Page 4 of Kissing the Wrong Mountain Man

She fidgets as she tries to get comfortable on the stool, and I can see her mind working overtime, like she's trying to put the pieces of the last few minutes together in her mind.

Her long, glossy brown hair falls in soft waves over her shoulders. Her face is both striking and delicate—high cheekbones, strawberry-red lips, and the bluest eyes I've ever seen.

She's wearing an emerald dress that hugs her figure and amplifies the brilliance of her eyes. A delicate gold necklace rests just above the neckline, catching the light with every subtle movement she makes.

Hands down, she's the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. And a darn good kisser to boot.

She remains quiet. I'm not great at making small talk at the best of times, much less when in the company of an absolute goddess, so I keep my mouth shut for a while, too.

"Do you need a drin—" I begin, at the exact moment she turns to me. "I just need a minu?—"

"Of course," I say. "Take all the time you need."

I'm more than happy to oblige.

My first venture out into a social setting in years, and the very first thing that happens to me is a beautiful woman kisses me. My brothers will get a kick out of this, especially since my mission tonight is to find a woman.

Well, not so much a woman as a wife. If I want to inherit fifty-million dollars from my grandfather in accordance with the conditions laid out in his will, that is.

My three younger brothers are covered. They're all married. One happily—Farrow; one unhappily—Malik; and one to his best friend—Culver.

I'm the lone holdout. Despite our grandfather giving me more time to find a wife than my brothers, I've left it to the very last minute. After finishing my second tour overseas, I bought a small cabin here in the mountains of Cedar Crest Hollow and withdrew from the world, haunted by what happened on that last deployment.

But I'm not going to find a wife holed up in my cabin. And with time ticking—I have exactly two weeks left to get married as per the clause in my grandfather's will, otherwise I lose my inheritance—I've put it off for as long as I can. So I accepted my friend Reece's invitation to his and Sabra's engagement party.

What's the worst thing that can happen?I thought to myself.

I glance over at Schapelle. Her demeanor has shifted. Gone is the confident woman who approached without hesitation and left me breathless. A deep frown mars her otherwise smooth forehead, and she's twisting a strand of hair around her fingers, lost in her own thoughts.

I have no idea who she is or why she's going around kissing men she doesn't know, but an unfamiliar surge of protectiveness flares within me. Normally, I'm a mind-your-own-business guy. I never pry into people's lives, and I don't like people sticking their noses into mine. But there's a pull in my gut that makes me want to know more about her.

"Can I get you a drink?" I ask again, hoping enough time has passed.

"No, thank you." She drops her gaze to her stomach. "I, uh, can't drink at the moment."

"Right." I do everything I can to mask my reaction and keep my voice as level as possible. She's pregnant. O-kay. The surprises keep coming with this one. "Water, then?"

"Actually, that'd be great. Sparkling please."

I flag down the bartender and place the order. When it arrives, I slide the glass filled with ice cubes and the bottle of San Pellegrino over to Schapelle and watch as she fills it with her long, delicate fingers.

I lift my whiskey neat, pause briefly, then hedge. "To memorable first encounters."

She looks up at me and manages a small smile. "It's memorable all right," she says, clinking her glass against mine.

A few more beats pass. "Tell me to mind my own business and I will, but why did you?—"

"Kiss a guy I don't know?" she finishes for me.

"Yeah." My skin prickles. I can't shake wanting to know what's going on with her, but it's not in my nature to invade someone's personal business. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine."

She locks those bright-blue eyes on me, weighing up whether to tell me or not. I'm convinced she's going to tell me to buzz off, when instead, she sags forward and fills me in on the whole story.

About falling pregnant unexpectedly. About how her blockhead ex Owen reacted to it. About how Sabra's friend Magnus came up with an idea to get back at said ex-blockhead. About how since she's rash and impulsive, she went along with it.

"Sabra said I'd recognize Magnus instantly since he'd be the tallest man in the…"

Her eyes swing to my right. I turn over my shoulder and follow her gaze. Sure enough, a guy closing in on seven feet enters.

---