His cat really did not like that thought. The beast scratched and clawed at him from the inside out, but he batted down the animal and turned to help the female hobble over to the sofa.

  “I don’t suppose you have a phone.”

  “Have a cell phone, but you can’t get reception here.”

  “Then why do you have it?”

  “There’s a spot about eight miles down the trail you were on. I can get reception there when I need to.”

  “Well, I am still grateful for your help. Especially now that it’s raining.”

  “I’ll see about calling in some help for you once it lets up. That alright?”

  “Uh huh. Ooh.” She winced, and he moved to steady her as she lowered herself onto the cushions.

  “Let’s see that ankle,” he said.

  He might not be willing to trap her in the mountains with him as his mate, but he could help her. If it was broken, he’d carry her down the mountain himself once the storm passed. There was no way he’d risk a single thing happening to her.

  Should’ve bought that quad, he cursed himself silently for not purchasing the all-terrain vehicle one of his contractors had suggested after construction was complete. But Keeton was a Shifter, he needed no help to move up and down the mountain. He just never counted on guests.

  “Ouch.” She bit her lip as he undid her laces and tugged gently on her ankle high hiking sneakers.

  The things were brand new, expensive, not the footwear he expected a seasoned hiker on the expert trail to wear. In his gut, he knew she was no experienced backpacker. Her skin was too fair, her equipment still had tags. This was one hell of a trek for her to take on her own.

  What is she doing out here?

  Marilena sucked in a sharp breath as he peeled off her sock to reveal her swollen ankle. It was turning a deep shade of purple, worrying him for the moment. His cat hissed. The creature did not like her injured at all and was ready to lay waste to the entire mountain for damaging his mate. Keeton hushed the silly beast.

  Focusing instead on every nuance of movement the female made, he turned her foot slightly. Careful not to cause her further pain, he was sure to keep his movements steady and slow so he could assess the damage. As a soldier and mercenary, Keeton had experience with rendering first aid in the battlefield. And he’d never been more grateful for the experience than he was now.

  “It’s bruised, but it’s not broken,” he grunted.

  “Oh, thank God!”

  “Let me get you some ice.”

  He released his hold on her foot reluctantly. Practically had to force his fingers to open. Nodding slightly at her wide-eyed stare, he left the room. He hurried to the kitchen to grab some ice and then to the bathroom to get the first-aid kit. Catching his face in the mirror, he stopped and stared.

  What the fucking fuck is wrong with me?

  Too many things to count, for sure. He looked like a crazy person. For the first time in his life, his beard was over six inches long and his hair hung down to his shoulders in a shaggy mess. She must think him some kind of savage.

  Fuck it.

  She’s better off without me, anyway.

  Mine, snarled his cat, and he shook his head to quiet the sound of his inner beast.

  He was not about to take advantage of an injured woman under his roof. Could not find a single reason why she would benefit from being with him. But maybe, just maybe, he could offer his animal a taste of being near her. Something to remember while he lived out the rest of his days deep in the mountain and away from society. Now that was a compromise, if ever he heard of one.

  Keeton walked back to the living room to find Marilena had removed her other shoe and sock, her jacket and sweatshirt as well. She was unbuttoning her pants when he made some noise to alert her to his presence.

  “Oh,” she said, blushing a pretty shade of pink. “I wanted to get changed. I hope you don’t mind. I sort of tore my jeans when I fell.”

  Keeton frowned and walked over to her, eyes intent on the two tears he somehow missed at both knees. He placed the first aid kit on the coffee table, then moved it back so he could get closer to her.

  “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

  “I don’t think so, but these jeans are cutting into my waist. I have a pair of yoga pants in my backpack.”

  He grabbed the backpack and opened it, finding the black stretchy pants among her things. She sure had packed lightly, and not at all for the rough terrain. Definitely a novice. Again, he wondered what had made her climb up this way.

