Page 5 of The Mountain Man's Muffin

“Shhh, don’t you dare let her hear you say that!” I picked up my own apple-cinnamon muffin and bit into the soft, sweet cake-like pastry.

“She’d be proud of you, Ruby. These muffins are really good. Actually, I’m pretty sure she already is.” He jabbed me in the side as he popped the last of his muffin in his mouth and grabbed another. Kane stared at both of us, ready for any possible crumb. “Do you like being back?”

“I do. I didn’t think I would, and honestly, I don’t know why. I think I got comfortable in the city. A good job, cheap apartment, and a nice group of friends. But I missed home. I missed Gran and the friends I grew up with. And there was no way I was letting her close down the place.”

“I get it. Probably why I never left my dad’s cabin after he passed. It’s my childhood. The place I last spent time with both of my parents before they were gone. I thought about selling the place, packing my shit, and getting the hell out of here. My mom’s been gone for years, so there isn’t much left for me here. But for some reason, I never worked up the courage to actually do it.”

“I’m sorry about your parents. I know how you feel.”

His warm hand covered mine. “I know you do. More so than me.”

I didn’t like to talk or think about the accident that stole both of my parents from me in one single moment. One single second of time and both were *poof* gone. Dead from a head-on collision with a semitruck. “It hasn’t been easy. I’m so thankful for Gran. I don’t know where I’d be without her.”

His fingers traced mine, and when our eyes met, I felt as if I was suspended in time. Only me and him. Him and me.

“She’s something special.”

“She sure is,” I whispered.

“I think her granddaughter is pretty spectacular, too.” His gaze dropped to my mouth and back up again. Slowly, very, very slowly.

My breath caught in my throat.

This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be.

I barely knew him. Maybe my gran knew more, but basically, all I knew was what he just told me.

When his family moved to this town, they were quiet and kept to themselves. People talked. Small-town folks always did. But by then, I was lost in my own teen world and ignored town gossip. I didn’t pay any attention to who he was. I was too focused on moving to the city.

But now, here he was.

Smoking fucking hot.

And he was about to kiss me.

A sexy, fuckable, strong, buff mountain man.

My insides went haywire. My mind went blank.

Austin moved another inch closer.

My heart pounded so hard I thought my rib cage would break open.

His lips touched mine, and everything around us melted away. The pouring rain, the rumble of thunder, and the cracks of lightning.

All of it disappeared as our mouths molded together into one.

It made no sense, but I didn’t care.

Because it felt so right.

CHAPTERFOUR

Austin

Ruby tasted how I imagined,but better. Sweet, so fucking sweet. My hand found its way up the back of her neck and into her hair. I fisted a handful and tugged her head back. I broke our kiss and exposed her creamy skin to me. Her gasp and moan only spurred me on.

I kissed the delicate skin before my tongue took over. I licked and sucked, breaking away before leaving a hickey though I desperately wanted to. She was mine, and I wanted to mark her as such.

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