Page 66 of Mountain Protector

My mind goes blank.

This is… oh. So?—

A moment later, he releases my nipple with a little pop. A wicked smile quirks his lips. “And what about the tattoo?”

Forcing myself to focus, I say, “I promised I’d go with her. I didn’t plan to actually get one, but she convinced me. It was just before Christmas and she suggested to pick something that was meaningful. So… I picked this.”

“I like it. It fits you.” His smile fades and he looks at me seriously. “Happy. Bright. It represents something people love. Something special.” A beat, and thengruffly, “You are special, Lark. The most special and amazing woman—no, person—I’ve ever met.”

“Knox.” My throat goes thick. “I’m not that?—”

“You are.” Something flickers across his face, an emotion gone too quickly for me to read. “You’re beyond special, songbird. You’re perfect.”

Oh.

OH.

I almost blurt it out. Right here. Right now.

I love you.

But if he’s not ready to say it yet, I don’t want to ruin this incredible moment. And I want to make love to Knox more than anything. I want to feel his naked body against mine. Kiss him all over. Feel him inside me, thick and hard, first moving slowly, and then crescendoing to a frenzied joining. I want this connection with him.

“I want to see you,” I announce, finally breaking free of my paralysis to reach for his waistband. “You’re dressed and I’m not. It doesn’t seem fair.”

“But I’m not done kissing you,” he replies, his lips lifting again.

“Well, you can finish when we’re both naked. That seems like a good solution.”

“I suppose so. But—” He stands and walks over to the couch, plucking a fluffy throw off the back of it. When he comes back to me, he lays it out on the floor, just in front of the tree. “This is part of your fantasy, right? For us to make love in front of the tree?”

My mind sticks for a second on the making love part of his question.

Does he?

But he’s still looking at me with a question in his eyes, so I quickly reply, “Yes. This isoneof my fantasies.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Knox starts unbuttoning his shirt. “I can’t wait to hear the rest of them.”

“And yours, too,” I add, as I push his hands aside and take over, letting my fingers brush across his skin as it’s revealed. “I want to know whatyouwant.”

“This.” Desire heats his gaze. “This is what I’ve dreamed about over and over. You. Sharing yourself with me. Trusting me.”

“I do. I trust you with everything.”

Even my heart.

“Songbird.” Emotion roughens his voice. “You have no idea how lucky I feel right now. How thankful I am to have met you.”

“Yes, I do.” Framing his face with my hands, I pull his head down to kiss him. “Because I feel the same way.”

And I do.

I feel so lucky.

So thankful.

That somehow the stars aligned and allowed me to meet this man. A man who’s kind and gentle, but can be brave and protective when he needs to be. A man who will do anything for me. A man who makes my heart beat faster, makes my body sing, who brings a smile to my face every time I’m with him.

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