Mountain Men of Liberty (Complete Box Set)

by K. C. Crowne

  “Yeah, it should. When can I expect you? I’ll have dinner ready.”

  My heart pounded in my chest, and it was hard to contain my excitement. I wanted to scream in celebration, but kept it inside, trying to remain calm and cool. “I can be there in about thirty minutes.”

  “Perfect.”

  Yes, yes it is.

  When I told Grant I was heading out, he side-eyed me, a question in his expression.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be with Kellen. He’ll keep me safe.”

  He shook his head, a crooked smile on his face. “I knew it. You never really hated the guy.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You liked to go on and on about him being an asshole.” He stopped me when I tried to interrupt. “Yes, Piper told me all about that. But let’s face it, you’ve had a thing for him for a while.”

  “I did not.” I blushed. “I mean, at first, I thought he was an asshole, but now that I know him…”

  “Right. Okay. Not that it matters. Have fun with your new boy toy and try not to break his heart, alright?” Grant teased.

  I stuck my tongue out at him. “He not a boy toy, and I don’t break people’s hearts. I was cheated on by Jason, not the other way around, remember?”

  “I remember, and I was kidding,” he said. “Just be careful, alright? You’re both pretty strong-willed people, and that could be really good or completely terrible. I’m not sure what to make of the two of you yet.”

  “Nothing to make of. It’s not like we’re serious yet.”

  “Yet,” Grant repeated.

  “I said yet?”

  “You did.” He chuckled, brow raised as he stared at me with an amused look on his face. “Nah, I’m happy for the two of you. You both need someone, and you’re good for Matilda. I know you’ve always wanted kids, didn’t care if they were your own or not.”

  I’d never outwardly said it, but he was right. I’d always planned to be a mother, even if it meant adoption. A child was a child to me; it didn’t matter if it was biologically mine or not. I found them all to be precious. I didn’t want to get too attached to Matilda, just in case things didn’t work out. Oh hell, who am I kidding? It was already too late for that.

  I was attached to both of them.

  Ooo000ooo

  “Something smells good,” I said as I walked into Kellen’s home.

  “Well, don’t get too excited. I’m not a world-class chef or anything, but I can put together something pretty decent.”

  “The fact that you managed to cook anything while caring for Matilda is impressive enough.”

  I looked around the room, and my eyes fell on a handmade, wooden crib in the center. The handwork was impressive. Walking over, I found Matilda fast asleep in her bed.

  “Wow, did you make this?”

  “Yeah. It’s going in her room, but she got sleepy before I could move it.” He shrugged as if it was nothing to make a crib with your own hands.

  “It’s amazing,” I said. I ran my hands down the side. The wood was smooth, with only the tiniest of intricate details. It was both sturdy but also captured the delicate innocence of childhood. “You could make a killing selling things like this, you know?”

  “I don’t need to make a killing,” he laughed. “But yeah, that’s the point with Grant and my business idea.”

  His baby blue eyes sparkled as he looked at me. God, he was gorgeous, and to think this giant man could work magic on a crib as beautiful as this while caring for a child on his own. He was as perfect as they came in my book.

  “How do you find the time?” I asked.

  “Well, right now, she sleeps a lot. She sleeps a lot more than I expected, like sixteen hours a day, which her pediatrician says is normal. And I don’t sleep that much, so I have some time.”

  I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his neck. I was prepared for him to step back, but he didn’t. He lowered his face and planted a kiss on my forehead.

  “We should eat before Matilda wakes up. It’s almost dinner time for her too,” he whispered against my skin.

  Truth be told, I wasn’t that hungry. Not for food anyway. When I was around Kellen, all I could think about was kissing him, tasting him. But he went through all the trouble of preparing us dinner, so I should at least try it.

  The dining room was just off the living room in an open floor plan, so Matilda wasn’t that far from away. His eyes kept roaming to her, checking on her. He responded to every little sound she made and was ready to jump from the table and comfort her if she started to fuss.

