Mountain Man and Mistletoe: A Small Town Christmas

by Kristen Echo

The sight of blood caused my stomach to churn. I needed to get away. Writing about murder scenes and describing the carnage from accidents differed from seeing it. I shifted onto my back and winced.

  The snow continued to fall. I closed my eyes, hoping the man coming towards me was nothing like the evil villain the couple had described earlier. As footsteps approached, the knot twisted in my belly. I crossed my fingers and prayed I would survive the night and come out of this situation unscathed.

  Chapter 2

  Disoriented and dizzy, my eyes fluttered shut. I squeezed them tight as the footsteps drew nearer. I held my breath, waiting for the death blow. My imagination often traveled to dark and twisted places. Based on my limited experience, the world wasn’t full of good people.

  When the man stopped next to my body, I should have opened my eyes and screamed. Done something. Anything. Instead, I froze.

  “Stay with me.” He touched my arm lightly. Almost reverently. “Are you conscious?”

  His thick accent along with my splitting headache made it hard to understand him. His tone wasn’t menacing. It was enticing. The type of voice you could listen to for hours while snuggled under a blanket next to a fire. My lungs burned. I couldn’t hold my breath any longer. I exhaled and winced.

  “Bene, sei sveglio.” He removed his hand. “I’m glad you’re awake. Remain still.”

  Darkness greeted me when I opened my eyes. His face hid in the shadows from his hood. He leaned over me. I couldn’t make out his features, but he didn’t appear to be four hundred pounds. If they were wrong about that, maybe they were wrong about everything. I swallowed my fear and turned my face away from him, searching the snow for the wounded animal.

  “Did I kill it?”

  “Kill what?” His hands roamed over my legs, pressing lightly. “Does this hurt?”

  “A little.” My breaths came quick and shallow. “My head hurts the most but forget about me. Is the elk okay?”

  A deep chuckle rumbled through the crisp winter air. “You only wounded a tree and yourself.”

  “Good. Well… not good, but better than the alternative.”

  I rested my gloved hands beside my body and tried to push myself into a seated position. A sharp stabbing pain stole my energy. My hands slipped on the snow as I gave up.

  “Don’t get up. You’re bleeding.” He removed his vest and placed it against the side of my head. “Hold that against the wound.”

  “Ouch.” I held the fabric as instructed. “It’s probably nothing more than a scratch,” I said more to reassure myself. The blood in the snow hadn’t been much, but enough to make me queasy.

  “You may have broken your neck or—”

  “I’m not broken,” I wheezed. “A little winded, but I’ll be fine. If the dizziness would go away, I’d be up and walking already.”

  “Can you wiggle your toes or move your legs? Besides your head, tell me what hurts.”

  The snow covered his hood and most of my body. I looked down at my boots as I tested my toes and legs. Both moved. Relief spread through me, washing away some of my initial anxiety.

  “It hurts when I breathe,” I admitted.

  “You may have broken ribs and have a concussion. It’s good that you’re talking and you’re able to move. Let me help you off the snow.”

  Lying on the ground unable to get up, I had no choice but to accept his offer. I shivered as his fingers brushed the snow off my forehead. He inhaled sharply as he inspected my face. I must have looked a mess. The heat from his touch made me want to lean closer, but that was foolish. The brief contact sent a jolt of adrenaline directly to my heart.

  “You won’t hurt me, will you?”

  My teeth chattered as I waited for his response. He leaned back as if my question caught him off guard. I wished I could see his face. Seen into his eyes.

  “I have a family and friends waiting for me,” I lied.

  The teachings from a self-defense class popped into my head. Some victims managed to talk their way out of a potentially dangerous situation. I wished I could remember what had worked. I removed my gloves and shoved them in my pockets in case I needed to defend myself. My hands balled into fists as I lifted them towards him.

  “They aren’t far away,” I added.

  “You’re safe with me, young one. I’m a doctor. It will be easier for me to assess your injuries in the light.”

  “A doctor,” I repeated. “So, you vowed to do no harm and all that. Right?”

