Burning Mountains (Wind River Mountain Men #1)

Chapter 5

5

ZOE

I stepped out of the lodge, my mind whirling. The crisp mountain air hit my face and I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. As I scanned the parking lot, my heart did a little routine when I spotted Axel's truck. He was leaning against it, looking like he'd stepped straight out of a " Lumberjacks Gone Wild " calendar. Our eyes met, and a warm smile spread across his face, making me feel all gooey inside. Like a s'more, but classier.

" How'd it go, darlin'?" he asked as I approached, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. Or maybe that was just the mountain chill. Hard to tell when you're busy swooning.

I bit my lip, still processing everything. " It was... interesting. Axel , I think I might need to stay a bit longer than I planned. Is that okay?"

The relief in his eyes was evident. " Stay as long as you want, Zoe ," he said, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of excitement. " I've got plenty of room."

As we drove away from the lodge, I found myself sneaking glances at Axel . His strong profile, the way his hands gripped the steering wheel with casual confidence – it was all so distracting. I forced myself to look out the window, taking in the breathtaking scenery.

" So ," Axel said, breaking the comfortable silence, " I was thinking. If you're gonna be sticking around for a while, we should get you properly outfitted."

I raised an eyebrow so high it nearly disappeared into my hairline. " Outfitted ? What , are we going to war against the chipmunks?"

He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye that made me both excited and terrified. " Can't have you traipsing around the mountains in those clothes, now can we?"

Before I could protest, we were pulling up to a quaint little store with a wooden sign that read " Mountain Threads : Where Fashion Meets Frostbite ." Axel hopped out and came around to open my door, ever the gentleman. If gentlemen looked like they could bench-press a moose.

" Axel , this really isn't necessary," I started, but he was already guiding me towards the entrance, his hand warm on the small of my back.

" Trust me," he said, his voice low and close to my ear. " You'll thank me later."

A bell jingled as we entered the store, and I was immediately enveloped in the scent of leather and pine. It was like walking into a lumberjack's cologne. Racks of rugged clothing lined the walls, interspersed with displays of hiking boots, backpacks, and gear I couldn't even name. Was that a bear taser? Please tell me that's not a bear taser.

An older woman behind the counter looked up and broke into a wide smile. " Well , if it isn't Axel Hawke ! Haven't seen you in here in ages. What , did you finally learn to make clothes out of bark and leaves?"

Axel chuckled, giving her a friendly nod. " Hey , Marge . Been busy. This here's Zoe . She needs the full mountain makeover."

Marge's eyes twinkled as she looked me up and down. " Don't worry, honey. We'll have you looking like a proper mountain woman in no time. Or at least like someone who won't be mistaken for bear bait."

For the next hour, I found myself in a whirlwind of trying on clothes I never thought I'd wear. Axel insisted on picking out most of the items, and I had to admit, he had good taste. For a man who probably thought "accessorizing" meant adding extra pockets to cargo pants.

" How about this one?" I asked, stepping out in a pair of form-fitting hiking pants and a moisture-wicking top. I felt like a sexy Park Ranger . If that's even a thing.

Axel's eyes roamed over me appreciatively, and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. " Now that's more like it," he said, his voice a little husky. " Turn around, let me see the back. Gotta make sure you're prepared for all angles of wilderness survival."

I rolled my eyes but complied, doing a little twirl. " What , no wolf whistle? I'm disappointed."

When I faced him again, the intensity in his gaze made my breath catch.

" Perfect ," he murmured, and I wasn't sure if he was talking about the clothes or something else entirely. Maybe he was just really into Gore - Tex .

Marge's voice broke the moment. " My , my, Axel . I haven't seen you this invested in a makeover since... well, ever."

Axel cleared his throat, looking a bit flustered. " Just want to make sure she's prepared, that's all. The mountains are no joke."

" Mhmm ," Marge hummed, not looking convinced. " And I'm sure it has nothing to do with how good she looks in those pants. They do say the couple that hikes together, stays together. Or gets lost together. One of those."

I laughed at Axel's embarrassed expression. It was nice to see the tables turned for once.

By the time we left the store, I was outfitted with everything from hiking boots to a waterproof jacket.

Axel had insisted on paying, waving away my protests with a gruff, " Consider it a welcome to the mountains gift. Besides , if you freeze to death, I'll never hear the end of it from Marge ."

As we loaded the bags into his truck, Axel turned to me with an excited glint in his eye. " Ready to put all this new gear to the test? Promise I won't throw you into a survival situation."

I hesitated for a moment, thinking about all the work I should be doing, all the emails I should be sending. But looking at Axel's eager face, I found I couldn't say no. " Lead the way, mountain man. But if I die out there, I'm coming back to haunt you."

We drove, the road winding higher into the mountains. The air grew cooler and crisper with each mile, the scent of pine filling the truck's cab. Axel pulled off onto a small dirt track, barely visible unless you knew where to look. He parked at what I realized was the start of a hiking trail, though it looked more like a game path to my city-trained eyes. Or possibly the beginning of a horror movie. Fifty -fifty at this point.

" This is one of my favorite spots," he said as we got out of the truck. " Not too challenging for beginners, but with views that'll knock your socks off."

I laced up my new hiking boots, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. Axel must have sensed my apprehension because he came over and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. " Don't worry," he said softly. " I've got you."

We set off down the trail, Axel pointing out different plants and animal tracks as we went. I found myself hanging on his every word, amazed at the depth of his knowledge. The way his eyes lit up when he talked about the wilderness, it was clear this was his true passion.

" And this," he said, pointing to a small purple flower, "is Mountain Lupine . Beautiful , but toxic if ingested."

I snorted. " Charming . Is everything out here trying to kill us?"

