Page 34 of Mountain Man Daddy

“Why were you broken?” He shoved more food in her mouth. “A story for another day, little girl. After this plate is empty, it’s to bed with you. I bet once the sexual glow is gone, you’re going to be feeling rough. Maybe it was too much.”

“That was the best sex I’ve ever had and if I feel rough…” she grinned, “it was worth it.”

He smiled like a schoolboy and nodded. “Me too.” With the last forkful of eggs gone, he took her plate to the sink. “Now off to bed.” He looked out the window. “We’ll take the ATV to Annie’s when you get up.” He looked sternly at her. “No joke, little girl, if you argue I will spank your thighs until they match your bottom.”

She swallowed hard and rose.

“Yes, Daddy.”

* * *

Annie’s house was beautiful, with a wraparound porch, periwinkle clapboard siding, and freshly painted white trim. Avery could appreciate it this time. A picket fence in need of painting surrounded the front of the property, but despite that and the melting slushy snow, the whole place looked picturesque. Even the blue-roofed barn at the back and muddy paddocks. As they parked the loud ATV in the driveway, several white geese waddled toward them.

“Did I mention Gerdy and the girls?” Mike asked, climbing off. She shook her head as the geese surrounded him. Their little white tails wagged as Mike reached down and let Gerdy bump her head under his palm. Avery got off the machine, and Gerdy hissed at her, lunging. Avery jumped back up onto the seat, tucking her feet up and Mike laughed.

“Are you Doctor Doolittle? She’s a beast!” The goose was eying her with malice, flapping her wings and pushing her chest out in an impressive display of ownership of Mike.

She pulled off her helmet, still on the seat, and he took it from her. “First the bear and now this? The geese where I grew up were vicious. I don’t know many times they hissed and chased me back to the house.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Now I understand. They used to bite me in the ass, too. You guys have a lot in common.”

“Watch it, little girl, or I’ll make good use of Annie’s porch.”

The door to the farmhouse opened with a whack and Annie came out.

“I got a good wooden spoon if ya need it, Yukon.” Her braided gray hair hung in two long ropes and she wore faded jean overalls that were too short and didn’t hide her bright red, weathered cowboy boots. Her fists landed on her slim overall-clad hips, but there was a stoop to her shoulders, and Avery noticed the slight wince in her eyes as she stepped down out of the house.

“Well, if it isn’t the nameless girl,” she said in a grainy, age-graveled voice, swinging her gaze curiously over Avery a moment before it fell back on Mike. “You flirtin’ with the ladies again?” Avery was taken back for a moment before Annie waved at the geese. “Get on back to the barn, girls.” Her eyes landed on Avery again. “He may be a catch, but I think he’s on the end of someone else’s line already.”

“Go swimming in the pond with them once—” Mike said, with a shake of his head. He smirked and Annie snorted, but her eyes glinted in pleasure.

“Come on in, it’s nice out here but I’ve got pies in the oven.” She didn’t wait for them to follow.

Mike was helping Avery out of his coat in the foyer when Annie hollered from another part of the house. “That hayloft ladder is loose, Yukon. I’m hoping you need some pie.”

They followed the voice into the kitchen, which had buttery cream-colored walls with a cow-patterned wallpaper border. The kitchen table was primary colors, yellow with blue and red chairs. There were cow mugs and a goose teapot, a black and white spotted crockpot, pig tea towels, and old-fashioned tin milking cans as canisters for flour, brown and white sugar. Three pies lined the counter, wafting the most delicious smell and Avery’s belly growled.

“I’ll go fix the ladder, but we need those stitches out.”

The taller woman looked at Avery as she stepped forward, taking her chin to tilt her head up and look at her forehead.

“I never got the chance to thank you for saving my life.” Avery took a breath. “I may not have wanted it at the time, but I appreciate it now. Thank you.” She looked over her shoulder at Mike. “I just didn’t know life was worth fighting for then.”

“Annie, this is Yukon Jill.” Mike stepped forward and put his arm protectively over Avery’s shoulders.

“She better be worth it, Yukon,” Annie said gruffly, glowering at Avery.

“I am, even if only to teach Mike how to bake bread,” Avery said. A guffaw burst from Annie, and she doubled over for a moment.

“I was just testing you for gumption, Yukon Jill, and you got a crap-ton!” She slapped her leg. “That stuff he makes is harder than granite!” They both turned to look at Mike, who had folded his arms across his chest and was looking between the two of them stonily. Avery bit her lip and closed her eyes a moment before turning back to Annie.

“My name’s Avery.” She stuck a hand out, and Annie looked at it, grabbed and shook with gusto.

“Yukon Jill, you got guts, and I like you!” She shooed her hand at Mike. “Go on now, fix that ladder. Jill and I got some stuff to attend to and I used up the rest of my rhubarb from the freezer to make this pie. You can have it warm if you hurry.”

When Mike left, Annie brought Avery back to the clinic room. It seemed as if months had passed since she’d run from here. Everything looked different now without fear and pain clouding her mind.

“Drop those pants and hop on up.” Annie patted the exam table, and Avery swallowed hard. She wondered if her bottom was marked. “What are you waiting for?”

“Uh, nothing,” she said and unbuttoned her jeans.

---