Read Mistletoe & Hollywood for Free Online Page B

can you climb up?” The bull slowed to a stop fifteen feet away, and we both froze. Its eyes were black and glossy, and it tilted its head up and to the side. “What’s it doing?” I whispered. “Should we move or will it charge?”
    “See if you can slowly slide off the other side. I’ll edge back toward the stile.”
    “No, it’s too far. Can you climb over the wall? It’s loose though, be careful,” I added as I dragged my legs over, dislodging a rock that went crashing off the side.
    Just then the bull dropped its head. I scrambled over the other side, landing heavily, and turned back to see Jack leap up and get his torso over the wall that was almost as high as his chest. The bull charged, and I screamed. My chest caved, he wasn’t going to make it. Without thinking, I ripped the scarf from around my neck, and waving it madly, ran down the hill along the wall. It was lower here, and in a stroke of luck, the bull was distracted for a second and turned toward me, stumbling with the abrupt move.
    Jack scrambled over the wall, and found his feet, landing perfectly.
    I dropped the scarf, and raced back up the hill toward him, launching myself into his arms.
    “Ooof!” The muffled sound came out of Jack’s mouth as my momentum tumbled us both down onto the wet ground.
    I leaned up. “That’s the last time I follow you blindly into a field.” I smacked his arm.
    “Ow.” He laughed.
    I slapped the top of his head.
    He tangled his legs with mine, rolling me over onto my back and immobilized my wrists. “Wench.”
    “Idiot.”
    “Scaredy-cat.”
    “It was a fucking horny bull!” I squeaked.
    “Ohh, dirty mouth. I love it.” And his eyes zeroed in on the feature in question.
    “You can at least thank me for saving your ass.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “I distinctly remember lifting you up out of harms way. I think I did the saving.”
    “I literally saved your ass. You would’ve had a horn up it if I hadn’t waved my scarf around as a distraction.”
    Jack winced. “I guess it was lucky I gave you the scarf then. Again, me to the rescue.”
    “Ugh, you’re impossible.” But I was laughing at his ridiculousness.
    “Impossibly turned on. I think it’s officially becoming a dangerous condition.”
    “Certainly if it impairs your judgment and leads us into deadly situations.”
    “I’m thinking actually, more along the lines of those commercials where they tell you to seek medical help after four hours.”
    I giggled. “That’s what I mean. The blood isn’t circulating in your brain at all. Starved for oxygen, clearly. I’ll have to take over all the decision-making from now on, or until we can find a way to remedy your malady.”
    “Funny girl. You’re telling me you’re just fine, huh?”
    “Yep.”
    “Really?”
    “Well, I managed twenty-one years without any at all, I’m sure I’m still surviving after three and a half weeks.”
    “Twenty-six days,” he corrected. “And what? I thought I was irresistible to you.”
    I flushed, the telltale heat warming my cold cheeks. Was I that easy to read? “You’re heavy,” I complained evasively.
    Jack rolled off me, and I took a deep unconstricted breath. We could still hear the bull snorting on the other side of the wall. “Anyway, it was clearly your ass he was going for. Can’t say I blame him,” Jack said on an exhale.
    “Is the sun finally burning off this mist, or am I imagining it?” I asked, squinting up into the whiteness above us. The earth was cold at my back but thankfully not seeping wetness through to my clothes thanks to my waxed jacket.
    “We should be so lucky.” Jack turned his head to look at me. “Apart from our near death experience, are you enjoying England?”
    I smiled. “Yeah. It’s exactly how I imagined it, actually. Which is a huge relief.”
    “So you’re not missing being home? What’s Joey decided to do for Christmas?”
    “Dang, I was supposed to call him last night, and I forgot. I