Page 14 of Yuletide Acres

She may be dining with Troy, but this round goes to me.

I watch them depart, a smile on my face. So much for keeping the woman away from my heart. It didn’t stand a chance.

“Mr. West, I’m so glad I found you.”

I turn, forcing a smile for Mrs. Dithers. She’s the local spinster who also runs the ladies’ group at the church. That’s her official title. Unofficially? She’s a gossip monger. One I steer clear of at all costs. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Dithers?”

She hands me an envelope, her lips pursed in dismay. “I saw you speaking to that woman.”

“Poppy Mills? What about her?”

She nods at the envelope. “You know how I like to check up on the recent additions to our town. Some call it being nosy. I call it being careful. She’s got quite a reputation on her, Mr. West. A reputation we don’t want in Yuletide Acres.”

I raise my brow at her accusations. “I know Poppy had a bit of a wild past, but so did I. That’s what your twenties are for—partying too much and living to tell about it.”

“This isn’t about a drunken party. Go ahead. Have a gander.”

I open the envelope, sliding out photos. There, wrapped around a pole, wearing barely more than a sexy expression, is Poppy.

“I can see from your face that you didn’t know about her past. It’s positively sordid.”

My stomach threatens to upend itself. She’s a stripper? I can tell from the photo that her former place of employ is a high-end establishment. But despite the lack of seediness on the dance floor, the real tricks happen backstage.

How do I know?

I frequented my share of strip clubs in my younger days, even paying for dances in the VIP rooms. Dances that quickly turned into blowjobs and fucks.

The idea that Poppy lured countless men using her body makes me sick. How many men have tasted the same sweetness as me? How many men have felt her pussy wrap around their dick as she drove them out of their mind?

I shove the photos back in the envelope, shaking my head. This changes everything.

“I assume you’ll take care of this problem. I don’t think this woman has any business helping anyone in Yuletide Acres. Lord knows what her brand of assistance looks like.”

I nod my head as she walks away, wishing to hell I could punch something.

Holistic healing, my ass. The reality is that Poppy earned her keep shedding her clothes for money.

At least now, my heart can close off any idea of a reunion. I wouldn’t touch Poppy with a ten-foot pole.

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