by Jenika Snow
Kozmo is by my side a second later, but Rosie takes a little coercing to get out from under the warmth of the blanket. She hobbles over to me, and I scoop her up but walk over and grab the blanket to wrap her up. I have no doubt Kozmo will be fine walking in this weather. He’s a tank on the best of days. Taking a deep breath, I reach for the handle.
I stay like that for a moment, afraid to open the door and no doubt get an onslaught from the weather. “Ready, boy?” I look down at Kozmo. He tips his head back and makes a whiny noise. Exhaling deeply, I pull it open.
Immediately the wind pushes back, the frigid air enough to take my breath away. I duck my head and step outside, Kozmo following right behind me. Once the door is shut, I haul ass down the porch, around the side, and make my way up the hill. The snow is violent as it slams against me, pushing me forward then back again. What pisses me off more than this weather is the fact I have to force myself to go ask him for help.
I slip more times than I want to admit, but I keep going until I’m finally standing at his front door and see his lights. He has power, which doesn’t surprise me when I hear his generator roaring. I know he’s going to rub that shit in my face. I bring my frozen knuckles down on the wood three times and take a small step back.
A moment later the door flies open, and Luke stands in front of me. His plaid flannel is unbuttoned and showing off the white T-shirt beneath that’s stretched across his hard chest. His broad shoulders block out everything behind him but I ignore the smug as hell smile he’s wearing, and instead focus on the heat seeping from the inside of the cabin and washing over me.
He says nothing as he steps aside and allows me and the dogs to enter. I’m biting my tongue fiercely right now, but I swear to everything that is holy, if he says one thing about being right, I’ll unleash the She-Bitch on his ass.
6
LUKE
I lean against the kitchen counter with my arms crossed—my focus on Kylie. She’s in the oversized chair in front of the fire, her dogs by her feet. I’m holding back right now, knowing that if I tell her I was right—the old “I told you so”—she’d rip me a new asshole. But a part of me wants to say those words anyway because her sass and defiance turn me on like no other.
She holds her arms out, her palms facing toward the flames. She starts rubbing them back and forth, and I know she’s probably frozen to the bone. Even if the trek between our cabins isn’t that long, the weather right now is a son of a bitch. No doubt if she stayed out there any longer than necessary—between falling or running into something in the dark—she could’ve gotten seriously injured.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” She glances over her shoulder at me, her big ass German Shepherd mix doing the same. I narrow my eyes at the dog, silently cursing him out as I think about all the shit he’s done in the short amount of time he’s been living next door.
He’s a menace—a big ass furry menace.
“Something warm to drink would actually be really nice. As long as you don’t poison it.”
I stand there a minute, our focus locked on each other. I pull back a smug smile at the seriousness of her tone, but I don’t comment on her attitude.
I give a brisk nod and turn away from her. I open the cabinets and grab two mugs. I already had a pot of coffee brewed before she came over, so I pour us both a cup.
“How do you take your coffee?” I shout just loud enough for her to hear.
“Sugar and cream, please.”
I grimace, not having either of those options. “I have milk.”
“No sugar?” She looks over her shoulder.
“No, the last damsel in distress I saved used it all,” I deadpan.
She releases a frustrated breath and rolls her eyes. “Milk is fine.”
“You know…” I begin when I walk over. “If you’re going to live out here you should educate yourself on what country life is really like.” She takes the mug from me, and I can see how she grits her teeth and locks her jaw before muttering a thank you.
“Yeah, I plan to make some adjustments for sure.” She doesn’t look at me as she speaks. I sit down in the chair across from her and stretch my legs out, crossing them at the ankles. For long moments neither of us say anything, our focus on the flames as they lick across the logs. Kozmo is snoring loudly, and I grunt and shake my head.
“I’d start with a fence,” I say behind my mug before taking a sip.
She glares at me, furrowing her brows as she brings the mug up to her full lips.
“How long do you think the blizzard is going to last?” she asks.
