Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
RUBY
R uby's consciousness stirred as the lingering threads of her intensely erotic dream clung to her mind. The dream had become reoccurring, visiting her nightly. Dreams like that were unusual for her, and she’d never had one where she had oral sex with a man, but didn’t get an orgasm of her own.
In an almost drugged haze of sleep and desire, she recalled the vivid imagery that had painted her slumber: Knox, his muscular form above her, and the undeniable heat between them. Her lips curved into a smile, eyes still closed, as she hugged herself, savoring the delicious remnants of the dream. No man, real or imagined, had ever captivated her imagination quite like Knox—his quiet strength, the rugged charm that resonated even in her subconscious.
The cool of the morning nipped at her bare arms as she reluctantly slid out of bed, the wooden floor creaking softly under her feet. The lodge was silent, the gentle hum of nature outside her only companion. She padded toward the kitchen, her thoughts still tangled with images of Knox—the way his eyes seemed to pierce through her, the rough timbre of his voice wrapping around her like a warm blanket.
As Ruby placed her favorite coffee pod in her coffee maker, she couldn't shake the sense of longing that the dream had stirred within her. She yearned for something undefined yet deeply primal, a connection that went beyond the physical—a yearning she hadn't realized was there until Knox stepped into her life. With every thought of him, a spark of arousal kindled within her, warming her from the inside out. But it wasn’t just lust. There was something about Knox that called to something deep inside her. It was a call she had never heard before, but that some part of her was eager to answer.
With her coffee made, Ruby stirred in a drizzle of the local honey she’d purchased from the grocery store in town. Wrapping her hands around the mug, Ruby inhaled the steamy aroma with its comforting promise of caffeine. As she leaned against the counter and peered out the kitchen window, her gaze was drawn to the serene beauty of Silver Falls.
It was then that she caught sight of an enormous grizzly bear ambling past. Its massive form moved with a confident grace that belied its size, and for a moment, Ruby forgot how to breathe.
The bear paused, turning to look toward the lodge as if it knew she was there watching. It lifted its snout to the wind, and Ruby's heart raced. There was something familiar about its presence, a sense of kinship that defied logic.
Was it possible that...? No, she chastised herself. She mustn't let her imagination run wild. While she loved all of the shifter romances on her Kindle, she knew that they were just fantasies, and that such things did not exist in real life.
Yet as the grizzly disappeared into the woods beyond, leaving behind a trail of disrupted foliage, Ruby felt an unexplained connection to the creature, a pull as enigmatic as it was intense. Standing there, coffee forgotten, she felt the edges of her world expand, embracing the wildness of the unknown that lay just outside her door.
A mix of trepidation and excitement coursed through her, setting her nerves alight as she imagined a world where shifters did exist. She chuckled. Silver Falls would be the perfect setting for one of the romantic tales she loved. Perhaps away from the hustle and bustle of Aspen, she’d find the time to try and write a novel of her own. She laughed out loud, imagining basing characters on the residents of Silver Falls—imagining each as some kind of shifter holding secrets as deep and vast as the forest itself.
Knox, of course, could be her dominant alpha male love interest, and she could project herself into the role of romantic protagonist—a fearless woman who stumbles into Silver Falls in the middle of a snowstorm, uncovering the town’s secrets one-by-one as she is forced to share an isolated lodge with the hunky hero. Now, what kind of shifter would he be? Wolf? Mountain lion? Bobcat? Bear. Ruby shook her head, laughing at her own silliness. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d awakened in such a good mood.
Getting dressed, Ruby stepped outside for just a moment and reveled in the crisp morning air that seemed to sharpen every sensation, as if the world around her had come into finer focus. She had just stepped back inside her kitchen, the aroma of dark roast coffee beckoning, when a gentle knock on the door jolted her from her reverie. She opened the door to find Knox on the threshold, a solid presence of muscle and mystery.
"Morning," he greeted with a nod, his eyes carrying a glint of something that might've been amusement—or challenge.
"Good morning," Ruby replied, acutely aware of how the early light played across his features, casting shadows that made his jaw seem even more defined. "Have you eaten?"
Knox leaned against the doorframe, the corner of his mouth lifting ever so slightly. "You promised me breakfast, remember?"
Ruby felt a flush of warmth at the tease, a reminder of the intimacy they'd shared in her dream and the unspoken connection that seemed to be growing between them. "I did, didn't I?" she said, stepping aside to let him enter. "Come on in. I hope you're hungry."
“Always,” he said with a grin as he entered her kitchen. As she watched his broad shoulders heading toward the island, it struck her as how right it seemed for him to be here—in her kitchen with her.
“Did you know my aunt?” she asked. He turned arching an eyebrow at her in question. “You came to the back door instead of the front. That’s usually an indication that someone knows the people that live there.”
He nodded. “Not bad deductive reasoning for a city girl. And yes, I knew your aunt. She was a good person. She should have been able to live out her life peacefully instead of having it snuffed out like that.”
