Page 8 of Grumped By the Mountain Man

“S-sorry!” She whips around, but Mochi lets out another bark and she spins towards him.

“Chi-chi.” She grins, bending down to ruffle his head, giving me an eyeful of her breasts in the process. They’re just as small and perky as I remember. Her hips and thighs on the other hand have spread. She’d probably kill me if I ever said it aloud but I love her soft arms and the delicate curve of her shoulders. I remember how confident she was about her body minus her arms, yet I couldn’t think of anything more sexy, comforting, and beautiful than when they were wrapped around me.

“I wasn’t expecting company,” I say, reaching for my jeans on a nearby boulder and slipping them on one drenched leg at a time. I could get them on faster but I love the way she’s staring at me so wantonly.

It’s almost like she’s never seen a dick in person before. Has she?

The thought makes my cock jump and I quickly tuck it away against my stomach before it can jut out at her like an olive branch I want her to wrap her little hands around. As I zip the crotch, an adorable amount of disappointment contorts her features.

But then her brows furrow. “But Cali said... Cali said...”

Realization washes over us both.

“So that’s what Emmy meant by payback. She knew Cali was setting me up. But why the hell would Cali do that?”

I can think of a few reasons. Cali knows me just as well as Dad does. The moment Ayla came back into town, Cali picked up on the vibes between us. She’s been pestering me to invite Ayla over to take photos of the cabin for her blog, but the last thing I need is to be all alone with the girl of my dreams. I can’t have a fling. I can’t have her for a night and then say goodbye in the morning.

“Boredom,” I say, grabbing my boots. “Small town and all of that. People love to meddle. They love to think they’re matchmakers like that Ava lady.” At her blank look, I add. “She runs a mail-order bride website.”

She nods slowly. “I guess I deserve that. I mean, I did set up Emmy. I omitted the fact that Grant owned Bear Lair Lodge when she went for an interview. So I guess her payback is not warning me about Cali’s meddling.”

“Don’t worry, my sister’s meddling is in vain. I’ll talk to her about it later. She should be focusing on her new marriage instead of heckling us.”

The disappointment that washes over her features is enough to chip at the ice protecting my heart. But it has to be said. I’m a lot of things but not clueless. There’s no way Ayla wore that sexy ass outfit just to take photos of my cabin.

“Ayla—”

She shrugs nonchalantly and pats Mochi’s head again as an excuse to hide her face from me. “Like you said, boredom. Not much to do around here.”

My chest tightens at her words. Does she really find the mountains dull? There are tons of things to do. Tons I could show her to convince her that...no. No.

“Listen, if you don’t want me to take photos of the cabin, I get it. I know how private you are. But if it is okay, I won’t take shots of the outside. That way if any crazies ever come snooping around the mountain they can’t identify it.”

“I doubt they can find it,” I say looking at the miles of forest around us.

“And if they do, they’ll be lucky to survive those turns.”

I nod. “How long is your new segment keeping you in town for?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light. Secretly, I hope she’ll say the impossible. That she isn’t interested in traveling around as much anymore. That she wants to settle. Here.

If the words came from her lips without prompting, I wouldn’t be a pusher, right? A trapper? Someone trying to clip her wings.

“I’m not going back to California unless it’s for a vacation. I had plans to stay in Covet County for a long time but I’m quickly realizing that I need to take my rose-colored glasses off.”

Had? She had plans to say?

“Are you already changing your mind?” It slips out before I can stop myself.

She shrugs. “No. Yes... I don’t know. I think I romanticized my old stomping grounds but reality is quickly setting in.”

“Things aren’t quite what you expected?” I ask, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. She still isn’t sure of her path.

“More like things aren’t what I’d hoped but that’s no one’s fault but my own.” She points at her eyes. “Those damn glasses.”

An awkward silence falls between us and I eye the cinnamon rolls in her hand. “Are those for me?”

“They’re your favorite. Looks like they’re coming in handy as a sorry for popping up on you like that.” She extends the box to me almost like a truce.

Does she think I’m upset with her? I’m not, I just can’t get attached to her again. It’s too painful. I guess I’m having a hard time straddling the line between a healthy distance and coming off as an asshole.

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