Stranded with the Mountain Man (Log Cabin Christmas)

Chapter Five

Charlotte

I wake up feeling warm and slowly open my eyes. Apparently, I fell asleep on Ryder’s lap. He’s pulled a blanket over me and hasn’t shifted positions yet. Did he sleep upright all night so I wouldn’t wake up?

The room is quiet except for the soft crackling of the fire, which has burned down to embers. I glance outside and see nothing but snow—everything bright and serene under the morning sun. No howling winds, no sheets of snow coming down. I let out a relieved sigh. The storm has finally passed, and I’m still alive.

Carefully, I shift, trying not to wake Ryder, but his arm tightens slightly around me, keeping me close. I look up at his face, peaceful and relaxed, his stubble catching the morning light. My heart skips more than one beat. How did I end up here, safe in the arms of someone I barely know? Maybe chasing that rare owl in yesterday’s weather wasn’t dumb. I wouldn’t have ended up here if I hadn't done it. I never would have met Ryder.

Last night, we stayed up late carving wood ornaments, talking, and laughing—so much laughing. At some point, I must have fallen asleep.

I glance outside again. The storm has passed, so I don’t have a reason to stay. A hurtful punch hits me in the gut when I think about leaving this log cabin. About leaving Ryder. I don’t want to go, even though I have a life waiting for me far from Bearclaw Ridge. My family thinks I’ll hop on a plane today and celebrate Christmas Eve with them tomorrow, but I’m not so sure I can.

How can I leave behind the best thing that has ever happened to me?

Ryder’s eyes flutter open, and he looks down at me. “Morning,” he murmurs, his voice rough from sleep, but fuck… The rasp in his voice is unbelievably sexy.

“Morning,” I whisper back, suddenly shy. “Did you sleep like that all night?”

He shrugs, the movement causing the blanket to slip slightly. “Didn’t want to wake you. You looked comfortable.”

I sit up slowly. “You didn’t have to do that, you know. You should’ve woken me.”

“I didn’t mind.” He stretches slightly, his muscles tensing before he relaxes again and grins. “It’s not every day I get to be someone’s pillow.”

I laugh. “Well, you’re an amazing pillow. I slept like a baby.”

“I’ll make some coffee.”

The moment he stands from the couch, I miss his warm body next to me. My chest tightens again when I think about later today and every other day after that. He won’t be around. Ryder will keep on living on this mountain, and I’ll be far, far away.

Fuck. It’s the last thing I want.

I watch as Ryder pulls out a kettle, fills it with water from a jug, and sets it on the burner. With a practiced flick of his wrist, the stove ignites. He then scoops coffee grounds into an old-fashioned percolator and puts it next to the kettle. I could watch him do this all day—that’s how sexy he looks doing an everyday task like this.

He finishes making our coffees and hands me a steaming hot mug.

“Here you go.” He grins. “This is how we mountain men drink our coffee.”

“No sugar or cream?”

He shakes his head. “Sorry. Just the basics.”

“That’s okay. The basics are great.” I cradle the mug and let it warm my hands. I don’t know what else to say, so I sit in silence while Ryder stokes the fire in the hearth.

He sits next to me, motioning toward the ornaments we carved and hung from the ceiling and walls. “Thanks again for bringing some festive vibes into my cabin. I must admit, this is way better than having bare walls.”

“Convincing you to put up some decorations was the least I could do after you were so kind to let me wait out the storm here.”

His eyes grow darker, almost as if he’s trying to push down a sudden sadness. “That’s right. I guess you should get going soon.”

“Oh, okay.”

Is that what he wants? To get rid of me? A knot forms in my stomach. Did I overstay my welcome? Maybe he’s ready for solitude again, and I’m imagining the tension between us.

I force a smile. “Yeah, I guess the roads should be clear by now. It’s probably best I get back before it snows again.”

He nods, but it feels… off. Like he’s trying to convince himself this is the right thing to say. “Yeah, I’ll give you a ride into town after we finish our coffee,” he says, his voice quieter this time.

Okay, so this is it. I imagined all that crackling chemistry between us. All the laughs and the heated looks… they were friendly, nothing more. Nothing is going on between us, and he isn’t interested in me.

But then he glances at me again, and for a second, I see something else in his eyes. It’s not about wanting me to leave —it’s almost like he’s preparing for the disappointment of me going. Like he’s used to people walking away.

“Unless,” I start, biting my lip. I put my mug on the hand-carved coffee table and look him straight in the eye. “Ryder, I…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want to go,” I whisper.

He puts his mug down and grabs my hand. “Then don’t. Stay, Charlotte.”

I swallow. “You sure? I don’t want to mess up your routine or—”

He shakes his head. “You’re not messing anything up. Having you here feels good. Feels right.”

My heart races, and all the reasons I should leave—the storm clearing, the roads opening, my life waiting back for me back home, my family wanting me to spend Christmas with them—seem distant like they don’t matter anymore. And honestly, they don’t. Ryder’s my world now.

“Stay,” he repeats, his voice a low rumble.

It’s more an order than a question, and the words send goosebumps all over my body.

I grin. “If you want me to stay, you better kiss me, Ryder. I’ve been waiting for you to make a move.”

His laughter lights up his entire face, and for the first time since meeting him, he looks lighter. Like there was a weight resting on his shoulders, and it’s suddenly gone.

The way he looks at me… like he wants to devour me, sets my skin ablaze. I squeeze my thighs as the throbbing ache in my core intensifies, and he hasn’t even touched me yet.

He locks eyes with me, and it’s a good thing I’m already sitting down, or I would’ve fallen to the ground. My entire body trembles with longing as he cups my face with one of his big, strong hands and drags his thumb over my cheekbones all the way down to my mouth.

My breath hitches in my throat as he pulls my bottom lip down. He’s taking charge, and I gladly let him.

Before I can drown in his eyes, he leans closer and closes the distance between us. The second his warm lips find mine, fireworks explode inside me, lighting up every nerve ending and shooting straight to my center.

He uses his tongue to push my lips apart. The move elicits a moan from me, and I melt against him when he explores my mouth. His kiss is everything I hoped it would be, and then some. No man has ever kissed me like this—with conviction and desire.

He wants me like I want him. The sensation is alien to me, but I welcome it completely.

His hand moves to the back of my neck, and I run my fingers through his hair, losing myself in his kiss and warm embrace.

When he pulls away from me, he grins. “Was that the kind of kiss you were thinking about?”

“Absolutely, but I might need another go to make sure I’m convinced,” I tease.

“Gladly,” he says before sealing my mouth with his again.