  He chuckled again. Low and deep. “You are funny. Let’s get you inside and warm while we wait for your group to arrive.”

  Without asking permission, he lifted me into his arms. I groaned and dropped the vest as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Resting my head against his shoulder, I tried not to freak out. I shuddered and clung to him for warmth. My nose scraped along his neck. His scent struck me as a mixture of wood and spice. Masculine.

  It didn’t matter how good and alluring he smelled. I hadn’t asked for his help or agreed to go anywhere with him. I was being carried against my will.

  “Put me down!” It was hard to sound tough when my entire body, voice included, was shaking like the remaining leaves on the trees.

  “No. This will be faster.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  The wind howled and snow crunched under his boots, creating a sinister scene. I tried to dismiss the eerie darkness surrounding us and focus on the light in the distance. He could have left me wounded in the woods, but he didn’t. My overactive imagination offered no favors.

  “To my home. It’s a short distance away.”

  He carried me towards his house. The man had superhuman strength to lift me in his arms and carry me while trudging through the snow. The blizzard had arrived, striking with its fury. Strong winds pressed against us and slowed our progress. The cold cut through my ripped jacket, freezing every inch of me.

  My head throbbed. When I closed my eyes, the vertigo intensified. The knots in my stomach tightened with every step. I had to think and find a way back to town.

  “Don’t worry, your parents will find you. I’m sure they’ll arrive any minute and be glad you are safe inside,” he said.

  No one was looking for me. If my baby face gave him the impression I was younger, I wasn’t going to correct him. The little white lie would ensure my safety until I found a way down the mountain. My plan was simple. Once he set me down, I’d make a run for it. The darkness of the night would shield me, and the snow would cover my tracks. I’ll admit, the plan had faults, but it was better than nothing.

  “We’re here,” he announced a short time later.

  The hinges squealed as he opened a door and brought me inside. A warm blast of air stroked my damp cheeks as he kicked the door shut behind us. The space wasn’t as large as I expected given folks were fighting over it. One large room with an open loft. There was a modest kitchen with the bare essentials, a butcher block island and a table for two. One oversized recliner was positioned next to a massive stone fireplace that climbed all the way to the ceiling. Two red stockings hung off the wooden mantel.

  The fire burned and crackled, inviting us to warm up. Past a large window along the backside, I noticed the bed. A sleigh bed with white pillows and red covers askew as if a fight had just ended there. My heart thundered faster.

  “This is a bad idea.”

  His stride was long. Before I could protest further, he placed me gently on the soft flannel covers. “You’ll warm fast with blankets, but first you must remove your ripped and wet clothing.”

  With my head resting on his pillow, I didn’t move. “Your sweater is soaked. You must be frozen too.”

  Assessing my options, I glanced around the log house. There were only two doors. One way in and out. The other was most likely the bathroom. He moved to the end of the bed, blocking my only chance of escape.

  “Si.”

  Standing next to the wooden dresser, he turned and removed his wet long-sleeved, checkered
sweater. The light from a lamp and the nearby fire cast shadows against his tanned skin. He pulled out a shirt and closed the drawer. I watched in awe as the muscles from his broad back rippled and flexed. Damp jeans clung to his backside, hanging low on his hips. His body was strong and fit. The probability I’d outrun him was slim to none.

  “Damn,” I mumbled aloud.

  When he pivoted towards me, I caught the first look at my captor and gasped. He was stunning with a mop of black hair, a trimmed beard and warm chestnut eyes. A light dusting of gray caressed his temples. I counted not six but eight rows of abdominals. Deranged mountain men weren’t supposed to be sexy. My breath hitched and my hand covered my heart.

  “Are you in much pain? I can help you remove your layers.”

  I shook my head. “P… no. I’m… Leah.”

  “Ciao bella.” He closed the distance between us and grabbed my hand. “Sono Matteo Ricci,” he said, engulfing my hand with his and shaking it.

  His handshake was confident. Firm. Not overly forceful but far from weak. I stared at our joined hands as his warmth spread up my arm. A swirl of desire stamped out the fear.

