably come clean. I don’t think I have a crush on you anymore.”
Her eyes narrowed and she pulled her hands from beneath his, crossing her arms over her chest.
She wasn’t going to put up with his teasing, and he added that to the growing list of what he loved about her.
“I’m giving you five more seconds to follow that up with something spectacular, Mayor Grinch, or else I’m walking out that door.” She looked at him expectantly.
He wrapped a hand around her wrist and tugged her gently, just enough to knock her off balance and send her falling forward and straight into his chest—exactly where Peyton wanted her to be.
He caught her and wrapped her in his arms as she tried not to smile.
“I don’t have a crush on you, Daniela Garcia, because I think after this week—well, fifteen years and this week—I might have already gone and fallen for you.”
Her eyes widened, and she backhanded him on his upper arm.
“Might have?” she said. “Might have? I pour my heart out to you, and you might have…? Wait…” Her brows furrowed, and he watched her mouthing words to herself like she was replaying the conversation until her whole expression lit up and her cheeks bloomed an unmistakable pink.
“You already fell for me?” she asked, the mostly feigned indignation leaving her voice.
He nodded.
“So this is real,” she added, motioning between them.
Another nod. “I’m afraid so.”
She covered her mouth with her hand, but she couldn’t hide her beautiful, beaming grin.
“What are you so happy about?” he asked, knowing that whatever the answer was, it would be what he wanted to hear. Because he’d all but said those three little words, which should have spooked her, but she hadn’t run out the door. Not this time.
She pressed both palms to his chest, and electricity sparked from her skin straight through his shirt.