Stranded: The Cole Mountain Brothers Romance Book 1

by Zoe Blaze

  It might take an extra hour to get out of the city. I sighed.

  Two hours into my solo road trip, I fueled my truck and purchased snacks from a Mini Mart. Tears streamed down my face again. Earlier today Ross told me how much he loved me. I thought he was sincere. His words felt sincere. It doesn’t matter if he loved me. He betrayed us.

  I pondered on me and Carla’s conversation this morning. She said she wasn’t looking to settle down. She lied. What she wanted was to settle down with my fiancé. I swiped at the tears that wouldn’t stop soaking my red cheeks. I smiled at the sign that read Cole Mountain sixty miles. “Yes! Almost there.”

  Snow flurries fell from the sky, blanketing the road. This was perfect. A cup of hot cocoa and a quilt in front of a blazing fire was calling my name.

  “Oh, shoot!” I should’ve called a hotel to make reservations. What if there aren’t any rooms available? I have to remain positive. I decreased my speed on the dark two-lane road.

  A deer darted across the road. My eyes bulged, and I screamed as I swerved to avoid hitting the huge animal. My truck veered off the road slamming into a tree.

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHRISTIAN COLE

  I haven’t driven to New York in an entire year. The trip was dreadful. I walked away from the profession as a fast-paced hedge fund manager at a major firm. My life resulted in working eighty hours a week, client dinners, and sex with meaningless women. I didn’t have time for anything of value. After leaving I opened a hedge fund company of my own.

  My father expressed his feelings. He said I didn’t need to find myself in New York city but he wouldn’t stand in my way. Losing my mother played a part in my leaving Cole Mountain. My family is Cole Mountain. The mountain has been in my family forever. Cole town had tons of sustainable businesses. Tourists frequent the mountains all four seasons. I was the only one of my six brothers, Oliver, Justin, Nicholas, Asher, and Alex who chose to find himself as my father put it. All my life, I lived, breathed, and slept Cole Mountain. I needed a change of pace.

  My brothers and I are the most eligible bachelors in our town. Mainly because of wealth. I don’t need a woman to complete my existence. Thick smoke filled the air as I drove along the dark road. There were faint tire marks venturing to the right. I parked the pickup on the side of the road. Upon climbing out of the truck, the smell of fuel hit my nostrils. Good thing I didn’t drive the Range Rover as planned. At the rate the snow was falling, a few inches would cover the ground before I made it home within the hour. The snow fell frequent in November.

  Sideways, I stepped down the slippery, rocky incline in the black Gore-Tex boots. The gray tweed coat covering the black suit was not ideal for the weather either. During the winter months in the mountains, our attire comprised of down parkas, snow boots, Thermarator waterproof gloves, and wool hats. I pulled the black trapper hat over my ears as I approached the Lexus truck. I coughed uncontrollably as I peered through the window of the truck. The strong smell of gasoline lingered in the air. My eyes widened at the sight of the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Blood trickled from a cut on the woman’s head down her face.

  “Hello, miss!” I slammed my fist against the window.

  “Miss, wake up!”

  She didn’t budge. I ran to the passenger side of the truck smashing my gloved hand through the window. I glanced down at the sight of gasoline trailing beneath my feet. Shit, I better work fast.

  I unlocked the door and yanked it open, damn near ripping it off its hinges. “Miss, can you hear me?” I removed the seatbelt from her slender frame and grabbed her purse. I gripped her soft body in my grasp, pulling her from the wreckage.

  Clutching the angelic beauty in my arms, I ran, falling to my knees a safe distance away, shielding our faces from the rumbling explosion behind us. The Lexus truck was engulfed in flames. Standing to my feet, I turned and stared into the sky at the huge, dark, mushroom cloud.

  I stared at her partially open pink lips, running my finger along her cheek. Her gorgeous features mesmerized me. My cock twitched. Now wasn’t the time. The right thing to do would involve seeing she received proper medical treatment at the hospital. Yeah, there wasn’t any chance of that happening. I wanted her to myself. I would nurse her back to health.

  ∞

  Before I arrived home, I called the fire department, alerting them of the fire outside town.

  I stalked through the front door of my monstrous warm log home, flicking on the lights, then kicked the huge door closed. I laid her limp body across the oversized bed in my bedroom on the second floor. Standing over the bed, I gawked at the vision of beauty in my home. First order of business was calling our local family doctor.

  I tapped send after finding his contact information in my cell.

  The phone rang.

  Hello Dr. Henson. This is Christian Cole.

  Christian is everything all right?

  No. There was a car accident outside of town. A woman was hurt. I brought her home. She’s bleeding from her forehead. Can you come by?

  Yes, I’ll be there soon as I can.

  Thanks, Dr. Henson.

  You’re welcome.

  He disconnected the call.

  I shrugged out of my coat, tossing it on the leather chair in the corner. I kicked my boots off and flung my hat and gloves on top of my coat.

  I removed her boots and the blood-stained coat. After filling a medium bowl with warm water, I sat at her side cleaning the wound. Sleeping beauty continued to take my breath away. My eyes marveled over her long black eyelashes, slender nose, rosy cheeks, and long black tresses. I wondered how sweet her lips tasted. The ones attached to that pretty little face and the ones below.

