Page 23 of The Bear's Christmas Wish
His bear growled in agreement.Keep her safe.
Sarah froze, surprise flickering across her face. Michael immediately dropped his arm to his side, embarrassed by his instinctive reaction.
“I mean, it’s too dangerous,” he explained in a gentler tone. “The road will be impassable by now.”
Sarah’s eyes widened. “Already?”
Michael nodded, stepping away to the window to give her space. Through the glass, the world had disappeared into a wall of white. Even the closest pine trees were barely visible, ghostly shapes on a blank canvas.
“But don’t worry,” he assured her, turning back to meet her concerned gaze. “The storm won’t last too long, and James will organize snowplows. It’ll be cleared in an hour or two.”
She bit her lower lip, glancing out the window at the swirling white. “Oh. So I’m stuck here?”
Michael gave her what he hoped was a sympathetic smile, though his bear was practically doing cartwheels at having their mate confined in their territory.
“I have cocoa,” Michael offered. “And cookies.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she nodded. “I should call my mom and check on Emmy.”
While Sarah made her call, Michael busied himself in the small kitchenette tucked into the corner of the office. The familiar routine of making cocoa gave his hands something to do besides reaching for her.
He heated the milk slowly, adding the rich cocoa powder and a touch of vanilla. The whipped cream came next, piled high in fluffy peaks, then a scatter of mini marshmallows. He hesitated before adding a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top.
Too much?he asked his bear.
Nothing is too much for our mate,his bear replied happily.
Michael carried the two mugs back to his desk, where Sarah was just ending her call.
“Emmy’s fine,” she said, slipping her phone into her pocket. “Mom says they’re making gingerbread houses and barely noticed it’s snowing.”
“That’s good,” Michael replied, offering her one of the mugs. “I hope this helps warm you up.”
Sarah accepted the cocoa, her eyes widening at the elaborate creation. “Wow. You take your hot chocolate seriously.”
“Family recipe,” he said, which wasn’t exactly a lie. His mother had always believed in the healing properties of properly made cocoa. “Best enjoyed while watching a snowstorm from somewhere warm and dry.”
She took a sip, closing her eyes momentarily as she savored the taste. A small sigh escaped her lips, and Michael felt a surge of pride at having pleased her.
“This is incredible,” she said, opening her eyes to meet his gaze. “Thank you.”
The warmth in her eyes made his heart skip a beat. His bear rumbled contentedly.
“So,” Michael said, gesturing to the folder she’d set on his desk. “You brought proofs?”
“Yes,” Sarah said, seeming grateful for the shift to professional ground. She set down her mug and opened the folder, spreading several printed designs across his desk. “I’ve worked up some options. Tell me what you think, and we can go from there.”
Michael leaned closer, genuinely impressed by what he saw. The designs were clean and elegant, with just enough whimsy to capture the spirit of Bear Creek’s winter traditions.
“These are fantastic,” he said, carefully examining each one. “You’ve really captured the feel of the place.”
Sarah’s smile brightened, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m glad you like them. I wanted to get the tone right. Traditional but not stuffy, magical but not childish.”
“You nailed it,” Michael replied, tapping one design in particular. “Especially this one. The way you’ve used the colors makes the trees pop.”
“That’s my favorite, too,” she said, her voice warm with pleasure.
Outside, the snow continued to fall, blanketing the world in white. But inside the small office, with Sarah’s smile and the scent of cocoa filling the air, Michael couldn’t remember a storm ever feeling so perfect.
