“Nope.” She shook her head. “I’ve been on a carriage ride in the snow a few times at the local park when I was a kid and once in New York a few years ago. But not on a proper sleigh with bells.”
Well now, that was a tragedy. “You want to get a lift back to our stuff?” he asked.
“Oh.” She glanced at him. “Could we? Would he take us? I don’t mind skating back.”
He laughed at the hope and excitement shining in her eyes. “Of course. Judd Henry’s been giving sleigh rides around Miracle Lake for as long as I can remember—he’ll be delighted.”
Then he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled to get the old man’s attention. When he looked over, Reuben pointed to the shore where they were heading and he nodded, the horses moving quickly to their master’s command.
By the time Reuben and Vivian had skated to the shore and made their way the short distance through the wood to a snowy, well-worn trail, the sleigh arrived. “Hey up, there,” Judd ordered and the sleigh pulled to a halt. Streams of foggy breath puffed from the horses’ nostrils.
“Hey, Mr. Henry.”
“Reuben.” The old man still had that same long, gray beard.
They shook hands. “This is Vivian.”
“You’re the new chocolate shop owner,” Judd said in that matter-of-fact way of his.
“Ah…yes.” She darted a look at Reuben. “That’s right.”
He bobbed his head politely and said, “Very pleased to meetcha.”
Vivian beamed at him. “And you.”
It wasn’t a smile for Reuben but it sure made his breath hitch anyway and he had to drag his head back into the game instead of just standing there and staring at her like an idiot. “Could we grab a lift back to the other side of the lake?” Reuben asked.
Another bob of the head. “Hop in. Blanket’s on the seat. We’ll be there in a jiffy.”
“Thank you,” Vivian said, excitement tinging her voice and putting a spring in her step.
Reuben helped her up onto the back seat then slid in beside her, smiling indulgently as she fussed over tucking the blanket in around them before settling her hand very high on his thigh. As if he was reading Reuben’s mind, Judd half turned in his seat and said, “No canoodling back there, young man.”
Young man? Fucking hell. Reuben was thirty years old yet somehow he felt like a horny fifteen-year-old under Judd’s stern eye.
“I gotta look your mama in the eye at church on Sunday and I’d rather not have to lie to her about what you got up to on the back of my sleigh.” He switched his gaze to Vivian and Reuben watched as it went all soft and twinkly. “Give that boy a slap if he gets fresh back there now, you hear?”
Then he winked at her. He actually winked.
She laughed. “I most certainly will,” she replied all prim and proper like her hand hadn’t just moved an inch closer to his very interested dick.
Rolling his eyes as Judd turned back to the horses, Reuben whispered, “Just for this. I’m going to grope you under my momma’s table during dinner at the worst possible moment.”
She snuggled her head into his shoulder as the sleigh jerked into action, the bells a’jingling as her hand touched down on his erection. “I’ll make sure I go commando,” she murmured.
Which did not help his erection one little bit…
Chapter Seven
Vivian did not go commando. There seemed little point when she was in a pair of tailored pants because she hadn’t known what to wear. Reuben had assured her it was a casual affair but she knew that guys were sometimes oblivious to dress codes so she covered her bases. Smart tailored bottoms teamed with a funny Thanksgiving sweater with a turkey on it and a caption that read, Get Your Stretchy Pants Ready.
She wasn’t sure about the sweater but Reuben had loved it. She suspected that was because of the V-neckline and the way it hugged her breasts but when he picked her up wearing jeans and a long-sleeved Henley she felt more reassured.
And then he didn’t get a chance to do anything under the table as it was set so partners were sitting opposite each other. But that didn’t stop him looking at her like he was going to stick his hands in her pants the second he had her alone. Every time Viv caught his eye the tension deep inside her pelvis ratcheted up another notch and as much as she was enjoying getting to know Reuben’s extended family, she was pretty much going to be at screaming point when they finally got home.
Got to the cottage.
Or maybe she’d just jump him in his pickup on the way.
Lunch was a big, noisy affair with three tables pushed together to cater for twenty adults—aunts, uncles and cousins—and then, at another table about twenty feet away in the living room, was a kids’ table that sat eleven children ranging from four to thirteen.
Viv was used to rowdy family affairs back home so it didn’t faze her but it did make her miss hers a little, which was just the distraction she needed from the sense that something was a bit off with Reuben’s mom.
It hadn’t been obvious at first. Gaylene Price had been perfectly polite and welcoming, treating her as an honored guest, making sure she had enough to eat and drink and when they’d all gone around the table to say what they were thankful for, she’d smiled encouragingly at Viv and insisted she go first. But the longer the day went on the more Viv was sure something wasn’t right.
There was a notch less enthusiasm. A smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. A voice that had cooled just the slightest amount in their brief interactions. It was so subtle Viv doubted anyone else had noticed but she was sure it was the case.
Maybe Viv was especially sensitive to the slightest nuance because she really wanted Reuben’s mom to like her. Sure, this was just a short-term thing and she and Reuben were both adults who didn’t need any family approval but…Reuben clearly loved his family and Viv had no desire to get in the middle of that or cause any more friction in Marietta than she already had.
After lunch, everyone rose from the table and mingled in groups and the cozy house filled with the low natter of adult voices and the more strident calls of children who ran in and out and around legs or bickered good-naturedly over which movie to watch.
“Oh God…I just love your boots.”
Viv turned at the voice that had interrupted her and Reuben’s conversation with one of his great-uncles who lived on a ranch somewhere nearby and was extolling the virtues of different feed crops.
Kill her now.
So a shoe conversation was just what Viv needed and she almost kissed Jess as her and Stephen approached. Stephen was Reuben’s first cousin who been hilariously funny throughout the meal—although his mother, who was Gaylene’s sister, hadn’t thought so—and Jess was his wife. They were about the same age as Reuben.
The old rancher gave a half laugh and shook his head pityingly at Reuben. “Shoes.” He gave a dramatic shudder. “Run away while you have the chance, son.”
Considering Reuben was taking advantage of them having their backs to a wall by planting his hand firmly on her ass, Viv didn’t think he’d be too inclined to go anywhere. “I don’t mind shoes,” Reuben said with a wry smile and squeezed her ass.