Page 6 of My Surly Valentine

I grab a scrap of paper and jot down a few things to make some of the better meals I know I’m good at. “I thought we weren’t supposed to be driving in this weather.”

“You, not me.” He takes the list from me, a strange, muted smile in his eyes. “My truck is a beast in the snow. They probably need guidance near the ski resort from someone who knows the area well.”

He tugs on a heavy coat and a black knit cap as I try to keep the worry out of my expression. He pauses at the door, stopping to write down his number for me.

“I know you don’t know me well enough to trust me, Hazel.” His low voice is rich and gravelly. “But I’d never abandon you here. I promise, I’ll be back in a few hours. Text me so I have your number.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

I want to run to him to give him a hug goodbye. To feel more of the tenderness I felt in his arms last night. Instead, I just add, “Stay warm.”

Axton closes the door tightly behind him, then I hear the roar of a large truck starting up. I peer out the window as he drives easily down the hill. Holy geez. My car would be sliding all over the place.

It’s very kind of him to allow me to stay and to be so sweet about it. Maybe it’s wrong for me to feel waves of desire every time our eyes meet. To fantasize about him holding me. To wonder if I could somehow…get him to do it again?

I mean, I’m out here in Hope Peak to get a handle on my new life, not just my new job. Getting down and dirty with a huge, sexy mountain man would definitely be a good start on the road toward my goal.

4

AXTON

As I drive through the snow toward my cabin, the GPS cuts out for about a mile and a half where the road was created by blasting through deep rock. I see the exact spot where Hazel missed her turn. Thank goodness she did. I can’t stand the thought of the poor angel being stranded out here without power or heat.

Hazel is a brave young woman to come out here on her own – to grab the reins of her life and refuse to give in to her father. To be honest, her dad’s plan would probably be the easier path – marry a rich guy and be his pretty little wife.

But from the way she was focused on that computer screen this morning, I can tell she has her own ambitions.

Part of me has been fighting getting to know her. It’s clear she’s not staying. Whatever she has envisioned for her life, it doesn’t involve living in a small town.

Yet I can’t stop my mind from asking,what if?What if she really liked it out here? What if she decided that small-town lifeisfor her? What if she realized she could fulfill her life’s purpose with just a laptop and a coffee pot?

What if she understood how much I need to protect and care for her?

Luckily, I’m able to finish helping out the guys, pick up groceries, and get back to the cabin before falling completely down that obsessive rabbit hole. Although I’m sure she must hear the truck pull up, I still tap on the door before opening it. The last thing I want is to scare the shit out of her.

Hazel is already putting away her laptop and notebook. “Perfect timing! Dinner can be in around ten minutes, assuming you’re hungry.”

“I am, thanks.” I set two huge bags of groceries on the table and she begins putting them away before I can even take off my coat. Damn, I just want to throw my arms around her and feel that curvy body against me again.

I look around the room as I take off my boots. Everything looks a bit…brighter. “Have you been cleaning in here?”

Her lovely blue eyes dart to mine and she gives me the sweetest smile. “Y-yes? I hope that’s okay.”

“Sure. But you’ve got your own work to do.”

She laughs. “It’s a productivity trick. When I need to jump up and stretch after forty minutes of work…sincesomeonetold me I wasn’t moving around enough…I clean something. When I get tired of that, I go back to the computer. Every time I change tasks, it feels like I’m taking a break.”

“Or you’re running yourself ragged.” I scowl for barely a second before it melts into a smirk. The scent of something amazing hits me before I can complain any more. “That smells incredible.”

“Oh, good. I’ve only made it a couple of times.”

I flash her a grin that feels surprisingly comfortable. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled this hard or this frequently before. “Just going to take a quick shower, then.”

“Sure. Take your time.”

I barely stop myself from automatically pulling off my clothing beside the bed, as I usually do. Considering the way Hazel stared at me last night when I was wearing nothing but my shorts, she doesn’t need that kind of shock again.

As I walk into the bathroom holding a change of clothes, I take a long look at her curvy ass as she stirs something on the stove. What would it be like to have such a beauty flitting about my home all the time?

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