A Maine Christmas...or Two Read Online Free PDF Page A

an earnest expression as she asked, “Why me? Why this?”
    “Because it’s what I want,” he answered, knowing it was the truth. “And you said you’d give me what I wanted.”
    “You promise no sex?” she asked hesitantly.
    “Only if you beg,” he answered arrogantly, although he was starting to wonder if he might end up being the one pleading. Her sweetness tempted him, and he was going to have a very hard time trying not to devour her.
    Pulling away from him, he saw her roll her eyes at his bravado, and it brought an involuntary smile to his lips.
    “You have a deal. But I’m bringing a tree and all of my Christmas decorations here,” she told him in a threatening voice as he followed her toward the door.
    Great. He could hardly wait. He avoided red and green decorations like the plague. But if it would bring her back, she could plaster them in every corner of his house, as long as she came along with the red bows and mistletoe.
    He helped her into her coat and slammed his feet into his heavy boots, grabbing a jacket from the closet and putting it on as he followed her out of the house.
    “This is what you’re driving?” he said irritably, his eyes roaming over the bald tires on the small truck. “It looks like a goddamn deathtrap.”
    The ground was covered in a couple inches of snow, wet and slippery moisture that would have her sliding everywhere on the roads.
    “I know how to drive in snow,” she replied stubbornly as she opened the door of her truck.
    “You need a new vehicle,” he replied in a surly tone. She couldn’t be driving on the road in this piece of shit. Slapping a hand on the window of her truck, he slammed the door closed and dug in his pocket, bringing out a set of keys. “Drive my truck. It’s too slick to drive around with those tires. There’s no tread left.”
    “I can still get some mileage out of them,” Emily retorted snappishly. “They aren’t that bad.”
    She was defensive, and Grady immediately knew that she probably couldn’t afford it. “Don’t you get paid?”
    “Not much,” she admitted with a sigh. “But I like my job.”
    “Drive my truck or our deal is off,” he grumbled, dangling the set of keys in front of her face.
    “I can’t take your vehicle,” she protested adamantly.
    He shrugged. “I have several.” He pointed to a huge truck on the other side of the circular drive. “Get into the truck, Emily.”
    She took the keys reluctantly, drawing a breath to argue as her feet started to skid. Grady scooped her up and bodily carried her to his truck. “Open the door,” he ordered, not giving her a chance to argue. She pulled the heavy door open and he deposited her in the driver’s seat. “Be careful,” he demanded after giving her a rundown of where everything was in the vehicle. “There isn’t a lot of snow, but it’s slippery. Call me when you get home safe.”
    “I don’t have your number,” she said, shaking her head.
    “Cell phone,” he ordered, holding out his hand.
    Emily dug in her purse and handed it to him.
    He programmed his number in and handed it back. “Now you have it.” Digging in the pocket of his jeans, he pulled out a business card from his wallet and handed it to her. “Take this too.” He wanted her to have anything with his name on it, anything to remind her of him, and his contact information available everywhere.
    “Are you really sure—”
    “I’ll have the money transferred into the YCOA account tomorrow. Get me the bank account number.” He wasn’t about to give her time to second-guess her decision. Hell, he’d wire the money right now if he thought it would get her locked into the deal tighter. “You look tired. You need sleep.” He could see the worry showing on her face, and tiny black circles under her eyes. He didn’t like it. The desire to see her happy was almost a compulsion, and he was damn near ready to do almost anything to see her smile and remove the signs of stress on her