Page 1 of Country

Chapter One

Daisy

A heavy knock on the door echoes through my cabin.

I lean up from the sofa and stare at the noise. It’s nearly eight p.m. No one knocks after six around here. It’s poor form. Folks are either eating supper or going to bed. So, I’m not sure why Country insists on continuing this charade.

I swing open the door. “For the eight hundredth time, he’s not here.” My tone is biting and wildly sarcastic.

The giant man standing on my porch turns down his gaze. I’m terrible at all things numbers, so I don’t know the exact dimensions of him, but he’s huge. I’d guess somewhere around six foot six and maybe three hundred pounds. I wonder if my rotting porch can take the weight of his frame.

I really need to upgrade this place, but it’s not in the cards right now.

Wood creaks as he leans his massive, inked up arm against the door frame, invading my personal space. “You’re lying.”

“Oh yeah?” I scoff. “I don’t think you understand how much I hate my ex. I’d tell you if he were here.”

The man’s eyes scan away from me and into the cabin. “You’ve got two coffee mugs out. Why’s that?”

“One was for tea, and the other for hot chocolate. Way to call a girl out.”

“You’re full of it,” he groans. “No one has tea and hot chocolate in one day.”

“Really? This is the hill you’re dying on? Did you learn these investigation tactics in some kindergarten version of bounty hunting school or is this a Country original?”

“I hear in town you’re a sweet little thing, but you gotta mouth on ya.” I’m not sure why this statement has my pussy pulsing, but it does. Maybe it’s his southern accent.

He rolls his eyes and leans back away from the doorframe. “Let me come in. I’ll ask you a few questions and I’ll leave you alone.”

I can’t help but laugh. This bounty hunter has been here every day this week. Before that, he found me at my friend’s cabin, where I was hiding out. So much for that. Apparently, he thinks I hold the key to whatever it is he’s looking for. “I’m not letting you in my house.”

“Because you’re hidin’ something.”

My eyes roll and I let out a sigh. “I’m not hiding anything. I just know my rights.”

“You’re right,” he groans. “You have rights. You don’t have to answer my questions or let me in, but you're lookin’ for me to go away. I reckon you could make that happen right now.”

“Bullshit. I’ll talk to you today, but you’ll still be back tomorrow.”

He strokes his big hand down over his salt and pepper beard and looks down, smiling. He’s probably frustrated. That said, whatever’s causing that grin, it doesn’t matter. It’s still super hot. When his gaze lifts, my heart flutters.

Why is it doing that? I don’t like this man. I actually feel the opposite of interest. I loathe him. It’s definitely not because he’s here hunting my ex. My ex is an asshole, and he deserves whatever he has coming. This country bastard just can’t take a hint.

The man’s biceps flex as he leans in against the door frame again. “Look, you’re annoyed with me. I get it. Talk to me for twenty minutes and I’ll leave you alone.” He holds his big hand in the air as though to call a truce, but all I see are his calluses. “Swear to heaven.”

I don’t know what it is about a man in flannel with an MC cut on that does it for me, but apparently, this is the uniform my body has been longing an eternity for. My clit has never gone off on a tangent like this, but she’s calling to me. She wants me to undress this country boy and let him do whatever investigation he deems necessary.

I drag in a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing full well that I’m about to make a mistake. “Fifteen minutes and you leave your gun on the porch.”

“Eighteen minutes and my gun comes with me.”

I laugh. “You’re not coming into my house with a gun. No negotiations. Take it or leave it.” I tuck behind the door and close it, but the man pushes back and settles his boot in the frame.

His feet are massive. What do people say about big feet again?

“Eighteen minutes and I’ll leave my gun with you. I ain’t leavin’ it on the porch. Who the fuck knows who’s out here?”

“It’s the woods. There are miles of vacant forestland surrounding us. No one is out here.”

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