take her out.”
“I’d like to toss a few snowballs around, as well.”
Garrett walked into the kitchen rubbing sleep from his eyes. As he glanced at them, he seemed surprised to see the two of them up.
“Good morning,” she said, feeling her face warm. Why did he affect her so much? She felt like a schoolgirl when around him, and her cheeks seemed to be in a perpetual blush whenever she looked at him.
“Good morning,” he mumbled, and headed for the coffee.
“It snowed last night, Garrett,” she said, hearing the excitement in her voice.
“Who could have ever predicted that?” he asked.
“I never would have, that’s for sure,” Zach answered. “It was such a beautiful day yesterday, and to imagine we’d get snow.”
“It’s crazy,” she chimed in.
Garrett grinned at her as he sat down. “So, no horses today, either.”
“I know. It’s best not to ride in the snow, especially when we’re not familiar with the area. If we get off trail, we could get lost very easily.”
He looked relieved. “Okay. So what’s on the agenda?”
“Well, I’m going to take Savannah outside for some play time, and that’s about it. Maybe we can watch a movie later. I saw we have the stuff so I can make some homemade chicken soup, so I was going to get that in the crockpot as soon as I finish my coffee. Then, I’m really not sure.”
As she glanced over at Garrett, her cheeks warmed further as she realized she prattled on, just like the Blue Jays outside.
He smiled at her, and Zach chuckled.
“It sounds like a full day to me,” Zach commented while sipping his coffee.
“Me, too. Snowball fight, it is,” Garrett said, winking at her.
Grinning, she took another long drink of her coffee. She’d never been one to back down from a challenge, which had been exactly how her mother got her to go to those stupid fashion shows in her childhood years—with a dare or a challenge.
“Come on, Ruby Rose,” she’d sa y. “I dare you to go and find clothes that you actually like.”
That had been a challenge she could accept. However, a snowball fight sounded far more fun and exciting than watching a bunch of twigs prance up and down a runway in clothes that she’d never fit into.
“You’re on, Marine.”
“You should start calling him Honey,” Zach commented.
She studied Zach for a moment, noting his sly smile. “And why is that?”
“Look at his eyes. They are the exact color of honey that you’d see on any shelf in the grocery store.”
Turning her gaze to Garrett, she realized Zach was correct.
“I’m going to make some snowballs,” Zach announced, standing. He took Savannah’s handle and whispered, “Outside.” The dog led the way.
Ruby heard the front door shut and glanced over at Garrett. He stared at her and she squirmed, goose bumps traveling up her skin.
His gaze raked over her, and she became extremely uncomfortable. She didn’t think he’d hurt her by any means, but what she saw in those light eyes troubled her and made her uneasy. If she wasn’t mistaken, she looked at a man who desired a woman.
“I’m going to go outside,” she blurted as she stood, unsure of her feelings about the situation.
Yes, she did find Garrett very good-looking, but what did he see in her? A fat, semi-attractive girl he could lay? Maybe she should call Joe and ask for a reassignment.
“I’m right behind you,” he called as she pushed through the front door, not bothering with a jacket but grabbing some gloves hanging from the coat stand by the door.
A snowball smacked her in the stomach, and she looked up at Zach laughing and wondered how he had such perfect aim. As another one came sailing her way, she moved to the left, fell down the stairs, but quickly recouped. She gathered the snow and launched one at Zach, hitting him square in the chest. For a moment, guilt set in as she realized she had just launched a snowball at a blind man, but he quickly retaliated, erasing any remorse she
“I’d like to toss a few snowballs around, as well.”
Garrett walked into the kitchen rubbing sleep from his eyes. As he glanced at them, he seemed surprised to see the two of them up.
“Good morning,” she said, feeling her face warm. Why did he affect her so much? She felt like a schoolgirl when around him, and her cheeks seemed to be in a perpetual blush whenever she looked at him.
“Good morning,” he mumbled, and headed for the coffee.
“It snowed last night, Garrett,” she said, hearing the excitement in her voice.
“Who could have ever predicted that?” he asked.
“I never would have, that’s for sure,” Zach answered. “It was such a beautiful day yesterday, and to imagine we’d get snow.”
“It’s crazy,” she chimed in.
Garrett grinned at her as he sat down. “So, no horses today, either.”
“I know. It’s best not to ride in the snow, especially when we’re not familiar with the area. If we get off trail, we could get lost very easily.”
He looked relieved. “Okay. So what’s on the agenda?”
“Well, I’m going to take Savannah outside for some play time, and that’s about it. Maybe we can watch a movie later. I saw we have the stuff so I can make some homemade chicken soup, so I was going to get that in the crockpot as soon as I finish my coffee. Then, I’m really not sure.”
As she glanced over at Garrett, her cheeks warmed further as she realized she prattled on, just like the Blue Jays outside.
He smiled at her, and Zach chuckled.
“It sounds like a full day to me,” Zach commented while sipping his coffee.
“Me, too. Snowball fight, it is,” Garrett said, winking at her.
Grinning, she took another long drink of her coffee. She’d never been one to back down from a challenge, which had been exactly how her mother got her to go to those stupid fashion shows in her childhood years—with a dare or a challenge.
“Come on, Ruby Rose,” she’d sa y. “I dare you to go and find clothes that you actually like.”
That had been a challenge she could accept. However, a snowball fight sounded far more fun and exciting than watching a bunch of twigs prance up and down a runway in clothes that she’d never fit into.
“You’re on, Marine.”
“You should start calling him Honey,” Zach commented.
She studied Zach for a moment, noting his sly smile. “And why is that?”
“Look at his eyes. They are the exact color of honey that you’d see on any shelf in the grocery store.”
Turning her gaze to Garrett, she realized Zach was correct.
“I’m going to make some snowballs,” Zach announced, standing. He took Savannah’s handle and whispered, “Outside.” The dog led the way.
Ruby heard the front door shut and glanced over at Garrett. He stared at her and she squirmed, goose bumps traveling up her skin.
His gaze raked over her, and she became extremely uncomfortable. She didn’t think he’d hurt her by any means, but what she saw in those light eyes troubled her and made her uneasy. If she wasn’t mistaken, she looked at a man who desired a woman.
“I’m going to go outside,” she blurted as she stood, unsure of her feelings about the situation.
Yes, she did find Garrett very good-looking, but what did he see in her? A fat, semi-attractive girl he could lay? Maybe she should call Joe and ask for a reassignment.
“I’m right behind you,” he called as she pushed through the front door, not bothering with a jacket but grabbing some gloves hanging from the coat stand by the door.
A snowball smacked her in the stomach, and she looked up at Zach laughing and wondered how he had such perfect aim. As another one came sailing her way, she moved to the left, fell down the stairs, but quickly recouped. She gathered the snow and launched one at Zach, hitting him square in the chest. For a moment, guilt set in as she realized she had just launched a snowball at a blind man, but he quickly retaliated, erasing any remorse she
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