My Greatest Joy (Maplewood Falls #2)

Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

FALLON

DAY 3

I’m in hell.

No, scratch that.

It’s too cold to be hell.

More like if hell was in Antarctica, and it was hailing and snowing ten-inch icicles.

Dramatic ? Maybe.

But I hate it and loathe being cold even more.

My apartment is set to seventy-five nearly year-round, and although Seattle doesn’t get super hot, it also doesn’t get super cold. It rains half the time, which means I’m often wearing layers anyway.

This weather, though?

My worst fucking nightmare.

Waking up on Levi’s couch, barely able to feel my fingers—even though I’m wearing gloves—has me groaning. Flashbacks of last night have me grinding my teeth with frustration. Levi suspects the furnace’s pilot light blew out, and with how my luck’s going, who knows if he can fix it.

The fireplace is down to its last log, so I begrudgingly stalk over and throw two more inside. As soon as I do, ash blows in my face, and I cough.

Of fucking course.

I wipe my eyes and cheeks, then wrap a blanket around me before going to the bathroom.

Once I’m done, I stare at my reflection in the mirror and wince. I need a hot shower, an avocado breakfast bowl, and a gallon of coffee.

I splash water on my face and brush my teeth. A rush of cool air seeps in through the vent, and I shiver. Last night, the wind howled against the windows, and I felt like I was sleeping outside. No way can I stay upstairs if there’s a repeat of that. Although the couch wasn’t uncomfortable, being cold and in a new place made it hard to fall into a deep sleep. Every little sound woke me, and I constantly had to remind myself where I was.

Once I rewrap myself in the blanket, I go downstairs but stop when I notice Dasher took my spot on the couch.

“Where the hell did you come from?” I walk closer and point at the floor. “Off.”

He stares at me as if he’s already bored with this conversation.

“Dasher. Off the couch. Now,” I say in a deeper voice to mimic Levi’s.

He doesn’t move.

“C’mon, let’s go…” I pull on his collar to show him what I want, but he still doesn’t budge.

“Dasher, I’m serious. I was lying there. You can sit on the rug.” I reach for his collar again, but he licks my hand instead.

I sigh with exhaustion because I wanted one more hour of sleep now that it’s comfortable in here.

“Go.” I wave my hand. “Outside? Want a treat? How about a nice long walk?” I ramble off as many trigger words as I can think of, but he’s cemented in place.

“I think you’re more stubborn than me,” I mutter, crossing my arms.

“Doubtful,” Levi says, chuckling.

“Jesus Christ.” I jump, clenching a hand to my chest.

“Good morning,” he singsongs.

“Trust me, it’s not.”

The corner of his lips tilts up, and it’s then I realize he’s shirtless and only wearing black boxer briefs. Is that what he had on last night?

How the hell is he not freezing his nuts off right now?

“A little help here?” I point at Dasher. “He won’t listen.”

Levi snaps his fingers. “Dasher, down.”

He immediately obeys and wags his tail as he follows Levi to the kitchen.

“Seriously?” I throw out my arms, then ask, “Hey, any chance we’ll get some heat today?”

“I’ll check the pilot light after breakfast, but with the way the wind is blowing, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“Of course,” I murmur, sitting on the sofa and turning toward Levi.

I watch as he strolls around the kitchen, fills up a kettle, and sets it on the stovetop. Then he refills Dasher’s water and opens a can of dog food.

“Come sit up here. I’ll make you a cup of apple cider. It’ll warm you up.”

Reluctantly, I do as he says and end up staring at his body while he prepares it. Hard muscles line his back all the way below his shorts and down his legs. I can tell he’s an active, outdoorsy type of guy just by his build.

I blink as he spins around and places a steaming hot mug on the breakfast bar. With a wide smile, Levi pops in a cinnamon stick.

“It tastes like Christmas in a cup!” He holds up a finger as I reach for it. “Blow on it first.”

Levi happily studies me with anticipation for my approval.

“Are you always this bubbly in the morning?” I ask before taking a sip.

“Yeah, what’s not to love about this time of year?” He shrugs, and I want to respond with every-fucking-thing , but I don’t. “Families shopping together, picking out and decorating their Christmas tree, baking cookies and making gingerbread houses, sleigh rides, the festive music. I enjoy the whole vibe of togetherness and giving. It’s the best time of the year.”

Oh God, he can’t be serious.

This is my own personal hell.

He sounds like an eight-year-old boy excited to sit on Santa’s lap instead of a thirtysomething man.