  “If you could hand me that blanket...” She pointed to the crocheted afghan that sat on the armchair facing the fireplace, and he moved quickly to grab it.

  He waited as she draped it over her waist, not telling her it was useless since not seeing her didn’t stop him from scenting her, and it was her scent that drove him wild with need. He swallowed down his baser instincts and concentrated on helping her get comfortable.

  “How can I help?”

  “I think I can lift myself up if you wouldn’t mind, tugging down my jeans? I am so sorry to ask—”

  “It’s no trouble,” he cut her off, waiting for her nod as he reached beneath the blanket to hold on to the denim at her waist.

  He closed his eyes, praying for patience, and pulled the material carefully so as not to rip it clean off her. Fuck, he’d never had his control tested like that before. The sound of her pulse racing when he put his hands on her, the warm breath that tickled his ear lobes as he leaned in, and her honeyed scent that increased with his nearness.

  She wanted him. Keeton cursed the Fates even as the knowledge made his chest, and other parts of him, swell with pride. It was the way of these things he’d often heard from other Shifters, even if he never experienced it himself. When the Fates matched up a pair, desire and need would often increase until they consummated the relationship and claimed one another.

  Mating fever, or so it was termed between Shifters. He never realized a human could feel some of the effects as well.

  Why else would this beautiful woman even consider him?

  A whimper escaped her lips as she lifted onto her elbows and her one uninjured foot, and the leash he held on himself broke.

  “Let me help,” he grunted and wrapped one arm around her waist, lifting her and tugging on the jeans the rest of the way past her hips.

  “Sorry,” she whispered.

  “No need. Better now?” he asked as he slid the fabric carefully off her bruised ankle.

  “Yes.” She nodded and grabbed for her other pants.

  “Wait. Let me make sure you aren’t cut first.” He waited for her assent, then lifted the blanket to her thighs.

  Keeton frowned at the myriad of scrapes marring both her knees. He grabbed the first aid kit and cleaned them first with antiseptic wipes before applying antibiotic ointment and one large bandage on each.

  “That should do it,” he murmured.

  “Thank you,” she said, and he noted her breathing was easier.

  Next, he helped her guide her legs into her pants, but she stopped him before he could lift her again. He frowned, but did as she asked, turning around to give her some privacy.

  “I’m so sorry for all this, and I can’t thank you enough. Maybe I could write you a check?”

  “You want to give me money for helping you?” he asked, a little shocked.

  “Well, in my experience no one does anything for free—”

  “I don’t expect a reward for simply being decent.”

  “Most men I know would,” she replied, and his beast came roaring to the surface once more.

  “What men do that?”

  “You’d be surprised.”

  “Men like who?”

  “My ex-fiancé, for one. He’s a slimeball attorney.”

  “A lawyer? No wonder,” he murmured.

  “I know, right? My mom introduced us. I should’ve known better.”

  “How did you get engaged to him?”

  “I don’t know. He asked, and I was so surprised I said yes. I think I thought it was my only shot. Doesn’t matter now. It’s over. I, uh, caught him cheating.”

  “Fuck. Look, I’m sorry, but it seems like his loss.”

  “Yeah, right.” She snorted.

  “I don’t know who you’ve been dealing with, but real men don’t take money from women just for helping them out. And they don’t cheat. Not ever.”

  “I suppose you’re right about that. Still, I feel like I should do something for all you’ve done.” She shrugged, still blushing prettily.

  “How about you rest here a minute? Let me fix you dinner, Marilena. Afterward, we can talk.”

  He handed her the ice pack before leaving the room. Keeton was sure it wasn’t her intention to flirt, but that vulnerable look on her face as she asked him if there was something she could do for him damn near set him off. The bulge that was hopefully hidden behind his zipper and flannel was begging him to take her up on her offer, but he cursed himself ten times a fool.

