Page 2 of Being with the Mountain Man

But when the look on his face finally registered in my brain, I took a step back.

He didn’t look friendly or welcoming at all.

Not one bit.

Instead, he looked pissed.

CHAPTER TWO

Cash

“Sammy! Where did you…?”My words evaporated on my tongue when I spotted my toddler son a few feet ahead. He stood frozen, a feat in itself these days, and waved. But not in my direction.

My stomach dropped. Who the hell was my kid waving to?

Just relax, Cash. It’s probably a bird.

A sweet voice, a woman’s most definitely, floated over to me. Okay, so it was a person. Who the fuck thought they could trespass on my orchard?

As I moved closer, I peered through the trees and blinked twice, not believing what I saw. A stunning woman I couldn’t tear my eyes from.

The moment I spotted the gorgeous curvy redhead on my orchard, my heart leaped, setting off a visceral chain reaction. White-hot anger burned through my veins, my brain pissed off at my heart.

We’re not going down this road again, dumbass.

Her wavy red locks flowed down her back, and my hands clenched into fists at the urge to feel the soft strands through my fingers.

I couldn’t listen to my heart. It nearly killed me before. I refused to let it happen again.

I marched over to her, wrapping an arm around Sammy and pulling him close to my side. “Can I help you with something?” My tone was sharp and biting.

She straightened herself to a standing position, and her beauty knocked me backward a few steps, like a punch straight to the gut. I pushed the feelings away and stood my ground. She trespassed onto my orchard, and I deserved to know why.

Her face lit up with a smile, revealing pearly white teeth.

Fuck, she is the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen. I’m doomed.

The warning beat of my heart was almost impossible to ignore. And when she opened her mouth and spoke, her voice held me captive.

Shit, I’m in trouble.

“Da Da! Pretty.” Sammy giggled, and a warmth crept up my neck. At least my son put it out there and not me.

She blushed. “Aw, you’re too sweet.”

I didn’t play into it. I couldn’t get swept up in...in whatever this was. There was a more pressing issue. Like why she was in my orchard without permission. “Again, can I help you with something? This is private property.Myprivate property, to be exact.” I lifted Sammy into my arms and propped him on my hip. Being a single dad wasn’t an easy job, but my little guy meant the world to me, even when that meant I chased him through the orchard several times a day.

“I’m sorry. I was just going when I ran into your son here. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” Her voice was calm, sweet, and full of kindness.

She darted to the left, but I stepped aside and blocked her. “You didn’t answer my question,” I said more sternly.

“Da Da mad?” Sammy rested his pudgy hand on my cheek.

“Not at Sammy,” I reassured him with a ruffling of his hair.

“I’m doing research for my book, and I’m staying in a cabin up the road. I happened to come across your orchard on my walk, and I got a little carried away. Again, I’m sorry. I should’ve never walked onto your property here without permission.”

“Research for a book?” My curiosity got the better of me. I should’ve kept my damn mouth shut.

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