Page 13 of Curves for the Mountain Man

“They’re supposed to be kind of kinky in the bedroom and very good lovers.” Her silky smooth voice sends throbbing pulses of longing through me.

For fuck’s sake! I’m supposed to be getting my mind off sex, not making it the topic of conversation. Nevertheless, I shrug, none of what she says sounding too far off. “When’s your birthday, Ginger?”

“April 10th.”

“So, that makes you a…?”

“An Aries.”

“Tell me about that sign,” I command, running my hand through my hair. I’ve never been interested in astrology, but the more I learn about Ginger, the more I need to know.

“Aries are supposed to be adventurous and confident, passionate and impulsive. But that’s not me…”

“Because you’ve been too busy doing things right … trying to follow the rules?”

“Yes, because Aries can also be controlling and perfectionistic…even to themselves.”

“That must be exhausting, fighting against your true nature all the time.”

She nods against my chest. “It has been, and I’m done with it. Playing the good girl has gotten me nowhere. When I was in the Jeep, I had so much time to think about all my regrets. All the things I’ve never experienced. It came with such clarity of thought, such obvious realizations about the lie I’ve led my whole life. I don’t want to be the nice girl anymore. The sweet,obedient one who never causes any trouble, never rocks the boat. I want to be adventurous and bold and do daring things. Lead a messy life rather than a safe one.”

“You’re off to a damn good start,” I chuckle, wrapping myself more tightly around her. I bite the inside of my cheek, weighing my next words carefully. “You have a fire in your eyes that I catch glimpses of every now and again. It’s the wild woman inside you. Maybe you should try letting her out.”

Her eyes flicker to mine, and I see it again. It could undo my best-laid plans to keep Ginger at arm’s length. But fuck is it mesmerizing.

“Like right now,” I rasp, pushing a stray hair off her face. “I see it sparking in your eyes, threatening to incinerate everything in this cave.”

“Does it scare you?” she asks breathlessly.

“No, I like playing with fire.”

The corners of her mouth turn up, and her nostrils flare. Her eyes drop to my lips again, almost begging me to claim her. Fuck! I’m at my wit’s end.

Clearing my throat, I look away, asking, “So, what do you think triggered you to choose the good girl over the wild woman in the first place?”

“Well, for starters, the wild woman’s definitely not society-friendly…”

“Fuck society,” I grumble with a shrug of my shoulders. “Does the most sophisticated, dynamic city in the world really hold a candle to the forests surrounding us?”

“No,” she says, licking her bottom lip. “But cities don’t scare me like forests, either.”

“The forest scares you because you’re not used to it. But you could adjust, learn the ways of nature, learn your place in it.”Why the fuck am I trying to talk her into liking it?

“I’m not afraid with you here. But if I were alone… God, I can’t even imagine it.”

“The woods alone are no fun,“ I concede, feeling the words to the depths of my soul.

“Then, why are you out here all alone?”

“Because I got tired of hurting the people around me.”

“How, Roscoe?”

“By not being able to move on…”

“So, you chose to hurt yourself instead?”

“Acceptable damage,” I say darkly, staring at the fire.

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