Page 12 of Auctioned to the Mountain Man

If he weren’t a giant, I have no doubt how easily I’d kiss him right about now. Unfortunately, I don’t think I could reach him if I tried to stand on the tips of my toes.

I really want to kiss him again.

“Much better.” Humming in the back of my throat, my mouth curves into a smile. “Stuff gets everywhere, you know?”

His eyes search mine as my touch lingers for too long before I pull back. For only a brief moment, they flicker down, and I wonder if he’s considering kissing me again. Before I can ponder for long, he’s clearing his throat again and stepping out of my reach.

“Let’s go. Might be able to avoid the lunch rush.” Giving me his back, he leads me away from the workshop and toward a different truck. This one is just a normal vehicle, unlike the box truck he packs up for deliveries.

When I slide in, I take a deep breath, and tremble. The seats, the console,everythinghas his scent—like he spends each ride dousing everything nearby with his cologne.

Even when I try to get away from it, I can’t. Like a constant form of temptation, I have to push this down and pretend everything is going to be just fine.

He slides in next to me, wasting no time taking the dirt trail down the mountain.

He doesn’t bring up the kisses. Doesn’t explain what in the heck all of this means for us. I need some kind of direction here. Something to point me in therightdirection.

Unfortunately, he’s more concerned with getting to Ridge Rock Hardware to get a box of screws and some hinges than to solve the mysteries of our situation.

I let my mind wander as he busies himself with the tedious task, my gaze drifting to the plants nearby—their leaves trembling in the faint breeze. Twisting around with the intention of looking at something more interesting, he stops me.

He’s never been one for words, but his body speaks volumes. Without a glance, his hand finds the small of my back, fingers pressing into the curve like he’s mapping me from memory.

The touch of his lingers, possessive yet effortless, as he flips the box in his other hand with careless precision as he looks over the numbers printed on the label.

No hesitation, no explanation—just the quiet certainty of a man who acts on instinct, as if defying reason is the most natural thing in the world.

This man embodies frustration. I can’t tell if he wants to put distance between us or erase it.

Even though he doesn’t give me any explanation of why he does what he does, I soak in his warmth and appreciate the plants from a distance.

Silas might leave me feeling confused and a little lost, but there’s no denying how nice it feels to be wanted.

For a little while, I won’t fight him. Instead, I’ll secretly enjoy the moment.

6

Silas

“So, what did you go to school for?”

Tucked away in a booth at the Maplewood diner, I watch as Lily devours her fries on her plate.

My stomach twists and turns, hungry for something that isn’t the half-eaten burger on my plate.

Sitting back in her seat, my eyes follow her fingers as her tongue swipes at the salt clinging to them. “I got my associate’s in hospitality management.”

The way she stuffs her mouth with another fry to end the conversation, I try to think of anything nearby she’d do for a living. Willowbrook Ridge isn’t some busy city. We’ve got a motel at best, and a handful of bed and breakfasts on the mountain. There’s that lodge, too.

“What do you do for a living?” Figuring the quickest way to get the information I need is to ask, I watch as her cheeks turn a pinkish hue.

“Is this why you insisted on buying me lunch? All you wanted to do was interrogate me?” She cocks a brow, hardly hiding the stiffness to her words.

“I want to know why I didn’t know of your existence before yesterday.” Admitting the truth, my words ease the tension in her shoulders—the color pink spreads toward her ears.

“I work as a housekeeper. Most of my time is spent at Shady Pines Lodge. I don’t get a lot of free time to myself, so when I do, I don’t ever leave my apartment.” Lowering her gaze, she pushes around the remainder of her food. “This weekend was supposed to be a break from my usual routine.”

I’ve never had a reason to stay at the lodge, but I’ve heard it’s quite nice. Once tomorrow arrives, and I have to say my goodbyes, I’ll have to contact the owner and see if they want to order something with a discount. Maybe some outdoor benches, or a table, or something big enough of a project that’ll give me the chance to catch a glimpse of Lily while she’s in her zone.

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