Page 18 of Scolded By the Mountain Man

“See this, pal?” I snarl at him. “This is just as lethal as my Glock. And I know you don’t know this, but you’re actually on my property right now, so I am well within my rights to kill youfor trespassing. That was also attempted kidnapping you were trying back there on Penny.”

“I–I’m sorry…” Jerry manages to somehow whimper, barely even moving his lips.

“It’s too late for that,” I growl, my rage smelting within me like molten steel. “But I am feeling like a nice guy today, so you know what I’m gonna do?”

“W–what?”

“I’m gonna let you go,” I reply, getting my face right up in his so he can see the seriousness in my eyes. “And you arenevergonna fuck with this girl again. You’re never gonnago near heragain. You hear me?”

“Yes!” he whimpers. I can feel his entire body quivering beneath me. Son of a bitch is petrified by fear.

I glance back over my shoulder at Penny and see her standing there, wrapped in the blanket, holding herself, and I lift the knife from his face. I slowly stand and back away from him. I point down the mountain in the direction of where he most likely came from.

“Now get the hell out of here.”

10

PENNY

Standingover the stove and watching the milk slowly coming to a simmer in the pot is somehow oddly relaxing to me. The bubbles forming so gently feels delightfully calming to me after the insanity that just happened. I was nearly kidnapped by my boss, who I now know is a crazy person, but then Tyson came and rescued me with his knife and gun like some kind of incredible special forces operative.

The least I can do is make him another cup of hot chocolate.

“Who even are you?” I ask with a smile as I crush the chocolate on the cutting board with a rolling pin.

I glance back at him where he’s replacing the blanket I’d wrapped around myself on the couch. “CEO of one of the biggest companies in the worldandan ex-military operative?”

Tyson chuckles, takes a seat, and puts his feet up on the coffee table. He still hasn’t put his shirt back on, so I take a moment to admire his muscles, which seem to be bulging extra thick from the experience we just had that he would probably classify as just a “minor” workout.

“Me? I’m a guy who likes to be prepared is all.”

Somehow, his response turns me on even more than if he’d told me he’d been a Navy Seal. Just the fact that this man chosevoluntarily to train himself to be that capable, all so he would be able to defend himself or a person he cared for, is so incredibly attractive that I hardly know what to do with myself.

Nowthat’sa man for ya!

I add the chocolate bits to the milk and stir, watching them melt and vanish. The scent of cocoa hits my nose as I pour a mug for both of us.

“Here you are,” I say with a smile as I hand Tyson his and take a seat beside him. “It shouldn’t be too hot either. I figured the man who rescued me so valiantly deserved a reward.”

“And this is all I get? Not…?” Using his eyes, he indicates the most prized parts of my body, then smirks. I giggle and poke him in the chest.

“Would you like that too? Again?” I ask, scooching closer to him.

He raises his eyebrows and shrugs like a scoundrel as he takes his first sip. “I mean, I wouldn’t argue with it…”

I take a sip of my hot chocolate and feel a heat flow through me that has absolutely nothing to do with the warmth of the drink. I take just a moment to look around the moderately sized room of the cabin, from the hand-cut windows to the knotted pine door, and a feeling of contentment comes over me.

“You know what I just realized?” I ask. Tyson looks up at me from his mug.

“What’s that?”

“I’ve beensohappy since I came here.” His eyes light up, making me feel even higher than I already feel. “When you first told me to cook and clean for you, I was so ready to be offended.”

Tyson chuckles. “I remember.”

I laugh too. “But once I started to actually do things for you, I realized that being this ‘traditional’ woman actually made me feel incredible! It’s fulfilling in a way IthoughtI’d feel when I got my job at Goldman Sachs. Only here I actually do.”

A look of kindness fills Tyson’s eyes.

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