Page 2 of The Mountain Man's Muffin

I couldn’t catch my breath.

Nor was I able to because the next thing I knew, a large Labrador dog barreled over to me, climbed onto my lap, and covered me with mud.

“Kane! Bad boy! Get over here now!”

I was laughing so hard as the dog licked my face. He must’ve tasted the remains of all the cookies I ate.

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve kept him in the truck,” the burly man said as he walked toward me. As soon as our eyes connected, I felt my world tilt. He must’ve felt it too because his mouth snapped shut, and he looked me up and down like I was his snack. He held out his hand.

When I slid my tiny one into his big paw, a feeling of home flooded through me. My heart raced. What was happening?

“Here, let me help you out of the car. I promise I’ll pay the dry-cleaning bill. Kane here can get a little crazy.”

I laughed as I stood. Kane sat in front of the door of the bakery, wagging his tail without a care in the world. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”

“I’m Austin, by the way.” He scratched his long beard, and my knees weakened.Damn, I needed to get ahold of myself. Maybe going without sex for months was a bad idea.

“I’m—”

He cut me off. “I know who you are.Ruby Bellamy.”

The way my name fell from his lips in his deep, burly voice made my panties wet. It also made me lose all train of thought. I blinked up at him without saying a word.

Rain pounded down all around us. It was like we didn’t notice.

“I know everyone in town. Besides, your gran loves to talk about you. Why don’t we go inside and dry off? There’s no way your car is going anywhere tonight.” He placed one hand on the small of my back and used the other to lead me back inside.

I had a feeling he could easily tow my car back to Gran’s, but I wasn’t about to question him. What did I know about mud and trucks?

Besides, I was pretty sure a night with him would be anything but boring.

CHAPTERTWO

Austin

Ruby Bellamy.

She nowbelongedto me.

I knew as soon as I laid eyes on her that she was mine. All mine.

I’d heard through some town talk that she was back and taking over the bakery. I was curious to see how much she’d changed since she left, and goddamn, I was glad I did.

She might’ve been ten years younger than me, but I didn’t care. Ruby was one beautiful woman from head to toe. From her long brunette curls to her full hips and curvy ass I couldn’t stop staring at, my cock was as hard as a fucking rock. I wanted to throw her around my bed. I wanted to dick her down so good, we’d break the frame.

I was pretty confident she was in agreement with the way her eyes didn’t stop roaming all over me.

My life was fine with only Kane and me. I owned my own towing company and was proud of my cabin tucked away in a secluded section of Appleridge Mountain. I helped with all sorts of towing needs in and around the mountain and surrounding towns, and while I was perfectly content alone, I laid eyes on her, and suddenly, I wasn’t.

Instantly, there was a hole in my heart that had never been there before.

One I knew without a doubt only Ruby could fill.

How could I convince her of that without scaring her off?

“You’re such a silly boy with all that mud. C’mon, let’s go to the kitchen and clean up,” Ruby said to Kane as we walked inside the bakery and she flicked on the lights. He ran in so fast that he almost knocked her over.

“Kane, slow down buddy!” I called after him as the sweet smells of cinnamon, sugar, and delicious baked goods made my mouth water.

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