Winter Rescue (I'll Be Home for Christmas) (9 page)

had allowed the children to wrap him in a variety of

S discarded Christmas paper from unwrapped gifts: his

right arm in metallic blue, his left in white with little

Santas on it, both legs in hideous poinsettia wrap, and shiny

gold paper on his head, twirled into a point.

“Here, you forgot this,” Curt said, sticking a red bow on

the end of Oscar’s nose and sending everyone seven and

younger into a fit of giggles.

“You get to unwrap him, Uncle Curt,” Loretta said, “He’s

your gift.”

“Loretta!” George admonished.

“Yes, Daddy?”

“Uh… never mind.”

45

Winter Rescue • Dawn Kimberly Johnson

Everyone burst into laughter, even George, eventually.

“What’s so funny?” Rosalie asked, looking around.

A little while later and bearing two glasses of red wine,

Curt joined Oscar on the floor by the Christmas tree.

“Merry Christmas,” Oscar said, clinking his glass

against Curt’s before taking a sip.

“Same to you.” Curt took a sip, savoring it and the

warmth that spread through him as he watched the lights

twinkling on the tree. He looked around the room at his

family: his mother in the kitchen directing his brothers in

cleanup, his sisters collecting any toys he’d brought the kids

that the children weren’t currently trying to destroy, his

father on the front porch with George smoking two of the fine

cigars Curt had brought him. It was good to be home, and

he, once again, regretted not taking more time off, time to

spend with his family and with the man on his left. He

turned to look at Oscar, who appeared lost in pleasant

thoughts as he swirled the dark liquid in his glass, watching

the light from the fireplace play off it.

“Thank you, Oscar,” Curt said. His hero looked into his

eyes and smiled. “Thank you for finding me and bringing me

back to these lunatics.”

“You’re welcome, Curt, but I have to thank you too.”

Curt frowned in confusion. “For what?”

“For setting me free.”

They smiled and leaned in for a kiss, which was

punctuated by “
Oooohs
” from young and older alike.

46

Come home for holiday romance.

Get the whole package of stories at

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

About the Author

DAWN KIMBERLY JOHNSON is a graduate of Marshall

University in Huntington, West Virginia, where she grew up

and still lives. For eight years she worked as a copy editor at

a daily newspaper before heading west to Oregon in search of

adventure. After eight years there, five of them good, she

returned home where she is trying to regain her health and

still hoping for the best.

Visit her LiveJournal at
http://dawnkj63.livejournal.com/.

You can contact her at [email protected].

More Daily Dose

and Advent Calendar packages

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Copyright

Winter Rescue ©Copyright Dawn Kimberly Johnson, 2011

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

382 NE 191st Street #88329

Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Art by Paul Richmond
http://www.paulrichmondstudio.com

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the Publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 382 NE 191st Street

#88329, Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Released in the United States of America

December 2011

eBook Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-61372-310-4

• Winter Rescue
  
• About the Author
  
• More Daily Dose and Advent Calendar packages
  
• Copyright