Swiped Right by the Mountain Man (The Mountain Men of Linesworth Book 6)

by Frankie Love

  She hands me the delicious looking treat, but I shake my head. “No refined sugar.”

  “Oh my god, have you looked at yourself? You need this.”

  “If my blood sugar is low, I should make a carrot and apple juice.”

  “Stop it,” Kensie says, shoving a forkful to my mouth. “Eat.”

  I obey, letting my big sister force-feed me like the absolute baby I am.

  “Why did I freak out on Wyatt?” I moan as I fall back on my pillows, the cinnamon-sweet ooey, gooey goodness putting me in an instant WTF-am-I-doing coma. “He was perfect,” I moan thinking I should curl up in a ball and stay in this bed forever.

  Okay, that’s an exaggeration but I am dying inside. At least that’s what this feels like.

  Tillie gasps, and I ask what now. She has my phone turned back on and shoves the screen in my face. “He’s IM’d you like fifty times, Windsor.”

  I take the phone from her hands and sit up, staring at his delicious bearded profile picture. I see his beautiful blue eyes and I start crying, realizing that I walked away for him not once, but twice.

  I give her the phone back. “I can’t read it,” I say. “He must think I’m such a freak.”

  “He doesn’t,” Tillie says. “Trust me.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I talked to him last night.”

  “What?” I sit up in bed. “Really?”

  “Yeah, he’s really scared of losing you.”

  I take another bite of the forbidden bun of yeasty pleasure.

  “Read it,” she says, forcing the phone back in my hand.

  So, I do.

  He left one message after the next, throughout the night.

  I’m so sorry you didn’t get the loan, Win.

  Let’s talk.

  I can change who I am if it means having you.

  Mark is a fucking asshole. I can take care of him--you’ve seen my muscles.

  Are you okay?

  I’m worried, Win. I don’t want to lose you.

  Let’s compromise. I’ll buy organic if you don’t bust my ass for eating meat.

  I want to hear you snort again.

  Your laugh makes me believe in love.

  I want to be a better man because of you.

  How is it possible that two dates changed my life?

  You are the one I want.

  I want to try again with you.

  I want you in my arms.

  I

  Want

  You.

  Then this morning, he messaged again.

  Come to the warehouse at eleven.

  Please.

  Trust me.

  I wipe my eyes, tears are falling down my cheeks. I look at the time. It’s ten thirty-eight.

  “You guys.” I flash the phone toward them, but I realize, they must already know. While I was scrolling through the messages they’ve pulled out clothes, plugged in my flat iron, and a have a hairbrush in hand.

  “We have to hurry,” Kensie says. “You’ll want to look Instagram good for this, I promise.”

  The drive over is so fast, so furious, that I can’t really focus on the situation.

  Wyatt wants me.

  I don’t know why Wyatt’s being so good to me, so kind. I’ve done nothing except be harsh and critical.

  God, if he really truly gives me a second chance, I will be a freaking saint. Well, as long as saints go down on their men like it’s a religion. Because that is what I want. What I want to do. For Wyatt.

  “What’s this about?” I ask Kensie and Tillie as we pull up to the warehouse where just yesterday, I screamed Wyatt’s name as he pressed his hard cock into my willing pussy. God, I want to be in that shower with him again.

  Be anywhere with him.

  “We can’t tell you,” Tillie says. “I promised.”

  As we get to the parking lot my eyes narrow. “Why is Mom and Dad’s car here?” I ask.

  Kensie and Tillie share a look.

  “What?” I ask, suddenly nervous. “What’s going on?”

  “Here, put on some lip gloss,” Kensie says as Tillie parks the car.

  I swipe the pale pink shade on my lips before getting out of my seat, feeling all topsy-turvy inside.

  “Is this going to--”

  Tillie cuts me off. “Just wait and see, okay?”

  When I walk inside the warehouse with Kensie and Tillie by my side, the lights are all off. But then I hear Wyatt’s voice and a calm settles over me.

