Page 6 of Hiding with a Mountain Man

We head to the kitchen, where I pull out a bag of popcorn. "Well, I don't know about you but I can't watch a movie without popcorn."

Brooke grins. "Sounds perfect."

As the popcorn pops, I grab two local pale ales from the fridge. "These are from Big Hops Brewery. Have you tried their beer?"

She shakes her head. "No, but I love a good micro-brew. I didn't know there's a brewery in town. Is it new?"

I nod. "Yeah, fairly new. I think it's been here a couple. of years. They have pretty decent pub food, too."

The popcorn is ready and Brooke pours it into a big bowl I've gotten out of the cabinet. She pours melted butter over the popcorn and tosses it with salt. "Okay. I think we're ready now."

With the popcorn ready and drinks in hand, we settle onto the huge sectional in my media room. I grab the remote, scrolling through streaming options. "How about a light-hearted rom-com? Who doesn't like a cute rom-com?"

Brooke laughs, the sound warming my heart. "You seem more of an action movie type, but whatever. I'm in. Let's do it."

"Oh, I might surprise you with my movie taste. But that's probably a discussion for another day."

She looks over at me and I can't really read her expression. Then she bursts into laughter and shakes her head turning back to the screen.

We sit side by side and I pull a plush blanket over our laps. Our shoulders brushing as we sit side by side. The tension between us is palpable, but for now, I'm content to simply enjoy her company, grateful for every moment we share.

The credits roll, and Brooke turns to me with a soft smile. She leans in, her lips brushing against mine in a gentle kiss. "Thank you, Mitch, for everything you're doing for me. It means more than you know."

My lips tingle where her lips touched them. I manage a nod, my voice caught in my throat. "You're welcome, Brooke. I'm here for you, always."

She stands, her hand lingering on my shoulder for a moment before she heads for the door. As it closes behind her, the emptiness of my apartment hits me right in the face. I'm more than familiar with solitude but right now, I hate the silence and I hate being alone.

I sit there, acutely aware that Brooke is near, just one floor below. The intensity of my desire for her consumes me, and I consider going to her apartment. My hand hovers over the doorknob on my front door as I fight the urge to seek her out. I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms, to feel her body against mine, to taste her lips again.

But I come to my senses, and I step back, shaking my head. Brooke needs protection and emotional support, not the advances of an old man she barely knows. I can't take advantage of her vulnerability, no matter how much I crave her touch.

"You're too old for her anyway, old man." Living alone has made me develop a habit of talking to myself and I shake my head getting up to grab my laptop.

I'm now determined to focus on researching her ex's background. I need to know what we're up against if I'm going to keep her safe. I open the report from Jett and start reading.

Just as I start to delve deeper into my investigation, a knock at the door surprises me. I open it to find Brooke standing there, hesitant and on the verge of retreat. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

But I don't let her finish. In a moment of unrestrained passion, I pull her inside, my lips crashing against hers in a searing kiss. She melts into me, her arms winding around my neck as I kick the door shut behind us.

Six

Brooke

As Mitch's lips pressed against mine, a wave of relief washed over me. I had been holding my breath, waiting for him to understand why I had come back to his apartment. His kiss deepened, his hands roaming my back as he pulled me closer. The tension in my body eased and all I wanted was to be naked with Mitch.

He'd turned off the TV and his laptop was open on the kitchen island. I noticed that a barstool was pulled out where he must have moved to after I left. Suddenly I was uncertain again. Had I interrupted him? Sure he was kissing me, but had I overstepped?

I pulled back and looked up at him. "Is now a bad time? I didn't mean to interrupt if you're working or something."

"You're not interrupting a thing. I can't tell you how glad I am that you came back."

I was close enough to feel his erection and that gave me the proof that he was telling me the truth. In a bold moment, I reached down and cupped his hard cock through his jeans.

His voice was low as he groaned. "Jeez, Brooke. Not so fast."

I laughed softly and took my hand away. "I just wanted to make sure."

"Oh, you should be sure now, sweetheart."

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