AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The sun had slowly begun rising in the distance and I found myself peeking over in Eric’s direction often, my attention immediately drawing to the magnificent window and view behind him. Rolling snowy mountains rippled off into the distance, slithers of sunlight peeking through while the cabin was still shrouded in darkness. It truly was a breathtaking view and something I hadn’t been able to appreciate last night in the dark.
I poured the whisked ingredients into the fry pan, admiring my handiwork as I hummed to the beat playing in my head with hips swaying as if I were at the club. When I peeked over my shoulder a fourth time at the mountain view, I took a sharp startled breath as my heart rapidly pounded.
Eric was awake; his gaze narrowed on me as he lazily ran a hand over his face and blinked numerous times. Interesting, a not-so-morning-person lumberjack it appeared. My gaze absentmindedly dragged over his naked but hairy chest. A heat flushed my cheeks as I looked away, surprised by my immediate attraction to the older man.
“Good morning,” I chirped, focusing on the omelette at hand as he groggily made his way over.
“What’s this?” He yawned, slipping past me in the kitchen and setting up the coffee pot still half asleep. He yawned again, stretching with the motion. I peeked over my shoulder, embarrassed by my shameful wandering gaze that glided over his back and shoulder muscles. Was that much muscle even possible on a man? On a real one anywayand not someone on social media through an edited lens. He had muscles bulging against muscles. I looked away, internally slapping myself for my gawking.
“I’m making you an omelette, it’s my way of saying thank you.”
He leaned over my shoulder, peering into the pan. His warmth and very naked upper body seemed to ignite a heat that scorched my back. I pretended to be unfazed by his proximity but it suddenly became hard for me to breathe.
“Mmm,” he hummed. What did that even mean? Slowly yawning and dragging his feet back around the island bench now with coffee in hand, he lazily opened the door for Shadow to go out and do his business. He combed through his hair and twisted back and forth. His abs were ridiculously chiseled, the skin pulling tightly over every muscle. Eight defined clumps of pure masculine muscle, dipping into a V at his loose gray sweats.
He took a mouthful of his coffee and his lazy gaze snapped to mine. Suddenly, I realized I’d been staring at him the whole time. Bashful, I looked away, focusing on flipping the omelette.
“How much snow are you used to in Manhattan?” he casually asked through another yawn. Wow he was the furthest thing from a morning person.
With spatula in the air, I considered it. “A normal amount?”
He pointed outside. “This much?” he asked through another yawn.
Intrigued by the most initiative he’d taken in any of our conversations, I rounded the island bench and squeezed between him and the doorframe. Wow. There was so much snow.
“I haven’t seen snow like this for a long time,” I beamed excitedly. “Not since I was a kid creating snowmen when we’d ski in Europe and Canada. And certainly not in Manhattan.” He was watching me quietly as I squealed with excitement by the sight of snow. I supposed to him, I was probably just a cliché city girl. And I didn’t care—I wasn’t going to let it take away the magic and bewilderment of what I saw right now.
It was still mostly dark outside the cabin, the glimmer of sun only just peeking around the house. The cold frost-bitten air swept past my exposed legs. Idly, Shadow pushed back past my knees, preferring the warmth of inside once he’d finished. And I couldn’t entirely blame him.
“Is the omelette burning?” Eric asked.
“What? Oh shit.” I ran around the kitchen bench, cursing as I removed the fry pan off the stove top. “Damn.”
Eric closed the door and peered over my shoulder as I panicked. He took another mouthful of coffee from his now near empty mug in his giant hand as he assessed the damage.
“It’s not so bad but I’ll make you another one.”
His hand paused on my wrist. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. Maybe it had something to do with the roughness of his calloused hands compared to mine, but he was a man, and my loins were screaming to jump his bones. I was certain it came down to some weird primal urge. Gently he said, “I’ll eat it. Just make yourself something as well.”
I nodded curtly, startled by my hot fiery reaction to him. My ovaries were basically jumping out at him. I mean he was obviously hot, but we couldn’t be any more different and then there was the age difference. I internally grimaced, why was I even thinking about this when I had much more pressing matters to consider? And I’d sworn celibacy! I was completely off men. But maybe because all the guys you dated were boys in Manhattan, a little voice antagonized me.
I made the omelette as directed, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d actually eaten breakfast, well unless it was a juice of some sort.
A heavy silence filled the cabin. I glanced over my shoulder at Eric. He was shoveling the food into his mouth. Perhaps a guy his size needed more than one omelette.
As if feeling my gaze, he said without looking up, “It tastes good. Thank you.”
A satisfied warmth filled me. “One of my college friends always told me the best way to show your gratitude was cooking for someone heartfelt. And I kind of liked that sentiment,” I hummed in my singsong way. I enjoyed cooking, although I barely made time for it.
“Out of gratitude, huh? Is that why mine’s burnt?”
I swept around, abhorred, only to find a small smile curved at his lips. Was he, toying with me?
“I mean that was an accident.”
A low chuckle rumbled from the depths of his stomach. And I found it… mesmerizing. Why did I have the impression that this man couldn’t laugh at all? Probably because of the constant scowl on his expression, or his obvious dislike of me crashing at his place.
“And besides,” I continued, flipping the second omelette, not entirely comfortable with how unnerved he made me feel. “That’s all you’re going to ask? Not about what I studied in college or what my friend’s name was or anything like that?”
