Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Kaiden
“Junie, ready?” I held up my dog’s favorite ball and her ears perked up, her head tilting to the side. I launched the ball across the yard and watched my dog jump into action, sprinting after it. She brought it back to me quickly and the game continued.
It was an evening ritual after dinner to come out in my backyard and burn off some energy with my wild canine companion. Junie was a beautiful husky with a mix of white, gray, and black fur, and piercing icy blue eyes. Her energy knew no bounds. I needed to tucker her out if I wanted a good night’s sleep.
“We’re getting some snow tonight. You can be my sidekick while I go plow tomorrow.” I tossed the ball to Junie again. I talked to him like a friend because that’s what he was- my best friend.
After a shitty childhood with a mom who walked out when I was only ten and a dad who cared more about the bottle than his only child, I hightailed it out of the city and into the quiet, peaceful small town of Misty Mountain.
Now I spent my days keeping to myself while running my own landscaping and plowing business, my large cabin like a fortress for my dog and me. Without any neighbors and plenty of woods, it was perfect.
“Woof! Woof!” Junie barked her head off near the gate, our game of catch forgotten.
I looked over and saw car headlights in the driveway. Who the hell was that? I didn’t get visitors. Nor did I like unexpected disruptions. I mean, who does?
“Junie, let’s go. Inside. It’s time to warm up, anyway.” After walking onto the back porch and through the sliding glass door, I put Junie in the kitchen and closed the gate.
The doorbell rang throughout the log cabin, and I hurried to the front door, Junie still barking and going crazy.
“Relax, girl. It’s alright.” I said before opening the door.
Standing on my porch in the chilly air was a woman I’d never seen before.
Correction, a gorgeous woman I’d never seen before.
She held a stack of books in her hands and when she smiled, her eyes lit up so bright, my heart jumped into overdrive.
“Hi.” Her soft voice turned my insides to mush. “Sorry to show up out of nowhere but Miss Lila wanted to make sure you got these books before the storm.”
“Miss Lila sent you?”
“Yes.” She pushed the stack of books at me without making eye contact.
The flush on her cheeks was fucking adorable and suddenly, I wondered how she’d taste.
Dude, calm down, she’s here to deliver books, not spend forever. What’s wrong with you? Near a beautiful woman for five seconds and your mind goes apeshit.
I took the books from her and our fingertips brushed, my bare skin to her gloved hand, and an urge from out of nowhere came over me to take her inside and never let her go. “Thank you.”
“Sure thing.” The curvy woman who looked exactly like a sexy, nerdy librarian with her black cat eyeglasses, took a step back before turning to go. “Well…have a good night.”
Without thinking, the words tumbled out of my mouth, only wanting to be closer, not further away from her. The feeling was unfamiliar, yet I wanted to, needed to chase it. Or her. “Wait.”
She turned back around, with a curious yet timid expression.
“Would you like to come in and warm up for a few? It’s the least I can do for you coming all the way out here to bring me these especially with a storm coming.” Somehow the words I often couldn’t find on my own flowed around this woman, her mere presence pulling me under a spell.
“Oh, no, that’s okay…my cat is waiting at home for me.” She looked away then back again, her cheeks on fire now.
Damn, could she be any more adorable?
Snowflakes slowly began falling around us. “Guess the storm is coming earlier than expected.” I said.
She looked around, her eyes wide, her mouth half open, panic etched across her features. “Oh no! No!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve never driven in the snow before!”
“Must be your first winter in Misty Mountain, then.”
“How could you tell?” Her tone lightened and a half smile lifted up one side of her mouth.
I chuckled. “C’mon, let’s get inside. I promise I’m a nice guy.”
“Miss Lila did seem to speak fondly of you.”
“Did she now? I’ll have to thank her.” I stepped aside so she could walk in first and when she strolled past, her scent filled my nose, a mix of vanilla and lavender, and intoxicating to say the least. I wanted to bury my face inside her neck and never come up for air again. “I’m Kaiden, by the way.” I closed the door behind us and led her into the living room where I set the books down on the coffee table, Junie still going crazy in the kitchen.
“I know. I’m Harper. Miss Lila’s new hire.”
“Nice to meet you. Don’t mind my dog either. She’s a bit crazy but I haven’t told her yet.”
“How nice of you.” Harper flashed me a lopsided grin. She sat on the couch but quickly got to her feet again, her anxious movements endearing. “But honestly, I can’t stay. I need to make it home before the storm gets bad. Thank you for inviting me inside, but I’m afraid the longer I wait, the worse it’ll be.”
