Free A Hero Grinch for Christmas by Samanthya Wyatt Page A

his tongue.
    How was he going to get though the day without touching her?
    Later that evening, Hunter stared at the roaring fire in the living room. For most of the day he’d managed to stay busy and keep his hands off Dani, but the effort was slowly driving him crazy. He’d made several trips outside, checked the gas in the generator, stacked and unstacked wood, he’d even wore a path around the tractor hangar.
    All he could think about was Dani and how soon he could get his hands on her again. Keeping busy seemed to work, but when the object of his fantasies shared the same space, self-control took a flying leap out the window. He scrubbed a hand over his face.
    “Henry said it’s the same in town.”
    Dani’s sweet voice crawled down his spine. He gulped his beer before glancing in her direction.
    “Got another one of those?” She stood with her hands braced on her curvy hips. In two shakes he could have her pressed against him, greedily tasting what he wanted so badly.
    “I’ll crack open a bottle of wine, if you like.”
    “Sure.” She followed him into the kitchen. “What are we having this evening?”
    He grabbed a bottle from the island and read the label. “ Merlot. ” He met her gaze. “A soft, supple wine with nice fruit flavors of plums and blackberries, and occasionally mint. You mentioned you like chocolate. You may find a hint of it in this one.”
    “Sounds good.”
    “Or,” he said as he plucked another bottle from the counter. “Cabernet Sauvignon, which is more assertive than Merlot.”
    “I like assertive.” Her husky voice sent tremors up his back.
    What was happening?
    He didn’t even recognize himself. And he didn’t like it. Not one bit. He needed to start thinking with his big head, not the one in his pants. But he couldn’t regret their passionate joining. He gazed at the woman who threatened his solitude. What would happen once the weather cleared?
    Dani was impossible to resist. And if he was being perfectly honest, he didn’t want to.

Chapter Fourteen
    Hunter smelled of soap, smoke, and man. A big-hot-pulsing man. They were lounging on the floor together near the fireplace on the pillows he’d pulled from the couch. Pleasurable heat surrounded them. Avoiding the growing need to feel him again did little good. The impulse to jump his bones grew stronger by the minute.
    “The place looks nice,” he rumbled.
    “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without your help.”
    “Um hmm. You have a spirit bug up your . . . cute hind end.”
    “Up my . . .” She smiled. At least he was loosening up. “I’ll have you know, Grinch, lots of people celebrate Christmas with as much enthusiasm as I do.”
    “Somehow, I doubt that.” He took a drink of his wine drawing her attention to his large fingers.
    She needed to think of something else.
    “Admit it,” she blurted out.
    “Admit what?”
    “You’re not such a Grinch.”
    “A Grinch, huh?” He faced her. A grin tugged at his lips.
    “Yes. When I first met you, I thought you were the angriest man I’d ever seen.”
    The light went out of his eyes. “I was.”
    Dani was determined to bring it back. “You loved your uncle very much. He loved you, too. I think he was a wonderful man. Everyone adored him.”
    “As far back as I can remember, Denny was always there for me. I only saw him get mad once. I swear smoke came out of his nose.”
    Unwilling to break his newly found peace, she listened to Hunter talk. She suspected that’s what he needed the most, someone willing to listen. And Dani was prepared to do it all night if that’s what it took to prove to Hunter she cared.
    “If Denny had lost control, he would have been unstoppable. His first wife came home drunk with a boyfriend one night. Instead of blowing up like most men would, Denny just threw them both out.”
    “That’s horrible.”
    Hunter shrugged and looked at her. “She deserved it.”
    “Of course she deserved it. I meant how awful for