Page 10 of Merciless Mountain Man

“This was my favorite place to come when we worked this site,” he said.

He set his cup on the ground next to the rock, then sat down next to me. We were close—closer than we’d been at the bar. Unlike then, our arms were now touching, and he didn’t make a move away from me. I had to work to focus on what he was saying rather than the feel of his body against mine.

“This is where I come when I need to be alone,” he said quietly.

“And now you’ve brought me here.”

I took another long sip of my margarita as I mulled that over. He trusted me with his secret. He’d shown me his hideout.

“I’ll be honest,” he said. “This place is a lot better when you have someone to share it with.”

I didn’t know if it was the tequila or his words, but I was getting really warm between my legs. That was the part of me I tried to pretend didn’t matter for all these years. The part of me that needed a man’s touch, whether I wanted to admit it or not.

And now, I’d found that man. As I sat next to him, staring at the green slope that had been covered in snow just a few weeks ago, I suddenly realized—this was the first time in my life I felt like I was exactly where I belonged.

This was the man I was meant to be with.

6

DANE

Cassady took a third sip from her drink. Yes, I was counting. I didn’t want her to get too drunk. Then I’d feel like I was taking advantage of her.

That meant I needed to make a move soon. Why was this so difficult? Normally, I would have just gone in for a kiss. But with Cassady, the stakes were higher than ever. I didn’t want to do anything to mess this up.

“This is awkward,” she said, looking over at me. “Is it always this awkward?”

She leaned away a little to be able to see me, and I immediately missed the contact. I wanted her arm against mine. But she’d summed up exactly what I was thinking. This shouldn’t be awkward. I didn’t want it to be.

“I’m trying to impress you,” I blurted. “I feel like you deserve a lot more than smoking hot sex on a rock.”

“Candlelight, rose petals, and satin sheets?” she asked, leaning back toward me and looking out at the view again.

I nodded. “Exactly.”

“But what if I want smoking hot sex on a rock? Or in the creek. Or anywhere else you have in mind.”

The creek was too shallow, but I’d considered it, as well as every other surface around this property. This spot won out, mostly because I loved it so much.

She leaned over, set her cup on the ground, and turned back to me. She scooted around until she was facing me, one leg on the rock between us.

“I guess we start by kissing,” she said. “That’s the way I always understood it.”

“It’s a good start,” I said. “I’ll lean forward and put my hand behind your neck, pulling you toward me. Then your hands start to roam.”

“Mine?” she asked. “Why mine and not yours?”

“Oh, mine will roam too. But first I’m going to let you explore.”

I was getting to her. She looked like she actually gulped, swallowing past a knot in her throat, maybe.

“You’re fully dressed,” she said. “So I’m exploring you on top of your clothes?”

“You’re right.” I looked down. “I’m wearing too many clothes.”

I grabbed my T-shirt and yanked it over my head, tossing it to the ground. I might have flexed a little more than necessary in the hopes of impressing her.

It looked like it maybe worked. She lowered her stare to my torso. She probably thought I didn’t notice that.

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