Burning Mountains (Wind River Mountain Men #1)

Chapter 2

2

AXEL

I burst through the cabin door, the woman cradled against my chest, her slight frame quivering more than a chihuahua in a snowstorm. The tempest's wrath howled behind us as I kicked the door shut, sealing us in the warm, wood-scented sanctuary of my man-cave.

" You're safe now," I growled, my voice rough. Having her in my arms felt... right. Dangerously right.

I set her down by the fireplace, my hands lingering a moment too long on her waist, as if magnetized by the sheer force of her beauty . She looked up at me, rainwater dripping from her lashes like she was auditioning for a L'Oreal commercial, and something primal stirred in my gut. Probably that gas station burrito from earlier, but I chose to blame it on emotions.

" T -thank you," she stuttered, her teeth chattering. " I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't shown up."

I grunted in response, turning away to grab some towels and blankets. I couldn't let myself get pulled in by those big, grateful eyes. I'd learned the hard way that caring only led to pain. Well , that and an empty wallet at the mall.

" Here ," I said, tossing her a fluffy towel. " Dry off before you catch your death. Or worse, the common cold – ain't nobody got time for that."

She caught it with surprising dexterity. " You're very kind," she murmured, wrapping the towel around her shoulders.

I snorted. " Kind " wasn't a word most folks used to describe me. Gruff , standoffish, even dangerous – those were more common. But something in the way she said it made my chest tight.

I busied myself with building up the fire, hyper-aware of her presence behind me. The crackle of the flames couldn't quite drown out the sound of her teeth chattering.

" You should get out of those wet clothes," I said, not turning around, because I'm a gentleman. Or because I was afraid my eyeballs might pop out of my skull like a cartoon wolf. " I've got some spare things you can borrow. Bathroom's down the hall, first door on the left."

" Oh , I couldn't possibly–"

" You can and you will," I cut her off, my tone brooking no argument. " Hypothermia's no joke up here. It's colder than a witch's... well, you know."

I heard her soft footsteps retreating, and only then did I allow myself to breathe. What the hell was wrong with me? She was just another city slicker who'd gotten in over her head. I'd seen it a hundred times before. So why did this feel so different?

I shook my head, trying to clear it. I needed to focus on practical matters. Get her warm, get her car fixed, get her on her way. The sooner she was gone, the better. But even as I thought it, a traitorous part of me hoped the storm would rage on like an toddler denied ice cream, keeping her here just a little longer.

The bathroom door creaked open, and I steeled myself before turning around. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Zoe drowning in one of my flannel shirts, the hem hitting her mid-thigh. Her hair was damp and tousled, and her cheeks were flushed from the warmth of the cabin.

She looked... perfect. Like a lumberjack's pinup fantasy come to life.

" I , um, I hope this is okay," she said, tugging self-consciously at the shirt. " Everything else was huge on me. I feel like I'm wearing a circus tent."

I swallowed hard. " It's fine," I managed, my voice sounding strangled even to my own ears. " Come sit by the fire. You need to warm up."

She padded over, bare feet silent on the wooden floor, and settled onto the bearskin rug in front of the hearth. The firelight danced across her features, softening them, making her look almost ethereal.

I forced myself to look away, busying myself with hanging her wet clothes near the fire to dry. " So ," I said gruffly, "what brings a city girl like you out to these parts? Get lost on your way to Starbucks ?"

She laughed, a sound as clear and bright as a mountain stream, or a really well-tuned cowbell. " Is it that obvious? Do I have ' I've never seen a tree up close' tattooed on my forehead?"

I raised an eyebrow at her, taking in the perfectly manicured nails and the designer label peeking out from her sodden jacket. " Let's just say you don't exactly blend in."

She sighed, running a hand through her damp hair. " I'm a wedding planner," she explained. " I came out here to scope out Wind River Mountain Lodge as a potential venue for destination weddings. You know, for couples who want to say ' I do' while being eaten alive by mosquitoes."

" Weddings ?" I couldn't keep the skepticism out of my voice. " Up here?"

She nodded eagerly, her eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning. " Can't you just picture it? The majestic mountains as a backdrop, wildflowers everywhere, the crisp mountain air... It would be magical. Like a Disney movie, but with more potential for bear attacks."

I grunted noncommittally, but I found myself captivated by the passion in her voice. It had been a long time since I'd seen someone so excited about anything. Except maybe that time I found a buy-one-get-one-free deal on beef jerky.

" Of course," she continued, her smile faltering slightly, " I didn't exactly make the best first impression. Nearly getting crushed by a tree probably isn't the way to convince people I can handle mountain weddings. Maybe I should rebrand: ' Zoe Mitchell : I survived nature, so your wedding will too!'"