Axel grinned. " Oh , it's not just the plants. The animals, the weather, the terrain - it's like Mother Nature's own version of ' The Hunger Games ' out here. May the odds be ever in your favor."

About an hour into the hike, we came to a small clearing. Axel dropped his backpack with a theatrical flourish and turned to me with a grin that could only be described as diabolical. " Pop quiz time. Let's see what you've learned about survival skills. No pressure, but your life may depend on it."

I raised an eyebrow so high it nearly achieved orbit. " Oh , is that what we've been doing? I thought you were just showing off your encyclopedic knowledge of poisonous berries and animal poop. My mistake."

He laughed, the sound echoing through the trees. " Alright , smartass. Let's see you set up a shelter."

For the next half hour, Axel guided me through the process of building a lean-to shelter. His hands were gentle as he showed me how to tie knots and position the branches. Every time he touched me, even just to adjust my grip or demonstrate a technique, I felt a spark of electricity. It was like being taught wilderness survival by Thor .

" Not bad," he said when we'd finished, giving me an approving nod. " You might survive out here for at least... oh, 24 hours now."

I felt a surge of pride. " I had a good teacher. Though I'm not sure how this will help me plan weddings. Unless you're suggesting we start offering ' Survival Chic ' as a theme."

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, painting the clearing in hues of orange and pink, Axel decided it was time to teach me how to start a fire. Because nothing says romance like playing with flames in a dry forest, right?

I watched in awe as he coaxed a small flame into life with nothing but some dry tinder and a flint. It was like watching a magic trick.

" Your turn," he said, handing me the flint. " Remember , it's all in the wrist."

I took it nervously, trying to mimic his movements. After several failed attempts that produced more swearing than sparks, I was ready to give up. " It's hopeless," I sighed. " I'm just not cut out for this wilderness stuff."

Axel moved behind me, his chest pressed against my back as he guided my hands. I could feel the rumble of his voice through his chest as he murmured, " Don't give up. You've got this."

With his help, I finally got a spark to catch. As the small flame grew, I let out a triumphant whoop that probably scared every animal within a five-mile radius. I turned to Axel , beaming like I'd just discovered fire for the first time (which, technically, I had), and found his face inches from mine. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the crackling of the fire the only sound.

Axel cleared his throat, stepping back. " See ? Told you you could do it."

As night fell, we sat by the fire, sharing a gourmet meal of trail mix and jerky. The conversation flowed easily, punctuated by comfortable silences where we just enjoyed each other's company and the peacefulness of the forest. Well , as peaceful as it can be when you're constantly wondering if that rustle in the bushes is a cute bunny or a hungry bear.

" Can I ask you something?" I said after a while, looking at Axel across the flickering flames. The firelight danced across his chiseled features.

He nodded, his eyes reflecting the firelight. " Shoot ."

" Why did you really bring me out here? I mean, I know you said it was to test the new gear, but... Is this some kind of elaborate plan to recreate ' The Blair Witch Project '? Because I've got to tell you, I am not cut out for found footage horror."

Axel was quiet for a moment, poking at the fire with a stick. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft, almost vulnerable. " I guess I wanted to show you my world. To help you see why I love it up here so much. It's not just trees and rocks and the constant threat of bear attacks, you know?"

His honesty touched me deeply. This guy was stealing my heart. " It's beautiful," I said sincerely. " I can see why you never want to leave."

He looked up at me then, his gaze intense. " It's not just the place, Zoe . It's ... well, it's better with you here. You're like the peanut butter to my jelly, the marshmallow to my s'more."

My heart raced at his words, doing a happy dance. Before I could respond with something equally cheesy, Axel stood up, offering me his hand. " Come on, there's one more thing I want to show you. And no, it's not my collection of pinecones, I promise."

He led me up a small hill, away from our campsite. As we crested the top, I gasped. Spread out before us was a panoramic view of the valley, bathed in the soft light of the setting sun. The sky was a canvas of pinks and oranges, with the first stars just beginning to twinkle. It was like someone had taken every inspirational poster ever made and turned it into reality.

" Oh , Axel ," I breathed. " It's incredible. Is this what being high feels like? Because I think I'm having a nature-induced psychedelic experience."

He stood behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist. I leaned back into him, feeling safe and content in a way I never had before.

" This is my favorite spot in the whole world," he murmured. " I've never brought anyone else here before. Mainly because I was worried they'd turn it into a selfie spot and ruin the magic."

I turned in his arms, looking up into his eyes. The tenderness I saw there made my heart ache. " Thank you for sharing it with me. I promise not to geotag it on Instagram ."

Slowly , giving me every chance to pull away (as if I would, ha!), Axel leaned down and kissed me. It started soft and sweet, but quickly deepened into something more passionate. I wound my arms around his neck, pressing closer, wanting to memorize every sensation. It was like fireworks, butterflies, and possibly a mild cardiac event all rolled into one.

When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, I felt dizzy with emotion. Axel rested his forehead against mine, his thumbs tracing gentle circles on my hips in a way that was making it very hard to remember my own name.

" Zoe ," he said softly, his voice rougher than usual, " I know you've got your life in Denver , and I don't want to pressure you. But I need you to know... I'm falling for you. Hard ."

His words sent a thrill through me, but also a pang of anxiety. I thought about my career, my plans, everything I'd worked so hard for. But then I looked at Axel , at the vulnerability in his eyes, and I knew I was in just as deep.

" I'm falling for you too," I whispered. " And it scares me. Like , more than the idea of running into a bear while I'm peeing in the woods scared."

Axel chuckled, pulling me closer. " Don't worry, I'll protect you from the bears. Can't promise anything about the squirrels though. They're sneaky little bastards."