Page 4 of My Grumpy Mountain Man

I look at the box sitting on the bench with just three muffins left.

"You just ate three muffins?"

He shrugs his shoulders.

"I was hungry. It's been a while since I've had something sweet."

He stares at me, looking straight into my eyes, making my knees wobble in response. I'm surely giving it an extra meaning, but his deep brown eyes do seem to pull me into giving him anything he wants.

It should be the other way around. I want access to that lake.

He hears the question before I have the chance to word it. "My answer is still no."

"Were the muffins bad?"

"No!" He shouts, almost like I'm hurting him for making the question. "They were the best muffins I’ve had in my entire life. You're a really good baker."

"What if I give you more? Will you let me then?" I take a step towards him but he steps back, in some way I thought we'd be friendlier now but it seems like he still doesn't want me nearby.

I don't want to leave empty-handed.

“I’ll do anything!” I beg. For some reason, it feels very important to me to prove myself to the headmistress.

She has been nothing but kind to me, giving me every single bit of information I’ve needed to move here and allowing me to choose when I’d come. Truthfully, coming here to Pepys Island would've been so much harder without her help. I need to prove she was right in giving me the chance to work in her school, to prove her time spent helping me wasn’t wasted.

“Anything?” His eyebrows quirk up, giving me the first glance of something in him. Until now, all he has given me are nos, and a blank schooled expression. This is something I can work with.

“Are you sure of that?” His eyes roam my body as he clearly tries to intimidate me, but it does something instead, it sends a shiver down my spine, loving the attention he gives me. This is new to me. I’ve never once liked to be undressed by someone’s eyes. It always felt gross, invasive. So why doesn’t it feel gross now? I want him to keep looking at me.

I must be short-circuiting from the heat. This week’s been unbearably warm, and I’ve been sleeping less and less as the nights get hotter. That’s it. Clearly, I’m not thinking straight.

Chapter 4 - Marcus

“I bet you can’t survive a weekend camping,” I challenge her.

She had to come again. She could have left yesterday and never come back, but no. She’s here again.

Bringing me chocolate chip muffins so delicious looking I couldn’t resist. Almost as delicious looking as her. I shooed her away again, but she was not backing down. So a challenge felt like a good idea. For a split second. This is a very bad idea. I knew she was trouble the moment I laid eyes on her. I don’t get involved. Every summer, people from the school come here to ask me if they can use the lake. I’ve since stopped giving them reasons not to, as they usually don’t listen. They just want and want without listening to what I’ve got to say.

Usually it works. But not with her. So as soon as the thought of a challenge came up, I let it out. And now I’m thinking of the consequences of my words. Because I know she won’t back down. She’s as stubborn as they come.

And what I’m most afraid of is what time with her will do to me. She’s beautiful and beautiful people don’t usually go for men like me. Grumpy, rough, with no social skills. I even let myeyes roam her body like a fucking creep, hoping that'd make her run away.

I regret objectifying her that way, it felt wrong even though my mind hasn't erased any of it, I'm pretty sure it’s been seared into me instead. Just the little time I’ve spent with her has made me turn into someone else. What happens if I actually get to know her?

All the times I’ve been with a woman have been purely physical with a lot of help from my friend Damon, a man who lives close by and is just as isolated as I am. So, marriage is not on the cards for someone like me. Even if I yearn for a family, a woman I'd share my life with and kids to run around this cottage. Yes, the big guy who doesn’t talk to anyone actually wants a family. I know it’s silly, trust me, I haven’t asked for this wish. I don’t even know how I’d be able to raise a person with my lack of tact. So, in a way, it’s for the best.

But I can’t stop looking at her, now with a bit more decorum. She’s perfect. Her long dark hair is thin, framing her face, her eyes almost as dark as her hair. Her thick curves, soft and generous make it impossible not to want to touch her. That ass of hers would look so good on my hands.

“Of course I can!”

She interrupts my thoughts. Which is good because I haven’t thought this much in months, she’s clearly messing me up.

“Nevermind, it’s not a good idea.”

“What? No take backs!”

I take a deep breath. “It’s a bad idea. Go home. I don’t want to see you again.”

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