Page 6 of Mountain Man Wanted (Hard Timber Mountain Men #1)

JOELY

I’d tried working on my article. Tried reading a book. Tried wandering around Nellie’s property and talking to the animals she hadn’t taken to the kick-off celebration. Nothing seemed to get my mind off Thatcher Thorne.

After scarfing down a sandwich, I decided to go on a hike and see if I could find that lake. I’d been taking pictures of all the places I’d visited so far but hadn’t gotten more than a few shots of Hard Timber yet. I wanted to be able to include a few photos with my submission.

I set off in the direction Thatcher had told me about.

Now that I knew where his cabin was, I planned on avoiding it.

I’d been embarrassed enough earlier when he dragged my naked body out of the creek.

Even thinking about it made my cheeks burn.

Yeah, I’d tried to laugh it off and ignore the heat his touch had sent coursing through my veins.

The absolute last thing I needed was to run into him again.

The wind picked up as a wall of dark gray clouds rolled in.

I hadn’t paid much attention to the weather before I left since the sun had been shining, but I’d been told storms could pop up out of nowhere over the mountains.

I’d already been walking for about twenty minutes.

It couldn’t be that much farther to the lake.

Deciding to press on, I forced my feet to move faster. I’d just snap a few quick pictures and make it back to Nellie’s before the rain started.

Then lightning crackled overhead. A burst of light blinded me as a tall tree just ahead split in two. My pulse thundered in my ears and adrenaline raced through my limbs. Change of plans.

I turned around and started to run.

Movement to the left of the trail caught my eye.

Some sort of animal raced toward me. I pulled the bear spray Nellie had left at the cabin out of my bag as I stumbled down the path.

Wishing I’d read the instructions before I started out, I slowed my pace.

Whatever had been following me through the woods would be on me in a matter of seconds.

I flipped the safety clip and put my finger on the button.

“Whoa. Take your finger off the can. Nice and easy now.” Thatcher stood about a dozen yards away. The animal that had been heading toward me ran by and sat down at his side. It was only his dog.

My hand shook as I lowered the can. “I thought he was…”

“It’s okay.” Thatcher took a few long strides toward me. “Anyone could have mistaken him for a bear.”

“Right.” I let out a shaky laugh. “That’s probably why you named him that, huh?”

Thatcher’s lips curled up in an almost-smile. “Right.”

I slid my backpack off my shoulders and shoved the bear spray back inside. “Sorry. I got spooked. I was trying to find the lake, but the weather turned and then lightning hit a tree and…” The words rushed out of me in a jumbled mess.

“There’s a brush fire north of Nellie’s cabin. We need to head back.” He gestured to the path behind him. “I stopped by to warn you but when you weren’t there, I got worried.”

My heart was still beating a million times a minute, and I almost missed what he said. “Wait, you came out here to find me?”

“Yeah. If anything happened to you, hell, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, Joely.

” His forehead furrowed, making him look even more serious than usual.

I wanted to reach up and smooth the lines from between his brows.

To run my palm over his cheek. To find out if his beard would feel as soft as I thought it might against my skin.

Then thunder boomed across the sky. I looked up, wincing at the color of the clouds. They’d gone from light gray to an angry, almost black.

“We need to get out of here. Come on. Let’s get you back to Nellie’s.” Thatcher reached for my hand.

I let him take it. The feel of his calloused palm against mine kept me from freaking out that I was outside in the middle of what promised to be an epic thunderstorm. He walked quickly, gently pulling me with him, while Bear ran circles around us.

“Is it going to rain?” I asked.

“Hopefully. That would eliminate any threat from the brush fire.”

“And if it doesn’t?” I’d seen TV shows where rural firefighters couldn’t get small blazes under control, and they ended up taking out thousands of acres. It didn’t seem possible that could happen somewhere like Hard Timber.

“A crew is already on it. They’re the best of the best. Nothing to worry about.” He glanced back and even offered a reassuring smile. Or at least what might count as a smile coming from Thatcher.

The wind swirled around us, and I could smell the threat of fire in the air. We reached a split in the path and Thatcher headed right. I didn’t know exactly where I was, but I would have sworn I needed to go left to get back to Nellie’s.

“Are you sure that’s the right way back to the cabin?” I stopped, causing him to stop with me.

“It’s the way to my place,” he said. “With the way the wind shifted, it’s not safe to go to Nellie’s.”

Back to his cabin? A lump lodged in my throat, and I tried to swallow past it. When that didn’t work, I cleared my throat. “We’re going back to your place?”

“If you’d rather stay out here…” his words trailed off just as another clap of thunder shook the ground.

