Page 42 of The Christmas Tree Farm

He’d followed her to California and shared her apartment and her bed for three months, before she realized it had all been a mistake. It turned out that ‘freedom’ was actually what she wanted. He’d been too embarrassed to come back home and so he’d stayed. And somehow, she was still able to lure him back. Because apparently, the only thing that got him off more than helping people was beingneededby this woman.

Whenever they were together it was because she needed him or something from him at least. She needed him to chase away her loneliness or she needed him to comfort her while she licked her wounds from whatever the last guy did to her, or she needed him to escort her to holiday parties and ensure she was never under the mistletoe alone.

And damn it, if he didn’t feel the pull of her again.

She missed him.

She was lonely.

She wanted him.

He glanced at his tree and the pull lessened. Kira’s smile from this morning lit up behind his eyes. Maybe this time, he didn’t need Nicole back. He tossed the phone aside and resolved not to answer.

But before he could congratulate himself or manage to write a single line of code, another thought disrupted his workday.

Was he only replacing Nicole with another woman who he hoped needed him? Was Kira’s main appeal her need for help? Suddenly, his entire dating history landed in front of him in a heap of disasters and failed connections. Did Bennett seek out people who would ultimately be more than happy to take advantage of him? Was this last year of shitty dates his fault?

Christ, he really did get off on helping people. He had some kind of damsel-in-distress kink. What the hell was wrong with him? Odie let out a soft sigh next to him, like he was equally disappointed in this revelation, and Bennett absentmindedly scratched between the little dog’s ears. He needed to fix this. He needed to break this cycle.

He needed to stay away from Kira North.

Elizabeth looked up from her spot on the floor as though she’d heard his thoughts, her dark eyes peering into him. She let out a sad little bark.

Bennett groaned. ‘We can’t.’

Elizabeth growled.

‘I’m trying to be a better person. Don’t you want that for me?’

The big dog tipped her head, like she actually understood him, and then gave an indignant bark.

Bennett sighed. He spent way too much time alone with these dogs. ‘Fine. Maybe, we can still go for a walk,’ he said, and the dog huffed a breath in relief before putting her head back down on her paws. Okay, so he would just keep his helping instincts and his hands to himself.

Easy.

Maybe he wouldn’t even see Kira. It was a large farm, after all. He would just stick to the outskirts.

Maybe he’d get lucky and find that dead body. Nothing kills a boner like a murder victim. Right?

Odie sighed again, his disappointment clear.

Bennett was so screwed.

ChapterTwelve

Kira was in way over her head. Buying a farm and opening her own business was one thing. But ice-skating? That was a step too far.

‘I think maybe I’ll just watch,’ she said, wobbling on her rented skates, even though she was still standing on the rubber mats they put around the rink.

‘Are you sure?’ Iris asked, assessing her from under her knit hat. She looked adorable, in her black leggings and oversized sweater. It was red with white snowflakes on it, and Kira wished she’d worn something more festive than her olive-green coat, but she was freezing as usual.

‘I’m sure. I’ll just observe until I get the idea.’

Iris laughed. ‘I still can’t believe you’ve never ice-skated before.’

‘I told you, my family avoided any activities that required freezing temperatures.’

‘Right, I forgot. A whole family afraid of being cold,’ Iris teased.