Page 58 of Mountain Protector

“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, we’re not going anywhere.”

Then I notice the very obvious bulge in his pants. And my nipples somehow poking through my sweater, despite having a bra and shirt underneath it.

“That’s it,” I announce as I fan my flaming cheeks. “I’m never thinking another sexy thought again.”

“Oh, don’t say that.” Knox strokes my cheek. The amusement in his eyes gives way to something softer. Sweeter. “I love it when you think sexy thoughts.”

“Maybe later, when we get back, we can try some of them out?”

“Oh, songbird. Definitely.”

“So this one time,Knox had this idea to go on a road trip.”

Knox groans and tosses his knife at Finn. “Do you really need to tell that story?”

Finn snatches the knife out of the air and spins it, then throws it back at Knox. “Yes. I do need to tell it. So Lark knows what she’s getting into.” He grins, turning his attention to Lark. “Do you see this? He threw a knife at me.”

“It was a butter knife,” his wife, Hanna, says with a laugh. “And you deserve it for trying to embarrass Knox.” She smiles at Lark. “These guys. Every time oneof them gets coupled up, the rest of them love to tease them.”

“It’s a right of passage,” Devin agrees as he loops his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “You should have heard the shit I got?—”

“You did not,” Mal interjects, shooting a puzzled look at her husband. “Everyone was so nice and encouraging?—”

Enzo snorts. “That’s just because they were giving him a hard time when you weren’t around. I wasn’t even there, but I’d put money on it.”

Devin nods. “It’s true. I just told the guys they had to keep it quiet around you. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

Mal’s expression softens. “Aw.” She kisses his cheek and says, “Well, I appreciate you trying to protect me.” To Lark, she adds, “Try not to get too annoyed with these guys when they get all protective. It’s in their blood.”

Enzo picks up his beer and takes a long sip. “We mean well.”

Winter smiles at Enzo, and her whole face lights up with it. “Enzo was a little overprotective in the beginning.”

Knox coughs. “A little?”

“Well, maybe more than a little,” she concedes. “But I understood. And I love him for it.”

My heart melts at the adoring gaze Enzo gives Winter.

Then Knox reaches under the table and takes my hand, stroking his thumb gently across my palm, leaving tiny sizzles of electricity in its wake. He kissesmy cheek and whispers in a throaty rumble, “But you like it when I’m protective, right?”

Need throbs in my core. My breath catches.

The lacy bikinis I worejust in casegrow damp.

Heat floods my cheeks. “Yes.” I pause, and then so quietly it’s barely audible, “And all growly and dangerous.”

His pupils dilate, flaring with desire.

Across the table, Finn has a giant grin stretched across his face. But it’s not smug or teasing. It’s pleased. He raises his mug of beer and says, “Well. I’ll save the embarrassing story about Knox for another time. But I’d like to make a toast. It’s really great being here, seeing you guys. It’s been too long.”

“Agreed.” Devin lifts his glass. “Texts and calls are nice, but there’s nothing like catching up in person.”

Hanna’s glass joins the others as she says, “I’m so glad we found the time to come out here. Now that GMG is here, we can visit you whenever we come to Vermont to hike.”

Knox smiles at me as he raises his bottle. “I’m really glad you could make it. And that you could meet Lark.”

Winter and I follow suit, our mugs rounding out the toast. Winter meets my gaze as she says, “I’m so happy to meet the friends Enzo’s been telling me about. And Lark. Maybe it’s cheesy, but I’m really glad Knox met you.”

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