Page 190 of Rough and Rugged

After getting back from my weekly trip to town, I quickly unloaded the groceries and brought my supply order out here to the shop. I can easily spend hours lost in my work out here, and luckily for me, Gunner doesn’t mind long naps in the sun.

I turn off the lights and lock up the shop as Gunner trots ahead of me to do his business and take a quick run around the property as I head toward the house. But before I can make it into the cabin, Gunner starts to bark, and I turn to see headlights approaching.

Who could possibly be coming up the mountain this late in the evening? And why would they be cominghere?

A black compact SUV pulls up behind my truck, and I see a flash of red. What in the world is Ariana doing up here? And how did she even know where I live?

I watch as she turns off her vehicle and steps out into the cool night air, a shiver skittering across her skin. She’s still in her Whole Latte Java t-shirt and those damn leggings. I let out a low growl. Does this woman not have a damn lick of common sense? It’s cooler up here in the mountain; she needs a damn coat!

I begin to stomp her way when her greeting stops me in my tracks. “Hey, stranger, you left liquid gold… okay, bean-gold… behind when you stomped out earlier.” She gives me an impish, dimpled grin as she waves a familiar bag in the air.

“Ariana,” I growl with a scowl on my face. “What are you doing coming up this far into the mountains without proper gear? It’s easily thirty degrees colder up here. Come on in, and let me grab you a flannel to put on before you head home.”

I whistle as I turn back toward the house, and Gunner quickly runs up to the door.

“Your dog is adorable; what’s their name?” Ariana asks, completely ignoring the scolding I just gave her.

“Gunner,” I grunt, and he lets out a woof at his name.

Not sure what more to say and wanting to get this walking, talking temptation off my mountain, I turn to head to the house and grab the flannel I offered her.

Chapter Four

Ariana

AsIfollowHunterup the stairs to his cabin, I can’t help but grin in delight. This is going exactly as planned, and the view following him into the house isn’t a hardship either, if I’m being honest. Now to keep my nerves in check andfinallyget this man to see more than just the coffeeshop lady.

Once we clear the threshold to his cabin, I stop in my tracks. Wow. Who is this man to be hidden away up in the mountains in this gorgeous home? His entryway opens into an open-concept living room with floor-to-ceiling windows along the back wall, meaning I’ve got an amazing view of the sun setting behind the trees and nothing but wilderness as far as the eye can see.

A grunt from my right startles me—oops, I was clearly lost in my thoughts, gawking at his place.

“You have a stunning home. I wasn’t expecting it to be so homey and spacious.” I ramble as I reach out for the flannel Hunter is holding out. Not to be left out, Gunner does figure-eights between mine and Hunter’s legs, clearly looking for attention.

“All right, buddy, all right. You’ve had a long day of napping in the shop; let’s get your dinner.” Hunter says with a chuckle as he looks down affectionately at his dog.

Feeling much braver than I am, I blurt out, “So what’s a girl got to do to get herself invited to dinner as thank you for delivering the liquid gold beans?” I toss a wink his way to hopefully give off a playful vibe. Internally, I cringe. Did I really just invite myself to dinnerandwink?

Hunter stops in his tracks on his way to what I’m assuming is his kitchen and throws a look I can’t decipher over his shoulder.

“Come on, Trouble, I’ll feed you too. You are saving me and Gunner from my grumpy mood for the next week by bringing my beans all this way. Hope you like steak and potatoes; it’s what’s on the menu for tonight,” Hunter says in that low, gravelly voice of his, and I’m pretty sure my panties just drenched when he called me trouble.

I’m in over my head with this man, and I think I’m ready for the challenge. “Tree climbing” here I come!

Chapter Five

Hunter

Shit,I’mplayingwithfire here. I know I’m going to get burned, but my willpower can only hold out so long. Her coffee bean and vanilla scent has been wrapped around me since the moment we stepped into the house. Add to that her gorgeous green eyes and her sassy smile, and I’m only so damn strong…she is my kryptonite. But I’ve kept her at arm’s length for a reason—because while she might not know how our lives connect, I do. She’ll hate me if she ever finds out.

“Do you have any allergies or foods you don’t like?” I ask as I begin to pull the steak and broccoli from the fridge, then turn to grab the potatoes from the pantry.

“No allergies, but as to foods I don’t like, it’s probably easier to give a list of foods I do eat. I’m a pretty picky eater,” she admits with an adorable blush staining her cheeks. “But I promise steak, broccoli, and potatoes are all foods I eat and love, clearly.” She chuckles as she pats her curvy hip.

I let out a low growl as I scowl and stalk over to her after dropping the food on the counter. “Don’t talk that way about yourself, Trouble. You are fucking stunning just the way you are. Every curl, every freckle, and every sexy-as-hell curve on you is perfect,” I growl into her ear as I grab that same hip and give it a soft squeeze.

Her quick inhale of breath tells me that she’s as affected by me as I am by her. Good. As long as I’m playing with fire, why not push a bit further? I lean down and ghost my lips against the satiny skin of her neck, and she does exactly as I’d hoped; she arches into me, pressing her luscious tits against my chest.

Leave it to Gunner to cock-block me, though. With a not-so-subtle nudge to my leg, he pulls my attention from Ariana with a woof, letting me know I’ve still not given him his dinner; the poor guy is wasting away.

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