Page 10 of Wild Mountain Ma n

That was my excuse, anyway. It probably would make more sense to Teagan than telling her I was planning for my future before I’d even imagined someone like her existed. Someone whose smile lit up my soul and made me realize what life was all about.

She started toward the rear of the cabin, glancing back over her shoulder at me as she went. “I assume there’s a back deck.”

I followed. “Yeah, that’s the best part. But you won’t be able to tell right now. They’re adding that at the end.”

She stood in front of the large cutout section where the French doors would open out onto the deck. She seemed lost in thought. What I wouldn’t give to find out what was running through that head of hers.

“It’s just wide enough for some rocking chairs and a little table,” I said. “Perfect for having coffee in the morning.”

“Or wine in the evening after a hard day’s work,” she said, looking over at me.

“In my case, that would be a beer.” I laughed. “I guess sipping wine on the back deck sounds classier, though.”

She shook her head. “Not the kind of wine I drink. Let’s just say it comes with a screw cap, not a cork.”

I didn’t even know what that meant, but I wouldn’t want to admit that. The truth was, this woman was a city girl, and I was country as fuck. I’d been raised in a blue-collar world with a mom who worked for minimum wage during the day at a dry cleaner and cleaned businesses at night. I didn’t even know some wines came with screw tops.

“So, I just have one question,” she said.

Even though she was looking out the window instead of at me, the way she said those words got my attention. I braced myself for what she’d say next.

“When you picture yourself sitting out there on that deck, are you alone, or is there a woman by your side?” she asked.

I didn’t hesitate before answering, “A woman. That’s what life’s all about, right? Nobody wants to be alone.”

She looked back at me then, her eyes slightly narrowed. “I’ll be honest, most of my life, I didn’t see myself as someone who’d settle down. I never really pictured myself sitting on a rocking chair looking out over a beautiful view while sipping coffee…or wine.”

Her words felt like a punch to my gut. Most of her life. That meant it was likely she wanted different things than I did.

“How did you picture it?” I finally managed to choke out.

“I wanted to be different from everyone else. Travel the world, run my own business. Have good times with my girlfriends, then go home at night to the luxury condo I’d buy from all the money I’d earn from my candy shop.” She laughed. “Ambitious, I know.”

I shook my head, hoping my disappointment didn’t show. “Sounds like a dream life.”

“Since being here, that life seems a little empty, though. I can’t explain why. This view definitely has me rethinking things.”

I looked out ahead of me. I was trying to make light of a conversation that had me thinking really heavy thoughts. I couldn’t change her mind if she wanted that kind of life, though. And it was probably better that I knew now. But I was surprised how much it hurt already, just thinking this might be a dead end.

“Thing is, it’s not the view,” she suddenly said. “It’s you.”

Those words had me sucking in a breath, but I didn’t dare look over at her. I continued staring at the view, hoping it made her feel safe opening up.

“It’s crazy, I know,” she said. “And you can take me back to the lodge if I’m freaking you out. I just feel this pull toward you, and it’s something I don’t want to walk away from.”

Now I looked over at her, mostly because I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing. It felt like I was daydreaming and at any second, reality would slap me in the face.

“I feel it too,” I said. “I don’t want to scare you off or anything, and I know your home is in Charleston. You’re only going to be here for two days, and it sounds like you’ll be busy both of those days.”

“So we have to make the most of tonight.” She took a step toward me. “We have to see if what we have here is worth exploring.”

I knew it was, but the look in her eyes had a different part of my body reacting. It was tough to even think clearly. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. I could barely even breathe.

She was looking at me like she wanted to kiss me. Maybe more. And I was scrambling to figure out how to make this romantic. Standing in the freezing cold bones of what would soon be my house was not exactly an ideal location for our first kiss.

But when she took another step toward me, there was no fighting it. I was going to kiss her. Ineededto kiss her. I needed it more than I needed my next breath.

I took a step toward Teagan, and in that exact moment, I knew my life would never be the same.

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