Page 4 of Merciless Mountain Man

I winced. Why had I started talking to this guy? This could very easily lead to him trying to hit on me. He never had before. I assumed I wasn’t his type, but I’d sat here and watched as he tried to pick up various waitresses.

He even tried to pick up my friend. She worked for the guy who built custom log cabins here in town. She had sworn off dating and had no interest in going home with a guy who was only after her for sex.

“Thanks,” I said as he set the drink and menu in front of me.

I opened the menu and stared down at it, doing my best to act like I really needed to concentrate. I was hoping this guy would get the hint.

“Boyfriend? Husband?”

Nope. He definitely hadn’t gotten the hint, and I didn’t like to be rude.

I looked up at him, offering my best confused expression. “Sorry?”

“The guy you’re meeting. Is he a boyfriend? Husband?”

“None of the above,” I said. “He was just part of a really, really bad day.”

Wait, that made it sound like the bad day was his fault. Not at all. After realizing my mistake at the cabin, I got in my SUV and headed down the street until I was out of view. Then I pulled into a driveway and looked up the original email from my boss. Sure enough, I’d been at the wrong house. I corrected the mistake quickly and was back at the office before anyone knew what was up.

But one thing had remained. This Dane guy. He’d stayed on my mind all day. Would he show up at the bar? Was he as attracted to me as I was to him? Did he think I was a complete doof and wanted nothing more to do with me?

I’d tried all day to shove those thoughts out of my mind. They weren’t doing me any good. But they persisted.

It didn’t even have anything to do with seeing him naked. His cock barely entered my thoughts when I remembered him. It was those eyes and that cocky smirk he’d worn when he finally did make an expression.

Yeah, this was one guy I wouldn’t easily forget.

“Welcome!” the scrawny bartender yelled out.

I jumped a foot. I was so startled, I was surprised I didn’t slide off the stool. Yes, I was that on edge.

He could be welcoming anyone, I told myself. There would likely be other people showing up for dinner or drinks. The mountain men would fill up these stools even if tourists didn’t.

“Gin and tonic?” the bartender asked.

I continued to stare down at my menu. It could be anyone. It could be anyone. It could be anyone.

“Sure,” a male voice said.

He was approaching now, just behind me. That definitely sounded like the voice I’d heard earlier today, but what did Iknow? I’d been around him for all of five minutes at best. Hardly time to get to know his voice all that well.

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

As the question filled the air around me, the sound of the stool next to me sliding backward followed. I looked up…and into the intense gray eyes of the first man I’d ever seen naked.

“Yes,” I said. “I’m so sorry I barged into your place.”

I was all too aware of the bartender standing close by. He had his back to us as he grabbed liquor from the shelf, but then he turned around and poured the drink right in front of us.

“Didn’t bother me,” Dane said. “I’m not shy.”

Thank God he hadn’t directly mentioned being naked when I’d seen him. That was definitely something I didn’t want getting out.

“What are you drinking?” Dane asked.

I looked at my glass. “Tea.”

I didn’t clarify that it was sweet tea. Maybe he’d think it was a Long Island Iced Tea. Then again, Long Island Iced Tea wasn’t just alcoholic—it had about twenty different liquors in it. It would knock a woman like me on her ass, and I was no lightweight.

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