Page 9 of Cabin Fever

"You're a sweetie. Is your name Kitty?"

The dog barked, still lapping at my fingers. Honestly, it was getting a little gross. I loved animals but didn't want slobber dripping off my hand.

I removed it and the dog's gorgeous light blue eyes seemed to plead with me. He really liked kissing my hand.

"I tell you what. Why don't I go wash up in the bathroom and then we can find that bacon."

The moment I mentioned the meat candy, the dog jumped and ran toward the kitchen. I closed the door and went to wash up. When I opened the cabinet in the bathroom, I noticed an array of items that weren't there the day before.

I could have sworn there was nothing in here before. Was I hallucinating? Perhaps that's why I acted so strangely yesterday.

The man was back by the time I finished up in the bathroom and stepped into the kitchen. He stood over a pan on the wood-burning stove, lifting pieces of bacon onto a plate.

"How are the sheep?" I took a seat at the small wooden table.

"They're fine. I broke up the water for them as it froze overnight. But they were fine. I'll take them out to pasture in a bit."

"I'm Olivia, by the way. Olivia Love," I said to his back as he prepared a plate of food at the counter.

"Oh. Nice name."

"Thanks." I smiled and waited for him to give me his name. A sudden awareness came over me and I felt awkward, completely out of place in his rustic home.

My home—actually, my parents' home—looked nothing like this place. The most rustic thing they owned was an iron salt pot forged in the Tacaran volcano by the Quepuchean people in South America. They found it in a boutique on Rodeo Drive while visiting Los Angeles.

"When I found this place last night, I thought it was abandoned."

"When I go out for long periods of time, I hide everything. Make it appear like no one lives here. Most people think criminals frequent cities where there are lots of people." He shook his head before he continued, "But it's easier not to get caught in the middle of nowhere. Living alone, far from my nearest neighbor, it's best I give the appearance that this place is abandoned. That way if a thief, or worse, stumbles into my cabin, they won't come back."

I swallowed. He had a rifle in his arms last night. What if he had mistaken me for a robber? My eyes flickered up to his and a shiver ran down my back. His gaze was hard but for some reason, I wasn't scared. Was it disturbing that I was a bit turned on?

He moved back to placing food on his plate. I admired his body, clasped my hands under my chin and rested my elbow on the table. A woman would have to be legally blind not to notice the man had thick muscles in all the right places under that form-fitting plaid shirt and jeans. So what if he was a little scary? My body didn't seem to mind.

As he shifted, reaching for the delicious smelling food, I stared at his ass. I knew a lot of guys who paid doctors so they didn't have to lift a finger to get that kind of backside.

He arrived at the table with a heaping plate of food. My mouth watered as I stared at the bacon, eggs, and potatoes. I swallowed as I watched him shovel a forkful of food into his mouth.

"You know, Kitty, I think this is the best potato hash I've made."

My mouth fell open. Was I not going to be given breakfast? I wasn't familiar with etiquette up in the mountains, but where I was from, you offered guests food. Even if they were uninvited guests who ate your can of beans, then threw them at you.

He turned in his seat to watch Kitty. The dog sat still on a small dog bed by the stove. Kitty was so motionless, someone could mistake the dog for a stuffed animal.

"Good girl. Come get your food." The man threw some pieces of bacon and a heaping helping of potatoes into a silver bowl on the floor by the edge of the table.

The dog ran to the dish as if it were a race.

I watched as they both gobbled up their scrumptious meal while I sat with only my rumbling stomach to keep me company.

Once he was finished, he sat back and rubbed his extended belly. A belch escaped his lips and I frowned.

Men.

"Come on, girl, it's time to deal with some sheep." He got up after patting the dog's head and went to place the plate in the sink.

My frown deepened as I watched him leave. I was livid.

I stood and did something I had never done before; I berated another person for their uncouth behavior.

---