Sheltered by the Surly Forester (Wolfe Mountain Men #6)

Chapter 2

2

EMIE

M y eyes feel gigantic. Have I forgotten to blink? I'm supposed to be looking out for psychos, but here I am acting like one, simply staring at the enormous, beyond gorgeous man who stopped for me. His expression is stern, but softens as he approaches.

"You wouldn’t be hitchhiking, would you?" His low, smoky voice makes me want to melt, even as I tell myself to keep my guard up.

"Kind of." I hesitate. "I've been looking for a work truck, or anything driven by a woman."

"That’s hitchhiking. I just got a call from the police, you know."

My eyes widen even more. "Someone called the cops on me?"

A hint of a smile drifts across his lips. Wow, are his eyes green? "We're careful out here. We look out for people." His gaze drops to my enormous backpack and rolling suitcase. "You off somewhere important, or should I drive you home?"

"Oh. I'm kind of…between homes."

I hate the way he looks at me so piteously. "Where were you headed?"

"Pinesley. My friend?—"

He's already grabbing my bags. "No. You can't go there. Get in. Let's run you back to town and get a hot meal into you, then we can figure out what's what."

I appreciate his no-nonsense attitude. He's a bit bossy, but I really am starving. Before he starts the truck, he makes a call. "Hey, James. Taking that highway girl to Fran's. I'll sort it out. Yeah."

As he drives toward Old Hemlock Valley, his eyes drift to me. "I'm Josh."

"Emie. Thank you so much for the ride."

His half-grumble sounds like, "No problem." But it’s tough to be sure.

It only takes a few minutes to get to town, and he pulls up in front of a charming diner. "It's not too expensive here, is it?" I ask. "I'm down to my last?—"

"On me. Don't worry." He comes around to take my hand politely and help me climb down from the enormous pickup. Although he's just being gentlemanly, the touch of his fingers through mine sends shivers curling around my ribs and stomach like ivy climbing a building.

My jacket catches on the doorframe, and as I pull it loose my body half-tumbles into his arms, my face against his chest. His hand lands in the center of my back, holding me against him. I can't help breathing him in, his woodsy pine and warm, masculine scent sending prickles through me.

I've never had this sort of instant reaction to a man before. The urge to burrow into his arms and run my hands up his back to feel the wall of muscle…

My chin lifts as we both freeze, toe-to-toe, and I look up at him. Yeah, his eyes are green. Almost a green-gray, as if the forest is inside him. I shouldn't be making silly poetic comparisons right now, but this guy…the warmth I feel when he looks at me… There's something about him.

Josh is staring at me as if he's trying to memorize my face. Did his pupils just widen? Then he seems to realize how close he's holding me, and he shakes his head as he steps back. "Let's get you fed."

As soon as we're inside and seated, a friendly woman comes by with menus. "Hey, Josh. How are you?"

"Great, thanks, Gina. Could you please bring us fries and a large OJ right away while we decide?"

"Of course."

They arrive in seconds, and he pushes them both toward me. I chug half of the juice, feeling a little embarrassed at the concerned look he gives me. I don't want his pity. Yet I do feel a wash of warmth through my heart to have such a handsome mountain man taking care of me so attentively.

We both order burgers and salad, then Josh stares at me for another few moments before finally speaking. "Didn't mean to be such an ass about Pinesley. But it's really not a safe place for young ladies."

"Oh. I didn’t realize. Thank you."

"Why were you going there?"

I sip the rest of my juice gratefully. My last granola bar was early this morning, which seems a long time ago. "I had a ride most of the way there, so I thought I'd check in on my old friend Kevin."

Josh's face doesn't exactly shift, it just sort of…hardens. "What kind of person is he?"

"Well, he was nice enough in high school math class. We've kept in touch a bit online. That’s how I learned that he inherited a big old house when his grandpa passed. Nobody else wanted it. I thought maybe if I could help fix it up, I could stay there for a few months. I've always wanted to live near a mountain." I grin.

"That town is dangerous. Even if you were safe at his house, the rest of the town is a revolting mess." His foot taps mine under the table as he shifts. Even that tiny touch makes me feel…sparkly. Not to mention, his overprotectiveness makes me tingle.

"Oh. Well, are there any laws against camping here? I have a little tent and don't mind?—"

"No way."

I blink in surprise at the forcefulness in his voice. Then he softens. "Sorry, Emie. I just can't stand the thought of a nice girl like you out there alone in the cold." His fingers drum on the table. "Do you have a home to go to?"

"N-no. I'm kind of a semi-professional house guest."

He frowns. "What the hell is that?"

I laugh, which finally makes his perfect lips turn up. Wow, he's even more attractive when he smiles. "I stay with people for a few weeks or a month or two and do their cooking and cleaning, plus all of those odd jobs that you never manage to get around to. The broken stair railing, the crooked picture frame. Anything that needs repainting."

"Hmm. A housekeeper-slash-fix-it gal?"

