Second Chance Christmas (The Colorado Cades) by Tanya Michaels Page A

the other side of his sister’s lens that wholly justified the emotional risk?
    Arden worked quickly, changing sets and poses while respecting her clients’ time. “I think I’ve got some great shots of the three of you,” she told Elisabeth, “if you want to release Kaylee and focus on the engagement pictures.”
    “Sounds good.” Elisabeth hugged Kaylee and admonished her to behave. Then she turned to Justin. “I promise we’ll try to get through our errands quickly. I don’t want to take advantage of your generosity. Do you want to meet us somewhere, or should I just pick her up at your place?”
    “My place is fine.”
    She averted her gaze, and he wondered if she recalled the last time she was there, after his birthday. They’d had a hell of a night that lasted into early morning. She’d been the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, dawn bathing her naked skin as she drifted to sleep in his bed, her red-gold hair fanned across the pillow in a near match for the sun’s rays. As he’d watched her, it felt as if something had cracked inside him.
    “I should change,” she said after an awkward pause. “See you both later.”
    Justin helped bundle Kaylee into her jacket, then picked up the baby carrier. They were on their way to his SUV when the door to the studio flew open behind them.
    “We forgot the booster seat,” Elisabeth called, chasing after them in such a hurry she hadn’t even bothered with a jacket. She looked stunning in a wraparound black dress. Apparently, she’d wanted something more sophisticated for the engagement photos than the wholesome family portrait. It was a deceptively simple garment—hanging in a closet, it might even have looked boring. But molded to her lush curves, it was silky, sinful temptation.
    They transferred Kaylee’s seat to his SUV, and Justin was momentarily disoriented, as if he’d hit his head hard. Or fallen into an alternate dimension. He was the most confirmed bachelor and least likely family man in all of Cielo Peak. So why was he pulling out of the parking lot with two adorable little girls buckled into the back of his vehicle like he was a freaking soccer mom?
    During the drive to his house, snow began to fall. There was already plenty of accumulation on the ground, but he never got tired of the untouched magic of brand-new snow, blanketing over ruts and muddy patches.
    “Can we make a snowman?” Kaylee asked as they pulled into his driveway.
    “Not today, kiddo. We should stay inside with Hope in case she wakes up. But I have an idea. I haven’t started decorating my tree yet. Want to help?” After getting home yesterday evening with his impulsive purchase, he’d discovered that he owned exactly three ornaments.
    There was a snowboarding Santa in a pair of goggles; Trey Grainger’s wife had bought them in bulk last year and given one to each of the eighty patrollers. Then there was a promotional ornament that had come free with a six-pack of soda at some point. Finally, there were two cartoonish cats embracing under a sprig of mistletoe, a memento from the month he’d dated a waitress named Kitty.
    Even though he’d deliberately picked a small tree, he was going to need more than three meager ornaments. He’d knocked off a few of the evergreen needles while trying to get the tree situated on a coffee table, and he didn’t own a proper tree stand, so he’d improvised. As a result, the tree was leaning slightly to the left. It was a little like Charlie Brown’s tree. No, that wasn’t true—it was like another, sadder tree that aspired to be half as grand as Chuck’s.
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are all your decorations breakful, too?”
    “You mean breakable? Like glass and stuff?”
    She bobbed her head in affirmation. “I’m not allowed to touch those kind.”
    “Good news, I don’t have any breakable ornaments. In fact, you’re looking at all my decorations.”
    “Don’t you know where the stores are?” she