by Lana Dash
“Not at all.” Beauden shakes his head. “I enjoy a good view in the morning.”
I cross my arms, remembering that I’m not wearing a bra. Although I doubt pushing my double D tits together is hurting the situation. “I meant all the hammering.”
He looks down at his watch. “It’s past seven o’clock.”
“So?”
“So, we get to work first thing in the morning around here.”
“You are doing this on purpose to punish me for coming here.”
He laughs out loud. “Yes, I conjured the storm weeks ago that caused damage to our roof. All the while knowing full well you would be arriving about this time and that you wouldn’t be a morning person.”
"Well, when you say it like that—” I grumble to myself. “So, you won’t stop?”
“Nope.” He returns to his hammering without another glance back.
I look at his brother, wondering if he's going to do anything, but he only gives me an apologetic shrug.
I turn and stomp back into the lodge.
BEAUDEN
I don’t know why but those bunny slippers could be my undoing. The image of her bare legs over my shoulders with the bunny slippers still on as I pump deep inside her pops into my mind. Is there nothing this woman can do that doesn’t get me thinking about sex with her?
“Wow, dude,” Brodie says.
“Do you see what I was talking about with that woman?”
He’s been listening to me complain all last night and into the morning about her.
“Oh, I see something alright.” Brodie laughs.
I glare at him. “What?”
“You like her.”
“That woman who was just yelling at me in her pajamas and bunny slippers.” I point down to where she had been standing. “You think I like her?”
“I’ll say.”
“You’re wrong. I do not like her.”
“You’re right.” Brodie nods, returning to his work. “You love her.”
I chuck my glove at his head, but he ducks, and it sails off the side of the roof. I move to the edge and look down. I don’t immediately see it in the brush below.
“Dammit.” I climb down the ladder and spend the next fifteen minutes searching. I find it hanging on a low branch just as the front door opens again.
Amerin walks out dressed in tight yoga pants, a sports bra, and a zip-up hoodie. The clingy fabric leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to every dip and curve of her soft body.
“Are you trying to kill me?” I whisper to the sky. My legs start walking in her direction before I even give them instructions. “Where are you going?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Yes, I would.” I fall into step next to her. “That’s why I just asked you.”
“God, do you ever get tired of the sound of your voice?”
“Not really.”
“Just me then?” She opens her car door. “Okay, bye then.”
I grab hold of her door. “Not until you tell me where you’re going.”
“I’m going to drive up to something called,” she looks down at one of the maps we offer up to guests at the front desk, “Coop’s Overlook and hike around. Did you know Emilia Hawthorne got engaged around here?”
Ugh. Yes, I was aware, because it was my cousin Lincoln who was the one who proposed. They met when she was here on location shooting a movie. Then they both blabbed to some magazines all about it. And since then, this mountain has been littered with fans of Emmy’s wanting to see where she got engaged.
“Yeah.”
“Amazing, right?”
“Yes, it’s an amazing sight. You should go check it out before your company comes in and tears up the trail that leads up to it.”
She frowns. “Why are you trying to stop something that would bring growth and jobs to your community?”
“I’m all for jobs in the community. But I’m against the bulldozers that will take out acres of forest and uproot the wildlife that has lived on this mountain longer than my family.”
“We did an environmental impact report—”
“Yeah, I read the report. The same environmental impact report commissioned by your company. And I'm sure there was minimal incentive to give them the results they were looking for to cover their asses when they pulled in with their bulldozers.”
For a split second, I swear I see the mask fall from her face, and I see what she really thinks of her company. Uncertainty flashes in her eyes, and I know that if I want to save this mountain from being torn up and turned into a tourist trap, she is my last hope.
"Come with me. I'll show you what your company is so eager to destroy.”
The mask returns just as quickly as it fell away. “Out into the woods with you? I don’t think so. I’m not about to make it easier for you to dispose of my body.”
I can think of so many other things I want to do with her body than dispose of it.
“Come on, City Girl. You aren’t afraid of nature, are you?”
4
AMERIN
I still have reservations, but I agree to go with Beauden. He laughs at me when I inform him I’m driving. Glancing at my rental, he tells me that it won’t get nearly as far as his truck. And he’s right.
The terrain of the back roads gets bumpier as we head up the mountain. I’d be worried one of my boobs would pop out if I wasn’t wearing a sports bra to hold me in place.
“Are we almost there?” I ask, one hand on the roof and the other against the dashboard.
“Nearly,” he says, slowing down to a less jarring speed. The old dirt road we’re traveling down comes to an end, and Beauden parks the truck.
“Is this it?” I look out the window at the thick wall of trees nearly surrounding us.
“Nope.” He opens the door and steps out. “Now we hike. Unless you’re afraid of getting those new boots of yours dirty.”
I narrow my eyes. “Not a chance. Just lead the way.”
I follow behind him through the overgrown trail. A few times, I stumble on roots and branches, but Beauden is always there. The feel of his strong arms around my back makes me feel safe.
