Page 1 of Craving the Mountain Man

CHAPTER 1

SKYLAR

Itake a deep breath, smoothing down my crisp white blouse as I look at the weathered wooden door of Fire Mountain Expeditions. This was it—my fresh start, my chance to prove myself in this rugged mountain town. I shake the nerves from my shoulders and push open the door, the tinkling of bells announcing my arrival.

The second I open the office, I’m hit with a whirlwind of activity—phones ringing, maps spread across the tables, and the smell of strong coffee filling the air. A burly man with a wild beard glances up from the desk closest to the door.

"You must be the new girl," he says gruffly. "Boss is in the back. Good luck—he's in one of his moods."

"Thanks for the warning," I say with a cheerful smile, determined not to let the man's ominous tone dampen my spirits. I make my way through the crowded office, dodging stacks of equipment catalogs and ducking under a clothesline strung with drying maps.

The back office door is slightly ajar. I take another steadying breath and knock softly.

"What?" comes a terse reply from within.

I push the door open to find a man hunched over a desk covered in paperwork. He doesn't look up as I enter.

"Mr. Wells? I'm Skylar Hayes, your new assistant."

He grunts in acknowledgment, still not meeting my eyes. "There's a shipment of gear that needs sorting and labeling. Invoice is on that shelf,” he says distractedly pointing at the self he’s talking about. “Get it done before the team meeting at eleven."

I blink, taken aback by his curt manner. "Of course, I'll get right on that. Is there anything else you need me to?—"

"That's all," he cuts me off, finally glancing up. His steel-gray eyes lock with mine for a brief moment before he returns to his work. "Close the door on your way out."

I retreat from the office, determined not to let his gruff demeanor shake my resolve. I locate the shipment and dive into organizing the gear, my mind racing as I try to make sense of the technical equipment.

An hour later, I've got everything sorted into neat piles, labeled according to the invoice. I step back, admiring my handiwork with a proud smile. Maybe now Mr. Wells will see I'm not just some clueless city girl.

The office door bangs open and Grayson Wells strides out, his imposing frame filling the doorway. "Alright, team meeting. Conference room, now."

I hurry after the others, notebook in hand. As we file into the room, I notice Grayson's eyes narrow as he surveys the newly organized gear.

"Who sorted this equipment?" he demands.

I raise my hand tentatively. "I did, sir. Is there a problem?"

His jaw clenches. "This is all wrong. You've mixed up crucial safety gear. This," he holds up a coil of rope, "is not the same as this," he grabs another identical-looking coil. "This mistake could get someone killed on the mountain."

My cheeks burn with embarrassment as the other staff members exchange worried glances. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize?—"

"This is why I don't hire amateurs," Grayson mutters, running a hand through his dark hair in frustration. "We have an important client arriving in an hour. This needs to be fixed. Now."

Determined not to let him see me crumble, I square my shoulders. "I'll take care of it, Mr. Wells. It won't happen again."

He looks at me skeptically, but nods curtly before turning to address the rest of the team. I slip out of the room, my mind already racing with how to fix this mess.

I dash over to the gear piles, my hands shaking slightly as I start re-sorting everything. I’ve never been hiking, I’ve never seen this equipment before today, let alone know what the proper protocol is. I stupidly assumed that I’d be given onsite training with this job.

A tall, skinny man with shaggy blonde hair approaches. "Need a hand?" he asks with a kind smile. "I'm Jake, one of the lead guides."

"Please," I say gratefully. "I'm Skylar, the new assistant. And apparently the new disaster."

Jake chuckles. "Don't sweat it. Grayson's bark is worse than his bite. Usually."

With Jake's expert eye, we quickly get the gear properly organized. He gives me a crash course on the different types of equipment and what they’re used for, he also patiently answers every single one of my questions.

"You're a quick study," he says approvingly as we finish up. "Don't let the grumpy mountain man get you down. He's actually a good guy once you get past the prickly exterior."

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