"You make me feel things I didn’t think I could anymore. Safe. Wanted. Like maybe I can stay."
"Good." My voice is gravel. "Because youarestaying."
The storm rages outside, but inside my cabin the world narrows to her. To the way she fits. To the promise I made to keep her from every shadow chasing her. I will go feral for this woman. I already know it. Derek or anyone else who comes looking will learn the hard way what happens when you threaten what’s mine.
And Sunny Caldwell is mine. Even if she doesn’t know it yet. Even if I’m still figuring out how to say it without scaring her off. I’ll protect her. I’ll earn that sunshine smile every single day. And when she’s ready, I’ll show her exactly how deep this need for her runs.
The fire pops. The wind howls. I hold her closer and let the hours slip by, heart steady, mind made up. This is only the beginning. And I’m in it for every damn second.
FIVE
SUNNY
I wake up wrapped in the coziest cocoon of blankets and Harlan-scented flannel, my cheek pressed against a pillow that still carries the faint trace of pine and warm man. The storm has finally settled outside, leaving the world quiet and sparkling under a fresh blanket of snow that looks like someone shook a giant glitter jar over Wedding Cake Mountain. My heart does this silly little flip as memories from last night rush in. Harlan's strong arm around me on the couch, his low voice promising I am safe, the way his thumb kept stroking my arm like he could not stop touching me even if he tried.
I’ve never felt anything like this charged pull before. It’s like standing too close to a bonfire while fireworks go off in my chest. Grumpy cowboy wants me. I can see it in every heated glance, every protective growl. And oh my stars, I want him right back.
I sit up slowly, stretching like a cat who just discovered the sunbeam life. Harlan’s already up. I can hear him moving around in the kitchen area, the clink of a pan and the rich smell of coffee and bacon drifting through the cabin like the best kind of alarm clock. I pad out in my borrowed socks, his oversizedshirt swishing around my thighs, and there he is. All broad shoulders and flannel stretched tight across his back, muttering something to himself as he flips eggs in the skillet.
"Morning, sunshine," he says without turning around, but I catch the way his shoulders relax just a tiny bit at the sound of my footsteps. His voice is that perfect rugged gravel that makes my knees feel unreliable.
"Good morning, handsome grump," I reply, injecting every ounce of romcom sparkle I can muster. I hop onto a stool at the counter, swinging my legs. "What are we doing today?"
He grunts, but I see the corner of his mouth twitch. He plates up eggs, bacon, and toast with that focused intensity he brings to everything, then slides it in front of me. "Eat. You’ll need energy if you want to see the horses today."
My eyes light up like he just offered me a winning lottery ticket. "Horses? Yes please! I’ve been dying to meet them properly. Bandit and all the others. I bet they’re all big softies underneath that mountain toughness, kind of like someone else I know."
Harlan gives me one of those long, protective looks that sends heat straight through me. He wants me. It’s written all over his rugged face, in the way his jaw tightens like he’s holding back from pulling me across the counter. I feel it too, this fizzy, on-fire chemistry that makes the air between us crackle.
We eat breakfast together, knees brushing under the table again, and every little touch feels electric. He watches me take my first bite with such focused hunger in his eyes that I almost forget how to chew. This man. Protective, ex-military, built like he could wrestle a bear and win, and he looks at me like I’m the most precious thing on this mountain.
After we finish, he bundles me up in one of his thick coats that swallows me whole and a scarf that he wraps around my neck himself, his rough fingers lingering against my skin. "Stay close," he mutters, voice low and gravelly. "Snow’s deep out there."
"I’ll stick to you like glitter on a craft project," I promise, beaming up at him. His hand settles on my lower back as we step outside, warm and steady, and I lean into it because I can’t help myself.
The compound is magical in the fresh snow. Haven 7 stretches out before us like something from a holiday card, cabins tucked among the pines, smoke curling from chimneys. Harlan leads me toward the big barn first, his boots crunching beside mine.
"These are my babies," he says as we push open the heavy door. The scent of hay and horse and leather wraps around me. Several heads turn our way, ears flicking with curiosity.
Bandit’s in the first stall, the same wild boy from yesterday. He snorts at me but softens when Harlan murmurs something low and calm. I reach out slowly and let him sniff my hand. "Hi, there."
Harlan watches me with that intense, needy gaze, like he can’t decide whether to keep me away from the horses or pull me closer. "He likes you," he grunts. "Not many people he tolerates that fast."
We move through the barn meeting the rest of the herd. There’s gentle old Mabel who nuzzles my pocket looking for treats, feisty little Luna who tries to nibble my scarf, and sturdy Buck who stands like a sentinel. With every horse, Harlan's hand stays on me somewhere. My waist, my arm, my back. Protective.Possessive. The chemistry between us simmers hotter with every touch, every shared smile in the warm barn light.
We’re just finishing up when voices carry from outside. A group is heading our way, laughing and bundled against the cold.
"Harlan! You got company," a tall, capable-looking man calls out. Rafe, I guess from the descriptions I’ve heard. He has his arm around a pretty woman with a baby bundled against her chest. "This must be Sunny. Heard you had a dramatic entrance yesterday."
I wave enthusiastically, sunshine bubbling up despite everything. "Hi! Yes, that was me, the girl who turned a horse ride into a rescue mission. You must be Rafe and Harper? And this little cutie is Poppi?"
Harper smiles warmly, shifting the baby so I can see her sweet face. "Welcome to Haven 7, Sunny. We’re so glad you’re here."
Poppi coos and reaches for my scarf, and just like that my heart melts into a puddle. We chat for a few minutes, their welcome so genuine it makes my eyes a little misty. Harlan stays close, his body a solid wall of heat at my side, that feral protective energy radiating off him whenever anyone gets too near.
Next we run into Gavin and Kayley near the main path, little baby Aidan in her arms. Gavin gives Harlan a knowing nod while Kayley pulls me into a quick hug. "We do big family dinners here. You’ve got to come tonight. No excuses."
"I would love that," I say, meaning every word. Aidan coos at me, and my chest warms.
