Page 15 of The Lie That Stole Christmas

“Good thing for me, the woman I am now doesn’t care about the snow or the dark.”

He huffed out a humorless laugh.“Ash, this isn’t some Hallmark Christmas movie.You’re going to freeze your ass off, and your designer boots won’t survive five minutes out there.”

She zipped her coat with a sharp tug.“I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

Carter mumbled under his breath, then reached past her and grabbed a coat, shoving his oversized body into it.“Fine.But if you’re hellbent on chopping down a tree, you’re not going by yourself.”

“I don’t remember inviting you.”

“Tough shit.”He wrapped a scarf around his neck.“You think I’m going to let you go into those woods with an axe alone?You’re out of your damn mind.”

She met his glare.“I don’t need your protection.”

His gaze flashed with even more intensity.“Too bad.You walk out that door, I’m going with you.So either hang up your damn coat and wait until morning, or be the spoiled brat you’ve always been and risk the two of us getting frostbite.”

“Spoiled brat?”she scoffed.

He leaned in, heat radiating off him in a way she couldn’t ignore.“Correct me if I’m wrong, but it was you who made me get a ladder at two am to fix the tree topper because it was crooked.”

“That’s not being spoiled.That’s making sure everything is perfect for Christmas morning.”

“If that’s what you want to call it.”

She huffed and stormed past him, grabbing the door and flinging it open.A blast of icy wind swept into the hall, rattling the velvet bows and garlands.Ash wanted to be stubborn and march out into the night, but the sun had completely set, and that wind bit right to the bone.

“Are you trying to destroy the garland you spent all day hanging?”Carter asked.

With a roll of her eyes, she slammed the door shut.“Fine.We’ll wait for morning.”

Chapter six

Carter

Silencespreadthroughthelarge vestibule, and Carter breathed it in.For a few precious minutes each morning, no one called his name.It was his favorite time of day—early enough before the hustle and bustle of the household took over and he was tasked with extinguishing fires left and right.He grabbed his coat off the hook and slipped his arms into it.This morning, he was heading out early in hopes of knocking some errands off his list before the house awoke.

He wrapped his scarf around his neck and reached for the doorknob when the sound of heels caught his attention.He knew he should just walk out the damn door, but curiosity got the better of him.Before he could even turn, that familiar voice greeted him.

“Where are you off to?”Ash demanded more than asked.

“If you must know…” He faced her, his words died on his tongue as she stared at him from a few stairs above.A red ribbed turtleneck clung to her like a second skin, highlighting all her small yet sexy curves, and was tucked into a black skirt that hit just above her knees.Black boots stopped just below her knees, revealing a sliver of tights that were molded to her body.He swallowed the lump lodged in his throat and directed his attention to her face.“I’m going to order the trees.”

“Order?You mean pick them out?”Ash’s dark eyes narrowed, arms crossing over her chest—a damn travesty—and her perfectly shaped eyebrow arched.

“No, I mean tell Glen I need two ten-foot trees delivered this afternoon, pay the man, and go on my way.”

“You’re going to allow some guy to pick out Winterridge’s Christmas trees?”

“Glen is not ‘some guy.’He has been selling trees since he was seven.”

“And that makes him an expert?”

“Considering it’s his family’s business that was passed down from his grandfather to his father to him, and his entire life has been Christmas trees, I’d say yes.”

“Grandma Lily would never let anyone else pick out her trees.”

“Unfortunately, she’s not here, so I am putting my trust in the expert.”

Ash descended the stairs and went straight to the coat rack.