Page 38 of Mountain Grump

“I was helping change her bandages, and we lost track of time.” It’s a blatant lie, but maybe my fifteen-year-old will believe it.

“Just remember if I stay out past curfew, it’s because I’m changing my friend’s bandages.”

Nothing gets past this kid. “I’ll be upstairs in a few minutes. You need to be in bed. Tomorrow is a workday.”

Julianna groans. “Fine. Next time, I won’t call to see if you’re still alive.” She ends the call, and I climb off the bed, retrieving my clothes from the floor.

“Your daughter?” Cali asks, sitting up in bed. She grabs the blankets, covering herself, not that I didn’t see everything a couple of hours ago.

“Yeah, she was worried when I didn’t come home.” I lean in, dropping a kiss to Cali’s lips, my fingers curling in her hair, pulling her tighter to me.

She moans and tries to lie back down, bringing me with her.

Reluctantly, I break the kiss apart. “Come find me tomorrow when you’re awake. We can get breakfast together.”

“That’s such a domestic thing,” Cali teases. “And I plan on sleeping in. You have to work. I don’t.”

She pulls the covers up around herself.

“Brunch?” I suggest.

“Maybe.” Her eyelids flutter closed, and I’m not sure if she’s brushing me off or just that tired. I did wear her out. But it was worth it.

EIGHT

Cali

I can’t believeI had sex with Logan Henderson. My knees are like jelly, and my insides throb just thinking about that man’s cock inside of me.

He lived up to his promise of gifting me with three orgasms. And each was more intense than the last.

Tomorrow morning I have to leave early for the airport, so I spend the day lounging around in my pajamas and packing up my belongings. In the afternoon, I take a ride share to the nearest town to get a new cell phone since mine seems to be toast.

It’s buried in the snow, but thankfully, even from far away, the phone can be locked if anyone gets ahold of it.

I haven’t seen Logan since early this morning when he left and went back to his room. Not that I don’t want to see him. I do want to say a proper goodbye, but I’m honestly not sure what he’s going to want after last night.

He’s not a man interested in a fling, but isn’t that what we did? We’re not dating. We don’t even live in the same state. Geographically, at least we’re on the same continent and near the same coast. But that’s about it. We live in two very different worlds.

I travel for work, and it’s mostly to sunny and warm regions. He lives in the frigid mountains. I’m not sure I could do this year-round. Certainly, if he’d keep my bed warm, it’s a possibility, but it was one night together.

The man isn’t going to ask me to move in with him and propose.

That would be insane.

There’s a firm knock on my bedroom door. “Someone’s in here!” I shout. Is it housekeeping? They haven’t come in and made the bed or changed the towels today.

“Cali, open up. It’s me.” Logan’s voice carries through the door.

A small smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I head to the door and pull back the chain, unlocking it. My knee is doing a lot better, along with my ankle. I picked up another elastic bandage, which helps immensely with the pain.

“Hey, come on in.” I gesture for him to join me.

“Are you okay? I didn’t see you downstairs. Where are your crutches?”

“Probably down in the restaurant still,” I say with a laugh. “I’m actually okay. I mean, I should be worse off after that fall yesterday.” I almost feel like I’m dreaming and want to wake up. Except the dream is perfect, and I’m afraid to face reality.

“Let me grab the crutches,” Logan says, and turns for the door.

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