“Just wait until you experience Maplewood Falls in all its holiday glory. We’re famous for our downtown festivals, small locally owned shops, and of course, Bennett’s Orchard Farm. My best friend, Finn, and his family run it. I’ll show you around so you can write a genuine, honest review for your article.”

I stare at him like he’s grown a second head. What makes him think any of that sounds appealing to me?

“Can’t wait,” I deadpan, lifting the mug to my lips and trying it.

“What do you think?” he asks enthusiastically.

“It’s…not awful.”

But it most definitely isn’t coffee.

He frowns. “Stir it with the cinnamon stick. You’ll thank me later.” Then he shoots me a wink and starts digging in the fridge.

I do as he suggests and take a few more sips for the simple fact that it’s warming my core.

Dasher sits next to Levi as he scrambles eggs, sausage, and cheese in a bowl before dumping it into the hot pan. Considering I’m starving and should be grateful for the food, I decide to keep my mouth shut about how I don’t eat pork.

After hardly eating anything yesterday, I’ll take what I can get, even this cinnamon sugar-water he claims is the best thing ever.

“Bon appétit!” Levi sets a plate in front of me, and while it looks decent, the smell of the meat makes me want to vomit.

“Thank you.”

“Want a refresher?” He nods to my half-empty mug.

“No, I’m good.”

I dig in, separating the sausage from the eggs and cheese. As we sit in silence, I slyly lower my hand and give Dasher the meat without Levi noticing. I glance down at him, and we make an unspoken agreement—I feed him, and he doesn’t tell. Our little secret.

When my plate’s empty and I’ve drained my mug, Levi grabs my dishes and stands.

“Um, thanks,” I say, not used to anyone picking up after me. “I can take care of that.” I quickly stand and walk toward the sink.

“You sure you know how?” He shoots me a smirk, and I roll my eyes. “Just figured that if you can’t cook…”

“Rude.” I scowl, and he chuckles.

“And for that, I withdraw my offer.” I return to the couch, dragging my blanket with me. To my displeasure, Dasher follows.

I curl up into a ball, basking in the warmth of the fire. When Levi comes into view, he’s wearing gray sweatpants.

Tightly corded muscles line his stomach and arms, making me swallow hard as I avoid his gaze. He definitely caught me gawking.

Shit . He needs to put on more clothes.

“I’m gonna check the furnace and see if I can get the pilot light to stay on.”

I almost offer to help, but I know he’d probably make a joke about my lack of skills, so I sink into the couch instead.

“Alright, I better add more layers in the event you fail,” I mock. I’m already wearing two pairs of fuzzy socks, a long-sleeved shirt underneath a heavy sweatshirt, and two layers of leggings. No matter what I do, I can’t get the chill out of my veins.

“Pretty mouthy for someone who’d never be able to survive living off the grid.”

“That’s not true,” I lie. “I choose not to put myself through that torture.”

He licks his lips, pulling them into a cocky grin as he scrubs his hand over his scruffy chin. “Okay, Little Miss Seattle. You’re getting a lesson in country living. Come on.”

He walks away before I can ask any questions, but I follow him anyway. When he opens the door to a utility room, I know I’m in trouble.

“Hold this for me.” He hands me a flashlight without waiting for me to respond. Apparently, I’m his permanent flashlight holder. “Now aim it down here for me.”

I kneel and do as he says, sneezing when he brushes off a layer of dust.

“You allergic?” he asks, crouching next to me.

“To filth? Yes.”

He snorts.

“Just hold it steady.”

After ten minutes of the pilot light coming on and flickering off, he shrugs his shoulders in defeat.

“It’s not gonna stay lit.”

“What’s wrong with it?” I rush out, my breath floating in the crisp air in white bursts.

“Either it’s still too windy or a sensor went bad and needs to be replaced.”

“Is that easy to fix?” I ask.

“For a professional, yeah, but it’s not something I’m equipped to do.”

We both stand. “Really? I thought the Christmas-mountain man-lumberjack could fix and do anything.”

He smirks as if he’s amused. “Within my skill set, sure. But I’m not an electrician and don’t have spare parts lying around to replace something like that.”

I sigh with an eye roll. Just great.

He waves out his hand. “But hey, if you wanna give it a shot and tinker around until your ass gets zapped, be my guest. Remember, I can’t get you to a hospital.”

I toss the flashlight at him, and he shoots me a shit-eating smirk. “I’ll take that as a no.”