" Hey ," I said, surprising myself with the gentleness in my tone, "you survived. That counts for something up here. We'll make a mountain woman out of you yet. Just don't expect me to teach you how to wrestle a bear – that's advanced level stuff."

She looked up at me, gratitude shining in her eyes. " Thanks to you," she said softly. " I don't even know your name. Should I just call you ' Rugged Mountain Man ' or ' He Who Saves Damsels from Falling Trees '?"

" Axel ," I replied, suddenly feeling exposed. " Axel Hawke ."

" Axel ," she repeated, and damn if I didn't like the way it sounded on her lips. " I'm Zoe Mitchell . It's nice to meet you, even if the circumstances aren't ideal. Though I have to say, as meet-cutes go, this one's pretty hard to top."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The air between us felt charged, crackling with an energy I couldn't explain. I needed to put some distance between us before I did something stupid. Like propose marriage or try to impress her with my axe-throwing skills.

" I should check on the storm," I muttered, moving towards the window. The wind was still howling, but the rain had slackened to a steady drizzle. " Looks like it's starting to clear up. We can probably get your car towed once the roads are passable. You know, assuming it hasn't been turned into a very expensive boat."

" Oh ," Zoe said, and was that disappointment I heard in her voice? " That's ... good. I wouldn't want to impose any longer than necessary. I'm sure you have important things to do."

I turned back to her, ready to assure her it was no imposition, but the words died in my throat. She was standing now, the firelight behind her silhouetting her figure through the thin fabric of my shirt. My mouth went dry.

" Axel ?" she asked, taking a step towards me. " Is everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I nodded mutely, unable to tear my eyes away from her. She took another step, and then another, until she was standing right in front of me. I could smell the woodsmoke in her hair, see the flecks of gold in her eyes. It was like being hypnotized by a very attractive, flannel-wearing witch.

" Thank you," she whispered, reaching out to touch my arm. " For saving me. For all of this. You're like my own personal Paul Bunyan ."

Her touch sent a jolt through me, awakening something I'd thought long dead. Or at least in a coma. Before I could stop myself, I was leaning in, drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

Our lips were inches apart when a loud crack of thunder made us both jump. The spell broken, I stumbled back, my heart racing.

" I ... I should go check on your clothes," I stammered, practically fleeing to the other side of the room.

What the hell was I thinking? I couldn't let myself get involved, not again. Not after what happened to Sarah . I'd sworn off love, sworn to protect my heart at all costs. I was supposed to be a lone wolf, not some lovesick puppy.

But as I glanced back at Zoe , standing there looking confused and a little hurt, I realized with a sinking feeling that it might already be too late. In the span of a few hours, this woman had managed to slip past my defenses.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. It didn't matter. She'd be gone soon, back to her world of city lights and fancy weddings. And I'd be here, alone in my mountains, just the way I liked it. Living my best hermit life, complete with a long beard and conversations with squirrels.

So why did that thought suddenly make me feel empty?

I busied myself with Zoe's clothes, avoiding her gaze. But I could feel her eyes on me, burning with questions I wasn't ready to answer. The air between us crackled with unspoken tension, thick enough to cut with a knife.

" Axel ," she said softly, and I looked up. She was still standing by the fire, the flames casting a warm glow on her skin. " I ... I'm sorry if I overstepped. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I promise I'm not usually this forward."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. " It's not you," I said gruffly. " I'm just... not used to company. Unless you count the raccoons that keep trying to break into my trash."

She nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. " I can see that. You strike me as the strong, silent type."

Despite myself, I felt a chuckle rumble in my chest.

She took a tentative step towards me, and I felt my body tense like I was preparing for a cage match with a grizzly. " Can I ask you something?"

I nodded warily, bracing myself for the worst. Please don't ask about my spirit animal or my favorite yoga pose.

" Why did you save me?" Her eyes were searching mine, looking for something I wasn't sure I could give. " You could have just called for help, or left me to fend for myself. But you didn't. You risked your life to save a stranger. Why ?"

The question caught me off guard. I hadn't really thought about it; I'd just acted on instinct. But now, faced with her piercing gaze, I found myself fumbling for an answer.

" It's what anyone would have done," I muttered, looking away. " No big deal. Just your average, everyday tree-wrestling, damsel-saving Tuesday ."

