Free All I Want Is You (A Chester Farms Novella) by Keri Ford Page B

was no doubt from sprinkles and mini chocolate chips she'd be swiping at throughout the evening. He'd watched her work yesterday afternoon to know she did it. Now that he had a taste, it was the fudge sauce he wanted to get his hands on.
    He held her by the hips and brought her in close to his. Blood roared through him and left his head spinning, but the sound of a vehicle coming closer managed to get through. Her fingers curled in against his side and he had to force himself to back off before tossing her shirt overhead right there in the doorway.
    Breath rushed out of her as she stared up at him with drowsy, heavy-lidded eyes and lips wet from his. "Well. Good evening to you, too."
    If she kept looking at him like that, it was going to be a very good evening indeed. The engine he'd heard grew louder and headlights flashed along the tree line at the curve. He eased back a step as the car rounded the turn. She was still somewhat new to town and everyone he'd heard comment considered her a quiet, sweet girl. He didn't want to be the reason for anyone changing that opinion by getting caught with her all but pinned to the front of her store.
    She cleared her throat and leaned around his shoulder. "Did you back up to the door so you could get out of here faster tonight?"
    "Only if you're coming with me."
    She lifted a shoulder. "That might be doable."
    "I brought you something. Prop the door open for me?"
    She eyed him a moment longer and then backed up and held it open. The surprise would be over the moment he dropped the tailgate, so he kept his gaze on hers and lowered the back end. The stump end of a tree jutted forward and plastic bins were shoved in every way possible—including more piled in the passenger seat of his truck. "An early gift from me to you. Merry Christmas, Tasha."
    A gasp of a shriek escaped her lips and she reached up and covered her mouth. Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head. "Thank you."
    He unloaded the boxes out of the way on the walk in front of the store and grabbed the tree. It wasn't the biggest or the tallest, but he'd searched all afternoon for something small to fit in a corner of her shop without taking up a lot of room.
    He hefted it inside and held it up in the center of the room. "What do you think?"
    "It's beautiful." She touched the ends of the thick branches.
    "Be deciding where you want it. I'll get the boxes inside and dig out the stand. I think we have enough lights that your store could glow for miles."
    She turned the tips of the fir through her fingers as he lowered it on its side. "Where did you get all this?"
    "The Chesters. I asked if I could borrow a few things before they headed south."
    "Thank you. You can't know what this means to me."
    With the way she knelt down and swept her hands over the branches, he got a good idea. Where he was from, Christmas started when the tree went up. Presents were added underneath it during the weeks leading up to the big day and if someone was home, the tree lights were on and the house lights were often dimmed. It took less than a couple hours for the earthy pine scent to fill every room of the house.
    She pushed off her knees to stand and he stepped out and grabbed the boxes. Mrs. Jana had pointed him to the attic with instructions to take what he wanted except for the special ornaments. He'd helped decorate and take down their tree a time or two and knew exactly the ones she meant. The old key with the engraving that marked the year when Mrs. Jana and Sam moved into the house. Different ones for births of Tate, Wade, and Whitney. Then again for graduation. There were even a couple in that box with his name on it.
    With all the boxes inside, he flipped the open sign to closed, shut off the outside lights, and locked the front door. "Decided where you want it yet?"
    "In this corner." She stepped around a few tables, grabbed one and tugged it a few feet, then got her hands on another before he could get across the room. She pointed at