Asher: A Mountain Man Curvy Woman Romance (Men of Mist Heights Book 2) by Sarah Taylor

Author:Sarah Taylor [Taylor, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Rose

Freshly fallen snow crunches under our boots as Asher and I make our way across the mountain trail.

It’s been about fifteen minutes since we headed out, but he hasn’t had much to say. He walks beside me, eyes ahead and hands in his pockets. Though his strong and long legs are probably much more used to a quicker stride, he keeps pace with me perfectly. Occasionally, I feel the heat of his gaze land upon me, but I haven’t reacted quick enough to return the glance.

I fumble with my camera, trying to occupy my nervous hands.

A thousand questions bubble up inside me, but I'm trying not to let too many spill out at once.

Asher is just such a mystery to me. Why is he here in the middle of a mountain park? Why does he live alone? Who is he cutting wood for? I may not know Asher well, but I do know that he is definitely the quiet type, and I don’t want to overwhelm him with an overzealous interrogation.

Well, if he prefers to do the listening, then I suppose I’ll just have to handle the talking.

“The mountains are so gorgeous with all of this snow,” I sigh wistfully. I lift my camera to my face and snap a few pictures of the icy scenery. “The trees are coated with white and everything is glistening. Does it ever get old, Asher?”

“Never,” he answers decidedly. The faintest hint of a smile plays around the corners of his lips and it makes my heart skip a beat.

“How long have you lived here?” I ask, swallowing the flow of further questions that almost followed.

His handsome face scrunches slightly as he mentally tallies years.

“I moved here shortly after my eighteenth birthday,” he eventually concludes, “so about twelve years.”

“Did you always know you wanted to be a reclusive lumberjack?” I flash a teasing grin at him, but his expression remains serious.

I rather like that solemnity Asher has about him. It makes the moments when he smiles even more special.

Without a beat of hesitation, his chin dips into a nod. “Yes.”

“Seriously?” I laugh in surprise and appraise the towering man beside me, wondering what kind of upbringing would spur someone to retreat to such a quiet and unassuming life.

To my shock, I didn't even have to goad him for answers before he continues talking. I stay silent, absorbing the thoughtful cadence of his deep voice. I could sit and listen to him for hours. I make sure not to interrupt him because I want him to keep talking as long as possible.

“I was a black sheep growing up. The rest of my family were outspoken and gregarious. They loved attention. My mother was an actor and my father was a musician. They thrived off other people’s interest while I avoided it all costs.”

It’s so fascinating to hear Asher’s past. I wish I could steal a few candid shots of him talking about himself, because his expression changes completely. He looks almost wistful. I can tell that when he thinks back to his youth, it’s with bittersweet appreciation.

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