Mountain Man's Bride

by Lauren Wood

  “Tonight?”

  “Yes, now?”

  “I need time to get ready.”

  “No you don’t. I am sure you look perfect.”

  I looked down at the clothes I was wearing. It was just a pair of shorts and a tank top, certainly nothing fancy.

  “I at least need to put some pants on.”

  The sound he made got me laughing. “Why don’t I just come over there and you can reconsider the putting pants on thing? I wouldn’t mind seeing that at all. Would just make it easier for dessert.”

  Why did I want to tell him to just come over? It was exactly what I wanted, what I expected this date to end with, but I was still trying to convince myself that I could change it or that I even wanted to.

  “No, not here. I will meet you somewhere.”

  “Let me pick you up.”

  “I am staying at Cass’.”

  “So, I figured you would. Might as well. The house is paid for.”

  “That doesn’t bother you?”

  “Why would it Fran? Nothing bothers me except not seeing you. I have waited long enough for this date. You owe me and I intend to collect.”

  “That is what I was afraid of. Meet me at The Mill on 3rd. We can have a couple of drinks there.”

  He agreed, but I could tell that it wasn’t really what he wanted. I was okay with that though. He wasn’t going to get what he wanted, so Lucas might as well get used to it. I was still trying to convince myself that I wouldn’t give in as soon as I saw him. How many times had I wondered what his hands on me would feel like?

  “Okay Fran. I will see you in twenty.”

  That wasn’t enough time, but I wasn’t going to argue. I wanted to get him off of the phone so that I could freak out little bit. I needed to, I already was if the truth be told, but that didn’t matter. I said I would go and he knew where I lived. Lucas wouldn’t take no for too much longer, so like he said, I needed to just get it over with and then I wouldn’t have it constantly on the back of my mind.

  Chapter 14

  Lucas

  I waited for almost fifteen minutes for Fran to get there. I was a few minutes early, but she was late. Fran was so late that I almost thought that she wasn’t going to make it at all. I wouldn’t have let her get away with it. I would have tracked her down. It was just that simple, but I didn’t have to because she came to me.

  “You look gorgeous Fran.”

  She was wearing a simple little dressy get up that accentuated the delicate curves that I had admired in her work uniform. Now I could see more of her and I wasn’t disappointed in any way. She was tall and lean in all of the right places. I wanted to take her right then and there, but the way she was acting made it clear that it wouldn’t have been welcomed. I was just going to have to keep my hands to myself a little while longer. Not too long though. I was quickly running out of patience.

  “Thank you Lucas. You always look good.” Her lips pressed together and she looked away. I had a feeling then that she was not trying to have said that out loud. It made it even sweeter to me that she felt like she had to blurt things out.

  “I got us a table, but I don’t know what you drink.”

  “Anything with vodka in it is fine. Just the vodka is even better.”

  My brow rose. She was in some kind of mood this evening and I motioned to the waiter to order her a glass neat. It was going to be an interesting night, I could feel it and I was already rock hard watching her look around the room like a nervous bird. I had a good feeling that she knew what was going to happen at the end of this evening.

  “I’m glad you finally came, Fran. I was starting to think that you weren’t going to do what you said you would.” I was starting to think that I was losing my touch.

  “I always keep my word. I do owe you, so it was the least I could do. I have just been busy trying to find another job and figure out a place to stay that isn’t Cass’. There are all kinds of weird people showing up looking for him. It won’t be long until there is one question that I can’t answer.”

  “You can stay with me.”

  Fran just shook her head. “No, you have done enough Lucas. None of this is your problem. I am sorry I brought it up. Just on my mind I guess.”

  “Last time you didn’t take my warning. I wish you would this time and let me keep you safe.”

  I was smiling like an idiot. I could feel the stretch in my cheeks and the pain in my tongue where I was biting it. I wanted to kiss her again as soon as I saw her, but I had to wait. The waiting is what was killing me. I didn’t want to wait anymore. I knew that she wanted it just as bad as I did. Fran just hadn’t figured it out yet or she was trying her best to ignore the way we felt together. I had told her that it felt right and I meant it. It just felt right being with her. It was something that I had heard about, but I would have never thought that it was real and that I could really feel this way about a woman.

  “Why are you so nice Lucas? I mean you could have someone else, why are you so nice to me? You have done so much and you didn’t have to do any of it. I just don’t get why you are wasting your time with me?”

  “Do you not like the attention? I could have sworn you liked it before.”

  “I do, but you haven’t made a move. You just don’t seem like you are that much of a nice guy to not want anything in return. I thought after that time in the bathroom, things would have been different, but nothing. I am the one that has been wondering when you were going to make your move.”

  “A while back you claimed I was too nice… You are a confusing woman Fran.”

  “I know, you make me this way. I just don’t get it. If a guy was going to be this nice to me, they would have tried something by now. I would know what they wanted. I don’t know what you want and it confuses me too. I thought after you kissed me in the restaurant...”

