Page 7 of One Night with a Mountain Man

"So what's the problem?" Jackie prods.

"The problem is what kind of image does that give off? What if he tells someone? What if people start talking?" My voice quivers with a mix of fear and residual excitement.

"People do talk, Natalie," Jackie chides. "But who cares? It's your life. And if you have a connection that’s all that matters."

I cut her off before she can finish her thought. "A connection doesn't justify throwing my standards out the window! And I didn't do anything to make him believe I’m not easy. I did just the opposite. Damn!"

There's a pause on the line as Jackie must be considering her next words carefully. "Natalie Stevens, you are one of the strongest women I know. So you had a lapse in judgment one night. That doesn't define you."

I exhale slowly and sink deeper into the couch cushions. "Thanks, Jackie. I just... I don't want to lose control again. This may be in a different way than before, but it still worries me."

"You won't," she assures me with conviction I wish I shared. "You're not that girl anymore. Unless you've forgotten, you're a badass business owner who had a human moment."

"I don't know, Jackie," I mutter, biting my bottom lip. "He even said he loved me after." I feel a chill despite the warmth of the room. "Who does that? It's like red flags at a bullfight. He could be one of those needy guys who'll be banging down my door at all hours if things go south."

Jackie's voice is tight with concern. "That's intense. Maybe it was just in the moment?"

"Maybe," I say, but my gut twists like a wet rag being wrung out. "I don't know if I can handle this. I got a text from his regular trainer and he'll be away longer than he expected. I'm supposed to train Dillon for at least two more sessions. It could be more. I think I'll have to tell him to find another trainer."

The doorbell chimes, interrupting my thoughts. "Hold on, Jackie," I say, padding over to the front door.

Peering through the peephole, my heart lurches into my throat. It's Dillon. The very source of my current turmoil stands on the other side of the door.

Jackie's voice squeals through the phone, "Is that him? Dillon?"

"Yeah," I breathe out. "I've got to deal with this head-on. Talk to you later." The phone clicks as I sever the connection.

I open the door and Dillon steps in, his presence filling the space as he leans in and plants a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Natalie, I know I made you uncomfortable last night," he begins, his voice a low hum of sincerity. "I'm sorry for being so aggressive. I guess I was more like a self-centered ass."

My mind races back to last night—the heat of his skin against mine, the way my name sounded when he said it. No, he wasn't aggressive at all. Everything that happened was mutual desire colliding in the dark.

"I shouldn't have pushed," he continues, his dark eyes seemed even darker as he stared at me in earnest.

He didn't push—I leaped willingly into his arms, into his bed. But as soon as he whispered those three words, I love you, a siren blared inside me. At first I thought I was hearing things and then I realized that he had actually said those three little words when we'd known each other less than a day. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. All I could do was leave when I was still awake and wildly confused at 4 AM wondering exactly what was happening.

It wasn't Dillon or his actions that scared me. His declaration of love reminded me of a time when love meant forever until it suddenly didn't.

I stare at Dillon, the morning light casting a gentle glow on his face. His concern is evident, and it stirs something within me. Something vulnerable. "Dillon, I panicked last night," I say. "I didn't mean to run out on you like that."

He tilts his head, brows knitting in confusion. "What happened?"

Drawing in a deep breath, I let the memories of my past seep into the space between us. "I was engaged once, back in college when I was... different." I took a deep breath because this was a hard story for me to tell since I'd worked so hard to be who I am today. “I was thin. Then after softball was over, I gained weight." The words tumble out, laced with a bitterness I thought I'd moved past. "He left me because he didn't like that I gained weight. That broke me."

Dillon's face hardens with something like anger. "Well, that guy was a loser bastard," he says firmly. "He didn't deserve you."

A laugh escapes me, hollow and short-lived. "You think?"

"I know," he asserts, closing the distance between us with a step that pulls the air from the room.

His lips find mine in a toe-curling kiss that sends shockwaves through my body. The world outside this moment fades to nothingness as he whispers against my mouth, "I'll never do that to you."

Pulling back just enough to look into my eyes, he adds, "Remember what I told you—I'll never hurt you, and I meant it."

In that moment, the weight of my insecurities lifts. Dillon's gaze holds mine with an intensity that feels like a promise. My heart swells with emotion and I believe him.

"I love you, too," I say, each word infused with truth and hope. Dillon's smile tells me he means it, too.

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