Page 41 of My Knotty Mountain Men

As much as I’m pissed at myself for leaving that morning, and as much as it hurt being away from them, I’m glad I came back. I’m glad I’m carrying their baby.

Part of me doesn’t want to get my hopes up because right now, my literal dream is coming true, and the last time I got excited about that, everything came crashing down around me.

I can’t think that way, though. I already know being away from them was hell, and I never want to do it again.

Especially not now. I look up at Thomas, finding him watching me. I smile, reaching up to run my fingers through his copper beard.

His eyes flutter closed and my smile widens as a deep purr starts up in his chest, a soft sigh passing his lips.

“You found his weak spot,” Nolan chuckles.

“Mhhhmmm,” Thomas hums, leaning into my touch as his eyes open. This time they’re swimming with something darker. I bite my lip, clenching my thighs together.

“I’ve never smelled so much apple pie in my life,” Rylee groans. I look over to see her grabbing a pillow and shoving it in her face.

“Get used to it,” Jenna chuckles. “Because I have a feeling everything’s going to smell like it from now on.”

“You know what, I’m not even sorry.” I stick my tongue out at her, and she flips me off, but I can tell she’s smiling behind the pillow.

“So, what are your plans now?” Nolan asks the girls. “I’m assuming you came here as a support team for Violet.”

“I mean, we’re already here,” Jenny says. “And we’re still owed that week off we didn’t get because of the storm. May as well call the school and take our vacation time.”

“The ski resort is still open,” Aiden informs, joining us. He places a bowl of steaming hot soup on the table. I move to go and eat it, but Aiden shakes his head. “Still too hot,” he tells me as he takes a seat on Thomas’ other side, then pulls me into his lap. Butterflies bounce around in my stomach as he wraps his arms around me. He kisses the top of my head, his lips lingering a moment before continuing what he was saying to the girls. “You can still go skiing. There’s still a lot of snow higher up the mountain too, so going on the snowmobiles is also an option. There’s a gorgeous lake up there. Not a lot of people know aboutit; it’s not advertised to tourists, a bit of a local secret. We go skating in the winter and swimming in the summer.”

“Swimming isn’t always the best idea.” Nolan laughs. “It’s fucking freezing. But it makes for good fishing. We take the ATVs up there. Camping too.”

“Woah,” Rylee says, eyes widening with excitement. “I wanna do all of that!”

“I should have known,” Jenny sighs. “Fine. May as well make use of our time here.”

“We’re going to have to come back in the summer for the other stuff,” Jenna says. “Sounds like fun.”

Rylee grew up on a farm. She loves anything outdoorsy. Every summer she makes us go camping for a week. We hike, fish, and do the trails with ATVs.

I grew up in the city, only ever coming to this cabin as a kid. But I loved the summers the girls and I spent together.

And I’m excited to see what it’s like to live in a small town in the mountains.

“I wanna do some of that with you,” I pout. “But I can’t skate.”

“Not while pregnant,” Aiden agrees. “Not worth the risk.”

Thoman leans forward, grabbing the soup. He takes a spoonful and blows on it before touching it lightly with his lips. “It’s cool enough,” Thomas declares, bringing the bowl closer to me. With the spoon still in his hand, he offers me a bite.

Part of me wants to say I can feed myself, but I like the idea of my Alphas taking care of me.

Holding his eyes, I lean forward, wrapping my lips around the spoon. His eyes grow lidded in approval, an echoing rumble coming from the two Alphas.

“It’s like watching a porno,” Rylee whispers.

Nolan snorts. “Best porno ever.”

I groan in satisfaction at the taste of the soup. Even if it’s canned, whatever Aiden did to it made it taste so damn good.

For the next few hours, we all hang out, the girls telling the guys all my embarrassing stories. I don’t even care or get embarrassed because I’m so ecstatic.

My Alphas, my best friends, my baby, my family.

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