Ugh! That man is so infuriating!

I know I should be thankful that he’s even letting the dogs and me stay at his cabin, but he has a way of acting really nice but saying really rude things all at the same time. His mood swings are worse than a chick on her period.

After finishing the sandwich Luke made, I pick up Rosie and call for Kozmo to follow me. I’m not sure where the extra room is, but I assume it’s down the same hallway Luke went so I walk that way.

Kozmo tilts his nose up into the air as if he’s on the case to find which room is ours for the night. There are three doors. One is open with a lamp glowing, so I assume that’s mine for the night. Before I can double-check, Kozmo is pushing his nose on the closed door and nudging it. It swings open, and when I rush to grab him, I’m frozen in place when I see Luke standing completely naked next to his bed.

I suck in a breath, completely horrified, but also instantly aroused. The smug bastard also does nothing to cover himself. He just stands there, staring at me like the arrogant bastard he is.

“Shit, I’m sorry. We were looking for my room, and Kozmo got confused,” I ramble off, blinking and trying to avoid looking directly at his cock that’s saluting straight up to the ceiling. What the fuck? I feel my face heat something fierce, and know it’s probably red as a tomato.

“It’s the room across the hall,” he says, his voice low and controlled.

Swallowing hard, I shake my head and lick my lips. God, my throat is so dry and tight. “Right. Okay, thanks again.” I reach for Kozmo’s collar, but he walks away before I can grab him.

“Um…” I hold my hand, covering my vision from the lower half of his body. He doesn’t seem phased in the least that he’s rock hard and naked in front of me. “Can you maybe cover yourself?”

“I sleep naked.”

“Well, you aren’t asleep right this second, so…”

“Yeah but I’m in my house getting ready for bed. Why? Does it bother you?” My gaze lands on Luke’s just as the corner of his lips tilt up, flashing straight, white teeth. “It’s just the human body. I’m sure you’ve seen a naked man before.” He lifts an eyebrow, mocking me.

He thinks this is funny, which is starting to piss me off. “Would it bother you if I just stood here buck ass naked?” I throw back in his face, hoping to make my point.

He crosses his arms over his chest and straightens his shoulders. “Not at all. In fact, lying naked next to someone is the fastest way to warm up.”

“Well when I get that desperate for heat, I’ll let you know.” My tone is laced with sarcasm, which he doesn’t miss as he narrows his eyes at me. I pull on Kozmo’s collar and drag him out of the room. I don’t release him until I’m shut the bedroom door behind me.

“Good night, Kylie,” I hear him shout in an amused tone, which grates on my nerves even more.

If it wasn’t bad enough that he’s all sexy and muscular with dark unruly hair, he has a sleeve of tattoos on one arm and a six-pack of abs that could cut teeth. He’s the complete opposite of my type, which makes my attraction to him even more frustrating.

Once I’m in my room, I notice the blankets and a stack of clothes on the dresser. I grab the clothes and am immediately hit with his scent. Oh for fuck’s sake. The clothes are way too big for me, and no doubt I’ll drown in them, but it doesn’t stop me from putting them on anyway.

I get under the covers and shut off the lamp, plunging the room in blackness. No one told me how dark it got at night this high up in the mountains. I snuggle deeper under the comforter, the sheets chilled from the lack of use. The wind continues to howl for hours, but Rosie and Kozmo snuggle up close to me and keep me warm. I’m exhausted, yet I can’t sleep. I forgot my cell phone back at my house, but it wouldn’t do me any good anyway. If the power lines went out, more than likely the cell towers did too.

Leaning over to turn the lamp on, I see a picture frame on the nightstand I hadn’t noticed earlier. I pick it up and see a woman with red hair about my age standing in the middle of what looks like a park. She’s smiling as the sun beats down on her. Her arm is stretched out, and she’s holding hands with whoever is taking the picture. You only see the guy’s hand in the photo, but I already know it’s Luke’s. They’re big and manly, and I’m almost certain he wouldn’t have this if it wasn’t special to him. However, the fact that it’s in this room and not his leaves me with more questions.

After tossing and turning for a handful of minutes, I finally get up to get a glass of water from the connected bathroom. I set the now filled glass on the nightstand and climb back into bed. After only a moment I start to feel sleep take hold. Rosie is nuzzled up to my side as Kozmo lays by my feet. It might not be home, but it’s definitely the next best thing.

