Page 2 of Christmas with the Grumpy Mountain Man
No.
“Hi Roman, right?”
I nodded and stepped aside as she bustled by me, the scents of pine and peppermint tickling my nose.What is in that box of hers?
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Zena. I’ve got a few more boxes to bring in. Is it okay to keep using the side door? Any pets to worry about it?”
“Uh, wait a second,” I bristled, annoyance clawing at my insides with her rapid-fire questioning. “Let’s slow it down. Who sent you here?” Shutting the door behind me, I turned to face her.
The woman stared at me blankly and shrugged her shoulders. “It was an anonymous buyer.”
“Anonymous buyer? Seriously?” I scoffed while raking a hand through my hair. “Buyer of what?” Thoughts battled for attention, yet my mind could only come up with one person.
Grandma.
Zena placed the box at her feet in the middle of my foyer. “My services. They booked me for the day and sent me here with strict instructions to decorate your place and get you into the holiday spirit. I even have a fake tee for you! Unless you want to get a real one then we can do that too.”
“So, you’re what? A caretaker?”
Zena snickered and crossed her arms over her chest. “Not exactly. More like a professional event planner.”
“Event planner? I don’t have any event that needs planning.”
“Yes, you do. Christmas. Now, can you please let me know if you have any pets and where your living room is?”
“What if I don’t want your services? Can’t I decline?”Shut up, dude, you don’t want to decline. You want her in your bed.
“I already got paid, so I’m obligated to see my job through. But if you really don’t want it, then that’s fine. I’ll go.”
“Will the buyer get a refund?”
“No.” Zena snickered again, and I wanted to kiss the smirk right off her adorable face.
I grumbled. “Fuck it, whatever.” I wasn’t about to let reveal my true feelings. Last thing I needed in my life were the complications a woman brought. Or at least that’s what I told myself. “I don’t have any pets, feel free to use the door you came in, and the living room is to your left, with a dining room and kitchen as well. You can look around if you’d like. I’ll be upstairs in my office. Don’t need me, alright?”
What sounded very much like a laugh erupted from Zena’s throat, but when our eyes connected, she bit down on her lip and quickly looked away. “Got it. You won’t hear a peep.” Zena picked up the box and beamed as she bounced on her toes.
God damn, she was a cheery person.
What was there to be so happy about?
I should walk away now. Head up to my desk and get back into it. But how could I with her here? She was too much of a distraction.
And like two magnets, she drew me in, leaving me helpless to stop it.
Besides, I couldn’t let her carry these boxes.
“Here, I’ll take the box from you.” I moved closer to her and lifted the boxes from her arms, our fingertips brushing againstthe other. The slight touch left me reeling and the breath in my throat grew tight, like a ball wedged inside a small hole.
“Thank you.” Zena nodded her head to the left. “Lead the way.”
I showed her to the living room, setting the box down on the couch.
“Wow, what a nice open space.” She walked over to the sofa and looked into the dining room, and then into the kitchen, the last two rooms separated by a small bar counter with stools. “I love the style with the wooden beam rafters and high ceilings. I like how it isn’t closed off, either.”
“Thanks. My grandmother helped me.” I said.
She looked at me curiously and I wished I hadn’t opened my mouth. Why was I revealing tidbits to this woman I didn’t know?
