Page 8 of Knox's Fate

The bear paused, turning to look toward the lodge as if it knew she was there watching. It lifted its snout to the wind, and Ruby's heart raced. There was something familiar about its presence, a sense of kinship that defied logic.

Was it possible that...? No, she chastised herself. She mustn't let her imagination run wild. While she loved all of the shifter romances on her Kindle, she knew that they were just fantasies, and that such things did not exist in real life.

Yet as the grizzly disappeared into the woods beyond, leaving behind a trail of disrupted foliage, Ruby felt an unexplained connection to the creature, a pull as enigmatic as it was intense. Standing there, coffee forgotten, she felt the edges of her worldexpand, embracing the wildness of the unknown that lay just outside her door.

A mix of trepidation and excitement coursed through her, setting her nerves alight as she imagined a world where shifters did exist. She chuckled. Silver Falls would be the perfect setting for one of the romantic tales she loved. Perhaps away from the hustle and bustle of Aspen, she’d find the time to try and write a novel of her own. She laughed out loud, imagining basing characters on the residents of Silver Falls—imagining each as some kind of shifter holding secrets as deep and vast as the forest itself.

Knox, of course, could be her dominant alpha male love interest, and she could project herself into the role of romantic protagonist—a fearless woman who stumbles into Silver Falls in the middle of a snowstorm, uncovering the town’s secrets one-by-one as she is forced to share an isolated lodge with the hunky hero. Now, what kind of shifter would he be? Wolf? Mountain lion? Bobcat? Bear. Ruby shook her head, laughing at her own silliness. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d awakened in such a good mood.

Getting dressed, Ruby stepped outside for just a moment and reveled in the crisp morning air that seemed to sharpen every sensation, as if the world around her had come into finer focus. She had just stepped back inside her kitchen, the aroma of dark roast coffee beckoning, when a gentle knock on the door jolted her from her reverie. She opened the door to find Knox on the threshold, a solid presence of muscle and mystery.

"Morning," he greeted with a nod, his eyes carrying a glint of something that might've been amusement—or challenge.

"Good morning," Ruby replied, acutely aware of how the early light played across his features, casting shadows that made his jaw seem even more defined. "Have you eaten?"

Knox leaned against the doorframe, the corner of his mouth lifting ever so slightly. "You promised me breakfast, remember?"

Ruby felt a flush of warmth at the tease, a reminder of the intimacy they'd shared in her dream and the unspoken connection that seemed to be growing between them. "I did, didn't I?" she said, stepping aside to let him enter. "Come on in. I hope you're hungry."

“Always,” he said with a grin as he entered her kitchen. As she watched his broad shoulders heading toward the island, it struck her as how right it seemed for him to be here—in her kitchen with her.

“Did you know my aunt?” she asked. He turned arching an eyebrow at her in question. “You came to the back door instead of the front. That’s usually an indication that someone knows the people that live there.”

He nodded. “Not bad deductive reasoning for a city girl. And yes, I knew your aunt. She was a good person. She should have been able to live out her life peacefully instead of having it snuffed out like that.”

Ruby couldn’t hide her surprise. “Did something happen to her? I know my uncle died several years ago, but the lawyer was pretty vague about my aunt’s death. I just assumed she died of old age.”

“Forget I said anything.”

She started to object, thought better of it and began to busy herself with gathering ingredients for the omelet she planned to make—smoked salmon, goat cheese, eggs—her motions fluid yet tinged with an awareness of Knox’s presence behind her. She cut thick slices of a locally made sourdough bread and slathered it with butter for toast.

"Tell me about Silver Falls," she ventured as she whisked eggs in a bowl, stealing glances at him over her shoulder. "Are there many tourists passing through?"

Knox's gaze seemed to drift out the window, following the path the bear had taken earlier. "Occasionally," he said, his voice low, betraying nothing of his thoughts. "Hikers, campers... but we don't exactly roll out the welcome mat for guests."

"Is that so?" Ruby poured the mixture into the skillet, watching it sizzle and set. "No guest accommodations, then?"

"None," Knox confirmed, his reticence a fortress she found herself wanting to breach. "We value our privacy here."

"Understandable." Ruby turned to face him, noting the way his eyes seemed to track her every move. She served up two-thirds of the steaming omelet onto a plate, garnishing it with a sprig of parsley before handing it to him. "Well, hopefully my guests won’t be too disruptive. Once the renovations are done, I’m hoping to attract hikers, fishermen, writers and the like to enjoy this splendor. I think it'll be the perfect getaway spot."

He accepted the plate, their fingers brushing momentarily, sending a jolt of electricity through her. Knox surveyed the omelet, inhaling its rich, decadent aroma, with an unreadable expression before his gaze lifted to meet hers.

"Thank you, Ruby," he said, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of something deeper, a yearning that mirrored her own.

But then he took a bite, and the moment passed, leaving Ruby with a sense of longing that was as maddening as it was tantalizing. As the smell of breakfast filled the room, Ruby began to wonder about both Silver Falls and the man who stood before her, the mysteries that seemed to surround both slowly unfurling.

Ruby seated herself across from Knox at the rustic table she’d polished until it held a satiny gleam. Steam curled up from the omelet, carrying with it an aroma that married the wildness of Silver Falls with the refined touch of her city roots.

“This is really delicious. I know I said that, but it’s true. With cooking like this I think you could attract not just outsiders to stay here, but locals would come for the food.”

She could feel herself beaming. "Thank you,” she said, grinning and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she leaned forward, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. "This place could be more than just a bed and breakfast for passing tourists. Imagine corporate retreats, writer getaways—people yearning for inspiration amidst nature."

Knox forked a piece of the omelet into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. A silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the soft clink of silverware against porcelain. He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "Sounds ambitious," he rumbled, the corners of his lips twitching upwards in a semblance of a smile that suggested amusement rather than skepticism. “Not just in terms of the renovation but in terms of your plans.”

She smiled back, undeterred, her mind painting vivid pictures of future possibilities. "Ambitious is my middle name," she quipped, savoring the playful challenge that sparked between them, “and it will be good for the town. I don’t envision having more than seven or eight rooms so it’s not like Silver Falls will be overrun by my guests. I want to be a part of the community.”

When they’d finished breakfast, they went over the list she had previously prepared as she’d taken stock of the old place, making a list of everything that she believed would need to be done. She and Knox went over it together and he made additional notes.

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