Page 11 of Rugged Mountain Man

But I got it. He was the one-night stand type. Love ‘em and leave ‘em. Light on the love.

“I spent most of my adult life in the military,” he said. “Hardly a chance to form a connection. I wasn’t going to be that guy who had a girlfriend back home. Once I was out… Well, I wasn’t really ready to have a relationship.”

“How long ago was that?”

“I’ve only been out for eight months, but I was living on base for four years before I came here. I certainly could have found a girlfriend while on base. I just…”

He drifted off, not finishing the sentence. He’d seen things while he was deployed. That was my guess. Things that haunted him.

“Are you closed off to that?” I asked. “To falling in love?”

“I’m open to it now,” he said.

His words sucked all the air out of my lungs. And now I was afraid to even try to breathe. Had I heard what I thought I had? I hadn’t expected him to be so direct, and I certainly hadn’t confessed my own feelings.

But it reminded me I wasn’t alone in this. We were both feeling things. We were too invested in this to turn back. And that made me feel more certain of my future than I had in years.

Yes, this guy was it for me. He was the one I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. Starting tonight.

“Now?” I finally dared to ask. “What’s changed?”

“Meeting you. It changed everything.”

Okay, now my heart might have stopped. I was afraid to assume he was into me, but his words sure were leading me in that direction.

“I want you.”

I stopped there. I wanted him to take my virginity. But it seemed a weird thing to just blurt out. Maybe “I want you” was sufficient.

I wanted him. I wanted to get naked with him and have him run his hands all over my body while I touched him everywhere. I wanted to feel him inside me, even though I knew it would hurt. I wanted him to give me my first orgasm and my second and my third, and every orgasm for the rest of my life. Most of all, though, I wanted to stay in this cabin and never leave. Well, except maybe to work and get food.

This was where I wanted to be. With him, wherever we were, for the rest of my life.

“Are you saying you want me?” he asked.

He repeated my statement as a question. It was clear, though, that he wasn’t doubting my attraction to him. No, instead, he wanted clarification. He wanted me to be very specific about what I wanted.

“I want you to take my virginity,” I said. “Now.”

I couldn’t be any clearer than that. As I held my breath, waiting for his answer, I realized I’d never been surer of anything in my life.

Yes, I’d been waiting for Liam. I’d been waiting for what I felt for this guy. This spark. I’d never had it before and I never would again, so I’d better not blow it.

6

LIAM

Every cell in my body was on full alert the second Willow said she wanted me. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, though. Maybe I’d misunderstood her.

But no—she wanted me to take her virginity. She didn’t just want me. She wanted me to be her first. That was very specific.

Those were the words I hadn’t even realized I’d been waiting to hear. They were the most beautiful words ever spoken.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “It’s a big step.”

“Absolutely,” she said. “If you’re up to the task.”

Oh, that was definitely a dare. She might not know me well yet, but she was about to learn that I didn’t shy away from dares. I tackled them head-on.

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