Page 23 of The Grinch who Loved Me
CHAPTER4
ARIA
When she first pulled up to Ryland’s garage, she hadn’t known that her night was going to end like it had.
She had no idea that Ryland, who at first was brisk and quite rude, had turned into a teddy bear that was sexy as hell.
He was gruff, that much was true, but as the night wore on, he was less gruff and more kind and sweet.
He worried over her and if she had eaten and it was sexy to her. That he was that thoughtful.
He had dark hair and a slight scruff on his face.
It only lent something to his face that made her heart beat faster in her chest.
When he had cupped her face in one of his huge hands and ran his thumb gently on her cheek?
Let’s just say it was a good thing she was sitting down, or her knees would have been a puddle of goo.
They already had issues, but he was hell on her legs.
And then, he pressed his lips to hers and that was it.
She could still feel every single inch of his lips on hers and she wanted to feel it again.
He had shocked her more than once though. Not just because of his kiss, but because of what he admitted.
She wanted to ask him. And before she could censor her thoughts, she blurted, “Why haven’t you kissed anyone before?”
He looked over at her and then shrugged with his lips turned up at the edges, “I just never found a girl that I liked enough.”
Aria twisted her fingers together, “But, you just met me.”
His smile widened, “And apparently that was all it took.”
She looked away and then back at his smiling face. He was so unbelievably handsome.
He pulled up in front of her shop and saw the lights on the outside and he lifted his eyebrows, “You like Christmas don’t you?”
She nodded, “So much. It’s my life. Every single day.”
He shook his head slowly, and she said, “Do you want to see my shop?”
He nodded and then got out and walked around the car and to her side.
He lifted her out of the truck and then handed her the crutches, “I should probably let you walk.”
She smiled and made her way to the front door and unlocked it and flipped the lights on.
He looked around the shop and then back at her display of Christmas trees and their fake snow.
“You weren’t kidding when you say your life is revolved around Christmas.”
She laughed, “It’s hard not to be when I live in this town. The display was my mother’s idea. And I love it. I have had a few couples get pictures in front of it.”
He didn’t say anything and she walked around to the displays and he followed, “You made these?”
She nodded, proud. “I did.”
