Page 6 of Dad Bod Snow Job

Finally, his gaze lands on me again. He breaks the silence with a deep sigh. “You're going to fall.”

“Not a chance!” I beam down at him despite my precarious perch. I straighten my spine, determined to prove I can handle a simple decorating task without disaster striking. “I'm adding some festive flair to match all the improvements. Have you seen the new display window? And wait until I show you my ideas for?—”

Nico doesn't move. He stands there, arms crossed over his broad chest, watching me with those intense blue eyes. The corner of his mouth twitches—not quite a smirk, but close enough to make me want to prove him wrong even more.

I turn back to the lights, trying to focus on untangling the strand wrapped around the top branches. But his presence looms larger than life behind me, making my fingers clumsy. The ladder sways slightly as I shift my weight.

Bear circles the ladder, his tail giving a tentative wag. Yesterday's warning about his aggression toward strangersechoes in my mind, but those amber eyes look more curious than threatening.

“You could help, you know,” I suggest brightly, glancing down at Nico. “Instead of standing there looking broody.”

His eyebrows lift. “And miss the show?”

“Oh, so Mr. Grumpy Lumberjack has a sense of humor.” I wiggle my trapped foot, but the lights only tangle tighter.

He shifts below, boots scuffing against the wooden floor. “Holly?—”

“I've got it!” But I don't. The ladder gives an ominous creak.

I admit defeat and start my careful descent.

Three steps down, Bear moves closer. His ears flatten against his head, and his amber eyes lock onto me. The tail that was wagging a moment ago is now stiff, and I realize how sharp the teeth are in those strong jaws.

My foot hovers mid-step. “Nico?”

“Bear, heel.” Nico's clipped response does nothing to calm my nerves.

He moves smoothly, crouching to grip Bear's collar. His muscles flex beneath his flannel shirt as he holds the massive dog in check. Bear lets out a low growl, and Nico's jaw tightens. His piercing blue eyes dart between me and his dog, alert and focused.

But something in Bear's posture—the way his ears keep twitching forward despite his growl—tells me there's more curiosity than threat. Keeping my movements slow anddeliberate, I lower myself to Bear's level, lights still trailing from my ankle.

“Hey there, handsome. You're just doing your job, aren't you? Making sure no one causes trouble in your territory.”

Bear's ears perk up slightly. His amber eyes stay locked on mine, but the growl softens to a curious rumble.

“That's right, you're such a good boy. So protective and strong.” I keep my hand low, palm up, letting him see I'm not a threat.

Nico's grip on Bear's collar hasn't loosened. He's in front of Bear, angled toward me; the protective stance sends a flutter through my stomach that has nothing to do with fear.

Bear's nose twitches as he scents the air. His tail gives another hesitant wag.

“See? We can be friends. I bet you're the best security guard this farm has ever had.”

The praise works magic. Bear's posture relaxes, and his tail picks up speed. He takes a tentative step forward, straining against Nico's hold.

“Easy,” Nico warns, a note of surprise in his deep voice.

I hold perfectly still as Bear stretches his neck, nose inching closer to my outstretched hand. His breath is warm against my palm as he takes in my scent.

“That's it, sweetheart. Just getting to know each other.”

The massive dog gives my fingers a delicate sniff, then another. His tail is wagging enthusiastically now, and his ears have perked up fully. Suddenly, he pushes forward eagerly, nearlypulling free of Nico's grip in his sudden enthusiasm to get closer to me.

“He never does that,” Nico says, his deep voice rough with disbelief. “Bear doesn't trust anyone.”

Pride blooms in my chest. I can't help the grin that spreads across my face as I scratch under Bear's chin, earning more enthusiastic tail wags.

“What can I say?” I quip, feeling bold from my success. “I have a way with grumpy guys.”

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