Page 21 of Grumpmas

Holy shit. Jack was too close. His neck revealed a throbbing pulse, his eyes were fixed on me, and heat radiated off him. I sucked in a breath. I couldn’t breathe, let alone think clearly, with his hand wrapped loosely around my neck. Christ. He was way too damn good.

I hated to even admit it, but my dad’s best friend turned me on.

Was Jack Timber making a move on me?

The fridge door slammed shut. “Got your eggs, Mr. Timber.”

Jack went blank. He blinked once and stepped away. A chill ran down my body as the heat of him left, and I missed his toasty warmth pressed up against me. I rubbed my neck where his large, all-too-masculine hand had gripped me, and I despised how much I wanted his hand to choke me.

Noelle, Jack Timber was the enemy. Always had been and would continue to be. Get a hold of yourself.

The smug bastard not only gloated that he had won over my child, he had tried to blindside me with God fucking knew what. Jack lasted longer with my daughter than I had thought he would, and she wouldn’t stop talking about Mr. Timber. Even after he got his damn eggs and left in a hurry.

I couldn’t stop thinking about him. His brawny, gorgeous body leaning up against my doorframe made me weak in the knees. Crap. A sudden hunger engulfed me—I needed to devour a damn cookie.

TWELVE

Early Riser

Jack

Ring!

Ring!

Ring!

“Oh, Christ...” I grumbled as I rolled over in bed and reached for the dreadful device. “What the hell?”

I glanced at the alarm clock.

It was two o’clock in the fucking morning.

Fuck me.

I grabbed the shrilling cell phone, ready to chuck it across the room to end its nonstop ringing, but I saw the screen. Noelle was calling.

What the fuck did little Elle want?

To gloat some more? Noelle wanted to rub in my face whatever she could. Usually, she did so in person, not on the phone. Fuck. She was turning the heat up a notch and preparing to roast my chestnuts on an open fire.

The anger turned into flames burning out of control as I remembered clenching her delicate neck and wanting to choke Noelle. Not to harm her, but to bring gratification. Pleasure.

Shit. Fuck. No.

No.

No.

No!

I wouldn’t think of Noelle in such an erotic state. Frazzled. Breathless. Wet. Too goddamn drenched for me.

Absolutely not. Jesus fucking Christ. Noelle was my best friend’s daughter, and I should never view her in any sexual situation or touch hereveragain.

I had to get little Elle out of my head.

I answered on the fifth ring.