Page 85 of Ten Mountain Men

Then, more firmly, directed right at Luke, she adds, “I’m not. And if I’m going to stay here on this mountain with all of you, even a minute longer, the first rule is that Luke can’t leave and go stay in the big cave or anywhere else. I won’t drive anyone away.”

She rushes on before Luke can protest, even though he’s opening his dumb mouth to do so. “And the second rule is that this will be…just…like…a friends-with-benefits type of thing. Okay? We all have to agree to that. No broken hearts. Friendship and sex. No love, no catching feelings. No one gets hurt. Well. Except my lady bits, because damn, y’all are some big boys.”

I will not name names, but at least three of my brothers are flat-out drooling. Having had friendship and sex with my sunshine, I can’t say that I blame them.

Goldie looks at me and nods, as if to say she’s done.

“Everyone agree to Miss Goldie’s conditions?” I say.

There’s enthusiastic agreement from everyone except Luke, who does exactly what she’s asked him not to do. Without a word, he hoists himself up onto the bank and grabs his towel. And he starts to leave.

Fuck. He’s going to ruin everything.

“Where are you going?” Goldie asks. The way her voice catches makes my fists clench.

But then Luke stops, and glances over his shoulder at her.

“Back to the cabin,” he growls. “All I ask is that you stay out of my way. Sounds like you’ll be so busy getting fucked by these bozos that it won’t be a problem. But you ignore me and I’ll ignore you. I don’t want your sex and I sure as shit don’t want your friendship.”

She winces and I swear, it squeezes my heart. It’s as if I can feel the rejection she feels, the pain she feels. I can’t make sense of it, but my heart just beats different for Goldie, in a way it never has for anyone before.

And I heard her. Just like I heard her when she said she’s not staying forever. I heard her saying this is just going to be friendship and sex.

But I can’t stop my damn heart from wondering if it could be more.

If it could bereallove. LOVE, with all capital letters. Goldie could be ours and we could be hers.

I don’t know what brought her to this mountain. But my stupid, stupid heart is whispering that it was fate.

I shake my head. Thatisstupid. I don’t even believe in fate.

Besides, this is just temporary.

I’ve had friendship and I’ve had sex, but I’ve never had a woman to call my own. Every beat of my heart is telling me that Goldie is the one for me. And I wouldn’t mind a bit if she’s the one for all of us, as long as she’s mine.

This is temporary,I tell myself, glancing at her. This istemporary.

But while it lasts, I’m going to do everything I can to make my sunshine the happiest woman alive.

Chapter 26

Goldie

There’s a lump in my throat as I watch Luke stomp off.

But before I can do or say anything about his stomping off, I’m swept off my feet again and wrapped in big, burly arms.

“You can swim, right?” Hunter asks low in my ear, sending delicious shivers along my spine.

“Yes,” I reply. “But I need to—”

Then I’m flying through the air as if I’ve been shot out of a cannon.

Like…holy fuck. I amflying.

But I don’t have wings, so I’m not actually flying.

I’m sailing through the air. That’s what I’m doing. Hurtling through the air.

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