WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Viva La Valentine Edition Read Online Free

instructed.
    “Now, personally, I enjoy these,” he said,
giving me that cagey grin I’d seen him use on multiple women in my
old Manhattan office.
    “Somehow, that does not surprise
me.”
    I took the package out of his hands then
handed if off to some goofy, big-ass white plush bear holding an
enormous red velvet heart between its paws.
    “So you didn’t answer me. Which of these
would be your style?”
    “All of it, I guess,” I said, again looking
at the floor.
    Nicky once more tilted up my chin so that I
was held captive by his lake blue eyes.
    “Being as those damn boots about killed you
off at a young age, I’m not sure why you’re so interested in your
feet.”
    “It’s just…”
    “What?” He asked, in the softest, sweetest
voice I’d ever heard pass through his vocal cords.
    “I’ve never had a Valentine. So this is all
new for me.”
    “Well then. I guess you’re not at all Stuck
with a Schmuck, are you?”
    “No. I’m certainly not,” I said, this time
looking him straight in his eyes without him having to hold my head
in place. “Thank you. This is great.”
    “You’re welcome,” he said, stepping back from
me and heading back toward the door. “That wasn’t so tough now, was
it?”
    “What?”
    It was my turn to ask the question.
    “Enjoying something someone does for
you.”
    “Asshole.”
    “That’s my girl.”
    “I’m not your girl.”
    “Not yet…but I’ll be working on that project
too.”
    And with that oafish answer, he closed the
door and left me to my Viva La Valentine fantasy land.
     

Chapter Six
     
    I couldn’t remember a night in the past year
that I’d slept so well.
    Maybe it was the feather-soft goose down
pillow and comforter on Nicky’s guest bed.
    Or maybe it was the winter wonderland from
which I first drifted into my dreams and then back out into
reality.
    But really. Okay. I’ll just come on out and
admit this. It could have been going to sleep surrounded by a ton
of reminders that at least one man I knew wasn’t a total frog.
    Okay. Yes. Nicky Blane still had his
ultra-frustrating bullfrog moments. But somewhere amidst his
country-bumpkin lily pads was a guy with a warm and very giving
heart.
    If I hadn’t been the one on the receiving end
of it, I’d have never believed it.
    But to prove it even more, I was cuddled up
to a very soft, curly-haired golden teddy bear with a quilted heart
patch sewn to his tummy, compliments of Nicky Blane.
    I snuggled deeper into the warmth of the down
comforter, actually looking forward to what the new day would
bring. And that, in and of itself, was a minor miracle. I couldn’t
remember the last time I’d gotten out of bed anxious to see what
the cards held for me on a particular day.
    Thinking I’d lay here a bit longer and relax,
I had just curled into a little blissful ball when I heard a
blood-curdling scream.
    The sound had come from outside the house, so
I jumped out of bed and ran to the window.
    Looking out into the deep white depths, I saw
Molly dramatically waving her arms. I read her lips. She was
hollering for help.
    I shoved my legs into a pair of sweatpants,
pulled on my Uggs, grabbed my parka out of the armoire and sprinted
for my door.
    Running into the hallway, I almost ran into
Nicky flying out of his master suite and also heading for the
staircase.
    “Did you hear that?” He asked.
    “It’s Molly! I saw her waving her arms and
shouting for help outside my window.”
    We took the steps, some three at a time, and
both reached the first floor landing at the same time.
    “You’re going to need some gloves and put
that hood up. The wind chill factor is dangerous today,” Nicky
ordered while getting his own parka, hat, gloves and boots from the
mudroom.
    I put up my hood and shoved my hands into my
pockets. I didn’t take time to find my gloves.
    We dashed out the mudroom door, through the
garage and scrambled down the hill toward what looked to be an
abandoned chicken coop.
    By this