Page 4 of All My Heart

Still waiting on the final paperwork.

Everyone's hoping you'll be home for the holidays.

My chest squeezed. That sounded nice. But it hadn't been the same since Mom died. I had been close to her in a way the others weren't. She understood my need to be quiet, to not say every little thing that was on my mind.

The rest of my family was in everyone's business, always needing to know if we were okay and handling her death. But none of us were okay, and we'd never be again.

If any of the Calloways had moved on, surely it was an illusion.

I'll keep you updated.

That was inaccurate because I wouldn't. I’d told my commanding officer I was going home, and I’d told my family I wasn't officially discharged from the military. I'd lied to everyone. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I couldn't ignore the guilt that settled deep in my gut.

We can't wait to see you.

That was like twisting the knife. Teddy never talked about feelings or emotions. This must be the rest of the family bugging him.

I didn't know how to respond. They didn't know the Axel I was now. And if they did, they wouldn't like him anymore than I did.

CHAPTER 2

LUNA

My hands shook; my body trembled from the aftershocks of opening my eyes to discover a man looming over the hot tub. And not just any man. He was huge. I had to blink to clear my vision because my initial thought was that he was some rugged mountain man.

He was tall and bulky, his face covered in more than a few days of scruff. The worn flannel stretched taut over his broad shoulders, his worn jeans showcasing powerful thighs and the most amazing ass as he walked away.

Now my blood was pumping for an entirely different reason.

I should have been afraid of him, but I oddly wasn't.

I should have called the police, but I didn't.

I'd blame it on my brain being mush from the surprise, but it wasn't just that. I was intensely attracted to him, and I was almost positive I saw desire in his eyes.

Something told me he wasn't a serial killer. But I couldn't be too careful. I was a woman staying in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

I shivered, probably the result of jumping out of the hot tub. I turned on the hot water for my shower, letting it heat up before I stepped under the stream.

My heart was still racing, and I continued to shiver for a few seconds under the steady stream of water. When I was finally warm, I turned and tipped my head back to wet my hair.

There was something about the intensity of his stare. There was heat, and it had nothing to do with the water.

He wanted me. There was so much naked desire in his eyes. How long had he been staring at me before I realized he was there?

I should have been scared, but my body was thrumming with desire. I wanted to know what it would have felt like for him to join me in the hot tub and have his way with me.

His hands were large and probably calloused. I bet he was a man used to working with his hands. Did his job require physical labor?

He was strong. He could easily lift me and fuck me against the wall.

When I asked my ex if we could try that position, he'd laughed and said I was too heavy for him.

That had stung. But he was probably right. He was tall but lanky. He had none of the muscles this man had.

And his name was Axel. It was a bad-ass name to back up his physical appearance. For a few minutes, I'd allow the fantasy to take over, the one where I was capable of having a fling with the hot, grumpy neighbor.

The one where I could indulge in something physical without catching pesky emotions. I closed my eyes as my hand tweaked my nipple while the other drifted down my stomach. I widened my stance as I remembered the look of lust on Axel's face.

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