Page 2 of Broken Mountain Man

Suddenly, without so much as twitching a muscle, the rugged man speaks up in a gruff tone.

"I know you're out there. You might as well come on out."

I freeze, eyes going wide. How did he...? My heart pounds louder as I clench my fists, debating what to do. Hiding seems pointless now, and it'll probably only make things worse.

Taking a fortifying breath, I step out from behind the tree trunk.

"I'm so sorry for spying!" I blurt out, face flushed. "I just got turned around on the trail and didn't know if I could trust you or not."

His eyebrows rise ever so slightly as he finally turns to face me.

"You did good listening to your instincts about that," he says gruffly. "But you should've thought better before letting yourself get lost out here in the first place."

My temper flares at his scolding tone. "Well, it's not like I planned to get lost!" I snap back, my feisty side emerging.

Who does this guy think he is?

He simply shakes his head, unimpressed by my outburst.

"With how late it's getting, there's no way you'll make it back to the trailhead before nightfall anyway. You're going to have to camp out here."

My jaw drops. Camp out here? Is he serious? Unfortunately, a quick glance at the darkening forest confirms he's probably right about the timing. Crap.

Chapter 2 - Russell

I can't believe my damn luck. Of course the first woman to stumble into my neck of the woods in years has to be absolutely gorgeous. From her pretty eyes to those tempting curves, she's hitting every single one of my buttons.

And after being isolated out here alone for so long, I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself around her.

"I've never actually camped before," she admits, chewing on that plump lower lip. "I don't even have a tent or anything."

Ah hell, she's really selling the whole damsel in distress thing, isn't she? I squeeze my eyes shut and pinch the bridge of my nose, struggling against the urge to swoop in and play the white knight.

I shouldn't help her. I know I shouldn't. But how can I leave her stranded out here defenseless when her pretty face is looking at me so desperately?

"Look, I've got a little cabin not too far from here," I find myself saying against my better judgment. "You can come back with me for the night. But you've got to respect my rules, you hear? And rule number one is no asking questions about why I'm living out here like a hermit, got it?"

She bobs her head eagerly, wild curls bouncing around her face.

"Yes, absolutely, no questions! Thank you so much. You're seriously saving my life right now. By the way, I’m Lyla."

I let out a harsh breath and scrub a hand down my whiskered cheek. What am I getting myself into here? Having her around is bound to be a pretty big temptation, especially if she doesn't stop looking at me with those big, innocent eyes and that killer pout.

"I’m Russell. But, alright, then, let's get moving before it gets too dark," I grunt, pushing to my feet. “And stay close, you hear? I can't risk you getting turned around out here again."

We trek through the thickening shadows of the forest, my eyes adjusted enough to make out the trail ahead. Every so often, I glance over my shoulder to make sure she's still following close behind. She is, though not without a fair amount of grumbling about not being able to see a damn thing.

I should just keep my mouth shut and get her to the cabin as quickly as possible. The less conversation, the better. But that annoying voice in the back of my mind pipes up, making me cave.

"So, what were you even doing out here anyway?"

Instead of simply answering, she shoots me a sly look.

"I'll tell you what I was doing if you let me ask you a question, too."

I scrunch my nose at her cheekiness.

"You probably shouldn't be bargaining with the guy offering you a place to spend the night."

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