Page 12 of Scolded By the Mountain Man

A sad look of understanding comes across her face. “And so you came out here to what? Be a hermit?”

“I came out here to find something real,” I reply. “Something Itruly want.”

“And that’s to live alone on a mountain?” She sounds confused. Something stirs inside me, and I decide to counter back at her.

“And what about you, Penny? Do you truly want to be a stock broker? What is it that brought you out here on a solo hike that got you into so much trouble?”

She sighs. Her entire body slumps, and she leans forward and puts her head in her hands. I want to reach out and cradle her in my arms, help ease whatever is troubling her at this very moment.

“I don’t know.” Her admission is painful for her. I can hear it in her voice. “I thought I did. I worked my ass off to get where I am now, but now that I am there, it’s just driving me nuts. So I took a personal day to go hiking. Now that I’ve been lost and haven’t gotten in touch with my boss, he’s going to kill me. Maybe even fire me.”

I take a deep breath and immediately start thinking about ways to prevent this from happening or things I can do to make her life easier for her. But that’s when I see it: a black bear coming out of the woods right behind Penny.

“Penny!” I hiss, keeping my voice low. “Don’t move a muscle!”

Penny instantly freezes, but the black bear does not. He’s big, and he’s not shy. He strides right out of the woods like he owns the place, his enormous claws crushing the soil beneath him with every step he takes. I’m sure Penny can hear him, but she maintains her poise. That is, until he lets out a roar that echoes throughout the entire area.

Penny’s face floods with panic, and she clasps both hands over her ears. Without hesitation, I snap into action.

I race toward the cabin, closing the distance in seconds. The front door is nearly taken off its hinges as I shoulder it open and dash for the cabinet where I keep my guns.

I snatch the twelve-gauge from the rack and two birdshot shells that I quickly load as I sprint back in Penny’s direction.

Thank God that beautiful girl hasn’t moved from the bench since I left, but that big black bear has walked closer. He’s probably about thirty feet away from her now and looking curiously in her direction. He’s interested in her, and she looks panicked, like she’s ready to get up and run for her life. And I don’t blame her.

I bolt up in front of the log site and stop, lift the shotgun and take aim just in front of the bear’s feet at the dirt. The object of the shot is to kick up rocks and scatter them into the bear and scare him off, not to actually shoot the bear and harm it in any real way.

“Don’t move!” I cry out just before squeezing the trigger.

The shotgun goes off. The stock kicks back into my shoulder.

Just as I planned, rocks and dirt scatter up into the bear’s face. He lets out an irritated roar but immediately spins and races back into the woods as fast as he can go, like his mom just called him back to the den.

Penny snaps up like a rocket and rushes into my arms. I grasp her and hold her tight. There’s no describing how incredible it makes me feel when I protect her. Whether it’s bringing her in from the storm and providing her shelter or saving her from this bear like I just did.

“Oh my God, that was the scariest thing in my entire life!” she cries out into my chest. I can feel her panting as she gulps deep breaths.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” I assure her. “Breathe slowly. He’s gone.”

“Was that thing going to eat me!?”

“Normally they don’t just randomly attack,” I explain. “But I find it’s better not to tempt fate and best to just get rid of them.”

She nods quickly. “Yeah, I agree!”

“Maybe if I ever come across a tiny little baby one that I need to rescue and take to a bear sanctuary, things will be different.”

She looks up at me with that gorgeous face of hers, and my desire to provide for her rushes through me, coming to the forefront of my existence.

“Andyoustarted a pharmaceutical company?” she asks. “Talk about not fitting the stereotype.”

I laugh. “Yeah, turns out I have a variety of interests.”

“So do I,” she responds, reaching a hand down my pants. “And it turns out stock broker men are not one of them. So, Tyson. Will you take me inside and strip all of my clothes off?”

I’m rock hard in an instant, and she notices immediately. I slip my hand up her shirt and cup her breast. So perky. So plump.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I can do that,” I growl as I lift her into my arms.

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