Page 13 of The Mountain Man's Untamed Bride
"You built this?" I asked, noting the careful craftsmanship of the small structure.
Bodhi nodded. "They need protection from predators. Bears, foxes, eagles would all consider them an easy meal."
Colonel approached Bodhi with what could only be described as adoration, pecking gently at his boots in whatseemed like a greeting. Bodhi reached down and, to my astonishment, stroked the rooster's feathers. The bird actually leaned into his touch like a cat.
"Even his chicken is in love with him," I muttered under my breath. "Traitor."
Bodhi glanced up. "What?"
"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just admiring your... chicken whisperer abilities."
He stood, and Colonel resumed his patrol of the coop perimeter, occasionally shooting me suspicious glances.
"That bird has trust issues," I observed.
"He's protective," Bodhi corrected. "Keeps his flock safe."
The way he said it—with a hint of respect in his voice—made me wonder if he saw himself the same way. A protector. A guardian of his small domain against outside threats.
Including, perhaps, city girls with fire extinguishers and seduction plans.
I smiled to myself as we walked back toward the cabin. Operation: Deflower Me Now had suffered a minor setback, but I wasn't defeated. I just needed to adjust my strategy.
After all, I'd seen the way his eyes had darkened when he'd touched my face. The way his gaze had momentarily dropped to my lips. Behind that gruff exterior was a man of flesh and blood, not stone.
And I had plenty more steps in my plan.
Chapter Five
“The Invasive Species ”
Bodhi
"We're out of eggs."
I stared at the empty carton in my refrigerator, mentally calculating how long I could survive on jerky and canned beans before admitting defeat. Not long enough.
"Already?" Scarlett appeared in the kitchen doorway wearing a sundress so short and tight it looked painted on, her legs impossibly long and bare in the morning light.
I nearly choked on my own breath, forcing my eyes to stay on her face rather than the expanse of skin the tiny dress revealed. My hand tightened involuntarily on the refrigerator door as blood rushed to places that made rational thought difficult.
"I thought we just had eggs for breakfast yesterday," she continued, seemingly oblivious to my reaction as she stretchedlanguidly against the doorframe. The deliberate way she arched her back and tilted her head wasn't lost on me—this was no innocent morning stretch but a calculated move designed to draw my attention to her curves. I wasn't falling for it. Much.
"We did. You also used half a dozen in your..." I searched for a diplomatic term, "...culinary experiment."
Her lips twitched. "You mean my foam party?"
"That's one way to put it." I closed the refrigerator, resigned to the inevitable. "We need supplies. Town trip."
Her eyes lit up like I'd just announced an all-expenses-paid vacation instead of a forty-minute drive to Promise Ridge's excuse for a commercial district. "Town? As in civilization? With actual shops?"
"One shop," I corrected. "Mabel's General Store. And Hawk's Nest Outfitters if you need camping gear."
"I'd rather eat live spiders," she muttered, then brightened. "But a store means people! And probably cell service!"
"Spotty at best," I warned, but she was already rushing back to her room, leaving me to wonder how anyone could be so excited about Mabel's collection of canned goods and fishing tackle.
I grabbed my keys and wallet, mentally preparing for the ordeal ahead. Taking Scarlett to town was like bringing a tropical bird to the Arctic—nothing good could come of it.
