For the Love of Ivy - Cindy Kirk Page 0,21

A fire crackled in the hearth, and an open book lay on the side table. He set Ivy down on a green floral sofa that had once been Barbara Nordstrom’s pride and joy. Her death in a car accident was something Lars had never gotten over.

“I’ll get the coffee,” Adam announced. “And plates for the pastry.”

The pastry.

Seth stifled a groan. His gaze met Lauren’s and just like that, he found himself drowning in their emerald depths.

“By the way...” Adam turned back on his way to the kitchen. “Where is the Kringle?”

“I left it in the sleigh.” Seth yanked his attention from Lauren. “I’ll get everything settled outside and bring it in with me.”

“Hurry, Daddy.” Ivy rubbed her midsection with her left hand. “My tummy is hungry for Kringle.”

“I won’t be long.” Seth hesitated. He needed to get the horse out of the weather and grab the pastry, but he found himself strangely reluctant to leave Lauren.

“Don’t worry, Anderssen,” Adam shot him a wink. “I’ll take good care of both of them.”

Lauren took a sip of wine and shot a sideways glance at Seth. They’d returned from the Nordstrom ranch a little over an hour ago. While Seth put the horse and sleigh away, she’d gotten Ivy ready for bed.

It had been obvious Seth had been surprised—but pleased—when he’d come in and found his daughter already in her PJs with her eyelids drooping. By the time Seth tucked her in and opened a book to read to her, the little girl was already asleep.

Normally Lauren would be ready for bed, too, but the afternoon nap she’d taken earlier had stuck with her. The way she felt right now, she could stay up all night. Thanks to Seth it had been the best Christmas she could remember. She’d been ready to head upstairs when he’d suggested a glass of wine to cap off the evening.

While he was in the kitchen uncorking a new bottle, Lauren switched off the lamps and proceeded to light candles scattered throughout the room. The glow from the flames mingled with the light emanating from the dying embers in the hearth to give the area a warm, cozy feel.

Seth walked into the room with two glasses in hand just as Lauren lit the last candle. He glanced around. His lips quirked upward. “Did I forget to pay the electric bill?”

Lauren returned his smile and dropped back on the sofa, folding one leg beneath her. She held out a hand, feeling lighthearted and flirtatious. “Give me my glass of wine and shut up.”

He handed her the goblet and took a seat on the other end of the sofa. “Ivy isn’t allowed to say ‘shut up.’”

Lauren leaned back in the overstuffed sofa and shifted in her seat, gazing at Seth through lowered lashes. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not Ivy.”

“Oh, I’ve noticed.” Seth’s blue eyes glittered in the dim light.

Her heart pounded a provocative Latin beat against her ribs. Still, Lauren kept a tight hold on her rising excitement as she traced the rim of her glass with one finger. “You want to hear something funny?”

Seth smiled encouragingly.

The darkness surrounding them made it easy for her to speak freely. “When you were in the stable, Adam asked if we were dating.”

Lauren hadn’t been surprised by the question. Only that he hadn’t asked sooner. She’d sensed Adam’s interest from the moment he’d discovered she was related to his mentor.

“I wonder what gave him that impression?”

Lauren lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “When Ivy mentioned we’ll all be living under the same roof, I’m sure that made him curious about our relationship.”

Though that was the obvious answer, Lauren had a feeling Adam had picked up on the sexual tension between her and Seth. Every time Seth’s hand brushed her, every time he sent a smile her way, she’d turned into a blithering idiot. When he’d sat beside her on the sofa in the Nordstrom living room, she’d had difficulty concentrating on the conversation. They’d been thigh-to-thigh, arm-to-arm, and all she could think was how good it would feel if there were no clothes between them.

“I’m sure Adam understands that you’re simply Ivy’s nanny. Not my girlfriend or my—” his voice faltered, and he took a gulp of wine “—lover.”

“You’re right,” Lauren agreed. “Just because we’ll be living under the same roof doesn’t automatically make us lovers.”

Lauren rather liked the way the word rolled off her tongue. It conjured up visions of muscular arms holding her close, calloused cowboy hands caressing