Page 3 of Mountain Wood
Oscar finally returns, her ball nowhere in sight, and she’s covered in mud.Damnit, girl, I just gave you a bath yesterday!She trots straight over to Grace, and I know what’s about to happen, but there’s no time to stop it. “Oscar, no!”
“Ah!” Grace twists and throws her arms up to cover her face as Oscar shakes herself off.
Grace’s pristine outfit is now splattered with muck.
Guilt has my heart thundering. “I’m so sorry.” Grabbing Oscar by her collar, I try to pull her back a little. “I’ll cover your laundry bill.”
“It’s fine.” Grace flicks off a wad of mud from her sleeve. “I didn’t really like this outfit, anyway.”
Her response surprises me. She sounds like she’s telling the truth. And the fact that she’s now closer to me, scratching my dog’s ears and letting Oscar lean against her legs, ruining her outfit even more, throws me off.
This woman is too perfect to be here.
Her perfume smells amazing. It’s light and citrusy. My dick hardens the longer she lingers to pet my dog. Panicking, I back up and dash to retrieve my shirt from the wood pile.
Get it together, Dean. She’s a guest.
A very gorgeous guest.
A very good-smelling, gorgeous, not-at-all-your-type guest.
I return a few seconds later with my shirt in hand and dick softening because I’ve resorted to thinking about the sexual harassment lawsuit she could slap me with if I try to make a move on her. Besides, she’s here alone. She’s probably nervous enough without a stranger like me walking around half-dressed, with a massive hard-on trapped in my jeans.
“Here, let me just…” My hand trembles as I swipe a smattering of mud from her cheek with my flannel. “She really got you good.”
Grace only stares at me and then ducks out of my reach, nearly tripping on Oscar to get away from me. Yeah. Okay. I get it. My boundaries need some work.
Shit, I hope I didn’t just overstep. It was instinct to clean her off.
Touch her.
I’m so fucked.
“Cabin six is over there,” I say, quickly tugging my shirt back on.
“Don’t I need a key?”
“It’s under the flowerpot. When you check out, just put it back under there too.” I don’t have a reception lodge with employees anymore.
“Oh. Okay.” Grace makes her way to the cabin. Damn, her ass is spectacular. She turns around and I quickly pretend that I was not staring at her by dropping my gaze to Oscar. “I’ll, um, get my bags later. Thanks.”
“Okay.”
Oscar pushes against me, her tail wagging like she’s the best good girl, and I scratch her head while we watch Grace go inside.
“Great,” I grumble. “She’s going to end up giving us a terrible review.”
Chapter 2
Grace
Hurrying over to the cabin, I find the key under the flowerpot and unlock the door, feeling Dean’s gaze on me the entire time.
Holy crap, I’m so embarrassed.
I couldn’t stop staring at him. All that muscle? That sweat? And he has abeard.
Am I into beards? Wait. No. Yes?