  “Hit the lights, Jim,” he calls out to my father.

  The warehouse brightens, and I look around trying to figure out what exactly is going on.

  “You came,” Wyatt says, walking over and taking my hand in his.

  “I did.” I bite my bottom lip. “But um, can I speak to you, privately?”

  He frowns. “Can I show you why I bought you here, first?”

  I shake my head, looking over at my parents who are standing with Kodiak, Kensie, and Tillie. Another guy is here too, a man I’ve never seen before, but I’m assuming is Wyatt’s brother, Benji, considering this is some weird family-affair.

  “I really want to talk.” I take his hand, squeezing it, feeling surge wash over me as I do.

  “Okay.” He looks over at our family and nods toward the front entrance. “Windsor and I are going to take a sec, okay?”

  We walk outside, the crisp November air circling us. “Hey,” he says, cupping my face as if last night never happened.

  My eyes prick with tears, and I lean into his hold. “Why are you being so nice to me, Wyatt?”

  “I have a thing for dark haired vegans who make really good juice.”

  I laugh. “You’ve never even tasted my juice.”

  He laughs. “You sure about that?”

  I shake my head. “Don’t. I wasn’t trying to make an innuendo. I mean, you don’t know me, Wyatt. I could be a crazy person.”

  “Could? “

  “Stop,” I say, laughing through the tears. “Those messages were so... so...”

  “Sincere.” He takes both my hands, kissing my knuckles. “I know it’s crazy fast, I know we have these things we aren’t eye to eye on, but big picture? I have a feeling this could work.”

  “Me too,” I admit. “Last night, I was so upset about the loan and Mark and feeling like... like I was going to lose you. It freaked me out, and so I freaked out on you. I’m really sorry, Wyatt.”

  “I wish I had known how shitty a guy Mark is. And I feel like crap over having given him any kind of commission.”

  “I’m glad he gave you the loan, Wyatt. This business is going to be a success. You were made to be a trainer.”

  “How do you know? You’ve never even had one of my workouts.”

  Now it’s my time to crack up and toss it back at him. “Oh, I’m pretty sure you’ve worked me over up and down, Wyatt.”

  He wraps an arm around me, pulling me in for a kiss. “God, I want to do it again. Soon.”

  “Then get my family out of your warehouse.”

  He kisses me softly, tugging on my bottom lip, making my knees turn to jelly. “No. They’re there for a reason. Come inside and let me show you.”

  When we walk back inside, Wyatt leads me to the corner of the warehouse where our family is standing. It isn’t until I get close that I realize they are all standing in front of something.

  “Ready for your surprise?”

  I nod, still confused. They step away, revealing a 5x3 banner printed with my Linesworth Juice Bar logo, affixed to the wall.

  “Wait, what is this?” I ask, shaking my head.

  “Well you didn’t get the loan, but I did. And I propose you open your juice bar in my CrossFit gym.”

  My dad claps Wyatt on the back. “Think of it Win, this space is one block off of Main Street and we can cut out a window in the side of the building for walk-up customers.”

  Mom chimes in. “It’s the best of both worlds, really.”

  Kodiak nods. �
��And it’s a win-win for both of your businesses, you’ll have that much wider of a reach to find customers.”

  I look at Tillie and Kensie. “You both knew about his when you came over?”

  Tillie nods. “I sent Wyatt the logo last night. Don’t kill me.”

  I shake my head in disbelief. Turning to Wyatt, I try to come up with the right words.

  “Do you hate the idea?” he asks. When I look into his eyes I see that he’s nervous, scared I might not want to be partners with him.

  “I don’t hate it. It’s the sweetest...” I cover my face, and he pulls me in his arms. “It’s the nicest thing in the world.”

  “It’s not about being nice,” he says, looking down at me with those mountain lake blue eyes.

  “No?”

  “No. It's about love.”

  “You love me?” I ask, my chest pounding, my devotion for him growing by the second.

