Burning Mountains (Wind River Mountain Men #1)

Chapter 4

4

AXEL

I woke with a start, my body instantly alert on the narrow couch. The soft light of dawn filtered through the cabin windows. I sat up, stretching my stiff muscles and my gaze was drawn to the partially open bedroom door. From my position, I could just make out Zoe's sleeping form on the bed, looking like Sleeping Beauty .

My breath caught in my throat as I watched her, her chest rising and falling with each peaceful breath. A strand of hair had fallen across her face, and I fought the urge to go to her and brush it away, not wanting to wake her. Or , you know, come off as a total creep.

Damn , she was beautiful. There was a strength in her, a fire that called to something deep inside me. Probably my inner caveman, grunting " Pretty lady make fire in heart. Must impress with large kill and ability to start campfire without matches."

I'd only known her for two days, but already, the thought of her leaving made my chest tighter than my jeans after Thanksgiving dinner. I slipped off the couch, careful not to make any noise, moving with stealth.

As I padded to the kitchen, my mind raced with plans. I needed to help her with her car and get her to that meeting at the lodge. But a selfish part of me wanted to create reasons for her to stay, to show her how good life could be up here in the mountains. With me.

I shook my head, trying to clear those dangerous thoughts. Focus on the now, Hawke . Make her breakfast. Show her you can take care of her. Because nothing says " I'm husband material" like the ability to fry an egg without burning down the cabin.

I set about whipping up a feast that would make Gordon Ramsay weep with joy (or possibly rage). Fluffy scrambled eggs with wild mushrooms I'd foraged myself (take that, Whole Foods ), thick slices of home-cured bacon (sorry, vegetarians), and sourdough toast with homemade blackberry jam (eat your heart out, hipster cafes). The cabin filled with the mouthwatering aroma, and I heard Zoe stirring in the bedroom. Probably dreaming about my culinary prowess. A man can hope, right?

" Mornin ', sunshine," I called out, unable to keep the grin off my face as she appeared in the doorway, looking adorably rumpled in my oversized shirt. She was doing things to flannel that L.L.Bean could only dream of.

Her eyes widened as she took in the spread on the table, her jaw dropping. " Axel , this is... wow. You didn't have to go to all this trouble. I would've been happy with a granola bar and a cup of coffee."

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. " No trouble. Gotta keep your strength up if you're gonna survive out here in the wild. Never know when you might need to outrun a moose or charm a particularly aggressive chipmunk."

She laughed, the sound warming me more than any fire could. It was like listening to angels sing. " My hero," she teased, taking a seat at the table.

We dug into our breakfast, the cabin filling with the sounds of clinking cutlery and appreciative murmurs. I smiled at the way Zoe's eyes widened with each bite, clearly impressed by my culinary skills.

As we ate, I noticed the way her eyes kept darting to the clock. " Nervous about going to the lodge?" I asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. I didn't want her to go, but I also didn't want to come off as clingy.

She nodded, biting her lip in a way that made me want to kiss her senseless. Or possibly write very bad poetry about the curve of her mouth. " I just hope I haven't blown my chance."

" Hey ," I said, reaching across the table to take her hand, trying not to focus on how soft her skin was. Or how perfectly her hand fit in mine. Or how I was probably grinning like a lovesick fool. " You've got this. I know the lodge owner, and he's a reasonable guy. That storm was no joke - he'll understand why you couldn't make it yesterday."

The drive to her car was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. I snuck glances at her as she gazed out the window, taking in the rugged beauty of the landscape. I wondered what she saw - if she could feel the pull of this place the way I did.

When we reached the spot where her car had gone off the road, I saw her face fall. The little sedan was half-buried in mud, looking pathetically out of place among the pines.

" Don't worry," I said, already rolling up my sleeves. " I've got this. Just call me the Car Whisperer . I'm still working on my superhero name."

Zoe let out a laugh that was part relief, part genuine amusement. " The Car Whisperer ? I was thinking more along the lines of ' The Incredible Hunk ' or ' Captain Flannel '." She paused, eyeing my biceps as they flexed beneath my rolled-up sleeves. " Though I suppose ' The Car Whisperer ' has a certain rugged charm to it."

I could feel her eyes on me as I assessed the situation, probably admiring my manly car-rescuing stance. The car wasn't too deep in the ditch, but it would take some serious muscle to get it out. Good thing I had plenty to spare.

I braced myself against the rear bumper, muscles tensing as I prepared to push. With a grunt of effort, I heaved, feeling the car start to shift. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I pushed harder, my biceps and back straining with the effort. I was pretty sure I heard the Chariots of Fire theme playing in the background.

Slowly but surely, the car began to move. I heard Zoe gasp as the wheels found purchase on solid ground. With one final push, I got the car fully back on the road.

