Page 37 of Wilderness Daddy

I turn her to face me instead of the four-wheeler, giving her a reassuring smile and set the helmet next to the one already on the seat. Brushing her hair back from her face with my hands, I make a ponytail and hold it with a gentle fist.

“You scared, baby?” Her eyes find mine and instantly my gut dips.

“I trust you.” Those three words have never meant so much. I grin and lean forward to peck her lips with mine, but hers are so soft and pliable, I can’t pull away. I want more. My grip tightens on her hair and I use the tail to tip her head back. I suck her bottom lip into my mouth, tasting it and pulling it before going back for more. I deepen our kiss and feel her melt against me. This hardened creature, who seems to soften only for me, has me completely undone in seconds.

I have to fight with all my inner strength to keep from taking her right there behind the garage.

Leaning my forehead against hers, I whisper, “They’re only dangerous if you’re careless and I won’t let anything happen to you.” When I say it, I mean much more than keeping her safe while driving the ATV. I have no clue what happened between us in such a short time, but I have feelings I can’t deny for this girl.

I reach behind me, pulling us apart, feeling chilled where we once touched, and grab the helmet. Putting it on her head, I release the tail of hair I’ve been holding. Carefully, I tighten the chin strap. It’s bigger on her than I’d like and I decide that I’ll go even slower than I planned for that reason.

I pop my own helmet on and climb to the front, leaving room behind me. After I motion with my head for her to get on, she swings her leg over the seat.

Her arms grasp me tightly around the waist and her body presses against mine in the most delicious way. I almost want to drive around the property twice just to keep her against me a little longer.

It’s not a short ride, and I wonder if she’s feeling a little scrambled from the often uneven ground. Especially when I shut off the motor and she makes no move to release me. I look over my shoulder at her as her eyes widen in awe. Perhaps it’s the mountain backdrop, or the river that runs in front of it. Or maybe it’s the log cabin that makes up my dream home with vast windows and a massive wraparound porch. There is so much to be in awe of.

I remove my helmet and twist so I can see her, waiting for her to remove her helmet before I speak.

“You okay?”

She nods. “Yeah. Is this yours?”

“Built it myself. Well, Grant helped. He actually helped me design it.”

“Landon, it’s... Wow.”

I study her. I can’t take my eyes off of her as she stares at my house in awe.

“The loft bedroom is at the back with a full wall of windows so the mountain is the first thing you see when you wake up.”

She climbs off the ATV, still staring at the cabin or maybe the mountain and the look on her face makes me think that waking up to her would be a hundred times better than the view.

But then I remember we’re being forced together by some stupid business deal and frown. Would I marry this woman otherwise? Yes, I mean, no. How ridiculous. I know my brand new fishing rod better than I know her. But my heart quickens in my chest. I like her more than my rod. Much more. And I’m pretty damned attached to it.

“You don’t live with your parents?” she asks, yanking me out of my head and I blink at her.

“I do, but it’s because I help my mother after Beth goes home.” I get off the ATV too. Standing beside her, we look at the cabin. She turns, her attention completely on me.

“You take a lot on, Landon.” It’s a simple statement, but paired with her genuine and thoughtful scrutiny it hits me hard in the chest. This woman sees me.

“She’s my family. I take care of what’s mine.”

She swallows hard at my words.

“You’re mine,” I whisper and her tongue darts out to wet her lips. The space between us feels charged with electricity, with a magnetic pull, with need.

“Your what?” she questions, leaving the rest of the sentence hanging between us. Is she my responsibility, my burden, or just plain mine? And I want to clarify what I mean with words, but the pull is too strong for me to resist and all I can do is show her. Our bodies understand what our minds can’t quite comprehend.

For the second time that day, I put this little woman over my shoulder. Having her body tight against mine and my arm banded against her thighs is intoxicating. The way she grips me, not protesting but dependent, makes me feel ten feet tall and made of Kevlar.

I carry her into my cabin. It isn’t fully furnished, but the bedroom is. I take her upstairs and set her down in front of the window intent on showing her the view, but with her face bathed in the dwindling light, looking more at me in awe than at the mountain, I can’t control myself.

My hands drive into her hair to grasp her and pull her tight against me. I kiss her hard, my mouth demanding and unrelenting, but she doesn’t fight my urgency. In fact, she reciprocates with just as much resolve and before I’ve even thought things through, I’m grabbing her ass and pulling her up while she wraps her legs around me. It’s when she yanks off her hoodie and starts tearing at my shirt that I toss her on the bed. She instantly rises to her knees, reaching for me. Her tee is tight and I can see her nipples straining through the material.

“I want you with a clear head. I’m not influenced by vulnerability or fear or anger.” Her hand grazes my abdomen. “I’d still want you even if our companies never merged.” She curls her fingers into my shirt and tugs me toward her. “Even if you run away and never come back.” My legs now flush with the mattress, she shoves my shirt up and kisses little warm pecks up my chest. “If you respect my intelligence at all, believe me, Landon Steed, I won’t regret this.”

“You’d be hard to resist,” I say and cup her face to tip it up and kiss her forehead. “But I would if I didn’t believe you.” My words are deep with emotion and she visibly shivers.

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