Christmas with the Grumpy Mountain Man (Grumpy Christmas Mountain Man)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Roman

Ding! Ding!

My stomach dropped as I picked up my phone, the notification popping up on the screen reading- Alert! Activity detected at the side door.

Who the hell was that?

I didn’t get visitors.

Especially not this year. I specifically told my Grandma I wasn’t coming into town for the holidays, leaving her free to fly south earlier than she normally would. I didn’t talk to anyone else, so who could possibly be at my door?

I brought the phone closer to my face and squinted as a woman entered the screen, a large box balanced on one hip, Christmas lights hanging over the side.

“Alert! Activity detected at side door.” The text read across my phone screen.

Who is she, and what is she doing on my doorstep?

I clicked on the notification and opened the doorbell camera app. “Hello. Can I help you?”

“Hello? Hi?” She looked around and when she spotted the camera, she smiled and moved closer, her face coming into focus.

Damn…

My body froze and my fists clenched at my sides, itching to get my hands on her. She smiled again and I was ready to propose to her right there. What the hell is happening?

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, I’m here for Roman Pittman. Is that you?”

“What’s it to you?” I said, my voice harsher than I meant.

“Is it okay if we talk inside? It’s freezing out here.”

I watched as she struggled with the box and against my better judgement, I stood up from my desk. I should tell her to go away but I didn’t.

She was too damn beautiful. I wanted to see more. Needed to see more.

And I was too damn curious to find out who she was.

“Be right there.” I said into the app before clicking off my phone and shoving it in my pocket.

Grabbing the side of my desk, I pushed my chair back as candy wrappers fluttered to the floor. I’d clean up later.

When I got into a writing spree like I had with my latest mystery work in progress, I barricaded myself in my office and I wrote nonstop, living off coffee, chocolate, and not much else.

I hadn’t planned for an interruption, especially not one full of curves and what looks to be way too much Christmas spirit.

Less than a minute later, I opened the side door to find the same woman from my camera, but up close, she was even more stunning.

Blue eyes shined up at me as I towered over her.

She couldn’t be over five-two or three, only coming up to my chest. A cute nose with a diamond stud and pink cheeks scattered with freckles led down to a pouty, full mouth.

Long blonde hair tumbled down her sides from beneath a pink sparkly beanie hat with a pompom on top.

A long black puffer coat hugged her curves and fell just past her hips, leading my eyes to her tight black leggings. Pink fuzzy boots covered her feet. She also looked young, maybe in her early twenties.

She was a gorgeous snow bunny.

Mine.

No.

“Hi Roman, right?”

I nodded and stepped aside as she bustled by me, the scents of pine and peppermint tickling my nose. What is in that box of hers?

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Zena. I’ve got a few more boxes to bring in. Is it okay to keep using the side door? Any pets to worry about it?”

“Uh, wait a second,” I bristled, annoyance clawing at my insides with her rapid-fire questioning. “Let’s slow it down. Who sent you here?” Shutting the door behind me, I turned to face her.

The woman stared at me blankly and shrugged her shoulders. “It was an anonymous buyer.”

“Anonymous buyer? Seriously?” I scoffed while raking a hand through my hair. “Buyer of what?” Thoughts battled for attention, yet my mind could only come up with one person.

Grandma.

Zena placed the box at her feet in the middle of my foyer. “My services. They booked me for the day and sent me here with strict instructions to decorate your place and get you into the holiday spirit. I even have a fake tee for you! Unless you want to get a real one then we can do that too.”

“So, you’re what? A caretaker?”

Zena snickered and crossed her arms over her chest. “Not exactly. More like a professional event planner.”

“Event planner? I don’t have any event that needs planning.”

“Yes, you do. Christmas. Now, can you please let me know if you have any pets and where your living room is?”

“What if I don’t want your services? Can’t I decline?” Shut up, dude, you don’t want to decline. You want her in your bed.

“I already got paid, so I’m obligated to see my job through. But if you really don’t want it, then that’s fine. I’ll go.”

“Will the buyer get a refund?”

“No.” Zena snickered again, and I wanted to kiss the smirk right off her adorable face.

I grumbled. “Fuck it, whatever.” I wasn’t about to let reveal my true feelings.

Last thing I needed in my life were the complications a woman brought.

Or at least that’s what I told myself. “I don’t have any pets, feel free to use the door you came in, and the living room is to your left, with a dining room and kitchen as well.

You can look around if you’d like. I’ll be upstairs in my office. Don’t need me, alright?”

What sounded very much like a laugh erupted from Zena’s throat, but when our eyes connected, she bit down on her lip and quickly looked away. “Got it. You won’t hear a peep.” Zena picked up the box and beamed as she bounced on her toes.

God damn, she was a cheery person.

What was there to be so happy about?

I should walk away now. Head up to my desk and get back into it. But how could I with her here? She was too much of a distraction.

And like two magnets, she drew me in, leaving me helpless to stop it.

Besides, I couldn’t let her carry these boxes.

“Here, I’ll take the box from you.” I moved closer to her and lifted the boxes from her arms, our fingertips brushing against the other. The slight touch left me reeling and the breath in my throat grew tight, like a ball wedged inside a small hole.

“Thank you.” Zena nodded her head to the left. “Lead the way.”

I showed her to the living room, setting the box down on the couch.

“Wow, what a nice open space.” She walked over to the sofa and looked into the dining room, and then into the kitchen, the last two rooms separated by a small bar counter with stools. “I love the style with the wooden beam rafters and high ceilings. I like how it isn’t closed off, either.”

“Thanks. My grandmother helped me.” I said.

She looked at me curiously and I wished I hadn’t opened my mouth. Why was I revealing tidbits to this woman I didn’t know?

Zena smiled, her eyes filled with so much light. “She’s got great taste. Your kitchen is to die for.”

I chuckled as I walked her over, watching as she took it all in with wide eyes, the deep blue beauties showing off their color.

“Oh, my God! I would love to bake in this kitchen. It’s gorgeous and a double oven? C’mon!” Zena squealed and clapped her hands, bouncing on her toes again. I never knew bouncing on toes could be so damn sexy.

But there she was, doing it like it was some new great dance move.

Fuck, I wanted her in my bed.

“Isn’t baking cookies part of Christmas decorating?”

She looked at me and grinned. “I like how you think.”

And there went my bad mood.

Like clouds parting after a storm, she was the sun chasing away my darkness.