“Nope. Your place is fine.” I moved ahead, my hand still clasped in his. But a part of me wondered if I should be more afraid of the storm or of what I might do when I found myself back in Thatcher’s cabin… all alone with the mountain man for the second time in one day.

* * *

We reached his porch just as the sky opened up and rain pelted down.

He opened the door and motioned for me to enter first. Bear barged ahead, and I followed.

The scent of wood-smoke surrounded me. It seemed like months had passed since I’d left his place this morning, though the mug I’d used still sat on his counter.

“I’ll get a fire going. If you’re cold, you can grab one of my shirts or sweatshirts from the bedroom.” He let go of my hand as soon as we entered and got busy stacking wood in the fireplace.

I hadn’t been cold until he mentioned it.

When I left for my hike, I figured I’d be back before dark and wouldn’t need a jacket.

With goosebumps popping up on my arms, I ventured into the room I assumed was his bedroom.

I flipped the switch on the wall and a lamp on the nightstand flickered.

A thick plaid comforter covered a bed that looked way too small for Thatcher.

He’d left a flannel shirt draped over the footboard and I reached for it. As I shoved my arms into the sleeves and pulled it over my shoulders, his scent surrounded me… a mix of wood-smoke, pine, and something totally unique to Thatcher. I immediately warmed from the inside out.

“Did you find something?” he called from the other room.

“Yes. Thank you.” I lingered and glanced around the bedroom, looking for clues that might give me some insight. He was so closed off, but I wanted to know more.

“The fire’s going.” He came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. “I can get you a clean shirt. You don’t have to wear this one.”

I slowly turned around to face him. “I like this one. It smells like you.”

We were too close. I sucked in a breath while I waited for him to take a step back. Instead, his fingers cupped my chin, and he gently nudged my head back until I looked up and met his gaze.

He stared down at me, telling me with one look everything he’d never say with words. “I should take you into town.”

Held captive by the need in his eyes, I didn’t dare move. “Why?”

His hand moved up to smooth over my hair. As much as I wanted to turn my cheek into his palm, I stayed still. I was afraid if I moved, I’d break whatever spell had come over us and he’d back off. That was the very last thing I wanted.

“You’re not safe here.” His voice came out low and held an edge of warning.

I tipped my chin up even further, challenging him. “Not safe from what?”

“From me.” He shook his head, the movement so slight I might have even imagined it.

“You’re not going to hurt me.” Even as I said the words, I wasn’t sure I believed them.

I knew he wouldn’t physically hurt me, but I got the sense he was completely capable of breaking my heart.

But at that moment, I didn’t care. All I wanted was to bury myself in his arms and feel wanted for a little while.

My entire world had gone to hell, and I needed to be reminded that I wasn’t a failure at everything.

“Last chance.” He put his hands on my waist and backed me up against the wall. “Tell me to take you to town, Joely. Tell me you don’t want me. Because if you let me kiss you, I’m not going to be able to stop.”

My arms snaked up his chest, and I clasped my hands together behind his neck. “Kiss me then.”

He waited, the moment stretching out like an eternity. Then he lowered his head. His whiskers brushed my cheek. His moustache tickled my lips. His hands clamped down on my hips. Then his lips met mine.

The kiss was tentative at first, a quick brush of our lips.

Still, it sent need rippling through me.

It had been a long time since I’d been with a man, and Thatcher wasn’t like any man I’d ever met.

Everything about him was more intense… his size, his attitude, even the tone of his voice. It unraveled me.

He pulled back just enough to look me in the eye. Even though he didn’t say a word, the way he looked at me told me more than enough. He wanted me. Maybe almost as much as I wanted him. Whatever happened next, I’d chosen it. Chosen him. And I wasn’t going to regret a damn second of it.

His lips crashed down on mine again, this time hungry and needy. I slid my hands into the hair at the nape of his neck and arched my back against the wall, desperate to get closer.

In one fluid motion, he swept me off my feet without breaking our kiss. I held on tight as he carried me over to the bed and set me down in the center. He broke contact to kick the door shut then climbed onto the bed and hovered over me.

“I’ve been thinking about doing this since the first time I saw you outside the cafe,” he said. “You’ve had me tied into fucking knots.”

“Really?” A man like him? In knots over a woman like me? He had to be exaggerating. Or saying whatever he thought I might want to hear so he could get laid. But Thatcher didn’t strike me as the type of man who’d lie to get what he wanted.

He buried his nose in my hair like he didn’t want to come up for air. “Even the way you smell makes me hard. What the fuck is that?”

“Um, skunk scrub,” I teased.

Thatcher growled against my neck. The vibration rolled right through me. I put my hands on his cheeks and brought his face back to mine.

“Kiss me again.” It wasn’t a request.