Page 12 of Snow Much Plowing
“Unless you hurt yourself.” Sam heads toward me with his arms filled with logs.
“I won’t get hurt,” I huff, but he laughs.
“Right.”
I press my lips together, feeling a touch embarrassed. I guess it’s no secret that I’m a bit clumsy.
He makes a few more trips, stacking the wood next to my front door, so it’s easy for me to get to. I already have a pile by my fireplace. Even if I lose power, there is a generator, but I enjoy keeping a fire going. I often fall asleep on the couch in the living room because I like being next to it.
“Anything else you need before I head home?”
“I’m good, but these are for you.” I give him the tin filled with brownies and cookies, and Sam’s smile widens. “Thanks.” He winks at me before heading back to his truck.
Once he’s gone, I go back in the house and lock the front door. As soon as I’ve hung up my coat, I hear the voice.
“Are you giving my sweets away to other men?”
I let out a scream before spinning around to see Hollis sitting on my couch. His legs are outstretched as if he owns the place. For a second, I have the ridiculous thought that the couch looks small with him sitting on it.
Snowball sits beside him, as though he’s known the man for years and they are best friends. Traitor.
“Answer me,” Hollis orders before getting to his feet. “You know how I hate to be kept waiting.”
Chapter Two
LUCY
I’m in shock. What the hell is he doing here? How did he even know where I live? A million questions form in my mind, but no actual words come out of my mouth.
"Answer me, love."
"I told you to stop calling me that," I hiss. Why did his pet name have to be “love”? It drives me insane. "You have a million others to choose from. Like babe, baby, sweetheart." I throw my hands up. "Pick something else."
His eyes narrow. Gosh, he really is as big as I remember. “I’ll call you whatever I want.” With three steps, his long strides eat up the distance between us. “Remember who’s in charge here.” I drop my head back to glare up at him.
“How could I ever forget?”
“Good.” He smirks, and I want to smack it off his smug, handsome face. Why does he have to be so damn handsome? My mind tells me one thing, but my body wants something else altogether.
“How did you get in here?” I steer the conversation in a different direction.
“We've been over this, love.” He trails his finger down my jaw. “If I want something, I take it.”
“I’m not a...ah...something. Nor am I a possession.” I hate how my voice shakes. This man makes me an utter mess when he’s close. We need to go back to texting and phone calls. In person is too much. Keeping space between us is easier.
“No, you are not,” he agrees.
It doesn't feel like a victory. In fact, he makes it sound like I belong to him even more.
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” Did I leave the back door unlocked? That doesn’t sound like me. I should have set the alarm before I stepped outside, but I was only a few feet from my front door. As if he knows what I’m thinking, Hollis steps around me and goes to the alarm. I watch in utter shock as he keys in the code, arming it.
“I didn’t make all that money in tech without a reason.”
“You’re insane.” My heart gives a weird flutter. Is that fear or something else entirely? The only real fear I have is his potential to use me and then discard me.
“You have no idea.” He grabs me by the wrist, and I must be in shock because I let him lead me over to the couch. “Sit.”
“I’m not a dog.”