  “Doctor Matteo Ricci.” I swallowed hard and removed my hand from his grip. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  He smiled, delivering a one-two punch of attraction. He was probably only a dozen years older than me. I’d always found older men attractive. This one was irresistible.

  “Wish it was under better circumstances. Turn your head for me.”

  I did and noticed a small decorated Christmas tree in the corner by the door. The tiny lights cycled through red, green and white. The bed dipped as he sat next to me. He leaned closer and touched my cheek. His manly scent enveloped me like a hug. He parted my hair, pulling at the cut. I tensed and hissed.

  “That hurts! What are you doing?”

  “Scusa. It won’t need stitches. Hold this.”

  Using the shirt in his hand, he covered the wound on the side of my head. The gesture was sweet. Not the actions of a criminal mastermind.

  The rational part of my brain melted. The combination of good looks and accent created a powerful reaction. I swooned. I’d heard of Stockholm syndrome but didn’t understand it until that moment. The sexy doctor could have been evil to the core and yet I still had the hots for him. The urge to run suddenly didn’t seem nearly as important as it had just a moment earlier.

  I must have banged my head harder than I realized.

  “Okay.” My hand covered his, holding the shirt against the cut.

  My curls matted together, wet with either blood or from the snow. I was afraid to look. I kept my eyes on him. He pulled his hand away, stood and walked to the kitchen only a few feet away. Matteo crouched, pushed the curtain under the sink aside and reached inside.

  “My medical kit,” he explained as he removed a brown leather bag. “I’ve got bandages. I promise not to hurt you.”

  “I’ll hold you to that. Thank you.”

  “Will you allow me to examine you?” The shirtless doctor ran one hand through his thick mane and sauntered towards me.

  At that moment, I would have let him do anything. I quivered, thinking of the possibilities. None of which were PG. I nodded.

  What other option did I have?

  “You are shivering.”

  He returned to the bed and sat. The bed dipped under his weight, forcing me to slide closer. His brows furrowed as he unzipped my coat. Slowly, methodically, he helped remove layers of wet clothing. I stripped down to my bra and panties before he tended to the gash on my head and the cut along my leg. His touch was gentle.

  Having his hands on my body gave me tingles. He acted in a professional manner. Yet each stroke of his fingers on my bare skin left goosebumps. I blushed as he placed the stethoscope over my chest. It was cold and my nipples hardened.

  Matteo coughed and looked away. “Take a deep breath if you can.”

  Each one caused a sharp shooting pain. Admittedly, my threshold for pain wasn’t very high. I described the pain. He listened to my heartbeat and asked lots of questions. I answered honestly. His eyes drifted to the door more than once as he checked my body.

  After a thorough exam, he assured me I’d live and ordered bed rest. My ribs ached and my left side had plenty of cuts and bruises, but nothing broken. I had been lucky. As he dressed me in one of his shirts, he explained the difference between a broken rib and a strained intercostal muscle. Based on my symptoms, he figured it was mild. I didn’t agree since every time I moved, it hurt.

  He offered pain relievers which I gobbled down. By the time he put away his bag, keeping my eyes open proved to be a difficult feat. On the plus side, the nausea had lessened.

  “Are you comfortable?” He adjusted the icepack against the gauze wrapped around my head and tucked me under the covers. He brought the blanket up to my neck and smiled.

  Guilt spread like a bad rash for thinking he was out to get me. I nodded as he stepped back. If he hadn’t helped… I should have been smarter. My sister had already lost so much. Imagining the possibilities was exhausting and served no purpose. I was safe and had a roof over my head.

  I yawned.

  “Rest but don’t sleep. You’re not presenting with the signs of a concussion, but it’s best to be prudent,” he said as he pulled on a black long-sleeved shirt. “Can I get you anything else?”

  “If I’m stuck in bed, I could use a laptop,” I joked.

  My eyes widened at the mention of my livelihood. If my device was as mangled as my body, I was in big trouble. My newest chapters hadn’t been backed up yet. I tried to sit and grimaced. Matteo placed his hand on my arm, preventing me from lifting any higher.

