My Bossy Mountain Man: Summer in the Pines

My Bossy Mountain Man is a republishing of the mistitled My Bossy Valentine.

Most people find me a lot—too loud, too colorful, too much. So when I land a job at the library, I expect my new boss to barely tolerate me. Dallas is silent, moody, and looks at me as if I’m a catastrophe on legs. Like I’m here to disturb the silence. He watches me like he’s waiting for me to mess up, arms crossed, mouth in a frown. If he really finds me so annoying, why does he always seem to be right there when I need help? Why does his stare make me shiver in a way that has nothing to do with fear?

The library needs help—help I can’t give it. That’s why I hired Tulip. She’s bright, cheerful, and exactly the kind of spark this place needs. I don’t expect her to stick around, though. I’m not exactly Mr. Sunshine, and my personality tends to scare people off. But she keeps showing up, lighting up the aisles and drawing me in. If she continues to push my limits, I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself during the library’s closing hours.