Page 28 of Tangled In Tinsel & Knots
It bolts toward the pasture instead.
“No! Wrong direction!”
I chase after it, and we end up in a muddy patch where snow has melted into slush. My boots sink, and I’m slipping, and the reindeer is having the time of its life running circles around me.
“Please,” I gasp, making another grab. “Please just cooperate for five seconds.”
This time I manage to get a grip on the fur of its neck. It tries to pull away, I hold on, and we both slip in the mud.
I go down hard, knees first, mud splashing everywhere. It’s cold and wet and disgusting, and I can feel it soaking through my jeans.
“This is your fault,” I tell the reindeer, who’s now calmly standing next to me like nothing happened. “You know that, right? This is entirely your fault.”
It blinks at me with those big, innocent eyes.
“Don’t give me that look. You’re a menace.” I struggle to my feet, mud everywhere, on my jeans, my jacket, my hands. I can feel it on my face. “And you’re coming with me to the barn right now before?—”
“What are you doing to Corn Dog?” A low, male voice comes from behind me.
I freeze and turn slowly, and there’s a man standing about ten feet away, half hidden by the corner of the house.
And oh my God, he’s gorgeous.
Tall, definitely six four, with long light brown hair, falling past his shoulders. He’s wearing all black—tactical pants, boots, some kind of vest that might be Kevlar. Blue eyes that are currently studying me.
This must be one of Chris’s partners. Has to be. No one else would be on this property, right?
“Do I know you?” His voice is calm. “What are you doing here?”
I try to find words. Any words. But my brain is struggling to process the fact that I’m covered in mud, holding on to a reindeer named Corn Dog, and facing down a man who looks like he just walked out of the woods after wrestling a bear with his bare hands and winning.
“I just—Chris—reindeer—I wanted to check—” I’m stammering, gesturing uselessly. “I thought he was home. I didn’t mean to—the gate opened and I—my name’s Hannah.”
Corn Dog chooses this moment to escape my grip, bolting toward the pasture again.
“Dammit!” I lunge after him, but the man moves faster, cutting off Corn Dog’s escape route. Between the two of us, we manage to corner the reindeer and herd him toward the fenced pen behind the barn.
The man opens the gate, and Corn Dog trots inside like he planned this whole escape just to torment me. The gate shuts with a solid click.
I exhale, leaning against the fence. “Oh my God. That reindeer is exhausting.”
“They’re all exhausting.” The man is watching me, and there’s definitely amusement in his eyes now. “But especially him.”
“Why’s he named Corn Dog?”
“That’s a long story.” He crosses his arms, and the movement makes his vest shift, revealing more tactical gear underneath. “Let me guess. You’re the event planner who kissed Chris yesterday.”
Heat floods my face. “Oh. He told you about that.”
The man’s smirk widens. “I’m Noel Saxon, by the way, and this is my home.”
Saxon. Like the original owners. “You’re related to Greg and Mary?”
“My grandparents.” He tilts his head, studying me. “How’d you know about them?”
“Mr. Walsh at the post office. I asked who owned reindeer in town.” I try to wipe mud off my face, but my hands are also muddy, so I’m probably just making it worse. “I’m really sorry for breaking into your property. I just needed to verify that Chris actually had reindeer before tomorrow’s event.”
“By breaking in.” Noel’s voice is dry. “That’s one way to do it.”
