Page 173 of Rough and Rugged

Wait.

I sit up and look over at the dresser that I should have hit with the projectile. Instead, I see my brother holding my pillow and a steaming cup of coffee.

“Morning.” He throws the thing back at me and shuts off the alarm.

“Thank fuck. I was about to murder that thing.” He snorts as he hands me my coffee.

“I figured you’d need some extra help getting out of bed this morning. The older you get, the crankier you are. You need to get out more. Find a mate. Get laid, for Christ’s sake. When was the last time you lost some sleep buried in a woman? Bet mornings would look a lot more appealing if you woke up to a blowjob every morning.” I snarl into my coffee mug while I listen to my younger brother give me relationship advice.

Funny, I thought he’d sworn off women.

“Adrain, why are you really here?” He stops picking up my laundry and putting it in the basket he bought me I never fucking use.

We have housekeepers for a reason.

“I’m not ready.” He admits with his back to me.

“What? You’ve won two Michelin stars! Of course, you’re ready to open your own restaurant. You need to have more faith in yourself.” I shake my head and stand, stretching out my back.

“Ok,” he mutters as my front door slams.

“HEY! Have you two seen the weather forecast? It’s going to be epic!” I groan at our baby brother’s enthusiasm.

“I’m going to be surrounded by snow bunnies.” He stops in my bedroom doorway with a grin on his face.

That reminds me why I’m all out of sorts this morning.

“The Sheriff paid me a visit last night. He saw smoke coming from Grandpa’s old hunting cabin.” That got both of my brother’s attention.

“Did it burn down?” Braxton finally enters my room and takes my coffee from me, draining it in two big swallows.

“Fucker, get your own,” I hiss as I push him and Adrain out of my room.

“It didn’t burn down. Someone was squatting in it—a female someone. I lost her scent in the forest, but she smelled different.” I wrinkled my brows at the memory of my first time catching her scent.

It took all my willpower not to shift in front of the Sheriff.

“Different how?” Adrain narrows his eyes at me.

“Not anything I’ll forget. If I scent her again, I’ll know. Now out! You have a restaurant to open, and you need to get those bunnies skiing.” I slam my bedroom door shut in their faces and turn to get in the shower.

I’ll feel better once I’m clean and dressed.

I start the water and look at myself in the mirror. I look just like my grandfather. He left us this land as a safe haven. When the state tried to take it away, I fought hard to keep it in the family. Then I realized it was useless to us if we didn’t develop it and live on the land.

That was nice, long years ago.

Today is the grand opening of our futures. Our dreams are coming to a reality, and it should be the most exciting day of our lives. Yet I can’t help feeling like there’s something missing. A final piece that would make the success even sweeter.

The smell from the cabin last night invades my mind, and I groan.

Yes.

My inner bear growls as we remember the scent of the woman who dared make herself at home in our den. Strawberries, honey, and vanilla assaulted my senses when I entered the cabin last night. I was sure I would find my favorite dessert on the counter cooling, and that brought back memories of my grandmother that I had forgotten over the long years since she passed away.

I step into the hot stream of water, leaning my head back to let it thoroughly wet my salt and pepper hair. I need to trim my bread as well. I’m starting to look like the wild mountain man my grandfather was always accused of being.

He used to tease us as cubs that he was the infamous Bigfoot.

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