book title

A hot, ex-military, handy mountain man is in my kitchen, and I don’t know how to keep my cool. As I pour him a cup of coffee, I rake my eyes over his dark eyes, big beard, and muscled shoulders. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man as burly as him. He’s not just scary big. He has a sense of humor and a kind smile too.

Sure, at first, I thought he was a burglar or a peeping tom. I might’ve hit his ladder with a frying pan. I panicked and didn’t know what else to do. He had tools, and he’s so giant that he could’ve knocked me out with one finger, but now that I know he’s innocent, I’m not scared of him anymore.

“So, do you go running around town fixing people’s houses a lot, or was this a one-off?” I ask him.

He laughs, his voice deep and full of reverb. “It was a one-off, for now at least. Falcon’s my best friend, and I wanted to help him out. It would be nice to make a business out of home repairs, though. I love working with my hands.”

“Oh, you’re good with your hands, are you?” I ask, the innuendo of what I’m asking not lost on me.

And not on him either, judging by how his gaze dips to my lips.

“I guess you could say that,” he says. “What about you?”

“Me? What do you mean?”

He grins. “Do you use your hands for work, or do you have an office-type job?”

“I’m an artist. A painter and sculptor, to be more exact.” I add a splash of milk to my coffee. “Some of my work is being showcased at Hiker’s Haven. Rosie goes out of her way to offer local artists a place to show their work. I dream of owning a cabin in the woods with a shed where I can paint and sculpt all day long while the sun streams through the windows.” I shake my head and smile. “I know how naïve and dreamy that sounds. Lots of people have told me so already.”

“Really? Since when is being ambitious and following your dreams considered naïve? I think it’s great you have a goal and a purpose. I’d say go for it. A place like that in the mountains sounds like heaven to me.”

I mean it. Apart from Rosie and a handful of others, no one has ever encouraged me to believe in my dreams like that.

“What about you? You mentioned being in the Army?” I ask, hoping I’m not overstepping or reminding him of some sort of trauma.

He takes a long sip of his coffee, his expression suddenly serious. “I was. I got honorably discharged.” He points to his left ear. “Can’t hear a thing from this side. I ended up with a busted eardrum thanks to a bomb that exploded nearby. I got lucky. Some of the other guys in my squad didn’t.”

My heart sinks at the gravity of his words. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to witness that. “That must’ve been a horrible experience.”

His gaze darkens, and he pushes his chair back so abruptly that it almost falls over. “Do you have a bathroom?”

I almost answer with something silly like, no, I always pee in the backyard, but this is not the time to be witty. I can tell Austin’s having a hard time and wants to be left alone for a bit.

“Down the hall. First door on the right,” I tell him with a friendly smile.

He walks out of the kitchen. The sunlight shining through the window illuminates the glint of a tear in his eyes before he disappears through the door. Why did I think it was a good idea to bring up his time in the Army? I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

Ten minutes later, he returns to the kitchen.

“Sorry about that,” he says.

I wait for him to say something. If he wants to talk about his time in the Army, I’d be more than happy to, but if he’d rather steer the conversation in an entirely different direction, that would be great too.

He clears his throat. “Those drawings on the bathroom wall, they’re yours?”

I nod. “Yeah. Do you think it’s weird that I showcase my work in my bathroom?”

“No,” he says with a laugh. “It’s healthy to be proud of your work. You should be. Your art is amazing.”

“Thanks. I wish I could make a full-time income doing what I love, but I have a part-time job on the side.”

I grin. “I work for Falcon’s company. His and his brothers.”

“RidgeRoam Adventure Tours?” he asks as if that surprises him.

“It’s office work. I’m not out there guiding white-water rafting tours or hot-air balloon flights. I cover the bookings office.” I smile. “Office sounds fancy, right? It’s more of a shack where tourists can sign up for tours. I handle waivers, bookings, payments… The whole nine yards. I like it. The work is varied enough to keep things interesting, and I meet a lot of people every day. And the Kingsley brothers are all great guys.”

“I know. I grew up with them. Falcon is still one of my best friends. I consider him family.”

“Small world. Then you must be their age?”

He laughs. “Are you saying I’m ancient?”

“Nah,” I reply. “What are you, thirty-two? That’s hardly old.”

He shrugs. “I suppose not. What about you?”

“Twenty-two,” I confess, suddenly feeling super young compared to him. “Still figuring life out.”

“I don’t think anyone ever fully figures life out. Look at me. I’m thirty-two and even I feel like I’m still trying to find my footing. I joined the Army when I was eighteen. I was practically still a kid.” He shakes his head. “A decade in the Army changes a person, you know.”

“Wow, I can only imagine.”

He nods, a distant look in his eyes. “But I’m here now, trying to figure out where to go from here. Fixing women’s gutters only to be hit by a frying pan.”

I give him a playful slap on the arm. “Hey, that’s on you, not me.”

“I know. I’m just messing with you.” He glances at the oven to check the time. “I’d better go. Thank you for the coffee and the chat.”

I get up and lead him to the door. I don’t want him to leave, but I can’t expect him to spend his entire day with me.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you around, neighbor,” he says.

“I hope so. If you ever need some sugar, you can always come knocking.”

He grins. “I will remember that, Casey.”

He walks away, but I don’t close the door yet. I want another moment to check out that hot ass of him. Right before he enters his house, I catch Mrs. Kingsley from across the street, checking him out. I chuckle. Guess I’m not the only one around here who appreciates a good-looking guy.