Cozy Read online

  Cozy

  Alexa Riley

  Contents

  Cozy

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  Epilogue

  Read Me Romance

  Stalk the Author

  Copyright © 2020 by Author Alexa Riley LLC. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to [email protected]

  http://alexariley.com/

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Edited by Aquila Editing

  Cover Designer: Perfect Pear

  Cozy

  by Alexa Riley

  Timber Grayson likes living alone in his castle far from people and crowds. So when a company wants to use his place for some corporate party, it’s a flat-out no. That’s until she comes knocking...and suddenly he’s changing his "no people" rule.

  Pippa Michaels has been recruited by her sister Myra to get a castle secured for an event space. Pippa would do anything for her, but after meeting the hulking lumberjack, she’s having second thoughts. When Timber tells her she can have it if she stays for the duration of the planning, she’s making promises she’s not sure she can keep.

  Warning: Cuddle your cute butt up with this billionaire recluse who chops wood with his bare hands. Once he meets Pippa there’s no going back...but you wouldn’t want him to anyway! Get ready because things are getting cozy. See what we did there?

  Dedicated to persistence and love…

  Thank you for giving us the courage to have both.

  Chapter 1

  Pippa

  “Sooo.” Myra drags out the word to get my full attention.

  I gaze up at my sister who’s still dressed to kill. I don’t know how she does it. Every morning she gets up, does her hair and makeup and puts on a kickass suit or dress and rolls around in heels like they’re slippers. I look at her now with her blond waves up and not a hair out of place. Her makeup from this morning is still flawless and you’d have no idea the woman ran her butt off at work all day. Myra is one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met in my life, but too bad she has a jerk of a boss that has no clue how much she does. He works her too hard.

  I heard her come in a few minutes ago, but when she first gets home I always give her a moment to unwind. But this time she comes straight to the living room to find me and her “sooo” puts me a little on edge. Something is up.

  “So?” I prompt her to continue because I know she wants something from me.

  She’s acting as though whatever it is she wants me to do, I'm not going to say yes. When it comes to my older sister there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her. She’s more than a sister to me; more often than not she slips into the mother role. We’re only seven years apart but for as long as I can remember she was the one who took care of me. She graduated top of her class in college while working all the way through. She made sure the bills were always paid so the power wouldn't get turned off on us because we all knew Mom wasn't going to do it. Our mom wasn't there most of the time anyway and it was always Myra and me. She’s the one person I can always count on and if there’s ever anything I can do for her, I will. Without question.

  On my eighteenth birthday we were out of my mom's apartment the second I opened my eyes. That morning Myra pulled me from my bed and packed our bags. She already had us a place and we were leaving the past behind. That was over two years ago and it’s been just the two of us since.

  “I need a favor.” She steps out of her heels as she says it and lets out a soft sigh.

  “I’ll do it.” I put my knitting needles down to give her my full attention.

  I’m almost done with the mittens, and unlike my sister, I'm not a busy body. She constantly needs to be moving and doing something while I could sit on the sofa all day and knit. At the moment it’s because I have four applications in for jobs and I’m waiting to hear back from one of them. There isn't anything else for me to do, so why not pass the time crafting winter accessories?

  Her shoulders drop and her lips purse. “Don’t agree to things before you know what they are,” she scolds. I do have a bad habit of agreeing to do just about anything. If someone asks me to do something, I can’t help myself. I’m always eager to help my sister, as long as it isn’t against the law.

  “If it’s you asking, I know it’s fine.” She gives me a smile and I can tell she’s tired. “Sit.”

  I move my knitting stuff and pat the sofa next to me. Our very nice sofa at that. When Myra graduated from college she got offered a job at Cox Investment. She went in to interview to be a secretary but somehow she ended up getting the job of executive assistant to the CEO, Mr. Cox. I’ve never met the man but he keeps my sister busy. I swear the man never wants her to come home. He’s always trying to keep her at the office, and then other times I think he’s trying to get her to quit. I swear I don’t know if he likes her or hates her. Men. This is why I stay away from them. It probably doesn't help I saw way too much of my mom’s dating life growing up and I’ve decided dating isn't for me. What is for me is knitting.

  Myra sits down next to me, letting out a long sigh. “He’s asked me to do the impossible.” She drops back onto the sofa.

  “I don’t believe there is a thing you can’t do.” I raise an eyebrow at my sister. The woman is unstoppable. I wish I had half her drive. She’s always known what she wants and goes for it. I’m a drifter who sort of lets things happen. My job applications range from vet tech to working in a library. I have no idea what I want to do in life, I just know it’s not working in a restaurant. The poor owner of 68 Diner tried me as hostess, server, busser, dishwasher, and even doing some prep cooking. I failed at them all because high-stress situations and I do not mix well. I explode under pressure and make things ten times worse. When too many things are on my plate I fold like a cheap chair.

