Free One Christmas Wish by Sara Richardson

and flooded her face. Whew. She really had to take off her coat.
    “I guess we should head up to their truck.” Seemingly unfazed by the sizzle between them, he elbowed open the driver’s door.
    “Guess so.” At least with more people, she’d have a distraction. Julia went to slip on her gloves. Wait! The rings! “Hold on.” She tugged on Isaac’s jacket with one hand while digging out the rings with the other. “We have to wear these.” She held them out on the palm of her hand. Two simple gold bands. Nothing fancy. After all, this was a sham.
    Seemed she might need to remind Isaac of that, judging from the way his mouth and eyes went all soft and nostalgic. When his gaze moved from the rings to her eyes, his mouth quirked on the right side, the same way it used to when she would say something to amuse him.
    Instead of taking his ring from her hand, he held out his ring finger and she had no choice but to slip it on him herself. Before she could put on her own ring, Isaac stole it and slid it on her finger. “I do,” he said too softly, too close to her lips. Holding her breath, she closed her eyes and waited for his lips to brush hers. But they didn’t. Instead he pushed open the door and climbed out of the truck while she fanned herself, eyes honed in on his ass.
    God, she was so weak. And this was so much harder than she’d thought it’d be.
    The passenger door whooshed open. “Come on, darlin’,” Isaac said with that dizzying grin.
    He scooped her up so fast that she had to throw both arms around his neck to steady herself.
    Holding her tightly against his broad chest, he trekked up the slope to the couple waiting anxiously on the road.
    “Darlin’…” Somehow he managed to infuse even more charm into his drawl. “This is Tollie and Cecilia.”
    A sudden wave of nerves shuddered through her. What if they didn’t like her? What if they didn’t want to give her the dog? “Hello.” She smiled as brightly as she could, given the fear that crept in. They were pretending to be married …
    “Such a pleasure to meet you, love,” the old man said, clasping her hand and pumping it up and down. He was as short as his wife, but looked strong. Cheer blared from his red, shiny cheeks and wise brown eyes. He wore a stocking cap, but a rim of white hair peeked out underneath.
    “It surely is a pleasure!” Cecilia agreed. Her knitted cap had a ring of dogs circling the hem. Long white hair fell past her shoulders. Her cheeks were as bright as her husband’s.
    “Come on now.” She ushered them toward the truck. “You’ll catch your death out here without a hat, you will.”
    Julia did her best not to look at Isaac as he transported her into the backseat of the idling truck.
    Once he’d settled her, he rose, searching her eyes again, damn him. “I should help Tollie get everything hitched up.”
    “And I’ll keep Julia here company,” Cecilia added, scooting herself into the front seat. “It’ll be a blessed thing getting to know each other better before you take sweet Oliver home.”
    “We’ll take good care of him,” Isaac promised, then slipped out of the truck and slammed the door.
    Tears welled in Julia’s eyes. She would. She’d take good care of Oliver. If they would let her. She smiled at the woman. This was her chance to make a good impression, to make Cecilia like her. “Thank you for rescuing us,” she said. “And for choosing me. I promise I’ll take good care him.” Even if she was on her own. She’d be the best dog mom in the world.
    “Of course you will, love.” Cecilia waved her off. “We knew you were the right couple as soon as I saw your application.”
    Couple. An onslaught of guilt forced her face to the window.
    “And this will be such fun, it will!” the woman went on. “We never have company, being so far away from everything.”
    “Company?” Surely Cecilia didn’t think they were staying long. “We can’t stay,” she said carefully. “We have to