A Thunder Canyon Christmas by RaeAnne Thayne Page B

long time, until Matt suddenly snickered. “He’d better watch out for the colored lights on the next bush or he’s going to find himself a not-very-merry crisp moose.”
    She groaned and laughed at the same time. “Oh. You had to go and ruin a lovely moment with a lame joke.”
    â€œSorry.” He smiled at her and reached to push a loose strand of hair away from her face, his suede gloves caressing her skin.
    â€œYou need to do that more often,” he murmured.
    â€œWhat? Complain about your corny jokes? Sure. Anytime.”
    â€œI meant laugh. I’ve always thought you had the sweetest laugh of anyone I know.”
    She stared at him for a long moment, her heart pulsing. What would he do if she kissed him? Just reachedup on tiptoe and pulled his head down to hers? The moment stretched out between them, as bright and hopeful as those fairy lights dripping from the eaves of the nearby house. She drew up on her toes inside her boots…then chickened out and slid back down to the ground.
    â€œThe people inside have no idea he’s even out here,” she said, her voice hushed.
    He was quiet for a moment, then he spoke in an equally hushed voice. “It’s amazing what you can miss when you’re not paying attention.”
    Her gaze flashed again to his and her stomach trembled at the intensity in his eyes and a moment later, his mouth brushed hers.
    His lips were warm and firm and he tasted of chocolate and mint from the piece of gourmet candy their server had delivered with their check at the restaurant.
    She closed her eyes and leaned into his strength. The night seemed magical. The lights, the moose, the easy flutters of snow. She felt so safe here, warm and content, a slow peace soaking through her.
    She finally followed her impulse of earlier and rose up on her toes so she could wrap her arms around his neck, savoring the heat of him.
    She was in deep trouble. Since Friday night she had wondered what it would be like to kiss him again. To really kiss him this time, not when she was slightly tipsy from too many margaritas but when she was completely clearheaded and rational.
    Now she knew exactly how his mouth tasted and his arms felt around her, exactly how silky his hair wassliding through her fingertips and the strength of his muscles against her body.
    What she didn’t know was how, in heaven’s name, she would manage to endure the rest of her life without more of this—without more of him.
    She shivered suddenly, cold despite his heat engulfing her, and Matt immediately slid his mouth away.
    â€œYou’re freezing,” he murmured. “I’m a brute to keep you out here in the cold.”
    She couldn’t tell him her reaction wasn’t from the temperature but from reality slapping her around. Better to let him think she was in danger of freezing to death than to admit she was afraid of having her heart broken.
    â€œThat’s probably a good idea.”
    They left the moose to his browsing and Matt grabbed her hand to lead her the rest of the way to his truck.
    Â 
    A single kiss shouldn’t leave him feeling as if his world had been rocked off its whole foundation.
    A half hour later as Matt drove back to Thunder Canyon, his heartbeat still hadn’t managed to settle. Every time he looked at Elise in the seat beside him, blond and delicate and lovely, he felt that little tingle of awareness, the urgent throb of hunger.
    He felt as if everything in his world had changed. A week ago, he thought he had everything figured out. He was happy with his life in Thunder Canyon, content working for his dad.
    And then Elise Clifton blew back into town andeverything he thought was important seemed to have shifted.
    For a few moments after they had returned to his pickup, they had made small talk. But even before they left the Bozeman town limits, she started to yawn. Now she appeared to be fast asleep.
    He risked another quick glance