  I lit a few lavender candles around the house then made a pot of coffee. The doorbell chimed.

  Padding barefoot across the living room floor, I swung the front door open. “Dr. Henson, thank you for coming.”

  I shook the short gray-haired man’s hand.

  “Christian, you know I would do anything I could to help your family,” he smiled, shaking my hand.

  “We appreciate your loyalty to Cole Mountain over the years. Follow me.”

  Dr. Henson washed his hands then began his exam. “What was she doing on the road on a night like tonight? I wonder if she knew bad weather was coming to Cole Mountain.”

  I chuckled. “Dr. Henson, the tiny peacoat she was wearing…” I pointed to the chair. “I doubt she knew we get more snow than New York. At least, I think that’s where she was coming from. The truck she was driving had New York license plate.”

  Dr. Henson laughed. “New Yorkers are the reason the snow shop sold out of winter gear by the end of November.”

  I waved my finger. “They do keep our town turning a profit.” I stepped closer.

  “So, Doc, how is she?”

  He placed a thin white square gauze over the cut on her head. “She will be fine. A headache may alarm her when she wakes. I will leave pain relievers. And she’ll have body aches from the accident. Bring her into my office in a couple of days. I will check her vitals.”

  He placed a bottle of aspirin in my hand.

  “Christian, is there a reason you didn’t take this woman to the hospital? Do you know her?”

  I ran my fingers through my brown hair. “Doc, I don’t have a reason.” I roamed her beautiful face then my square jaw twitched.

  “I prefer to see after her.”

  Dr. Henson rose to his feet. “Christian, don’t get into any trouble.”

  “I have no intentions of harming her. I only wanted the chance to get to know her.”

  His hand landed against my arm. “All right, Christian.”

  I walked the doctor to the door.

  “I will see you again soon.”

  “You will. Thanks again, Dr. Henson.”

  I returned to my guest. Someone was probably looking for her. I rummaged through her purse. I didn’t want to invade her privacy, but I needed to know her name. Her ce
ll phone was missing. It must have been in the truck when it exploded. I glanced at her New York driver’s license. Emily Nicole Santer. Age twenty-three.

  Two hundred ninety Park Ave. Hmm, a rich girl. I grabbed my phone and ran a search. Her parents are Erica and Roland Santer founders of Santer Enterprises.

  “Emily Santer is engaged to Ross Dotson,” I read, staring at their photo in the ‘Wedding and Engagement’ section of the popular New York newspaper. “Scrawny little fuck,” I hissed.

  I peered at her. “Where is your so-called fiancé Emily?” I asked as if she’d respond.

  “Why would he let you drive to Cole Mountain alone?”

  I placed her slender hand in mine. Where is her engagement ring? Gently, I laid her hand at her side.

  I dropped my head in my palm. The one woman I wanted to make my own was already taken. I removed her pink blouse. Her breasts greeted me. They were the perfect size under the burgundy bra. I didn’t touch. I only admired her supple breasts. Bet she wore matching panties.

  I slipped a gray M.I.T T-shirt over her soft frame. I shimmied her tight denim blue jeans down over her tight ass, curvy thighs, and toned calves, tossing them into the chair. Yeah, matching panties. I smirked. My cock twitched again as my fingers lingered over her soft, creamy, white hips as I lowered the gray T-shirt. I needed to get my mind off her. I undressed down to my boxers and undershirt, then retired to one of the two charcoal gray chaise lounges across the room, flipping on the TV. The warmth of the thick black throw relaxed me. I gazed at the beautiful woman I planned to make mine one more time before falling asleep.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  EMILY

  Ouch!

  My eyes fluttered open. I threw my hand over my throbbing forehead.

  What happened? My fingers massaged the soft cotton. I sat up slowly, taking in my surroundings. Was this a lodge? It reminded me of a large luxury cabin, furnished with expensive furniture. Two gray chaise lounges, an eighty-inch TV hanging above a dark wood dresser, heavy charcoal gray light fixture hanging from the cathedral ceiling in the middle of the room, a black soft leather sofa, a glass coffee table resting before a roaring fire, and an oversized leather chair in the opposite corner. My eyes grew in size. Are those my clothes? I glanced down at my chest.

  Whose MIT T-shirt am I wearing? And who dressed me? I felt my bare legs. My eyes bulged. I’m half naked!

  The sound of the shower thudded my left eardrum. I peeled the quilt back, slowly flung my legs over the side of the oversized king-sized bed, then stood. I padded across the dark mahogany wood floor in my knee-high black socks toward the bathroom door. I stretched my hand out toward the knob then snatched it back. Who’s behind the door? I glanced back at my clothes. I should climb into my clothes and hightail it out of this place.

  Then I turned the knob. The humming became louder as I peeked my head inside. My breath caught in my throat. The tall rippling, muscled man who had to be carved from stone, hummed to a popular country tune coming across the airwaves of the shower radio. His defined forearms and biceps bulged as he shampooed his hair. Water streamed down his mustache and five o’clock shadow. His ass was so tight you could bounce a quarter off of it. The sight of his long, thick cock took me by surprise.