  “The party.” She closes her eyes for a second. “Mr. Cox picked a venue that I can’t get. I’ve tried a dozen times to talk to the owner of the estate but he won’t take my calls and I’ve been stonewalled.”

  Now I know the problem. My sister has a little bit of the same problem I do with saying no, but hers is only with her boss. If Mr. Cox asks her to do something she always comes through. Always. She doesn't want to go back to him and tell him she can't get something he asked for.

  “Why won’t they talk to you?” I’m sure Mr. Cox would spend whatever amount of money he needs to in order to lock down the venue he wants. My sister throws a handful of parties a year for his company and they’re never small. The events are extravagant and I could tell money wasn't a thought when they were pulled together, but if you’re Mr. Cox I guess money is never a thought.

  “The owner apparently doesn't like people.” Myra shakes her head. I want to laugh because Myra doesn't like people either but she pretends to because it comes with he
r job. I love people. I might not want a man but I always enjoy company.

  “He doesn't like money either?” I tease. I don’t want to know what she’s offered already. I still cringe sometimes at how nice our place is. It’s so different from how we grew up. With Myra’s fancy job came a fancy condo and a fat paycheck each week. At least I’m guessing it’s big because we no longer struggle like we once did.

  “He’s got his own.” She rolls her eyes.

  “You want me to talk to him?” She’s actually had me do this for her a few times when she can’t get someone to bend to whatever it is she needs to be done. That’s when she sends me in.

  “Maybe.” She gives me a pleading look.

  Myra is convinced I have a way about getting things I want. She said it’s why I didn't get canned from the diner sooner. People have a hard time telling me no. Actually I don’t think I got fired from the diner. I took pity on the owner and stopped showing up to do everyone a favor. Myra often jokes it’s my dimples, that when I flash a smile people melt. I think I’m just good at talking to people and it comes easily to me.

  “Give me the address.” I pick up my phone off the coffee table as she goes for hers to text me.

  She nods when my phone pings and says, “Look at this place.” She shows me a picture. She flips through a bunch of them and my eyes widen.

  “Wow.” I stare at the breathtaking stone castle in wonder. It’s beautiful but a little bit creepy with some of the overgrown ivy that goes up the sides. I could see the appeal of having a party there. The castle has a history to it and I’m dying to know what it looks like inside.

  “I guess the owner is a recluse and doesn't like people, from what I’ve found out.” Oh, I’m sure Myra has done all the digging.

  “How do you think I’m going to get past those gates?” I ask.

  Sure I can talk to the guy, but the bigger problem looks like getting to him. A giant stone wall protects the home and no one is getting in without being let in.

  “Flash those dimples to the guard at the gate.”

  “Okay.” I shrug. I’ll give it a shot. What’s the worst that could happen?

  Chapter 2

  Timber

  “Excuse me, Mr. Grayson, there’s someone at the gate.”

  I sink the axe into the wood one last time before I turn to face Simon. Sweat rolls down my face and I use my forearm to wipe my brow. I feel the dirt and bits of wood abrade my skin, but I ignore it.

  The sun is beating down on me and I feel the sting on my shoulders and back. It doesn’t feel like October because the slight chill in the air isn’t enough to cool me down. I probably shouldn’t have taken off my shirt, but I got so damn hot I soaked through it within seconds of working.

  I admit, though, that maybe it has less to do with the temperature outside and more to do with my size. I’m not in the best of shape, but when my parents named me Timber they must have known I’d grow into it. I’m tall and solid like a sequoia with strong arms and legs. I can chop wood and haul lumber all day long, but I’ll never have a six-pack to show for it. I’m heavy when I walk and can’t run a mile, but I can bend a crowbar in half and lift a car if I need to.

  “Who is it?” I grumble as I walk over to the nearby trough of water.

  Leaning over the huge basin, I use both hands to splash my body and clear the dirt off of me. I scrub my beard, and I’m reminded that I need to give it a trim at some point. I’ve been working on clearing out a section of my land and I’ve been putting it off for too long.

  “A young lady by the name of Pippa Michaels.”

  I grunt as I splash more water on my chest. The cool air has chilled the water and it feels good. “Don’t know her.” I’ve never heard the name in my life.

  Simon lets out a small chuckle like it’s a private joke. “Neither do I, but she was very persuasive, so I’ve asked her to wait in the lounge. I think you should speak to her.”

  I grab my worn shirt from the side of the basin and use it to wipe my face and arms before I drag it over the hair of my chest. As I clean myself off I glance over to the windows at the back of the castle that face out to where I’m standing.