  “I do. So damn much. Wouldn’t do something this crazy for a girl unless I was sure.”

  “And you’re sure about me?”

  He nods. “I don’t want you to swipe right on any other man if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Oh, Wyatt,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I love you too.”

  “Good,” he says with a grin. “Because I already deleted the Timber app.”

  Epilogue

  Wyatt

  Ten months later...

  I look at Windsor’s hand, as she pushes another carrot through her juicer. I know exactly what that hand is missing.

  “You look so hot when you pulverize vegetables,” I tease, leaning over the counter of her juice bar.

  “And you literally just look hot.”

  “I know,” I play along, running a hand over my beard. “Dead sexy, right?”

  “I was being more literal,” she says handing me the freshly made juice. “You’re a sweaty mess.”

  “Your sweaty mess.” I take a drink of my post-workout drink. This girl has made a convert out of me. Well, in some ways. I’m still a meat-eating Neanderthal, but I don’t live in a cave. We’ve bought ourselves a three-bedroom bungalow in the heart of town, just down the street from our co-owned establishment.

  “Do you need someone to come to help clean you up?” she asks.

  I lift an eyebrow. It’s noon and I have a class in an hour.

  She sighs. “I know. We can’t play right now. I just miss you. I didn’t see you this morning because you had the five am boot camp.”

  “Tonight, I’ll make it up to you. Let’s go out after my last class.”

  She nods. “Okay, sounds good. It’s an eight o’clock class right, so it will be late?” I nod, and she says that works great. “I promised Kensie I would help her with her with her baby registry tonight.”

  I lean over the counter, kissing my girlfriend. “I love you, Win.”

  “Love you more,” she says, as more customers walk up to her outside window.

  I watch her take their orders, so efficient and at home here, doing what she loves.

  We took things slowly after we said those three little words that cemented our relationship. Opening the business has been our priority this year, and I wanted to make sure I was in a place to financially take care of the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

  Now, ten months later, business is booming. Neither of us are working the crazy hours we did the first few months we opened our doors. Kensie and Kodiak tied the knot a month ago and even Benji and Tillie have gotten engaged before us.

  It’s our time.

  I walk into the house, having showered at the gym, and greet Winnie with a kiss. “You ready to go out for a drive?”

  “A drive?” She looks at me with surprise. “Okay.”

  “It’s only August. Let’s go enjoy the warm weather while it lasts.”

  Minutes later we’re in my truck, driving down the highway.

  “Where are we going?” she asks, her hand on my thigh.

  “The place where things started.”

  I pull up to a familiar clearing in the woods. “Really? You said where things started, I didn’t realize how far back were going. This is where I lost my virginity in high school.”

  “I know but’s also a place that holds meaning for me.”

  “How so?” she asks, as I park the truck, and unbuckle, turning toward the woman I love.

  “It’s the place I took you the night I realized I had to have you as mine. The night I realized you were something special, different than any other woman I’d ever known. The night I started falling for you, Windsor.”

  She twists her lips. “No one would guess a grizzly man like you would be such a romantic.”

  “I am because of you. I love you, so much.”

  “I love you too,” she says softly. Her long dark hair falls in her face, and I lean over to tuck it back.

  “Marry me, Winnie.” Her breath catches as I pull a diamond ring from my pocket. “Be my wife.”

  “Oh Wyatt, she says, pulling my mouth to hers. Kissing me with the devotion I know we both hold in our hearts for one another. “Of course,” she says between kisses. “Of course, I will marry you.”

  I slip the ring on her finger and press my forehead to hers. “I will be the man you need. I swear it.”

  “You already are.”

  I get out of the truck and walk to the passenger side, pulling Winnie out.

  “What are we doing?” she asks, laughing, the glittering ring shining as brightly as the stars overhead.

  “Remember my bio on Timber? I enjoy long mountain hikes--”

  She cuts me off. “And sex under the stars.”

