Chapter Three-Gloria
I ’d spent the first day in the cabin unpacking and getting acquainted with the charmingly rustic, and surprisingly cozy, little place.
It was a one-bedroom with a full bath and a cozy living room with, yes, a built-in fireplace. An honest to goodness hearth. I was just tickled. Though it made sense since I’d managed to catch my ornery neighbor outside chopping wood every single morning.
I mean, it was only day three, but holy hell, what was one man supposed to do with all that wood?
I have a few ideas.
Of course, those ideas were about an entirely different kind of wood.
Oh my God. I can’t believe I went there.
Well, technically, you didn’t. And you haven’t, Lo, not for a long time.
He looked like a sexy young version of Santa Claus. Not a mall Santa. But the kind you’d see in a porno.
My sex throbbed, reminding me of how long it had been since I’d had any attention down there, and I licked my lips, wondering if I could maybe sneak my vibrator into a room with a view of my neighbor chopping wood without being caught.
Is that ridiculous?
Maybe.
But what could I say? The man was hotter than hell with that long mane of hair and thick beard, his enormous body, and the way he wielded that axe— holy hot porno Santa!
Oh my! I could not believe I was getting myself all worked up in the kitchen over a man who practically threw me off his property.
Don’t judge. Dry spells were harsh as fuck for forty year old women.
I was still watching the big brute, who was now bent over petting his monster sized dog, when he turned his head and forest green eyes met mine. I squeaked.
Shit.
I’d been caught staring. Oops. Or not. I mean, I was human, and he put on quite the show.
A soft meow startled me, and I grinned at Frou-Frou who was winding between my legs.
“What’s the matter, Frou? Need some mommy cuddles? Come here,” I murmured and lifted my little fur baby in my arms.
He immediately started making biscuits on my sweater, and I was laughing until he decided to use his claws on me.
Little stinker.
“Oh, Frou, what must that sexy mountain man think of me, huh?”
While I pondered that question, I closed my eyes, picturing his enormous frame and well-built body in all its perfection. I set out food and water for Frou, making sure to set it up exactly as he liked it before picking him back up and placing him on the special food mat I had brought and set up on the counter.
Too many nights eating alone with no one for company, but this little guy made eating with my cat on the table perfectly normal for me.
I knew other people objected to having a pet where humans ate, but phooey on them. Frou-Frou was my ride or die and he was welcome at any table I sat at.
My fur baby was a certified house cat and would never step foot outdoors. He was groomed regularly, and I always kept pet wipes handy. As well as sanitizing wipes that worked on any surface.
My eyes strayed back to the window, and I wanted to moan. Jesus, that man was fine AF. And he liked animals. If not for his rude behavior, I might have actually considered having a little holiday fling with the sexy mountain man.
I’d always had a thing for large men. But that was probably because I’d always been a big girl. My father used to call me pleasantly plump, but my cousins always said fat was fat, and at forty, I hadn’t changed much.
I mean, I’d gotten older. My girly bits and pieces weren’t as perky as they used to be. But my ass was still fluffy.
I wasn’t bad looking or unhealthy, though. I had nice skin and thick, shiny hair. Also, my tatas were bigger than my belly, which was nice.
Unfortunately, my ass was also pretty damn sizeable.
There was no getting around it. I was chubby, but I was not lazy. I enjoyed taking nature walks and light hiking. I swam. Took some yoga.
And at home, I had the neatest little foldable row machine that I did not use nearly enough.
But watching that giant of a man swing that axe over his head and bring it back down with enough force to halve those cut up logs left me breathless. It was like catnip to my libido.
Seriously, I thought my ovaries were gonna explode every time I caught sight of the man. As if they were shouting “take me—it’s our last chance” at every turn.
Traitors.
Maybe I was premenopausal or something.
I recalled my mother telling me how she went through the change earlier than her two sisters.
Anyway, it didn’t matter. Bo did not show any sign of being interested in me like that.
I was still shaking my head as I walked into the bathroom and started the tub.
I’d been too afraid to try the fireplace on my own, but after researching how to do it, I felt fairly confident.
The Christmas decorations I’d brought with me graced the mantle. I brought a stocking, and a snow globe with a music box built in, and I’d even hung fairy lights from the curtain rods.
It was still morning, but why not? I could watch the sun make its way across the sky and enjoy the warmth from the flames as I read or napped, or well, anything.
My boss had told me to take the two weeks, since I’d finished arranging the gallery showing of B.D.’s work. She just requested I go to opening night, which meant cutting this trip short by two days since that was on Christmas Eve.
But I could do that.
It was a two-hour drive to the gallery from here, and if I really wanted to come back, it wouldn’t kill me to make the trip.
