Mateo smiled to himself as he molded a few beef patties and slapped them on the skillet. He looked over the stove to Maia sitting in the living room tapping away on her laptop.

He still couldn't believe she agreed to do this excursion with him. He thought it would be a long shot that she'd ever want to go ice climbing, but she surprised him. Then again, he was starting to learn that Maia was up for anything if it was going to help her write her novel.

And he was happy to help her do it – as long as he kept his shirt on. He bit his cheeks to stop from laughing at the memory of the flustered look on her face. It was wholly inappropriate of him to come out of his room like that, but she sounded panicked and he honestly didn't think he'd have that kind of effect on her.

In the month they'd been working together, Maia kept everything professional when they had their sessions and she hadn't caught on to the fact that most of his insights about Donny's inner thoughts and feelings about his crush on Tati were about her.

That wasn't a bad thing, it was for the best that she hadn't caught on and even if she did, Maia didn't seem that interested in him. She may have gotten flustered over his bare chest, but that was it. He knew he was firmly planted in her friend zone and she had a wall around her thicker than the ice they'd climbed.

Mateo sighed as he flipped the burgers and took out the seasoned chunky fries Maia liked from the oven. She didn't want to know him more than what he could offer for her book and he couldn't be upset about that. He couldn't let her into his life beyond the fake persona he'd built as the lonely Coloradan rancher or the Hottie on the Hill as the locals referred to him.

It was only a matter of time before he'd have to go back to his old life. His family wouldn't let him hide forever. Not with his brother being crowned and his sister planning to marry, something she was forced to delay because of the mess he made. The coronation and the wedding would be his reintroduction to his societal duties and he wouldn't want to put anyone in a position with that kind of scrutiny.

He barely wanted anything to do with that life anymore and he wished they'd let him give it up.

Mateo plated the burgers, fries and salad before he carried them into the living room. "Break time. You need to eat something," he said, placing Maia's plate on the table beside the couch.

"Oo, thank you. This looks so good," Maia said, pushing her cat ear headphones from her head as she sat her laptop to the side. "And you seasoned the fries just how I like them too!"

"Of course," Mateo said as he took a seat in the chair opposite the couch. "You won't eat unless I season your food properly."

"Ha! Damn straight," she said, taking a bite of the burger and his groin twitched at the way she moaned in satisfaction. "So good. Honestly, I don't think I pay you enough for these meals you chef up."

"You pay me enough." Not that he needed her money. "I'm just glad you like it and you're fueling all that writing."

"About that, I promise to tear this food up," she said, sitting her plate to the side. "But I'm in the middle of a really good scene and I have to get it out before I lose this train of thought."

"I'm not the food police, Maia," he said, propping his legs up on the ottoman in front of his chair. "I know you'll eat it when you're ready."

A warm smile graced her lips as she popped her headphones over her ears. "Thanks," she said before she was back in her little world tapping away at her keyboard.

Mateo picked up his book sitting on the table beside him before he dug into his food. He glanced over the top of his book to watch Maia and a sense of calm washed over him.

This was what he wanted. Even if all they'd ever be was friends, he liked being around her and these quiet moments they got to spend together was enough for him.

Mateo sat on the balcony rolling a few blunts in front of the roaring fire he started in the pit. He brought the basket of baked goods out, a few bottles of wine and two glasses and waited for Maia to finish her writing session.

He lit one of the blunts in his hand and leaned back in the chair as he took a long drag while he stared up at the stars twinkling in the midnight sky.

"It's so beautiful out here," Maia said as she slipped out of the cabin wrapped up in a blanket with her hair tucked under her yellow wool hat.

"It is," Mateo said, handing her the other blunt he was holding as she sat in the chair next to him. "Did you finish the chapter?"

"I did," she said, grinning as she plucked the blunt from his hand. "I wrote three chapters!"

"That's good," he said, leaning up to pour her a glass of wine. "Are you on track for your deadline now?"

"Not really." She sighed. "I still think I'm going to need an extra month, but it's okay." She nodded, taking a drag from her blunt. "I'll get there especially if I have more sessions like tonight."

"We could always come out here again if it's helping you."

Maia cut her eyes to him and took the glass from him. "Yeah, but only if we drive up here. I'm good with ice climbing. I tried it and it's not for me."

"Fair enough." Mateo laughed. "I'll climb and meet you here."

"That sounds like a plan," she said, tapping her glass to his. "I know I'm paying you, but thanks for humoring me and sticking around this past month."

"You don't have to thank me," Mateo said, taking a drink of wine. "I'm enjoying this. It's not every day that I get to help an author craft a story."

"Yeah that's true," she murmured as she sipped on her wine. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. What's on your mind?"

"Well," she said, taking a drag of her blunt as she leaned back in her chair. "I wasn't going to get into this because I respect how private you are and you don't have to answer, but I'm curious, what do you actually do for a living?"

Mateo chuckled. "Is it that obvious that my ranch doesn't make any money?"

"I mean, a couple cows, a few horses and some chickens can't bring in enough to run that place. It's sustainable for you, but yeah it's pretty obvious."

A grin curled over Mateo's lips as he leaned over to her. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm a spy for the Dutch army."

"Fuck off." Maia laughed, shoving his shoulder. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me," she said, shaking her head. "I don't really need to know. Your life is your business."

"No it's okay, I don't mind that you asked," he said, leaning back in his chair as he took a toke from his blunt while he thought of how to answer her. "I was...a property and asset manager for my family's business. It got pretty stressful for me so I took some time away from it and that's why I moved out here." That was as close to the truth as he could manage for her sake.

