Page 20 of Her Mountain Man Rescuer

“Audrey! I’ve…trying…get hold of you.”

Her voice cuts in and out. The signal at her cabin isn’t always reliable, but despite the bad connection, I hear the urgency in her voice.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Weston…to the cabin…address…” The line goes completely silent, then buzzes back to life. “He’s…way to…sounded desperate.”

Hearing Weston’s name makes my heart flutter, and I hold the phone tighter to my ear. “You’re cutting out like crazy. What did you say about Weston?”

The call drops, and I let out a groan of frustration, opening up my messaging app instead.

The call cut out. What did you say about Weston?

I see the dots move as she types. At that moment, someone raps on my front door, making me jump. Instantly, I’m on guard. Ever since the burglary, I’m jumpier than usual. It could be somebody trying to figure out whether I’m at home. Or worse, somebody waiting for me to open the door, holding a gun…

The knocking sounds again, harder this time. Just as I’m debating what to do, my phone pings with Lila’s message.

I said Weston came to the cabin this morning and asked for your address. He’s on his way to Denver right now! He sounded desperate…

Her message sucks the breath from my lungs. I read it once, twice. Then another knock sounds, and this time, I hear a familiar voice calling my name.

“Audrey!”

I fly toward the door, trembling so hard I struggle to turn the key. Then I wrench it open, almost stumbling backward when I see who it is. Weston is standing at the door of my apartment, wearing his usual flannel and jeans. His eyes are rimmed with purple bags, bloodshot as if he’s been struggling to sleep, just like I have ever since I left him. He towers above me, the familiar scent of spice and pine washing over me, and I don’t wait for him to speak. I leap straight into his arms, wrapping myself around him, emotion clogging my throat.

“I missed you,” I whisper, barely able to speak. This feels like a dream. It’s hard to believe that Weston is really here, flesh and blood beneath my touch.

“I missed you too, Audrey.” His voice sounds pained, and he squeezes me tight. “So fucking much.”

10

WESTON

The past weekhas been a fucking nightmare. I barely slept. Barely ate. After Audrey left, it felt like part of me had been ripped out, and even the peace of the forest couldn’t help. I told myself it had to be this way. Told myself I had to let her go. But fuck, I couldn’t do it. It was like being asked to stop breathing.

When I rolled out of bed this morning after another sleepless night, I knew what I had to do. I drove to Lila and Ridge’s cabin—luckily, I know where it is—and asked for Audrey’s address. Lila was clearly hesitant. Hell, I don’t blame her; I must have looked crazy standing there on the doorstep. But when she saw how desperate I was, she relented. She said she thought Audrey would be happy to see me, and I held onto that as I drove away from Cherry Mountain, heading for Denver.

Now Audrey is finally back in my arms, and it feels like my heart might burst. All the pain of the last week seeps away as I hold her close, breathing in her familiar scent. I can’t leave her again. I’ve made my decision, and I choose Audrey. Every damn time.

“Listen,” I say, pulling back to look into those pretty eyes I love so much, “I can’t ask you to give up city life, and I won’t. Your happiness means the world to me, and I know you’re a citygirl through and through. But I can’t live without you, Audrey.” The words bubble out of my throat, rushing forward like a waterfall. “I want to move to Denver. I want us to be together, and I don’t give a fuck where I live as long as you’re there.”

Her lips fall open. But now that I’ve started talking, I can’t stop. She needs to know how I feel. She needs to know how serious I am about her.

“You’re in my veins, sugar. You’re all I think about, all I want, and whatever it takes to be with you…I’ll do it. Anything.”

My breath is coming fast. I’m exposing my deepest feelings, laying it all out there, and there’s still a chance she won’t want me. Hell, why should she? I’m a grumpy old mountain man, and she’s a beautiful young city girl. She might not have thought about me once since she left.

But goddammit, I have to try.

I can’t walk away from this place without telling her how I feel. Audrey stole my heart the second we met, and I’m never getting it back. It’s hers whether she wants it or not. I’ve never felt this way before, but I know this is the real deal. This girl is it for me. She always will be.

“Weston…”

The way she says my name makes my stomach flip. “I know it’s a lot, but it’s how I feel, sugar?—”

“Weston, listen to me.” She loops her arms around my neck, her eyes molten as she says, “I don’t want you to live here.” My heart drops, but then she continues, “I don’t want either of us to live here. This place…well, it used to be home, but I don’t think it is anymore.”

I try to piece together her words, shaking my head. “What do you mean? You want to leave Denver?”

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