Maddox kept himself from slamming on the brakes. On a wintery road with a six percent downgrade and semis whizzing past, that was a bad idea.

His hands shook but he made himself move down the road, passing runaway truck ramps until he reached an exit. He slid the truck down the exit ramp, found a spot to pull over on the road at the bottom, and stopped.

He turned to Haley. Her eyes were wide, breath coming fast. She had one hand braced on the dashboard as though trying to stop the pickup with sheer willpower.

“You all right, sweetheart?” Maddox asked her in consternation. “What’s wrong?”

“Turn around,” Haley said, her eyes glittering with tears. “We have to go back.”

“Why? Did you forget something?” Don’t tell me it’s her laptop or something stupid like that.

“My wish!”

“What?” Maddox stared at her, gripping the wheel. “What are you talking about?” Lance perked up and watched, interested.

“My wish—Santa said it had come true. No, he said …” Haley fished around in her pocket and drew out a card edged with red gilt. “It says, Your Wish Has Been Granted.” She gave him a round-eyed look over the card. “I have to go back to Starlight Bend.”

Maddox’s heartbeat sped, his fingers tingling with sudden heat. He wanted with everything in him to drive this truck back to the freeway and point it east. But he sat still.

“Tell me what in hell you’re going on about.”

Haley’s eyes began to shine. “I was stuck, my car wouldn’t start, the phones didn’t work, my dad told me I needed to stay, even Lance didn’t want me leaving without him. And Santa told me—a guy who looks just like the real Santa Claus—that what I’d wished for had already come true. Don’t you see? It’s me in Starlight Bend … with you.”

Hell yes, with me!

Maddox couldn’t make his lips move to say the words. His mouth was dry and cottony, his throat shut tight.

“Santa …” he forced out with a croak. Behind him, Lance whined.

Haley’s smile died. “But only if you want me to.”

This was it—Maddox’s opportunity to make his big speech.

Stay with me, Haley. Forever. Not star-crossed lovers but lovers under the stars in Big Sky Country. I don’t want you just for Christmas, but for always.

No way could his tongue get out something so schmaltzy.

“Haley.” Maddox’s voice was hoarse. He cleared his throat. And again. Damn it, he should have brought some water with him.

Maddox coughed one more time and started to speak.

An eighteen-wheeler rumbled by, engine-braking with a roar, the driver honking in irritation at Maddox’s truck on the side of the road. Maddox’s words were drowned even as they came out.

“What?” Haley asked over the noise.

“I said—Will you marry me?” Maddox shouted.

The passing truck’s racket died after his preliminary words, and Will you marry me? rang loudly through the pickup. Lance barked.

Haley sat with her mouth hanging open, her red lips moist, enticing Maddox to kiss her.

To hell with it. Maddox ripped off his seatbelt, slid himself across to Haley, wrapped his arms around her, and dragged her up to him.

Just before their lips touched, Haley said, “Yes.”

Maddox drew back. “What?”

Haley sat up. In a voice as loud as Maddox’s, she yelled, “Yes, I will marry you!”

Maddox thumped back in his seat. “Shit.”

“What’s the matter?” Haley’s eyes lit. “Want to take it back?”

“Hell no!” Maddox pounded his hands on the steering wheel. “I just realized I proposed to you in a pickup on the side of the road with the dog drooling in my back seat.”

Lance barked twice.

“I know,” Haley said. She laughed. “It’s perfect.”

Maddox wasted no more time with words. He moved to Haley, hauled her into his arms, and brought his mouth down on hers.

The kiss heated his blood and the air around them, sound rushing in his ears. Haley tasted of desire and goodness, of love and excitement. Her body was hot against his, the softness of her a sharp contrast to the hard edges of his life.

Haley kissed him back with enthusiasm, her lips lush, the seatbelt between them not getting in her way. She swept her tongue into his mouth, the little noises in her throat reminding him of the sounds she’d made when he’d thrust into her on her bed.

His cock was rising, remembering it too. Even the seatbelt buckle digging into this hipbone couldn’t stop the rush of hunger for her.

Another eighteen-wheeler rolled by, going the other way, this one honking repeatedly. The driver rolled down his window and yelled out, “Woo hoo! Merry Christmas! Go for it, man!”

Haley broke from Maddox, blushing furiously. Maddox’s face ached, and he realized he was smiling hard. He gave a thumb’s up to the passing truck, and the driver honked as he fishtailed around the corner.

“Guess we should go,” Maddox said, forcing himself back to his seat.

“Yes, I guess we should.” Haley laughed, a sound like chimes in the Christmas air. “Please, Maddox. Take me home.”

* * *

The pies had been baked, the turkey ready and waiting in the fridge, the last decorations put on the tree. Boxes wrapped, bows tied, Lance running around with a big jingle bell attached to his collar.

Haley, Maddox, and Aunt Jane had made their careful way to church for a Christmas Eve service, back for dinner, and then to bed.

As Haley lay in the small bedroom, her body wrapped around Maddox’s larger one, snowflakes drifted past the window.

On the rug, Lance began to snore. In the bed, Maddox did too.

Haley laughed softly. “I love you, Maddox Campbell.”

Maddox’s eyes cracked open instantly. He’d either been faking, or the words had dragged him out of his dreams.

A slow smile spread across his face. “I love you, Haley McKee. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” Haley whispered back.

Lance drew a long breath and heaved it out in vast contentment.

“‘And to all a good night,’” Haley said.

“Night’s still young.” Maddox’s voice held a sinful note.

“That’s a good point.” Haley laughed up at him as his mouth came down on hers, and he loved her again, very early on a snowy Christmas morning.

The best Christmas present ever. Santa had been right—what Haley had wished for in her heart had indeed come true.