Page 9 of Accidentally Kidnapping the Mountain Man

“You okay?” I ask, my voice sounding like a rusty hinge.

She nods, swallowing hard. “Yeah. Thanks. You keep catching me.”

“I’ll always catch you, Kaylee.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop myself.

“Logan,” she says so softly I almost don’t hear it. Hearing my name on her lips always does something to me, something I’m still trying to understand because I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. Not my ex-wife, not anyone I’ve ever dated. No one. Only Kaylee.

Only Kaylee.

My gaze snares on her mouth. Her pretty little mouth with her full pink lips. Just one taste. Maybe I just need a taste to get her out of my system.

But then she takes a step back and presses the papers against my chest with shaking hands. I feel the loss of her like a punch to the gut, and it takes everything I have not to reach for her again. Her cheeks are beautifully flushed, but I don’t know if it’s from the cold, or me.

I feel like I don’t know a fucking thing anymore beyond the feeling that Kaylee should be mine. Is meant to be mine.

I take the papers from her, and I already know I’m going to reject every single one of these houses. I have to, at least until I figure my shit out.

“Come on, let’s get you back to your car,” I say, tipping my chin in the direction of her rusty Honda. My stomach twists uncomfortably at the idea of her driving that thing around town, through the snow. “It’s freezing out.”

“I’m not the one half-naked,” she says, her eyes once again meandering over my bare chest, and fuck if that doesn’t have blood flowing to my cock.

“You’re also not the one chopping firewood.”

“Mmm.” The sound comes from deep in her throat, almost like a purr. Did she like watching me work?

I’m not used to having more questions than answers. It’s unsettling.

She shivers, and I place my hand firmly on the small of her back, guiding her gently back towards her car. God, taking care of her feels good. Feels right.

Everythingabout Kaylee feels right. And yet…it’s wrong, isn’t it? She’s twenty-five years younger than me.

It’s wrong.

Right?

Fuck, I’m a mess.

We walk over to her rust bucket of a car and she shivers again, making me wish I could pull her into my arms and hold her against me to warm her up. But I can’t, because despite how I feel, she’s not mine.

Yetwhispers a quiet voice somewhere in the back of my mind.

“Sorry for dropping by unannounced,” she says. “I’m just really excited about these listings and wanted to see you rightaway. I mean, I wanted you to see me. I mean, see the listings. I wanted you to see the listings right away,” she chatters, her cheeks the prettiest shade of pink. I want to stroke my thumb over her flushed skin, to see if it’s as soft and warm as it looks. “These ones are good, I promise,” she continues. “They have everything on your wish list. I did have to go above budget on a couple of them, but hopefully you’ll see why when you take a look.”

I nod, glancing down at the papers I’m still clutching in my other hand. I know I’ll reject them all, just like I have every other house she’s shown me, but I can’t tell her that. But I also can’t sever my only connection to her by buying something.

“I’ll take a look,” I say gruffly, and she nods. A small smile ghosts across her lips, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, and I can immediately tell that something’s off. She doesn’t have her usual sparkle, and it makes me want to take on the world for her. “Everything okay?” I ask quietly, shoving down the urge to brush her hair away from her pretty blue eyes.

She bites her lip, eyes downcast for a second before she nods. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I should get going.”

I don’t believe her. Not for a second.

But what am I supposed to do? She’s not mine. I have no claim on her.

Which is a problem I’m going to have to remedy, isn’t it? It’s the only way forward that I can see.

I sigh and then reach behind her, opening her car door for her. The hinges let out a grating squeal as I do. She blushes, glances between me and her car.

“You drive safe, okay, Kaylee? In fact, you text me as soon as you’re home or at the office, wherever you’re going.” I sound like a bossy asshole right now, and I don’t care. I need to know she’s safe.

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