  She wasn’t offering to sleep with him, for fuck’s sake. Even if she was, he would not treat her that way. Besides, if Keeton allowed his desires to take over, there was no way he could guarantee he wouldn’t claim the female.

  Keeton was too fucked up to inflict himself on anyone permanently. Look at him. Like a fucking coward he ran to the mountains, hiding away from the entire world because some asshole discovered his secret and blackmailed him.

  No. That was only half the reason. It was the disdain on the now dead man’s face, the way his lips had curled, and eyes filled with hatred when he spat the one word guaranteed to pain any Shifter.

  Animal.

  He’d called Keeton an animal while demanding money to keep silent.

  The Shifter secret was too big to let pride stand in his way. And it was not his alone to keep. So, he paid, then told his commanding officers about the situation, fully expecting to be kicked out of the unit. But he wasn’t, and the other man had died in battle, not trusting Keeton to keep him alive cause he was just an animal.

  No, he would not inflict himself on this beautiful woman. He couldn’t live with the possibility of her rejecting him. He was man enough to admit that, even if only to himself. Not a chance. He would simply have to content himself with feeding her and tending her injuries.

  It was all he had to offer the lovely human female.

  Chapter Five

  Lena looked around the sparsely decorated living room. The cabin was beautiful, but it felt so lonely, she thought, and a pang of sadness constricted her heart. There were no photographs or paintings, no color to break up the monotony of browns and tans.

  Her gaze kept returning to the raging storm beyond the enormous floor to ceiling windows that faced the covered porch and the grassy field beyond. She heard Keeton moving about the kitchen. Quiet and self-assured, she couldn’t imagine the mountain man needing anything at all, but still. She seemed to sense his loneliness, and it hurt her.

  Silly, she knew, but she wanted to help somehow. Whatever had caused him to run away and hide from the world couldn’t be that bad, she mused.

  But what if it was?

  Truthfully, she knew nothing about him. And yet, she had never felt so safe in her life. She must be really desperate for attention. Lena cursed herself for that thought. It was her mother’s voice, not hers, that crept into her thoughts. Worming its way in whenever she was feeling peaceful or at ease.

  “I hope you like stew.” Keeton’s voice penetrated the stark silence, and she jumped. “Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “No, no, please, you are fine. That was my fault, I got lost in my head.” She shrugged and sat up, breathing in the aromatic stew he set on a bed tray over her legs.

  “This smells wonderful!”

  “Thanks.” He shrugged, clearly embarrassed by her praise. “Nothing to it.”

  “I smell fresh rosemary and is that cinnamon?”

  “Yeah, just a pinch.”

  He was really blushing now, but Lena was in her glory when discussing food. The first bite was heavenly. She could not stop herself from moaning aloud. The meat was tender.

  “Is this rabbit?”

  “Um, yeah. Is that okay?”

  “Yes.” She grinned. “I like rabbit. I imagine you do a lot of hunting up here.”

  “I do,” he replied, and she smiled at him, hoping to ease some of his tension.

  “It’s delicious. So, is this like a weekend getaway?”

  “The cabin? No, I live here.”

  “Like year round?”

  “Yes,” he said, placing his fork down beside his large bowl. “I built this place about two years ago and have been living here ever since.”

  “You never go into town?”

  Keeton shook his head, and Lena’s heart squeezed once more. Whatever ghosts filled his past and sent him running for the hills, she sure as hell hoped they would let up and leave him be. He was a good man. She could tell. Lena was sort of an expert after wasting so much of her time with the wrong kind of man.

  “What’s so funny?”

  He seemed genuinely curious, and she realized then she’d snorted aloud at her own self-critique. There was something so open and honest about him, although she could tell he was keeping something to himself. It wasn’t her business, she knew, even so, she was curious.

  “I was just thinking that I wasted a lot of time on the wrong man, and for the first time in a long time I feel, well, un-anxious, if that’s even a word.”

