Page 11 of His Wood Her Fire

I’d come back to clean it later.

Right then, I was more concerned with the smell sticking to the curtains, area rug, and sofa, which was why I decided to air it out completely, despite the frigid temperatures.

I was still poking around the house, stopping to check out the things she brought with her.I could admit to myself I was hungry for clues about this woman.

I wanted to know more about her, and that was a fucking first.

I moved as unobtrusively as possible for someone my size, hoping to hear any evidence of a cat.When I didn’t see one, I frowned, worried that leaving the door open might have tempted the little beastie to leave.

Walking back to the cozy little kitchen with the green granite countertop I installed last year and the natural oak cabinets, I felt a sense of calm I had never associated with the place before.

Maybe it was seeing the box of cinnamon tea bags and ginger biscuits.Like just knowing they were hers, and that she was staying here, in a place I owned, did something to me.Made me aware of Gloria Desoto in a way I should not be thinking about, like at all.

Huffing a sound that was half-groan half-growl, I ran my hands through my too long hair and tried to control my wayward emotions.

Once I felt calm again, I tried to come up with a way to lure Frou-Frou—a ridiculous name for a pet—and grinned to myself when I spied a cannister of treats, and I grinned.It was the cat version of the samescrumptious for petsgoodies I bought for Moose,which was a much more dignified pet name in my not so humble opinion.

This was nuts.If there was one word that encompassed my entire being, it was grumpy.I never went out of my way to help someone.

But there I was.Searching for a cat with an idiotic name who belonged to a woman renting my cabin against my wishes and without my authority.

I should demand that she leave right this instant.Take her ridiculous compact car and get the hell out of here.

But I knew myself well, and I sure as shit wasn’t going to make the luscious woman leave.Even though her staying was likely to lead to ruination.

Hers or mine?

That part was unclear.But still, I didn’t do affairs.

And I was not in the market for a one night stand.But I was also self-aware enough to know that trying to resist the temptation that was Gloria might damn near kill me.

Fuck.

I picked up the cannister of cat treats and shook it, hoping Frou-Frou would hear it and come running.

While I did that, I worked hard at trying not to picture my beautiful tenant sitting in the cabin where I worked and lived.Her gorgeous body was on my couch right now, with her bare ass cheeks touching the soft leather.

Of course, my cock got hard.I let out a groan as I adjusted myself over my jeans.My dick clearly not getting the memo.

I am not fucking my tenant.

Just then, an enormous cat with fur the color of marmalade hopped onto the counter with a pitifulmeow.

“There you are,” I grunted, having already grabbed the cat carrier by the door.

I held my hand open and showed him the treats, and the handsome boy sniffed the treats, then glowered at me with pale green eyes before deciding I was safe enough.His soft chomping was loud in the quiet home, and I grinned at the absurdity of it all.

“You’re too manly to be named Frou-Frou, aren’t you, guy?”

As if he understood, the cat sniffed and glared some more.I shrugged, picking him up and putting him in the carrier, which also had a nice little travel kitty litter tray in the storage compartment beneath it.Grabbing some food and his water bowl, I headed back home.

“Hello?”I called out not wanting to startle her, but the confounded woman was not where I left her.

I frowned, placing the carrier on the floor while I went to search for her.

Soft singing reached my ears, and I paused just outside the bathroom.I recognized the tune,Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, but I had to admit it never sounded quite so good to my ears before.

Her voice wasn’t spectacular in that over the top Mariah or Celine way.It was husky and rich.Sexy, too.

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