" No ," she said firmly. " It's not. Most people would have run the other way. But you... you ran towards the danger. That's not just anyone, Axel . That's someone special. Like , superhero special. Do you have a secret identity I should know about? Flannel Man ? The Bearded Avenger ?"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Or maybe more like a pillow to the face, given how soft and unexpected they were. Special ? I hadn't felt special in years. I'd made damn sure of it, in fact. Special meant vulnerable, and vulnerable meant pain. And possibly the need for therapy I couldn't afford.

But looking at Zoe now, her eyes shining with admiration and something deeper, I felt a crack forming in the walls I'd built around my heart. It was like watching the Berlin Wall come down, but with more sexual tension.

" I'm not..." I started, then stopped, unsure how to continue. How could I explain to this beautiful, vibrant woman that I was broken? That I'd sworn off love and connection because the pain of loss was too much to bear? That my heart was more closely guarded than Fort Knox ?

She stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from her body. " You are," she insisted softly. " Whether you want to admit it or not. You're like a Hallmark movie hero come to life, but with better abs."

And then, before I could react, she was on her tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. It was brief, chaste even, but it sent shockwaves through my entire body. I felt like I'd just been struck by lightning, if lightning was warm and smelled really good.

She pulled back, a blush creeping up her neck faster. " I ... I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just... I wanted to thank you properly."

I stood there, frozen, my cheek burning where her lips had touched. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, a thousand reasons why this was a bad idea. But all I could focus on was the way she was looking at me, like I was something precious and rare. Like a unicorn, but burlier and with more facial hair.

" Zoe ," I breathed, her name feeling like a prayer on my lips. " I ..."

But before I could finish, another crack of thunder shook the cabin, making us both jump. The moment shattered, reality crashing back in.

I cleared my throat, taking a step back. " We should... we should probably get some rest. It's been a long day. You know, what with the near-death experiences."

Disappointment flashed across her face, but she nodded. " Of course. Um , where should I ...? Please don't say you have a spare cave out back."

" You can take the bed," I said quickly, gesturing down the hall. " I'll sleep on the couch. Don't worry, it's only slightly lumpier than a bag of rocks."

She looked like she wanted to argue, but thought better of it. Her face scrunched up in an adorable mix of concern and reluctance. " Are you sure? I don't want to put you out. I mean, more than I already have."

I waved off her concern with a gruff chuckle. " Trust me, I've slept in worse places. Once spent a night in a hollow log to avoid a bear. This couch is practically the Ritz - Carlton in comparison."

Zoe's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. " A bear? Seriously ? And here I thought the scariest thing I'd face out here was spotty cell service."

" Welcome to the wild, city girl," I smirked, enjoying her mix of horror and fascination. " Where the Wi - Fi is weak, but the wildlife is strong."

She shook her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. " You're something else, Axel Hawke ."

" Stick around, and you might just see me wrestle a moose," I quipped, immediately regretting the implication of her staying longer. Smooth move, Casanova .

Zoe raised an eyebrow, her smile turning mischievous. " Is that a promise? Because I've got to say, that would make one hell of a wedding attraction. ' Come for the vows, stay for the moose wrestling!'"

I couldn't help but laugh, the sound rumbling from deep in my chest. When was the last time I'd genuinely laughed like this?

" Alright , alright," I said, trying to regain some semblance of gruffness. " Enough chit-chat. Time to get some shut-eye."

She nodded, still grinning. " Fair enough. Um , which way?"

I pointed down the hallway. " Last door on the right. Can't miss it – it's the one without the taxidermy."

Zoe's eyes widened again. " Taxider — You know what? I'm not even going to ask. Goodnight , Axel . And thank you, again. For everything."

I watched as she padded down the hallway to my bedroom, my shirt swishing around her thighs. When she disappeared from view, I let out a long, shaky breath.

" Get it together, Hawke ," I muttered to myself, collapsing onto the couch. " She's just a girl. A beautiful, funny, somehow-sexy-in-your-old-shirt girl who you saved from certain death. No big deal."

I stared up at the ceiling, counting the knots in the wooden beams in a futile attempt to quiet my racing mind. What the hell was happening to me? One kiss on the cheek from a woman I barely knew, and I was coming undone faster than a dollar store sweater. This wasn't like me. I didn't do this. I didn't let people in. I was a lone wolf, a mountain man, a...

" A complete and utter idiot," I groaned, throwing an arm over my eyes.

Because as I lay there, the ghost of her lips still tingling on my cheek, I realized with a mixture of fear and exhilaration that something had changed. For better or worse, Zoe Mitchell had breached my defenses. She'd snuck past my emotional security system.

And as I drifted off to sleep, the storm raging outside but calm within, I wondered what tomorrow would bring. But for the first time in years, I found myself looking forward to it.