Page 17 of A Baby for the Mountain Man

“Fuck.” I wiggle my jaw around, trying to ease the searing pain burning in my mouth without much success. “That’s it. I need a change of scenery.”

Determined to get thoughts of Sophie out of my head for at least a couple hours, I tug on my outdoor gear and stalk toward the pile of wood that’s waiting to be cut.

I pick up the ax and a fresh memory floods my head. The memory of me showing Sophie how to hold an ax for throwing. One of my hands wrapped around hers. The other held onto her shapely hip.

A shapely hip I had the pleasure of exploring more thoroughly during our night together.

My cock springs to life, and I clench my jaw. Drawing to mind every unsexy thought I can possibly cobble together.

With more vigor than technique, I work my way through the wood pile. I work out some of my almost painful arousal with every chop I make. I get through the stack faster than I should and well before I’ve worked off all of my pent-up frustration.

“It’s going to be fine. In a couple of days, I’ll forget all about it. I’ll forget about her.”

Even as I say the words, I don’t believe them.

With an armful of wood, I head back toward my cabin. I stack it neatly in the pile that lines my lean-to, and I grab another armful of cured wood to take inside.

I’m just setting it down when my phone rings. Instinctively, I frown at it and in the next breath I want to laugh at myself. I can imagine what Sophie might have to say about my response to spontaneous social interaction if she was here.

Yeah, I’m definitely not going to be forgetting about her anytime soon. Even if it might make sleeping a lot easier.

I pick up my phone. Seeing my sister’s name on the display, I think about letting it go to voicemail. Not that there’s anyone else I’d rather talk to. Well, no one besides her friend.

But, I also can’t think of a good enough reason not to take the call. Besides, I promised myself I’d be less of a dick to the sister who is better to me than I deserve.

“Yeah?”

“Well, hello to you too.” I can almost hear her rolling her eyes on the other end of the line. “I’d ask what’s wrong, but you always sound this cheerful.”

“Sorry.” I sigh, annoyed at myself for once again being a dick even when I’m trying not to be one. “I just got in from chopping wood.”

“And that makes you grumpy?”

Instead of answering, I take a deep breath and make more of an effort to lighten my tone. “How’s everything going?”

“It’s great. The honeymoon was amazing though, I’m wishing we would’ve spent two weeks in Hawaii instead of one. You should keep that in mind if you ever take your honeymoon.”

“Sure.” That’s never going to happen.

Though I can think of a certain brunette I wouldn’t mind spending some time with on a beach. She’d be wearing an impossibly skimpy bikini. Being the gentleman that I can be when I put my mind to it, I’d put myself on sunscreen duty.

It would be a shame to see that creamy skin of hers get sunburnt.

My mind once again wanders, this time to all of the places where I’d make sure to spread the lotion. I’m about to slip completely into the fantasy when my sister’s voice pulls me back.

“Listen, I wanted to talk to you about Sophie.”

My heart stops. Shit. Did Winter find out what happened? Is she pissed off at me?

No, she hasn’t sounded angry at any point in this conversation. Not even when I was being an aloof jerk. She’d sounded more amused than anything.

I swallow hard. “Oh?”

She sighs again. “So, I’m just going to throw this out there. I know the two of you hooked up at the wedding.”

My stomach sinks. Fuck. “Look, I—”

“But that’s not why I’m calling. Well, not really. Though, we are going to talk about it at some point.” Her voice is more teasing than anything else, which only adds to my confusion. “Right now, that’s not what matters.”

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