Page 7 of Her Mountain Man Grump

I force the thought away with a grunt.

“You don’t need to say anything,” I tell her. “We’ll start work tomorrow, okay?”

Emma nods eagerly. “Thank you, Brody. Thank you so much.”

The disappointment from earlier has melted into relief, and there’s a sparkle in her eyes as I help her up into the truck. Then I climb into the driver’s seat and we head back up the mountain, toward home.

5

EMMA

Once we arrive backat the outbuilding, Brody insists I get some rest. It’s still only the afternoon, but I’m exhausted. The trip to the grocery store didn’t help—it was overwhelming, being surrounded by so many strangers at once—but Brody made it all okay. He made me feel safe and threw me yet another lifeline when I needed it most. Tomorrow, I’m going to give it my all and work hard for him. I’ll do everything I can to show how grateful I am. But first, I need some sleep.

Brody brings me clean sheets, spare blankets, and pillows before heading back to his own cabin. The bedding smells like him—warm spice and fresh pine—and I eagerly breathe in his scent as I curl up on the mattress. It’s a million times more comfortable than sleeping in the car, and my limbs turn heavy, sleep pulling me under immediately.

When I wake up, it’s dark outside. According to the alarm clock Brody bought me from the store earlier, it’s three in the morning, and I groan as I stretch out my limbs. I slept for nearly twelve hours, but it’s too early to wake up, so I roll onto my side and try to doze off for another hour or two. But my mind is wide awake, thoughts rushing through my head.

Thoughts of Brody.

My heart flutters as I think of him in his cabin, a few hundred yards through the trees. If it weren’t for him, I’d be spending another night in the car, contorted into an uncomfortable position and struggling to sleep. I wouldn’t have a job. I wouldn’t have eaten. It’s scary how desperate my situation would be right now if I hadn’t met a gentle giant in the forest. But instead, I feel safer and happier than I’ve felt in a long time.

Scourfield has never felt so far away.

I know it’s risky, putting so much faith in someone I just met. But Brody is a good man. I can feel it. He wants to protect me, and under his gruff exterior, I know he cares about my wellbeing. Heck, he cares far more than I deserve. There’s so much I haven’t told him—so many secrets I’m keeping. But he never pushes me to talk. All he’s done since we met is help me, and I can’t wait until the day I can pay him back.

Thinking about him does little to help me sleep. I’m more awake than ever as I remember the moment I first saw Brody emerging from the trees, all muscles and scowls. I push myself off the mattress, heading for the window and pressing my forehead against the cool glass, looking toward Brody’s cabin. With a jolt, I spy my green Honda parked nearby, and I feel another wave of gratitude to Brody. He took my car keys before I went to sleep, promising to fill up the tank so he could drive it back here.

My eyes flit back to his cabin, and I imagine him inside, his permanent scowl smoothed out by sleep. Part of me wishes I was in there too, curled up beside him, his strong arms tight around my body. Something throbs deep inside me at the thought of being close to him. Feeling him against me…skin on skin. Heat rushes between my legs, and I shiver at the unfamiliar longing, my breath coming fast.

The lights flicker on inside Brody’s cabin and I let out a gasp. For one crazy second, I wonder if he somehow heardmy thoughts. A giant shadow appears at the window, moving around behind the curtains, pacing back and forth. Clearly Brody is struggling to sleep too.

I wonder what he’s thinking about.

I watch him eagerly, but soon enough, the pacing stops and Brody’s cabin goes dark once more. After watching for a few more minutes, the lights are still stubbornly off, and I finally step back from the window. But just as I’m about to lie back down, I see the glint of headlights somewhere in the trees.

Who the heck is driving around out here at this time of night?

Unease settles in my gut as I peer at the vehicle, watching it move closer. It looks like a truck. In the moonlight, I catch a flash of red paint before the truck is swallowed up by the trees and vanishes. I’m clutching the windowsill so tight it hurts.

A red truck.

Just like the one in Scourfield…

But before I can let my thoughts spiral, I take a deep breath and force myself to be reasonable. There’s nothing unusual about a red truck. It was probably just a mountain man making a late-night trip somewhere. And anyway, it’s dark—I only saw a glimpse. Nobody from Scourfield can find me out here. If anybody had followed me, they would have confronted me by now.

“You’re safe,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut. “Everything is okay.”

I’m still shaken up as I climb back onto the mattress, but knowing Brody is just next door calms me. With him around, it feels like nothing can touch me, and soon enough, I’m fast asleep again, dreaming of the mountain man in the next cabin.

“That’s it.Hold it steady…watch your fingers.”

I do as Brody says, holding the two pieces of wood together while he drives a nail through them. It’s late morning, and we’re in my room, building a bedframe from pieces of oak that Brody cut himself. He slots two more pieces into place, then straightens up to look at our handiwork.

“Looking good,” he says, running a hand over his silver-streaked beard. “We’re nearly done.”

He catches my eye as he reaches for another piece of wood, and I swallow hard.

I swear he’s even more handsome than yesterday.

---