Page 12 of Her Mountain Man Rescuer

His words hang in the air between us for a moment, mingling with the spitting fire. It’s hard to believe I felt so terrified only a few minutes ago. Now, with Weston’s arm around me, I feel like nothing could ever hurt me.

“I guess you don’t get much crime out here,” I say, “apart from determined raccoons.”

“Don’t even bother locking my doors. Perks of living in the woods.”

“Sounds nice.” I smile, catching Weston’s eye. We stare at each other, and it hits me all at once—the intimacy of this moment—the two of us on the bed together, his arm around me, all alone in this secluded cabin in the middle of the woods.

Anything could happen…

My heart skitters, the guestroom dissolving as Weston’s eyes flicker to my lips. Our faces are so close I can feel his beard brushing my chin. I swear he’s about to kiss me. There’s a hunger in his gaze, and I feel the warmth between my thighs, the ache of longing in my chest. His face moves closer, so close I can feel his warm breath on my bottom lip, and I’m about to surrender to him…

A sound makes me jump—the same scrabbling beneath the window. All at once, the moment is gone. I pull back from Weston.

“Damn raccoon,” he grunts, glaring as he stands up and opens the window again. “Go on, get out of here!”

Once he’s satisfied the critter has disappeared, he closes the window once more.

“I better get back to sleep,” I say, purely to fill the tense silence.

Weston nods. “If he gives you any more trouble, you know where I am.”

“Thank you. And thanks for listening to me…”

He nods again and heads for the door, looking almost reluctant.

“Goodnight, Audrey.”

“Goodnight, Weston.”

With one last look at me, he closes the door behind him.

“Wait, what?!”Lila asks, her voice so loud that I hurriedly turn down the volume on my phone.

After a restless night, dawn has broken at Weston’s cabin. I sent Lila a message telling her to call me as soon as she woke up, and my best friend obliged much earlier than I was expecting. I don’t think Weston is awake yet, but I keep my voice quiet all the same, not wanting him to hear the conversation.

“You’re saying he was going to kiss you?” Lila continues.

“Yes! We were leaning in and everything, but then the raccoon?—”

“Ugh, that dumb raccoon!”

I suppress a giggle. “Yeah, that’s what he said, too.”

The near-kiss with Weston has been on my mind ever since he left my room last night. It’s turned everything upside down. I’m meant to be leaving his cabin today and heading for Lila’s, yet as much as I want to see my best friend, the thought of saying goodbye to Weston feels like a punch to the gut.

“I don’t know what to do,” I groan, running a hand through my hair. “This was never meant to happen. It’s stupid to get my hopes up when I’m going back to Denver in just a couple of days?—”

“Audrey, are you kidding me right now?”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

To my surprise, she laughs. “Don’t you remember what happened when I met Ridge? I called you and said exactly the same thing, asking for your advice. I said I was going back to Denver and that it would never last, but you told me to live in the moment and go for it!”

“Did I? Doesn’t sound like me.”

Lila laughs again. “You really need to learn to take your own advice.”

“Well, it’s easier said than d—” I cut off, sucking in a breath when I hear Weston’s door open. His heavy footsteps stop in front of the guestroom for a moment before heading into the living room.

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