Ruby couldn’t hide her surprise. “Did something happen to her? I know my uncle died several years ago, but the lawyer was pretty vague about my aunt’s death. I just assumed she died of old age.”
“Forget I said anything.”
She started to object, thought better of it and began to busy herself with gathering ingredients for the omelet she planned to make—smoked salmon, goat cheese, eggs—her motions fluid yet tinged with an awareness of Knox’s presence behind her. She cut thick slices of a locally made sourdough bread and slathered it with butter for toast.
"Tell me about Silver Falls," she ventured as she whisked eggs in a bowl, stealing glances at him over her shoulder. "Are there many tourists passing through?"
Knox's gaze seemed to drift out the window, following the path the bear had taken earlier. "Occasionally," he said, his voice low, betraying nothing of his thoughts. "Hikers, campers... but we don't exactly roll out the welcome mat for guests."
"Is that so?" Ruby poured the mixture into the skillet, watching it sizzle and set. "No guest accommodations, then?"
"None," Knox confirmed, his reticence a fortress she found herself wanting to breach. "We value our privacy here."
"Understandable." Ruby turned to face him, noting the way his eyes seemed to track her every move. She served up two-thirds of the steaming omelet onto a plate, garnishing it with a sprig of parsley before handing it to him. "Well, hopefully my guests won’t be too disruptive. Once the renovations are done, I’m hoping to attract hikers, fishermen, writers and the like to enjoy this splendor. I think it'll be the perfect getaway spot."
He accepted the plate, their fingers brushing momentarily, sending a jolt of electricity through her. Knox surveyed the omelet, inhaling its rich, decadent aroma, with an unreadable expression before his gaze lifted to meet hers.
"Thank you, Ruby," he said, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of something deeper, a yearning that mirrored her own.
But then he took a bite, and the moment passed, leaving Ruby with a sense of longing that was as maddening as it was tantalizing. As the smell of breakfast filled the room, Ruby began to wonder about both Silver Falls and the man who stood before her, the mysteries that seemed to surround both slowly unfurling.
Ruby seated herself across from Knox at the rustic table she’d polished until it held a satiny gleam. Steam curled up from the omelet, carrying with it an aroma that married the wildness of Silver Falls with the refined touch of her city roots.
“This is really delicious. I know I said that, but it’s true. With cooking like this I think you could attract not just outsiders to stay here, but locals would come for the food.”
She could feel herself beaming. "Thank you,” she said, grinning and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she leaned forward, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. "This place could be more than just a bed and breakfast for passing tourists. Imagine corporate retreats, writer getaways—people yearning for inspiration amidst nature."
Knox forked a piece of the omelet into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. A silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the soft clink of silverware against porcelain. He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "Sounds ambitious," he rumbled, the corners of his lips twitching upwards in a semblance of a smile that suggested amusement rather than skepticism. “Not just in terms of the renovation but in terms of your plans.”
She smiled back, undeterred, her mind painting vivid pictures of future possibilities. "Ambitious is my middle name," she quipped, savoring the playful challenge that sparked between them, “and it will be good for the town. I don’t envision having more than seven or eight rooms so it’s not like Silver Falls will be overrun by my guests. I want to be a part of the community.”
When they’d finished breakfast, they went over the list she had previously prepared as she’d taken stock of the old place, making a list of everything that she believed would need to be done. She and Knox went over it together and he made additional notes.
Later that same day, Ruby found herself working alongside Knox within the skeleton of what would soon be her dream realized. His hands moved with a surety that spoke of years of experience, handling tools with the same ease as she imagined he navigated the forest trails. She watched him, taking note of how his muscles flexed beneath his shirt, the way his brow creased in concentration, and the occasional dry comment that escaped his lips, catching her off guard and pulling a laugh from deep within her.
"Hand me that hammer, will you?" Knox asked without looking up, reaching out a hand that was both calloused and capable.
"Here," Ruby said, placing the tool into his palm, her skin tingling at the brief contact. The lodge around them was alive with the sounds of progress—wood being sawed, nails being hammered—but all she could hear was the thrumming of her own heart.
"Careful," Knox warned suddenly, catching her arm as a plank shifted precariously above her head. His grip was firm but gentle, the heat of his touch seeping through the fabric of her sleeve.
"Thanks," she murmured, her pulse quickening under his protective hold. She met his gaze, and for a fleeting second, she wondered if he felt the same inexplicable pull that she did—a connection as wild and untamed as the scenery around them.
"Anytime," he replied, releasing her arm but not before she noticed the faintest trace of reluctance in his eyes.
The day wore on, filled with shared tasks and unspoken questions. Ruby was drawn to the enigma that Knox presented, his quiet strength a beacon in the solitude of the wilderness. And as the sun began to dip behind the mountains, Ruby couldn't deny the smoldering attraction that threatened to ignite something far more dangerous than any dream she might dare to chase.