“Yeah, when you were sleeping on the plane, I asked if Hunter knew. Adventure, historical, epic, lots of fighting, swords, martial arts, that sort of thing.”

“Did you get us some movies?”

“I asked if he’d drop a few by the cottage. He was going to have someone do that when they filled up the fridge and pantry. We’ll need to get ready for the pack open house.”

She didn’t say anything, her expression saying she stubbornly resisted the idea.

“Anna, Nathan’s putting on a show, pretending that everything’s all right. That he’s happy to take part in Christmas. That everything’s normal. But it isn’t. I imagine he’d like nothing better than to run away.”

Having finished her meal, Anna stood up, trying to look as though what he said didn’t bother her. But his words hit her like an iron fist to the jaw. “I know. All right, Bjornolf? I’ve been there, okay?”

Bjornolf stared at her, saw the same wounded look in her eyes that he’d seen in Nathan’s, and felt horrible for not recognizing she had some real issues. He skirted the kitchen table, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her like he had at the jungle-village cabana. Just like he knew she had wanted him to.

At first she stiffened at his brushing kiss, his mouth sweeping gently over hers, willing her to give in, just a bit.

Enough, her body language said as she started to pull away.

“No,” he whispered against her lips. “Let me in, Anna. Don’t push me away.”

Her eyes were bright with tears as she looked up at him, confused and unsure.

“Hell,” he said and clasped her to his chest, holding her tight. He wanted to destroy every chink in her armor and give her whatever solace she needed. He tried kissing her again, and this time she lifted her face to his, cupped the back of his head, and pulled him closer.

That about undid him—made him forget who he was, who she was, what they were doing here.

Their tongues tangled as he pressed his body against hers, his cock instantly springing to life. He pressed his knee between her legs, wanting to get inside her, to feel every inch of her against his body. She slid her hand up his shirt and ran her warm fingers over his abdomen. “Hard,” she whispered.

Hell, yeah. All over.

That’s when he heard the truck pull into the drive, and before he could disengage from Anna, the front door opened. Wishing they could have prolonged the intimacy, he fought scowling at the intrusion.

Anna jumped away from him. She wiped tears away and quickly said, “I’ve got to unpack.” Then she hurried off down the hall.

Nathan stood in the doorway, shifted his shocked gaze from Anna to Bjornolf, then glowered at him. “Why was she crying?”

***

After setting up the tree and settling on the couch to watch one of the movies, Nathan set the plate of ham sandwiches on the coffee table. He had already found Bjornolf’s bags in the guest room, so he knew something was up between Bjornolf and Anna.

Bjornolf had started a movie, but Nathan still wanted to know what was going on. “I thought you said you were both going to be sharing the master bedroom.”

“I changed my mind for the time being.”

Nathan lifted his can of soda off the table. “You mean she changed your mind for you.”

The kid was too bright for his own good.

“Did she fight you for it?” Nathan asked, sitting a little taller.

Unable to contain his amusement, Bjornolf shook his head. “Some battles are not worth fighting… right away.”

“Wait until I’m around when you decide to change her mind. You said you’d teach me everything you knew about fighting.”

That wasn’t exactly what Bjornolf had in mind.

While Nathan ate both of the sandwiches, Bjornolf drank a cup of coffee.

“Anna is… kind of upset,” Bjornolf said quietly.

“Yeah,” Nathan said, folding his arms over his chest. “I could see that much.”

Bjornolf let out his breath in exasperation. “Not because of me.”

Nathan turned his attention to focus on Bjornolf and waited to hear the truth of the matter.

“Christmas isn’t her thing.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “Who doesn’t like Christmas?”

Bjornolf shrugged. “Anna, apparently. Maybe something happened when she was a kid. I don’t know. Sometimes adults lose the spirit of Christmas.”

“Anna’s alone,” Nathan said, finally getting the picture. “So she never celebrates Christmas.” He frowned at Bjornolf. “What about you?”

“Sometimes. When you get older, sometimes it’s just not as important as it used to be. If there’s no one to share it with…” He shrugged.

Nathan was frowning at him again. “I’m not going to give it up, ever.”

Bjornolf managed a smile. “Good.”

Nathan ran his hand over his pant leg. “We’re still going to have Christmas, aren’t we? I don’t want Anna to be sad. Can we… help her somehow?”

