3. Ally

Ally strode past Luke and felt the heat from his body radiating to hers. Grabbing her heating blanket from the foot of her bed, she returned to the couch where he had told her to sit, wrapping herself in the soft material before turning it on to the highest setting.

She sat quietly watching him for several minutes, unsure of what to think of the man. He was so dang bossy and seemed to have a chip on his shoulder about something. She guessed he must be pretty good at his job, being as bossy and demanding as he was. He had a ‘take no shit from anyone' attitude and she had a feeling he didn't back down on anything once his mind was made up.

She wondered if he counted to three while waiting for criminals to hop in the back of his cop car so he didn't have to get out and chase them. She giggled at the thought.

"Something funny?" he asked.

Ally realized she had been giggling out loud and looked up at him wide eyed. She didn't want him to be any more annoyed with her than he already was.

She shook her head in response.

Raising an eyebrow, he crooked his head at her. "Why don't you turn on the TV to watch something and relax. I might be here awhile."

His attention turned back to the thermostat as though he knew she would obey. She stuck her tongue out at the back of his head while reaching for the remote.

He's so dang bossy, she thought.

"I saw that."

Ally burst out in a fit of giggles, hiding her face with her blanket when he turned to look at her. He shook his head and muttered something under his breath before turning his attention back to the thermostat. She was almost certain she had seen a smile tug at the corners of his mouth, but she wasn't positive.

Crossing her legs under her, she found an animated movie about cute monsters and a little girl. She settled into watching that, leaning back into the fluffy cushions of the couch. Every now and then, she watched him work, his expression relaxed for the first time since she'd seen him that night.

The times he came into the diner, he was always friendly and tipped well, which was odd since he only ever got a cup of coffee to go. She had noticed his overall appearance was attractive but hadn't had time to really study his features the way she was able to as he stood in her house, fixing her broken heat.

He was a beast of a man, at least a foot and a half or more taller than her four-foot eleven frame and built like a carved rock. His rolled-up sleeves showed the curves of each muscle in his forearm. She wondered if he had to order custom shirts to fit his broad shoulders. Stifling another giggle, she thought about him trying to fit his shoulders in a shirt and ripping it apart like ‘The Hulk'.

His dark hair looked soft and well-kept, with flecks of silver at the temples that made him look distinguished yet rugged. Ally wondered what it would feel like to run her fingers over the manicured beard that ran along his angled jaw. He looked like a lumberjack… or a mountain man. A really hot mountain man. He would fit in around this town. Though, he looked like he kept up on trimming his beard and cutting his hair, unlike a lot of the older men around here.

The back of his pants hugged his ass nicely, showing off his firm physique. He was quite handsome. Not that she'd had much chance to notice until now because he had been scowling at her every time she looked at him. Biting her lip, Ally remembered she was supposed to be focusing on her movie, not the bossy hot mountain man in her house.

Luke worked on the thermostat for nearly an hour before asking her where the furnace was. He disappeared into the garage when she told him, leaving her alone in the cold house. Bundling up under the blanket, Ally turned back to watching her animated movie. Her body felt heavy as the exhaustion from the busy day at work set in. She didn't realize she had drifted off to sleep until she felt a large hand on her leg, shaking her gently awake.

"Ally."

It was the softest she had ever heard him speak; almost a sweet tone. Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up quickly, startled at seeing him staring down at her. Rubbing the sleep from her face, she looked up at him questioningly.

"Oh, sorry… I fell asleep."

"I got your furnace working and the heat is on. Your house should be warm soon."

His voice was soft and quiet, none of the earlier gruffness in his tone. She yawned and stretched, still sleepy. Smiling up at him, she could feel the heat already warming her house.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. What time do you work tomorrow?"

Searching her foggy brain for the information he asked for, she answered, "Ummm, at ten."

"Okay. I'll come by and pick you up at nine forty-five to take you to work," he answered, picking up his toolbox and walking toward the door.

"Oh. Um. I can call someone…."

He raised one of his thick eyebrows.

"I'm sure you can, kinda like you could have tonight if your phone had been charged," he said with a smirk.

Glaring up at him, she rolled her eyes dramatically.

He laughed and shook his head. "It wasn't a question, brat. I'll see you in the morning."

Ally giggled, following him to the door to let him out.

"Luke?"

He stopped and turned around to look down at her questioningly. Ally realized the question she had on the tip of her tongue and suddenly felt shy, lowering her eyes away from his in sudden embarrassment.

"Use your words, little girl. What's on your mind?"

Swallowing, Ally looked back up at him. "When you said that I wouldn't like the consequences if I didn't get in the car, what did you mean?"

Luke leaned closer to her until his face was only inches away from hers. "Well, if you were mine, I would have put you over my knee and reddened your bottom, but since you're not, I would have thrown you over my shoulder and put you in the car myself."

She felt her eyes widen as she stared at him in disbelief. The expression on his face told her he was in no way joking. Standing up straight again, Luke turned back to the door and opened it. A flurry of flakes blew inside. It was still snowing and there was already at least an inch on the ground.

Turning toward her at the door, he looked down at her with his piercing eyes. "Ally."

She still stood where he had left her, in a state of shock and disbelief, her bottom tingling at the thought of his words. Finally blinking her eyes, she turned toward him. He stood tall, taking up the entire doorway.

"Yeah?"

"Put your phone on the charger before you go to bed and come lock the top bolt after I close the door. Leave a lamp and the porch light on when I pick you up tomorrow, too. Understood?"

Nodding her head, Ally walked toward the door. She would happily lock the cranky man out after he left.

Standing firm in front of her, he raised his brow at her. "Do you understand, Ally?"

"Oh my gosh! Yes!" she huffed, glaring up at him.

His eyes narrowed and the look he gave her made her bottom tingle for some reason. She lowered her eyes from his.

"Good girl. Sweet dreams."

She locked the top lock as loudly as she could after he closed it, making sure he could hear the deadbolt through the door. Stomping away, she found her phone and plugged it into the charger.