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“Hey guys, I got something for you.”
Jace beat his dad to the steps and took the hedgehog with a laugh, squeezing the toy over the puppy’s head. She stood up on her hind legs trying to bite the toy, but Jace threw it. The young dog bounced after it excitedly and grabbed it just before Jace caught up, attempting to make her escape. When she tripped over her own paws and fell, Jace gasped and kneeled down, talking softly to her.
Clark came over to her and she whispered, “That is the sweetest kid.”
“Thank you. What’s that?” he asked, pointing to the box in her hand.
“It’s a Christmas scene projector. Instead of hanging a bunch of lights, I thought I’d put one of these up on the fence and it could project a scene on the side of the house. Not like anyone will see it but me, but I wanted to be a little festive.”
Clark studied the outside of the box with a frown. “This is cheating.”
“It is not! It’s the newest trend and it means I don’t have to go to the hardware store and grab those little hook thingies. It also keeps me from having to climb a ladder, which I love. Ladders make my knees squishy.”
“I can’t let you put one of these out. As a Christmas traditionalist, these offend me.”
“Then you don’t have to look at it.” Merry reached for the box but he held it away from her. She placed her hands on her hips with a scowl. “If I didn’t have to stir the taco meat, I’d tackle you.”
Clark laughed, tossing the box from hand to hand. “Come get me when you’re done. I think I can take you.”
I would love for you to take me.
She disappeared inside before he saw her blush. The skin on the back of her neck still tingled from the warmth of his hand before, not to mention the desire to grip the front of his flannel and drag him down to her level. He’d wanted to kiss her; she could see it in the deepening of those intense brown eyes. Just a few weeks ago he’d been her parents’ foreman, a man who never really smiled except with his son and hardly cast her a glance. Now…
He was the guy she imagined lying next to her when she couldn’t sleep at night, holding her close. Kissing her softly. Hands stroking down her—
The door banged open and Clark popped his head in. “Smells good in here.”
“Thanks. Twenty minutes until lift off. Is my projector safe?”
“For now,” he teased. “I’m running home for a minute, but I told Jace to stay in the yard. Is that okay with you?”
“Absolutely. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“Thanks, I know. Just didn’t want you to think I ditched my kid with you.” He sent her one of those broad grins she was still getting used to. “Really, I appreciate this, Merry. I’m so used to cooking, it’s nice to hang up the chef’s hat. I can’t wait to taste your tacos.”
“Hopefully they live up to the anticipation,” she murmured.
“I’m sure they’ll be delicious. Be right back.”
“Okay.”
Clark shut the door and walked past the window on the other side of the gate. She’d been so close to asking him about Woodsman27, but then his gorgeous brown eyes gazing into hers chased every thought away until the only thing she could concentrate on was the hardness of his chest beneath her palms. How easy it would have been to close the distance if she’d been a few inches taller. And could he hurry the hell up and kiss her?
Of course, she didn’t want their first kiss to be in front of his son, but she hadn’t been thinking straight, a reaction she hadn’t expected to have. Merry knew what lust was, but that was usually insubstantial and fleeting. This longing for Clark had been building and grew stronger every time she spoke to him.
She turned off the burner and set the meat to the side, grimacing when she lifted her foot and it throbbed. Merry checked the clock and popped another aspirin, then put all the taco fixings she’d prepped out on the counter in bowls and on plates. The last thing she needed to do was fry the shells and warm the beans. And find somewhere for all of them to sit.
A thwack against the side of her house made her jump, further exacerbating the pain in her foot. She limped to the door, worried Jace had hurt himself, and opened it, nearly stumbling down the steps at the sight that greeted her.
Clark stood on top of a ladder, a buckskin tool belt hanging low on his hips. He was reaching up just under her gutters, the bottom of his flannel shirt riding up, showing off the tightening of his jeans against his firm, round butt.
“Merry? Something wrong?”
She swung her gaze all the way up to meet his smiling face.
“What…what are you doing up there?”
“I’m installing light clips for you. I had extra from when I did my house and figured since you were kind enough to make dinner, I’d get you some real lights hung.”