  “You’re such a good dad,” I commented over dinner.

  He cringed. “I don’t really consider myself her dad.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I just meant—”

  “It’s okay. I’m probably being silly, but Henry is her father.”

  “Then you’re like her stepfather,” I suggested. “There’s nothing wrong with her thinking of you as her father. You’ll keep her birth parents’ memory close, I’m sure, but you are essentially her father, Kellen, and you’re doing a fine job.”

  He looked down at his plate of pasta and shrugged. “I have time to think about all this. For now, I just do what I can to protect her.”

  As if on cue, the baby cried, and Kellen jumped up and rushed to her side. He didn’t even seem to mind leaving his plate of food. I turned and watched the two of them from a distance, savoring the moment because it was simply so damn precious.

  “Hey, sweet girl,” Kellen cooed in his rough voice, lifting her gently from the crib. “Someone’s hungry, huh?” He carried her into the kitchen, and like the other night, I offered to help. He protested at first, but I insisted.

  “Let me help you,” I said. “It’ll be good for both of you to have some help.”

  He handed Matilda to me, and she stared up at me, watching my face. She was still fussing, but she was beautiful. My ovaries ached just holding her. God, I wanted to be a mother so stinging badly.

  I rocked her and sang softly to her as Kellen finished preparing the bottle. He took over, feeding her as he motioned for me to sit down. “Eat before the food gets cold.”

  “I can feed her while you eat. I’m sure it’s been awhile since you’ve had a warm meal.”

  He shrugged. “Nah, it’s okay. I want you to eat. I’ve got this.”

  He sat down across from me, feeding the child as I enjoyed my plate of pasta. It was simple, but good, spaghetti and meat sauce.

  Matilda finished her dinner just as I had, and I offered to take the baby off his hands so he could eat. He handed her to me, and I rocked her, letting her little fingers grasp mine. I felt complete.

  “I meant it when I said you’re a natural with her.”

  “Thank you.” I spoke softly as little Matilda’s eyes started to close. “I’ve always wanted to be a mother.”

  Maybe it was too much info too soon, but Kellen smiled at me when I said it. “I can tell.”

  I averted my gaze, unable to look him in the eye. It was too soon to be having conversations like this, about what we wanted and didn’t want. Even though I felt like being there with Kellen and Matilda was everything I’d ever wanted in life.

  “Do you mind holding her a bit longer so I can move her bed into her room?”

  “Oh, of course I don’t mind. I could hold her for hours.”

  He moved toward the living room but stopped as he walked past me. His hand lifted my chin up to meet his gaze, and my insides turned to mush. I felt like I’d melted on the spot. He leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips, stroking my face as he did so.

  I thought my heart might explode.

  He moved the bed, and I stayed in the kitchen, rocking the sweet little girl to sleep. She felt asleep in my arms, looking as peaceful as an angel.

  Kellen came back and took her from me. “We should put her to bed.”

  “You don’t have to,” I said softly.

  “You’ll get more time with her tomorrow.”
He kissed me again, this time with more heat than before. “But I think we should go to bed too.”

  I didn’t answer since I couldn’t find my voice. I merely nodded in agreement. I followed Kellen to the baby’s room, where he put her down to bed. He stared at her for a few moments with a smile on his handsome, chiseled face.

  “I owe her a lot, you know,” he said softly.

  I almost didn’t hear him and thought maybe I’d heard him wrong. “You owe her?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because she taught me something incredibly valuable,” he revealed, stroking her cheek gently. He turned his baby blues on me. “She taught me it was okay to open your heart, even if you’re scared.” He cupped my chin in his hands and kissed me passionately.

  “Let’s go to bed,” I whispered against his lips.

  “Yes.”

  Before I had a chance to step away, Kellen lifted me into his arms, and I tried not to squeal too loudly as he carried me into the bedroom, just like before.

