by Hart, Rye
“Sure,” I said, sighing. “Why not?”
I propped myself against the edge of the couch and began reading The Giving Tree. I’d bought this book for Liam on a whim and he’d been obsessed with it ever since. We’d only had it a few months, but the spine was already falling apart. There were food and drink stains on the pages, some of them were ripped, and others were stuck together. I read through the book and showed Liam the pictures while Hadley fell asleep, and the moment I finished the book I could see Liam’s eyelids drooping as well.
I grunted as I rose off the hardwood floor and grabbed a blanket from the couch. I fluttered it over their bodies before a small smile crossed Liam’s cheeks. I looked down at them, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of aching in my gut.
I quickly pushed it away and resolved myself to do the best I could for them. Even with all the troubles that life had thrown our way, I’d try to be happy we had each other.
CHAPTER 4
MELANIE
The snow was falling so hard I could no longer see where I was going. The roads were a blur and the path was no longer clear. I was slowly winding up a mountain whose edges I could no longer keep in my vision. A downed tree lay across the main road that led to my house and I swore. I knew there was another way, a back way, but I hadn’t traveled it in ages. Right now, though, it didn’t look like I had any choice but to try. I took a right turn off the main road and started traveling through some thick forestry, but then my car started to slide.
It slid and it weaved and I slammed on my breaks. My tires refused to grip the ground and I felt myself losing control. My hands gripped the steering wheel while I tried to dodge the trees, but I fell over an embankment and into a ditch.
I was stuck and the snow was coming down even harder than before.
“Shit!” I swore and hit my steering wheel with the palm of my hand.
My hands were trembling as I reached for my purse. I gathered up my stuff and checked my phone, pulling it out just in time to watch it die. I scrounged around, hoping I had another charger in my car, but no luck. I was stuck in the woods with snow falling in bucket loads and no one knew I was out here.
Kicking my door open, I finally got myself out of the car. I scrambled up the embankment and looked around as I pulled my coat tight around my body. The ground was already covered in so much snow that I couldn’t even discern the road from the woods, and tears of fear streamed down my face.
Why the fuck did I forget to charge my damn phone?
The wind began to blow and it kicked up a dust of snow. I braced myself and walked through it, following the upward slope of the mountain. I was hoping I could get to a clearing soon and figure out where in the world I was.
But, the longer I walked, the colder I got, and still there was nothing in sight.
Off in the distance, I saw chimney smoke rising. Hope swelled in my chest as I started running, my numb legs taking me as fast as they could go. I tripped through the trees and got snagged on branches, but the closer I got to the smoke the less afraid I was becoming.
I got to the top of the hill and found myself staring at a beautiful log cabin. There was a truck off to the side and the chimney was still billowing smoke into the sky. My body was trembling, bouncing between being petrified and being relieved. My mind automatically recalled my past ordeal, but I tried to push it away before the panic could take hold. I was a much stronger person than I had been back then. Not to mention, I didn’t have much choice. It was either take my chances with the stranger in the cabin or freeze to death out here in the cold. I thought of my dad alone at home and pushed myself forward.
I drew in a deep breath and walked up to the front door. I knocked on it with my shaking fist, then crossed my arms back over my chest. The door opened in front of me and I froze immediately, taking in the massive man that was standing in the doorframe.
His close-trimmed beard was black and his hair was thick. His brown eyes peeked out from a suspicious face as his body loomed over mine. I took a step back and studied him, taking in the way his six-foot frame was covered with muscle.
Muscle that could overpower me in a heartbeat.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
His voice was low and gravelly, a stark contrast to the chilling nature of the weather swirling around me. My jaw quivered and my hands clutched my coat tightly.
“Yes. I’m sorry. Um—my car skidded and got stuck in a ditch. My phone is dead, too. Do you, uh, have a phone I might be able to borrow?”
I felt helpless. Like that day so many years ago. I stood up tall and tried not to show any fear I might be feeling. Though I’d done a lot of healing in the past four years, I was still leery.
“Why don’t you come inside?” he said.
I stood rooted to the porch for a moment, again mentally weighing my options. I could stand here and freeze, or I could follow this giant stranger into his secluded cabin and hope he didn’t murder and eat me.
“Um, yes, thank you,” I said as I made my way inside.
I stood just inside the door in case I needed to run and took in my surroundings. The furnishings were nice and looked to be somewhat expensive, right down to the massive flat screen TV mounted above the gigantic stone fireplace. I inched my way toward the roaring flames, trying to get myself warm.
“I live just on the other side of the trees but I couldn’t get there before the weather got too bad. My father is probably worried sick about me,” I said, wanting to let this large and incredibly handsome stranger know I would be missed if something were to happen to me. Not that my father could do a damn thing to help me if I needed him.
The man nodded. “So, there is someone living in that house,” he said as his eyes roamed over me.
I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of trepidation and interest as he scanned my body with his dark eyes.
“Yep, lived there my whole life,” I said. “I don’t usually come back this way though, not since I was a kid at least.”
“Uncle Ev?”
