A Snowbound Cowboy Christmas

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“This is incredible. You should move into the kitchen instead of serving.”

“I had planned to, but then Jax said he was selling the ranch.” Sandy grimaced. “But now that it’s not for sale, I’ll have that chance again. Unless you changed Dylan’s mind last night.”

“No chance of that.” Guilt crept into Emma’s heart. The woman had dreams and aspirations and she was there to take them away. Wonderful. “Any word on how much snow we had overnight?”

“Eight inches. Not quite the foot they had expected. Normally we don’t see this type of accumulation until late January or early February. But it has been known to happen.”

“So I guess you’re still stuck with me.” Emma tried to smile. The snow worked in her favor at the moment, but unless she could change Dylan’s mind, she’d go stir-crazy on the ranch.

“We’re all in this together. Don’t worry. We have plenty of provisions and the lodge has generators in case we lose power. Dylan’s brother Harlan is a deputy sheriff in town so he’ll keep us updated on the roads.” Sandy pulled out a chair next to her and sat down. “You and Dylan looked awfully cozy in the cab of the snowcat when you pulled out of here last night.”

Emma wiped at her mouth, no longer hungry. “As cozy as two people can get when the driver has both of his hands full steering a multi-ton vehicle across the snow. Believe me when I tell you, Dylan has no plans to sell this place. He won’t even discuss it.”

“I already knew that. I thought maybe there was a romance brewing between you two.”

She pushed her plate aside. “You are out of your mind. Don’t take this the wrong way, but this lifestyle isn’t for me. I’m used to having every amenity available at a moment’s notice. We have road closures, but never like this. At least not where I live in Chicago. I’m blocks away from the hospital so they clear those roads first. This is very—”

“Calming, if you allow it to be.”

Emma covered her mouth for fear she might burst out laughing. The Montana wilderness was not calming to her. It was terrifying in more than one way.

“Maybe he’ll take you out for a private sleigh ride today.” Sandy nibbled her bottom lip. “Can you just imagine?”

Emma had never been the hopeless-romantic type. Even romantic was questionable. She’d read the fairy tales and had hoped her Prince Charming would sweep her off her feet one day. Then she had gotten knocked up and her boyfriend walked out on her. So much for romance. And hopeless? Yeah, she was feeling pretty hopeless right now, considering she couldn’t even convince Dylan to listen to her.

“I think you’re super excited about your wedding and you’re trying to play matchmaker. You’re conveniently forgetting I’m carrying another man’s baby.”

“But I overheard you tell Dylan that he wasn’t in your life.”

“That’s right, he’s not.”

“Then what’s the problem? Dylan loves kids. He still misses the ones he lost when Lauren divorced him. And you challenge each other.”

“How do you know that?” Emma jabbed her fork into a piece of French toast. It would be a shame to let it go to waste. “I’ve only been here for a day.”

“I see the way you look at each other. And the way he sang to you last night.” Sandy fanned herself with her hand. “Now that was hot.”

“It was a Christmas song, not a love song,” Emma protested.

“But you were standing under the mistletoe.”

“An unfortunate misstep on my part. It’s not like he came over and kissed me afterward.”

“And what if I had?” Dylan said from behind her.

Emma froze. Mouth-open, fork-in-hand, syrup-dripping froze. Now, she was going to die.

* * *

DYLAN KNEW HE wasn’t playing fair. Then again, Emma hadn’t played fair since the day they had met.

“I’ll give you two a little privacy.” Sandy stood and held out her chair for him.

Before he even had a chance to sit, Emma rose. “I should be going, too.”

“Going where? The ranch is snowed in.”

Emma’s pinky grazed his. It was innocent and intimate in the same breath. And dammit if it hadn’t left him wanting more. He moved his chair a few inches farther away from hers before he sat down.

“Did you change your mind about hearing my proposal?”

“No.” He shook his head. “But I would like to pick your brain”

Emma’s eyes widened. “About the ranch? Dylan, I have a conference call this afternoon and I have to explain how I can’t convince you to give me a few hours of your time. Yet, you want to pick my brain, as you put it, over the ranch. Yeah, um, I’m sorry. That’s not going to happen.”