  As soon as we hit the bedroom, our hands were all over each other. We only had to wait, what, a few days? But it felt like an eternity. My body craved his in a way I’d never craved anyone before.

  He made quick work of my clothes, peeling off my shorts and tearing my shirt off over my head. I felt like I was fumbling with his belt and pants but managed to get them off pretty quickly as well.

  My hands slipped up his smooth, chiseled chest. The smooth muscle underneath my fingertips tensed and released with each breath. He lifted me again, and we both tumbled down onto the bed. He rolled over on his back, pulling me on top of him.

  His fingers kneaded my back as he kissed me, his tongue probing deeply in my mouth as our bodies rubbed against each other. His cock was already hard and ready to go, rubbing against my clit. I grew wetter by the second as he teased my opening with the tip.

  Finally, I slid down the length of him, taking him inside me.

  Even though we’d fucked before, my body wasn’t used to the size of his member. My eyes widened as I cried out as I took him completely inside me. It took me a second to get used to the feeling, but before long, I was rocking back and forth on top of him, my clit rubbing against his pelvis.

  Kellen took a nipple between his lips, sucking it, sending pleasure through my body, as his tongue swirled around my sensitive flesh.

  “Yes, yes,” I muttered, struggling to keep my knees on the bed as I rode his body.

  My short little legs hardly touched the bed around his massive body, so it was hard to get a good momentum going. Kellen gripped my hips, helping me move up and down on top of him. Each time I came down, he pulled me down hard, his cock reaching deep. And every time, I cried out. I didn’t want to wake the baby, so I fell forward, burying my face in his chest, blocking the screams as he continued moving me up and down on top of him. He thrust upward into me, and that was it.

  I bit his flesh, drowning the screams as I came around his cock. My body bucked wildly, and the only reason I stayed in position and kept up the rhythm was from his hands on my hips, guiding me.

  “Kellen, oh God,” I whimpered, as another orgasm rushed through me, taking me by surprise. I’d never cum twice in a row like that, one after the other, and I was almost too sensitive to take it. My poor clit throbbed as pleasure rode through my body.

  As I came down from that orgasm, Kellen could sense that my body was tired. He rolled us both over, hovering over me and staring deep into my eyes. Wrapping my legs around him, I pulled him close to me.

  I still wanted more, even after all that.

  I wanted him to cum too.

  I pulled him into me, holding him close, and kissed his neck, his chest, anywhere my mouth could reach. I wanted to devour him.

  He rose and fell above me, burying his thick cock deep in my pussy repeatedly. He jackhammered into me, his movements more and more desperate. Every thrust into me felt like it would push us both over the top, the feeling of pleasure consuming me whole.

  “Cum inside me,” I begged him. “Please, Kellen, cum for me.”

  I was on the pill, and I trusted him more than I’d ever trusted anyone in my life. Call me foolish, but I knew Kellen was the type to protect those he cared about. And I could see it in the way he looked at me - he cared about me. We were in the early throes of love, and I was confident this relationship would continue to grow.

  I’d never felt so safe in my entire life.

  Kellen groaned, thrusting inside me as he arched his back. His face twisted into a look of pure bliss, his eyes clenched shut and his jaw tight. His cock throbbed inside of me, pushing me over the edge once more, and we came together, our bodies writhing and trembling as one.

  Kellen stayed inside me for a few moments after his body relaxed. He kissed me deep while our bodies were still entwined. My pussy continued to spasm around his member in glorious aftershocks that felt like electricity coursing through my body.

  It was the most intense experience of my life.

  It was so intimate, so special. He cupped my face in his large hands and stared into my eyes. It was that moment that I knew we were falling in love.

  I was head over heels for this man already.

  He rolled over beside me, pulling me against him. He continued kissing me, covering my face in them, as my eyes grew heavy with sleep. The warmth inside me, his seed, left me feeling giddy and emotional.