He crosses his arms, and I still can’t believe he’s shirtless and not getting frostbite.

“Just so you know, I’m rating your listing a zero out of five. Bad weather, no heat or power, clingy dog, and overly happy owner who walks around half naked. Do not recommend ,” I deadpan.

He throws his head back with a laugh. “It’s not my listing. Surely, we’ve been over that.”

I teasingly narrow my eyes at him and place a hand on my hip. “Yeah, I’m still not convinced this wasn’t a part of your plan. Do you dump the bodies in the pond?”

Levi inches closer, catching me off guard. One side of his lips turns up in a mischievous grin as he lowers his mouth to my ear. “Sweetheart, if that were the case, your relentless complaining would’ve ensured you didn’t make it past the first twelve hours. But instead, I fed you and made sure you were warm. Not to mention, the pond’s frozen. It’d be a hell of a lot easier to burn your body. No one would even bat an eye at a winter bonfire.”

His deep, hoarse voice sends a shiver down my spine as his breath floats over my ear like a secret.

“That’s incredibly disturbing. By the depth of your description, it sounds like you want me to believe this was a scam,” I retort.

A sparkle in his eyes flashes with amusement before he winks. “Guess you’ll find out soon enough.”

I swallow hard, though I know he’s probably harmless. No serial killer could be jollier than Santa Claus himself.

“That’s not funny.”

Grinning, he tenderly grabs my shoulder. “You’re shivering. Let’s get you in front of the fire.”

I don’t tell him my body’s on fire and he’s the reason for it.

Once the goose bumps leave my arms, I head up to my room. Even though there’s no connection to the outside world, I need to start writing about my first impressions of this so-called famous holiday town.

After I’ve added another layer of socks and a third sweater, I slide under the covers and open my laptop. Luckily, I charged it before the power went out, so I have a full battery.

I type my intro paragraph about my experience thus far, which hasn’t been good, but then I write myself notes to include later when I go into Maplewood Falls.

When my door swings open, Dasher struts in and quickly jumps on my bed. He circles a few times before settling next to my legs.

“Dasher, down,” I demand, snapping my fingers.

Instead of following directions, he rolls onto his back and waits for me to rub him.

“You’re pitiful,” I murmur, giving in and scratching his belly. Maybe then he’ll leave and give me space.

Soon, Dasher’s leg shakes as I find the perfect spot to itch. “There, we good?”

Levi’s cackling causes me to jump, and I find him leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded. His goofy smile has my heart beating in overdrive, which is stupid.

This man and his dog drive me crazy.

“Dasher must be winning you over,” he says.

“Not likely. He wouldn’t listen to my commands, so I thought if I gave him what he wanted, he’d go away.”

“Take it as a compliment,” he states. “Dasher’s a good judge of character.” Then he shrugs with a smirk. “Or at least I thought he was.”

“Ha-ha,” I say dryly. “He’s the one who acts like he’s never seen a female before. Guess you don’t get many visitors in your bed, huh?”

He clenches a fist to his heart. “Damn. That one hurt.”

I snort, though I try to hide my smile. There’s no way this six-foot mountain of a man doesn’t get laid every damn weekend.

“I’m going to take Dasher outside to run around, then take a shower. While I’m gone, think of what you might want for lunch this afternoon so I don’t keep the fridge open too long. It’s not running at its normal temp.”

“Quinoa burrito bowl with queso and a double shot of espresso would be wonderful, thank you.”

“Hmm…the best I can do is chili with sliced cheese and instant coffee.”

I make a face of disgust. “There goes your five-star rating.”

“That’s not what most of my female guests say. What can I improve?”

The way my heart lodges in my throat is unexplainable, but I ignore it and continue staring at Levi’s perfectly shaped lips.

“Boundaries, for starters. If I’m not walking around half naked, then neither should you. And keep your dog out of my room.”

I sound harsher than I mean to, but his amused expression has me wanting to knee him between the legs. Nothing I say seems to get under his skin, and that pisses me off.

His smirk tells me everything I said has rolled off his shoulders. “Duly noted. C’mon, Dasher. She doesn’t like us. Outside.”

I watch as the furball follows Levi out the door, neither looking back at me. There’s no way I can get write now, not with the images of him clouding my mind.

A few more minutes pass, and I feel a tad guilty for snapping. I let out a long sigh and sink onto my pillow. Levi’s trying to scale the wall of my heart, but I can’t let him. I am anti-charming men just as much as I’m anti-all things Christmas. He happens to be the deadly combination of both.