  Naughty thoughts filled my head. I wondered how good his silky cock would feel inside me. I could think like that. I’m single now. Shoot, I forgot I was a virgin. A girl could dream, couldn’t she?

  The sight of his cock sent shock waves to my core. I wondered did he ever play sports. The thick defined thighs and calves made me clench my legs together. Who was the handsome man? And why was I here with him? He rinsed the shampoo out of his brown locks. Fuck, his side profile is a work of art. I backed out of the bathroom holding my breath.

  No, make a run for it. That was the plan.

  I tiptoed over to the chair.

  “What are you doing?”

  My body shuddered at the sound of his deep voice.

  I relaxed my shoulders and exhaled as I turned to him.

  “I’m-I’m…” I lost the words I was trying to spit out.

  His emerald green eyes stared straight into my soul. He dried his beautiful brown locks with another towel. Those thick eyebrows hooded those sexy eyes. That chiseled face and square jaw would break my fist if I tried to hit him. Possibly caressing his jaw would make him succumb. A drop of water rolled off the edge of his slender nose. I felt myself pulling my lower lip into my mouth.

  His eyebrows wrinkled. “Don’t do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Sink that sexy, lower, pouty lip into your mouth or I will be forced to pull it out with my teeth.”

  I was defenseless to his words. I felt a warm rush of air flow over my body as I released my lip.

  “Emily, what were you thinking last night driving to Cole Mountain during a storm?”

  My eyebrows wrinkled. “How do you know my name?” I placed my fists on my hips.

  “I looked at your license. I had to know the name of the beautiful woman’s life I saved last night.”

  I placed two fingers over my lips. Gray eyes saddened. “You saved me?”

  His eyes closed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

  “Refrain from touching yourself. Just stand there with your hands at your sides.”

  I bated my eyelashes’, dropping my hands to my sides.

  “Bossy much?”

  “Gray eyes, do you want to find out how bossy I can be?”

  My eyes landed on the towel wrapped snug around his waist. His cock rose beneath the towel.

  I swallowed hard. “Can you put on clothes please?”

  I was trying to raise my eyes. It was rude to stare at his large cock.

  He whipped the towel from his waist. I couldn’t breathe. I licked my lips at the sight of the veiny demon trying to convince me to give in to its evil ways. Before I knew it, he was towering over me. He gripped my chin, padding his large thumb across my lips. I wanted to steal another glance. He was so close his hard cock poked my belly.

  “You don’t know how to obey orders do you?”

  He was every woman’s temptation. I bet he had no shortage of women.

  I ignored his question. “Where is my duffel bag? I would like to freshen up.”

  He stepped back, retreating into the large walk-in closet.

  “I didn’t see a duffel bag. Your cute little truck was about to explode with you in it. I only had time to save you and your purse, Ms. Santer.”

  “Oh my god!” I ran my fingers through my long hair.

  “The last thing I remember was dodging a deer who ran across the road.”

  He walked out of the closet toward me wearing an open, black long sleeve dress shirt exposing the sexy rippling eight-pack of abs, jeans, and bare feet.

  All I could think about was running my fingers over his gorgeous chest.

  “The deer are relentless this time of year.”

  I retrieved my jeans from the chair. “If you don’t mind, I’ll slip into my jeans in the bathroom.”

  His gaze met mine. “Sweetheart, no need for that. I saw those sexy curves while I undressed you last night.”

  My hand flew through the air. He caught it before my hand could connect with his face.

  “Beast!”

  “More like the big bad wolf, sexy.” He flashed a devilish grin.

  He grabbed my wrists, holding me close. “Are you this violent with your fiancé?”

  “I don’t have a fiancé anymore,” I bit out through gritted teeth.

  I wiggled to free myself. “Let me go.”

  He released my arms. I fell into the chair.

  “You’ll find everything you need in the bathroom. Join me downstairs in the kitchen when you’re ready. Leave the jeans or I will shimmy them off of those soft legs.” He smiled before disappearing.

  ~

  I stood in the bathroom staring at my reflection. The closet was stocked with plenty of towels, wash clothes, and toiletri
es. I stood over the sink brushing my teeth. Turning my head to the side, I lifted the side of my hair. My skin under the cut was black, blue, and purple. I pressed my fingers against my soft skin. “Sss. I must have hit my head pretty hard.”

  I placed the toothbrush on the counter, then shed my clothes, climbing into the shower. Turning the knobs, I welcomed the hot water, prickling my creamy skin. I remembered the accident then the entire day flooded my memory bank. I fell to the floor sobbing.

  “How could Ross hurt me? He said he loved me.” I wailed.

  My tears mixed in with the water beating against my skin from the six shower heads. I couldn’t shake the image. The way she threw her head back as she rode his cock tore me apart. She was willing to give herself to him and I wasn’t, yet. She had experience, and I didn’t.

  “Emily! Are you ok?” the stranger asked.

  I sniffled. “Yes.” My voice shook.

  “Can I help?” I could hear the concern in his voice. It was sweet.