to come find you instead.â She snuggled closer to him, relishing the warmth of his body heat.
âCold?â he guessed.
âFrozen,â Sloan admitted. âI donât think Iâll ever get used to your Montana winters.â
âMiss those warm Hawaiian breezes, do you?â
âA little.â
âMaybe we can slip away for a week or so in January and introduce Jake to the Pacific Ocean.â
âIs that a promise?â Sloan tipped her head back to look at him. âBefore you answer, be warned that Iâll hold you to it if you say âyes.ââ
âIn that caseââTrey arched an eyebrow, eyes twinklingââmaybe Iâd better say that itâs a definite âmaybe.ââ
âNot fair.â She emphasized her reply with a playful poke in the ribs, his wool-lined parka absorbing much of the poke.
He turned serious as he ran a searching look over her face. âYou are happy here, arenât you?â
âHappier than Iâve ever been in my whole life,â she assured him, âeven if I never set foot in Hawaii again.â
âJust wanted to be sure.â He made his tone deliberately light, as if his question hadnât been a serious one at all. âReady to head up to the house?â
âIf youâre done here?â
âI am.â Keeping an arm around her shoulders, he guided her toward the door.
Outside the barn, Sloan waited while he turned off its interior lights and closed the door behind him, checking to make sure it was securely latched. Side by side, they struck out for the Homestead.
Sloan lifted her gaze to the large, two-story structure, its white brick revealed as a pale color in the moonlight. Red, blue, and green lights twinkled around the twin trees flanking the front door as well as the wreaths hung in each front window.
âThe house looks so beautiful all decked out for Christmas,â she murmured, unconsciously giving voice to her thoughts.
The sight of it triggered another thought in Treyâs mind. âIn another couple weeks itâll be time to decorate the barn for our annual Christmas party.â
âItâs always the last Saturday before Christmas, isnât it,â Sloan recalled. âThat sounds far away, but it really isnât, even though Thanksgiving was only a week ago. Which reminds me, Iâll be gone most of tomorrow.â
âWhere?â It was an idle question, born of casual curiosity.
âA couple of us ranch wives are going to Miles City to buy toys for the Marinesâ campaign. We have our list done, so hopefully it wonât take long once we hit the stores.â
âI like the way you said that.â His mouth curved in a pleased smile.
âSaid what?â She slid him a puzzled glance.
âUs ranch wives. It tells me you finally feel like one of them.â
Sloan thought about it and nodded. âI guess I do.â
âSee the stars.â The gloved hand resting on her shoulder lifted, a finger pointing skyward. âOn cold nights like this they always remind me of ice crystals scattered across a black sky.â
Scanning natureâs stardusted canopy, Sloan nodded in agreement, murmuring, âTheyâre beautiful.â
âAlmost as beautiful as you are.â
Surprised by the compliment that seemed to come out of nowhere, she turned her head to look at him. âI do believe youâre putting the make on me.â
âAnd whatâs wrong with an old married man putting the make on his wife?â Trey countered with a challenging lift of an eyebrow.
âNothing at all.â Her upturned face invited his kiss, and Trey was quick to oblige, his head dipping down, his mouth covering her night-cooled lips, heating them both.
When they parted, their eyes locked for a long moment, but neither spoke. All that needed to be said was communicated with that look. An easy silence ran between