Page 1 of Untamed Mountain Man

1

MACY

I’d stressed for weeks about this international baking competition, and now I’d made it. I was in the top three. After weeks of practicing and stressing and worrying, I at least knew I’d gotten that far.

But the grand prize wasn’t won yet. Not by a long shot. And that was my overriding thought as I stepped out of the elevator into the Seduction Summit Lodge lobby and looked around.

It was mostly empty. No surprise, considering dinner wasn’t for a couple of hours. I was restless, though. Keyed up. No way could I hang out in my room, and that was exactly why I was wearing my coat. I had no plans to stay in this building until dinner.

I hesitated a moment, weighing my options. It was still snowing outside, but it had lightened up considerably. The roads would probably be a little treacherous, though, and I wasn’t going to risk them, so a drive was out of the question. It was too chilly for a walk. I could go to the bar and order a drink, but other bakers might show up early too, and I’d be stuck awkwardly talking to them.

A couple crossed the lobby wearing ski attire. As they passed through the front door, skis in hand, I decided to follow them. I had no idea what I was going to do from here, but trailing them would at least help me work out some of the energy that was buzzing through me.

They took a left out the front door and headed straight toward the area where the ski gondola started its path up the mountain. I could take a ride, but then what? I’d get to the top of the mountain and come right back down, freezing my ass off along the way. No, thank you.

Instead, my gaze landed on a building next to it.Lift tickets, a sign above the door read. Near the lift ticket building was the tent where our baking competition was being held. The baking competition that had chosen me as one of the three finalists.

I smiled as, once again, that realization hit me. I was a finalist in a baking competition. Everyone in my hometown who thought I was a loser could suck it.

I started walking toward the building, the chilly air cutting right through my thick puffer jacket. It was hot pink and matched the fur-lined boots I wore with my skirt. A bit much for dinner, but the boots would keep my legs warm if I decided to traipse through the snow.

The couple stepped on the gondola, skis and all, and the door shut behind them. I watched, wondering if anybody ever had sex in that gondola. It seemed like something someone would do. Not me—I was a virgin—but someone who was a little more adventurous and experienced.

The fantasy kept me warm as I started toward the lift ticket building. I imagined meeting one of the hunky mountain men I’d seen sitting at the bar. There was one in particular who’d caught my eye, and I’d swear he was checking me out too.

At the time, I told myself I was dreaming. He was probably looking at Willow or Emmy, the other two finalists, or one of theother bakers. I was still getting used to guys paying me attention, but someone like him couldn’t possibly be interested in me, right?

My boots sank into the snow as I neared the small brick building. It looked ancient, like those buildings that everyone was forced to use at rest areas and welcome centers. I assumed the inside would be similar. Cheap flooring, wood panel walls straight out of the late nineteen hundreds, maybe even one of those plastic wall-hanging things with pockets for all the tourism brochures.

I just thanked God I had boots that kept the snow from getting to my feet. I was starting to warm up, thanks to the walk…and to thinking about the hot mountain man I’d seen at the bar. Water inside my boots would have me shivering all over again.

When I arrived at the building, I stopped to look back over my shoulder. Nobody was around. Did people enter this building to buy lift tickets? I had no idea. Maybe they bought them online or at the front desk of the lodge. But this building wouldn’t be here if that were the case.

I took a deep breath and pulled the door handle, bracing myself for a packed building. A building full of the same kind of people I’d seen in the lobby—couples and big groups of friends in winter wear, holding skis.

But instead, I entered to find an interior that wasn’t at all like I expected. It was a big, open room, and the walls were drywall. The floors were hardwood. There weren’t many windows, which made me think this building had been redone and had possibly looked like I’d expected not so long ago. But now it had a fireplace over to the right and a counter in front of me.

“Hello?” I called out in case anyone was here.

I didn’t see anything but restrooms to my left. One was markedWomen, and one was markedMen. Each had doorknobs side by side.

Shrugging, I walked over to the area with the sofa and plopped down on it, staring at the fireplace. If I was going to do this, I could just go back to the lobby. Someone from my group would show up eventually and want to chat.

But that was the problem. I didn’t want to talk to the other finalists or the many contestants who hadn’t made the finals. They’d be forced to sit and watch us tomorrow unless they snuck out of town tonight. I sure as heck would have been tempted to do that if I hadn’t made the final three.

A sound behind me made me jump. Literally. I jumped to my feet and turned, staring at the door. But the noise hadn’t come from there. No, the men’s room door had opened, and a man was exiting.

Not just any man.Theman. The one I’d been thinking about since I first saw him Thursday night after check-in. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a build that would rival any professional bodybuilder’s.

He came to a stop, staring right at me, and I had a feeling the expression on his face mirrored mine. We both looked like we’d seen a ghost.

“Sorry,” I said.

Why was I apologizing? I hadn’t done anything wrong. But this was likely his building. He worked the counter, or he’d remodeled the place. I might be hanging out somewhere that was off limits to non-skiers.

“Where did you come from?” he asked. “Have you been here the whole time?”

I didn’t know what “whole time” meant. I looked around, as if there might be some clue in my surroundings. There wasn’t.

---