Rock Hard Mountain Man: A Billionaire and a Virgin Romance

by Rye Hart

  “Do you want to grab a shower?”

  “Sure. Who first?” I asked.

  He cocked a brow and chuckled. “I thought we could grab it together,” he suggested.

  “O-Oh, right! Yeah. Together sounds great.” God, he turned me into a puddled mess.

  We slid out from under the covers and he started the shower. He stuck his hand under the water and I watched him closely, admiring the tattoos that decorated his tanned skin.

  “Ryan?”

  “Yeah?” he asked, adjusting knobs.

  “Why were you single for so long?” He never really dated, despite all the women having their eyes on him.

  He hesitated and glanced back at me. “I was waiting for you to get your shit together,” he said, reaching out and offering his hand to me.

  I took his hand and leaned into him once I was under the spray of the water, my eyes fluttering closed. It felt good to be close to him like this.

  “You were waiting for me?” I asked.

  “Of course I was. I always cared about you and I was just hoping beyond hope that you felt the same way,” he said, wrapping his strong arms around me.

  The entire world fell away when I was wrapped in his arms. For a moment all of the trouble and danger went away and it was just me and him. I held him tight and took a deep breath.

  “I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I mean, I was being an ass too,” he said with a soft smile. “It’s no one’s fault and we shouldn’t be apologizing. We’re happy now and that’s all that really matters,” he pointed out.

  I put my chin on his chest and looked up at him. “So this isn’t a one-time thing?”

  “Like a fling? God no. At least I hope not,” he said after a moment, looking down at me. “I mean, at the end of the day you have to say yes.”

  “Say yes to what?”

  “You have to say yes to being my girl.”

  The comment was so surreal. Everything I’d ever wanted all these years was finally within my grasp. The man I’d wanted to be mine was finally here, asking me to be his woman. He was embracing my naked body in the shower, admitting that he wanted more than just sex from me.

  “You’re an idiot,” I murmured, watching his face fall. “Of course I’m going to say yes.”

  Chapter Eleven

  That was just the beginning of what I felt like might be the rest of my life. Suddenly, being sent away to this cabin in the woods didn’t feel like a punishment at all. Ryan wasn’t a nuisance anymore. I actually wanted to be with him; I wanted to spend all of my days with him.

  We didn’t waste any time catching up; we both knew we had a lot of lost time to make up for. We spent our days being tourists. Neither of us had spent much time in Gatlinburg, despite the fact that we were both Tennessee natives. Our families didn’t really have the time for vacations. We were always moving around with the gang.

  It was nice to just relax for once and not worry about the gang or our families. Every once in a while I would remind myself as to why we were here, but a quick phone call home eliminated all of my worries. Damien was keeping a close eye on the men after me and there hadn’t been any news in a long time. They were starting to think that maybe, just maybe it was almost safe for me to come home. Maybe it really had just been an unorganized attempt at my life.

  Ryan didn’t want me focusing on that. He wanted me to stop thinking about all the politics for once and actually enjoy my life. It sounded nice, it really did, and when I finally let myself relax and focus on the fun and on Ryan, I actually started to laugh and smile.

  We were walking through the small strip of shops in Pigeon Forge and Ryan was smiling at me. It was a strange kind of dreamy smile that gave me butterflies and made me blush.

  “Can I help you?” I murmured, putting my hands on my hips.

  “I certainly hope so,” he purred, pulling me closer and brushing some hair out of my eyes.

  I blushed and looked away, but he just pressed a kiss to my cheek. I let out a surprised little squeak and tried to squirm away from him. He laughed and just held me tighter. “I don’t think so, ma’am,” he purred. “I let you get away once, I’m not going to let you go again.”

  My cheeks burned ever hotter and I had to cover my face to hide the bright grin. “Why do you always say things like that?!”

  He laughed and pulled away a little, thought he didn’t release me, just like he promised. “Should I stop?”

