Page 18 of The Christmas List

Instead of responding, I roll my eyes, biting back the smile that I can’t seem to pull from my lips. I almost forgot how easy it was to be around Wyatt, to laugh and flirt and to not have to think about guarding my heart.

Once we get to the skate rental booth, Wyatt tells the teenage attendant our skate sizes and then grabs them from her, giving her a smile that makes her eyes widen.

Clearly, I’m not the only one affected by how attractive he is. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also charming and attentive, and all of it together is a lethal combination.

“You remember my shoe size?” I laugh as I take the worn skates from him and sit down on the bench to remove my boots.

His broad shoulder dips. “I told you I remember everything about you, Jos. I wasn’t lying.”

My God, how on earth am I supposed to be affected by things like that when he says them? His sweet words unleash a flurry of wings in the pit of my stomach that makes my heart feel as if it’s creeping up my chest into my throat.

A jarring reminder that even though time has passed, part of him is still the boy I once fell in love with.

I don’t even know how to respond, so I just clear my throat, dropping my gaze down to the laces as my fingers fumble to get them tightened.

Partially because my gloves are thick and partially because I’m shaking slightly from a culmination of nerves and butterflies.

Wyatt moves to his knees at my feet, gently removing the laces from my trembling fingers. “Let me.”

I swallow thickly while I nod.

His long fingers work quickly, getting my skate laced up in a matter of seconds, and then he’s peering up at me with a lazy grin. “Do you remember the time we went skating down by Strawberry Falls with Jackson and Jude?” Rising to his feet, heoffers me a hand, then pulls me to my feet when I slide my palm into his. “That day we played hockey and I took a puck to the face?”

“Oh God. Yes. I’m pretty sure I almost passed out from all of the blood.” I shiver slightly at the memory. Although it’s not entirely a pleasant memory, it’s still one of my favorites. It was the first time he told me he loved me. Even though he was slightly out of it from the pain medicine, it still was the first time we both admitted that we were in love.

“You were the best nurse.” Wyatt winks as we step out onto the slippery ice.

I almost lose my balance, the blade of my skate catching a rut in the ice, but Wyatt’s arm flies out, wrapping around my waist to steady me. I can feel the heaviness of his palm curving along my hip, and it makes me shiver.

And it has nothing to do with the temperature.

“Uh, thank you. I told you… it’s been a while. I’m a little rusty,” I say as we glide along the ice.

His hand drops, but he doesn’t put any distance between us, instead remaining so close that I can feel the heat of his body radiating onto me.

“I won’t let you fall,” he promises. “It’s like riding a bike. Muscle memory. It’s been… over eight years since I’ve been. Not a lot of ice-skating opportunities in California.”

“I can’t evenseeyou as a California guy.”

His dirty-blond brow arches. “Yeah? Why not?”

“I dunno…” I trail off as we skate around the rink, crisp, cool air hitting my cheeks. “I mean, I just can’t see you sitting at a desk, working a nine-to-five, being a corporate kind of guy. I think I’ve always pictured you still on the ranch, covered in mud and sweat. Wearing boots and a hat. Not in a suit and tie.”

Actually, now that I’m picturing it, I imagine he looked absolutely incredible in a suit.

“Yeah, it never really felt right to me either. That’s why I ended up working for the petroleum company. Once I started consulting, I worked from home. No suits. Plus, it gave me freedom and flexibility, especially before Lucy was in school full-time.” Chuckling, he skates ahead of me, then turns to face me, skating backward as he holds my eyes. “It feels good to be home at the ranch. Feels right.”

It feels right to me that Wyatt’s here too. Strawberry Hollow hasalwaysfelt like where he belonged.

But I’m not going to say that out loud.

Because the most vulnerable part of me knows it’s more than that. It’s not just that he belongs here; it’s that a part of my heart has always wanted him to come home to me.

I nod, attempting to focus on staying upright while skating and not how unnervingly handsome he is. “I’m… I’m glad you’re home too, Wyatt.”

Much more than I’m ready to admit.

Suddenly, a group of teenagers speeds past us, narrowly avoiding colliding with me, and it sends me pitching forward on the ice, directly into Wyatt’s hard chest with anoof.

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