Page 6 of Her Mountain Man Recluse

“I’ll take the couch,” I say.

Lila makes a disbelieving sound. “That’s silly. The couch is tiny, and you’re about a foot taller than me. I’ll take it.”

“Not happening.”

“It’s not big enough?—”

“Fine, I’ll take the floor.”

I peer around the living room, looking for the comfiest spot. The wooden slats don’t look all that inviting, but no way am I taking the bed and forcing Lila to sleep on the couch. I might be a grump, but I’m not an animal.

“Ridge, this is silly,” she says, crossing her arms.

“I’m not letting you take the couch.”

“So then we’ll share the bed.”

I look at her. My throat goes dry when I see the defiant tilt of her chin. “What?”

“It’s a big bed,” Lila says simply. “We both paid for this place. We’re both adults. There’s room for both of us.” Her cheeks redden as she adds, “It doesn’t need to be…you know…weird.”

Something tells me she’s not going to back down, and I don’t think I want her to. Sharing a bed with this gorgeous angel is too damn tempting. I know it’s wrong. My cock is still hard as rock, my mind racing with thoughts of Lila’s curves. I should insist on taking the floor, the couch, hell, even the bathtub. I should keep a safe distance instead of climbing into bed with a girl half my age, even if it’s just to sleep. But one look in those stubborn brown eyes, and I know the battle is already lost. I can’t resist.

“Fine,” I say. “We’ll both take the bed.”

Lila nods before vanishing into the bathroom with her suitcase. When she reemerges a few minutes later, she’s wearing pink pajamas and looks so fucking adorable that a crazy part of me wants to pull her into my arms and hold her tight.

I’m losing my fucking mind,I think to myself as I enter the vacated bathroom and brush my teeth. Most nights I sleep in my boxers, but I don’t want to weird Lila out, so I grab a white t-shirt and some gray sweatpants from my suitcase, throwing them on before I head into the bedroom. Lila is already in bed, the covers pulled up to her neck. It feels so intimate to join her like this, and my heart is pounding in my ears as I slide into bed next to her.

It’s a large bed, but I take up a lot of space. We’re close enough for me to feel Lila’s body heat warming me beneath the covers, the distance between us like a red-hot danger zone that I’m desperate to enter. I can smell the sweetness of her shampoo—like strawberries and cream—and the sound of her breathing is enough to send a million suggestive thoughts through my mind.

“See,” Lila says, her voice barely a whisper, “plenty of room.”

I grunt, not trusting myself to speak. I want her so fucking badly I can hardly breathe. My desires shouldn’t feel this strong…but dammit, I can’t help it. I’d give anything to reach out and touch those curves, anything to kiss those pouty lips.

“Goodnight, Ridge,” she says in that sweet voice.

I swallow hard. “Goodnight, Lila.”

I can feel her moving around, tossing and turning until she’s comfortable, and my cock stirs with each movement, throbbing hard. I’m aching for the curvy beauty lying beside me, half feral with need, blood rushing downward…all for a girl I just met. It’s crazy. I’ve never felt like this before, and it’s driving me wild.

After a while, Lila’s breathing turns slow and deep, and I’m sure she’s asleep. But sleep doesn’t come for me. My body is on edge, hyper-aware of every movement and sound from beside me. She rolls over again and her leg brushes against mine beneath the covers. I don’t move. The slight contact is enough to make my whole body burn.

Fuck, I can’t take this any longer.

Quietly, I slip out of bed and head for the bathroom, locking the door. Then I yank down my sweatpants, squeezing the bulge in my boxers. I’m desperate to relieve the ache, and I pull my cock free, fisting it with a stifled grunt. My eyes close and I picture Lila, her sweet lips, the way her jeans hugged her curves. It’s wrong. So fucking wrong. But I’m too far gone. My pace quickens, my hand stroking faster, and I grab a tissue, my balls tightening in anticipation.

“Fuck.”

My cock explodes, and I suppress a groan as thick streams of cum fill the tissue. But I’m still not satisfied. My hand sure as hell isn’t Lila, and once I’ve cleaned myself up, I head back to our shared bed, feeling hornier than ever. When I slide in beside her, she lets out a sleepy moan that sounds almost sexual, and I feel my cock stir once more.

Goddammit.

With a sigh of frustration, I roll over and close my eyes, knowing damn well that I won’t be getting a wink of sleep tonight.

4

LILA

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