Page 32 of The Christmas List
When I hear the low rumbling of his truck pulling into the driveway, I take one last look in the mirror at my reflection, hoping that the outfit I picked for tonight is perfect.
I’m wearing my favorite pair of blue jeans tucked into a pair of knee-high tan boots and a cream-colored sweater that always complements my skin tone and hair color, all paired with my tan trench coat that falls just above my knees. And a dark brown beanie with a fuzzy pom-pom on the top, not only because I love the color and it goes great with the outfit I chose but also because it is freaking freezing, and I don’t want to spend the entire night with frozen ears.
My dark curls are styled into loose waves that fall to my waist, and I put on a small amount of makeup. Mostly the usual: blush, mascara, and my favorite lip butter balm.
Wyatt’s knock on the front door has me bending to give Rudy one last scratch behind his ears on the plush living room floor, the sight of it bringing back vivid memories of the other night that have my face heating.
Now is not the time, Josie, I chastise myself and grab my small shoulder bag from the entryway table before opening the front door.
“Hi,” Wyatt rasps, a sexy, lazy smirk lounging on his lips. His gaze travels the length of my body before he shakes his head. “You look beautiful, honey. So damn beautiful.”
He’s the one who looks… wow.
He traded in his old work jacket for a thick brown jacket, and beneath it, he’s wearing a burgundy-colored henley with a pair of faded jeans that hug his muscular thighs. In his hands is a smallbouquet of winter flowers that look like they’ve been cut directly from a garden.
When he sees me eyeing them, he chuckles, the sound slipping over me like a balm. “These are from Lucy and me. She insisted that we cut them out of Gram’s garden.”
The thought of the two of them doing that together is so adorable that it makes my chest ache.
“Thank you, Wyatt. That’s so sweet and thoughtful,” I murmur as I step forward and lift on my tiptoes to press my lips to his, earning me a low groan of approval as his tongue sweeps along the seam of my lips.
“Jesus, Josie, you taste so fucking good.”
I laugh. “That’s my lip balm. It’s peppermint flavor.”
“I guess peppermint just became my new favorite, then.”
After I put the flowers in a vase with water on the kitchen table and give Rudy a very stern talking-to, warning him to stay away from them, Wyatt leads me to his truck with his hand clasped tightly in mine, then helps me into the passenger seat like a gentleman.
He slides in the driver’s side, and then we’re off. He still hasn’t given me any clue as to where we’re going, even though I try for most of the ride to get something,anythingout of him.
Which drives me insane because he knows that I’m terrible with surprises.
But Wyattjust chuckles and places his big palm on my thigh, sweeping his thumb absentmindedly along the top.
I’m no less confused when he parks in front of the guest cabin that he and Lucy are calling home, then opens my truck door, offering me his hand with a teasing grin. “Let’s go, beautiful.”
Surprisingly, he doesn’t lead me up to the porch. Instead, he leads me around the side of the house, and my brow furrows with confusion.
Okay, what is going on righ?—
Oh my God.
I lift my hand to my mouth, covering it to stop the sound of shock from spilling past my lips.
We may be at Wyatt’s house on his family’s ranch, but this isnothinglike the backyard I’ve seen before. It’s been transformed into this beautiful, cozy… winter wonderland.
There have to be hundreds of lights strung up from posts to the porch, crisscrossing over the space that looks like something out of a movie.
There’s a huge projection screen with the 1994 version ofMiracle on 34th Streetplaying, because of course Wyatt would never forget that it’s my favorite Christmas movie.In front of the projector is a small, cozy-looking couch that’s covered in plush white blankets and snowflake-embroidered pillows.Situated between the couch and projector is a table that’s been set for dinner with poinsettia china and a rich green and gold tablecloth, complete with red candlesticks that are flickering slightly from the wind. And there are a few fir trees lit up with sparkling twinkle lights framing the space.
He’s thought ofeverything… even bringing the large outdoor heaters placed next to the couch to make sure we’d be warm despite the temperature.
I can’t believe he did all of this. I was expecting maybe dinner and a movie. But this?
It’s the most thoughtful, sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.
Our own Christmas date night right in the middle of his backyard.
