Once Upon a Montana Christmas

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

E va stepped out on to the veranda, welcoming the cool, crisp air that added life to her weary body. After the kiss she’d shared with Hunt in the stables, all thoughts of San Francisco faded into the recesses of her mind. She wanted to stay here with him and Lily. She wanted to be part of a loving family.

Lily had had another rough night, but thankfully, Aunt Carol was now watching over the napping baby. She walked to the porch railing and took in a deep, refreshing breath.

Everything about this land reminded her of Hunt—rugged on the outside, but full of hidden treasures.

The landscape spread out before her like a winter wonderland. It had snowed during the night and the land looked like it had been covered in beaten cream, so peaceful, so magical, shimmering like millions of diamonds against the sunlight.

Even Nero seemed to be enjoying his surroundings. He had found a patch of sunlight on the veranda and was basking in its warmth.

As she reflected on the events of yesterday, the man of her daydream joined her. “Are you busy?”

She loved the sound of his voice. Turning around to face him, she said, “No, just enjoying the wonderful view.”

“You like it?”

She thought it peculiar that he asked the question with surprise in his voice and hesitated as she considered her response. “No,” she replied, shaking her head as she started, “‘Like’ is too mild a word. This changing landscape enthralls and inspires me, begs me to discover what splendors are hidden, welcomes me, and never ceases to amaze.”

Her confession earned her a deep smile. The softness in his eyes made her heart leap.

In that moment, she knew without a doubt she had fallen in love with Konrad Anselm Huntsman Strauss IV and the realization frightened her. Except for Lily, everyone in her life who had meant anything to her had died.

“Come inside, I want to show you something.”

She did not know what to expect, and hesitated, overwhelmed by her emotions.

“This way,” he said as he took her hand, his touch causing her stomach to flutter. He guided her down the side hall toward the kitchen. When she entered the large space, she saw an army of ingredients laid out on the wood-block table. “I am going to teach you how to make Lebkuchen. ”

She halted in surprise and stared up at him.

“Don’t look so surprised, I told you my oma taught me. She believed that men should be useful in the kitchen at least once a year,” he said with a teasing grin.

The following hour passed in sublime bliss as he taught her to make his great-grandmother’s recipe for spiced cookies. When the dough was ready, they used the decorative wood engraved cookie molds to create fantastical shapes of Christmas trees and rocking horses, then baked their creations.

“Next is the icing.”

Eva watched in amazement as Hunt combined sugar, milk, and vanilla with such ease. She still had little confidence in her kitchen skills despite the lessons she’d received.

When he placed the pan full of ingredients over the heat, he called her to the stove. “This mixture needs to warm, but do not let it boil. Just keep stirring it.”

She picked up the spoon and stirred the contents the way she thought she was supposed to.

“No, you need to be gentle.” He placed his large hand over hers and guided her hand in circular movements. His voice was low and seductive as he said, “That’s it, nice and slow.”

She leaned back into him. She could feel his rising heartbeat against her back. As he dipped his head and nibbled her earlobe, the hairs on her nape rose in response. Her insides melted, and all thoughts of icing and spiced cookies disappeared. She did not even think about the fact they were in the kitchen where anyone might walk in and see them.

“I’ve been dreaming about you all day,” she heard him say just above a whisper. “I want to show you pleasure.”

Lost in the seductiveness of his voice, she tried to imagine the pleasure he spoke of.

All of a sudden, he pulled away from her, breaking the spell.

Brought back into reality by the loss of his body heat, she heard Aunt Carol in the hallway with a screaming Lily and barking Nero.

“Sorry to interrupt…oh, dearie, you have to watch that closely. It has already started to burn.”

So caught up in the nearness of Hunt and what they had been doing, Eva had not even realized the icing was spoiling. She glanced up guiltily. “I guess I need more practice.”

She heard Hunt mutter under his breath, “Lots and lots of practice.”