“We can’t fix others.” As much as Bjornolf would like to make Anna feel wonderful, he knew he couldn’t. She would have to reach within herself to find that which would make her whole. “But I sure as hell want to do anything I can to make her feel better about the holidays.”

Nathan looked skeptical. “Then don’t kiss her anymore. You made her cry.” He turned his attention back to the movie, and that was the end of the discussion.

***

Anna tried, but was damned if she couldn’t sleep. She flopped this way, then that. She’d napped too much during the day. She tried not to think of the kiss. Or how she’d encouraged it. Or how she would have liked to take it further if Nathan hadn’t arrived when he did.

The fighting in the movie had been so loud that she couldn’t hear what Nathan and Bjornolf were saying, but she guessed it had been about her.

Nathan had looked so shocked to see her crying that she was certain he would be angry with Bjornolf for making her cry. Yet he hadn’t. She wasn’t even sure why she was in such a funk.

After the guys went to bed and the house had been quiet for a while, she got up, slipped on a pair of black jeans with same color turtleneck, socks, and boots. She grabbed her weapons belt, a black ski hat, and a jacket.

She intended to check out the Christmas tree farm while everyone was gone, and she wanted to be alone, with no distraction in the form of one sexy SEAL.

While walking quietly toward the living room, she saw the blue spruce. It was beautiful, even without decorations, making her feel as though some of the woods had made a home here. She breathed in the smell of it and couldn’t help but love it. She felt bad that she might ruin Nathan’s Christmas after he had just lost his parents, so she dropped her gear on the couch and walked into the kitchen. After rummaging through the cabinets, she found packages of microwaveable popcorn. She returned to the bedroom where she found a sewing kit, and with it in hand, she walked back to the kitchen.

After popping two bags—no way could she smell the mouthwatering popcorn aroma and not eat some of it—she sat down on the couch. She began stringing the popcorn together, inserting the needle and thread in the center of one kernel and then the next. When she’d finished the last of the popcorn in the bowl, she tied off the string, got up from the couch, and went over to the tree. She began to wind the garland around the fragrant branches. Once she was done, she stepped back and admired her handiwork. Perfect, she thought, a smile curving her mouth. Her part in decorating the tree. It hadn’t even killed her.

Now it was time to do some murder investigation work and put aside all thoughts of the holidays.

Gun tucked in her holster, she closed the door behind her, locked it, then hurried to her vehicle, hoping Bjornolf wouldn’t hear her leave. He’d follow her in short order if he did.

Like she often did on the job, she wanted to concentrate on this part of the work alone.

Chapter 9

Bjornolf didn’t intend to intrude on whatever Anna was up to. As long as she stayed in the cottage, he was satisfied with listening to her move about the house. He thought of pretending to need something to drink and seeing what she was up to. It was killing him not knowing. Besides, he still wanted to settle things between them.

He was wearing out the plush beige carpeting with his pacing. Then, making a decision, he threw on his clothes and headed for the bedroom door. That’s when he heard the front door open and click shut. Hell.

She had to be on her way back to the tree farm to investigate the crime scene, but she wasn’t doing it alone. No matter how often she might have done such a thing in the past, they were together in this. A team. She’d quickly learn that one way or another.

He was hurrying straight for the front door, when he spied a bowl of half-eaten popcorn and another that was empty. Then the tree caught his attention. His jaw dropped. Well, he’d be damned. A warm glow worked its way through his chest as he stared at the sight of the festive-looking country popcorn garland wrapped around the tree. The work had taken her time, energy, and patience, and yet she had done it.

Breaking away from his surprise and the admiration he had for her all over again, he hurried to the Land Rover and took off for the Christmas tree farm, hoping he could catch up to her before she began working alone.

Bjornolf still hadn’t caught up to Anna when he eased up on the gas and began to analyze the situation further. She was a professional. He knew from studying her profile that she did a good job investigating situations alone. Just as she did a good job working with a team. If she felt the need to investigate this on her own for now, he’d let her.

Except she wouldn’t exactly be on her own. He had every intention of watching her back like the ghost he could be.

***

Anna thought Bjornolf was following her, but then figured she had assumed wrong when he never caught up to her. She was almost disappointed, but there was no way she would have woken him to ask him go with her, just because she couldn’t sleep.