I was in a strange man’s cabin—a lumberjack of all things—and didn’t know what in the hell to do. I didn’t even know they actually called themselves lumberjacks, but it fit him pretty damn well.

I looked around again, seeing a big bed in one corner, a door that led to the bathroom across from that, and the large room that made up the kitchen and living room. Aside from a few pieces of furniture, the cabin was pretty sparse. There was a bookshelf, which was filled with books, though. Seeing as he didn’t have a TV, I assumed that was how he spent his free time.

I took the glass from him and moved back a step. He went over to the fire and stoked it, and I couldn’t help but stare at him.

He was huge, like the biggest man I’d ever seen. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall, and the muscles stacked upon muscles that covered his entire frame were a little intimidating. I didn’t want to stare and seem creepy, but then again, he had to be used to it.

“What were you doing hiking all the way out here?” he asked without turning and facing me.

I didn’t answer right away, mainly because I was too focused on the way the muscles on his back flexed as he pushed a piece of wood around. Embers seemed to float up from the flames, and when he finally faced me, I realized I still hadn’t answered him.

“I’m staying in a cabin, and wanted to get out in the fresh air for a hike. I got lost.” I turned and looked out the living window. “But I couldn’t even tell you what direction my cabin’s even in.” I exhaled roughly.

He braced his arm on the mantle of the fireplace and just stared at me. He had shorter blond hair, and a full-on beard. With him living out here in the middle of nowhere, being as massive as he was, and clearly able to use an ax—and as a weapon when need be— I could image him as the perfect Mountain Man.

“You’re from the city?”

I nodded, realizing I still hadn’t had any of the whiskey. I ended up sucking the entire thing down in one go. It might only be a shot worth, but damn did it burn going down.

There was no expression on his face as I coughed and sputtered after swallowing the liquid fire, and I wondered if he saw me as some silly little girl that wanted to experience the wildlife.

As he watched me, he grabbed his glass off the mantle and downed the shot himself. He wore only a pair of jeans that were unbuttoned, the denim loose, yet they fit him pretty damn well. He had tattoos covering his arms and part of his chest, and although he had the Grizzly Adams thing going on, the ink looked good on him.

“How long have you been out here?” I asked, and he gestured for me to take a seat.

“Five years.”

He left me in the living room, and I watched him go into the only other room in the house … the bathroom. A second later he came out with a dark robe draped over his arm. He stopped a foot from me and held it out.

“What’s this for?” I asked although I had a pretty good idea why he’d want me to put it on.

“Seeing as a storm is going to be rolling in, I figured you’d want to get cleaned up.” He tipped his chin toward the bathroom. “There’s a shower in that room.”

I didn’t speak for a second.

“The roads will get bogged down with mud from the weather, and there’s no way you can get back to your cabin, or even town tonight.”

I stared at him, not answering, because I knew what else he was going to say.

“You’ll have to stay the night.”

My heart thundered after he spoke.

“The robe is for after you shower, unless you want to wear your dirty clothes again?” He cocked an eyebrow.

I swallowed, my throat tight and dry. “And the roads will be too flooded to even attempt to go back to town, or to my cabin?” I asked, not even sure how to get back to my cabin from his place, even if he could have taken me back tonight.

He nodded.

I swallowed and thought about my options … which were none as I wasn’t prepared for what he said.

“Do you have a phone?” The look he gave me told me that was a big hell no. I didn’t know whom I’d call anyway. If he couldn’t get down the mountain, no one would be able to come up it.

“No landline and there isn’t any cell service up here.”

I stared into his green eyes.

“But I wouldn’t have either anyway. I moved out here to get away from all that shit.”

Of course he wouldn’t have any form of communication living out here. My cabin was closer to town, and it had a landline, but his cabin was literally out in the middle of nowhere. I guess I’d had my hopes up that if it turned out he was a maniac, I’d have a way of contacting someone.

I had a cell phone, which was in my backpack, but it stopped working as soon as the mountains surrounded me.

“You’re more than welcome to stay the night. The storm should pass by morning, and then I can take you into town, or back to wherever you’re staying.”

We stared at each other for long seconds.

“You normally just offer your house up to a strange woman?”

He crossed his big arms over his muscular chest and just looked at me. “I’m sure I’ll be okay.”

I couldn’t help but check him out. I was a woman, and he was definitely all man.

“Or, you can brave the storm and the darkness, and try and find your way back.” He was unmoving as he stood there.

“Maybe I’ll be lucky and it’ll pass.”

“This storm has been coming since yesterday. It won’t pass,” he said with certainty.

He didn’t look like he was concerned at whatever I decided to do.

I’d always had pretty good intuition when it came to these kinds of things, and I wasn’t getting any fucked up signals from him. There was no fear or worry, and I relaxed a little more.

But then again I hadn’t gotten any of those ‘run and never look back’ feelings when it came to that asshole Russ.

“Look, I’m not a psycho; I have no plans to keep you chained up in my cabin.”

I had to snort at that, although maybe the smart thing to do would have been to be afraid he’d even said it out loud.

“I have food if you’re hungry, something to drink if you’re thirsty.” He gestured to the liquor I held. “And I can give you shelter from the storm.” He uncrossed his arms and ran a hand over his beard.

I’d never really found facial hair on a man attractive, maybe because I’d worked in corporate America for so long, but damn did his beard look good on him.

“You can take a shower and clean up, but if you plan on doing that you need to get it done before the storm comes.”

I looked at the robe again, not sure how I felt about taking a shower in this stranger’s house. But I also couldn’t lie and say cleaning up, and the idea of hot water washing the day away, didn’t sound like a very good idea.

“I don’t care what you do either way, but I’m guessing the storm’s gonna kick the power off, and after that you’ll be shit out of luck.”

And then he turned away and went back into the kitchen. I sat there for a moment contemplating what I should do, and after only a second, I just said fuck it.

“I’ll be quick,” I said, setting my glass down. I got up and headed to the bathroom. I figured if Jake was going to attack me, he could have done it already. Me cleaning up and trying to relax wouldn’t change the situation, aside from making me feel a hell of a lot better.