Free Matching Mr. Right (Rocky Mountain Matchmaker Series Book 1) by Tamra Baumann

open.
    She pressed her hand to his hard chest to stop him. “Seriously, Nick. Just wait here and I’ll put some pants on. Then you can tell me all about your emergency.”
    “Pants?” Nick’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t care about your legs, Shelby, if that’s what this is about. All I care about is getting Beth a soul mate. And maybe some more of your chocolate chip cookies.”
    The pest clearly wasn’t going away, so she let him in and then made a run for it. She hadn’t gotten three steps before his long arms stopped her and swung her around to face him. He kept his eyes firmly on hers, never letting them wander lower. He was probably afraid of what he’d see. Or maybe he was waiting for her permission before he looked.
    His hands gently gripped her waist, anchoring her in place. “Let’s get this part over with so we can get down to business. Okay?”
    Her heart pounded. Why should she care what Nick thought of her legs? The repulsive view would serve him right for showing up unannounced at her house again. “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She took a step back and held her breath.
    Nick frowned as he studied her legs. He twirled his finger, indicating she should turn around.
    “Oh, for goodness sake!” She crossed her arms and turned her back to him so he could get the full three-sixty view.
    He made a choking noise. “Wow!”
    Her stomach took a dive as she wrenched her chin over her shoulder. “What?”
    “Your ass looks fantastic in those shorts.”
    Despite her disgust with him, a smile tugged at her lips. She stifled her grin as a warm wave of relief flowed through her. She’d only shown a handful of people her legs, and after the sight of them, no one had ever had the fortitude to make a joke. Why did that make her feel better instead of wanting to punch him?
    She flung a hand in the direction of the couch. “Show’s over, I’m going to grab a pair of sweats. Have a seat.”
    Nick grabbed her hand and pulled her close. “So you have some scars on your legs, Shelby. They’re not off-putting, they’re just there. Some of my climbing buddies who have taken bad tumbles have Frankenstein scars that make yours look tame.”
    “But mine are all over—”
    He raised a finger to stop her. “What I hate most is the hurt you must’ve gone through when you lost your family and then had to endure all those surgeries alone. I’m guessing those scars are a lot uglier than the ones on your legs.”
    The breath backed up in her lungs. She hadn’t expected tenderness from the caveman. Nick had surprised her once again.
    She needed to leave before he saw her threatening tears. “Thanks. But it was a long time ago. Be right back.”
    She closed her bedroom door, shut her eyes, and drew a deep breath. Nick was right. The guilt she’d suffered while lying in those hospital beds all alone, due to her careless actions, had been almost too much to bear. She’d actually hoped she’d never wake up after each of her surgeries, and when she did, it felt like just one more punishment she’d earned for her deed.
    She opened her eyes and glanced at the tall mirror standing in the corner. She hated the sight of her legs, but slowly turned to view her rear end. Did it look good in her workout shorts? She’d never thought of her butt as an asset before. Tilting her head in consideration, she smiled. Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. And maybe Nick wasn’t so bad either.
    After she’d dressed and pulled herself together, Shelby walked into the living room. Nick struck a Warrior Pose in front of her TV. The last time she’d let him in her house he’d used her laptop without her permission, and now he was doing her workout program? The guy was as bad as Chester. Or he had a serious case of ADD.
    “What are you doing?”
    He mimicked the instructor’s move. “Yoga, apparently. How is this considered exercise?”
    “It’s not as easy as it looks.” Shelby waited until Nick was standing on one