"Exactly! Also, I took one year of interior design, and my dad's an engineer, so I can give them ideas and make sketches of how their home could be laid out better – design, functionality, use of space." I love the way he's listening so intently. "I'm there for the first time and have fresh eyes on the place, so I usually have a bunch of helpful suggestions for moving furniture around or getting a better table. Meanwhile, I sleep in the basement out of their way. Win-win, right?"

His index finger hovers over the table, not quite tapping. "How do you find these people?"

"I ask around. High school and college friends, and their acquaintances. Sometimes the people are away on vacation for a lot of my stay. That's great, because they come back to a spotless house." I wink. "Most of their houseplants are in better shape under my care, too."

His intense staring makes me feel like he's analyzing my face. "And today you were off to see Kevin."

"Yeah." I sigh. "I've burned through everyone else I know."

Our food arrives, and the server gives me a look that I can't quite figure out. Glancing around, I notice that the other customers are giving us slightly odd glances as well. I also notice that the second Josh lifts his head to see what I'm looking at, they're all suddenly fascinated by their own plates.

"But you said you like the mountains…" he continues.

"Yes. It's beautiful up here."

"Hmm." Josh begins eating slowly. Every movement he makes is hypnotic. He's such a huge presence, with a large, muscular frame that could make him a brute. Yet every motion is deliberate and thoughtful. The opposite of brutish.

And if the local police call Josh to help them, he must be a trustworthy guy, right? Although from the way people keep sneaking strange looks, I wouldn't be surprised if he's a rock star trying to lie low or something. With his movie star profile, he could be anything he wanted.

I take a break from my incredible burger to look out the window at the gathering shadows. The light is tinted blue up here. It's lovely.

"Yeah, it gets dark fast on this part of the mountain. We're always warning hikers and birders about that." Josh lifts his eyes to me. "You wouldn't have made it to Pinesley before dark."

"Oh. Well, thanks again."

His finger is doing that almost-tapping thing again. "Look, Emie. I see two options here." He clears his throat, then murmurs as quietly as possible. "There's an inn that might have a room. I'll foot the bill, no problem. But you'd be all by yourself, and that might get lonely."

He hesitates. "Or, you could take a few days off in a safe place and just…you know. Have a breather." His Adam's apple bobs as he clears his throat again. "I live on the edge of town. What would you say to a guest room in a house where you didn’t have to do any work for once?"

"Oh." I dip my last fry into the puddle of ketchup on my plate. "But how would I earn my keep? Um, are…are you thinking?—"

Josh immediately raises his hands. "If you're assuming anything sketchy, hell no. Ask anyone in town: I'm not that kind of guy. I meant, what if you took a vacation from your system for a real break. Rest. Reset. Figure out some longer-term plans."

"But… What's in it for you?"

He sighs, tugging awkwardly at the collar of his charcoal button-down shirt. His smoky voice is quiet. "Been alone a long time and could use some company. Somebody to have morning coffee with. To cook for. That kind of thing. That's all. Nothing else."

"Wow. Thank you."

Before I can even think it through, Josh points to where the server is filling up napkin containers beside the front cash. "Go ask Gina if I'm trustworthy, over there where I can't hear."

Wow. He's a sharp guy if he knows that women will always tell other women, even total strangers, the unvarnished truth about a man.

I walk over and smile awkwardly, wanting to get this over with. I feel kinda like an idiot. "Hey," I murmur softly, "If a girl needs a place to crash, is that Josh guy…you know. Safe?"

Gina grins. "You know he's a Wolfe, right? Like, Wolfe with an e, not the animal?"

I'd seen the name on a few businesses on the drive here, not to mention the mountain itself. "I didn't. But what's Josh like?"

She smiles warmly. "He's a grumbly grouch sometimes, but he's solid as a rock. You need a piano moved or someone to get a rowdy tourist to leave, he's your guy. His whole family is like that. So, yeah – he's one of the safest men I know." She glances over to where Josh is calmly staring out the window. "He's just…hard to get to know. Usually pretty quiet. He's been talking with you more than anyone else I've seen, actually."

"So it's safe to stay at his house for a few days?"

She laughs. "Oh, for sure! But if you find out anything weird, like he collects ladybugs or something, you have to tell me, right?"

My laugh makes Josh's head snap toward us. "Will do. Thanks." I return to the table with a smile. "It's very sweet of you to suggest getting a reference. She says you’re cool."

He nods. "Ladies need to be careful these days. So – will you stay with me for a bit so I know you're safe?" There's a slight twinkle in his eyes. "Got two houseplants that are on their last legs."

The next few hours are a whirlwind. Josh's house is amazing, with a breathtaking view of the valley from the kitchen and dining room. It's a bit simple, with bare walls and thick wooden beams, but the details are lavish – top-of-the-line appliances and beautiful furniture.

As I snuggle into bed in the charming blue and white guest room after a luxurious shower that melted my tense muscles, I find myself wondering what tomorrow will hold. I want him to like me. It's so kind of him to take in a stranger like this.

A deep part of me stirs every time he looks at me, making me hope that there's maybe something more to this. Maybe if I impress him, he'll want to keep me around long enough for us to explore this…whatever it might be.