I whipped around at the small sound and was shocked to find two children sitting in a playpen. The little boy couldn’t have been more than three years old, and the little girl looked less than a year. She was crawling around and trying to climb up the little boy’s back as he giggled, and my heart melted. They both had bright green eyes and rosy red cheeks, and the little girl had drool dripping down her face while she chewed on a stuffed animal.
“Yes, Liam?” the man asked.
“Who’s that?” he asked.
His little finger pointed to me before the little girl began to giggle at something. My love for children was strong, and it was what had driven me to want to become a preschool teacher. I lifted my hand and waved my fingers at them, giving them a wide smile.
The man cleared his throat.
“This is—”
“Melanie,” I said. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“I’m Liam! And that’s Uncle Ev.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you and your—Uncle Ev,” I said. “Does the beautiful little girl have a name?”
“Hawy,” Liam said.
“Hailey?” I asked.
“Hadley,” the man said. “And I’m Evan.”
I looked up at him and found him studying me even closer. Though I still had my guard up and was a little intimidated by his size, a man with two obviously well cared for children couldn’t be a psycho serial killer. Could he?
“Sit and warm yourself up,” Evan said.
“Thank you.”
I walked over and sat down on the couch as my eyes continued to watch the little ones. Liam was helping the little girl—who I assumed was his sister—try to do something, and she was getting frustrated with him for taking her toy. She was swatting at him and he was asking her to stop, and all the while I was trying to hold back my giggles.
They were perfect.
I settled back into the couch cushions and sighed as the fire warmed my body. I watched the snow co
ntinue to fall outside and started to become concerned for my father. I knew there was plenty of food in the house and that he was capable of making a few things for himself, but he often forgot to take all of his medicine if he wasn’t reminded. Since it was beginning to look like I was going to be stuck here for the foreseeable future, I needed to at least be able to call and remind him. Hopefully, Evan had a phone I could use or a charger to charge my own.
Though my body was still tense, I began to relax in his presence. I just hoped I wasn’t making a mistake by letting my guard down.
CHAPTER 5
EVAN
She was beautiful, sitting there on my couch. Her long black hair fell down her back, covering a delicate neck. She had deep blue eyes that seemed to match the warring storm outside. Her short stature brought her only to my chest but, even underneath her bulky coat, I could tell her body housed curves that could make a man salivate. My fingertips burned with electricity while I made her a cup of coffee.
“I made some coffee. Want some?” I asked.
“That would be nice, thank you. My hands are still really cold,” she said.
“I don’t have cream, but I do have sugar.”
“That’s fine. I’m not picky.”
Reaching for the sugar, I craned my neck back to take her in. She was nestled into the cushions of the couch as the kids continued to play. Her voice was light and innocent but held a confidence beneath it. The contrast between her small stature and her slightly aloof nature burned me to my core, and I had to take deep breaths to quell the urges rising in my pelvis.
“Here you go.”
I walked her coffee over to her and she gracefully took it. I sat beside her on the couch as she brought the cup to her lips and I watched the way those plump beauties curved over the edge. My attraction to her was undeniable, but I had to shake myself from it. I had two children that were depending on me during what was looking to be one of the roughest snow storms Montana had ever experienced.
“What the hell were you doing out in this storm?” I asked.
Her eyes slowly panned over toward me, and she regarded me with a cool look that said she didn’t appreciate me questioning her.
“I met a friend for breakfast and didn’t quite make it back in time. Not that I owe you an explanation,” she added, with a hint of annoyance.
I bit back a smile. She was definitely an odd creature. At times, she seemed nervous and guarded, then she became indignant and confident. I was beyond intrigued.
I studied her, trying to keep my eyes off the parts of her my hands wanted to touch, while her gaze moved back over to the kids. There was an untamed sparkle in her eye as she watched them play, and it made something in my gut twist. For the briefest of moments, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like to have this beautiful woman here with me and the kids. She seemed taken with them, her demeanor immediately changing when she turned her attention to them.
Liam climbed out of the playpen, leaving Hadley squalling in his wake. As I went to stand, Melanie beat me to it and strode over to pick up the crying baby. She bounced her on her hip and make soft cooing noises that had Hadley soon giggling instead.
I stood rooted to the floor as I watched how instinctually and easily Melanie calmed my niece, and I was entranced. As Hadley quieted and Melanie bent to put her back in her playpen, Liam reached his arms up and asked “Up?”
Melanie turned to him and smiled before lifting him onto her hip and doing a funny little dance that sent a fit of giggles erupting from the boy. It was equal parts heartwarming and sexy as fuck. After a few moments, Liam shoved his face into the crook of her neck. She bounced him around just like she did Hadley, cooing in his ear as she cradled him close. Her eyes closed as she pressed a kiss on the top of his head, and I started wondering if I was enough for these kids.
If I could ever be enough, given what they’d been through.
“They’re my niece and nephew,” I said. “I’m watching them for a while.”
Her eyes met mine again and she nodded. I wasn’t about to tell her the entire truth, but I knew she was curious about them nonetheless.