  I hesitated and looked up at him and then away. “Well, no. It’s just, I don’t know. I don’t know how to handle all those feelings,” I admitted almost shyly.

  He placed his hand under my chin and made me look up. “It’s because you’ve never had to,” he pointed out, smiling down at me.

  That serene, knowing smile made my entire body heat up. My eyes widened and I swallowed, looking away for a moment. “It makes me feel stupid.”

  “What makes you feel stupid?”

  “The fact that I can’t process all of this. I feel stunted,” I murmured softly, looking up at him again. “Women my age have usually had all of these romantic experiences and here I am, completely unsure how to handle all this mushy stuff.”

  He chuckled and took my hand, tugging me towards a very large Ferris wheel. The seats were encased in little orbs of glass and it was much larger than anything I’d ever seen before. It looked similar to pictures of the London Eye that I’d seen.

  Ryan paid the operator and we got in the glassed in seats. I sat opposite of him and he stood up, crossing the small space and settling in beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

  “You shouldn’t feel bad or stunted,” he said softly. “Our lives have been very different from most normal people’s. It seems only natural that we would experience things differently too.”

  I nodded as the great wheel groaned and started to move. The sky line came into view and it actually took my breath away. I reached out and took his free hand, tangling my fingers in his.

  “Thank you, Ryan.”

  “For what?”

  “For everything you say and do.”

  “I don’t think I really do much.”

  I cocked a brow and leaned into him. “In the weeks that we’ve been here, you’ve gotten me to open up more than I ever have before,” I murmured, closing my eyes.

  He smiled a little and looked down at me. “Well, it’s only because if we’re going to fall in love, I want it to be like it used to be. I want it to be easy. Natural.”

  I pulled away and looked up at him. “Fall in love?” I almost whispered.

  It was his turn to go pink. I’d never seen this man blush in my life, but now here he was, lighting up the skyline. “Well, yeah. Isn’t that the goal of dating and shit? To fall in love?”

  I leaned over him and reached up, cupping his cheeks. “I suppose it is,” I murmured.

  He turned to look at me and as I gazed into his eyes I felt vulnerable. I expected the fear to follow, but it never turned to fear. Soon I realized that vulnerable wasn’t the word for what I was feeling. I felt free. I felt like I could conquer the world. My breath hitched him my throat and a grin started to spread across my lips.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, sounding almost nervous.

  “I’m better than okay,” I whispered, pulling him closer.

  “You’re lookin’ at me like you’re going to try and eat me.”

  I burst out laughing and shook my head back and forth. “No, not at all. I just realized something.”

  “Yeah? What is that?”

  I put my forehead to his and smiled, pressing my lips to his very tenderly. “I realized just how free I am. When I’m with you I don’t have to try and be something I’m not,” I whispered. “You want me to be exactly who I am and nothing else.”

  “Well, of course I do,” he murmured. “I was so enamored with you back then. When we were kids, I mean. It was because you weren’t like any of the other girls. You were wild and loud an
d you were always covered in dirt,” he said with a laugh. “That’s what I liked about you.”

  I smiled and listened to the sweet words, my heart threatening to burst from my chest, “Really?” I asked.

  “Really.”

  I chuckled and smiled. “I used to like the way you pulled my braids and teased me. I liked that you didn’t treat me any differently from your boy friends. It was nice to feel equal.”

  Ryan snorted. “I would rather have you on my team than any of the guys in the gang. You’re one of the most amazing shots I’ve ever met. And you’re the most amazing woman, by far,” he said with a grin.

  I looked up into his eyes. “Can I admit something?” I whispered.

  “Of course,” he said quickly, his voice taking on a serious tone. “Anything.”

  “I think I’ve already fallen in love with you,” I whispered, my eyes wide.

  He sucked in a breath and for a moment I was afraid he might push me out of the orb or break up with me. Honestly, though, out of those two options, I think I’d rather he just throw me out of the Ferris wheel.

  His shocked expression turned to one of absolute glee and he laughed, throwing his arms around me. “I love you too!”

