Page 4 of Frigid Mountain Man (Cold Mountain Nights #12)
CHAPTER FOUR
Jules
The week seemed to drag now that I wanted Friday to be here more than ever. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t think straight, my mind drifting off and replaying the same fantasy I’d had for days.
What it would be like to kiss the lumbersnack.
Because, like my sisters pointed out, he wasn’t just a lumberjack. He was a snack, one I desperately wanted to sink my teeth into.
After closing the pie shop on Friday, Leo went with Natalie, Steve, and their two kids for a sleepover. I had the entire night free to myself, leaving me plenty of time to pamper myself and clean up.
We exchanged numbers before he left the pie shop the other day and we’d been texting all week.
He asked me to show him the town and all the fun local hotspots.
He also wanted to try one of my savory pies and offered to buy several instead of paying for a restaurant meal.
But I couldn’t take his money, nor did I care about a fancy meal.
So instead, I made us a fresh chicken pot pie and a cut a couple of slices of my new finding love pie made with fresh raspberries and dark chocolate.
I packed us a picnic dinner, warming the pie and putting it in the insulated bag along with paper goods, a bottle of champagne, and our dessert pie.
Around seven o’clock, my doorbell rang. I peeked out the window and double checked it was who I thought it was.
Sure enough, there Miles stood, in tight jeans, a tight flannel button down with the sleeves rolled up halfway, exposing his deliciously tattooed and muscular forearms. It was a warmer fall night, and I hadn’t expected to see skin, but I liked it. Very much.
He held a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand and wore a big smile on his face. I nearly orgasmed on the spot, soaking my thong.
Whelp, good thing there wasn’t too much fabric to soak.
Was I expecting to get lucky? Maybe.
Who wouldn’t want to get lucky with the likes of him?
I opened the door, and the scent of his cologne sent my stomach swirling, a mix of anticipation, excitement, and desire all rolled into one heady combination.
“Hi, gorgeous. You look stunning.” Miles said.
My cheeks flushed hot. “Thank you. As do you.”
“I wouldn’t say stunning, but if you say so, I’ll take it.” He grinned and handed me the bouquet. “Pretty flowers for an even prettier lady.”
“Thank you.” I took them in my hand and inhaled their sweet scent. “Let me go put these in some water.” I handed him the picnic basket and headed to the kitchen for a vase and water.
When I went back to the front door, Miles had his head halfway in the picnic basket. I laughed out loud at the sight. “Hey! No looksies!”
Miles grinned sheepishly. “I’m sorry, it smelled too good. I couldn’t resist.”
“Okay, you’re forgiven. But I’m in charge of the basket.” I took it from him after snapping the lid securely shut. “Ready for your grand tour of Forest Grove?”
“Let’s do it.” Miles held out his hand, and when I slid mine into his, it felt like my world shifted into place.
The place I’d always been looking for.
Miles drove a large pickup truck, and it easily handled the mountain terrain. With all the snow we got every winter, he would be all set with this beast.
I showed him all the local hot spots, including the dive bar in town, a couple of diners, and the best spot for a pizza.
For the last spot, we parked in an open area with a great view of the night skyline.
The conversation flowed as we drank champagne and slices of chicken pot pie.
“I couldn’t stay back in Appleridge with my parents here. I need to lookout for them as they get older. So, I moved here with them. I figured I could use a fresh start. With the ranch expanding, I was what they were looking for. It all worked out perfectly.”
“Well, I’m happy you moved. We needed some fresh meat around here.”
“Fresh meat?” Miles snorted. “I see what I am to you. Loud and clear.” He teased.
“None of the guys around here ever did a thing for me. Not like you do.”
Miles’s face lit up. “Not like me? Please explain.”
“I don’t need to. You know what I meant.” I said, downing the last of my second glass of champagne. It was definitely making me bolder than I normally was.
“No. I’d rather hear it from you.”
“I look at you and something happens to my insides…it’s hard to explain.”
“The same happens to me when I look at you.”
Our eyes met across the dark cab of the truck, the only glow of light from the dashboard, our food and drinks forgotten.
The air crackled between us.
Kiss me. Kiss me, Miles.
Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder burst through the air and I jumped, the moment gone.
“The weather said the storm wasn’t hitting us. Guess they were wrong.” I said, breaking the silence. “We should probably get going. We can have the dessert at my place, if you want? Only because the roads up here get bad quick when it rains. Even trucks get stuck.”
“Yeah, I can imagine the mud gets deep.” Miles said, as we began packing up.
Another crack of thunder sounded, and a flash of lightning lit up the sky. Not a moment later, the clouds parted, and the rain poured down, a large torrent of water sweeping in without warning.
“Holy shit, that’s coming down hard.” I said as I stared at the sudden intense rain.
“I don’t think we’re going anywhere,” Miles observed as he looked out his window. “The ground is already knee deep with mud.”
“We’ll have to wait it out. We’ve had a lot of rain recently and the mud’s only gotten worse. I checked the weather before we left, because otherwise I wouldn’t have taken us here.”
“It’s okay, don’t worry about it. Can’t control mother nature.” Miles opened up the picnic basket. “Looks we have time for dessert and another round of drinks. But since I’m driving, I’m switching to water. You can finish the bottle.”
My respect for him grew in spades. Not only for offering me the last of the champagne, but for being responsible. That’s the type of man and role model I needed for my child.
I brought out our slices of finding love pie and explained to him the flavor profile and how I decided the name.
“Unbelievable. The richness of the chocolate and the raspberries is delicious.” Miles finished his pie in only a few bites. “So, tell me how you and your sisters decided to open a pie shop.”