Page 30 of Big Daddy Mountain Man

“Right there, Sir,” Amber replied, pointing to a cabinet beside the refrigerator.

“You know, I appreciate how respectful you are, but you don’t have to call meSir. We’re friends, Amber. You can just call me Sawyer if you’d like.” He cast a reassuring glance over his shoulder to ensure she didn’t think he was getting onto her. “But you call me whatever makes you comfortable.”

She grinned and nodded.

I’d like you to call me Daddy, he thought as he pulled two bowls from the cupboard. Did he really want that, though? Was he ready to take that leap again?

Right now, he’d just enjoy his time with Amber. Whatever was going to happen would happen.

“Oh, I need to set a place for Honey and Jazzie!” Amber said as she hurried to where her stuffies were.

“Walk in the house. Don’t run,” Sawyer told her sternly. “There are a lot of things in here you can trip over or run into. You’ve had enough close encounters today.”

The Little obeyed.

As she carried her plush dolls back to the table, she said, “That thing with the pickup was sure scary. I’m sorry you had to put yourself in danger to rescue us.”

Sawyer smiled, knowing theusshe referred to was her and Honey.

“It’s no big deal,” he said. “Just don’t be going for any more joyrides.”

“Yes, Sir!”

Once Honey and Jazzie were seated in their own spots at the table, Amber and Sawyer sat down, but he didn’t stay in his chair long.

“I forgot the bread,” he said. “Be right back.”

He went out to the Bronco, got the loaf he’d baked earlier, and brought it in where he unwrapped it on the table. “I’ll cut you off some.”

Once they had the bread, they dug in.

“Sorry all we have to drink is water,” she said.

“It’s what I drink most of the time,” he replied. “In fact, I know a place on my property where there’s a fresh spring. The sweetest water you’ve ever tasted.”

“Really?”

“Yep. I found it one day when exploring.”

“How big is your property?”

It took a moment before he answered, finishing the bite of stew that was in his mouth. “I own a hundred and eighty acres outright. I lease another sixty that’s connected to it.”

Amber held a spoonful of stew to her lips, blew on it, and then ate it before asking, “What all do you do on the land, Sir?” She smiled with a giggle. “I mean Sawyer.”

Looking at her from across the table, Sawyer grinned wide as he drank in the sight of her. Damn, she was just about cuteness overload.

“Well, I told you about my tree farm.”

“With Christmas trees!”

“That’s right. But not just Christmas trees. I can’t compete with the big logging operations around here. Lot of ‘em are corporate. About drove the little guys like me out of business. I do some lumbering, selling my wood mostly to small businesses or craftsman that are looking for something specific. But I also grow trees for folks to take home plant in their own yards and such.” He paused then added, “Then there’s the farming.”

Amber took a drink of water and said, “Do you grow a lot?”

“Grew all the vegetables in this stew,” he answered proudly. “Hunted for the game, too.”

“Wait! Everything in this comes from… you?” She cocked her head to one side.

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