Page 3 of Mountain Man's Curvy Girl

Chapter 3

Chloe

Ethan hasn’t said a word since he rearranged the blanket, and the silence is only filled by the hum of the heater. The truck rocks a bit as the wind howls, the rain coming down so hard it feels like the world outside has disappeared.

I steal another glance at him, my eyes tracing the sharp line of his jaw under the beard, the way his large hands grip the steering wheel hard. He’s tense, and it only makes the knot in my stomach tighten.

“You didn’t have to do this,” I say, breaking the silence. “I mean, thank you for driving me, but—”

“You think I’d leave you out there?” Ethan glances at me hard, before turning back to the rain-covered windshield.

“No, I just—” I hesitate, unsure how to explain the million conflicting thoughts running through my head. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

He exhales sharply, and it almost sounds like a laugh. “Chloe, you couldn’t bother me if you tried.”

His words leave me speechless. He said it so casually. Like it’s obvious, like it’s something I should’ve known. And maybe I would have if I hadn’t spent the last few years convincing myself that a man like Ethan Cole could never think about me the way I think about him.

I wrap the blanket tighter around myself, my mind racing with a thousand questions I’m too afraid to ask. What did he even mean by that? Does he realize what he’s saying?

I can feel the heat of him, smell the faint mix of metal and pine that always clings to his jacket. My breath catches, and for one wild, reckless second, I think about closing the small distance between us.

“You okay?” His voice snaps me back to reality, his gaze flicking to mine.

“Y-yeah,” I stammer, tugging the blanket higher to hide my flaming cheeks. “Just… cold.”

* * *

Ethan

She’s not cold—she’s nervous. Her voice shakes enough to give her away, and the way she keeps fidgeting under that damn blanket is driving me fucking crazy.

I should’ve just driven her home. Should’ve kept things simple, dropped her off and let her go. But the storm made that impossible, and now here we are—trapped in my truck, with her looking so damn soft, small and tempting I can barely think straight.

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel, trying to focus on anything other than the way Chloe’s dark eyes dart to me when she thinks I’m not looking, or her teeth chewing that full bottom lip. She doesn’t realize what she’s doing to me—how hard it is to keep my hands to myself when all I want to do is to reach out and pull her into my lap.

“I’m sorry for the trouble,” she adds. “I feel like I’m bothering you.”

I glance at her, frowning. “You’re not.”

She turns her gorgeous big brown eyes my way. “Oh. Well, thanks. For… everything.”

I don’t respond, because I can’t. Not without saying too much. Instead, I stare out at the storm, forcing myself to stay still and ignore the fire burning in my chest every time she shifts.

But then Chloe sighs softly and tucks her long legs under her, the movement sending her just a little closer to my side of the cab. I’m screwed.

Chapter 4

Chloe

Ethan feels bigger than life, sitting only inches away from me, his broad shoulders nearly brushing mine in the cramped space of the truck. His presence is overwhelming in the quietness, as if he fills every corner of the cab just by breathing.

He shifts, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel, and the movement draws my eyes like a magnet. His hands are huge—rough and calloused, the kind of hands that could bend steel and still be careful enough to hold something fragile. My cheeks heat as I imagine those hands brushing against my skin, and I quickly look away, clutching the blanket tighter.

The truck rocks slightly in the wind, and Ethan lets out a low sigh, the sound deep and rumbly like distant thunder. “This storm’s not letting up anytime soon”.

“It’s fine,” I say quickly, though my heart is hammering in my chest. “I mean, I’m fine. I can—”

“Chloe.” His tone stops me short. He’s not even looking at me, but the way he says my name, low and steady, makes my breath hitch. “Stop trying to talk your way out of this. You’re staying put.”

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