Page 2 of One Night with the Mountain Man

It was a bag. Leather from the looks of it with a long strap. Before I had the chance to think about how an expensive bag ended up this high up on the mountain, the edge of the light caught on something else. My gaze took in a shoe. A woman’s shoe. Connected to a woman’s leg.

Fuck. I crouched down next to a body, hoping she was still alive. People in town were already wary of me since I kept to myself. I didn’t want to explain how I’d come across a woman’s dead body in the middle of a storm.

Shallow breaths made her chest rise and fall. The shirt she had on plastered against her curves. I couldn’t leave her here, but what the fuck was I supposed to do with her? I moved the light so I could see her face. Even with mud covering her cheek and twigs tangled in her hair, the sight of her made my breath catch.

Auburn hair framed her face. Her skin looked like porcelain—flawless and smooth. Plump pink lips parted slightly, and I wondered what they’d look like curved into a wide smile.

I scooped her up in my arms and gently cradled her against my chest. She moaned as I tried not to jostle her. I’d take her to the cabin and make sure she was okay. Then I’d get her back down the mountain as soon as I could. These woods were no place for a woman who looked like she ought to be plastered across magazine covers.

Carrying the curvy beauty in my arms slowed my progress, but I didn’t stop until we reached the door of my cabin. The mutt I’d rescued a couple of years ago barked and whined as I flung the door open.

“Easy, Lucky. Don’t wake her up.” I kicked the door closed behind me, carried her to the bedroom, and set her down in the middle of my giant king-sized bed.

Lucky hopped up onto the mattress and gingerly sniffed around her. Then he looked up at me, his big brown eyes full of the same questions that had been playing through my mind since I’d found her.

“I don’t know who she is,” I told him. He seemed to understand, and the two of us gazed down at her. She looked so small lying there. I didn’t want to leave her in sopping wet clothes, but I also didn’t want to touch her any more than I had to. It’s not that I didn’t trust myself. Years of military training had honed my self-control. Though my limits had never been tested by a woman like her.

Fuck it. I’d treat her like any other soldier in need of assistance. With shaky fingers, I slid the tiny pearl buttons free and peeled off her shirt. The even in and out of my breath belied the heat unfurling through my belly. Ignoring the way my cock rallied at the sight of beaded nipples poking through her lacy bra, I shifted my attention to her pants. Before I could slide them down her legs, I needed to remove the useless boots.

She winced as I worked her right foot free. Her ankle appeared to be twice the size of her left. It didn’t look broken, but it was definitely swollen and possibly sprained. Forcing myself to move slowly, even though I couldn’t wait to put some distance between us, I peeled her pants away from her body.

Even though she was soaked through, leaving her in a wet bra and panties would be for the best. I wrapped a huge fleece blanket around her then headed to the kitchen to get some ice for her ankle. Every once in a while, I’d come across a camper or hiker who ignored the “Private Property” and “No Trespassing” signs I’d put up around the perimeter of my land, but this deep into the forest, the ones who got lost always had gear with them.

She didn’t look like she’d planned on spending a ton of time in the woods based on her choice of footwear. Someone was probably looking for her.

As I filled an ice pack from the freezer, I checked my phone. No signal. Service on the mountain was spotty at best, and with this kind of weather, it would be impossible to make a call.

Hopefully Sleeping Beauty wouldn’t freak out when she woke up in the middle of the woods with a complete stranger, because there was absolutely nothing I could do for her except wait out the storm.

No matter how long it lasted.

3

ADELAIDE

Something wet grazed my cheek. I reached up and swiped it away. Sleep tried to drag me back down, but I struggled against it. I needed to wake up. There was something I was supposed to be doing, but I couldn’t quite remember what it was. My eyelids felt heavy, like someone had weighed them down with rocks. Hot air blew across my cheek. I forced one eyelid open.

Panic engulfed me as I stared into a furry creature’s eyes. My scream jammed in my throat. The animal moved closer, its nose mere millimeters away from my face. Then it opened its mouth to reveal long, white canine teeth. I couldn’t move while I waited for the sharp sting of a bite.

A long pink tongue swept out and lapped at my cheek.

My heart felt like it had just been shot out of a cannon. It was a dog. A big, dark, hairy, beast of a dog. I reached up and pushed its head away. The movement sent pain pulsing through my temples. I needed to get up. Needed to figure out where I was.

Battling the pain behind my skull, I tugged on the blanket wrapped around me. I didn’t recognize the room. Thick logs stacked on top of each other to form the walls. Curtains over a large window blocked out any light and made it difficult to get my bearings. As I stood, the blanket fell away. A shiver raced along my skin. I was half-naked.

I jerked the blanket back around my shoulders and took a step toward the wall opposite the window. My ankle throbbed. I must have injured it, but how? I staggered toward the door then flung it open and winced as bright light assaulted my eyes.

The dog licked my finger and whimpered. I looked past him to a wall of windows. Where was I? And how had I gotten here? A quick glance around the large open area didn’t provide any clues. It didn’t look like one of the resort cabins.

Being careful not to put any weight on my ankle, I stepped onto the back porch and tightened my grip on the blanket. There had to be someone around. Someone who knew what had happened to me last night. A loud noise came from an area beyond the tree line. Like someone was pounding on something over and over.

Figuring that was my best chance at finding out where I was, I slipped my feet into a pair of rubber boots on the back porch then eased down a short flight of steps. Following the noise, I hobbled down a well-worn path between the trees. The dog ran ahead, clearly familiar with the property. I’d take that as a good sign.

Searching for footprints or some other evidence that would let me know I was on the right track, I kept my gaze on the ground. Then a sound like a firecracker going off exploded a few feet ahead of me. I shrieked and looked up. A man stood up ahead with his back to me. Strong, muscled arms held an axe over his head. His bare back strained as he brought the axe down on the log in front of him.

The wood split in two, and he turned. A thick, dark beard covered most of his face. Dark brown eyes swept over me, but the rest of him held perfectly still.

“You’re awake.” His voice came out rough, like he hadn’t spoken in days.

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