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She cleared her throat and forced herself to finish. “Kiss someone under the mistletoe.”
“There’s no shortage of mistletoe or available men, so that one’s easy. Does your aunt have a tree yet?”
“No,” Anna Beth answered tersely. Kissing someone else would not be easy for her, even if she was surrounded by thousands of men. She knew he probably skipped over that one for her sake, but sweeping it under the rug like that bugged her.
Did you really think he would offer himself up as tribute? Come on. He is trying to respect boundaries. Don’t hold being a good guy against him.
“How about I grab you after work,” Jared said, pulling her from her thoughts.
“What?”
“You need to cut down your own tree, right? Tomorrow morning, we’ll head out to Stubb’s Christmas Tree Farm. I can teach you how to use a saw and we can grab lunch on the way back.”
Anna Beth gave him an evil grin. “You’re a brave man for encouraging me to swing a sharp object around.”
“Nah, no swinging involved. Just a chainsaw, like Leather Face. If you accidentally maim me, I’ll get some time off work during the holidays. Win-win.”
“I guess. Maybe I’ll grab an old burlap sack and make a mask. Scare the locals.”
“Or we could not give the good people of Stubbs coronaries.” Jared rapped a knuckle on the table. “We should probably let you get some work done. Come on, Rip.”
Rip grunted and nuzzled closer to Anna Beth.
Anna Beth giggled when Jared scowled and ducked his head under the table. “Hey, I bought you a pup cup. Don’t you tell me, ‘no.’”
“Actually, I bought him the pup cup,” Anna Beth teased.
Rip made a rumbling whine, backing her up.
Jared sat up straight with a grin. “I guess he told me.”
“Sounds like it. If you have some errands to run, I’m happy to keep him with me. I won’t run off with him, I swear.”
Jared ran a hand through his hair. “I guess I could go to the store and grab a few groceries. Are you sure?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s not a bother at all.”
Jared picked up his knit cap and gloves from the table top and stood. “Be a good boy for Anna Beth and, when I come back, no lip from you.”
Rip dropped onto his belly with a huff.
“Am I crazy for thinking he understands me?” Jared asked.
“Not at all. I don’t think we give animals enough credit.”
“Alright, I’ll be right back. Thanks, A.B.”
“You’re welcome.”
Jared headed for the door. Her gaze involuntarily drifted to where his jeans hugged his rear end.
When he turned back to wave, her face caught fire. Had he noticed where she’d been looking? Anna Beth waved awkwardly and when he was safely out the door, she quickly focused at her laptop screen. She needed to concentrate on getting words down instead of how good Jared’s butt looked.
She opened her document and read through the last page she wrote, but for some reason, the family drama wasn’t calling to her. Anna Beth stared at the screenplay she’d been working on for months but after ten minutes of typing and erasing the same few sentences, she opened a new file.
Anna Beth closed her eyes, her mind wandering. She prayed to the muses, for some sign of inspiration.
Rip nudged her hand and when she didn’t immediately pet him, he flopped onto the ground with a grunt.