  “I want the same thing that all men want from you Fran. Any man with a beating heart is going to want you in bed. I am no different and it is killing me to not have my hands on your body. I am trying my best to be respectful.”

  Her eyes widened and I knew that I had said too much. I should have known that it was a trap. It had felt like a trap if I was honest with myself. Was she really saying something about the fact that I hadn’t put my hands on her yet? Here I was driving myself a little mad, trying to not push, but it was somehow being held against me.

  I felt like that had to be rectified immediately and I moved in for a kiss. It was the one thing that I had thought about and like everything else with Fran, once I thought that she couldn’t be any more perfect, I would find that there was another thing to push her towards complete perfection in my eyes.

  She tasted like strawberries this time and her lips were soft against mine. It didn’t take hers long to yield and she made the sexiest noise. It was like the woman was made for me and before I could stop myself I was pulling her closer and delving into the honeyed mouth. She literally tasted sweet to my senses and it was enough to really get me going.

  The waiter coming back with the drink pulled me from my thoughts and I pulled away. He was gone before Fran would open her eyes to look at me. Her eyes were glassy and she looked as love drunk as I felt. Is that what she wanted? Because if that was the case, we could leave right then and get started right now. I had waited too damn long for her to the point that no one else would do. It was only Fran that could really satisfy the itch that I had.

  “Is that better?”

  She grinned at me and then took a drink of the clear liquid in her glass. Fran didn’t even make a face. “Well that is more of what I am used to Lucas.”

  “So why are we still here?”

  The kiss had gotten my heart pounding in my chest and I was ready to get out of the restaurant right now. It was a waste of time and if that kiss was any indication, we should both know it now.

  “I thought you wanted to go on a date Lucas. It was your idea to do this.”

  “We could go back to my place.”

&
nbsp; “I thought it was burned…”

  “I have another place close by. I have plenty of drinks there that will taste better and there won’t be so many peering eyes.”

  She was fighting with herself to decide if she wanted to come or not. I really wanted her to, needed her to even, but I wasn’t going to push. I had waited too damn long to ruin it now because I was a little randy. I had always prided myself on being in control. It was hard to be with her though.

  Fran giggled and I wasn’t sure if it was nervousness or joy.

  “Fine, we can get out of here. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned anything about that. You changed right in front of my eyes.”

  It didn’t sound like a good thing, but I was going to take it that way. I didn’t want to think of her having second thoughts. I certainly wasn’t having any of them and I didn’t like the idea of her having any of her own.

  “I have always wanted you Fran, but the timing was wrong and I wanted to give you time.”

  “Now?”

  “You have had enough time. That kiss told me all that I wanted to know. You need me, as much as I need you so why make ourselves wait any longer?”

  It made sense to me, but it wasn’t as convincing to her as I would have hoped it would be. She still wasn’t sure, her face was a little concerned and I wanted to make her realize that it was okay. It was okay to be like this with each other. There was going to be a long time to get to know each other. The way I wanted to know her now was far more intimate and I would learn more in those moments than all of the conversations we had had combined.

  “Okay Lucas. Let’s get out of here.”

  Fran took the last gulp of her drink and I wondered if she was using it for liquid courage. I was feeling a little nervous as well, but it was just from waiting so long for something. I wasn’t used to waiting. Hell, I wasn’t used to wanting something so much. It really was taking over all thoughts in my head. I wanted her. It was just that simple and now I was finally going to get it.

  ***

  “When did you move here?”

  “A couple of nights after the attack.” I didn’t want to talk about that though. I wanted to talk about anything but reminders of what happened with Cass. She may have been not as delicate as I thought, but Fran was still feeling it and I could tell. I didn’t want to bring her any discomfort. I wanted her to feel nothing but good when she was around me. That is what she deserved.

  “It’s nice. I never seen the other place on the inside, but it seemed a little smaller than this place.”

  I nodded my head. This place was my backup when everything went to shit. That is what happened with Cass and I wasn’t going to worry about it. I would get insurance from the fire and I would just rebuild it. This was only temporary but just bringing her here had attached good memories to the new digs.

  She was anxious, barely looking at me. “What do you want to do Fran? Would you like to get another drink?”

  Fran shook her head that she didn’t. “No, I have had enough to drink. I want a clear head.”

  I didn’t take that as a good sign. If she wanted a clear head, maybe it was so that she didn’t do something that she would regret. I hoped that she would, though I was under the impression that the guilt would be short lived. She would see that we were meant to be if only she would let me show her. All I had to do was get my hands on her and I was sure that I could make her see it my way.

  Moving in to kiss her, she stopped me with a hand on my chest. “You have to promise me something Lucas.”

  “What?”

  “That you will let me walk away if I want to.”

  Her words threw me off and I didn’t quite understand what she meant.

  “Let you walk away?”

  “With Cass, he thought he owned me. I don’t want to be owned. If I want to leave, you have to promise to let me.”

  I don’t know why it bothered me so much to think of her leaving. I hadn’t really even had her in my arms but once. Why was she already thinking about leaving? It wasn’t a good feeling at all.