“I can drive you. I have a huge plow truck.”
“No, that’s okay. I couldn’t ask that of you. I’ll go now.”
As soon as she turned to head for the door, something came over me. An unknown force that moved my arm without any control. I reached out and wrapped my large hand around her small wrist and her entire body froze.
“Wait, Harper. I can’t let you leave yet. Look outside, the snow is falling hard.” I nodded at the window, the snow coming down fast and furious, the ground already coated in an inch. “And for some crazy reason, I don’t want you to go.”
Harper’s eyes dropped to where my hand grasped her wrist.
I overstepped. What was I thinking?
I let go of her hand. “I’m sorry. That was too forward.”
“No, it wasn’t. You’re right. It’s getting bad out there quickly. Would you be willing to give me a ride?”
“Of course. I’ll be out plowing tonight now that the storm already started, so it’s no problem. Care to stay for some dinner first? Talk books?”
Her shoulders relaxed and a big smile lit up her gorgeous face. “Actually, that does sound nice. I’m starving.” She took of her hat and gloves, sliding them inside the coat pockets before unzipping it and sliding it off her shoulders. Underneath, she was hiding a curvy, voluptuous body I wanted to sink my teeth into. Her long skirt hugged every one of her sexy curves and my hands ached to touch her.
I swallowed hard and cleared my throat. Shit, what was I making for dinner again?
“Anything I can help with?” Harper placed her jacket down on the couch and unwrapped a scarf from around her neck, setting it on top of her coat.
As hard as it was, I turned my head and looked towards the kitchen, anywhere but her gorgeous figure. “You’re good. Spaghetti and meatballs okay with you?”
“Delicious.”
“Let me get Junie fed and settled in another room. Unless you don’t mind dogs?”
“Oh, not at all. Never had one of my own but I grew up with one. A beautiful husky we named Stormy.”
“A husky?” I asked, my mouth falling open. “That’s what breed Junie is.”
Harper grinned and clasped her hands together. “Really?”
“Yes. Follow me.” I led her through the living room and into the large eat in kitchen, opening the gate and waving her through. I followed close behind, Junie sprinting over to me before sniffing Harper all over, her tail swinging back and forth.
I pet her head. “Easy there, girl. Don’t scare our guest.”
“Oh, she could never. She’s adorable. Aren’t you girl?” Harper scratched behind her ears, somehow already knowing my dog’s favorite spot.
“She’s going to love you. You found her sweet spot.” I walked over to the fridge. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Sure, thanks. Water?”
“Got it.” I grabbed her a bottle of water from the fridge before I busied myself with feeding Junie. Once her food was done, I washed my hands and started prepping dinner by preheating the oven and gathering my ingredients.
“So, Miss Lila said you read a ton of books. Are they all mystery and thrillers?” Harper climbed onto a stool next to the island, where I did all my prep work, Junie scrambling off to eat her own dinner.
“Pretty much. Sometimes I’ll switch it up and throw a western in there. But then I get bored and go back to the suspense. I can’t get enough of the twists and turns.”
“I’ve never met a guy who liked books as much as me.”
I chuckled as I mixed the hamburger meat and rolled the meatballs onto a pan, Harper watching me intensely. “I don’t volunteer the information much. It’s kind of a secret obsession of mine. Except of course Miss Lila knows.”
What is it with this woman? Why did she make me feel so many things all at once? And why did I feel the need to bare my soul to her?
“It’s not that I’m embarrassed or anything. I’m just more a keep to yourself kind of guy. Besides, how many guys have their own library?” I laughed. “They’ve always been a big part of my life. They help you to escape, pretend you’re somewhere you’ll probably never be. I can’t remember me not liking books.” I finished the meatballs, popped them in the oven, and washed my hands once again, soaking the prep dishes in the sink.
“I agree. They’ve got me through some hard times.” Harper’s voice softened and I wondered more about her past. She seemed too young to be hardened by life yet.
The urge to protect her came over me fast and strong, holding me tightly in its grasp. I didn’t want her ever having hard times again.
“Same for me. Miss Lila’s a gem. She keeps me well stocked. I’ll have to show you my library after dinner.” I winked and placed a pot of salted water on the stove.
“Wait, you have a library? Here? In your cabin?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, I thought I liked you before, but now…”
I raised an eyebrow. “Now what?”
Her cheeks flushed crimson red. “I know I do.”