Free Christmas Showdown by MacKenzie McKade

We’ll continue this conversation
later.”
    “What if I don’t want to continue this
conversation?”
    He gave her a wicked wink as he strolled off
to the laundry room whistling.
    Her fingers felt like they’d turned into
thumbs as she released TJ from the high chair and picked him up.
Quickly she made him a sippy cup of milk. Maybe she’d just take a
bath with TJ and go to bed too. Then she remembered all the gifts
left to wrap.
    Kelly knew without a doubt this would be a
very long night.

Chapter Seven
     
     
    For the second time in the last thirty
minutes, Trey nursed a paper cut. He had no idea that wrapping
presents was so dangerous, or at least painful. After he made TJ’s
bed, he found several blankets and laid them atop the bed. Then he
went into the living room, built a fire in the hearth, turned the
radio on and gazed around, discouraged, at the stack of gifts. It
would be a while before he got the opportunity to woo Kelly,
because he first needed to get things ready for Christmas.
    Trey had just finished wrapping the last
couple of presents he had purchased for Kelly when she stepped into
the room barefoot.
    “Is he asleep?” Trey moved the small box he’d
just wrapped aside.
    “The minute his head hit the pillow.” She
stood before him, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. “Uh,
Trey.”
    “Yes?”
    “I’ve been remiss in thanking you for all
you’ve done for TJ today—for Christmas. I don’t know if I would
have ever been able to give him what you have in less than a
day.”
    “Darlin’, you don’t have to thank me. He’s my
son, too. Besides, it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
And much to his surprise, it had been.
    Kelly gazed around the floor where he sat
surrounded by numerous rolls of paper, tape, ribbon and bows of
every color and size. “Where do you want me to start?”
    “Why don’t you begin with TJ’s. I put some of
his larger gifts in my closet. I thought we’d set them around the
tree and place a big bow on them, if that’s alright with you?”
    “Fine.” She selected a couple of presents and
wrapping supplies before moving a good distance away from him, and
then she took a seat on the floor.
    Soft music played in the background as the
fire crackled and popped, emitting a fresh woodsy scent. The
peaceful moment gave Trey a feeling of contentment, reminding him
of his parents. He couldn’t count the number of times he and his
brothers had snuck down the stairs and watched their mother and
father do the same thing Trey and Kelly were doing on Christmas
Eve. The domestic scene only deepened his desire to make things
work between him and Kelly. Within his heart, he knew they could be
a family—a real family.
    Judging the size of the paper in his hand, he
chose a small box that held a belt buckle for Lance. “Do you like
to ride?”
    “Horses?”
    No, me , slipped into his mind. “Yes.
Horses. We usually take an evening ride on Christmas.”
    “I rode a little as a child. A friend gave me
riding lessons.” He watched her fingers work effortlessly on a
package as she spoke. “I guess it’s like riding a bike. Hopefully
it will come back to me.”
    Trey took her willingness to participate as a
good sign. “I don’t know if you’d be interested in gardening, but I
have a small one beyond the backyard. Nothing but tomatoes,
cucumbers and zucchini.”
    “Really? I love gardening.” A smile curved
her full lips, drawing his attention. “I noticed your flowerbeds
are bare out front and back. If you’d like I could plant winter
flowers. I mean, if you like flowers. I love the feel of soil, the
earthy scent.” Her eyes darkened.
    “After the holidays we can go shopping for
whatever you need. The li’l buckaroo and I can help. If he’s
anything like me, he’ll like getting down and dirty.”
    Their eyes met and he swore they weren’t
talking about gardening anymore. Then she looked away and started
on another present.
    He stood, needing to stretch