A Maine Christmas...or Two by J.S. Scott and Cali MacKay Read Free Book Online

at the hand holding the title to her new ride.
    “I replaced a piece of shit with a brand new truck. It only has a couple hundred miles on it,” he told her reasonably.
    “Why are you doing this to me?” she asked him, her deep blue eyes confused and vulnerable.
    Oh, Christ! Although he liked seeing her all fiery and pissed off, he didn’t like her looking upset . Those wide blue eyes sucker-punched him in the gut, and he quickly tucked the title of the truck into the back pocket of her jeans and scooped her up into his arms.
    He sat on the leather couch, bringing her down on top of him. “What did I do? I thought you’d be happy to have a newer vehicle. Yours sucked,” he grumbled quietly, watching her angelic face as she stared back at him and tried to scramble off his lap. “Don’t move,” he demanded, holding her tighter, but not hard enough to hurt her. Having her shapely rear wriggling against his rock-hard cock was torture, but having her warm, cuddly body pressed against him was worth it. “I’m keeping your ass warm,” he informed her in what he hoped was a casual voice. “I thought you liked that.”
    Emily stopped all movement and her head jerked around to look at Grady. A few seconds later, she burst into uncontrollable laughter, her whole body shaking, her eyes tearing with mirth. “This isn’t getting you out of giving my truck back, but I can honestly say I’ve never had someone offer to be my butt warmer before,” she gasped, still trying to recover her breath.
    “Your truck is non-retrievable. You’ll have to take the newer one,” Grady answered, knowing that even if he could get it back, he wouldn’t. There was no way his woman was driving around in that old hunk of junk during a Maine winter. “Most people would be happy to have a more reliable vehicle.” Honestly, he didn’t understand her ire. “Why can’t you just take it as a Christmas present? You’re the one who said Christmas is all about giving. You’re not exactly cheery about getting a gift.”
    “It’s too much, Grady,” she answered him seriously, her blue eyes warming as she ran her palm along the stubble on his jawline. “I appreciate it, but I can’t take a gift that expensive.”
    He shrugged. “It’s not expensive to me. Shouldn’t a gift be relative to what someone can afford? I have other vehicles. I even have another truck. I’ll never even miss it.” It was the truth. He’d went out and bought another truck right after he’d decided to give her the one she had been driving.
    Emily sighed, her eyes searching his face. “We really are from two different worlds. Having that kind of money is unimaginable to me. I have to budget for everything.”
    “I don’t have to budget. I just write a check and I never miss the money. Please take it, Emily. Let me have peace of mind that you’re more secure in shitty weather. Please,” Grady asked huskily, hoping she’d say yes.
    “Do I have a choice?”
    “Not really. I think that deathtrap is probably already scrap metal.”
    Emily sighed, resigned. “Give me some time, okay? I’m not happy that you made that decision without talking to me first.”
    Grady shrugged. “You would have said no, and I wouldn’t have accepted that. It was easier this way.” She might as well get used to it. He was going to protect what was his, and as far as he was concerned, she already belonged to him. He knew she definitely had him, whether she wanted him or not.
    Dropping her hand, she folded both of them together in her lap, and Grady saw tears begin to stream down her beautiful face.
    Fuck!
    “I don’t know how to deal with this,” Emily said, dejected.
    “What?” Grady asked, confused.
    “I don’t understand. I don’t know why you’re doing this. I’m used to solving my own problems, and I’m not used to having anyone who cares whether I drive an old vehicle or if my glasses are scratched. I’m definitely not accustomed to a man who would donate a