New Hope, Old Grudges Read Online Anne Malcom

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary Tags Authors: Anne Malcom Advertisement1

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I was still living in my childhood bedroom, still the owner of a brand that had once been a big deal before it came crashing down, but I had hope.

The Christmas music playing in the coffee shop made me feel cheerful. I’d always loved the holidays. Loved cuddling up with my father while watching all of our favorite movies: The Holiday, Love Actually, The Family Stone. My family was a sucker for anything with romance. We played records all month long, I baked with my mom. The town went all out with decorations. Snow covered everything.

I hadn’t had a white Christmas in years. Had worked through the holidays, never once engaging in a tradition when I was away from my family.

It hurt, it fucking killed to be facing the holiday at home without my father, but I figured he’d be happy I was here.

I was so deep in my own head that I didn’t notice him until he was there. Like right there. Grabbing me by the hips and yanking me forward.

“What are you—”

I didn’t get to finish, didn’t get to drink Brody in in his uniform, with his scruff of stubble resembling more of a beard. No, I only got a flash of that before his lips crashed against mine, his hands sliding down. To my ass.

He plastered me to his body and plundered my mouth. In the middle of the coffee shop. The very busy coffee shop.

We hadn’t spoken in weeks. I still hated him. Didn’t I?

Except I carried his note around with me wherever I went. I wore his jacket out in the forge. I dreamed of him inside me. Of him teasing me as we sat on his sofa.

I forgot those things as I relaxed in his arms and kissed him back. Enthusiastically. My body sang for him, waking up with his touch and remembering everything he’d done to me on Thanksgiving night. Suddenly I was hungry for him. Fucking starving. I was ready to claw at his clothes, tear them off right there so I could feel his skin on mine, get his cock inside me.

But just as soon as I was about to lose all of my inhibitions, Brody broke off the kiss. But he didn’t let go of me. His arms were still around me, his hand on my ass, face inches from mine. His gaze roved over me, drinking me in. No, feasting on me. Looking at me as if we’d been apart for years, as if he were starving and I was a banquet.

My knees shook with the effort it took to stay standing. But I wasn’t even holding my weight.

Brody was.

Then it dawned on me... Brody just kissed the ever-loving shit out of me in broad daylight. In a crowded coffee shop.

And I was supposed to hate him.

I opened my mouth.

Brody covered his lips with mine, silencing me.

For someone who was supposed to hate him, I sure kissed him back. For the second time.

His eyes were lazy as he pulled back again.

“You want to yell at me, you can do it tonight,” he drawled before I could speak. “I’m pickin’ you up from your place at eight. You’re comin’ to mine. I’m gonna cook for you, eat you in front of the fire, and take you to bed again.”

He spoke low, low enough to make sure that no one heard what he said.

But still... People didn’t speak of going down on each other in crowded coffee shops.

Except they did.

He did.

And I kind of liked it.

He grinned wickedly as if he could tell he just soaked my panties. He kissed me hard, fast and closed-mouth, let me go, then walked out the door before I could even attempt to argue with him.

I watched, slack-jawed as he disappeared from view.

I shook myself, looking around the coffee shop. Most eyes were on me. My cheeks flushed as I locked eyes with a woman a little younger than me. She had on earmuffs, a big coat and an expensive purse.

“Girl, that was fucking amazing,” she grinned at me.

I opened my mouth to argue with her.

But I couldn’t.

It was fucking amazing.

BRODY

Word got around fast in small towns. Especially when you were the sheriff and you kissed your woman in the busiest coffee shop in town at the busiest time of day.

I’d done that on purpose.

Willow had been avoiding me. Which I’d half expected. She still wanted to hate me. That made sense. She was strong-willed. And sex, even if it was the best sex of her life—it was certainly the best of mine—wasn’t going to erase the past.

I’d let her avoid me. Because of my plan. I was going to catch her off guard.

Which I did.

And fuck if it made my cock hard to see her eyes go lazy with need then alight with fire when she realized what had happened.


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