  The castle has been in my family for hundreds of years, but since my parents died, I’m the last one left and the sole heir. All of my best memories were made in and around these walls even though we only visited during the holidays. I moved up here permanently after they died, and I’ve isolated myself. I don’t like going out in the world and being surrounded by people. I prefer the woods and the quiet escape that the castle brings. I’ve got plenty of staff and security that stay here full time, and even though they usually leave me alone, it’s still almost too many people here with me.

  Simon was my parents’ butler and when they died, he asked if he could remain living in the castle and act as my butler. I didn’t know what to do with him at first, but then after a while I realized he did his own thing and only came to me when the staff needed something he couldn’t do for them. I honestly don’t know what I’d do if he left, so I should probably stop acting like an asshole around him.

  “Send her away,” I growl. Guess today isn’t the day that’s going to change.

  “I believe you might need to do that for yourself.” He steps to the side and I see in the distance a woman on the patio next to the lounge. The large doors that lead onto the patio are behind her and wide open.

  “Fuck,” I mutter, shaking the dirt out of my shirt, and begin stomping towards the castle. “Guess a little privacy is just too much to ask for.”

  I can almost hear Simon rolling his eyes behind me but I don’t care. Can’t he see I’m busy?

  Scowling at the ground in front of me, I make my way towards the house. I’m already coming up with exactly where I’m going to tell this woman to stick it when I look up and come to an abrupt stop.

  “Hi.”

  Her voice is soft and it catches me off guard, and I realize I wasn’t paying attention to the fact that she walked off the patio and across the garden to meet me halfway. Her wavy blond hair cascades over to one side, exposing her bare shoulder on the other. Her thick woolen oversized sweater is swallowing her, and it makes her look so small and slight. But as my eyes move from her neck to her bust and down to her waist, I can only see thick curves hidden under there.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” Her words bring my eyes to hers and it’s then I look into soft brown eyes the color of maple syrup. Without thinking I lick my lips. “I see you’re busy, but I did try calling first.”

  “I don’t have a phone.”

  “Really? I called and talked to someone named Simon who told me to drop by.” She looks over to my butler, who decides now is the perfect time to walk away.

  “I think it’s time for tea.” He quickens his pace to move out of my reach.

  “Did he?” I glare over her head to Simon’s retreating back. “I’ll have to speak to him about that.”

  “I’m Pippa.” She juts her hand out and it hangs there between us as I stare at it.

  I sigh, wipe my palm down my jeans and take her hand. It’s so small and soft and pale compared to mine. Her fingers are cold, and just then a cool breeze blows against my back and I realize I’m still shirtless. As if she is reading my thoughts, I watch her eyes move down my chest and to my stomach. I have the sudden urge to suck in and flex all at once, but when I see the edge of her tongue on the side of her lips, I wonder if she might just like what she sees.

  I gently squeeze her hand and the pressure gets her attention. For a second I feel a smile tug at my lips and the feeling is so strange and foreign I’m shocked that it’s been so long since I’ve done it.

  She tugs slightly on her hand and I let it go, although for a second I don’t want to. It’s like being in kindergarten and having a toy taken from me. A surge of anger flashes through me but I ignore it.

  “Timber,” I say, and I have to clear my rough voice. “Why are you here?”

  Her smile wid
ens and I see the dimples on either side of her cheeks. My eyebrows pull together as I stare at them and I decide I don’t like dimples. They’re too goddamn sweet and innocent. I bet men fall all over themselves at the sight of them, and that thought makes me angry too. I need to go chop some more wood.

  “I’ve come to see if I can rent your castle.” She shrugs that one bare shoulder and I decide I hate that too. Doesn’t she own a sweater that can cover her whole body? It’s October, for Christ’s sake. I don’t bother to look down at my own hypocritically bare chest.

  “I don’t rent out my home.”

  She cocks her head to the side and I wonder why she doesn’t have her hair pulled up. Seeing it down like this is obscene. Any man could reach out and run their fingers through it. I should find her some string.

  “What about a trade? A favor?” she offers.

  The images that flash in my mind at her giving me a favor should be illegal. I have to blink a few times and tighten my lips before I blurt out something I’ll regret.

  “Such as?” I meant to say no, but the goddamn word didn’t come out. I clench my fists at my side as I move closer to her.

  “My sister’s company wants to rent your castle for a party, and I know she’s offered you any amount of money you want.”

  I recall a very tenacious woman coming by repeatedly to ask the very same thing and I’m wondering if this is the sister.

  “But I can see that money might not be what you’re after.” Her eyes quickly glance down my body and back up in a flash as her cheeks heat. “So name what you want, whatever it is, and I’ll make sure you have it.”