Her jaw clenches, her breath sharp. “‘Woman,’” she snaps, mimicking my dismissive tone. She then pauses, her eyes lustfully raking over me with fresh scrutiny. “At least you got that part right, so I guess you’re not a complete asshole. But the next time you see me, you better show me some damn respect, you…you little grey-haired handsome devil!”

I blink, thrown off by the unexpected insult-compliment hybrid. A laugh escapes before I can stop it, and there’s an unspoken attraction as we size each other up. She bites her lip while I lick mine.

Still, she doesn’t flinch, though her posture shifts, defensive yet undeniably captivating. And despite the tension crackling between us, there’s something else simmering beneath it. Curiosity? Intrigue? Hell, if I know.

But it’s so strong that I reach out, almost without thinking, gently tucking a stray curl behind her ear, allowing my fingertips to graze her velvet-smooth skin. My often neatly guarded desires are uncharacteristically out of control right now.

“You’re beautiful when you’re angry,” I murmur, my voice dropping lower than I intended. “I wonder how good you look when you’re happy.”

Her gasp is sharp, indignant, but her lips twitch at the corners, betraying her.

“Enjoy securing your future, gold digger,” I add with a smirk, stepping back.

She lets out an exasperated huff, maintaining her furrowed brow and unamused smile while opening the door. “For the record, I don’t need to mark anyone. I can have whoever I want, but I choose to have no one at all, and I’ll keep choosing no one when assholes like you are walking around this godforsaken town. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going inside. And don’t you dare stare at my ass, Grey Beard.”

With that, she turns on her heel and strides into the shop, her gown swaying hypnotically with each step. Despite her warning, my eyes linger on the graceful curve of her hips and perfectly round ass, leaving me momentarily spellbound yet again.

Inside, the crowd buzzes with excitement, yet all I can think about is the beautiful small-town gold digger who just put me in my place and turned me on all at once.

Chapter 4

First Impressions – Kerry

The evening should be magical, a grand glittering affair shimmering with promise, yet here I am, rattled by an encounter with a devilishly handsome man who had the gall to call me a gold digger. Honestly, why do the hot ones always have to be hot trash? Note to self: stay far away from him.

Despite the rocky start, I step into Izzy’s upscale store opening, trying to shake off being unfairly judged and dive into a sea of familiar and new faces.

“Look who’s finally here, y’all! Let’s welcome our town’s very own sweetheart, Kerry Kind!” Izzy’s commanding voice echoes over the crowd.