Page 64 of The Hermit on the Hill

I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent. "You're fiercely loyal to family. You would sacrifice everything you are to keep the people you love safe. When I'm in your arms, I feel like nothing in this world or the next could ever hurt me. You cook like a five-star chef and you push people away with your gruffness because you love too fiercely to let anyone in easily. You are a total softie for Mistletoe, even though you pretend to hate him." I opened my eyes, my heart pounding, to see Sam smiling down at me, warmth and fondness in every line of his face. Did I love this man? Had I gone and fallen in love with him before I even knew him?

"You forgot I know how to make you come like no man ever has before."

I smiled. "That, too."

He kissed my lips and pulled away slowly. "I kept using your credentials even when I didn't need them. A part of me was hoping you'd find me."

"You could have found me easily."

He shrugged. "I would have looked like a stalker."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me out of the room. "Come on. I'll fill in the blanks for you about me, but I think Marcus should be involved in this discussion."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Sam

Iswallowed hard, hoping my nonchalance had fooled Jenna. She was right. It was long past time for her to know the truth about everything, but I had no idea how she'd react. This could be the moment she realized she'd been sleeping with a monster.

Marcus looked up from the computer at my desk, eyes wide. Ten to one, he'd been playing solitaire. "Everything okay?"

"Jenna thought you and I might be in love."

Like the friend he was, Marcus rolled his lips to hold back his smile and probably a laugh. "And what did you tell her?"

Jesus, Marcus wasn't actually willing to pretend if that's what I needed, was he? "I told her you're my best friend and my business partner and that you have a boyfriend."

Marcus nodded, cheeks puffed out. He held up one finger before bursting into laughter. "Sorry." He shook his head and then burst into more peals of laughter.

"It's really not that funny," I said.

Marcus sobered, sucking in big breaths. "Can you imagine? Even if we were both gay, we'd kill each other before we made it through the first week. You snore like a chainsaw."

I glanced at Jenna for a denial, but her eyes sparkled with mirth. "He really does. I've had to invest in earplugs."

"Seriously, man, you should get that looked at. It can't be good for you."

"What matters here is—"

"And you are unbearable after eight at night. You're a grump on a good day, but after eight…"

Jenna laughed. "Sex helps. And music. Soothes the beast."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a fuc-"

"And the smell," Marcus went on. "Seriously, can you not smell yourself?"

I stopped just short of sniffing my pits. I looked at Jenna, and she grinned. "Now he's just messing with you."

I narrowed my eyes at Marcus. "Did I saybestfriend?"

Marcus' smile was warm and wide. "You know you love me, man. You love me so much you're going to share me with your lady."

Aw, shit. I turned to Jenna. "He means as friends. He's not talking about a throuple. There will be no throuple."

Jenna shrugged. "He's a good-looking guy. I'm willing to hear him out."

She moved past me and into the office while I fought a smile. Introducing these two was going to be so much worse than I'd anticipated.

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