Page 42 of Mountain Wood

That’s not a direct answer. “Grace.”

“I’m fine,” she says quickly.

Laying her on the bed, I finally pull out and she winces which makes me feel guilty. “Damnit, I was too rough.”

Immediately going into action, I try to see if I’ve torn her. I’m not saying I’m hung like a donkey or anything, but I’m a big guy and I fuck hard. Her encouragement only made me unleash that part of me I usually hold back.

“I’m fine, Dean.”

“You’re sore.”

“That’s a good thing.” She closes her legs and gives me a lazy smile. “Maybe if I’m lucky, when I wake up tomorrow and try to walk, the hurt will give me flashbacks of what we just did.”

Is this woman for real?

Getting all comfy in the bed, she closes her eyes, and that serene smile stays on her sweet face while I tuck her in. The chill in the room finally gets to me. I’m cold and exhausted, and there’s still so much work to be done. “Sleep tight, sugar.”

“You’re not going to stay?”

“Did you want me to?”

Grace nods, but her eyes are still closed.

Shit. I don’t want to ghost her, but I can’t stay right now. “I’ll be back in a little while, okay?”

“Mmph.”

Hurrying to get dressed, I ignore the fact that I’m no cleaner now than I was before taking that shower. But her hot water is depleted. And the fire is also out, which means the cabin is dropping in temperature.

After tossing a few logs on, I leave quietly and rush to the cabin I left Oscar in. The last thing I’d needed was for her to bite that New York asshole because then I’d have a lawsuit against me for sure. And I have no doubt my dog would have gone after him because she doesn’t take kindly to threats, and I can tell she’s protective of Grace too.

“Come on, girl.”

Oscar leaps off the porch and runs circles around me before doing her business in the grass, then she hops in my truck, knowing it’s her dinner time. Even going home to feed her feels like I’m too far away from Grace.

With an uneasy heart, I drive away with that woman’s cabin in my rearview mirror.

“I’m in so much trouble, Oscar.”

Chapter 10

Grace

I wasn’t kidding about wanting a flashback of what we did in the shower last night. And I’m pleased to report that when I roll over, the ache between my thighs is still there and I swear I’ve got phantom dick syndrome because my body feels Dean inside me.

Except he’s not here. The bed is empty beside me and there’s a note on the pillow.

Good morning, gorgeous.

That’s all it says. No mention of where he is, or when he’s coming back, or what I should do in the meantime.

And why should there be any instruction?

“Wow, Grace. He’s not your mother or keeper. He’s your…”

My what? I have no idea. I better figure it out though because we’re about to be roommates for an entire winter.

My brothers would have a fucking heart attack if they knew what I was doing up here. Staying in a cabin with a big lumberjack stranger, on a mountain, in the middle of bumfuck.

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