As I watch the movers unload the last box and pull away, it really sets in that this is my new home. I never anticipated moving to the mountains of Clearview, but after my great-aunt passed and left me her cabin, I knew it was the best place to start fresh.

“What do you think, Kozmo?” I ask my German Shepherd mix who’s sniffing around with my French Bulldog, Rosie. Kozmo barks in response and continues scampering around the unfamiliar room. The cabin could definitely use a good, thorough cleaning since no one's been here in years. I took a month off work and plan to get this place back in mint condition while I can.

Over the next three days, I continue unpacking the boxes and cleaning. My dishes are washed and put away. I make my bed with fresh linens and even set up my little desk and bookshelf in the corner. The bathroom and kitchen need the most work, so I save that for last. Starting out with the easiest tasks first, I’ll knock through my to-do list much faster.

It’s chilly even for October, but it’s bright and sunny out, so I decide to take the dogs out for an afternoon walk. I’ve been letting them wander outside to explore, but I could use the fresh air myself. My blonde hair is piled on top of my head like a wild rat’s nest, and I’m still in the same leggings I went to sleep in the night before. Instead of worrying about it, I pull on my winter jacket and boots before heading out.

“Let’s go!” I tell Kozmo and Rosie. The moment we step out, I feel the crisp coolness of the air against my face. I pull my hoodie up, but it doesn’t do much to shield me from the wind. Hell, even the air feels thinner up here.

Regardless of the weather, I love it in the mountains. It’s so quiet and peaceful. The neighboring homes are far enough apart to have privacy, but close enough to feel like you’re not completely alone.

Once my time off ends, I’ll have to decide if I’ll commute to work every day or rent a small apartment in town until I find a job closer to my new home. I know I don’t want to let this place go. It’s far too beautiful and serene here for me to sell.

“Kozmo, stay here,” I remind him, but his nose has a mind of its own. He’s my baby though he’s bigger than Rosie. Filled with so much life and energy, he definitely keeps my boring life interesting. Rosie doesn’t stray far from me; she’s my sweetheart, but Kozmo loves to explore and wander. “Kozmo, get back here!” I yell when I see him running toward the cabin that’s closest to mine.

“Dammit,” I mutter, following behind in his trail. Once his nose gets a hint of something, he’s on a mission, and no amount of yelling at him will snap him out of it. “C’mon, Rosie,” I encourage when she hesitates.

Halfway up the snowy cliff, I hear chopping noises and Kozmo’s barking.

“Shit.” I try climbing faster, but my body is sore from unpacking and cleaning nonstop so I slip and fall more times than I’d like to admit. Once I finally make it over, I follow the sound to the side of the cabin.

“Kozmo?” I cup my hands around my mouth, hoping my voice echoes. He continues barking, and when I finally round the corner, my breath hitches the moment I spot who he’s barking at.

A six-foot plus god of a man who’s holding a massive ax over his head and throwing it down against a block of wood. Sweet Jesus. He’s wearing a heavy plaid jacket, dark jeans, and Carhartt boots. He looks like he came out of one of those men’s outdoor fashion magazines. Unruly dark hair and all.

“Excuse me,” I shout, but he doesn’t hear me over Kozmo or the rustling of the wind that’s suddenly picked up. Stepping closer, I try to get his attention, but by the way his jaw is firmly set, I can tell he’s too focused to hear me approaching.

“Kozmo, get over here!” I walk over, ready to grab his collar but before I can reach him, I’m pushed to the ground in a bank of snow. The weight of his body presses into mine, and it feels oddly intimate as he wraps his muscular arms around me. I miss it the moment he leans back.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he growls at me before noticeably studying my face and wandering his gaze down my body. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

His remark has me flinching because I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about.

“What? No! You’re the one who pummeled me to the ground like an animal,” I retort, blinking the dryness from my eyes.

He stands and holds his hand out for me. Once I grab it, he pulls me up to my feet. Staring up at him, I realize how much taller and bigger than me he is. Much, much bigger.

“You don’t just go up to a strange dog,” he says, breaking the tension. I realize he’s referring to Kozmo whose bark is much bigger than his bite. “He’s been barking at me for the last ten minutes and probably has rabies.”

I burst out laughing at this massive, rugged man worried about a dog who’s now rolling around in the snow and kicking his legs up to the sky.

Narrowing his eyes at me, he stands taller and crosses his arms over his chest. “What’s so funny?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh at you, but Kozmo is my dog. He got away from me, and I was trying to grab him. I hollered, but neither of you heard me over your wood chopping.”

He grimaces. “That’s your dog?” he asks with such distaste in his mouth, I furrow my brows in defense. “So you’re the new neighbor.”

“Yeah, I just moved in.”

“I know.” He brushes the snow off his jacket. “He’s been wandering in my yard for the past three days.”

“Oh,” I say, shocked. “I hadn’t realized. He’s just exploring the new territory.”

He grunts, grabbing his ax off the tree stump. “Think you can manage to keep your damn animal on your own property? I don’t care for dog shit in my yard, and I definitely don’t like picking it up.” His voice is deep and demanding, and if he wasn’t scolding me, I’d be tempted to say sexy.

“And how do you suggest I do that without a privacy fence?” I cross my arms now, guarded and annoyed he’s being so rude. “I’ll come pick up after him if it’s that big of a deal.”

He grunts again, which isn’t the answer I was hoping for.

“It’s not like we aren’t in the mountains or anything, where wild animals shit everywhere,” I say under my breath.

“I have some chains if you want to leash them up,” he offers but not in that nice neighborly kind of way.

“That’s dangerous with all the surrounding trees in my yard,” I tell him. “But I’ll try harder at keeping an eye on them.” It’s the only thing I can offer at the moment until spring, and at that point, I can put a fence up. “C’mon, Kozmo. Let’s go home.” I grab his collar and drag him with me.

“There’s animal traps on my property,” he calls out, and I look over my shoulder at him. “So it’d be in your best interest to keep them close to home from now on.” His voice is filled with a sugary sweetness I don’t trust.

“Thanks for the heads-up.” I roll my eyes.

“Anytime, neighbor.”

“Asshole,” I mutter to myself, though I’m pretty sure he overheard me when I hear him chuckling behind me.

Well, that’s one thing I hadn’t anticipated on when moving to the mountains—a sexy as fuck neighbor who coincidentally is an arrogant jerk.

Great.