Gloria

“Oh, yes. Yes, it is. Whatever. I tried. You get your wish. Merry Christmas. Oh? And, you know what? You can call me Ms. Watson again.”

Gloria spun on her heel, ready to storm toward the door. She’d barely made it a couple of steps before she felt someone reach out and grab her good hand. Even when he was ticked at her, Franklin was gentle and sweet, folding his fingers around hers, snagging her by the hand before giving it a soft tug.

She whirled on him. “Let me go, Franklin.”

He did. But he moved forward, closing the remaining gap between them.

“I don’t like Christmas,” he announced in his gruff voice. “Bailey told you why. I can’t help it… there’s just too many bad memories attached.”

“I’m sorry. I really am. If I knew, I never would’ve pushed with the decorations and the toys and the soldiers, but I didn’t know, Franklin.”

“I know.” He lifted his hand, laying it along the side of her cheek. “I don’t like Christmas… but I do like you. I know I don’t talk much, and I’ve gotten used to listening to the sound of your voice, but I can’t let you get the last word this time.” He hesitated for a heartbeat, then added purposefully, “Gloria.”

“Yeah?” she said, almost daring him. “And what are you going to do about it?”

“What I’ve been dying to do since you walked into my garage,” he said simply.

And then, before she could do or say anything in response to his statement, she found her chin being gripped gently by his rough fingers, her head tilted back, and her mouth consumed by his as he kissed her.

She was stunned for as long as it occurred to her that this was really, really happening, before she closed her eyes and gave herself over to the sensation of being kissed by Franklin.

It was even better than she ever dreamed of.

12

When they finally broke apart again, Gloria’s lips tingling with Franklin’s kiss, her heart thumping in her chest, she glanced up at him only to frown when she saw the scowl on his face.

“What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?”

He shook his head. “Listen.”

She listened, then groaned a second later.

That was the sound of tires crunching the frozen ice that covered most of the path. Tires on the gravel. And both of the people who lived on the mountain were standing right there.

“We have a visitor,” she murmured.

Franklin snorted as he carefully pulled his arms back. “We nothing. You forget that I’ve lived next to you for the last month. In all that time, no one’s made the drive up here to see me. They stop in at the garage if they want to talk to me. Trust me, sweetheart, whoever’s out there is for you.”

Sweetheart.

Warmth pooled in her belly at just how casually he slipped that term of endearment into the conversation. Wow. One kiss after telling Franklin that she was into him and he was already letting down his guard.

Too bad she had to admit that he had a point about visitors to the mountainside.

After throwing her lips one last longing look, Franklin moved across the room, pulling his curtains back. His fingers clenched the cream-colored fabric, his back going ramrod straight as he got a peek at whoever was out there.

“It’s the deputy.”

Gloria peeked around Franklin’s side. He was right.

“What is he doing here?” she asked.

“Probably the same thing he was doing at the garage last week. Looking for you, or maybe trying to find out from me if you’re seeing anyone in town yet. I guess he didn’t understand me when I told him to leave you alone. That’s fine. I’m more than willing to have that talk again, especially now that...”

“Now that what?”

Franklin threw a look of pure heat and promise over his shoulder at her. “Now that you and me are starting something together. That kiss wasn’t a one-off. One taste and I’m already addicted, I promise you that.”