Page 8 of Praised By the Mountain Man

When Luke emerges from the bathroom, he smiles at me laying against my pillows. I’ve pulled the other side of the duvet down for him. The first time I’ve pulled it down for anyone, and it feels like a big deal.

He strips off his shirt before undoing his belt and removing his jeans. I’m struck by the sheer size of him, his thick thighs, sculpted torso, everything about him is so masculine, I can’t help but appreciate it.

He catches me staring at him, standing there only in a pair of simple black boxer briefs.

“Stop drooling over me, blondie. You can look and touch all you want,” he says, crawling into bed beside me and promptly pulling me on top of him.

He weaves a hand through my hair and pulls my mouth down to meet his in a searing, passionate kiss. I feel him hardening beneath me and I can’t help but feel how big he is there too. It makes me nervous and excited all at once that I will get to feel that powerful length inside of me.

I rub my center against him, and he moans, slowly lifting me off of him and setting me back down beside him.

“I think that’s enough for tonight,” he says. “I don’t want to take this too fast, I want to have time to savor you, to savor our time together. I have waited so long for this.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, curious how long “so long” is. I’ve obviously noticed him over the last few months, but never really thought anything at all would come of it.

“The first time I saw you was last August,” he starts, rolling onto his side so were lying face-to-face. “You were sitting at the bar at the brewery and crying to yourself. I was immediately struck by how sad you looked, but more so by how beautiful you still were despite that sadness.”

He pauses, waiting for me to acknowledge what he said. I’m at a loss for words, the brewery was fairly empty that day, I didn’t think anyone would have noticed I was crying, that I was grappling with the second anniversary of my parents’ deaths and overcome with how different life was without them.

I start choking up remembering that day and a rogue tear escapes my eye. Luke wipes it a way, looking at me with so muchsomethingthat I suddenly feel empowered to tell him everything.

“I should find it creepy you were off watching me cry,” I say through a tearful laugh, “but I kind of just find it romantic.” He smiles at that and gives me all the time I need before I can talk again.

I swallow. “That day, August 16th, it was the second anniversary of my parents’ accident. And I was just feeling so lost, so unsure of how I was raising Ruby and how life was going on without them. Ruby was thriving, she was at a waterpark with friends that day, which was great, I didn’t want her to ever feel burdened by the day, but I just felt so alone. I had just met Ava a few months before, and she knew about my parents, so I asked if she could meet me. She said she would be right there, but I got there early and just fell apart, wishing my mom and dad could be there, just to have one more conversation with them. As I sat there, though, I just started to feel this sense of calm, like everything was working out as it should be… maybe I sensed youwatching me,” I finish with another laugh. Luke looks at me with a sad smile, brushing a lock of hair out of my face.

“I knew that day that I had to get to know you. The woman who was brave enough to cry in public and has been so brave since that day a few years ago. I asked Ava about you the following week and she told me about your parents and raising Rubes,” I smile at his use of her nickname. I love that they’re already becoming two peas in a pod. “And I knew then that you weren’t ready for something serious, and I knew anything with you would be serious. I hadn’t even talked to you yet, but I justknew.”

He sounds so sure of us that I can’t help but feel sure of us, too.

“Thank you for telling me all of that,” he says after a moment. “And I’m so glad you walked into me today, that you locked your keys in the car. It was a gift that brought us together. And know that you won’t ever feel as alone as you did that day at the brewery, or on any August 16th, ever again.”

I burst into tears at his words, feeling truly secure for the first time in years.

“Thank you, Luke,” I say softly after pulling myself together. He pulls me back on top of him and my lips meet his in a soft, dream-like kiss. It feels more open than our previous kisses, like the walls are coming down between us.

“I take back what I said before,” he says between kisses. “I can’t hold back anymore. I want you now, if you’re ready for that.”

I don’t hesitate before telling him “Yes. I want that, too. I want you, Luke,” I whisper. He flips us and immediately takes control. He unbuttons my pajama top, leaving my chest bare to him.

“God, you have perfect tits,” he says pulling a taut nipple into his mouth. The swirling of his tongue is nearly enough to break me. He fondles my other breast with his free hand, and I can’t believe there was ever a time that this man’s hands weren’t all over me. They’re the best thing I have ever felt.

He moves his mouth to the other side, sucking and swirling until I am writhing against him, desperate for something to break the dam. He glances up at me through hooded eyes as he continues working my breasts before releasing me from his mouth with a “pop.”

“Take the rest of it off, baby,” he says, I do as he says, shimmying out of my pants and throwing the unbuttoned top to the ground, not bothering to see where it lands. He’s kneeling back, watching me strip with a wonderstruck look on his face.

Too desperate, I lower a hand to my pussy and swirl a finger around my center, eyes rolling back at the bit of relief.

Luke is nearly drooling at the sight. “That’s it, baby, keep going.” He rises and peels off his underwear, cock springing free and I nearly gasp at the sight. No surprise, it’s absolutely huge.Just like the rest of him.And I once again wonder how he is going to fit inside of me.

I continue playing with myself as he strokes himself in lazy, unhurried strokes.

“Stick a finger inside yourself, show me how you like it.”

I do as he says, inserting my middle finger and swirling it around. Usually this is enough to get me off, but with this god of a man in front of me, it’s nowhere near enough. He hovers overme again, removing my hand from my core and raising my finger to his mouth.

He licks every last drop of me off of my finger. “Delicious,” he murmurs, before lowering his mouth to my pussy once again. He taps my clit with his tongue in the most devious way and I was already so riled up, it sends me over the edge.

“Jesus, you’re like a magician,” I say. He laughs darkly before positioning himself at my entrance. “Are you ready for me, Tessa?” I sober at his use of my name, realizing how serious this is, how life changing this might be. I have a feeling he might be the only man I ever sleep with, and I want it to be just as good for him.

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