  But I couldn’t fight the after-sex exhaustion for long. I fell asleep in his arms, feeling safe and content - happier than I had been in a very long time.

  Chapter 19

  Kellen

  “What are your plans for the day?” Leah asked over her cup of coffee the next morning.

  “Not really sure. I’m getting pretty antsy not working, and I know Grant could use my help.”

  “I can keep an eye on Matilda for you, if you’d like to do that.”

  She seemed very eager. I watched her face light up every time she held her, and already that morning, she’d rushed into the room as soon as we were up for the day, wanting to see her.

  “Seriously,” she added. “You’d be doing me as much a favor as I’d be doing you. I miss having little ones around.”

  I saw how Leah was with her, and besides Piper, there was no one else I’d trust as much as her. Grant was great for short stints, he was a good guy, but he lacked experience and knowledge when it came to babies. Leah, on the other hand, was as much an expert as Piper, just without all the early childhood education experience.

  “I’ll see what Grant has in store for today, so we’ll see.”

  “Oh, I already know what he’s doing.” She chuckled. “We’re moving the old fitness equipment from the gym and cleaning it up so we can show it to Piper later today and tell her our plans.”

  “Didn’t you contact the owner of the daycare? Let him know he’s being scammed?”

  “Yeah, but he hasn’t called back, and knowing him, I just gave him even more incentive to sell - just at a better price. It’ll be better for Piper to have a secure location without worries about getting evicted and no rent.”

  “You’re going to let her work out of there rent-free?”

  “Sure, why not?” She shrugged.

  “It’s just very generous of you.”

  “That’s what we do around here. We take care of each other. Besides, I don’t owe anything on the building or land. And it could be a perk for people staying at my hotel, so it’s a win-win for all of us.”

  “You’re a good person, you know that.”

  Leah smiled brightly. “Thanks, you too.”

  “I thought I was an asshole?”

  She stuck her tongue out at me playfully, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I stood up from the kitchen table and walked over to her, kissing her sweet lips.

  “Well, we should get going then,” I said.

  “Where to?”

  “To the hotel,” I said. “I’d love to see what you’re setting
up for Piper and help out, and if you don’t mind keeping an eye on the little one—”

  “Of course I don’t mind,” she said, jumping up from her seat. “I’ll watch sweet pea anytime you want.”

  Sweet pea made me smile. She already had cute nicknames for Matilda. They were bonding so well. Matilda was such an easy-going baby; I was truly blessed. Leah insisted on being the one to wear the carrier when we got to the hotel, and she beamed proudly with the infant strapped to her chest as we walked inside the hotel.

  I followed Leah to the old fitness center, and Grant was already hauling out the equipment. He looked a little surprised to see us there.

  “Kellen is going to help out today,” Leah said. “So I have an excuse to spend the day with Little Miss Sweet Pea.”

  Grant laughed and looked at me. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made her.”

  “Oh, I think I have an idea. I’m just thankful she’s willing to help out.”

  “Anytime. I mean it, Kellen, anytime at all,” she said in a sing-songy voice for Matilda’s benefit.

  Grant and Leah walked through the room, talking about all they had planned. There were actually several rooms, apparently old hotel rooms that had been converted to a gym a few years back, which hardly ever got used and fell into disrepair since it wasn’t a priority. People who came to visit the mountains spent their time hiking or skiing, not walking on treadmills. There was originally a small cardio room and a small weight room, plus bathrooms. I could see hookups for a kitchen, since it used to be an extended stay room back in the day, allowing us to hook up water for sinks easily. The wiring and all the hard work were already in place, maybe needing a few updates, but most of the work would be turning it into a happy daycare instead of a wasted space.

  “Ooh, Piper will be here soon,” Leah exclaimed. “I’m going to meet her in the lobby, then bring her inside. She has no clue!”

  Leah scurried off, and I watched as she bounced with happiness.

  “She’s like a totally new person,” Grant said.