  Thunder crashed outside, the storm turning violent as she ate her dinner with the mysterious mountain man whose dark green eyes held such secrets she could hardly even imagine. Maybe she was wrong to trust him so blindly.

  But what choice did Lena really have?

  “I think it’s good that you feel at ease, Marilena,” he said after a brief pause.

  She could tell she’d pleased him with her statement, though she had no actual idea why. What should he care for her comfort, or discomfort for that matter? And yet, this stranger had showed her more kindness since she’d met him than Cary had in all of their months of living together and being engaged to be married.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve felt that. My mother is always telling me how foolish I am and constantly correcting me. She doesn’t necessarily approve of my life choices.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Well, for one thing, I’m overweight and had to be unforgivably obvious about it by going into the food industry. You see, I run a catering business, and I am not sure what she finds worse, that her fat daughter likes food or that she’s made it her life’s work.”

  “Apologies to your mother, but she doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about,” he replied in a firm tone that made her heart skip a beat.

  “Well, you hardly know me.” She shrugged.

  “I know we don’t really know each other, Marilena, but it doesn’t take a lifetime for me to look at you to see you’re beautiful.”

  “Ha, now you’re being nice,” she said, embarrassed now that she brought up her looks.

  “Even if I was, it’s true,” he returned earnestly. “From what I can see, you look exactly how a woman should. The fact you are passionate about your work only makes you more genuine, and damn lucky too. Few people can say that.”

  “I guess that’s true. I mean, my mother has never worked a day in her life, so I don’t expect her to understand how I feel when I am on a job. I mean the feeling I get when I am catering a wedding or anniversary party, something that brings people together to celebrate, is simply unparalleled. My food helps those families enjoy themselves. Food brings people together, and I am proud of my work.”

  “See, right there.” He pointed with his fork. “I’m looking at you, watching you talk about your work, and you are radiant.”

  “Oh, um, thanks.” She licked her lips, a bit shy of his praise.

  “I’m sorry if I overstepped,” he blurted. Again, she’d swear he sounded sincere. “I think anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable or like doubting yourself isn’t worth your time. You shouldn’t even consider them.”

  “You know, you are really easy to talk to for a giant mountain man.”

  “Um. Are you finished?” he asked abruptly.

  Lena nodded. Cheeks flushed, she wiped her mouth on the napkin and replaced it on the tray. Watching him walk away, tray and empty bowls in hand proved more interesting than the storm, despite the brilliant flashes of lightning that illuminated the sky.

  OMG, I can’t believe I said that.

  She scolded herself silently. Lena really had a way of sticking her foot in her mouth time and again.

  Brilliant.

  Truly.

  Full and no longer in pain, she lay back and sighed. It was foolish, silly, and a little naïve on her part. Totally unreal that she felt so perfectly peaceful with the enormous stranger, and yet, as her eyelids grew heavy, she realized quite unsurprisingly that she trusted Keeton Grey.

  Trusted him to keep her safe and dry from the storm outside, but, a little nagging voice whispered inside her sleepy head, who would keep her safe from the storm of emotions threatening to burst free inside her?

  Chapter Six

  Keeton returned to the living room to find the object of his growing affection sleeping soundly on his sofa. Much as he’d like to leave her be, the couch was no place for a lady to slumber.

  He steadied himself. Touching her was like holding a live wire, asleep or not. Every single inch of him seemed attuned to her body. He wanted to make her feel good, to satisfy her every desire and craving, and yet, it was not his place. She was not his. He would not claim her.

  He’d staked out his life in the Panther Mountains long before he’d ever stumbled upon the gorgeous creature, and there he would stay, long after she’d gone. Back to the world where she belonged. But while she was there, he could at least make her comfortable. He owed her that.

  Keeton leaned down, scooping her up gently. She snuggled closer into his chest, sighing contentedly. The soft sounds stroked his cat and his ego. Both beast and man proud that she sought him out, even in sleep, for comfort.

 

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