We were back at my cabin in a flash. Not much space separated our two properties. And I hopped out of my truck and then opened the door for her. My truck was too tall for a shortie like Poppy.
“Let me help,” I demanded as she tried to swat my hands away.
Then she conceded defeat. She handed me her overnight bag and then accepted my help getting her out of my truck.
“Relax. I won’t bite,” I told her as I grasped her by the waist and lifted her down.
I tried not to pay attention to how she felt in my arms. She felt soft and plush everywhere I touched, and the scent of gingerbread cookies seemed to linger on her skin.
If I were with a woman like her, I’d have to get a lower truck.
That thought flashed through my mind, confusing the hell out of me. I couldn’t think of this young, luscious thing as something forme. She had a different destiny in life, and I wasn’t part of it.
Hopkins hopped out, shook himself for a second, then trotted happily to the front door. This was the first company I’d had since he’d come to live with me five years earlier, and he seemed to be getting a thrill out of it.
At least one of us could enjoy it.
Poppy and I, well, we were both acting like we were at a funeral.
I imagined this wasn’t her vision for an ideal Christmas Eve either, spending time with my grumpy ass.
“Come on in, then,” I rumbled as I ushered her up the porch steps and through the front door.
She stood just inside the doorway, looking around while I ran back out to the truck to retrieve my turkeys. Hopkins went out with me, then started barking at something he heard out in the woods. He headed into the darkness to investigate while I carried the turkeys inside.
When I came back in, she looked at me shyly. “Thank you again for letting me stay here tonight.”
“Yup.”
“What’s in the bags?” she asked as she tried to peek inside.
“I hope you don’t plan on talking all night.”
“Does it hurt to be such a grouch? I can’t imagine it’s pleasant.”
I pressed my lips together. “They’re turkeys.”
“Turkeys?”
“Yeah. And right now, I have to figure out what to do with them. I don’t have time to chit-chat with you. Make yourself comfortable and do your own thing. Just because you’re here doesn’t mean we need to talk all night long.”
She was staring at me with a mystified look on her face. “Why do you have more than one turkey? And why aren’t they cooked?” She asked as she peered into the bags.
I let out a sigh and started to explain. But then I realized that in my rush to get her inside, I hadn’t accounted for my dog. He was still out there in the storm.
Swinging the front door open let in another blast of cold air. It was as cold as a witch’s tit out there tonight. “Hopkins! Get inside before you freeze your balls off!”
He came running in with a goofy grin on his face, tail wagging.
When I turned around, Poppy was still staring at me, but this time her decadent lips were curled up. “Hopkins? I thought his name was Dagger.”
Oh, shit.
This woman was sneaking pastallmy defenses.
A tiny laugh escaped those kissable lips. “Do you call him Dagger to try to scare people off?”
“No.That would be ridiculous. Of course not,” I growled as I paced towards the kitchen.
