Page 9 of Winter Wrangler

“What she said.” Booker’s voice comes through the phone, and then I hear the line go dead.

I stare at my cell until the screen goes black, and then I take a deep breath. They’re right. Joy is a woman who’s had to be independent all her life. She’s used to figuring it out on her own and handling things. It’s one of the reasons I’m so drawn to her. Not because she’s capable of doing things on her own, but because I kept wondering what it would be like to do those things for her. She’s so strong and self-sufficient, but I want to give her the chance to be soft. To lay things down and let me handle them. As much as I love her take-charge attitude, I want to see the woman that she becomes when she’s given the choice.

Deciding that I need to change things up, I swipe my thumb across the screen and make another call. Once that’s done, I go in search of Joy.

I don’t have to look too hard because the scent of something sweet is coming from the kitchen. “There you are,” I say when she stands up straight and places a tray of cookies on the counter.

“Did you finish whatever it was you needed to do?”

I don’t think I’m imagining the tightness around her eyes when she looks at me. When I put that distance between us earlier, it silently told her to put her guard up. After I spent the morning tearing it down, I can see it again between us.

“Yep, now I need you to get your pretty ass in the truck.”

“What?” She blinks, and I grab my keys off the counter.

“Come on, we haven’t got all day.”

“You told me to look through my stuff, and I haven’t done that yet.” She crosses her arms over her chest in a way that’s challenging.

If she wants to dance, I’m more than happy to play some music. “You’re right. I told you to go do something and instead I found you in the kitchen making cookies.” I grab one off the pan and take a bite. The warm chocolate chip cookie practically melts in my mouth. “Maybe I should dock your pay.”

“You wouldn’t.” She narrows her eyes at me, and my smile widens.

“Come on, bunny. We’ve got Christmas shit to buy.”

“I thought I was going to make a list and you’d order it?” She says it like she’s annoyed, but I see the spark of delight in her eyes. Her guard is coming down ever so slightly, so I remind myself of what Sabrina said and push a little more.

“I’m not sure I can leave you to your own devices.” I walk around the kitchen island and take her hand in mine. “I think this might be something you and I have to do together.” The tension around her eyes melts, and her fingers thread through mine. “Otherwise you might not do it right.”

She lets out a playful growl that’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard. “Listen here, cowboy, you keep up that kind of lip, and I’ll make sure to coat every surface of this house in glitter.”

“If that’s what you want,” I say before pulling her behind me and leading her outside. “But if you really want to get your way, don’t put glitter all over the house. Put it on your tits.”

The blush of her cheeks reminds me of Christmas, and I think this might be the best one yet.

Chapter Seven

JOY

"We can always go to Greenfield or even Cooperstown,” I tell Devin when he turns his truck in the direction of Mittenville.

With how private he is, I was sure he would want to go somewhere else. If we show up together, we will certainly be the talk of the town. Being so close to Christmas, I expect many people to be out and about.

“Here is fine.” He shrugs.

“It’s really fine if you don’t want to.” I try to give him an out because people might get the wrong idea about the two of us. They might have believed I was working for him before he threatened my cousin. But now that I’ve moved in with him and we’re showing up downtown together, they're going to raise more than an eyebrow.

“Do you not want to go into town with me?” He glances over where I’m sitting in the passenger seat.

“I didn’t say that. I just know how people talk, and I know you don’t want to be the center of gossip.”

“Let ’em talk.” He seems so casual, I’m having a hard time believing my ears.

“All right,” I agree, but I’m not sure what to think about Devin. He makes my head spin while also making my heart race. “You think we can swing by the store too? We can stock up on a few things, or if not, I can go back later and do it myself.”

“I’ll take you,” he says with finality, and I swear there’s a possessive tone to his words.

“I don’t want to be a bother.”

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