“You sure?” His voice is low and sexy as hell.
Ohhhhhhh, shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!
I do not need to be thinking about Slade and any sort of clothing rearrangement or the gorgeous smirk curling at the corner of his mouth. Friend. This man is my friend. The one who cares enough to be sure we wouldn’t attempt the treacherous drive home.
I exhale, calming the swirl of desire beginning to churn. “Yep. I’m just gonna go get myself ready.”
I head inside to wake my sweet girl so we can help the Jolly Giant pick out aChristmas tree.
Chapter 38
SLADE
I slowly pull my truck into her driveway. In the rearview mirror, I see Ollie’s sleepy head roll to the side, a ring of chocolate outlining his mouth.
“If you pull up to the back door. I’ll carry them in,” Sarah says, unbuckling.
After the sleigh ride, hiking through the snow to chop down the tree, and hot chocolate, these kids are spent.
I turn off the ignition, and Sarah jumps out, opening the back passenger door to get Frankie. “Let me lie her down, and I’ll be back to get him.” She throws the diaper bag over her shoulder and hurries around the front of the truck.
Sarah and I talked the whole way to the tree farm about holiday traditions. She told candid details about her neighbors in the trailer park and how her mom organized a Christmas light decorating competition. I told her about Krissy always searching for the saddest tree in the nursery because she felt bad that it was already cut down and would never get picked.
Sarah said this was the first time she’d ever been to a tree farm. Growing up, she and her mom decorated a silver tree strung with pink lights. I told her about my mom taking us to the grocery store to pick one out that had to have been a fire hazard since it had been sitting dry forso long.
I carefully pull Ollie from his seat. His head flops onto my shoulder, and his little arms squeeze my neck. This kid grinned ear to ear on the sleigh ride and begged to do it twice. So, we rode around the farm to ensure we could scout the perfect tree. Then he helped me saw it down.
I meet Sarah at the back door, and she stares up at me for only a second before holding out her arms. I shift Ollie to her.
“I’ll lay him on the couch and then be back to get the car seats.” She disappears into the house.
After finding the perfect tree, we rolled together a small snowman before sitting by a large fire with hot chocolate, and the kids played in the snow. We laughed when Frankie bit into a chunk of snow, her lip curling out, not expecting it to be cold.
I hear the door open and close.
“He seriously had the best time. Thank you so much for letting us—” Sarah stops beside me at the lowered tailgate. “What are you doing?”
I cut the plastic netting away with my pocket knife. “I’ll run over and grab my drill. Once the stand is on, we’ll carry it inside.” I free the trunk and clip my knife to my pocket.
Sarah would never accept a tree from me, but she and the kids are getting one anyway.
“It’ll just take a second to get the seats, then you can—”
I start down the driveway.
“Where are you going?” Her tone rises.
“I have to grab a few things. I’ll be back.”
“Slade.”
I hear her confusion, but I keep moving, knowing what she’ll say.
I get halfway down the driveway and—
Wham!
I stop, turning ever so slowly. Sarah stands, cupping another snowball in her hands. Her eyes are bright and playful, and I stare at her, wanting more of it.