I turned to Zoe , trying not to preen too much at the look of awe on her face. " That was... incredible," she breathed, her eyes roaming over my body in a way that made heat pool in my gut.

I grinned, wiping the sweat from my brow with a move I hoped looked rugged. " All in a day's work, darlin'. Just your friendly neighborhood Mountain Man , at your service."

As we drove towards the lodge, I found myself searching for reasons to prolong our time together. " You know," I said casually, "there's this amazing hidden hot spring not far from here. It's off the beaten path - most tourists don't even know about it. Might be worth checking out while you're in town. I mean, if you're into that whole 'soaking in nature's jacuzzi under the stars' thing. No pressure."

Zoe smiled, but I could see the conflict in her eyes. " That sounds amazing, Axel . But I don't know how long I'll be able to stay after this meeting. I mean, I do have a life back in Denver ."

My heart sank, but I pushed on. " Well , if you need any help scouting locations for those mountain weddings, I'd be happy to show you around. Nobody knows these parts better than me. I'm like Google Maps , but with better hair and a more rugged charm."

She looked at me thoughtfully, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. " That's actually not a bad idea. I could use a local expert's perspective. Plus , it might be nice to have someone around who can fend off any overly friendly wildlife. You can do that, right? Please tell me you can do that."

Hope flared in my chest, but before I could respond with something suave we were pulling up to the Wind River Mountain Lodge . The place was impressive, I had to admit. All rustic timber and stone, with a view that could make a grown man weep. It was like someone had taken every cabin porn Instagram post and turned it into a real building.

As we got out of the truck, I noticed a couple of guys on the porch giving Zoe the once-over. A possessive growl rose in my throat before I could stop it. Zoe shot me a curious look, and I quickly covered it with a cough.

" So , uh, what time should I pick you up?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Zoe checked her watch. " The meetings, if they're still on, should be done by 3. But you don't have to wait around, Axel . I'm sure I can get a ride back to town."

The thought of her in someone else's car made my jaw clench. " It's no problem," I insisted, my tone probably a bit too intense for someone offering a simple ride. " I've got some errands to run anyway. I'll be back at 3."

She smiled, reaching up to squeeze my arm in a way that made my heart dance. " Thank you, Axel . For everything. You're like my own personal guardian angel. A very buff, flannel-wearing angel."

I watched her walk into the lodge, my heart racing. As soon as she was out of sight, I jumped back in my truck. I had some shopping to do.

At the local grocery store, I loaded up my cart with enough food to feed an army. Fresh vegetables, prime cuts of meat, even some of those fancy organic snacks I'd seen in her bag. As I passed the feminine hygiene aisle, I hesitated for a moment before grabbing a sample of several to make a variety pack. Better to be prepared, right? Nothing says " I'm a sensitive mountain man" like a well-stocked tampon drawer.

My next stop was the mountain guide office where I worked part-time. As soon as I walked in, my buddy Jake whistled low.

" Well , well," he drawled, grinning like the Cheshire Cat's country cousin. " Look what the cat dragged in. Heard you've been playin' hero to some city slicker, Hawke ."

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't keep the grin off my face. " News travels fast."

" Small town," Jake shrugged, his grin widening. " So , what's she like? This damsel in distress of yours? She got a sister? Or a really open-minded friend?"

" She's not a damsel in distress," I snapped, surprising myself with the vehemence in my voice. " Zoe's smart, and tough, and..." I trailed off, realizing I'd said too much. Way to play it cool, Casanova .

Jake's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline. " Sounds like someone's got it bad. What's next, gonna start carving her name into trees?"

I felt my face heat up. " It's not like that," I muttered, but even I didn't believe it.

Jake clapped me on the shoulder, nearly knocking me over with his enthusiastic bro-tap. " Sure it ain't, buddy. Just be careful, alright? City girls like that, they don't tend to stick around. They're like hummingbirds - pretty to look at, but always flitting off to the next shiny thing. Usually a thing with indoor plumbing and reliable WiFi ."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I knew he was right, but I couldn't bear to think about it. Instead , I grabbed a stack of trail maps and brochures, muttering something about helping Zoe with her work. " Just doing my civic duty," I grumbled. " Spreading the gospel of the great outdoors."

As I drove back to the lodge, my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. I imagined Zoe falling in love with the mountains the way I had, staying here, building a life together. But then I'd remember her excitement about her career, her life in Denver , and my heart would sink.

I pulled into the lodge parking lot at 2:55, my palms sweaty on the steering wheel. The next few minutes felt like hours as I waited, scenarios playing out in my head. What if her meeting went badly? What if it went too well, and she had to leave right away? What if she'd met the handsome lodge owner and decided she liked him better?