Page 4 of My Surly Valentine

I haven’t shared a joke with anyone in ages. It feels amazing – like my entire body is lighter.

After she stops laughing, Hazel’s gaze shifts to the window. “Any idea how long the storm will last?” she asks anxiously. “I don’t want to be in your way. I really should drive to the other cabin.”

My chair squeaks as I lean back. “Nope. I can’t let you go there. No power.”

“How do you know?”

“I help out with the Hope Peak Mountain Angels – it’s a rescue service. There was a storm that took out the power to part of that area last month, including that cabin. We checked to see if anyone was hurt or stranded, but there was nobody there. Do you have anyone else around here to call?”

“No.”

From the sadness in her eyes, I get the sense there’s a lot more to her story. “Okay. Let me see what I have in the way of canned food. I warn you, we might be having soup for breakfast.”

“Don’t worry – I brought groceries.”

Hazel jumps up and starts rummaging through the cupboard she must have filled last night before I got home. It gives me a mouthwatering view of her shapely thighs and luscious ass cheeks in those gray leggings.

She turns back with an adorable smile that makes my heart swell. Damn, I have never felt a connection with someone like this. It’s both amazing and unnerving.

“I have enough food for the two of us for brunch and dinner for two days. After that maybe the roads will be clear enough for me to get out of your way and go to a hotel or something.”

“It’s Valentine’s Week, girl. Anything decent has probably been booked for months.” I mentally curse myself when her bottom lip starts to quiver. “It’s okay. How about for the rest of the day we don’t worry about it. Just eat, and do our work? I have a lot of research to do on some motorcycles I’m fixing up this year. You have…whatever your job is.”

“Sounds good.” Hazel pulls a few things from the cupboard, then turns to me with a smile that glimmers like a spring sunrise. “You know, I’m actually glad that I’m not in that other cabin alone. I feel a lot safer with you around, Axton.”

My throat tightens. “Good.”

Wow. She thinks of me as a good guy. First time for everything, I guess. Most people take one look at me and dismiss me as another gruff mountain loner.

Well, now I have a new purpose. Caring for Hazel. Keeping her warm and fed and safe.

I just need to keep my filthy hands off her. Somehow.

3

HAZEL

Thank goodness I brought enough food for a couple of weeks. I didn’t think I’d be cooking for such a gigantic man.

Axton seemed to love the avocado toast and scrambled eggs I made for brunch – although I swear I heard him mutter “hipster food” when he first poked at the toast. But then it only took one bite for his eyes to light up. Whew.

It seems to surprise him every time he laughs with me. Maybe he’s been alone up here for a long time, and gets a bit squirrely in the winter.

I sit down at the kitchen table with a fresh coffee and my laptop and spend several hours sinking into my project.

At some point, I reach out and realize my mug has quietly been refilled. I jerk my chin up to stare across to where Axton is sprawled on the bed with his laptop. He’s very quiet. Strange that such a huge guy would move so silently, like a panther.

Some time later, I stand up to start dinner, rolling my shoulders to release the awkward knots of tension.

“Doesn’t look like you move enough when you’re working.” My eyes jump to Axton’s as he studies me. I’ve noticed him doingthat a lot as he watches me cook and move around his space. It doesn’t feel creepy, more like he’s curious. “Sit back down for a minute.”

I settle back at the laptop, and he comes over and boosts it two inches with a thick philosophy textbook. Then he arranges a thick woolen sweater around the back of the chair, to provide a bit of cushioning when I lean back.

“I didn’t want to disturb you when you were so obviously in the zone. But if you continue working like that, eventually you’re going to break something.”

Sitting up straight, I roll my shoulders a few more times. “I’m sure you’re right. I’ll try to remember to shift around.”

His hands land gently on my shoulders. “May I?”

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