Page 258 of Mountain Men Heroes

The story got harder to stick to as I wiped down countertops, ran the vacuum, dusted a few surfaces, and then rummaged through the fridge in search of something to make for lunch.

As I realized what my cleaning spree my look like—crazy woman intent on getting her hooks into the man she'd just sprung a surprise pregnancy on—knots formed in my stomach. Even that didn’t stop me from putting brownies in the oven made from the mix I found in a kitchen cabinet and starting a pot of chili simmering on the stove.

By the time I heard Mac’s truck pull up in front, the house was sparkling, the scents of brownies and chili wafted through the air, and the knots in my stomach had left me a quivering mass of nerves.

“Gabriella, baby, I’m home!”

Mac’s words shot such an unexpected surge of yearning through me, I had a hard time finding my voice. Home. Had I ever really had one of those?

“Gabriella, you here?” Mac stepped into the great room, caught sight of me standing at the island in his kitchen, and came to an abrupt stop. His eyes skimmed over me stirring the pot of chili on the burner and then moved around the room. I’m sure it was clear to him what I’d spent the last few hours doing.

“I’m a little OCD,” I blurted. “Plus, pregnancy hormones. They make women do weird things. Or, so I’ve heard. Also, I wanted to thank you for giving me a place to stay. I swear I’m usually not so weird. Well, my best friend would argue that. But I just wanted to do something nice for you since you did so much for me.”

Mac’s eyes shot to me in the middle of my rambling explanation for cleaning and cooking for him. The corners of his lips twitched and a new look came into his eyes. Something warm and predatory at the same time. Something that made my mouth go dry and my sex clench.

Without saying a word, Mac prowled forward. I stood stock-still, not able to move a muscle under his intense gaze. He came around the counter.

“Mac ...?”

Before I could get another word out, he was on me. He hooked a strong arm around my back and yanked me close before leaning down and laying a long, hot, wet kiss on me. I stood immobile under his mouth, too shocked to pull away or return his kiss.

I hadn’t managed to gather my senses before he pulled back and smiled down into my upturned face. He didn’t move away, though. He kept me firmly wrapped in his arms.

“Thank you,” he said with a husky drawl.

“You’re mighty welcome,” I responded reflexively, with no real idea what he was thanking me for.

His grin widened and he went in for another kiss. This one led to my leg winding around his waist and his tongue in my mouth. Between us, my hand went to his chest and automatically sank lower until I found his hard shaft.

Instant turn on.

“Mmm,” I murmured and God, I wanted to jump him in the middle of the kitchen.

But I needed to focus.

I braced my hands on his broad chest and pushed. He didn’t let me go, but I managed to put an inch between us.

I studied his face. “I guess it’s safe to assume the whole baby thing sank in while you were out? Or did you hit your head and lose your mind while you were gone?”

He chuckled. “It definitely sank in, beautiful. And then I walked in here and realized how much I like this.”

“This?”

“This,” he said. “You. Carrying my baby. You making yourself comfortable here and at home.”

My heart stuttered in my chest at his words. I ran my tongue over my lips. “You like me here?”

“I do. I want this. You here. Us seeing where things go.”

“Seeing where things go?”

“Yeah, Gabriella. I was already thinking of coming to find you when you showed up here. I haven’t stopped thinking of you since we were together in Lover’s Cove. Now you’re here. You’re carrying my baby. I think we should see where things go.”

A craving grew inside me. I wanted to believe his words. I wanted to believe them more than anything I’d ever believed in my life.

But I couldn’t help but remember all the times I’d put my trust in people in the past. And except for Amber, not one of them managed to keep my faith. In fact, more often than not, they crumpled it, threw it on the ground, and stomped it into dust before they disappeared from my life for good.

Worse, now it wasn’t just me I had to worry about. Bad enough if I let myself get attached to Mac and he broke my heart. But no way on this earth I’d allow him to do it to my child.

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