Page 10 of Mountain Boss

The front door is the same shade of green, making the yellow word stenciled across the top stand out.

Laundry

Mr. Black climbs the three steps in one large stride and closes his hand around the doorknob.

I make a mental note that there are no railings along the steps.

I do not want to face-plant off the edge when I come out tomorrow morning.

The door creaks when my boss opens it, and he reaches inside the cabin a second before the interior lights flicker on.

“There’s no lock.” He turns back to face me. “But the bears have a hard time opening the round doorknobs, so you should be fine.”

Istare at him.

Bears.

Like Yogi, Smokey, Care?

He takes the stairs one at a time as he descends them, his attention focused on my face.

Is he fucking with me?

I mean, I know bears are real. But they wouldn’t try to open doors… Would they?

I decide that saying nothing is the best option.

He stops in front of me. “Work starts at seven.”

Then, without so much as a welcome or a goodbye, he leaves.

So nice to meet you,I mouth to myself as I valiantly resist the urge to watch his ass as he walks away. Because he might have a good-looking ass, but heisa good-lookingass. And we don’t ogle assholes.

Human assholes.

People who are assholes.

I press my fingertips together.

Get your shit together, Courtney.

Chastising myself only half works because now I’m thinking about assholes and how I’ve never really seen one in person. Because it’s not like I can look at my own. And even though I’m not a virgin, I’ve never seen the buttholes of the guys I’ve been with…

The sound of a door slamming snaps my attention over to the main house.

There are some trees and bushes between here and there, but the view is mostly unobstructed.

And even though the man is unpleasant, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want him close.

Not because of his looks. Because I need someone within hearing distance if I end up screaming for my life.

“No bears, please,” I mumble.

Then I look up through the still-open door of the Laundry Cabin, a.k.a. my new home, and focus on the positives.

I have a job.

I have a place to stay.

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