* * *

Aunt Carol excused them from her kitchen and instructed them to start decorating the Christmas tree that Mr. Walker and Devon had brought in earlier that day. Hunt was happy for the diversion. He could not stop thinking of Eva, nor the thrill of what she had said on the veranda.

She loved this land as much as he did .

When she had spoken those poetic words, Hunt had known he’d lost his heart. He was in love with her. The problem he now faced was how to get her alone and confess his feelings. They always seemed to be getting interrupted. Just the thought of exposing himself made his heart quicken and body sweat. Perhaps tonight he would find the privacy and the courage to tell her how he felt.

He was holding Lily and helping her place tinsel on the tree. The wee one was fascinated with the shimmering decoration. Every time he looked at Eva, her cheeks warmed in a blush. He was enthralled with every delicate movement she made. She would place an ornament or tinsel on the tree and then stand back to evaluate her work. Sometimes she would change the positioning, but most of the time she would simply utter, “Perfect,” and continue on with her task.

She was stretching up on her tiptoes, trying to place a decoration on an uppermost branch with little success. With Lily on his arm, he went over. “Let me help you.” He took her hand in his and guided it to a sturdy branch while rubbing the soft spot between her thumb and index finger.

“Well, isn’t this a cozy scene.” He heard an all-too-familiar and unpleasant voice speak from the doorway, followed by Nero growling. He glanced up just in time to see his Aunt Roberta annoyed glare before she hid her emotions behind her regularly composed facade.

“Nero, down boy, come here,” Eva called to the pup. With great reluctance, the dog came over to where she was standing, but not before he turned his head to growl at the intruder one last time.

“Aunt Roberta, cousin Hayley, when did you arrive? We were not expecting you for several more days.”

Aunt Roberta was the widow of Hunt’s late uncle, Donald, and not a pleasant person to deal with. Her daughter from her first marriage, Hayley, was the most annoying female he had ever encountered in his life. The girl was rude, demanding, ignorant, and a liar—the exact opposite, he realized, of Eva.

“We arrived in Warm Springs yesterday. Where is the hired man? He needs to bring in the trunks and tend to the horses.” Roberta’s tone was cold and harsh. Hunt suspected that his aunt, as usual, was none too pleased with him and what she perceived as his lack of hospitality.

“Oh, my dear Roberta,” Aunt Carol cried as she came running from the hall with a half-eaten cookie in her hand. Hugging her sister-in-law, she said, “We are all so pleased that you and Hayley could join us for the Christmas festival.”

Hunt watched his aunt try to control her emotions. Sniffling back a sob and shaking all over, Carol continued, “It was always Donald’s favorite event.” His aunt had been very close with her brother, who had passed almost a year ago. When Donald had died of heart failure, Carol decided to mend fences with her domineering sister-in-law, telling Hunt her brother would have wanted it that way. Since Carol lived with him, he knew he had no choice but to deal with the unpleasant Roberta’s visits.

Aunt Roberta glanced over at Eva and spoke with disdain, as if she were a common servant, “It has been a long journey from Chicago. Are our rooms ready?”

Eva stood, looking confused as Hunt took control of the situation. He would not allow his aunt to take advantage of Eva. “Aunt Roberta, may I introduce Miss Eva Kenward. She is a guest and will…”

His aunt turned to glare at him. “Whose baby is that?” the cantankerous old woman had the nerve to interrupt him. He did find it amusing though, that his aunt was getting all worked up over a little child.

He knew Roberta had demanded to have a nanny to care for her own daughter, and had made it clear to Uncle Donald prior to their marriage that she wanted no more children. For reasons that would remain unknown, his uncle had still married the woman.

“This is CeCe’s baby, Lily.”

Hayley, who had been silent up to this point, took the opportunity to enter the conversation, ignoring Lily. With an overabundance of excitement, she glimpsed about and asked, “Oh, is she here? I would love to see her again. It has been so long and?—”

“CeCe died of a fever several months ago. Miss Kenward brought Lily to us.”

