Page 5 of Her Mountain Man Grump

“I’ll take you. But hell, you’ve been through a lot. Sure you don’t want to rest for a little while?”

Part of me would love to crawl onto the mattress in the bedroom and sleep for twelve hours straight, but I can’t afford to wait around. I might not have to pay rent, but I still need moneyfor food and gas and all the other things that normal people buy. The sooner I find a job, the better.

“I’m sure.”

Brody nods, and I follow him outside toward a large pickup parked in front of his cabin. He opens the door for me and our arms brush as I pass him, his skin warm against mine. The contact makes my heart flip, my breathing shallow as Brody shuts the door for me and rounds the truck, hopping into the driver’s seat.

Calm down, Emma.

Your arms touched…that’s all.

But as the truck roars to life, I sneak a glance at Brody. His eyes are fixed on the road ahead, and I take the opportunity to stare at him—his long nose, his thick beard. He seems to take up the entire vehicle with his broad shoulders, which strain against his blue plaid t-shirt. His muscular arms are on display, tan and inked, and I have to force myself to look away before he can catch me ogling him.

Ever since I first laid eyes on Brody, I’ve been feeling things I’ve never felt before…things I can’t explain. Whenever he looks at me, my heart flutters like a caged bird, beating its wings inside my chest. It’s overwhelming—like my body is betraying me.

I need to keep it together.

I didn’t escape from Scourfield just to end up losing my mind over a stranger. My focus needs to be on building a normal life for myself in Colorado. That’s it. Nothing else should matter. But when Brody catches my gaze a moment later, a fleeting look before he turns back to the road, my breath hitches all over again, the air squeezing from my lungs.

Crap…

This sure as heck wasn’t part of the plan.

4

BRODY

I forcemyself to keep my eyes on the road as I drive Emma down to Cherry Hollow, but I can’t resist stealing a few glances when she’s not looking. This girl fascinates me. I want to know her story, but her answers to my questions have been vague as hell so far. She said she drove here from New Mexico and had to leave her last place suddenly—but that doesn’t explain why she didn’t bring any money. What could have forced her to leave with nothing but her car and the clothes on her back?

Even though I’m desperate to know more, I don’t dare to press her for details. Emma still seems skittish, like she’s always one step away from bolting. I need to wait until she’s more comfortable with me. Then maybe I’ll get some answers.

“This is Cherry Hollow,” I tell her as we reach the bottom of the mountain and drive into the small town. “Closest town for miles.”

Emma peers eagerly out of the window as we drive up Main Street, past quaint boutiques and rustic old buildings.

“It’s so pretty,” she says in that honey-sweet voice, her face lighting up with a smile that makes my pulse jump. “I love it.”

I grunt in agreement. Even if I prefer to spend my time in the woods, I can appreciate the beauty of Cherry Hollow.

“How about we go to the grocery store?” I ask. “They’re usually hiring.”

“Sounds good.”

I park outside Cherry Grocery and Emma follows me into the crowded store, grabbing anxiously at her dress. Her eyes are wide, darting all around at the shoppers pushing their carts. I stop in my tracks.

“You okay?” I instinctively rest a hand on her arm, my fingers tingling against her soft skin. “Want to leave?”

“I’m fine.” She forces a smile despite the flicker of panic in her expression. “It’s just…busier than I expected.”

My curiosity deepens as I watch her. She looks overwhelmed—scared, almost—like she’s never been inside a busy grocery store before. I don’t know what to make of it. But eventually, Emma steps back from me, clearing her throat. “I’d better go find somebody to ask about a job.”

“I’ll come with you.”

She shakes her head. “You’ve done so much already. You don’t need to wait for me. I’ll find my own way back to the cabin.”

Not a chance.

No way in hell am I leaving her stranded with no way to get back to me.

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