Epilogue
M ila reached forward, attempting to grab the final strand of lights still hooked to the porch without having to move her ladder.
She’d already gone up and down the darn thing a dozen times, working her way along the edge of the porch roof.
Ordinarily, she left the holiday lights up longer, but a strong wind had come through last night, blowing a large section in the center down completely.
Since Mother Nature had already taken care of a portion of the work, she decided to roll with it, taking the lights down now rather than rehanging them, only to have to ascend the ladder again in a couple weeks.
Unfortunately, her laziness wasn’t working in her favor, because that last stupid hook was an inch or so out of?—
The ladder began to wobble, so she reared back too quickly—and overcorrected. The top of the ladder shifted away from the roof, hovering with no support, her along with it.
Mila was too off-balance to push it forward again, her actions reminding her of a novice on stilts, the ladder shifting from one leg to the other.
She was going to fall. There was no combating gravity. But she fought it for as long as she could.
One last-ditch attempt at recovery failed when her foot slipped. While the ladder fell forward, she went back.
She closed her eyes as she cried out, bracing herself for the painful impact.
It didn’t come.
Instead, she heard a grunt that didn’t come from her.
Opening her eyes, she realized she’d hit the ground. Or at least, the guy under her had, leaving her sprawled in his lap. She blinked a few times, fighting to focus, and when she did…
Holy shit.
The rugged mountain man seriously looked like he’d stepped straight out of her fantasies.
He was large and muscular, with a thick beard and piercing brown eyes, so dark they looked black.
There was a crook in his nose that indicated it had been broken before, but rather than detract, it simply reinforced his attractiveness.
The words bad boy flashed through her mind, but she dismissed them instantly because there wasn’t one boyish thing about the stranger. He was all man.
“Miss,” he said, and she realized it wasn’t the first time he’d said it.
Mila shook herself for staring so hard at the sexy man. “I…”
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice deep and slightly breathless.
No wonder. She’d knocked them both to the ground with her fall.
“I am.” She tried to push upright, but the man held her still.
“No,” he practically barked. “Take it slow. Make sure you didn’t break anything.”
Mila wanted to point out that he’d taken the brunt of the impact, but there was something in his tone, something strong and commanding that had her doing exactly as he said.
Oh yeah. This guy was dangerous…to her libido.
She wiggled her fingers and toes, then her hands and feet.
“I’m fine,” she said, and when she tried to sit up this time, he let her. “What about you? Did I hurt you?”
The man chuckled. “A little thing like you? Not likely. All I have is a bruised ass and wounded pride.”
“Pride? Why?”
“Because I’m pissed I didn’t manage to catch you midair without falling. I’m suddenly looking a lot less like a stud.”
Mila giggled…until another voice entered the conversation.
“Gross, Dad.”
Mila peered over the man’s shoulder, spotting a pretty young girl who looked like she was still in middle school.
Great, Mila. Nothing like ogling a man while his daughter’s watching.
She scrambled to her feet, the man rising as well.
When she wobbled slightly, he reached out, gripping her upper arms to steady her.
And that was when she felt it.
It.
The thing Uncle Rex and Levi and Theo all talked about.
Lightning strike.
Earthquake.
Tsunami.
This man was the one.
Mila looked into his eyes, and she felt as if her world had suddenly clicked into place. And as amazing as that should have felt, there was something she couldn’t ignore.
The man had a daughter.
So did he also have a wife?