The feel of Kozmo jumping off the bed has me waking up. I instantly smell bacon and the scent of coffee, and I know Luke’s in the kitchen making breakfast. Flashes of him standing nude surface in my mind, and I imagine Luke sleeping naked, cooking naked, walking around without a stitch of clothing on.

Oh God.

I need to get the image of his cock out of my head, but there’s no going back now. It’ll continue to haunt me, knowing what he looks like—what all of him looks like. He’s not playing fair, and he knows it. He thinks he has the upper hand, trying to rattle me and see how far he can push until I crack.

Well, if that’s the case, Mr. Ruthless Mountain Man has met his match.

Slipping out of bed, I adjust my messy bun, slide off his too-baggy sweatpants, and unhook my bra before tossing it to the floor. His T-shirt hangs off my shoulder to one side and is just long enough to cover my ass cheeks. Perfect.

Two can play at this game.

“C’mon, Kozmo, Rosie.” I call them with a smug ass grin on my face. Opening the door, the scent smacks me in the face and smells so damn good. I can’t even deny how hungry I am when my stomach growls. As I walk down the hall and into the kitchen, I see Luke at the stove cooking.

Well shit, a girl could get used to this.

“Morning,” I say, walking toward the coffee maker.

“Morning,” he replies gruffly. “I shoveled a small part in the back for the dogs so they can go outside.”

“Oh, thank you.” I smile, though he can’t see me. Looks like the grinch has a heart after all. “Do you mind if I grab some coffee?”

“Help yourself,” he says, keeping his focus on the stove.

Opening up the cupboard, I have to stand on my tiptoes to reach a mug. I feel the shirt slide up my ass as I struggle to grab one. Who the hell puts coffee cups on the top shelf anyway? Just as I’m about to ask for help, I feel Luke’s body pressed against my back as he reaches effortlessly for a mug and sets it down in front of me.

All the air gets sucked out of my lungs when he places his hands on the counter and cages me in with his arms. “You’re gonna have to do better than that, sweetheart,” he whispers in my ear. I hate the way his breath tickles my neck and my body shivers in response. Asshole.

Straightening my shoulders, I arch my back and press my ass against his groin. I grab the mug before spinning around to face him. “I could’ve eventually reached it myself but I figured climbing on top of the counter and straddling your rice cooker would be bad guest etiquette,” I taunt.

I watch as he swallows hard and pins me with his dark eyes. “Actually, it’s a bread maker.”

Arching a brow, I bite my lower lip to hold back a laugh. “Interesting. Who knew you were so domestic?”

Now he’s the one to arch a brow. “I chop wood, cook, clean, and make bread from scratch. It’s called surviving.”

I grin. “The full package.”

Blinking, I watch as his eyes lower and widen once they land on my chest. Our bodies are nearly touching, but my nipples are standing hard at attention through the thin cotton. I can feel the damn things practically throbbing.

His gaze lands back on me and the moment turns feral as he presses his hips against me. I feel the hardness of his erection through his dark-wash jeans. My heart pounds harder, and I wonder what he’s thinking because his expression is unreadable as his chiseled jaw tightens and his lips twitch.

Kozmo’s piercing-loud bark breaks us apart as Luke startles and jumps back. I hold back a chuckle as I realize that Kozmo’s protective instincts caused him to intervene.

“I should let them outside,” I say, breaking the tension between us. Luke steps aside so I can open the back door. The wind is brisk and forceful, and I immediately regret not wearing sweatpants now. However, feeling Luke’s reaction to my bare legs just might make it worth it after all.

I call for Kozmo and Rosie, and they both go running into the snow. Closing the door halfway, I watch as they jump and run around in the spot Luke shoveled. We have at least a foot of snow already, which couldn’t have been easy to shovel through. I can’t figure him out. He hates my dogs so why would he go out in this shit weather for them?

“I’m starting to think they’re growing on you,” I say smugly and turn around. Luke’s back at the stove, flipping the bacon and keeping his gaze glued to the pan. “Thanks again for making a path for them.”

“I didn’t do it for them.” He grunts. “Not a fan of dogs shitting in my house.”

I roll my eyes although he’s not looking at me. “Mm-hmm. I’m sure that’s it.” Turning back around to watch Kozmo and Rosie, I smile knowing I just got the upper hand back.