Page 6 of Snowbound Mountain Man

"If you need any help, outside of the labor, let me know." He keeps his voice so soft that it makes me want to immediately cave to what he's offering. When he's not radiating anger, he's got this look about him that makes me want to use one of those broad shoulders to lean on. If I'm not careful, I might accidentally trauma dump on him, and I don't think the poor guy deserves to experience that after only speaking to me twice.

Then again, he did go out of his way to help me out without being asked. Maybe he would be willing to give an ear while he's at it.

"Right now, I think I'm okay." Taking in a deep breath, I try to smile more naturally. "But if the time comes, I may take you up on that offer. We'll see what happens. Now, enough about me. If Gregory really did talk me up, then you should set your bar really high."

Urging him to eat my creation, I put my focus on his opinion of them, even as old habits die hard. They're simple peanut butter cookies, but they're still warm enough to make that milk a fantastic addition.

He reaches over and plucks one from the platter. "You don't want one?"

"I think I eat enough sweets as is," I joke as I pat my stomach. "Please, they're all yours."

His eyes dip down to where my hand is, and his brows bunch together once more. The man doesn't even try to hide his thoughts, but I can't tell if he agrees or disagrees with what I'm implying.

I own a bakery; there's no way I don't have a little extra fat here and there from my job. With how many new recipes I try to create? It's impossible to enjoy sweets off the clock, anyway.

From the way his lips purse into a thin line, I'm left to believe he disagrees. Even if that isn't the case, I still have that fuzzy, warm sensation rolling around my stomach at the thought.

Thankfully, his eyes don't linger long enough to catch the way my flush is starting to lift above my collar. Instead, he sinks his teeth into one of the cookies and lets out the deepest rumble of a groan that I've ever heard.

That's the kind of sound that can haunt a woman.

My toes curl on instinct, and my fingers do the same against my lap.

"Jesus," he mutters before giving me a view of his tongue as it flicks out to catch the few crumbs clinging to his bottom lip. "You said this is from scratch?"

When my mouth curves, this time, it's all natural. "Just a few ingredients I threw together. It's nothing special."

He shakes his head before the rest of the cookie disappears like magic. He doesn't bother touching his milk and goes for another cookie. Without realizing it, he's aiding in making my pride swell.

There's nothing I love more than having someone enjoy one of my creations. I never expected my grumpy neighbor to be one to melt at a little sugar.

"Yeah, Juniper. Make me these, and I'll do whatever you want," he offers between bites. "I mean it. Anything."

He's talking about the cabin, but my mind goes to terrible places.

Is it because I haven't been with a man properly in ages? Blind dates and online matches have always led to disappointment, but they've never been six-foot mountain men, either.

Just looking at his fingers around the cookie makes me bite my lip. They're thick enough to fit a man built as big as he is. Wait, is every part of him big?

At my sudden sputter, Hunter, clueless as can be, offers to pat my back and goes so far as to offer his glass of milk.

He doesn't tease me for choking on air, but from the way the corners of his eyes wrinkle, I think I may as well be ready to die of embarrassment.

It's only when he takes the glass from my hands, grazing my fingers with his, that he takes a large sip from the other side.

From the way his eyes linger, it feels like he knows exactly what he's doing.

There's no way. I'm imagining it.

Not that it matters. I'm not going to be hanging around long enough to entertain such a thought, even if it is a tempting one.

Chapter four

Hunter

It takes two days for the sweet girl next door to take me up on my offer.

Two days of patiently waiting between ordering a delivery of wood to give her enough heat to last for more than a week and going through those cookies like each one is gold.