did put on a sweater dress over a pair of thick tights with boots that came up almost to my knees. It wasn’t the sexiest outfit in history, especially once I added my coat, gloves, and scarf, but it would do.
When I stepped out of my bedroom about an hour after we’d arrived back at the house, I stopped short. All three guys were standing in the living room, looking too good for words.
Tristin wore dark jeans, boots, and a cable-knit sweater in a deep charcoal. Leo was almost his twin, except his sweater matched the brilliant turquoise of his—and Tristin’s—eyes. Hayle, on the other hand, wore slim-fitting black pants, a white shirt, and a herringbone vest that might have looked dorky on someone else but looked sexy as hell on him.
Leo was the first to react to my presence, striding to me and wrapping an arm around my waist. “You look beautiful, as always.”
“Thank you. You three aren’t so bad yourselves.”
“Are you going to be warm enough?” Tristin asked, approaching with my coat. He held it out, and I moved away from Leo to step into it.
“I should be.”
Hayle offered me my scarf, and I took it, smiling. “Thank you, kind sir.” Even though this had been all my plan, they were acting like quite the gentlemen.
Once they’d donned their outerwear, we piled into the SUV, and I sat in the front to direct Leo to our destination. This time, they didn’t bother giving me a hard time about where we were going or question why we’d left the house way too early for dinner.
The drive took almost thirty minutes, and by the time we arrived, the guys were getting antsy. I knew they were probably wondering what the hell I was up to.
“Winter Adventures?” Hayle asked, reading the painted wooden sign. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
“I’m positive.”
Leo parked in the gravel lot without comment, and I took the lead as we walked up to a small building that was clearly fashioned after a barn. Inside, tables filled with gifts and souvenirs took up most of the space, except for a counter lining one wall.
A woman stood from behind the counter when we entered and offered a friendly smile. “Hello.”
“Hi.” I removed my phone from my pocket and pulled up my confirmation e-mail. “We’re here for the four-thirty tour.”
After verifying our reservation, she pointed to a table in the corner. “You can get your drinks there and then head out the back door, where Lyle should be waiting for you.”
While we prepared to-go cups with hot cocoa—except for Hayle, who chose apple cider—Tristin asked, “Who is Lyle?”
I sighed, feigning aggravation. “And you guys were doing so well.” Honestly, I was surprised that they hadn’t picked up any of the brochures lining the counter and tried to guess which of the offered “adventures” we were going on.
“Fine,” he grumbled, though he shot me a small grin to soften the complaint.
A minute later, we made our way out the back door to find a shiny black sleigh waiting for us. It looked like something out of Victorian times, with its elegant curves and burgundy leather seats. A beautiful black horse stomped her front feet into the snow, appearing more than ready to get this show on the road.
From behind me, I heard Leo’s low chuckle. “Now, this I couldn’t have predicted.”
Worried, I twisted my head to look at him and then Hayle and Tristin. “Was this a terrible idea? It sounded fun, but now I can’t help but think I’m dragging you into the middle of a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie.”
Leo looped an arm around my shoulder, in a move that was now as comforting as my favorite pair of yoga pants. “It’s awesome. I’m a little pissed that I didn’t come up with this idea myself.”
“Me too,” Tristin said, walking to my other side. “This is the sort of thing we’re supposed to plan for you, not the other way around.”
“Says who?” I challenged. Planning it had been half the fun. Well, I assumed so, since I hadn’t actually gone on the sleigh ride yet. Maybe it would be a massive letdown.
A man dressed in classic western wear, complete with cowboy boots and hat and a long coat that I was pretty sure was called a duster, appeared from the other side of the sleigh. His hair and beard were completely white, and his face was lined and leathery from what I figured was a lifetime spent