Page 4 of Big Bad Wolf

It was Ruby’s turn to clear her throat. “I’m Ruby.”

Rafe’s gaze flicked down to her mouth which she’d painted her signature deep red. His lips tipped up in the corner like this amused him, that her name matched her taste in make-up.

“Nice to meet you, Ruby.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” The wooden bar top was between them, but Rafe had inched closer during their introductions. He placed his hands on top of the scarred surface. They were big, with scars of their own on the knuckles and one jagged one across the back of his hand. Woodworking must be a rough job. Or she hoped it was anyway.

“I haven’t seen you around before,” she said, going back to wiping down the counter, avoiding Rafe’s stare and his hands.

“I keep to myself.”

She could have guessed that.

“Do you live in town?”

“Nah. I live further in country. A cabin.”

“Sounds nice.”

He shrugged his giant shoulders. He hadn’t taken any measurements yet, still too busy watching her.

“I haven’t been there too long,” he said as though that explained everything.

“How did Macy ever find you to hire you?”

Rafe let out a rusty sound that may have been a laugh. It was hard to tell. “I have an Etsy shop.”

Laughter burst out of her before she could stop it. She clapped her hands over her mouth.

“Sorry, that was rude. You have an Etsy shop?” This big scary man had an Etsy shop? Her aunt was right about that whole “don’t judge a book by its cover” thing.

A wolfish smile crossed Rafe’s face and holy shit, he was … hot.

That was unexpected, but damn, as it turned out, up close, this scary dude was really freaking good-looking. People would kill for that bone structure, and he was hiding it with scruff. It was a shame really.

“I do. It’s a good way to sell my stuff.”

Ruby blinked. Right, she’d asked a question.

“Macy found me and realized I was local. Asked me to come and take a custom order. I agreed.”

“And you decided 1am was a good time to stop by?” Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow. Who the hell was this guy? Hands like a boxer, eyes like a killer, but he sold handicrafts on Etsy? Ruby did not know what to make of this whole encounter. If she made it out alive, it’d be a hell of a story to tell Lena tomorrow.

He shrugged again. “I guess I figured I’d catch her before she went home.”

“Well, I’m usually the one to lock up, so you’ll have to come earlier if you want to talk to Macy.”

“You’re here every night?”

“Every night except Thursday. That’s my day off.”

Gee, Ruby, why don’t you tell him your address too? Just give away all your information! It was like she had learned nothing from those stranger danger lessons they had every year in school.

Rafe nodded like he was tucking that detail away for later. He pulled a tape measure from his back pocket and went to work measuring the current tables, giving Ruby a break from his unrelenting gaze.

It was Ruby’s turn to stare.

She couldn’t help it.