  I nod. “No hikes, but the sex? Girl, let’s get you in the bed of this truck and consummate this engagement.”

  I lift her onto the truck bed where she finds a pile of blankets and pillows I’d stocked there earlier today for this very occasion. She finds the picnic basket behind the quilts. “You packed snacks?”

  I grin. “Organic, dairy-free, peanut butter truffles. And champagne.”

  “God, you’re perfect,” she says, wrapping her arms around me.

  I lie her down gently on the truck, the thick quilts softening the space. Pulling up her dress, I ease her lace panties off, the moon hanging overhead, the willow trees surrounding us, creating a magical moment.

  “I love you,” I whisper as I lean over her beautiful body. Her breasts are pulled tight against her dress, and every inch of her gets me hard.

  “I’m gonna marry you so hard, Wyatt.”

  “Yeah, you are,” I say looking deep into her eyes. Unbuttoning my jeans is torturous. My shaft is so thick and ready for her. She takes hold of my cock, running her fingers over my ridges of need, and her lips plant a row of kisses up my neck.

  “You feel so good,” she moans as she caresses me.

  I run my fingers over her slick entrance as her legs wrap around me. Her pussy is so sweet and knowing that no other man will ever see it, taste it, fuck it--it makes me growl with desire.

  “I need your cunt so bad,” I tell her as I guide myself into her warm slit. She wraps her arms around me, arching her back as I keep my hold on her. Her body opens for me like it was made to do.

  I groan in pleasure as I thrust my hardness deep inside her warm and supple body.

  “God, Winnie.” I run my hands under her ass, needing to touch more of her bare skin. “I’m so fucking hot for you.”

  We come hard, our chests pounding as we finish, our bodies were ready to join as one. Just like our hearts. I pull her into my arms, her head resting on my chest as we catch our breath.

  She props herself on her hands, looking into my eyes. “You’re mine forever.”

  “Good thing I super like you.”

  We smile, and both our eyes glisten with tears. It doesn’t matter how much of a macho man I may have been in the past, I know now what truly matters.

  It’s not a bunch of women swiping right at your profile picture
.

  It’s the one woman who sees beyond a selfie. A woman who can see straight to your heart.

  Preview

  Claimed By The Mountain Man

  PROLOGUE

  EVERLY

  Grabbing the Prosecco from the fridge, Everly finds three mason jars, pops the cork, and divvies up the bubbly. The goal tonight is to forget the reality of the situation she and her two best friends have found themselves in.

  Homeless. Jobless. Boy-less.

  Champagne will certainly help the cause.

  “Is that the last bottle?” Delta asks, as Everly balances all three glasses in her hands and walks back into the living room.

  Everly moans as she delivers the drinks. She’s wearing her hair in a messy bun and her nerd-girl glasses contribute to her low-key appearance. But tonight she isn’t acting low-key. Tonight she is dramatic and drunk.

  A dangerous pairing for any twenty-two-year-old woman.

  “The state of my checking account was so depressing I was like, eff it, and bought two more bottles,” she says.

  “That’s what I love about you, Everly,” Delta snorts. “You’re just so damn responsible.” She takes the glass from Everly’s hand and sets it on the coffee table before screwing the cap back on a bottle of eco-friendly nail polish. She’s just painted daisies on her big toes, as if declaring herself the ultimate flower child. Her long hair and boho dress complete the look. She’s a vegan, through and through, and living in Portland, Oregon makes her lifestyle easy.

  Clinking the rims of their glasses, Everly takes a long sip. “I know, it’s hard to be such a put-together adult, but somebody has to do it.” She smirks, knowing she’s anything but put-together.

  “No, but like, for reals, what are we going to do?” Amelia, who is braiding her hair, asks. She’s in ratty sweats and a tank top, but she gets a pass considering Derrick, her boyfriend of four years, just broke up with her. “I mean, all of us were legit counting on staying at Derrick’s summer house for the next three months. Now we’re going to get kicked out of here in a week. Then what?”