Lifting my hand and scrubbing it across my jaw, the days’ worth of stubble scratches along my palm. “Well it’s a bad one,” I say matter-of-factly. “Several days at least. But these types of storms aren’t unusual for being this high up in the mountains.”
She nods slowly and turns back to stare at the fire.
“I just want you to know I sure as hell didn’t want to come over here and ask for help.”
I grin even though she isn’t looking at me.
“I’m sure you didn’t.” I hold back from laughing. “I bet it was pretty fucking painful coming over here knowing I was right and you were wrong.” The fact my words no doubt get under her skin turns me on more than it should.
I can hear her teeth grinding. Kylie leans back in the chair and exhales, the coffee mug resting on her lap, her fingers playing over the rim. I have to give her credit for not snapping back at me. I probably deserve it.
“Maybe I’m not cut out for this type of lifestyle,” she says almost absentmindedly as if she’s speaking to herself. “Because truth is I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.” When she looks at me, I feel my heart pound a little harder.
I don’t know what it is about this woman, but she has everything inside of me coming alive.
Her hair is piled up high on her head; the wisps that have fallen free from the messy bun are damp from the snow that’s melted. I stare at her profile, her nose small and petite, the tip slightly arched. Her lips are full and red—kissable. And her cheeks—painted rosy—has my cock getting hard. But I have willpower, a hell of a lot of it, and I shift slightly, forcing myself to stay in control.
“Refill?” I ask after a moment. She looks down at her mug then nods before handing it over to me.
“Thanks,” she says softly and tucks her feet under her bottom. I think about her ass, those tight little mounds that have my fingers itching and my need rising. It brings back memories of last night when I was in the shower thinking of that ass as I pumped my cock raw.
Clearing my throat, I make my way into the kitchen, refilling both of the cups and standing there a moment. Staring out the kitchen window, I watch as the snow shoots against the glass from the violent wind. I hear one of the dogs up and moving around, but I ignore it.
“You can sleep in the spare room tonight. There are extra blankets in the linen closet that you can use.” I glance over my shoulder at her, but she’s still looking at the flames of the fire.
“Thanks. That’d be really nice seeing as I don’t have electricity, a working stove, or even firewood.” She snorts. “God, that sounds so ridiculous when I say it out loud.”
“You’re just not used to this way of living. You’ll get the hang of it.” I try to comfort her though she’s right. It is ridiculous how unprepared she is.
I start making us some sandwiches because I need to keep busy—keep my mind off of Kylie and what I’d like to do to her. I mean this is the perfect setup, really. Girl can’t stay at her place, has to come to the burly mountain man’s cabin for warmth and food. Ambience, isolation—sounds like the perfect fucking setup to a cheesy romance story.
I’m the one to snort now.
Once the sandwiches are made, I add some chips and pickles to the plate. It’s nothing fancy, but it’ll do the trick since I doubt she ate dinner. I set the plates aside and continue keeping myself busy by grabbing the extra blankets from the closet. Next, I h
ead into my room and grab a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, knowing they’ll hang off her slender form. I can’t help the possessive part of me that rises up at the very thought of her wearing my clothing, of my scent covering her body.
This sound leaves me, one that’s a mix between a growl and a grunt. I need to control myself, need to realize that this woman and I are never going to happen. We’re on opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s best if she stays on her side and I on mine.
But that doesn’t stop me from wanting her like a fiend.
After placing the extra clothes and blankets on the dresser of the spare room, I head back into the kitchen, grab the coffee refills, and head over toward her and hand her the mug. I set mine down on the table between us and go back into the kitchen for our food. Once I’m standing in front of her again, I hand her a plate and sit back in my chair.
“Thanks,” she says softly, and I grunt in response.
I start eating, the sound of the fire crackling overly loud. I look over at the smaller of the two dogs lying by Kylie’s feet. She’s sound asleep, snoring lightly. I glance over to where the “destroyer” should be and see he’s not there. My body goes ramrod straight as I sit fully up in the chair and look around the room. I don’t want him on my property let alone in my house, but if he’s wandering around who’s to say he won’t shit all over the place?
