Page 6 of Pining for the Lumberjack

AppleMtnMan43: Using only my mouth

ApplesNotSweet: *drooling* tell me more!

AppleMtnMan43: Then I would…

Saturday 2:17 a.m.

AppleMtnMan43: What are you wearing?

ApplesNotSweet: Nothing

AppleMtnMan43:

ApplesNotSweet: Should I send a pic?

AppleMtnMan43: No. I need to meet you. Now.

ApplesNotSweet: And we both need some sleep. Talk to you in the morning, stud

ApplesNotSweet is now off-line. Send a message for when they return?

I groaned and rolled over in bed, sliding my phone under the pillow. I should be exhausted, yet my thoughts were stuck on a roller-coaster ride, spinning and twisting me every which way.

Bailey looked at me from the foot of the bed, groaned, and then laid her head back down. Even my own dog was tired of my crap.

Hours and hours I’ve spent talking to the mysterious Joanie, a.k.a.ApplesNotSweet, then dragging my ass to work, only tothink about her all day, come home and talk all night again. This morning was the latest we’d ever stayed up, and I wanted more.

No, I wanted her here. Next to me. In my bed.

Or so I thought.

When I tried to picture it in my head, I saw not the woman in the picture I’d stared at for days but Adalynn. Her warm smile and happy demeanor melted all my troubles away.

Adalynn. My heart beat for her.

But maybe it could beat for Joanie too. Our connection was unmatched, and I could only hope it would be the same in person.

It had to be, right?

I finally dozed off at some point and woke up to Jack’s loud voice booming through my cabin, his footsteps loud on the stairs.

What the hell? Wasn’t it Saturday?

Bailey barked and followed him, and I could just imagine her going nuts when he showed up.

“Dude, what the fuck? You’re still in bed?”

“More like what the fuck are you doing here?” I moaned and pulled a pillow over my head.

“Uh, did you forget you said you’d work out with me this morning?”

Shit.

I tossed the pillow aside and watched while Bailey sat in front of Jack, begging for his attention. “Dammit. Sorry, man. I totally spaced out.”

Jack shot me a questioning look while he patted Bailey’s head. “That’s not like you. And it’s not like you to still be in bed at noon. What’s up?”

“Meet me downstairs in a few, and I’ll fill you in. And start a pot of coffee, will ya? Make yourself useful or something.” Ismirked, and he flipped me off with a shit-eating grin before disappearing downstairs.

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