Page 4 of Possessive Mountain Man

It’s small but sturdy. Besides the fireplace, there’s a woodstove in the connecting kitchen with a neat stack of firewood nearby. It’s easy to imagine Hayes rolling up his sleeves to split logs apart. A light sheen of sweat covering his brown.

His flannel shirt clinging to his chest…

Hayes shuts the door against the storm and faces me. For a long moment, we just stare at each other. Both of us nearly out of breath.

“You okay?” he asks, voice rough.

I nod, but my body shivers, giving me away.

Without hesitation, Hayes steps closer, his hands lowering the zipper on my borrowed cut. He pulls it off my body and reaches for the jacket I’d been wearing.

He unsnaps the clasp at my neck. His calloused fingers brush my neck, and I suck in a breath through parted lips. His gaze drops to my mouth.

His eyes darken even more. Then he shakes his head.

“You’re freezing.” He clears his throat. “Come here.”

He pulls me toward the stove. On the way, he grabs a thick blanket from the back of the couch and drapes it over my shoulders.

He moves me to the front of the sofa. “Sit.”

I sink onto the worn couch, and he crouches in front of me, rubbing my arms through the blanket.

“Thank you,” I manage, through chattering teeth.

Hayes lifts his gaze to mine, and the intensity in them once again steals my breath.

His hand rises, fingers brushing along the edge of the blanket near my throat. Gently, he adjusts it, his knuckles grazing my collarbone, lingering longer than necessary.

I give another shiver. This one isn’t from the cold.

“I told your dad I’d keep you safe.” His thumb grazes the delicate skin above the collar of my shirt. “And I will.”

“I believe you.”

His breath brushes over my lips. We’re close enough, it wouldn’t take much to press my mouth to his.

It’s tempting.

For a moment, I swear I see the same idea cross his mind.

I hold my breath, every nerve ending straining toward him.

Abruptly, he clears his throat and pulls back, his jaw clenched. “Get some rest, Elise.”

Without another word, he pushes to his feet and steps away, putting distance between us.

He turns back out toward the storm, muttering something about bringing in more wood, even though the pile is already stocked.

The door closes behind him, and I’m left alone. Heart racing. Skin tingling. Wondering if I imagined that fire of desire in his eyes again.

God, I hope so.

TWO

HAYES

The moment I leave Elise sitting by the fire, every muscle in my body screams in protest.

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