I don’t see him at first, but I certainly hear his ass. Over by the front door, slightly hiding behind the bench that’s stacked with extra boots and my winter jacket, I can see his furry ass tail sticking out.
Setting the plate aside, I stand and turn to face him, noticing on the other side of the bench is part of my boot, slightly moving around, as he’s no doubt making a meal out of it.
“Motherfucker,” I grind out and stalk toward the bench. Looking over, I see Kozmo chewing on the heel of my boot, the leather torn up from his sharp ass teeth. He looks up at me. If dogs could talk he’d be screaming, “Fuck you and this boot, Luke.”
“What’s wrong?” Kylie asks.
I turn and face Kylie, who’s already standing and walking toward me. When she sees what her dog did, she exhales and reaches down to pry the boot away from Kozmo. She hands it to me with this sympathetic look on her face, but I can tell it’s not genuine. I snatch the boot out of her hand, dog slobber covering half of it, leather piece hanging on by a thread. I make another disgruntled sound. “Your dog is a fucking menace.”
She rolls her eyes and places her hands on her hips. “He’s a dog, and he’s scared too. That’s the kind of shit they do.”
I feel my eyes widen at the angry tone she’s throwing my way. She’s mad at me? For pointing out the obvious—that her dog is fucking destructive?
This woman has to be certifiably insane.
“You have got to be shitting me.” For a long moment, we just stare at each other, this silent standoff between us. Finally, I huff out and wave my hand between her and Kozmo. “Look, you’re welcome to stay here, but you better keep your dog under fucking control. I don’t want my shit destroyed because you can’t handle him.”
She narrows her eyes at me and takes a step back. “Come on, Kozmo.” She pats her hand on the side of her thigh, all the while staring right into my eyes. “I’d leave you in peace if I knew I could last in my own place in this damn weather.” Her eyes are narrowed again. “And as much as I’m thankful you’re letting me and my menacing dogs crash here, you’re kind of an asshole.”
I snort and cross my arms over my chest, knowing she’s got more to say.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be out of your hair soon enough.” The dog sits beside her leg and makes a soft whining noise. All I can do is shake my head and walk away.
“You and your damn animals are gonna be the death of me,” I mumble under my breath as I head toward my room. “I’m calling it a night.” I don’t bother looking over my shoulder at her. “I think going to bed now is probably the best option, for both of our sanities.”
If I didn’t walk away from her, no doubt World War III would erupt in my living room. That or I’d end up letting my desire for her consume me, and that’s just a disaster waiting to happen.
7
KYLIE
Ugh! That man is so infuriating!
I know I should be thankful that he’s even letting the dogs and me stay at his cabin, but he has a way of acting really nice but saying really rude things all at the same time. His mood swings are worse than a chick on her period.
After finishing the sandwich Luke made, I pick up Rosie and call for Kozmo to follow me. I’m not sure where the extra room is, but I assume it’s down the same hallway Luke went so I walk that way.
Kozmo tilts his nose up into the air as if he’s on the case to find which room is ours for the night. There are three doors. One is open with a lamp glowing, so I assume that’s mine for the night. Before I can double-check, Kozmo is pushing his nose on the closed door and nudging it. It swings open, and when I rush to grab him, I’m frozen in place when I see Luke standing completely naked next to his bed.
I suck in a breath, completely horrified, but also instantly aroused. The smug bastard also does nothing to cover himself. He just stands there, staring at me like the arrogant bastard he is.
“Shit, I’m sorry. We were looking for my room, and Kozmo got confused,” I ramble off, blinking and trying to avoid looking directly at his cock that’s saluting straight up to the ceiling. What the fuck? I feel my face heat something fierce, and know it’s probably red as a tomato.
“It’s the room across the hall,” he says, his voice low and controlled.