We continue to hike for almost a mile before there’s a break in the trees. I step close to the edge, looking down at the valley below. The ridges spread out as far as the eye can see. I can’t imagine having this view practically in your backyard the way it is for Beauden.
“This is incredible.”
"This was my favorite place to go when I was a kid. Our grandfather used to bring us up here, and we'd camp out."
“Us?
“Me, my three brothers, and our cousin.”
That explains the five guys in the picture I saw in the lobby of the lodge on the first day.
“I thought you only had two brothers.”
“No, three. Bryant is overseas right now. He’s on his third tour.”
“That’s got to be hard.”
He nods. “He calls when he can, but it isn’t the same as having him back home. Do you have any siblings?”
“I have an older brother, Jackson. He lives in Missoula. He’s a professor of Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana.” I hand Beauden my phone. "Here, take my picture. He’ll never believe I’m up here.”
“And he’s okay with what you do?”
I walk over to the outcrop of trees to pose in front of. “I don’t need his permission.”
“I didn’t mean that,” he grumbles.
“He understands I have student loans and rent to pay.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Fine.” I put my hands on my hips in frustration. “He’s not happy with some of the work my company does to the environment. But there isn’t anything I can do about it.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
"Take the picture!" I yell just as the flash goes off. "Come on. I wasn't smiling."
Beauden chuckles to himself as he stares at the screen. Bu
t suddenly his smile disappears. He looks up, and his eyes widen.
“Amerin," he says, his tone suddenly serious. "Do me a favor and walk over to me."
“But what about—”
“Right now,” he cuts me off.
A low growl reverberates in the air behind me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I turn slowly and find myself almost face to face with a small wolf standing on a large boulder. My limbs lock, and I can’t move. I can barely hear Beauden calling my name. The wolf bares its yellowing teeth at me. Its growl grows louder. I manage to take one shaky step backward and trip over something, landing hard on my ass in the dirt. The wolf crouches low like it’s ready to pounce.
Suddenly Beauden is right behind me, yelling and waving his arms over his head like a crazy person. The wolf steps back but remains low, ready to leap at us if necessary. The sensation of being lifted is so quick I don’t even realize Beauden’s done it until I’m on my feet. He pushes me behind him, still yelling, but walking us slowly backward.
We keep moving until we don’t see the wolf anymore. Beauden turns and grabs my hand in his, and we start to run. My lungs are burning by the time we reach the truck. Once I’m safely in the cab, I take a deep breath. It’s as if I am breathing for the first time.
“Did that really just happen?”
He releases a relieved chuckle from the other side of the cab. “Definitely not a turn I imagined our afternoon taking.”
I lean my head back on the headrest and take in a few more deep calming breaths. The burning sensation slowly fades from my lungs. I roll my head to the side and find Beauden watching me.
“What?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I kind of thought you’d be freaking out a bit more.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m still in shock. Stay tuned for a possible freak out from me later.”
“Noted.”
I pat down the pockets of my hoodie, but remember that I don’t have my phone. “Oh, no, my phone!”
“Well, that didn't take long." He sighs, reaching into his pocket, he hands it over to me.
“Thank you.” Overcome with gratitude, I lean over to kiss him on the cheek, but he turns at the last minute, and our lips meet. A spark ignites at the contact. I pull back but not away. Mentally I kick myself for being startled and pulling back. I want more. My heart thunders in my chest.
"I save your life and nothing. But I save your phone, and I get a kiss?” he whispers.
“Without my phone, my brother will never believe me when I tell him what happened.”
“Be sure to emphasize my selfless deed in saving you.”
“You’ll be lucky if I mention you,” I joke, hitting the button on my phone to send the picture to Jackson. I stare at the image more closely. I look crazy with a weird expression on my face, but the wolf is clear as day standing just over my shoulder. “It’s standing right behind me. How did you not see it sooner?”
“Honestly?” He smiles and glances down at my chest. “I was too mesmerized by those ladies to notice it at first.”
"You're a pig. You know that?" I push him but laugh.
“Hey, you may be right, but this pig just saved your life.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re never going to let that go, will you?”
"Damn right, I won’t.” He nods.
“Can we go please?”
Beauden turns the key in the ignition, but nothing happens.
5
BEAUDEN
“So, tell me again how your truck is far more superior to my rental?” Amerin asks with a yawn as we lay side by side in the bed of my truck.
It's nighttime, and I wasn't able to get the engine to start again. This happens every once in a while, but it couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. She’s been cracking jokes about my truck ever since. We used her phone to text Brodie to come get us, but I guess the signal didn’t pick up this high on the mountain because he never came. I managed to find a blanket behind one of the seats for her, even though I thought of countless other ways I could make sure she stayed warm.
She shifts next to me. “Are you sure that wolf won’t find us sleeping out here?”
I don’t answer her but rest my hand over hers. She twists her hand under mine, so our fingers lace together. Like two pieces in a puzzle. A perfect fit. It’s a new sensation to me that I feel more with this simple gesture with her than with a night of sex with anyone else. My heart hammers in my chest, and I wonder if she can hear it.
