falling out of it so you finally tucked it behind your ear. You were talking to Seth’s friend Derek. He’d been looking at you the entire time he was in the book store and he tried to ask you out before he left but you turned him down.”
“How often do you come to town just to watch me?” Michelle started to cry.
“More than I care to admit.” Tyler closed his eyes and touched her forehead with his.
“That’s kind of disturbing.” She laughed through her tears.
“I have something for you.” Tyler retrieved the bracelet from his jeans pocket, pushed up her sleeve and fastened it around her wrist. “The book charm is obvious because you love to read. The football charm is because you’re a die-hard Titans fan. The spoon is for the cooking you love to do. The boat, well you told me you liked going sailing so I thought perhaps we could go out on the water one day. The heart and the key…well they’re more symbolic. I can explain the rest to you in the house.”
“It’s beautiful.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“I may not be able to convey the right words to say what’s in my heart most times, but…I’m falling for you and I’m afraid I am liable to screw up at every twist and turn.”
“What you just said was perfect. Just perfect.” She threw her arms around his neck.
Tyler kissed her with all he had. Michelle gripped him tighter.
“If you just give me a chance, I promise no more lurking in the shadows. I’ll be around so much you’ll grow sick of me.”
She hugged him again.
“So where do we go from here?” he whispered into her hair.
“Let’s face it, you’re a stalker and I’m a kidnapper. We both have some things to work on. But I would love to grow up with you. I want to get to know you like… two mature adults. The rest will fall into place.”
“I like the sound of that.” Tyler kissed her. “It’s Christmas Eve. Why don’t we give your audition tape one more try and then we’ll head to the ranch? You haven’t experienced Christmas until you’ve seen of one my Momma’s extravaganzas.”
“Sounds fantastic. And Tyler?”
“Yes?”
“I’m falling pretty hard for you too.”
“I haven’t been able to think about another woman since we spent the night together in Texas. I didn’t want that groupie to kiss me. She caught me by surprise and the cameras were flashing. I was just concentrating on not doing something stupid that would go viral. But I promise that will never happen again.”
“Good.”
“If it’s any consolation, that woman kissed like Rowdy.” Tyler stuck his tongue out and panted like the Blakes’ big golden retriever.
Michelle snorted.
“I like my kisses slow, hot, and full of passion.”
“Why don’t we go back to bed for a while, then get ready to leave?”
“I like the way you think.”
Chapter Eight
Tyler didn’t exaggerate when he said Christmas at the Blakes’ was like something out of a movie. They made it to Texas in the early evening, just in time to join the Christmas Eve festivities. Michelle felt like she was in a surreal dream when Tyler drove through the front gates of the ranch. Giant candy canes lit the roads as they made their way to his parents’ house, which was decorated to the hilt and could probably be seen from space.
“So your family really likes Christmas, eh?”
“Momma has always been excited about it. But since the boys came along, she’s been over the top. Wait until the imported snow gets here so we can make snowmen.” Tyler chuckled.
“Imported snow?”
“Well, we get a snow maker and…”
“Stop. The North Pole has nothing on this place.”
“This time of year always seems magical.” He caressed her hand.
As soon as he cut the engine of the truck, Teri-Lyn bounded out of the house.
“I’m so glad you two were able to make it! Did you settle your differences?” Teri-Lyn hugged them both.
“Yes, we did.” Michelle smiled.
Tyler folded his arms over
“How often do you come to town just to watch me?” Michelle started to cry.
“More than I care to admit.” Tyler closed his eyes and touched her forehead with his.
“That’s kind of disturbing.” She laughed through her tears.
“I have something for you.” Tyler retrieved the bracelet from his jeans pocket, pushed up her sleeve and fastened it around her wrist. “The book charm is obvious because you love to read. The football charm is because you’re a die-hard Titans fan. The spoon is for the cooking you love to do. The boat, well you told me you liked going sailing so I thought perhaps we could go out on the water one day. The heart and the key…well they’re more symbolic. I can explain the rest to you in the house.”
“It’s beautiful.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“I may not be able to convey the right words to say what’s in my heart most times, but…I’m falling for you and I’m afraid I am liable to screw up at every twist and turn.”
“What you just said was perfect. Just perfect.” She threw her arms around his neck.
Tyler kissed her with all he had. Michelle gripped him tighter.
“If you just give me a chance, I promise no more lurking in the shadows. I’ll be around so much you’ll grow sick of me.”
She hugged him again.
“So where do we go from here?” he whispered into her hair.
“Let’s face it, you’re a stalker and I’m a kidnapper. We both have some things to work on. But I would love to grow up with you. I want to get to know you like… two mature adults. The rest will fall into place.”
“I like the sound of that.” Tyler kissed her. “It’s Christmas Eve. Why don’t we give your audition tape one more try and then we’ll head to the ranch? You haven’t experienced Christmas until you’ve seen of one my Momma’s extravaganzas.”
“Sounds fantastic. And Tyler?”
“Yes?”
“I’m falling pretty hard for you too.”
“I haven’t been able to think about another woman since we spent the night together in Texas. I didn’t want that groupie to kiss me. She caught me by surprise and the cameras were flashing. I was just concentrating on not doing something stupid that would go viral. But I promise that will never happen again.”
“Good.”
“If it’s any consolation, that woman kissed like Rowdy.” Tyler stuck his tongue out and panted like the Blakes’ big golden retriever.
Michelle snorted.
“I like my kisses slow, hot, and full of passion.”
“Why don’t we go back to bed for a while, then get ready to leave?”
“I like the way you think.”
Chapter Eight
Tyler didn’t exaggerate when he said Christmas at the Blakes’ was like something out of a movie. They made it to Texas in the early evening, just in time to join the Christmas Eve festivities. Michelle felt like she was in a surreal dream when Tyler drove through the front gates of the ranch. Giant candy canes lit the roads as they made their way to his parents’ house, which was decorated to the hilt and could probably be seen from space.
“So your family really likes Christmas, eh?”
“Momma has always been excited about it. But since the boys came along, she’s been over the top. Wait until the imported snow gets here so we can make snowmen.” Tyler chuckled.
“Imported snow?”
“Well, we get a snow maker and…”
“Stop. The North Pole has nothing on this place.”
“This time of year always seems magical.” He caressed her hand.
As soon as he cut the engine of the truck, Teri-Lyn bounded out of the house.
“I’m so glad you two were able to make it! Did you settle your differences?” Teri-Lyn hugged them both.
“Yes, we did.” Michelle smiled.
Tyler folded his arms over
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