Page 13 of Taught By the Mountain Man

Barrow’s smile turns gentle, and he steps closer, his presence calming. “A woman who trusts herself,” he says. “A woman who trusts me.” He pauses, his voice going a little quieter. “And I promise you, Star, I’m not here to hurt you.”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding, and I suddenly feel something warm in the pit of my stomach.

“I trust you,” I whisper, surprising even myself.

He reaches out, taking my hand gently in his. His fingers are warm, his touch steady.

“Come sit with me,” he says softly, leading me to the blanket, where the fire crackles. He gestures to the s’mores, the hot cocoa, the hotdogs roasting over the flames. “I’ve got everything ready.”

I sit beside him, and for the first time in ages, I feel like I belong. The warmth of the fire, the night air, and Barrow — so sure, so grounded — surround me.

It’s perfect.

We talk, sharing the cocoa, laughing over silly things, until there’s nothing but us and the crackling fire. And then, as if we both know the moment is right, Barrow leans in, his eyes meeting mine.

I nod, my heart racing again, and that’s all he needs. He gently touches my cheek, and the kiss is soft at first, gentle and slow as he waits to see if I’ll pull away.

I don’t.

I lean in, my hands finding their way to his chest, feeling his heart hammering beneath my touch. I press my lips to his, tentatively at first, then with more insistence, more hunger.

And then, everything fades away. The fire, the cold, the world — everything but us.

When we finally pull back, I’m breathless, my heart racing as if I just ran a marathon. “That was...wow,” I whisper, still caught up in the rush.

Barrow smiles, his eyes dancing. “Yeah,” he agrees. “Wow.”

And for the first time in my life, I’m not afraid of what comes next. This is real. Barrow is everything I’ve been longing for, everything I didn’t quite believe existed.

I can’t walk away.

Not now.

Maybe not ever.

He’s got so much to teach me, and I want to see where it leads.

Barrow

The fire crackles beside us as we sit on the blanket, the night air crisp and cool against the warmth between us.

It’s strange, this feeling. This pull. I never thought I’d be here, with Star.

But here I am, and it feels like I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life.

We’ve been talking, laughing, with her sharing little stories from the Snowpack, and every word she says makes my chest tighten in the best way.

There’s something special about her. I’ve been around women before, but none of them have ever made me feel like this. Not like her.

I glance at her, watching her sip from the thermos, the firelight dancing in her eyes. I can feel the way she’s holding back, like she’s still trying to figure me out, figure out if she can trust me.

And I get it. I didn’t expect her to throw herself into this, not with how guarded she’s been.

But she’s here. And that’s something.

That’s quite a lot, actually.

I don’t take it for granted.

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