Page 12 of Snowed In With the Grizzly

“Oh, nothing.” He shakes his head dismissively.

My heartbeat speeds up. I feel like I’ve missed something. Something important.

“Did she leave you this place?” he asks.

“She didn’t make a will, so it was kind of left to the family. Not that my dad is interested in it—” I break off. My father is the last person I want to talk about right now.

Several emotions pass across Jaxton’s eyes. “And your mother?” he says in a low tone, as if he already knows the answer.

“She passed when I was eight.”

“You poor thing.” His eyes are full of sympathy, and if I don’t change the subject now, I might really burst into tears. I’m not used to sympathy. I’ve always had to be the strong one, for Charlie’s sake.

I shrug. “So, I came back to see if the old cabin was still in one piece. Maybe I’ll return in the spring, fix it up properly.”

His eyes light up. “I can do that for you.”

I open my mouth and close it again.

He’s offering to work on my place? After this weekend, I’ll never see this little cabin again, but I do love the thought that it’ll be cared for. Right now, I can’t afford to pay him though. I barely have a cent to my name…

“For free, of course,” Jaxton says, like he read my mind.

My body jolts.

I’m a complete stranger to him, but he’d make all this effort for me? Am I in the middle of some beautiful, ridiculous dream?

A gust of wind rattles the windows and I jump. “Wow,” I mutter.

He works his jaw back and forth. “I don’t recommend you sleep here tonight. Look, why don’t you stay at my place? It’s small, but I can sleep on the couch. The bed’s kind of off in an alcove, so you’ll have some privacy—”

“No, it’s fine,” I cut him off. After everything he’s done, no way am I going to kick him out of his own bed. Besides, with the burning hot attraction raging through me right now, sleeping in the same room as him would be super awkward. “I’ve got my sleeping bag. I know how to keep the fire going. I’ll be okay.”

Those thick, black eyebrows of his tug together. “There’s not a lot of reception up here, but I’m giving you my number. You can change your mind at any time. Just call me and I’ll come get you.”

“Oh, I could walk—” I blurt out stupidly, because I’m all hot and flustered and overwhelmed.

He shakes his head. “Not in this weather. It gets wild out here, like you wouldn’t believe.” I follow his gaze to the window, and a shiver goes through me. In summer, it felt so peaceful here. I didn’t appreciate how high up we are. How exposed to the elements.

I was naïve coming here in the dead of winter, and I’m grateful once again that Jaxton came to my rescue.

He looks around the cabin once more. “Guess I should get going,” he says, but he doesn’t make a move to leave. Instead, he looks at me, those dark eyes burning with intensity.

He wants me.

He’s way out of my league, but I feel it deep in the core of my body. Like a deep, primal part of us is connecting. I want this to happen. In three days’ time, my life will be out of my control forever. But right now… here’s this incredibly sexy, kind, mysterious man standing in front of me, undressing me with his eyes.

“Kiss me.” The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.

Jaxton’s eyes narrow.

I freeze.

Crap.What the hell did I just say?

Shame and embarrassment pour over me in a hot tide.

He doesn’t want to kiss me. I just made a huge mistake. He’s been helping out a neighbor in need, that’s all. And now here I am, making things hella awkward.

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