Page 28 of The One With the Mountain Man

The corner of his lips curled up in a small smile. "And I can tell that whatever is going on in your real life has your guard way, way up. I don't want to scare you, Marley. Fuck, that's the opposite of what I want." He glanced up and down the river with a shrug. "I told you there's magic in the mountains and there is. It's why I roam them, why I spend all my time out there instead of right here." He nodded first to the peaks in the distance, then over his shoulder at the tiny town behind us. "If you let it, Lost Creek, this river, these mountains, can be the magic you need."

He sounded so sure. So...hopeful. For me? "Why do you care?"

Another sweep of his eyes and shake of his head. "I honestly don't know. But I haven't met someone I wanted to sit and talk with like this in a long, long time. I don't like that sad look in your eyes. I don't think you deserve it. And I know these mountains heal me. I want that for you, too."

Damn that was sweet. And honest. I didn't doubt that for a second. "You like talking to me?"

The small smile returned. "A lot, actually. All your contradictions and funny stories about a strange land I've never been to called Florida." He swept his hand through the air, his eyes twinkling.

Nervous anticipation filled me. I wanted to keep talking to Jackson, but now that I knew how rare that was for him, it was all the more special. I wanted to be the woman he gave some of his time to. Even if this was temporary.

"Are you asking me on a date?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't have to be so defined. What are you doing for the rest of the day? I did come highly recommended as a guide."

That sounded lovely and dangerous and fun and insane. "I'm not sure I'm ready for a hike. I'm still adjusting to the altitude." Just wandering near the cabin had me breathless.

"That's okay. Where are you staying? Is it here in Lost Creek?"

Normally the last thing I would do is tell a man I just met where I was staying. Especially since I was all alone up on that mountain. But for whatever mystical reason, I trusted Jackson. Besides, we were already neighbors. I rolled my lips between my teeth to hold in my grin. "You don't happen to be staying in a barn?"

His eyes narrowed. "Yes..."

"Howdy neighbor." I gave him a finger wave.

He blinked. "Wait.You'remy reclusive neighbor? You're staying at the Golden Hour?"

"That's me."

He threw back his head and started laughing. It was deep and rich and masculine. It made the hair on my arm raise up in a strangely good way. "Oh, man." He shook his head and met my gaze. "Sometimes life is real subtle. And sometimes it's so obvious you have to laugh, you know?"

"I think I'm starting to believe that." I didn't put a whole lot of stock in fate, not with the way life had unfolded for me so far. But this...this was changing my mind. It felt like something bigger than us was throwing us together.

Jackson's head jerked and he scowled at something behind us. "They just can't help themselves, can they?" he muttered.

When I followed his gaze, I found Sharon and Maeve taking a very slow walk along the river above us.

"Meddling book nerds," he muttered. "I told you to leave us alone!" he shouted.

All that got him was a smile and a shrug from Sharon and a grin from Maeve.

It was really sweet how much they cared. But I didn't want an audience to what might be happening with Jackson any more than he did. "Dinner at my place." I blurted out. "Bring wine."

Ten

Jackson

Like nature is drawing me a map to the pot of gold

"So this iswhy they named it Golden Hour." The view from Marley's deck was pretty spectacular. A clear shot at the mountains, now bathed in a nice golden glow from the setting sun, plus a whole lot of blue sky.

"But wait, there's more." She set a beer on the railing for me while taking a sip from her own.

I stared at her lips a moment too long before turning back to the mountains. "Oh yeah?"

"Just give it a few more minutes."

Every time she smiled, I felt good for some reason. Like I earned a gold fucking star. "Interesting." How did this even happen? One minute I was just living my life and then I get a phone call from Karis asking me to come home. I thought it would be like every other trip. I'd come home, get some teasing and more than a few guilt trips, do the family thing, see my friends, and then escape.

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