Page 7 of Chosen for the Mountain Man

“Who needs suits? We’re out here alone.”

Ciara's face goes beet red, but she doesn't look away. I think I see a flicker of uncertainty, but then she licks her lips.

Fuck, that’s not helping keep the erections at bay. Though suggesting we skinny dip must mean I’m a sadist or something.

“I’ve never swam in a stream before,” she says.

“There’s barely a current. Besides, if anything happens I’m well trained in mouth to mouth.”

The moment it comes out of my mouth, I wince. “Sorry, was that too cringy? My nerves made me say it.”

But she just giggles, the blush still going strong.

“No, it’s…fine. Let’s go for a swim.”

Okay now I'm gonna need some of that military discipline.

CHAPTER 4

CIARA

“You’re up,” Max calls, and I turn around to see him in the water, his back to me.

I gaze at his broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist. His muscles ripple with every movement, and I have to remind myself to breathe. He's a Greek god and I'm just a mortal trying not to drool.

What am I doing?Hiking? Skinny-dipping?

I quickly slip off my clothes and wade into the water. It’s cold, but refreshing, soothing even, and briefly, I forget about my nerves and the constant worry about my condition. Instead, I focus on the sensation—the freedom of being naked in nature and how good my body feels for once.

“I’m in,” I say, trying to act casual while internally freaking out.

Then Max turns around.

Yes, this is happening.

The water is crystal clear—which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it's absolutely gorgeous, sparkling under the sun like a scene from a fairy tale. A curse because,well, Max is naked, and so am I, and this water isn't doing much to conceal anything.

The sight of him takes my breath away. Strong, defined, and so...male. His presence is commanding, yet comforting, filling the space around him with pure, raw energy.

I'm in deeper than I thought I'd be—in more ways than one.

He dives under, and I watch as he swims toward me, his form graceful and powerful. When he surfaces, he's closer than I expect, water droplets clinging to his lashes. I can see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes, and my breath catches.

“Hi, my little water nymph,” he teases, voice husky.

I blush, feeling the heat spread across my cheeks.

He chuckles, the sound vibrating through the water, sending little waves toward me.

We swim around, splashing each other, laughing. It's easy, natural, and I find myself relaxing into it. The water feels amazing, and being here with Max is more than I could’ve hoped for.

He’s playful, teasing, and everything I could’ve imagined a guy like him would be. We splash around like kids, though with much less innocent intentions to our movements.

As we play, our bodies occasionally brush against each other. Accidentally. On purpose. Okay, fine, mostly on purpose. But I love the shivery tingles that rush over me with each touch.

His hands find my waist under the water, pulling me closer, pressing my body against his. I rest my palms and my head on his chest as he holds me, my heart is pounding so hard I'm sure he can hear it.

“This is nice, isn’t it?” he murmurs.

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