Page 3 of One Night with a Mountain Man

Dillon

The scent of smoked meats wraps around us like a warm blanket, comforting and familiar. Billy's Southern BBQ buzzes with the sound of laughter and clinking glasses. Natalie's blue eyes glinting in the low light, a slight smile on her lips as she waits for me to continue.

"So there we were, mid-operation, when Johnson decides it's the perfect time to bust out his impression of our sargeant," I chuckle, shaking my head at the memory. "The guy had guts—I'll give him that."

Natalie laughs, her eyes lighting up with amusement. "I can't believe you guys got away with that."

"Yeah, well, Johnson always had a way of making tense moments turn into a scene from a sitcom." I lean back in my chair, the weight of all those stories sinking in. A quiet moment passes between us.

"Something wrong?" Natalie asks, her head tilting slightly as she studies my face.

I look up at her, the noise around us fading into the background. "You know," I start slowly, "you're the best thing that's happened to me since... well, since forever."

Her eyebrows knit together in a scowl. "How can that be on your radar?"

"Because," I say with more certainty than I've felt in years, "I've never felt like this before."

She chuckles and shakes her head. "Slow down there, cowboy."

I reach across the table and take her hand. The connection sends a jolt through me. "Don't think I can," I say.

A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, but she doesn't pull away.

"So tell me about how you got into training?" Changing the subject seemed to be the best move at the moment.

She glances down at our hands before looking up again. "Well," she begins, "college softball was my life back in Oklahoma. Professional softball wasn't a thing when I graduated so most college women athletes teach, coach or have a major unrelated to sports." She shrugs. "I switched majors to health and exercise science my junior year. It changed everything for me."

"And Pine Ridge?" I prod.

"It’s actually a common story. I came to the Rockies on vacation," she says with a laugh. "I loved the mountains so I went home, packed my things, and ended up here."

I lean forward, the corners of my mouth curving up in a playful grin. "It's pretty cool that I'm on a date with such a smarty pants."

Natalie's smile falters, her hand slipping away from mine as she draws back. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The warmth in my chest fizzles out. "Oh damn. That came out wrong. I didn't mean it like that," I rush to explain. "I mean, you're incredible. You've got your life together. You went to college and everything."

She looks at me, skepticism etched into her features and she's still frowning.

"I always wanted that for myself," I say. "But I never got the chance—no scholarship, no money. I played football in high school down in south Georgia, but I wasn't good enough to get any interest from college scouts. Hell, I have no idea what I'd have majored in if I'd gone."

Her expression softens, and she leans in a fraction. "It's not all it's cracked up to be sometimes," she says.

I nod, encouraged by her change in demeanor. "We've both got that athlete spirit, though," I add with a hopeful smile. "We're a perfect match."

Taking a chance, I stand up and slide into the booth beside her. Close enough now that our shoulders touch, I turn to her, lean in and whisper near her ear, "I'm obsessed with you already."

She stiffens beside me and pulls back to meet my gaze. Her eyes search mine—intense but curious.

"Don't be afraid," I say. "I'd never hurt you."

"In the real world outside this bubble," she murmurs, her voice laced with vulnerability, "I'd be very afraid of you."

"But right now?" I prompt.

"Right now," she whispers back, her breath warm against my cheek, "I only want to know you more."

Four

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