  “You won’t want to go anywhere Fran.”

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise you that I only want you when you want me. I won’t force you in any way. If you want to leave, I will take you home, even now when I feel like I might explode.”

  It made her giggle and she told me that was what she wanted to hear. Her hand moved away from my chest and she finally let me kiss her again. It was as perfect as the time before and I never wanted it to end.

  Chapter 15

  Fran

  His lips felt like heaven against mine. It made me wonder why I was fighting it so much. I knew that I wanted him. Every fiber of my being wanted him to touch me, so why try to deny it? He wasn’t Cass, he was nothing like Cass. I had to give this man a chance, give us a chance. He was right. It felt right.

  We hadn’t even made it into the living room before he was pushing me up against the wall and kissing me until I couldn’t see straight. I tried to slow him down, but in moments I wasn’t worried about anything but more of him. I needed him desperately and by the way he was touching me, Lucas wasn’t far behind. I could already feel hardness pressing up against me like before.

  “Lucas…” My voice was strained and I sounded unsure. He took it as I wasn’t sure about this, but it wasn’t that. I wanted everything all in one moment and I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to ask him for what I wanted. He pulled away enough to make me whimper.

  “What is it Fran? Do you want me to stop?”

  He was breathing hard, but it didn’t matter. He would have stopped if I wanted him to and that just made me want him more, reminding me he was nothing like Cass. It was what I really needed and wanted to hear. I wanted to know that it was never going to be that way with him before I fell. I had already fallen for him when he saved me. Now it was just harder to deny than before and my body was on red alert from his touches.

  “Please don’t stop Lucas.” If he did, I think I was going to lose my mind. I needed him to touch me and instead of waiting around for him, I started to move towards the bedroom. “Which one is yours?”

  “It doesn’t matter. Come on Fran.”

  He rushed in behind me and grabbed my arm, pulling me with him to one of the closed doors. I was shaking inside, but I knew that it wasn’t going to stop until he was on top of me and inside. That was what was needed more than anything. I wanted him to claim me in all ways because I was his, whether I wanted to admit it to myself or to him, it was no less true.

  Lucas pushed me towards the bed and told me to take my clothes off. His voice was rough and gravelly sounding and I knew then that I had gotten my way. There was no turning back and now Lucas was to the point of no return. His eyes were so dark that they were almost black. His smile was naughty and his hands moved to remove his own clothing as I stalled to take mine off. I was feeling shy all of a sudden and it was only when Lucas’ pants came off and he came towards me, that I started to remember what it was I was doing.

  “Do you need some help?”

  I nodded my head and told him that I did. I needed him to help me or I wasn’t going to be able to get undressed, my hands were shaking that badly. It was ridiculous how much I wanted him and how much I needed his touch. The man was a stranger in some ways, but I knew him more intimately than anyone else in my life in other ways. I knew what he was made of deep down, what lengths he would go to help me. And now I was getting to know the need that streamed out of him and into the air around, suffocating me with its thickness.

  Lucas’ hands were sure and he wasn’t trembling like I was. It was just moments until he had my shirt unbuttoned and pushed back off of my arms. His fingers lingered on my hot flesh, driving me wild with desire. Every touch was magnified and even his breath tickled my delicate skin. I desired him too much and I didn’t know if I was going to make it through. I was already full of too many emotions and my senses were overloading.

  He seemed to
know. I don’t know how, but Lucas seemed to know that I needed his lips in a kiss to ground myself. It was all just a mess, but his touch made everything make sense. While his tongue pushed in between my lips, savoring me and enticing me to give him more, his fingers worked on the button and zipper for the skirt. I didn’t know what he was doing until he pulled away and the skirt fell to the floor. His eyes roamed over my body and it wasn’t long before Lucas was moving back towards me.

  When I was naked in front of him, I didn’t have the urge to cover myself. I wanted to see the lust in his eyes and know that I had put it there. Lucas wanted me badly and it made me feel powerful to have such a powerful man so bent and bothered. I always had been attracted to strong men and Lucas was one of the strongest I had ever met.

  I took the moment of bravado to smile at him, suggesting with my eyes what I wanted from him. Lying back on the mattress, I looked back up at him, beckoning him forward. My body begged for him and Lucas was quick to give me what it was that I really needed.

  His muscled body moved over mine and the wiry muscles left me in stitches. The feel of them pressing down against my body was heavenly and my arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down further for a kiss. My legs opened to receive him next to me and I felt the blunt head of him on my entrance. I was wet and so hot and all I had to do was lift up my hips just a little bit to feel him move inside ever so gently. Lucas groaned and I saw his jaw tighten as he tried to ignore the feel. It was hard to do because I was trying desperately to push him.

  “Please Lucas.”

  I moved a little more, trying to get more of him, but something was holding him back. I whined and moved my hips against him. I really wanted to feel all of him. He was already stretching me, but I wanted more. I wanted all of him, now.

  “What do you want Fran?”