With the fire lit, I walked to the bathroom, slipping off my flannel pajama pants and the thermal shirt I wore on top.
It was twenty-three degrees outside, and even with the heat on, I was still cold.
Steam rose from the tub, and I smiled as I stepped inside and lowered my body in the warm water.
Sighing, I closed my eyes, head back, and I just relaxed.
“Oooh, I could spend all day in here,” I said aloud to no one in particular.
Of course, that was when the fire alarm started blaring. I opened my eyes, panicking as thick, black clouds of smoke were coming into the bathroom from inside.
“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!”
I opened the door, realizing I made a mistake not getting a towel or my robe first, because now I could not see a damn thing.
Choking on the smoke, I fell to my knees, trying to find the front door, but it was hopeless. Tears streamed from my eyes and the alarm was so loud I almost didn’t hear the slamming of the door as someone entered.
“HELLO!”
“Over here!” I called out.
“Shit,” a familiar masculine voice ran straight for me, and icy hands met my naked skin, causing me to yelp.
“Fuck. Come on. We have to get you out of here!”
Bo bent down and picked me up over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. I felt something drape over me and could have kissed the man for grabbing the throw blanket from the couch. Only I was too busy coughing to do anything else.
“Are you hurt? Look at me, Gloria. Breathe. That’s it. Now, tell me, are you hurt?” he asked, sliding me down to sit on the rocking bench that sat on the porch.
His stare was so intense, but still I couldn’t talk. I shook my head, trying to suck in oxygen. I didn’t know what was worse, the smoke or the cold air.
“Stay right here!”
There was no mistaking the order in his tone. For some reason, it gave me shivers, and I wondered if he was bossy elsewhere.
Like in the bedroom.
But those thoughts would have to wait until I could breathe again, and it would also probably be better if I wasn’t covered in soot.
I shivered, wrapping the afghan more tightly around me. And wondering if I should go inside to help.
Two minutes later, Bo came out, shaking his head.
He dropped my boots on the ground and helped me into them.
“You didn’t open the flue,” he growled, putting one arm around my back and the other behind my knees.
“Ooh! I didn’t what?” I asked, still coughing, albeit a lot less than I had been earlier.
He grumbled something and stalked across the yard, through the trees separating the two properties with me in his arms. I was never the kind of woman men just picked up and carried, and to say I was shocked would be putting it mildly.
A few inches of snow covered the ground, and it was so beautiful. But I was too aware of the enormous man holding me in his arms like I weighed little more than a sack of potatoes to pay it any real attention.
“Um, you should put me down. I’m too heavy,” I said.
“Nah, Slick. You don’t weigh anything at all.”
“Slick?”
“City Slicker, right? You don’t know a thing about fireplaces and chimney flues.”
“Well, no, I mean, you’re right. I grew up in Union City. Not many fireplaces on my block,” I muttered, feeling more than a little dumb.
“Hey,” he said, taking my chin between two fingers and lifting my head so I had no choice but to meet his steady green gaze.
“I didn’t mean that as a bad thing, Slick. Just stating facts. Now, don’t look like that, okay?”
“Like what?”
“Like I just kicked your puppy,” he replied.
“Puppy? Oh, my God! Frou-Frou,” I gasped, trying to wiggle out of his arms.
“Quit it before I drop you! Now what is a Frou-Frou?”
“Frou-Frou is my cat! Oh please, you have to go back or let me go and I’ll go back!” I shouted.
I was worried and sick at heart thinking I did something to hurt my fur baby. Another coughing fit hit me just then, and I nearly doubled over.
While I was busy trying to breathe, Bo opened the door to his home and dropped me gently on a big sofa.
A second later, a big hound came lumbering over to me, putting his massive head on my knee.
“Easy there, Slick. This is Moose. He’ll take care of you. You’re not afraid of dogs, right?”
“Afraid? No, not at all. He’s just a big softie, isn’t he?” I smiled at Moose and dropped my hand on his head.
Moose is a beautiful creature. While petting him, he turned his gigantic canine head and licked my wrist.
“Look, cats are smart. He’ll get out, but don’t worry. There isn’t a fire. Just some smoke. I opened all the windows and doors, but it will likely take the rest of the day to clear out before you can go back in. Here,” he mumbled, grabbing a blanket from a basket beside the couch and placing that one on top of the other one I was already wearing.
He was looking down at me. The expression on his ruggedly handsome face was keen and concerned. I was so damn aware of the fact I was naked beneath the blankets I had on, and his big, warm hands were holding onto my shoulders. Separated by nothing at all.
I shivered all over from the platonic contact. Feelings I thought were long dead started to spark, and I sucked in another breath, swaying closer to him.
“Just stay put and I’ll go get your cat,” he murmured, straightening up and turning away from me.