Be Mine for Christmas Read Free Page A

responsibility to give me a job when you don’t really need anybody.”
    She expected him to say he owed it to her for making her lose hers, but instead he said, “You’re wrong. I was going to hire someone anyway. My mom usually runs the shop, but her health is bad this year. I’d rather she take it easy. So if you don’t do it I’ll be looking for somebody else. Are you interested?”
    “I, um…” Conflicting thoughts flew around in her head. Residual anger at Reece warred with her relief at being handed a job. Add to that her trepidation at the idea of seeing him every day. Her instant attraction to him unsettled her. Whenever he got too close her imagination started going places it shouldn’t. Places that could only lead her into once again getting hooked on a pretty boy who would leave her flat.
    “I’ll pay you double whatever Larry was giving you.”
    She gave him a sly grin. “What if I said he was paying me something exorbitant?”
    Reece snorted. “Told you, I know the guy.”
    “And you owe him an apology.”
    He gave her a sheepish look. “Guess I really put my foot in it this time. I’ll send him a wreath since he’d probably have me arrested if I got near his store.”
    Ellie softened. Even though Reece’s actions had been dead wrong, she couldn’t deny she was touched by his protective feelings toward her. But she didn’t dare drop her guard. “I don’t get why you should care about how my boss treats me or whether I have a job or not. I’m a stranger to you.”
    He seemed tongue-tied, as if there were something important he wanted to say but couldn’t. And for a moment this powerfully built hunk looked so vulnerable it melted her heart. She’d been wondering if he was an obnoxious egotist who thought he had a right to barge in on the life of any woman who tweaked his fancy. But the sincerity and depth in his sea blue eyes told her that wasn’t the case.
    “Yeah,” he finally said, “I know I get carried away sometimes. Sorry for crowding you. And for making a mess of things. Stop by the farm if you want the job at the Christmas shop.” Reece turned and started walking away.
    Whether it was knowing it could take days to find another offer, or the sinking disappointment that came over her thinking she might never see this man again, Ellie called out, “I do, Reece. I do want to work at the shop.”
    He turned to her with an achingly handsome smile. “How about I buy you lunch and we’ll go over the details?”
    “In this elf outfit? I look ridiculous.”
    “That’s not the word I’d use.” His eyes seemed to devour her, sending a rush of heat to her cheeks. And a few other places. She had to admit she didn’t mind at all that Reece Madsen was attracted to her.
    He opened the Mazda’s door wider. “We’ll come back for your car.”
    They walked to a silver van parked in front of the convenience store. The inside smelled of evergreen and a moist flower-in-soil fragrance. When she climbed into the front passenger seat she saw why. A sea of poinsettias filled the back area with a few wreathes scattered in between. 
    Reece groaned. “I forgot I had all these plants in here. I can deliver the wreathes later, but the poinsettias will freeze. We’ll have to stop at the farm.”
    When they reached Madsen’s Christmas tree farm, Ellie helped him carry the poinsettias into the gift shop. She automatically began arranging them in front of a shelf of chubby Santa figurines and wooden Nutcracker princes in black boots and bright blue jackets.
    Since the farm was closed to customers today, Ellie was alone in the shop and took a minute to look around. She liked the open, airy feel of the building with its high-beamed ceiling and walls of clean, bright knotted white pine. It must have once been a barn, but now it had a tile floor. Red and green of course.
    Bursts of color busied the eye from all directions of the room. Lights twinkled on potted mini-trees. Shelves lining the walls