Chapter 3 Sophia
SOPHIA
My heart thumps as the giant steps toward me, looming out of the darkness like a mountain.
He’s at least six and a half feet tall, with broad shoulders and a burly chest wrapped up in a flannel shirt.
He’s the biggest man I’ve ever seen, and as he approaches my window, I feel my chest tighten.
Not just the biggest man…the handsomest, too.
Am I hallucinating right now?
Is the snow making me see things?
A thick beard covers half the giant’s face, bright blue eyes peering at me through my window as he approaches. He looks about forty, the lines on his forehead deepening as he scowls at me with thick brows drawn downward. I open my window with a gulp.
“Hi,” I say, raising my voice over the sound of the wind.
“Broken down?” His words are a deep rumble, rough as gravel crunching underfoot.
“Not exactly…I ran out of gas.”
The giant’s frown deepens. Snowflakes are falling into his hair and eyes, but he doesn’t even react. He seems used to it. His gaze drifts to my fuel gauge, like he’s mulling something over.
“Got a gas can in my shed,” he says eventually. “Can fill your tank, but you can’t drive in this weather.”
He’s right. The snow has turned the whole world opaque, and even with my headlights on full beam, I know I can’t make it down the mountain.
“Is there a hotel around here?” I ask, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. “I might be able to make it a couple of miles.”
“No.” The giant steps back from my car. “Follow me. My cabin’s not far. You can stay until it stops snowing.”
He doesn’t sound happy about the offer. Heck, he’s frowning at me like I just kicked his dog. But I can’t blame him. I’m a stranger…a dumb stranger who didn’t fill up her car before driving up the mountain in a snowstorm. I wouldn’t want to invite me over either.
“Thank you so much,” I tell him. “You’re a lifesaver.”
I turn off my car and climb out, trembling as the freezing wind slaps against my skin. The giant is already striding into the woods, and I scurry after him. The trees offer some shelter from the snow, and I heave a sigh of relief when I catch sight of a light up ahead.
The giant’s cabin.
“I’m really sorry about this,” I tell him, struggling to keep up with his huge strides. “I didn’t mean to ruin your evening.”
The man grunts but says nothing. Everything about him radiates “don’t talk to me” energy, but somehow, it only makes him hotter.
His physical attractiveness is the last thing I should be thinking about right now, but it’s impossible not to notice it.
Even in the darkness of the forest, I can make out his broad back, the muscles rippling beneath his flannel shirt.
He looks almost as big as the trees surrounding us.
Finally, we reach a rustic log cabin, the chimney puffing with smoke. It’s small but charming, the roof already blanketed in a thin layer of snow, and I can see the flicker of a fireplace inside, making the windows glow orange.
Walking into the cabin feels like sinking into a warm bath.
My limbs relax, the ice inside my veins thawing.
The living room is simply furnished, with dark wooden furniture, a leather couch, and an overstuffed armchair by the fire.
The walls are bare, but it’s still cozy despite the lack of décor, and it sure beats freezing in my car.
“This place is really cute,” I say.
The man grunts out a word that might be “thanks”.
He’s avoiding my gaze, looking everywhere but me.
He’s even more handsome in the firelight, and my eyes linger on the sharp contours of his face, the silver hair threading his beard.
Standing in his tiny living room, he looks bigger than ever, like a giant in a dollhouse.
“I promise I’ll be out of your hair soon,” I tell him. “The snow will probably let up any minute.”
The man lets out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. He finally looks at me, his icy blue eyes pinning me to the spot.
“There’s no way this snow’s letting up. You’ll have to stay here tonight.”
It suddenly feels like there’s not enough air in here.
Stay here…all night?
With this grumpy giant of a man?
My heart leaps into my throat. The man is already moving away from me, adding a log to the fire without another glance in my direction. He doesn’t seem to realize that my body has turned to lead.
“Are…are you sure?” I splutter.
The man keeps his back to me as he says, “Positive.”
“But I—”
“But nothing.” He finally straightens up to face me, stubbornly crossing his arms. “You’re safe here. I’m not letting you leave while there’s a snowstorm outside. Period.”
He sounds irritated, but there’s also an undercurrent of protectiveness. Like keeping me safe is important to him, but he’s…mad about it? I can’t figure this guy out.
“Well…thank you,” I say eventually. “I appreciate you letting me stay.”
Before I can say anything else, he turns his back on me again like there’s nothing else to say.
Heck, I guess there isn’t. Either I stay here with him or freeze to death in my car—not much of a contest. And anyway, it’s just for one night.
One night with this mysterious, scowling stranger who grunts more than he talks.
How bad could it be?