I listen as her breathing settles to an even pace. I glance over at her to find she’s asleep. I capitalize on this opportunity to watch her without fear of giving away what I’m feeling. My eyes trace every line of her beautiful face from the arch of her eyebrow to the gentle slope of her nose to the plump line of her lips.
I haven’t been able to get the kiss out of my mind since it happened. It was only a moment, but the sensation of her lips on mine is something I’ll never forget.
“I’m so in love with you," I whisper.
I’ve never said those words out loud before. My heart knew long before my brain figured it out. When I saw that wolf behind her this afternoon, I can’t describe the fear that coursed through me. She was in harm’s way and out of my reach to protect her. All I knew was that I needed to put myself between her and the wolf. Some instinct I didn’t know I had kicked in, and I was somehow able to defuse the situation. If something had happened… I can’t even finish the thought. I just know I would have died for her in that moment. If that isn’t true love, I don’t know what else it could be.
I lift our linked hands and kiss the back of hers. “Please love me back.”
Amerin’s breathing stutters, and I freeze, wondering if she's heard my declarations. I wait as she rolls over onto her side, her other arm swinging across my chest. My dick grows from hard to raging when her leg slides up mine, and she moans something inaudible in her sleep.
“Baseball, cold showers, Grandpa’s balls,” I start listing anything that might help me control my dick.
“What?” Amerin asks, looking sleepily up at me. Her eyes widen when she realizes her body is pressed up against mine. She starts to pull away, but I grab her hip to stop her from moving.
“No, don’t,” I breathe. I run my hand up her side and cup her face in my hand. Her eyes search for some sign that I'm playing with her, but I'm beyond serious. I’ve wanted her from the moment I laid eyes on her. And I can’t let her go now that I know how good she feels in my arms. I lean down and press my lips against hers.
It feels like forever waiting for her to react, but she finally kisses me back. I lick her bottom lip, urging her to open, and she obliges. I kiss her deeply. My words will never be enough to explain what I’m feeling. Love and passion for her fills me, and I can't get close enough.
I push her gently to her back and settle myself between her soft thighs. I thrust my hips forward, pushing against her center, and we both moan at the pleasurable sensation. I tug down the zipper of her hoodie, and she pulls her arms free. I cup her breasts in my hands, itching to tear away the fabric of her sports bra. I squeeze and kiss my way down to the swell between her magnificent tits.
She pulls at the hem of my shirt, and I lift my arms so that she can take it off. Her fingertips run slowly down my chest to my abs, and the V cut of my hips.
“Your body is insane,” she whispers.
I chuckle. “It’s yours to do what you want with it.”
AMERIN
Beauden misunderstands what I mean. Looking at his body, I’m suddenly self-conscious of mine. Where his body is hard, mine is soft. And before this moment, I was okay with how I looked. Well, I maybe wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds, but I was mostly okay. Then again, no guy I’d been with before looked like Beauden, let alone, looked at me the way he’s looking at me right now.
His eyes narrow in concern. “What’d I say?”
“Nothing,” I wrap my arms over my stomach.
Realizat
ion flashes in his eyes. He leans down and kisses his way up my neck to my ear.
“We can move at whatever pace you want, but just know this. Ever since I watched you wiggle your fine ass in the parking lot at Hal’s, I’ve been rock hard trying to imagine what you look like naked.” He gently pulls my arms away and replaces them with his big hands. “Every inch of you is so fucking gorgeous. It’s better than I could have dreamed.”
My heart tumbles in my chest. My fears ease aside.
His fingertips dip beneath the hem of my yoga pants, but he doesn’t tug until I nod my approval. He pulls the fabric down my legs with my panties. I sit up and remove my bra.
His hungry gaze trails down my body, and I'm so wet with anticipation. I’ve never felt so turned on or wanted in my life. He pushes my knees apart, and I lay back down. He kisses his way up my thighs at an agonizingly slow pace. My body is humming.
I’m so ready for him. The moment his mouth reaches my clit, I cry out. I’m unable to hold in the pleasure his tongue is giving me. I run my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer. Each lick, each nip, each suck, pushes me closer to the brink. Heat and pleasure build until I can’t take it anymore. One final suck on my clit and my hips buck upwards. Beauden’s strong hands grip my ass to steady me. His tongue laps up my core as I lose myself in orgasmic bliss.
While waves of ecstasy still pulse through me. Beauden kisses his way up my body.
“I need to be inside you,” he breathes out.
I reach down between us and feel his hard cock pressed tight against his jeans. He groans as I rub my hand up and down, stroking him through the denim. My hands clumsily unbuckle his pants. He reaches in his back pocket. I watch in confusion as his face falls.
“What is it?”
“I didn’t bring my wallet with me. I don’t have a condom.”
I shake my head. “I’m on the pill. I’m clean.”
His shoulders sag in relief. “Me too.”
His lips crash into mine, our tongues colliding. We’re a tangle of arms and legs as we work to get the rest of his clothes off.
I guide him to my entrance, rubbing the tip of his cock against my wetness. I inhale sharply as he pushes inside of me. My body stretches to accommodate him. I’ve never been with anyone his size before.