“Do you have kids?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t, but I’ve always loved kids,” she answered. She bent over and deposited Liam back into the playpen with his sister and the two began to play once again.
“You’re really good with them,” I said, motioning to the kids. “I haven’t quite gotten the knack of getting them calmed down quite so quickly.”
She smiled as she looked over at them. “They’re like tiny little animals; they sense fear,” she chuckled. “If you act like you know what you’re doing, they will feel safe and will trust that you can take care of them.”
I nodded. “Sounds easy enough, though I’ve never been that great of an actor.”
She let out a soft laugh and stifled a yawn. I looked outside and realized that it was getting dark out.
“If you’re tired, I could show you to the guest bedroom and you can rest,” I said.
A quick look of suspicion clouded her beautiful blue eyes for a second and I held my hands up in front of me in a gesture of mock surrender.
“There’s a lock on the inside of the door and I haven’t been able to find the key for it,” I said to reassure her.
That seemed to get through and I noticed her shoulders relax.
“What I really need right now is a phone charger or a phone so I can call my father and let him know I’m okay,” she said.
I rooted around in one of the drawers in my kitchen and found a spare charging cord that I handed over to her. The look of relief that washed over her face made me wonder if she truly was afraid to be here with me.
“Thank you so much,” she said, taking the cord from me.
“No problem, why don’t you head into the spare room and plug it in? You can have privacy for your call and rest for a while if you want. I was going to make a little something for dinner here soon if you’re hungry.”
She nodded and headed down the hall toward the bedroom I’d directed her too. “That sounds nice, thank you, Evan.”
The way my name rolled off her tongue, set a fire burning low in my gut. A flash of her writhing underneath me and screaming my name had my dick twitching. Good God, I needed to get ahold of myself before this poor woman thought I was a complete whack job. Something told me she didn’t trust me all that much to begin with, and I didn’t want to give her any more reason to think she was in danger from me. Walking around with a giant hard-on was not the way to reassure her.
“Here’s the room,” I said. “If you need anything, mine’s all the way down the hallway on the opposite end. This snow should stop soon and, when it does, we can figure out how to get you back home.”
“Thanks,” she said.
I watched her walk into the room before she shut the door behind her. I stood there, staring at the wooden door, listening to the sounds she made as she shuffled around the room. I placed my hand upon the door, feeling the cold barrier that separated me from this intriguing woman. I wasn’t sure what to make of this entire situation, but I knew one thing for sure.
I wanted this woman more than I’d wanted anything in a long time.
CHAPTER 6
MELANIE
I woke up with my body curled up into the blankets of a huge bed. My hair was splayed across the pillows and I was finally warm. I lay there with my eyes closed and listened to the silence of the home, which struck me as odd. If the kids were up, shouldn’t there be some sort of noise?
Rolling over, I spotted a clock next to me. The red numbers flashed 5:32, and I groaned as I flopped back down onto the bed. Holy hell, I’d slept through dinner.
And through the night, at that. After the adrenaline of the accident and being forced to stay with a complete stranger – hot though he may be – left my body beyond exhausted. At least the charging cord had worked enough to let me call and talk to Dad.
I’d been plea
santly surprised that he’d sounded better than he had in a while. I’d reminded him to take his meds and stayed on the phone with him until he did. He had made some oatmeal while we talked and I had promised to call him again in the morning to check in on him.
I battled for a while between staying in the warmth of the bed and getting up to tame the hunger rising in my gut. My stomach was growling, but the blankets of the bed were so warm and soft against my skin. I was loathe to leave the coziness of my little cocoon.
Nevertheless, I finally got up and stretched. I’d slept in my clothes the previous night, just in case Evan hadn’t been telling the truth about not having a key to the room. Though I was reasonably sure I could trust him, my guard remained mostly up.
I wrapped my arms around my chest as I started down the hallway, and soon the smell of bacon and eggs was wafting up my nose. My stomach audibly growled, begging for the food I could smell.
I came down the hallway and rounded the corner to find Evan cooking. His massive form was standing at the stove while he tossed the eggs around in the pan, but I didn’t see the kids. There was a high chair at the table that had a bottle sitting out as well as a small plate of food, but there were no tiny people filling the spaces just yet.
“They’ll be up soon,” he said. “You hungry?”
I studied his hulking form as he cooked. The sight of him making breakfast and setting out food for the kids struck me as incredibly sweet. Though I was still a bit leery, I couldn’t help but admit that I was insanely attracted to him.
I hadn’t been with anyone in a long time, no one being able to break through the barrier I’d erected around myself the last few years. As I looked at him, my sorely neglected body reminded me just how much I had missed out on.
“I am,” I said, nodding. “Thank you.”
“I’ll fix you up a plate,” he said.
His voice was low and rumbling, and sexy as hell. It was powerful, but at the same time, gentle and quiet so as not to wake the children before they were ready. I sat down at the kitchen table as he made me a plate, my mouth drowning in saliva as my stomach readied itself for the food. He sat it in front of me as the steam rose to my nose, and I closed my eyes and inhaled the wonderful scent.