Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“Such a pretty girl,” he murmurs in a soothing tone. He picks her up gently and she comes willingly, snuggling against his chest. Why am I not surprised? My grumpy cat likes the grumpy cowboy.
“You didn’t come all this way for a cup of my coffee,” I tell him as I start the old machine that hisses and hums to life, enveloping my space in the sweet scent of warmed caffeine.
My words have him pulling his attention from inspecting my workspace to inspecting me. His gaze narrows as he takes in my candy cane striped mini dress and matching white leggings. I bought the dress that hugs my curvy figure from Mallory at Sew Cute. “What in the hell are you wearing?”
I wrap my arms around myself and fight the urge to tug the material down my thighs. He’s seen me in less clothes when we’d go down to the river. There’s no reason for him to make a big deal out of this. “What do you care?”
“It makes me hungry.” Something flickers across his face. Shock, surprise, maybe horror. I don’t know. It’s too hard to read West and I’ve spent years making myself crazy as I’ve tried.
“You’ve never had a sweet tooth.” He never touches dessert, never indulges in anything really. He’s wound too tight for that, always has a need to be in control. I’d love to be the one person that slips under his defenses. That makes him lose his control.
An image of the two of us together floats into my mind. Him above me, panting and sweaty. Saying the dirtiest things in that raspy voice of his. Telling me that he owns me now, that he’ll never let me go. It’s silly and I don’t let myself indulge in those fantasies. Ever. That would be a one-way ticket to heartbreak city.
“Not why I’m here,” he grinds out and shakes his head. He lowers Snowball to the ground who makes a mournful sound at the loss of contact with him. Then he starts for the door like he might leave again.
“Did all the Whos finally realize it was you?” I call out in a teasing tone. It’s no secret that everyone thinks he resembles a certain green monster who destroys the holidays for those who do find joy in them.
He pauses and turns back to me, a half-smile playing at his lips. This has got to be a new record of near smiles for me. “It was that damn Cindy Lou.”
“She spoils everything. Is that why you’re here? Are you trying to get new toys to clear your name?”
“Not exactly.” He pulls off his Stetson again and spins it in his hands, the way he does whenever he’s not sure what to do next. I’ve spent a lifetime studying this man, learning his habits and quirks.
“I could use a bride for Christmas,” he finally announces.
“I don’t make those kinds of toys here,” I quip at him even as my chest feels too tight. West is getting married. I didn’t even know he was dating. He’s never brought a woman home to meet his parents and that’s just not how things are done in Courage County. So, who is the mystery woman and why am I already jealous of her?
“I need a real woman. Someone to help me out.” He’s not looking at me anymore.
Finally, I understand what he’s saying. He doesn’t have a woman. He’s looking for someone to help him. I don’t think I want to know the task he has in mind.
“Maisy might be willing to do it,” I answer. She and I recently became friends. She moved back home to Courage to care for her adoptive brothers after her parents passed away this summer.
He snorts. “Striker would have me strung up by my thumbs before noon.”
OK, so that is true. Striker runs the Cardinal Ranch and he’s fiercely protective of anything that’s his. Including Maisy. He kidnapped her one night and they fell in love. Not long after that, they were married.
“I had someone else in mind for the job.” His voice has that dark, raspy note that makes me want to close my eyes and listen to it again and again, like a beloved song.
“What do you need her for anyway?” West has always been handsome and even though I try to ignore their looks, I see the way other women pay attention to him. It doesn’t matter if they’re locals who have known him all his life or women visiting the farm for holiday cheer.
My stomach hurts when I see their looks because I know that some woman will eventually snag his attention then he’ll be hers. I’ll have to sit across from her at family dinners and pretend that I don’t think about her husband.
The coffee pot makes a noise to indicate it’s finished brewing. I pull two chipped mugs from the cabinet. They have holiday puns on them because Dad loves puns and he’s always giving me gifts with them.