Read Online A Very Merry Christmas: WITH "Do You Hear What I Hear" AND "Bah Humbug, Ba by Lori Foster, Janice Maynard, Gemma Bruce - Free Book Online Page B
Ads: Link
the snow. Stark, multipaned windows were in desperate need of cleaning. Ancient patio furniture had all been moved to one side of the porch, giving the appearance of a salvage yard.
He’d have to explain to Marci, to make her understand that he’d wanted to update his grandmother’s house, but she’d refused to let him spend a dime of his own money. As he stepped out of his truck, she got out, too, and she looked around with awe.
“Osbourne,” she breathed, “it’s incredible.”
Explanations died on his tongue. He retrieved her bag, saying, “It needs some work.”
“It’s charming. And look at all that land. How much of it is yours?”
The temperature hung in the twenties, and Marci had her arms around herself. Yet she still stood staring out at the vast expanse of snow-covered acreage.
“All of it. In front of us, it goes all the way to the road. To the sides, it includes the woods, and some into the clearing, up to the fence line. Behind us it runs to the creek. Twelve acres in all.”
“A creek.” She whirled to face him. “Maybe tomorrow you can show me?”
His mouth, half-frozen, lifted into a smile. She was the charming one, so delighted with everything, so nonjudgmental. “Sure. We’ll make a snowman. Come on. It’ll be a lot warmer inside.” He led her to a door on the other side of the carport. “I usually park in the barn, but this is closer.”
She stared down at the bottom half of the door. “Is that a doggie entrance?”
“Yeah. Grimshaw uses it. He was Granny’s dog, but now he’s mine.”
The carport opened into a heated mudroom, so that when Ozzie worked, Grimshaw could get into the warmth of the house or outside to run, as his mood led him. Another doggie door opened into the main house, and when Ozzie was home, he kept it unlatched. But for reasons of safety, he secured it whenever he was away from the house. He’d had everything from raccoons to skunks try to enter and root around.
Expecting Grimshaw to come greet him as he usually did, Ozzie unlatched the door. But there wasn’t a single sign of the dog.
“He must be out playing. He does that. And with me being late, he probably got tired of waiting for me. The area is all fenced, but even if it wasn’t, he knows his perimeters. He’s safe enough. And I’ve found out that he loves the snow.”
Stepping from the mudroom into the kitchen, Marci asked, “What kind of dog is he?”
“I don’t know. A mixed breed. That was the only kind Granny ever had. I grew up with all kinds of animals, but now there’s only Grimshaw.”
Marci turned a circle to take in the spacious country kitchen with lots of wood trim. As she tugged off her boots to leave by the door, she said, “Wow.”
“When I find the time, I plan to refinish all the wood trim, replace the cabinets and countertops, and install new appliances.” Never taking his eyes off her, he removed his snow-covered boots, too.
“It’s amazing.”
At the end of his tether, Ozzie relocked the main door, set her bag on the table, and put his arms around her from behind. “My restraint has been amazing. But no more.” While kissing the nape of her neck, he deftly began opening her coat.
At first, she melted, but she quickly rallied. “Osbourne, wait.”
“Can’t.” He pushed his groin against her bottom and wanted to groan. “I need you.”
“I’d like to shower first.”
“I hope you’re joking.” He got her coat free and stripped it off her.
She turned to face him, her cheeks rosy, her eyes bright. “But…I smell like a donkey.”
Anticipation growing in leaps and bounds, Ozzie looked her over. “Trust me, Marci, you could smell like the donkey’s…”
“Osbourne!”
“Foot.” He smiled at her. “And I wouldn’t care.” She giggled, and that was enough to send him into a frenzy of lust. Scooping her up and over his shoulder, he said, “I’ll shower with you. After.”
He bounded up the winding stairway two steps at a time,
He’d have to explain to Marci, to make her understand that he’d wanted to update his grandmother’s house, but she’d refused to let him spend a dime of his own money. As he stepped out of his truck, she got out, too, and she looked around with awe.
“Osbourne,” she breathed, “it’s incredible.”
Explanations died on his tongue. He retrieved her bag, saying, “It needs some work.”
“It’s charming. And look at all that land. How much of it is yours?”
The temperature hung in the twenties, and Marci had her arms around herself. Yet she still stood staring out at the vast expanse of snow-covered acreage.
“All of it. In front of us, it goes all the way to the road. To the sides, it includes the woods, and some into the clearing, up to the fence line. Behind us it runs to the creek. Twelve acres in all.”
“A creek.” She whirled to face him. “Maybe tomorrow you can show me?”
His mouth, half-frozen, lifted into a smile. She was the charming one, so delighted with everything, so nonjudgmental. “Sure. We’ll make a snowman. Come on. It’ll be a lot warmer inside.” He led her to a door on the other side of the carport. “I usually park in the barn, but this is closer.”
She stared down at the bottom half of the door. “Is that a doggie entrance?”
“Yeah. Grimshaw uses it. He was Granny’s dog, but now he’s mine.”
The carport opened into a heated mudroom, so that when Ozzie worked, Grimshaw could get into the warmth of the house or outside to run, as his mood led him. Another doggie door opened into the main house, and when Ozzie was home, he kept it unlatched. But for reasons of safety, he secured it whenever he was away from the house. He’d had everything from raccoons to skunks try to enter and root around.
Expecting Grimshaw to come greet him as he usually did, Ozzie unlatched the door. But there wasn’t a single sign of the dog.
“He must be out playing. He does that. And with me being late, he probably got tired of waiting for me. The area is all fenced, but even if it wasn’t, he knows his perimeters. He’s safe enough. And I’ve found out that he loves the snow.”
Stepping from the mudroom into the kitchen, Marci asked, “What kind of dog is he?”
“I don’t know. A mixed breed. That was the only kind Granny ever had. I grew up with all kinds of animals, but now there’s only Grimshaw.”
Marci turned a circle to take in the spacious country kitchen with lots of wood trim. As she tugged off her boots to leave by the door, she said, “Wow.”
“When I find the time, I plan to refinish all the wood trim, replace the cabinets and countertops, and install new appliances.” Never taking his eyes off her, he removed his snow-covered boots, too.
“It’s amazing.”
At the end of his tether, Ozzie relocked the main door, set her bag on the table, and put his arms around her from behind. “My restraint has been amazing. But no more.” While kissing the nape of her neck, he deftly began opening her coat.
At first, she melted, but she quickly rallied. “Osbourne, wait.”
“Can’t.” He pushed his groin against her bottom and wanted to groan. “I need you.”
“I’d like to shower first.”
“I hope you’re joking.” He got her coat free and stripped it off her.
She turned to face him, her cheeks rosy, her eyes bright. “But…I smell like a donkey.”
Anticipation growing in leaps and bounds, Ozzie looked her over. “Trust me, Marci, you could smell like the donkey’s…”
“Osbourne!”
“Foot.” He smiled at her. “And I wouldn’t care.” She giggled, and that was enough to send him into a frenzy of lust. Scooping her up and over his shoulder, he said, “I’ll shower with you. After.”
He bounded up the winding stairway two steps at a time,
Similar Books
