'Tis the Season: A Collection of Mimi's Christmas Books Read Free Page A

light.” She noticed he’d taken the brunt of their misfortune by twisting, trying to save her at the last minute.
    The flashlight in her hand was caught between their two bodies and illuminated their faces. At the same moment, they both stopped trying to push away from each other. Instead their gazes caught and held. Shivers broke out all over her body, which had nothing to do with the fact that she lay partially buried in a foot of snow, but all to do with a stranger’s arms cradling her. His eyes—not black at all—replicated her all-time favourite ring, one she’d cherished for years, a brilliant aquamarine.
    Neither of them moved for what seemed like forever, but was in fact probably only a few seconds. In that time, she felt as if he’d seen into her very soul with a disconcerting gaze that had her stomach flip-flopping and her breath catching in her throat.
    Lordy, lordy, she thought, giddy as a young girl. He’s rather smashing. His raised eyebrow finally caught her attention, stopped her ogling, and brought her back to earth.
    “Sorry! Look, the car’s just there, you can see the headlights.” She nodded towards the side of the road where a faint glow sent strange shadow images into the trees. Then she breathed a sigh of relief when he lifted her off of him, and with one smooth move, rolled to his feet. Like any gentleman, once he stood, he reached down to help her up.
    She ignored his outstretched hand, knowing with her luck, she’d have another blunder. Then he’d really have something to tease her about. And she was right. Not only did her feet slide out from under her, but if he hadn’t thought quickly and one-armed her against his body, she’d have landed once again on her backside.
    Horrified, she tried to push his hands away.
    “Oh for heaven’s sake.” He wrapped his free arm around her and all but carried her to the car. Once there, he opened the front door and shoved her in like a victim in a kidnapping. Pegi, not liking this at all, lunged forward, warning the stranger with a menacing growl.
    “Stop, Pegi! Don’t bite him—yet. But keep that thought in case I change my mind.” Sara didn’t care if he heard her loudly whispered words.
    Amy sat forward. “Sara, are you alright. I got worri… Daddy?" Her father had opened the back door, slid her feet over, and pushed his way inside. “You came to find me?”
    “You sound surprised.” The brusque tone in his voice didn’t cover the relief that Sara heard loud and clear.
    “I am. I didn’t think I was important enough for you to leave your office for so long.”
    "You didn’t think at all. Why would I give anyone else the joy of wringing your neck? As your father, I relish the privilege.”
    Sara couldn’t hold back another minute. “Stop it you two. Squabbling like a couple of kids. You’ve devastated your frantic father, Amy. Of course he’s searched for you and in this horrible weather.” Then she pointed her gloved finger toward the man whose name she still didn’t know and hesitated. “What’s your name?”
    “Mr. Watso—“
    “Dad!”
    “Jack. And I wasn’t quite that frantic since I knew my little girl has a sharp head on her shoulders, and in normal circumstances, could look after herself very well.”
    “Really, Dad? Do you really believe that? Don’t kid around, okay? I pulled a dumb move and could have been seriously in trouble if Pegi hadn’t found me.” The sob that escaped had both the man and the dog moving towards the youngster.
    Just in time, Sara grabbed the collar to keep her pet in the front seat and watched as the man scooped his daughter onto his lap and hugged her with a moan breaking his restraint. “You scared me, kiddo. This time you really had me worried. Don’t ever take off like that again.”
    The crying teen buried her face, and her arms clung to his neck as she sobbed brokenheartedly. “I was just so lonely. And it’s Christmas. And my friends are all together without me. A-and