"Oh really?" Maia said, raising an eyebrow. "I can't imagine you as a businessman."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, sitting behind a desk in a suit isn't something I'd picture you doing," she said, waving her hand over him. "I mean, you clearly like this mountain man lifestyle."

Mateo nodded. "You're right about that. I prefer this laidback lifestyle over sitting behind a desk," he said, flicking the ash of his blunt into the fire. "And I'm going to keep living this way for as long as I can."

"Fair enough, so why did you choose Colorado of all places?"

Mateo laughed. "I threw a dagger at a map."

"Stop." Maia giggled. "No you didn't."

"I did. I had my bags packed, but didn't know where I wanted to go. I have a big map of the US and Europe on the wall in my study back home. I knew I didn't want to be in Europe," he said, chuckling at the memory. "So, I picked up a dagger from my collection, threw it at the US map and it landed on Colorado."

"Holy shit," she said, taking a drag. "And you just picked Crested Butte out of a hat?"

"Pretty much," he said, picking up the bottle of wine and refilling her glass. "I wanted somewhere that was remote and that ranch was for sale so I made a few calls and bought it before I got out here."

"Damn," Maia breathed, taking a long sip of wine. "That's pretty wild. You really needed to get away from your job, huh?"

"You have no idea," he murmured.

"Okay," she said, leaning up to pick a baked good from the basket. "So, you ran away from the family business to live a life of quiet solitude until you met your chaotic neighbor who roped you into being her muse."

Mateo raised an eyebrow. "Why does it feel like you've got another book swirling around in your head?"

"Oh no, I don't write about my life," she said, taking a bite of the brownie. "But it does sound like a good premise."

"It does, but you didn't rope me into anything," he said, throwing another log onto the fire. "I told you I'm happy to help."

"And I'm so grateful for it." She grinned. "I have a good feeling about this book. It's taking me a little longer, but my writing feels magical again."

"What made you think it wasn't?"

The smile on her face fell as she flicked the ash of her blunt in the fire. "It's a long stupid story about me falling for a terrible man that ended with me nearly losing the will to write and...eat."

"I'm sure it's not a stupid story, but I'm glad he didn't stop you from writing or losing the will to eat," Mateo said. "No one's worth that."

"No, he wasn't and I'm glad he didn't stop me either, but I learned not to get swept up in the romance I weave in my novels." She sighed. "I'll never have a love story like Donny and Tati."

"How could you?" Mateo teased, watching the glow of the fire dance across her cheeks. "You don't believe I'm a spy."

A laugh sputtered from Maia's lips and the sound of it rippled in a warm tingle down Mateo's spine. "You're an idiot," she said, pushing his arm. "And you make me laugh, but I learned from my ex to never mix business with pleasure. So, I'm sorry Mateo, but unfortunately, I can't fall in love with you."

"Well, Miss Maia, you're in luck because I can't fall in love with you either." Even though he wanted to.

She frowned. "Why not?" she said and her eyes grew wide. "You're not into women, are you?"

"I'm into both actually, but that's not the reason," he said, relighting his blunt and taking a drag. "I'm like you, I had to learn the hard way not to mix business with pleasure and to be honest, my life is better when I'm not looking for love."

A smile graced Maia's lips. "Amen to that." She nodded, raising her glass to him. "To drinking wine, getting high and keeping love out of our lives."

Mateo laughed, tapping his glass to hers. "Except for your novels."

"Except for those." She giggled, finishing the wine in her glass. "This is probably the wine and weed talking but, I kind of like getting to know you beyond our working arrangement. You're alright, Mr. Casparij."

Mateo's heart warmed at her sentiment. "You're alright too, Maia. I'm glad I can call you my friend."

"Me too," she said, opening another bottle of wine and filling their glasses. "We should stay in touch after your contract ends with me. I wouldn't mind hanging out with you when I'm not paying you for it."

"I'd like that, but I keep telling you, you don't have to pay me anything to do this."

Maia gasped, her brown eyes glossy in the glow of the fire. "But you don't have a job. How will you continue to afford the food for your animals and keep up that ranch?"

"I'm not broke, Maia." Mateo laughed, picking out a cookie from the basket. "And not to be rude, but the wages you pay me aren't even close to what I need to keep my ranch going."

"Oh...well I could bump you up to –"

"No," Mateo said, shaking his head. "I don't need a raise and I don't need your money as it is. I'm only taking it because you won't let me refuse it."

Maia placed her hand on his arm with her glossy eyes full of genuine concern. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, you don't need to worry about me or my finances," he said, patting her hand. "I'm doing just fine."

"Alright, but you'll tell me if you need a raise, right?" she said, squeezing his arm. "I don't want you struggling in silence if I can help."

"If I'm ever in need, I'll let you know."

"Promise?"

He chuckled. "I promise."

"That goes for non monetary things too. You've been helping me out a lot lately, and I just want you to know that I'm here for you too."

"Thank you," he said, curling his fingers around hers. "I really appreciate that."

Maia was too kind, too generous and too damn sweet to get wrapped up in his world. So he'd continue to keep his crush on her a secret and never let his feelings go beyond that or their friendship.

A/N: That was a mighty lucky throw for Mateo's dagger to land on Colorado! I love that they're both determined not to go beyond friendship and Mateo's not trying to let his crush for Maia be known. I'm curious about his past though and what happened to make him run like that. It can't be purely because he was hurt? Or maybe that's all it was....