“Yeah, everyone will hunker down. We’re used to it around here.”
“What I’m hearing is I need to load my Kindle up with some new books.”
“Those books you read will keep a girl warm.”
“Grams!”
“I might have peeked at a few of them.” She winks at me, and my face warms. I can’t help but wonder what titles she might have seen.
“A girl's Kindle is private.”
“That mean you won’t give me any recommendations?”
“Grams,” I groan.
“Hey, I’m no prude. I’ve been having sex for over forty years.” My mouth falls open, and I have no response for that. “Oh, and we almost sold out of all those sweets you made.”
I grab on to the change of subject. “Really?” I say, surprised. “I didn’t think anyone would actually buy them.”
Grams suggested I sell them at the store since the kitchen had become flooded with all my desserts. I’ve always loved to bake, and it’s something Dad and I often did together. Mom was terrible in the kitchen, but she was the best taste tester, so it worked out well for all of us.
“Yeah, I think there’s only a few things left. You'll have to make more.” A bubble of excitement fills me. “I’m going to pop into the hardware store to grab a few things. Can you man the counter for a bit?” Grams asks. “Don’t give me that look. You’ve got this. I promise I wouldn’t leave you alone if I didn’t think you could handle it.”
“All right,” I nervously agree. The cash register and I aren’t on the best of terms, but we’re getting friendlier each day.
“I won’t be long.” She gives me a quick kiss before she leaves, and I step behind the counter and pull out my Kindle. I’m searching for a few books to download now since the Wi-Fi is better here at the store than at the house.
The bell on the door chimes, and it draws my attention away from my search. When I look up, a man steps into the store, and my stomach dips.
He’s a mountain man unlike any I’ve ever seen.
Chapter Two
WILDER
I can practically smell the storm coming as I hop out of my truck and trudge through the snow. It’s reported to be one of the smaller ones this season, but I’m not so sure. I’ve got this sneaking suspicion something is coming. Something big.
My cousin Connor and his wife Evie gave me a list of supplies they wanted to stock up on. Not surprising Evie wants sour cream and onion chips. She’s been eating them non-stop since her second trimester and Connor had to request that the general store keep more in stock.
My twin sister Natalie is staying with our mom while the storm comes through, even though my mom has told her a million times she’s fine. We worry about her, but that woman has chopped wood in her bare feet with knee-deep snow all around her. She’s tough as nails and doesn’t need a babysitter. Truth be told, I think Natalie gets scared being alone in her cabin with bad weather, but she’d never admit it to me. Probably because I’d tease her about it for the rest of her life.
My log cabin is probably the most remote of all of ours and sunk back into the woods. It’s quiet out there, but I don’t mind it. Especially since we’ve closed the bunkhouses to skiers for the season. After Connor met Evie, he wanted to shut it down completely, and we didn’t argue with him. Sometimes we get requests from friends of people in town to come and stay, so we open them in the warmer months. Right now, it’s just us, and although I don’t miss the people all up in our shit, talking to someone besides my immediate family is nice.
Since last winter I’ve let my hair and beard grow a little long, but it’s nice to have something on my face when the wind cuts. As I open the door to the general store, I pull off my winter hat and knock my boots against the shoe brush next to the entrance. Most of it comes off, but they still squeak on the old hardwood floors.
When I finally look up, I see a woman behind the counter that I know I’ve never seen in town before. I’d never miss eyes like hers. They’re big and a soft brown, like fall leaves in the woods. Her black hair has copper highlights, and it’s so beautiful I wonder what it would be like to run my fingers through it.
My legs move before I can tell them to, and I’m walking slowly to the counter. I haven’t blinked, haven’t taken a breath, since I laid eyes on this stranger. I lick my lips and open my mouth to say something, but all I can think about is kissing her. Would she taste like fire or the smoke that lingers afterwards? Would she be so hot she’d burn straight through me, or would she smolder like a cinder in my chest? Cinder. That’s what it feels like when I look at her. A warmth beginning at my heart and slowly spreading all over me.