Page 92 of Ten Mountain Men

“Well, if in the future, you’d announce your presence, so I can know you’re not skulking around every corner watching me when I think I’ve got some privacy, that would be lovely.”

I cling to Ash’s words, rolling them over and over in my mind a couple times before I speak.If anyone can do it, it’s you, firecracker. If anyone can do it, it’s you, firecracker. If anyone can do it, it’s you, firecracker.

“I wasn’t skulking.” I square my shoulders. “You were just too into your performance that was, in fact, so loud you wouldn’t have heard me even if I announced my presence at the top of my lungs. Now, I could’ve took a running leap and jumped onto your back and yelled into your ear, but I don’t think you would’ve appreciated that, either. I guess I could’ve given you a round of applause but still, that might’ve been drowned out by…”

I let my babble die out as he gets even more glare-y. And yes, I’m aware of the phrase “don’t poke the bear,” but with this particular bear, I can’t seem to help myself. I can’t stop poking him and dear Lord, I want him to poke me. Even though he’s right. He deserves his privacy. Though how much privacy can you really have when you live with all nine of your siblings?

“I’m glad you didn’t go to the big cave,” I say.

“Well,” he says. “This is my home. It would’ve been ridiculous to let the likes of you run me off. I belong here.”

He doesn’t sayandyou don’t,but then again, he doesn’t have to. The unrelenting steel of his gray eyes, the muscles working in his clenched jaw, the firm downturned line of his always unsmiling mouth—those things say it without words. He stares at me, wordless, unblinking. Infuriating.

“Are we having a staring contest?” I ask him.

Don’t poke the bear!Sheesh, Goldie.

“Nope,” he says. “I was just waiting on you to leave, so I can start the music back up. I don’t see any of my brothers. You need to be wherever they are.”

I shift from foot to foot. This damn ankle. I shake my head, reminding myself I likely wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for this damned ankle. I would still be hauling my virginity around waiting for the perfect time. “Achy Breaky Heart, huh?”

“It’s just a song,” he says, almost defensively. “My heart is neither achy or breaky, I assure you.”

Okaaaaaaaaaaay. Before I can issue another question that could potentially annoy him, he abruptly turns the tables. “If my brothers hadn’t come looking for you, would you have really left? Left the mountain? For good?”

I pause before answering, my heart hammering. I don’t know why, but it feels like whatever words I say next are going to be important to him. But will he even believe me? I can only tell the truth and hope so.

“Yes, Luke, I would have left. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I tore a family apart, or even was the cause of an argument. I had every intention of leaving after I overheard you all talking. I was not planning on coming back. Period.”

“If so, that’s admirable.” He pauses. “You were really ready to pack up and go just like that, huh?” Luke’s expression is still guarded, but is it my imagination or has his tone softened, ever-so-slightly?

“I didn’t even bother packing up! I was going to leave all my stuff here. I was horrified by the thought of causing a rift between you all! Look, I won’t pretend I’m not fascinated by all of you. Hell, I’m so fascinated by you all I lost my virginity to Brooks!” Okay, that slipped out, and Luke’s eyes widen. “But I literally stumbled into all this. I didn’t have any intention of disrupting your life…I don’t…”

I falter as it hits me. Why it’s so important to me that Luke likes me, or at the very least, that he doesn’t see me as some bothersome intruder.

I heave out a sigh. “Can we have a heart-to-heart? Just give me five minutes and—”

“Not necessary. We’re good. You ignore me, I ignore you and—”

“That’s not good enough.” I place my hands on my hips.

He mirrors the gesture. “Well, it has to be.”

“Please. Please. Just hear me out.” I use the words Brooks used on me, like maybe they’re some kind of key to unlock this man. “Please don’t turn me away, Luke.”

Chapter 29

Goldie

Luke folds his arms, skepticism still etched across his face but his stance suggests he’s listening. “Did you really lose your virginity to Brooks? That was your first time?”

This is so private, and not really any of his business, but I nod. “It was important to me. I’d been waiting…for the perfect time. But…anyway, it happened, and I wanted it and I don’t regret it. I’m glad it happened the way it did.”

“Apparently so, since you immediately went for an encore with Hunter. Are you sure you don’t just want to have your little sexathon with my brothers because of what your friend has going on with her ten men? Maybe you just want what she has?”

I pause and consider this, really consider this, because didn’t I have a similar thought? Yes. I did. My first night here, before Buck took me to his bed.

Why am I so fricking horny?

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