Stony Creek Hero [Stony Creek 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Online Free PDF

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    “Ben, really! I know for sure I have never qualified for anything remotely considered perfect especially after last night. Did you sleep over last night?” she asked the question that had an obvious answer. Duh.
    He raised one eyebrow in amusement. “You needed someone to watch over you while you recovered from your visit to the distillery. I volunteered for the job. Sorry I woke you. I was just fixing the lock on the door for you. Now I will be able to sleep better knowing that you are locked in all safe at night.”
    “You did?” she asked him in a mix of shock and pleasure. It made her feel all warm inside knowing he cared if she was safe.
    “I did. I also managed to make us some coffee without burning down your kitchen. Would you care for some and perhaps an ibuprofen or two?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
    Lizzie again looked shyly up at him nodding her head, pleased that a man, especially this man, could be so thoughtful. It wasn’t what she was accustomed to.
    They walked into her little cozy kitchen together where he encouraged her to sit while he poured her a cup and retrieved the medicine from the cabinet that she indicated. He sat across from her, trying hard to forget the gorgeous, tempting package that he had briefly had the pleasure of seeing. He inwardly sighed as his body again reacted to his wayward thoughts.
    “I appreciate it so much that you would try to fix my lock, Ben, but you don’t have to, you know. I will eventually get it fixed,” Lizzie said.
    “I know you will because it is fixed at this moment. I couldn’t in good conscience let you spend another night in here if I didn’t, Lizzie. It was nothing at all, baby. In fact I am rather angry at you for not asking me to fix it before today.”
    Lizzie sent him a soft smile which encouraged him to continue.
    “So that brings me to my next early-morning topic. I was doing a little thinking last night about your, ah, situation and I think I may have a solution to benefit us both,” Ben said gently, taking care not to broach the very sensitive topic without some sort of finesse.
    At her startled look, he tried to forge on. “Now, we have known each other for a long time, Lizzie, no?”
    She looked at him with a mixture of hesitancy and suspicion. Ben’s concerns were immediately confirmed that this amazing woman hadn’t known much gentleness from men.
    “Yes, Ben, we have. Why do you ask?”
    “Well, being sort of like neighbors and with me eating at the café most days, well, I figure we have some trust between us built up.”
    Lizzie looked at Ben like she couldn’t figure out if he had grown another head or was sitting on his brain with that huge body of his.
    “Ben, I live twenty minutes from your ranch. Hunter and Billie qualify as your neighbors. I am merely your dinner maker, sir.”
    Ben tried to ignore the connotations running through his head from hearing her call him sir and rubbed his hand impatiently over his face. “Baby, try to focus and be serious. I understand the financial situation that you are in and would like to be of assistance.” No sooner did he get those words out, than she jumped up from her chair and glared at him.
    “There is no way in hell I am going to take money from you, Mr. Overgrown Walking Wall of Muscle. I am a hard worker who is quite capable of figuring my way out of this mess without taking a handout from anyone. I thought you knew me better than that, Ben,” she spat out.
    Ben could feel the anger and indignation pouring off her. He took a deep breath and decided to forge on even a bit more lightly.
    “I didn’t suggest, honey, that you just take money from me. That is your exhaustion talking. There is another way to allow you your pride and give me an opportunity that I might not have otherwise. Are you willing to listen or are you going to start jumping up and down again? If you are going to jump, then fine. I am just going to sit back, have my coffee, and watch your