  I just sat there for a moment, shocked by his words. “What?”

  “I love you! I thought it was too soon to tell you!”

  A sudden bark of laughter forced its way from my chest and I held him tight. “Of course it’s not too soon,” I whispered, kissing his face all over.

  “Really?”

  I pulled away and cupped his cheeks. “We’ve been falling in love since we were kids. If anything, we’re overdue.”

  Something about that statement seemed to resonate with him. His eyes widened just a moment, and he smiled, pressing his lips to mine. My heart jumped into my throat as I returned the kiss.

  “I love you,” he whispered when we parted.

  “And I love you.”

  We stayed there, frozen in time as the sun basked us in warmth. It was like everything fell away and all the existed or ever would exist was in his eyes. The warmth of his breath soothed my soul and we just sat there, whispering ‘I love you’ back and forth until the sun started to descend toward the horizon.

  It was perfection and I never wanted the moment to end.

  Chapter Twelve

  We stayed in Gatlinburg for a total of three months and nearly all of that time was spent rediscovering each other. It was spent in each other’s arms, whispering loving words and just holding each other. The weeks that we spent alone in that cabin were some of the most magical I’d ever experienced.

  I was absolutely head over heels in love with Ryan and nothing was going to change that. My only regret was how long I waited to finally let him in. As the third month came to an end, we got a call from Damien, saying he was going to bring us home. He couldn’t keep us out in the cabin for the rest of our lives and he was fairly certain that we’d be safe. They never managed to find much information about the men who’d tried to kill me, but they seemed to have given up their mission.

  It was a relief to hear that, but at the same time I was sad that our little getaway was coming to an end. When I told Ryan this, he just assured me that soon we’d be able to start our life together back home. With that promise, I found myself more than a little excited.

  We spent our last night in Gatlinburg, dancing at one of the bars. We’d stayed out far too late and danced until our legs felt like jelly, but neither of us cared. It was a perfect way to end our stay. We stumbled home together, holding onto each other and laughing so hard our sides ached.

  When we finally made it home together we fell into the bed, still dressed and our lips pressed to each other’s. Our minds were spinning from too much alcohol and we were happy. We fell asleep in each other’s arms and as the world faded away, I could feel myself slipping into a dream.

  I woke up next to Ryan, but he was a young teenager again. From his features I had to guess that he was about fourteen or fifteen. He was about the age he was when we drifted apart. Seeing him like that made my heart ache. I reached out and touched his cheek and he turned to look at me, one brow cocked.

  “You okay? You’re lookin’ at me funny.”

  I nodded, still in awe. I must have been a teenager too. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just feel weird,” I murmured.

  He stood up and put his hands on his hips, grinning brightly at me. “You know what’ll fix that?” he hummed.

  “What?”

  “A dip in the lake,” he said, jumping to his feet.

  I stood as well and took his offered hand, laughing as he all but dragged me to the edge of the dock. I looked into the dark murky water and my stomach turned with fear. I swallowed thickly and looked at him a moment.

  “Do you think it’s safe?” I asked, looking into the inky water.

  “Of course it’s safe. Why wouldn’t it be?” he asked, taking his shirt off and stripping down to his underwear.

  I nodded numbly, deciding that he was right. I was being a worry wart. This was the lake behind my dad’s house. We’d swam in it a million times before and nothing bad had happened, what could be different now? Even though my mind was trying to rationalize my sudden fear, I still reached out and grabbed Ryan’s wrist.

  “Wait,” I begged.

  He looked at me, eyebrows raised questioningly. “Are you okay?”

  “Just promise me something, okay?”

  He frowned a little and put his hands on his hips. “You’re weirding me out.”

  “I know, I know it’s weird, but just hear me out.” I knew this was just a dream but I had to tell him. I’d spent my entire childhood ignoring the trauma and fear that had come from my dad’s death. Even if it was in a dream, I had to tell him I needed him. “Whatever happens, don’t leave me. Don’t ignore me,” I pleaded.

