I'll Be Yours for Christmas by Samantha Hunter Page A

while he was here, or to hopefully have her in his bed, even though she warned him they wouldn’t be mixing business with pleasure.
    He hoped to change her mind on that score. Soon.
    He’d have to call Charles, who wasn’t going to be happy, not at all, but Reece knew his parents would agree—this was the neighborly thing to do.
    Especially when his neighbor was as sexy as Abby, with lips like satin and a body that moved against his like she was made for him.
    As much as he meant his promise of a no-strings arrangement, he knew she wanted him, too. He could feel it every time he touched her.
    And he planned to touch her. A lot.
    His cell phone started ringing as soon as he got through the door, and he saw it was his brother, Ben. Immediately concerned that something was wrong with his father, fantasies about Abby disintegrated and Reece answered the call, tense.
    â€œBen, what’s wrong?”
    â€œWhoa, brother, calm down. Everything’s fine—but you sound upset. What’s going on?” he asked sharply.
    Ben had fallen in love with the game of golf when he was a kid, though he was never more than an average player. But he never gave up on his dream of being involved in the sport, and landed a graduate degree in landscape architecture, with a specialization in designing golf courses. He’s spent years working with some of the best designers, building his name, and finally accumulated the backing to open his own course, his own design. Then he met his wife, Kelly, and they had two beautiful kids now. Ben had a stable, solid life.
    Reece, unlike Ben, had lived a more precarious, adventure-driven existence. He’d finished college, but the business admin degree was something he’d pursued because he didn’t really know what else he was going to do with his life. Reece had always bragged that he liked not knowing what was around the next corner. He never stopped moving, until recently.
    â€œSorry. I guess I just assumed something was wrong with Dad,” Reece said.
    When had his love of adventure turned into him expecting a disaster every time the phone rang? Was this part of the post-traumatic stress disorder that his neurologist had warned about—and that Reece haddismissed—that was often the result of serious car crashes?
    â€œHe’s fine. Mom, too. But they’re worried about you, up there, alone, especially for the holidays. I offered to come up. I can book a flight today if you want some help getting things done there, arranging the sale, the move, whatever. We could have some serious brother time,” Ben said. “Go ice fishing or something.”
    Reece smiled. “That would be great, but I don’t want to take you away from Kelly and the kids so close to the holidays. I’m good, and in fact, things have taken an interesting turn,” he said, going on to explain about the fire and offering use of the winery to Abby.
    Ben whistled. “Wow. Never boring for you, is it?”
    Reece laughed. “Yeah, you could say that. Could you fill in Mom and Dad? I assumed they wouldn’t mind.”
    â€œI’m sure they’ll be fine with it. More than fine even,” Ben said and Reece closed his eyes, hearing the grin in his brother’s voice.
    â€œDon’t start, Ben, and don’t make them think this is anything other than what it is.”
    â€œThey’d just love for you to move back, whether it’s to run the winery or not. And I saw Abby when we were there for Christmas last year. She filled out nice, huh?”
    Reece’s hackles raised, hearing his brother’s frankly admiring tone. But he wasn’t surprised. A man would have to be gay or dead not to notice Abby.
    â€œYeah, but it’s not like that.”
    Yes, it was.
    â€œReally? I know you, Reece. And I know you’ve had a thing for her ever since you were about six years old.”
    â€œHow could you know that? You were only