Page 24 of Sweet Christmas Comeback
Her pen stilled. The woods felt closer, darker, more private. The air between her and Leo shifted—thicker somehow. She could feel his warmth beside her, could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing.
“Beautiful,” she whispered.
“My favorite stretch,” he said. His voice was softer now, almost reverent. “When it behaves. Sometimes the trail gets tricky after fresh snow.”
Before she could ask what he meant, Comet’s hoof slipped. The left runner hit something hidden beneath the snow—a root, a rock, a depression that sent the sleigh lurching sideways. Jade’s clipboard flew from her hands, papers scattering like oversized snowflakes.
“Lean right,” Leo ordered. His arm shot around her waist, pulling her tight against him. The sleigh tilted dangerously, creaking as wood ground against the hidden obstacle. Harness bells clashed off beat. Vixen tossed her head, steam bursting from flared nostrils.
Jade’s stomach plunged. Her mittened hand scrabbled at the side rail, but the world kept tilting. For a terrifying moment, she thought they might actually tip over completely.
“Take the reins!” Leo pressed the leather into her hands, already vaulting down into snow up to his knees. “Keep them steady—talk to them.”
Her gloves slipped on the leather, but she clenched harder, breath coming sharp and fast. She could feel the reindeer’s tension through the reins, their uncertainty transmitting up through the lines. “Easy, Comet,” she called, surprised by how steady her voice sounded. “Easy, girl. Steady, Vixen.” The animals’ ears twitched toward her words, and she felt them relax slightly.
“Perfect,” Leo called from where he was examining the trapped runner. “You’re a natural.”
The praise sent warmth shooting through her, even as she focused on keeping the reindeer calm. She’d never handled anything like this before, but somehow it felt right—the weightof the reins, the responsibility, the trust the animals were placing in her.
“On three,” Leo grunted, bracing his shoulder against the high-side runner. Snow clung to his dark coat, and she could see the muscles in his shoulders strain against the fabric. “Lean with me. One, two, three!”
She shifted all her weight right, pressing into the motion. The sleigh grated, inched forward. Snow sprayed from the runners as they scraped against the hidden obstacle. Comet stamped nervously, but stayed in position.
“Again,” Leo said, breathing hard from the effort. “Together.”
Jade leaned harder, throwing her whole body into it. For a moment they were working in perfect synchronization—her weight balancing the sleigh while his strength freed the runner. She could feel his determination, his competence, the way he never seemed to doubt they’d get through this.
The runner jolted free with a sound like a cork popping, then slammed flat onto level ground with a decisive thud.
The world stilled. Bells quieted to their gentle rhythm. Snow drifted down around them, soft as a held breath.
Jade sagged against the seat back, her mittened hands still clutching the reins. Leo climbed back into the sleigh beside her, snow clinging to his coat and hat, his cheeks flushed from cold and exertion.
“Well done,” he said quietly, his eyes meeting hers. “Most people would have panicked.”
“Most people don’t have a very good teacher,” she replied, and was rewarded with one of his rare, genuine smiles.
He reached for the reins, and their hands brushed as she transferred them back. Even through the layers of wool and leather, she felt the contact like a spark. Neither of them pulled away immediately.
“Jade,” he said, her name soft on his lips.
She looked up, and suddenly he was very close. Snowflakes clung to his lashes, melted and slid into drops that traced his cheek. His brown eyes were warm despite the cold, fixed on her face with an intensity that made her breath catch.
The space between them seemed to shrink. His free hand came up to her face, thumb brushing a snowflake from her cheek with infinite gentleness. The leather of his glove was soft against her skin, warmed by his touch.
He’s going to kiss me.
Her heart slammed, wild and unsteady. And I want him to.
Every sensible voice told her to pull back—they were partners, this was complicated, she was only here temporarily. Instead, her eyes fluttered shut. She leaned the smallest fraction closer, lips parting slightly, drawn by something stronger than logic.
His breath whispered across her mouth, warm and sweet. Another inch and?—
A loud, wet snort shattered the spell.
Vixen shook her massive head, bells jangling like Christmas morning, and a burst of cold powder sprayed from her fur, peppering both their faces with snow. Jade gasped, jerking back with a startled laugh. Leo cursed softly under his breath and loosened his hold, but his eyes stayed on her face for another long moment.
“She has terrible timing,” he murmured, but there was affection in his voice as he looked at the reindeer.
