Page 26 of Mountain Man Daddy

“Just surviving is all I’ve done for months, until you. Living minute to minute—never tasting the food I ate, never sleeping more than a few hours and never deeply. I couldn’t even see my life beyond the moment I was in.” She choked on the thickness in her throat. “This time with you, being your little girl, has been…” She couldn’t finish her sentence and only let a whimper trail from her lips.

His shoulders lost their firm stance. He let his arms fall and grabbed her, pulling her against him.

“You’re trembling, little one.” His words were a whisper in her hair. His warmth around her made her feel safe and she sank against him fully.

“I’m so sorry, Daddy. So, so sorry.” She sniffed and fought the torrent of tears that attempted to escape. “I’m scared all the time. The only time I’ve felt even remotely safe is with you, and how did I pay you back? By stealing from you. I’m a horrible person.”

“We’ll worry about that later. Right now, I’m going to hold you until you stop shaking, okay?”

She nodded against him, and he took her toward the wood stove, removing her coat and tossing it. He sat.

“Let’s sit for a minute.” He pulled her down into his lap, grabbing a knit throw from the back of the sofa and wrapping it around them.

“Thank you for saving meagain.” She rolled her eyes at her ridiculousness and wiped her watery face, snuggling deeper into his neck. It felt so good to let it all out. She was so tired of being strong, of pretending she wasn’t scared. It was exhausting running and never trusting anyone. Facing life alone was as unappealing as sleeping with spiders. She was done running. She just couldn’t face another day alone.

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re safe now.” He rubbed her back and held her.

“Look at me,” she said wetly. “I’m curled in your lap like a child.” He chuckled, and the rumbling in his chest comforted her. “Daddy snuggles come with the territory. It’s not all just spankings and forcing you to eat, you know.” She laughed, and he smoothed her crazy curls. “Don’t think you’re getting out of that spanking though.”

She looked up from his neck and smiled shyly. “I want your forgiveness, and since you care about me, Daddy, you have every right to be upset and punish me.” She swallowed hard. “But I don’t plan on liking it.”

“And you won’t.” He pushed her head back down on his chest and began rubbing her back again. “Hush now. Your spanking will come soon enough. Let’s get you calm and feeling safe.” She was quiet for a long time, and he thought she was asleep when she spoke up.

“My name is Avery.” Her words were spoken in a sleepy haze, and he wondered if she’d even remember later that she’d told him. Her breathing deepened, and within seconds, she was heavy against his chest.

He kissed her crown. Asleep in his arms, exhausted from both the run-in with the cougar and the emotional intensity, she breathed deep and peacefully. He carefully moved her so he could escape and tucked the blanket around her. She looked so sweet and small lying there that his heart flipped.

He took everything she’d stolen and set it on the bed and then cleared a space and put her stuff in his wardrobe. He cut a slice of the pie Annie had dropped off and set it on the table for when she woke. There was no evidence she’d eaten anything before she ran off. Right now, she needed her rest and he could work out some of his own anxiousness outside.

The snow was melting rapidly, but it would still take days to be rid of it entirely. The temperature was high enough to wear just his long-sleeved shirt. He looked out over the mountain and breathed in the fresh air. It was incredible how quickly things changed out here, but he liked the unpredictability. The birds were chirping and the trees dripping from the melt-off. He took a moment to enjoy the sounds. There was an excitement building in him that he couldn’t quite pin on spring fever. The bounce in his step and the lightness in his chest came from Avery. She’d broken through his darkness like the dawn of a new day.

Chapter Nine

He shoveled the area where he chopped wood first, clearing the snow from the stump. If he waited, it would be gone in a few days, but he wanted to get back to chopping. It was his favorite chore and even a few days away from it made him edgy. He found satisfaction in the rhythmic, mind-numbing task, each crack and split echoing across the mountain. Rocky showed up and lumbered around the doghouse for a bit before digging his paw in and clearing out some of the snow that caved in. He gave up quickly though and went exploring instead, or perhaps hunting.

He needed to do some hunting himself, but not until he’d dealt with Avery—dealt with her and comforted her, and gotten her settled. What came after that he didn’t know. He was falling for her, he couldn’t deny that, but he also couldn’t figure out why. He hadn’t felt this way about a woman since—well, ever. And worse, he hadn’t wanted to. He still didn’t; it was easier being a recluse, but his heart refused to listen.

He swung the shovel with more force and worked off his thoughts of her. He wanted to head to the library later too. Look through news reports to see what he could find out about Avery’s situation. Maybe he’d find something, even if it was a long shot. He could go to the police station and get help, but neither of them was ready for that step.

He cleared the area in front of the shed and shoveled the porch and steps before he saw her come out the door still wrapped in the blanket. His breath hitched at the sight of her.

He leaned the shovel onto the porch railing and went to her. His hands were numb from the snow. She held out a mug, looking through her lashes at him, and he took it, feeling the warmth before he even touched it. It seeped into him, and he closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying it.

“What’s this?” he said, peeking in the steaming cup.

“Coffee.” She smiled shyly. “For energy.”

His brow lifted. “Energy?”

“Yes, energy. You’ve been working like a madman out here, and I figured if I didn’t interrupt you, you’d shovel the whole mountain.” She looked down. “I also saw you put everything out on the bed. I figured you’d need some energy for…that.”

“Ah, yes.” He took a sip of the coffee and wrapped his arm around her hips, giving her a pat as he led her back inside. “Are you feeling better?”

“No, I mean, yes…” She nibbled her lip a moment before continuing. “I feel terrible for what I’ve done and I don’t know what telling you means for me, so I’m still scared, but I guess I’m a little less shaken up.” He pecked the top of her head and turned her to face him, but she kept her eyes downcast.

“I feel safer and less alone.” She looked up at him. “Or I will after you’ve forgiven me.”

“I’ve forgiven you already, baby. Did you eat the slice of pie I put out for you?”

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