Page 14 of A Moon Lake Christmas Hero

Would she want what I had to offer?

Instead, I gave her upper arm a squeeze before turning and filling the dishwasher.

ERIN

Holy shit.

Somehow, being in James Cullen’s presence and talking to him felt better than any other place in the world.

Things turned awkward after he asked about me having someone in my life, but then the vet called and pulled us out of that strange limbo of attraction we were caught in.

Or was it just me?

I changed in record time, happy to have my stuff back—which James carried upstairs for me.

And when I came back down, he was already waiting.

“Did Alan have any plans for where you will be staying?” James asked, and led me into his garage.

I froze, then gasped.

His garage was bigger than my old apartment, more luxurious, as well. And the cars…were obnoxious and luxurious, and freakishly sleek and probably veeery expensive.

He laid his hand on the small of my back and urged me forward.

Warmth seeped through my clothes and evoked butterflies deep in my belly.

Somehow, we’d gone from strangers to not-strangers within a couple of hours. I was surprisingly comfortable with his touches.

Wanted him to touch me.

“Alan generously offered their small flat for me to live in.”

“The one in his barn? No fucking way.”

I looked at him. His over-the-top reaction shocked me a little. “He said it’s just until I’m settled. Jessie lived there for a while.”

He glanced at me sideways, then shook his head. “Jessie tried to live there before Alan pressured her into moving in with him. It’s a room above the barn. Not living standards. He should’ve never offered. You will stay with us for the time being.”

My muscles tensed, and I stiffened. I was over being pushed around or told what I could or couldn’t do. “I beg you pardon? You can’t tell me what to do.”

He thrust out his chest, then raised a single eyebrow. “I’m paying half your salary. That makes me your boss. Hell, yeah, I can tell you what to do.”

I faced him. No way, was I backing down or not calling this chauvinistic bullshit. “Are you serious right now?”

“About you not living in a barn? Dead serious.”

“James.”

“Erin.”

I sighed. “I’m not your problem. You’ve been so kind to me—yesterday and today. But you’ve done enough. And you have enough on your plate already. Enough to worry about.”

He stopped, turned towards me. He wasn’t smiling. “I do, so don’t be another thing I have to worry about at night.”

I let my arms fall to my side while my insides turned to mush. What could you reply to something like that?

I stared at him and he stared back.

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