Page 13 of My Guarded Valentine

“Name’s not Jim,” the teen mumbled angrily. My eyes flicked to his name badge which definitely saidJim.

Buck pointed to the badge and ‘Jim’ looked down. He groaned and rolled his eyes. “It’s a game we sometimes play. Wrong name badge. You know my name, Buck.”

I stepped closer to Buck and poked his biceps. “Fuck,” I whispered. “You don’t have to give me anything like that. You’re gonna make the whole town think we’re dating.”

Buck sighed as he passed me the flowers while the teen rifled through the catalogue for barcodes. “I’m starting to think maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea,” Buck said.

My heart skipped once more. “We’re strangers.”

Buck started putting all the bags into the truck and ignored me. As he put it in the last bag, he looked at me. “Would that be so bad? Everyone started as strangers once upon a time.”

Once again, I was speechless and didn’t have a snappy reply to this. I just stared at him and gawped like an idiot. I should be mad at him for lying to me. Hell, looks like he was lying to the whole fucking town. I couldn’t help my attraction to him. Was I going to have to choose love before my career?

Chapter 11

Mitzi

The ride home or to his home was tension filled, and I toyed with the zipper of the coat as he drove me back to his house. Once he parked, he logged in all the groceries and I helped until the very last bag. I stepped on the step and something creaked above my head. I looked up right as an icicle fell from the covered porch towards my face. In a blur of motion, Buck pushed me into the snow and got me out of the way of the icicle. We were both staring in each other‘s eyes, panting.

“Guess you saved me.”

“I guess I did,” he said with a smirk.

“Now all my clothes are wet.”

He smiled as his eyes drifted down my face towards my chest. “You don’t say?”

“Well, I am in a pile of snow.”

“But the icicle didn’t stab you in the eye.”

“No. Now I have to get warmed up.”

“I guess it’s a good thing that you got some hot chocolate.”

“I guess you need to get off of me if you want me to get out of the snow.”

“Of course,” he said. He stood up and offered his hands to me as he loomed over me. I grabbed his hand and in a flash, hehefted me up, but instead of getting to my feet, he gripped my waist really quick and pulled me into his arms and carried me back into the cabin bridal style.

“What are you doing?” I yelped.

“I have to make sure that you don’t get attacked by more ice.”

“I doubt it was gonna happen again.”

“Now I will assure that it doesn’t happen.”

I groaned. He placed me on my feet, and I glared at him with my hands on my hips.

“Was that the last groceries?” I asked.

Buck smiled. “I’ve got to get that bag that flew out of your arms. If I wasn’t so concerned about you getting hurt, it would’ve been pretty funny.”

“Not funny. I can get it,” I said as I walked towards the door.

Buck grabbed my biceps and pulled me back. “You absolutely will not go out in the snow anymore. Now go upstairs and get new dry clothes on before and dress you myself.”

Spinning around, I paused. I felt frozen within the moment as I realized what he said. My throat bobbed as I tried to figure out what to do next. Was I frozen in my own desire? Maybe. A smile rose to his face as he realized what he fully said.

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