Page 12 of Thrilling the Mountain Man

“Does it bother you at all that I was watching you when you didn’t know it?” she shot back.

“Best news I’ve heard all day.”

She was watching me from the window. I took that to mean she found me attractive. She’d slept with me that very night, so I would have assumed as much. Still, there was something thrilling about knowing she’d treated me like eye candy.

“That’s how I felt deep down when you told me you were watching me,” she said. “It was great news. You found me hot. And then I was ashamed that I had that reaction. I should have been appalled that someone was watching me in the dark. It’s kind of hot, but only if it’s you.”

“I totally get it. Not that I mind women watching me with my shirt off. It happens. But it’s not the same as being completely naked.”

She closed her eyes and nodded, then opened them again. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

“I’m sorry.” I blurted those words, but I meant them with every fiber of my being. They were the words I’d wanted to say to her all day. “It was wrong of me. I knew it was wrong when I did it. And not being able to look away is a bad excuse. I should have had the self-control to turn and walk out of that bathroom.”

“But you didn’t.” She took a couple of steps closer to me. “And now I want you to watch me undress.”

“Here?” I joked.

She looked around. “Maybe not here. You have neighbors all around.”

“My coworkers, at that,” he said. “I can imagine the crap they’d give me at work.”

“We’ll have to save that for a different location,” she said. “For now, why don’t we head inside?”

“My place or yours?” I joked. Then I paused and said, “Let’s go to mine.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Together, we walked to my cabin. A cabin I knew I’d share with her someday soon.

EPILOGUE

LAYNA

Ihad a pitcher of sweet tea waiting for Noah when he came in. He’d been trimming trees in the back yard all morning. Finally, he’d taken a break for lunch.

“Eww. Daddy’s sweaty.”

That announcement came from our six-year-old, Annamae. She was going through her “all boys are yucky” stage, but usually her daddy was an exception.

“I’ll go take a shower,” he said.

I wasn’t deterred. Smiling, I walked across the living room and planted a big kiss on his lips. That brought another sound of distaste from our daughter.

“Daddy can have a glass of tea before his shower, can’t he?” I asked.

Annamae paused, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. She was seated at our table, her half-eaten lunch in front of her. Finally, she nodded.

Smiling, Noah breathed a big sigh of relief. “For a minute there, I thought I’d have to stay thirsty.”

Annamae giggled as her father crossed to the table and picked up the large glass of tea I’d left there for him. Once that was down, he turned to face me.

“I was going to suggest we all hop in the car and go to the movies,” he said. “But that means being in the car with a stinky boy.”

“Yes!” Annamae called out. “Mommy, can we, please?”

I pretended to resist, but I couldn’t think of anything I wanted more. The closest movie theater was a good half hour away, but it was well worth it.

“Go get your shower,” I told my husband. “I’ll make you a sandwich and we’ll head on out.”

---