“Oh, Hunt.” Hayley reached out and patted his arm. “I am so sorry.”

He didn’t miss the sly look on her face. Both Haley and her mother had not failed to comment often on the scandal CeCe had brought on the family.

“It is quite shocking to lose someone so young,” Aunt Roberta began in a flat voice, “Generous of you, Miss Kenward, to take care of our dear kin.”

Hunt could not take their artificial sincerity. He knew what his aunt was about. She held no remorse for his loss. Her goal was to find a husband for her daughter. Since Nelly died, she had been pushing Hayley on him.

No sooner had his aunt expressed her insincere condolences than she was back to her usual conniving self. “Hayley has been looking forward to seeing you since summer.” Then she turned and addressed Eva. “They have always been very close.”

“I hope you reserved the violet room for Hayley. It is the prettiest room in the house...” Eva stopped listening to Mrs. Strauss as she droned on about their needs. She had only just met the woman, but she knew already she did not care for her. She was nothing like Aunt Carol. Of course, the two women were only related by marriage.

As soon as Mrs. Strauss came up for air, Eva decided to make her escape. “It is time for Lily’s nap. If you will excuse me, I will take her upstairs.” She turned to Hunt’s aunt and cousin. With the impeccable manners that had been instilled in her in childhood, she said, “It was a pleasure to meet you both.” And with that, she took Lily from Hunt’s arms and proceeded up the stairs.

The untimely arrival of Mrs. Strauss and her daughter had ruined the pleasant afternoon she’d been experiencing.

The day only continued to deteriorate when Mrs. Strauss took control of the dinner conversation. Eva watched the interaction between Hunt and his relatives. Aunt Carol made every effort to make her sister-in-law feel welcome, while Hunt, who under normal conditions did not say much, kept silent throughout the meal. Bloody hell , she thought as she fidgeted in her seat, this is absolute torture.

“This is exquisite beef stew!” Aunt Roberta exclaimed with more enthusiasm than warranted. “Did you grow the meat yourself, Hunt?”

Even as ignorant as Eva was about cattle ranching, she knew that one did not “grow” meat. Hunt glanced her way with a twinkle of laughter in his eye, before turning to address his aunt. “Yes.” Eva assumed that, rather than explain to his aunt and involve himself in the conversation, it was far easier to give a one-word response and be done with it.

As the meal progressed, Eva could not help but notice how smitten Hayley was with Hunt. She had been batting her eyelashes at him for most of the evening. By the time Mrs. Walker brought the hot peach cobbler to the table, Eva had a headache from clenching her jaw. She was afraid if she spoke at all, she would make an inappropriate comment and ruin Aunt Carol’s attempt at family harmony. Although Hunt paid Hayley no attention, the whole episode had Eva all out of sorts.

For the first time since she’d arrived at the ranch, Eva excused herself right after dinner. She heard the others adjourn to the parlor for wine and cider, while Aunt Carol related a story from last year’s Christmas festival.

“Eva.” She heard Hunt call her name into the dark but did not stop climbing the stairs. She did not feel like keeping company with anyone but Lily this evening, and looked forward to climbing into bed beside the sleeping baby.

When she reached the top landing, she heard heavy footfalls behind her, then gasped as she felt herself being turned around and none too gently backed up against the wall as hungry lips sought hers. “I’m sorry you had to endure that,” Hunt whispered against her ear before kissing her again, sending a thrill of warmth into the very core of her womanhood.

His touch was like magic. Parts of her tingled that she did not even know to name, while she felt his rising desire against her stomach. Her wanton thoughts shocked her—she wanted nothing more in that moment than to explore what lay beneath his thigh-hugging pants.

“Hunt?” she heard Hayley call out from downstairs. “Did you find that wine Mother requested?”

“Always interrupted,” he murmured against her temple, then gave her a quick kiss. “Duty calls,” was all he said over his shoulder as she watched him disappear down the dark staircase.

The evening ended, leaving her with longing, but still much better than it had begun.