And I was pretty sure that was a requirement for Canadian immigration.
“But I do.”
“Holy shit!” The deep voice startled me so badly that I took a giant step backward, directly into the shiny metal surface of the vintage refrigerator that had come with thecottage John and I had purchased just two weeks before. “Where did you come from?”
The hot guy in my kitchen doorway looked me up and down, and his lips twitched beneath his thick beard. He wore a bright green T-shirt that did amazing things for his eyes—which was why his husband had picked it out for him—and an old snap-back hat that had seen better days.
He wasnotwearing his Hannabury hoodie, because his husband had stolen it from him. And, I thought as I disconnected my call and shoved my phone in the large pocket, I was not gonna give it back.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” John said, his eyes gleaming as he recited the words he’d first said to me more than a year and a half ago. “I’m just here to…” He tilted his head in my direction.
“Check your mail?” I said dryly, folding my arms over my chest.
He grinned. “Nope. I’m the perfect stranger who’s here to help move your sofa.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and I fought hard not to laugh.
“Really? You’re sure you’re here for the sofa?” I narrowed my eyes. “Because you wouldn’tbelievehow many cases of mistaken identity involving sofa moving occur each year.”
“Oh, I’d believe it. Feel free to tell me more about it, though. You might not know this about me, since we only just met…” He lowered his voice and stepped closer, getting allllll up in my personal space… which was exactly where I always wanted him. “But gorgeous redheads who quote random statistics at me are my biggest turn-on.”
“How oddly specific,” I exclaimed, not having to fake my excitement as he rucked up my—I mean, technicallyhis, but whatever—sweatshirt and spread his big hands on my bare waist.
“One thing you’ll get to know about me, baby—you don’t mind if I call you baby, do you? —is that I am all about oddlyspecific kinks. For example, karaoke with charming-if-not-particularly-tuneful singers. Also, baked goods.”
“You’re attracted to baked goods?”
“Mmmm. Mostly the men who bake them.”
“Men?”
“Man,” he corrected, nipping at my lower lip. “Just one man.” He kissed me more deeply, sliding his tongue against mine and reminding me just how much I’d missed him for the two days we’d been apart. “Just one incredible man.”
“You’re very forward,” I said breathlessly. “For a perfect stranger who’s just volunteered to move my sofa.”
“But it’s a really nice sofa.” He moved his hands under the waistband of my shorts to cup my ass.
I collapsed into laughter as I pulled his lips back to mine. “I missed you, baby.”
“Me, too,” he said. “A really pathetic amount for having only spent thirty-two-point-five hours away from you. Not that I was counting.”
“Of course not. Did you get Fern moved into our old place?”
John nodded. “Moved our stuff out, moved her stuff in, then we jumped in the truck. Monica and the Graziellas are unpacking Fern’s stuff for her, God help everyone involved, and then they’re driving up here tomorrow. I left Fern outside having a Come to Jesus with Monica about allowing Monica’s cats to sleep on a pile of Fern’s unmentionables. How about you? Were you bored while I was gone?”
“Bored?” I rolled my eyes. “Not quite. Thursday night, I hung out at Molly’s with the new baby, and we concepted a whole new book series. Friday morning, I had a meeting with the principal at Averill Union and got the keys to my new classroom so I can start preparing for the fall. A bunch of the other teachers took me out for a welcome lunch at this little diner-type place in Little Pippin Hollow?—”
“Panini Jack’s?” John demanded, and when I nodded, hegroaned enviously. “Oh, damn. I forgot that was only the next town over from us. I feel like we’re going to be eating in the Hollow alotfrom now on.”
“Uh-huh. But it turns out Knox’s little brother works there, and he wanted to hear the whole story about how we’d met Knox and Gage down in Boston?—”
“The probability of us meeting guys from Vermont at our local bar in Boston was…” He shook his head.
“Only slightly lower than the probability of what ended up with happening with Knox and Gage after that?” I finished. “Yes, agreed. But I kind of like how it all worked out. It’s nice to already have friends here, in addition to Molly and your moms. And Gage isn’t aterribleperson,” I allowed, “despite our tragic first meeting.”
John grinned and nipped at my earlobe. “I love when you get jealous.”
I sniffed but didn’t argue. Iwasjust a trifle jealous when it came to him, which worked out nicely since I was really into how caveman-possessive my guy could be.
“As I was saying,” I continued as he chuckled knowingly and squeezed my ass more firmly. “I met Knox’s little brother, Hawkins, who works at the restaurant. And then Knox’sotherbrothers came in—the lumberjacky one we met last winter?—”
