Free Risky Christmas by Jill Sorenson

snuck up him.
    Why hadn’t he been more guarded?
    He knew better than to lose his head over woman who wasn’t interested in getting involved. She’d been distant all week. Then, last night and today, she’dopened up again, sharing intimate personal details. Those moments had encouraged him.
    The way she’d responded to his kiss had also encouraged him. He hadn’t imagined her moaning and digging her nails into his back.
    Damn it.
    When they arrived on Surfrider Way, he helped Alyssa out of her car seat and carried Leah’s beach bag to the front step. She ushered the girls inside and paused in the doorway to disengage a security alarm. “Go wash up for dinner.”
    â€œIs Brian going to eat with us?” Mandy asked.
    â€œWe’ll see,” Leah said, obviously meaning no. They raced down the hallway and she stepped back outside with him, closing the door behind her.
    He waited for her to speak.
    â€œYou lied to me,” she said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYou pretended you were poor.” She gestured at his beat-up truck and faded T-shirt, as if they were evidence of his deception. “Your hands feel like sandpaper!”
    Brian flushed at the criticism. He wasn’t ashamed of his calluses, his work truck or his worn clothes. They were part of who he was. Success hadn’t erased his past or softened his rough edges. “I haven’t told you any lies.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “I asked if you’d done work at that house, and you spoke as if the owner wasn’t you.”
    â€œThat was a joke,” he said, raking his hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to give you the wrong impression, and I wasn’t trying to hide anything. I thought it was kind of cute that you didn’t realize the house was mine.”
    â€œCute?” Her expression was skeptical.
    â€œYeah. I liked that you were interested in me, not my finances.”
    â€œI felt sorry for you!”
    Ouch. He looked away, shaking his head. “Sympathy is the last thing I want from a woman.”
    â€œYou deliberately misled me.”
    â€œThe hell I did,” he said, lowering his voice. “You made assumptions based on my appearance and the type of work I do. Maybe you’re used to men who brag about money and drive flashy cars. That’s not me. I like getting my hands dirty. At the end of the day, they wash as clean as anyone else’s.”
    She opened her mouth to reply, and then closed it.
    â€œYou seem bothered by the fact that I make a comfortable living. Did you feel safer, thinking you were above me?”
    When her eyes filled with tears, he knew he’d crossed the line. He also thought he’d hit the nail on the head. But it wasn’t like him to argue with a woman, and he cared about this one. Although she’d insulted him and called him a liar, he still wanted her. Those harsh words didn’t seem as important as the kisses they’d shared or the meaningful glances they’d exchanged.
    What did he care if she’d preferred him as a bum?
    â€œI’m sorry,” he said, lifting his hand to her face.
    She turned her head to the side, shying away from his touch. “I’m sorry, too.” Murmuring goodbye, she went into the house and shut the door behind her.
    Â 
    Leah felt awful about what she’d said to Brian.
    She knew she’d overreacted to the news that he wasn’t destitute. Her scathing comments had obviously hurt his pride. The worst part was that he’d been right.She was mad at him for keeping secrets, but what bothered her most was the newly leveled playing field. She had felt superior to him. When she’d thought Brian was poor, using him for protection seemed like fair game. She wasn’t opposed to having a casual fling with a down-on-his-luck surfer. He wasn’t appropriate for a serious relationship, so there was no danger of getting attached.
    Now that