Page 10 of Grumpy Mountain Man

“I don’t know.” Her smile widened. “Camping is a big commitment. Just the two of us, a tent out in the middle of nowhere… You could easily take advantage of me. Or I could take advantage of you.”

That last part went straight to my groin. The swell of her chest under that tight sweater already had me working overtime to keep a boner at bay. I was doing my best not to have an embarrassing bulge when I stood up.

“You wouldn’t have to take advantage of me,” I said. “I’m ready, willing, and able.”

That had probably been too forward. Usually, I was better at this stuff. I’d been told I had game back in the day. I could go out for drinks, pick up a woman, and be on my way home with her in under an hour.

But this time, it mattered too much. This time, I didn’t want to do anything that could jeopardize my chances with this woman.

“Don’t worry, though,” I said. “I’m not really all that into camping myself. I’d rather sleep in a bed than in a sleeping bag on the ground.”

Dakota set her fork down and wiped her mouth, still chewing thoughtfully. Finally, she said, “If you knew the truth about me, you wouldn’t want to sleep with me.”

Then, like she hadn’t just dropped a bomb, she picked up her wineglass and took a long sip. She looked out the window at the snow for a long moment as I waited for her to continue. Finally, I couldn’t take it. I had to know what she was talking about.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “You have a dark past?”

I couldn’t imagine anything she’d say that would have me not wanting to be with her. Going by everything she’d shown me so far, she was the perfect woman for me.

“Nothing like that,” she said. “I’m a good person. I have a pretty boring past. That’s the problem. What I’m about to tell you would scare most guys off if I told them. I usually don’t even mention it.”

Now I was really curious. I waited, not speaking. Or moving. Or even breathing. I had to know.

Finally, she spoke, and her words shocked me.

“I’ve never been with a man before. I’m a virgin.”

7

DAKOTA

Iwaited for what seemed like a lifetime for him to respond. This could be it. His expression could change in a heartbeat. Maybe he’d drop me off at the lodge with promises to call me. He might even get my phone number and pretend he was going to do just that.

I’d been down this road before—being ghosted after telling a guy that I’m a virgin. It’d hurt at the time, but this would be different. Something about what I was feeling with this guy was already more intense than anything that had come before.

Maybe that was why I was still a virgin. Nothing like this had ever come my way.

“How?” he asked. “I don’t understand.”

I shrugged. “I’ve dated, but guys in my high school were weird, and after high school I floundered around, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life. I guess guys were bothered by the fact that I didn’t really have my life together yet. When this baking competition came up, I jumped at the chance.”

The chance to what? I didn’t know how to explain that. It just seemed like the beginning of the rest of my life. I’d win the competition, open my bakery in Seduction Summit, and get myown place. A nice little cottage—maybe on the water, or maybe just with a view of the mountains.

“Are you waiting until marriage?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I’m just waiting for the right person.”

And that right person was seated across the table from me.

That thought shot through me like a lightning bolt. It was exactly how I felt, but what if he didn’t feel the same?

He stared out the window as he took a long sip from his beer. I, meanwhile, wasn’t sure I could even breathe. Everything seemed to hinge on the next words out of his mouth.

Finally, he looked at me. “I’ve never been a woman’s first time. But if you want to…you know, I’m your guy.”

I’m your guy. Those words echoed through my mind in the seconds that followed. I wanted him to be my guy—not just for my first time, but for the rest of my life. But what I didn’t want was for him to do me the favor of taking my virginity just because he thought I was tired of it or needed to be rid of it for some reason.

“No,” I said before I could stop myself.

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