Page 6 of The Mountain Man’s Heat (Blue Mountain Burn: The Firefighters of Hartley Ridge #1)

Chapter Six

Iris

My fight or flight reflex is permanently stuck on fight these days? What the hell was that? Why did I say that?

Because it is?

Biting back a sigh, I give Archie a wobbly smile. “Turns out when your boss hits on you, Arch, you don’t just lose your job, you also end up punching the really hot firefighter trying to help you because you’re so jumpy you don’t know when you are being helped.”

Ears pricked, Archie tilts his head to the side.

With a soft chuckle, I scratch him behind his ear. “And now I’ve probably destroyed any chance of getting to know the really hot fire?—”

“I hope these will be okay?”

Hudson’s deep voice jerks my head up, and my breath catches. He’s walking back toward me, his attention on the folded items of clothing he’s carrying, and my whole body reacts to the sheer masculine force of him.

Stealing the chance to check him out, I devour the sight of his broad shoulders, his impressive pecs, and his sculpted lats.

His damp T-shirt still clings to his body, and a part of me wants to stop him in his tracks, throw the clothes in his hands aside, strip him naked, and show him just how appreciative I am for his help.

It has nothing to do with him helping you. There’s something about him that pushes all your buttons. Admit it.

It’s not just the sexual ones though. I can’t help but imagine being looked after by Hudson every day of my life. What would it be like to care for him in return.

A soft whimper hitches in my throat as my pulse quickens.

He lifts his head, his gaze locking with mine, and my sex constricts.

He’s barely a few steps from where I’m standing clutching the patchwork blanket he gave me, and I can feel the heat radiating from his body. Smell the cleanness of him.

Biting my lip again, I shuffle back a step.

He frowns. “Everything okay?”

The concern in his voice squeezes my heart. Oh, I could fall in love with this mountain of a man, this firefighter with the looks of an A-list movie star, and the body of a Greek god.

I could fall in love with him right this very moment. And my stupid heart would never recover.

“Yeah.” I nod, reaching for the clothes. “Just cold.”

Hot more like it.

“Of course.” A choppy chuckle falls from him. “Sorry. Would you like another cup of tea? I’ll make it for you while you’re changing. Or a coffee? Hot chocolate? I’m good at hot chocolates.”

“I’d love a hot chocolate,” I say. Why does my voice sound like a husky breath?

His face splits in a smile. “Excellent. Two hot chocolates coming up.” He spins on his heel and crosses to the kitchen counter.

He stops and turns back to me. “Probably should tell you where you can change. First door on the right down the hallway is the spare room. It’s the gym home office junk room.

I call it the Bermuda Triangle. Who knows what’s in there?

My bedroom is the door after that. Either is fine.

” An unreadable expression flickers over his face. “Both can be locked from the inside.”

My heart thumps up into my already tight throat. “Thank you. But I trust you.”

And I do. Which makes no sense, given he’s a total stranger. But then…is he? I feel safer with him than any person I’ve met. And Archie likes him. Aunt Lily told me Archie doesn’t like anyone. But Archie likes him.

His gaze holds mine, a question in it I’m sure I’m imagining.

What would happen if I removed the small space between us? If I slid my palms up his exquisite chest, cupped his face in my hands, drew his head down to mine, and kissed him?

“I won’t be long,” I murmur, ducking my head and moving past him. Archie follows, nails clicking on the floorboards.

I want to look back as I leave. I want to see if he’s watching me. But if he is, I’m not sure what I would do. Instead, I hasten my pace, almost running along the hallway. I open the first door I see and throw myself into…

His bedroom.

Breath shallow, I stare at the king-size bed in the center of the room. Breathe in the scent of him. “Oh…”

Archie slips past me, and before I can stop him, he jumps onto the bed, bum up in the air, tail wagging. “Archie,” I groan, closing the door behind me and crossing the room. “Off. Hop off.”

Archie wags his tail some more, lets out an excited woof, and bounds around in a tight, playful circle.

Great. It looks like I’ve climbed on Hudson’s bed and performed some kind of haka on it.

Or had wild monkey sex on it?

For my own peace of mind, I turn my back on it—I’ll straighten it up later—and peel off my damp T-shirt and shorts. Pausing for a moment, I consider my damp bra and G-string and then strip them off as well.

Cool air licks at my bare skin, and my nipples pucker hard. I’ve never undressed in a man’s room before. An excitement throbs between my thighs. My clit tingles.

For a wicked moment, I imagine being brave enough to open Hudson’s door and call him down to me.

And then, cheeks burning, I grab the shirt he gave me and tug it over my head.

His scent permeates my breath as the fabric caresses my face, my boobs, the tops of my thighs. The shirt is too big for me, almost a loose minidress in length, and yet I’ve never felt sexier.

What is wrong with me?

I snatch up the track pants and yank them on. They’re way too long. Plus, they sit so low on my hips, the waistband brushes my pubic hair.

Better than nothing on my legs at all.

I bend over, roll the hem a few times so my feet are free, and then, clawing my hair out of my face, turn to Archie.

He’s asleep in the middle of Hudson’s bed, curled in a ball, tail over his nose. After the scare he had, I don’t want to wake him, but if I leave him here, I’ll have no buffer, no distraction from the intensity of the potent response I’m feeling for the firefighter. It’ll just be me and Hudson.

My pulse pounds hard, and with a roll of my neck, I head for the door.

Sans Archie.