Page 8 of Dear Santa, Send Me a Cowboy
Chapter Three
DIANA
“That’s the wrong door,” I announced as he went to open it.
“I know,” he grunted, then swung open the door.
Half annoyed, half curious, I hustled my little body toward the garage where I found him searching around in the small space.
Okay… So, he wasn’t leaving?
“What the hell are you doing now?” Crossing my arms, I attempted to warm myself as I watched him move around my garage like he owned it and for some reason, I liked it. A little too much, actually.
“What’s it look like?” He scoffed in that signature tone I was beginning to find less and less obnoxious.
“Either you're extremely lost, or you’re looking for something.” A shiver coursed through my words, causing his head to promptly spin around and lock eyes onto mine.
His brow instantly furrowed.
“Get your ass inside, Diana. It’s way too cold out here for you.” His tone was demanding and authoritative.
My jaw dropped.
He had said my name. He growled it, actually, and it didn’t piss me off like I thought it would. But after the initial shock of it, the realization of it all had hit me.
Was he serious?
Just twenty minutes ago I was outside trying to carry a tree into my home, and he never said anything then. Why was he suddenly now all concerned?
“You hear me back there? Go inside.” His tone took on a more commanding tone as he continued his search. At a loss for words, I remained standing there with a look of shock across my face until his stare caught mine once more and his eyes softened.
“I’m lookin’ for your ladder, woman. Now, be a good girl, and go inside.”
Ladder? Good girl?
What the hell was going on? Maybe I had fallen asleep while watching one of my Christmas movies and I was having a very real-like dream that was currently checking off all the boxes of the type of man I’d spend a wild night with? Though he was a bit too bossy and grumpy for my liking, this surely couldn’t be real.
Right?
Still standing in the same spot, I couldn’t stop my eyes from wandering over his broad back and firm ass. Small-town, country men were a breed of their own. All that gruffness and bullheadedness, intertwined with a “won’t quit” attitude was the perfect recipe for disaster. And by disaster, I meant, too tempting for a woman like me.
A woman who has spent too much time alone.
“My name is Diana, not woman.” I managed to get the words out. “And my ladder isn’t in the garage.” I almost told him that it’s in my shed, but quickly stopped myself as I spun around on my heel and stormed back inside. A low grunt or growl materialized from behind me and soon he was stomping his wayback into my home with a less-than-pleased expression on his face.
“You really are fuckin’ stubborn, ain’t you?” he grumbled, causing my whole body to go still.
“Stubborn? Who the hell said that? Your dad?” I was slightly taken aback at the fact that Fred told his son I was stubborn, but when I turned and caught his raised smirk pointed in my direction, all the annoyance in my body fizzled. This was the brightest I had seen this man smile, and my god was it captivating.
So breathtakingly captivating that words became impossible to find as my skin broke out in a sweat.
“Said you’re a lot like me.” He grinned while dropping his eyes down onto my chest. My nipples were now fully aware of his gaze and although there were two layers of clothes covering my breasts, the way his tongue swept along his bottom lip made me feel like I was standing naked in front of him. Just in case, I double checked with a brief glance downward because never in my life had anyone looked at me so intensely.
“I’m nothing like you.”
His grin widened.
“I hope not, darlin’.” He took a step toward me. “Most don’t know how to handle me.” Now that was something I could agree with him on.