  He frowned and turned to look at me again and frowned, his eyes catching mine. “What are you talking about?”

  “Listen! Some bad stuff is going to happen and I’m going to need you more than ever. I’m going to act stupid and say stupid things that I don’t mean! I’m just scared. Okay? So promise me. Promise me you’ll always be there for me.”

  He stared at me for a moment, his face twisted into a look of confusion. “Of course,” he said softly, smiling a little. “You never have to worry about that, Kisha. I’m always going to be here for you.”

  I nodded slowly and squeezed his hand. He pulled me into the water and for a moment the water engulfed me. I was swallowed by the dark, murkiness and fear seized me for a moment. I finally broke the surface and the sun shining on my face felt good. Ryan was still holding my hand smiling. It felt right. The world felt right again.

  Just as I opened my mouth to speak, I felt a hand slither around my ankle, the fingers digging into my skin. My eyes widened and before I could react, I was yanked down into the water and dragged to the bottom. Ryan was still holding onto my hand and because he refused to let go, he was dragged down too. I was staring into his terrified eyes as my lungs burned and begged for air, but when I opened my mouth to breathe I only sucked down a mouthful of water.

  My eye shot open and I sat up straight in bed, screaming at the top of my lungs. I was back in the cabin, but that didn’t sate the fear that was bubbling in my chest. The sun was coming through the window and Ryan was across the room, packing our bags.

  The second I started screaming, Ryan flew across the room and wrapped his arms around me, holding me close and stroking my hair. “Shhhh,” he whispered, kissing my temple. “Shhhh. I’m here,” he promised.

  I fell into him, shaking and trying to hold my tears back. He sat with me, holding me close and trying to bring me down, though it wasn’t really working. After what felt like an eternity, my breathing finally evened out and I started to calm down.

  Ryan pulled away and cupped my cheeks, looking at me seriously. “Kisha, are you okay?”

  I wiped my eyes quickly and nodded, taking a few mo
re deep breaths. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I whispered, my voice shaking.

  It took some convincing, but eventually Ryan went back to packing and left me to calm myself down in the bathroom. As I stood under the hot water, I couldn’t ignore the very disturbing thought that crawled into my mind.

  What If my dream as a warning?

  Chapter Thirteen

  I found myself alone shortly after waking up from the nightmare. Ryan fought me on it. He didn't want to leave me alone, especially since I wouldn't tell him what the dream was about, but I told him to go. He said there was something very important in town that he had to pick up. I didn't want him to leave it behind because I was a mess and couldn't handle a nightmare.

  He tried to get me to go to town with him, but I knew someone had to stay at the cabin. My brother was sending the trucks back in to come and collect us.

  I was finishing packing up the last of our things, my mind still spinning round and round, from the nightmare. I couldn't understand why I would have that dream now that everything was alright. It made no sense. I sighed and just shook my head, picking up my bags and carrying them to the door.

  A sudden knock on the door made me stop dead in my tracks. I frowned and looked at the door, setting my bags down slowly and approaching it. There was no peep hole and the shades were drawn so there was no way to see who was outside.

  As I approached the door I could hear an unfamiliar voice, but before I could even begin to place it, the glass window to my right shattered. An eruption of flames blinded me and for a moment I could only stare as the Molotov cocktail rolled around on the floor, drenching everything in gasoline.

  It took every ounce of strength in me not to scream. As far as they knew, I was already gone. I started to run toward the back door but discovered that it was engulfed in flames as well. There was no way I was going to be able to get out on the first floor.

  Pure instinct told me to get to higher ground so I ran up the stairs, trying to escape the plume of smoke that followed me. I knew that the smoke was just as dangerous as the fire, and I held my breath as I ran.

  Once I made it upstairs, I threw the bedroom door open and looked around frantically for my gun. I rifled through the closet open and checked under the bed before I remembered that I'd left it in the truck; the truck that Ryan now had.