Page 16 of Mountain Wood
“No, yeah, I’m fine. I just…”You got yourself into this, Grace. Now you’re screwed. I told you not to do it.“I um… was wondering if you had any barbeque sauce.”
“What?”
“It’s just that I had all the stuff to make second dinner, but I forgot barbeque sauce and now…” I want to crawl under a rock and die of embarrassment. “I’m too scared to go back out tonight and get some. It’s fine. Forget I called. It’s not important, I’m being—”
“Grace?”
“Yes?”
“I’m on my way.”
Chapter 5
Dean
Is barbeque sauce code forI’m in danger, come help me?
For all the paranoia I’m rocking, you’d think I haven’t lived on this slice of paradise my entire fucking life. There’s never an issue around here. Even the bears are relatively chill.
But Grace shouldn’t be here alone. What I’m about to say will make me sound like a complete asshole, but she doesn’t strike me as the outdoorsy type. Her six-figure luxury vehicle, designer bags and clothes, perfect makeup, and fresh manicure scream Princess Energy.
Is she on the run? In hiding?
There are better resorts in this area that are tailored to meet all the needs of a woman like Grace Finch. Bear Creek Cabins ain’t it.
So yeah, I’m racing to her, and just in case it’s a false alarm, I’ve got a half-filled bottle of barbeque sauce from my fridge with me, too. Because the truth of it is, I’m going to provide her with anything and everything she needs while she’s here.
And I’m talking about going well beyond general hospitality.
A quick scan of the outside of her cabin tells me everything’s clear and when I hop up on her porchand knock, she opens it with a wine glass in her hand. “Hey.”
Hey? She just scared me to death, and she gives me ahey?
Dean, you have got to calm down, dumbass.
“Oh, thank you!” She beams, snagging the bottle out of my hand. I stand in the doorframe feeling stupid. She really only called for barbeque sauce. Why the fuck did I blow it up and make it something so much worse?
I should be relieved. Instead, the protective instincts in me are still surging with the need to hold her tight, keep her warm, feed her and guard her from any predators around here.
Except the only wild animal I’m seeing is me.
And my dick must think it’s rutting season, because it’s hardening.
I really need to get out more if all it takes is one insanely sexy city girl waltzing into my life to have me acting like a caveman.
Grace leaves me standing on her porch with the door wide open. She’s got what she needs, so I should go.
Except I can’t stop staring at her ass in those cute pajama pants. And the way her oversized sweatshirt hangs off one shoulder has my mouth watering because I want to lick her collarbone, nibble that dainty neck, and devour her sweet pouty mouth.
Down boy.
“If you’re going to stand there and let all my heat out, I’m going to make you start a fire for me, Dean.”
Is that a threat or a request?
Wait. It’s not even warm in here. Fucking hell, has she been without heat this whole time? These cabins rely on their fireplaces in winter. Did she not start a fire when she arrived?
I should have done that for her.
