Page 15 of Taught By the Mountain Man

The world seems to fade around us—just her and me, the firelight casting shadows on the snow, the night wrapping us in its cool embrace.

Our bodies instinctively find each other, our peaks and hollows fitting together like we were meant for each other.

There’s no rush, no need for words. It’s just the two of us, our heavy breathing and deepening touch, everything else forgotten.

I kiss her again, this time more urgent, and she responds with a moan. My hands slides beneath her jacket and top to find her skin, warm and soft, and I can’t stop myself from pulling her closer, needing to feel her against my hardness.

Her hands are at the button of my jeans now, as desperate and grappling as mine as I open her pants too. The cold air kisses my hardness for a moment before she closes the space between us once more, all liquid heat and fleeting breath.

The chill of the night doesn’t matter anymore, not when I’m lost in her touch. We move together, the fire crackling beside us, the world outside of this moment fading into nothing.

And when the moment comes—when the stars are above us and the fire is dying down, leaving only the warmth of our bodies—it feels like everything falls into place.

Star

As Barrow presses his lips, mending it over mine like a painter restoring a cherished canvas, I can feel the warmth of his breath mingling with my own. Each touch is delicate yet urgent as if he’s trying to piece together something that was once whole.

Something about it stings the back of my eyes, mainly because I never thought it’d happen again—putting my complete trust in someone—after everything that has occurred. I couldn’t afford to fall in love or bear the heartache that came with it, but…

If it’s him — if it’s Barrow — then maybe it’s going to be okay.

I want to be one with him. In this moment, time suspends itself, and everything around us fades away. Only the soft rhythm of our hearts remains, pulsing with an electric connection that feels both familiar and new. I sense the walls around my heart beginning to crumble, each soft kiss breaking down the barriers I've built.

It feels as though every fiber of my soul has been reshaped and redefined to embrace the beauty of his presence in my life. My breath quickens, and I lean closer, eager to embrace this feeling of intimacy and vulnerability.

I revel in how his breath hitches before he leans closer, tilting his head to the side and deepening the kiss. I can feel my knees weaken; if I haven’t been sitting, I’m pretty certain I might have fallen over.

Unconsciously, I wrap my arms around his shoulders, pulling him in as we tumble onto the mountain of blankets beneath us. The crackling of the fire pit and the soft rustling of leaves, accompanied by the hoot of an owl, heightened my awareness of the warmth radiating from his body.

I feel his heartbeat quicken as he presses himself down slowly onto my body but cautiously, as if not to make any sudden move that would easily startle me off, sending a thrill through me in how intimately aware he is of my every reaction.

How is this man even real?

How can this sweet, caring, and understanding man still exist in this cruel world?

As he pulls away, I can feel the weight of his gaze, searching my face for any sign of hesitation, yet all I can do is surrender to the electric pull, drawing us closer. He brushes a strand of hair out of my face, and I watch his Adam’s apple bob.

“Nervous?” he asks breathlessly, coming out so croak and strained that it almost sounds like a whisper. Concern and worry took hold of his smoldering eyes when I didn’t answer fast enough, and he tilted his head to the side. “Are you okay, Star?”

“I-I’m fine,” I stammer before internally wincing, realizing that doesn’t sound allthatconvincing. A small chuckle escapes my mouth as I slowly and gradually hitch my legs upward, wrapping them around his hips to keep him in place, which even surprises me. “I just — I need a minute. I’m sorry.”

His brows knit together on his perfect face, and then he shook his head.

“Don’t apologize; don’teverapologize for that. You can take as long as you need,” he professes. His voice is soothing, wrapping around me like a warm embrace after bracing the winter storm for far too long. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

The sincerity in his words sends a shiver down my spine, my heart racing and my core pounding.

I can feel the heat radiating from him, starkly contrasting the nervous chill dancing in my stomach.

I take a deep breath, timidly running my fingers through the base of his hair.

“It’s just…everything feels so intense right now. I didn’t expect to feel this way.” My voice is barely above a whisper, but I can see the understanding in his eyes, the way they soften as he processes my words.

He nods slowly, his thumb stroking my cheek gently.

“It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It means you care. Just know that whatever you’re feeling is valid.” There's a pause, and his gaze drops to my lips briefly before returning to my eyes. “And I care too. I care about you a lot, Star.”

Those words hang in the air between us, heavy with unspoken promises.

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