  “What are you doing? I told you to rest.”

  “You don’t understand. My backpack is out in the snow. I can’t leave it there.”

  “Stay. I’ll go,” he offered.

  “It’s a blizzard. No one should go out in that.”

  He grabbed a jacket off a coat rack and pulled the hood over his head as he stepped into his boots. “Your group is still out there. I’ve been expecting them to knock, but something must have happened. How far away were your parents?”

  I’d forgotten all about my little white lie. He probably thought I was a horrible person for not caring about my family. I loved my family. It had been just me and my sister for years. With her in college, I was on my own and I didn’t like it. The only person looking out for me was me.

  “We agreed if we got separated to meet at the… at the cabin. You don’t have to worry about anyone.”

  My cheeks burned. I had no doubt my face pinked as I lied. This would have been a good time to come clean. If he’d wanted to hurt me, he’d have done it by now.

  Matteo wasn’t a villain; he was a hero. He’d rescued me from freezing to death on the top of the mountain. I’d been damn lucky he saw me crash into the trees.

  His eyebrow lifted as if my story didn’t seem plausible. “You would like to use my phone? The snow may kill reception soon if it hasn’t already.”

  “Sure. I mean, yes please.”

  He unlocked his cellphone and handed it to me. “They must be worried. I would be frantic if you were mine.” His fingers grazed mine before he stepped away. “I shouldn’t be too long. Make your call and I’ll be back.”

  There was no point protesting. I thanked him for the phone and watched him leave. I called my sister.

  Kelly answered after the second ring. “Hello?”

  “Hey girl. I miss you.”

  “Leah! I’ve been texting for an hour. I have amazing news! Are you at work? I don’t recognize this number.”

  Her joy was infectious. I smiled, picturing her long blonde hair twirling around her finger as she bounced on her feet like she always used to when she was excited. I didn’t want to dampen her mood with my troubles. I hadn’t told her about losing my day job and now wasn’t the right time.

  “I’m good. Car problems, but it will be fine.”
<
br />   “Cool. So, my roommate’s parents surprised her and me with a trip. They knew I’d be all alone and I guess they took pity. Whatever… I’m heading to Hawaii tomorrow morning. Eek!”

  My chest tightened. I was happy for my girl, but that meant I would be alone for the holidays. So much for surprise visits and crashing on her couch until I found a place.

  “How long is your trip?” I blinked away the tears burning my eyes.

  “Two weeks. They are paying for air and hotel. It’s surreal. Leah, I need to pack. I love you.”

  We chatted for another minute. When I ended the call, the urge to snoop overpowered my better judgment. I wanted to know more about the sexy doctor. Based on the limited caller history, it was either a new phone or he was good at deleting messages. Most of the calls in the past few days came from or went to Mamma, Stefano and Noelle. It was adorable that he talked to his mother almost daily.

  Not wanting to be a total creeper, I left his text messages alone, but scrolled through his pictures. He didn’t have many loaded. There were a few of him with an infant. Another of him and a beautiful woman taken by the fireplace. With his arm draped around her shoulder, they smiled for the camera. Her hands were placed protectively over her pregnant belly. The couple stood next to the stockings on the mantel. One of which was probably hers. For a split second, I wished it was me in the photo.

  I’d seen enough. Of course, the smoking hot foreigner was married. Other people weren’t averse to commitment and happily ever after. Losing my parents had messed with me. I hadn’t had a lasting relationship since. The notion of forever was as fake as Christmas miracles.

  “Bah humbug!”

  I put the phone down and looked around. The place oozed rustic charm. A perfect log cabin perched high in the mountains. I loved everything about it. The only change I would have made would be to remove the minimal Christmas decorations.

  The squeaky hinges startled me. “Who’s there?”

  “Honey, I’m home,” Matteo said followed by a laugh. “Scusa, but I’ve always wanted to say that.”

  “Did you find my bag?”

  He removed his jacket and boots and shook the snow from his hair. A drop of water dripped down the side of his face. I wanted to trace the line with my tongue. My mouth was suddenly parched.