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“Leroy Stine and Ashley Arlo.” I groan and run my fingers through my hair. The beautician and the town’s only lawyer. She’s been pushing him away for at least six months since she moved here. He locks a square jaw and strides forward to grab the list and his hand settles on her back as she stares around like she can’t believe what’s going on.
Alicia’s eyes meet mine and I lock my jaw, feeling sudden dread. I am about to meet my match. She calls Portia’s name and I cringe inside. Then Sarah grins and I watch her pull that slip of paper out of the hat.
I don’t even glance at Sarah’s face as she called my name. Instead I fix my gaze on Portia’s rigid form as I step forward to get the list.
Sarah grins and hands me the list. “Have fun you two.”
I take the list and grunt, reaching out a hand and wrapping it around Portia’s slim fingertips, I drag her out of there before the brewing storm I can see coming behind her flashing eyes hits and wipes out the two little old matchmakers.
I grasp the paper, crumpling it in my fingers tensely as we leave the room and Portia jerks out of my hands. I want to howl when her fingers leave mine. I love her every touch.
Her slim figure is quivering, her honey eyes flashing dangerously. “Did you set this up?” She growls.
I snort. “I can’t control those two! Why would I even try? This is all them!”
“Why the heck would they set us up to do this? Everyone knows we hate each other.”
I grunt under my breath. I don’t hate her. Far from it. But acting like that is the only thing that might save me. Because if I touch her for real…I might lose all the self-control I’ve managed to muster. She’s always had my control twisted in knots and even when she’s glaring at me like she is right now, I can’t resist needling her.
“You afraid to be alone with me, princess? You can drop out if you’re scared. I won’t blame you.”
Her dainty chin comes up. “I don’t think so. Let’s get this show started. I can take it if you can.”
A shuddering growl rumbles through me and her eyebrows lift up, her eyes staring at me, lit with golden fire.
“Well, Trace Lowell. Let’s get this over with so I can go get a drink and forget about whatever fresh disaster is waiting for us.”
And huffing angrily, she stalks off, her back rigid and her delicate jaw clenched.
“Merry Christmas to me,” I growl under my breath. “If those two mess this up as bad as I think they did, I’m gonna get the sheriff to lock their butts up.”
I know I won’t but I hope this doesn’t go as bad as I think it’s going to. Because there’s nothing I want more than the woman currently standing beside my truck and glaring at the ground, tapping her toes in her black boots.
Her honey-gold eyes lift and the gentle breeze has her fire-engine red curls dancing around her pretty face.
And I fall even more in love with her than I did at sixteen. Fourteen years of torture, wanting her and knowing that we were never going to be more than neighbors. Knowing that she’d never feel the same feelings that I did.
Yeah, I think I’m even more screwed than I was earlier today because there’s no way she’ll ever feel the same way I do.
I groan and stand beside her, unlocking the door to my truck and pulling the door open to let her in. She steps up and I fight not to touch her waist, make sure she’s safe.
I want all the things with this woman and all she wants is to get away from me.
My heart sinks as I jog around the front of the truck and climb inside, staring at the dashboard like I have no idea what to do now.
“Well, spitfire. What now?”
CHAPTER3
Portia
I’m not a fan of elder abuse and I know our sheriff frowns on that kind of thing but I’m seriously tempted to kill the two old troublemakers who came up with this crazy notion.
A couples scavenger hunt. Locked up with a man who I desperately want to spend time with but I’m terrified of. Yep, I’m screwed.
And the way those names came out…this was all rigged. There’s no way every single around here was paired with the exact person they’ve been fighting to understand, spend time with.
“You know this was rigged, right?” I snarl, my fingers twisting in my lap.
