Page 19 of Mountain Man Santa

My eyes narrow as I scan his darkened living room. A large, well-decorated tree looms in one corner, sparkling with pretty white lights, and as my eyes adjust to the dark interior, I make out warm wood floors lined with thick rugs, a coffee table, and a rugged couch and loveseat set with western-patterned pillows. A large fireplace made of local granite, rustic and cozy, invites me to get cozy.

Letting go of my hand, he heads for the lights, sliding them up slowly so my eyes adjust. Now that I can see more, I notice the Arts and Crafts Style accent lighting and chandelier. The walls of his cabin are a deep, burnished wood color…and the smell from his kitchen makes me pinch my nose and grimace.

“Oh my!” I exclaim, taking in the pungent fragrances. “You weren’t kidding when you warned me about the smell.”

“See what I told you,” he says. “Polish Christmas dinner is a bit of an acquired taste. But if you can get behind pierogis, you’re halfway there.”

“The Sutherlands came from England, which doesn’t mean a lot when it comes to culinary traditions. So, a stench like this is new to me.”

He chuckles. “Glad I could pop your cabbage cherry. How about you make yourself at home. Take a shower and slip into something more comfortable, if you like. I’ve got plenty of extra clothes, although you’ll be swimming in them. While you do that, I’ll get the cabin aired out and work on a fire.”

“That sounds good,” I say, stepping forward onto my tiptoes to plant my lips on his. He wraps his arms around me, growling until his chest rumbles. Finally stepping back, he tangles his fingers with mine, drawing me through the living room and down the hallway into a large room with a California king and fluffy white duvets. It looks like a bed fitted with clouds, comfortable and inviting.

“There are hoodies and shirts in my closet,” he says, nodding towards a door to his right. And the bathroom’s through there. Do you need anything?” He arches an eyebrow, scowling and looking incredibly adorable.

Stepping forward, I palm his chest, saying, “Apart from you, I can’t think of anything.”

He growls again, his eyes softening. “Good, because I’ve got big plans for you and me, and something tells me you’re gonna like them. All of them.”

“Big plans, huh?”

He nods, his lips forming a satisfied grin. “I wasn’t joking about the naughty list.” Planting another kiss on my lips, he pulls away reluctantly, heading for the door. Calling back over his shoulder, he asks, “Egg nog, wine, beer, or something else?”

“I’ll take a beer, please.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “You know, for as long as we’ve worked together, you keep surprising me.”

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” I ask.

“It’s a keeper thing,” he says, frowning as he leaves the room.

Chapter

Thirteen

STACEY

“Okay, now try this one,” Jerry says, bringing the fork to my mouth with a small bite of wild strawberry pierogi. There’s something ridiculously sexy about the burly guy feeding me as I take a bite, closing my eyes and savoring the tart sweetness.

“Mmm… I don’t know which one’s my favorite.”

“I’ll always be stuck on the prune ones. That little touch of orange flavor and zest puts them over the top for me. It’s part of my babcia’s secret family recipe, which means I’ll have to kill you if you ever decide to leave this cabin again. Well, apart from work, where I can keep an eye on you.” He sets down the plate. My naked legs drape over his lap, and he returns to holding and caressing them with his big, thick hands.

I shake my head. “You know, all this time, I seriously thought you were Italian or something. Because you kind of give off that tough guy Sylvester Stallone vibe…”

He takes a swig of the beer on the coffee table next to him. Nodding, he says, “Believe me, you have to be a tough guy where I’m from. I guess they haven’t made enough movies about those goodfellas.” He swallows loudly.

“Why haven’t you talked about your family or background before now, Jerry?”

He shakes his head, looking down. “The same reason you never told me the Sutherlands were in law enforcement. We were trying to keep our relationship professional…on the up and up. Thank God we’re over that now. Besides, there’s not much to be proud of about my family.” His fingers trace sensual circles on my skin, making it difficult for me to concentrate. “There’s a lot that people who didn’t grow up in my neighborhood wouldn’t understand. You know?” He shrugs, his face torn as he side-eyes me.

“You don’t have much faith in people, do you?”

He arches an eyebrow. “Most people haven’t given me much reason to have faith in them.”

“What about me?” My stomach drops as soon as the question leaves my mouth. I already know exactly where this is heading. But it’s a conversation we need to have.

Jerry’s fingers slide higher up my legs, his fingertips leaving fire trails on my upper calves and the tender places around my knees. “See, I’d like things to be different with you. But I don’t know. I kinda get the impression you’d never settle for a guy like me. Especially coming from a law enforcement family.”

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