Page 70 of Noble Neighbor
Closed off to traffic, the streets bordering the towncenter transformed into a Christmas wonderland. It was dusk, and the mayor had flipped the switch to light the decorations strung from lamppost to lamppost and across the street. One by one, shops followed suit, and the sidewalks lit up with colorful lights, ending with the giant Christmas tree smack bang in the middle of the square.
Molly clapped her mittened hands together. “So pretty.”
Sunny, as enthralled as her girls, meandered behind them, making a fresh resolution to get her ass into gear and decorate their home.
“Hooch. Stop.” Pulling the hound closer to prevent him from marking yet another lamppost, she looked around.
She’d bumped into the surly sheriff only ten minutes ago when they’d bought hot dogs. He’d been standing right behind her in the line, far too close, and on turning, she’d walked right into him, smearing ketchup on his sleeve.
The sheriff had not been impressed, and now she was half expecting the man to jump from behind a lamppost and ticket her for contravening some town ordinance. She’d already picked up a fine for a busted taillight. The fact that she’d been on the way to the auto shop to have it repaired meant nothing.
And two days ago, he’d pulled her over for speeding. She’d beensixmiles over the posted limit, for goodness’ sake. The man really had it in for her.
“Sunny!”
She looked up to see a grinning Bella calling from her cart set up on the sidewalk. Sunny grinned back. “Come girls, let’s get dessert.”
While buying strawberry shortcake for herself, a chocolate chip brownie for Kenzie, peanut butterSanta cookies for Molly and Hooch, and setting up a time to meet Bella the following day, her skin prickled, alerting her to Oliver’s approach.
“You gonna share with me? It looks delicious.” He lowered his voice to a seductive growl as he sidled up to her. “In fact, it almost looks as delicious as you.”
Sunny wanted to melt into a puddle and berated herselffor the way her body reacted to the man. It still took her by surprise, each and every time.
Oliver Armstrong was a fix she couldn’t get enough of, and it worried her.
“Get your own,” she grumbled, holding a protective hand above her plate.
“Meanie,” he murmured, brushing his lips across her cheek. “Why don’t you grab that seat over there” — he nudged his head toward the very handy vacant bench in front of the barber shop — “and we can eat without messing cream and strawberries everywhere.”
Sounded like a decent plan to her as she’d been contemplating on how to stuff her face and keep control of a dog while holding onto various pairs of gloves shoved between her arm and body.
“Sit. Stay,” Sunny ordered Hooch while settling herself down.Big brown canine eyes flicked between her and the iced cookie she’d balanced on the edge of her own paper plate. “You’ve been peeing your way through town, boy. Not sure if you deserve a treat.”
Hooch blinked. “Ruff. Ruff-ruff.”
“What? That’s normal behavior? Disgusting male.” But she broke the cookie in quarters and offered a piece to the hound. It disappeared in one go, and those pitiful eyes pleaded for more.
“Greedy, too.” The second piece was devoured as fast. “No more for now. Lie down, and you’ll get the rest once I’m done. Yeah?”
Hooch gave her a disgruntled look but settled to the ground, head resting on his paws. He heaved a hearty sigh.
“Drama, drama,” she chided, separating the bottom layer of her cake from the other two. It seemed the only reasonable way to eat the monstrous slice, and she all but moaned at the first taste of it.
“Hey, Sunny. Where’re the girls?” Clement neared, munching on peanut brittle.
She grinned at him. “Hey back, Clem. They’re drooling over the toy displays.”The store had set up a few tables in the street, and the girls were in heaven. “Maybe you can keep an eye on them while I finish this.”
With a cheerful nod, he turned, and Sunny watched as he searched and found her girls. The bench sagged beside her. “Your son’s pretty cool,” she remarked, stuffing her face.
Oliver chuffed a laugh. “I’m partial to him myself.”
His gaze drifted over her, and it wasn’t hard to see his eyes darken to a deeper shade of green. Her pulse picked up when he leaned in.
“Oliver?”
“It’s imperative I kiss you, Sunny.”
Oliver had been wearing down her resistance overthe last while, becoming more handsy in front of others.Not that she’d put up too much of a fight. But he’d never openly kissed her.