Swallowing hard, I shake my head and lick my lips. God, my throat is so dry and tight. “Right. Okay, thanks again.” I reach for Kozmo’s collar, but he walks away before I can grab him.
“Um…” I hold my hand, covering my vision from the lower half of his body. He doesn’t seem phased in the least that he’s rock hard and naked in front of me. “Can you maybe cover yourself?”
“I sleep naked.”
“Well, you aren’t asleep right this second, so…”
“Yeah but I’m in my house getting ready for bed. Why? Does it bother you?” My gaze lands on Luke’s just as the corner of his lips tilt up, flashing straight, white teeth. “It’s just the human body. I’m sure you’ve seen a naked man before.” He lifts an eyebrow, mocking me.
He thinks this is funny, which is starting to piss me off. “Would it bother you if I just stood here buck ass naked?” I throw back in his face, hoping to make my point.
He crosses his arms over his chest and straightens his shoulders. “Not at all. In fact, lying naked next to someone is the fastest way to warm up.”
“Well when I get that desperate for heat, I’ll let you know.” My tone is laced with sarcasm, which he doesn’t miss as he narrows his eyes at me. I pull on Kozmo’s collar and drag him out of the room. I don’t release him until I’m shut the bedroom door behind me.
“Good night, Kylie,” I hear him shout in an amused tone, which grates on my nerves even more.
If it wasn’t bad enough that he’s all sexy and muscular with dark unruly hair, he has a sleeve of tattoos on one arm and a six-pack of abs that could cut teeth. He’s the complete opposite of my type, which makes my attraction to him even more frustrating.
Once I’m in my room, I notice the blankets and a stack of clothes on the dresser. I grab the clothes and am immediately hit with his scent. Oh for fuck’s sake. The clothes are way too big for me, and no doubt I’ll drown in them, but it doesn’t stop me from putting them on anyway.
I get under the covers and shut off the lamp, plunging the room in blackness. No one told me how dark it got at night this high up in the mountains. I snuggle deeper under the comforter, the sheets chilled from the lack of use. The wind continues to howl for hours, but Rosie and Kozmo snuggle up close to me and keep me warm. I’m exhausted, yet I can’t sleep. I forgot my cell phone back at my house, but it wouldn’t do me any good anyway
. If the power lines went out, more than likely the cell towers did too.
Leaning over to turn the lamp on, I see a picture frame on the nightstand I hadn’t noticed earlier. I pick it up and see a woman with red hair about my age standing in the middle of what looks like a park. She’s smiling as the sun beats down on her. Her arm is stretched out, and she’s holding hands with whoever is taking the picture. You only see the guy’s hand in the photo, but I already know it’s Luke’s. They’re big and manly, and I’m almost certain he wouldn’t have this if it wasn’t special to him. However, the fact that it’s in this room and not his leaves me with more questions.
After tossing and turning for a handful of minutes, I finally get up to get a glass of water from the connected bathroom. I set the now filled glass on the nightstand and climb back into bed. After only a moment I start to feel sleep take hold. Rosie is nuzzled up to my side as Kozmo lays by my feet. It might not be home, but it’s definitely the next best thing.
The feel of Kozmo jumping off the bed has me waking up. I instantly smell bacon and the scent of coffee, and I know Luke’s in the kitchen making breakfast. Flashes of him standing nude surface in my mind, and I imagine Luke sleeping naked, cooking naked, walking around without a stitch of clothing on.
Oh God.
I need to get the image of his cock out of my head, but there’s no going back now. It’ll continue to haunt me, knowing what he looks like—what all of him looks like. He’s not playing fair, and he knows it. He thinks he has the upper hand, trying to rattle me and see how far he can push until I crack.
Well, if that’s the case, Mr. Ruthless Mountain Man has met his match.
Slipping out of bed, I adjust my messy bun, slide off his too-baggy sweatpants, and unhook my bra before tossing it to the floor. His T-shirt hangs off my shoulder to one side and is just long enough to cover my ass cheeks. Perfect.
