Page 13 of Grump of Misty Mountain

“That’s all you have to say? After that kiss. Tell me we’ll talk later.” I growled the demand. I had a bad habit of doing that with her. She brought out my inner caveman. “Please?”

Her eyes flared, then she snorted. Even that turned me. Man, I was so gone over this female.

Shaking her head, she let out an exasperated sigh. “Lord, you’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you? What if we take things a day at a time? Because, if I’m honest, I can’t pass up more ofthat.” She nodded her head toward the bed.

“Now, I really do have to go. Or Ms. Clara is going to know what I did last night, because I won’t have time to go home and change.” Sami patted my ass, winked, then walked down the hall and disappeared around the corner. Once I heard the click of the front door, I let out the sigh I’d been holding back.

Her sassy spark had returned, thank god, but I wasn’t going to let her hesitance at anything long-term get me down. She was mine, and I intended to keep her so satisfied and show her how a real man treated a woman that any doubts she had about being with me would be short-lived.

Four days later,I wasn’t any closer to convincing Sami that what we had could be long term than when I began. Anytime I tried to mention the future, she changed the subject or distracted me with all those sexy curves of hers.

She flat out refused to go anywhere in public with me. I was smart enough to not push things with her, yet.

So tonight, I ventured out on my own to support Hank.

It appeared as I walked in the door that the Beer and Darts Night at The Rusty Elk was a success. It looked as if not all,but most of the men I’d met at one time or another were in attendance. The former marine with a big heart had done good.

I slid onto a barstool, nodded to Marilee, who was working behind the bar tonight, and waited until Hank finished his conversation with Mason Reid, the local doctor from Riverbend Clinic. Seeing the doc reminded me that I’d probably should schedule an appointment to talk to him about the latest ache in my knee. I was pretty sure it was just scar-tissue build-up from an IED injury, which luckily hadn’t sent me home in a box, but I’d put it off long enough. I was hoping it was just arthritis. That and the gray hairs showing up at my temples were just the latest reminders that at forty-two, life was moving faster than I’d wanted. That and splitting wood for my fireplace was damn hard work. Too bad I didn’t have any kids around to take over that chore.

Since I’d found Sami, thoughts of becoming a father had been bombarding me at the oddest moments. Like anytime I saw a kid in the General Store, or every time I was with Sami, and I imagined a little girl with her dark brown eyes.

“Hey, Finn. Good to see you. Been awhile.” Dawson sat down, followed by Griff. Both men had served around the same time as me. And out of the three of us, it wasn’t even a contest to who looked the most eager to bolt. Griff won that contest hands down.

Socializing had never been easy for me either, but with Sami in my life, hopefully for good, I knew I needed to make more of an effort. “Hey back. Either one of you good at darts?”

“Nah, just here for the beer special.” Griff replied.

“I seem to recall you were pretty good back in the day, Finn. So, I think I’ll pass.” Dawson chuckled.

It’s probably a good thing since I wasn’t up for a game either. For the next half hour, we made small talk, which was a good start. Hank seemed pleased with the turnout and hopefully someof the other men that had shown up had gotten something out of it. The first step was always the hardest, whether it was making a new friend or sharing part of your past.

By the time Hank was finally freed up, Clara had arrived. The last time I was in the cafe, she’d looked like the cat who swallowed the canary. Even though I was pretty sure Sami hadn’t shared with her what we’d been doing, it was kind of hard for me to hide my feelings whenever I was around her.

After saying my goodbyes to the fellas, I stopped to chat with the couple now holed up in the far corner. They made a good pair, and not for the first time I wondered how they had found each other.

“Hi, Finn. So glad you made it.” Clara smiled. “Sit with us.”

“Thanks, but I’m on my way out. I’m, uh, working on a project I need to finish up.” That wasn’t a total lie. I was working on a new series outline for my agent to submit to a variety of publishers. But that didn’t need finishing until next week. What I really wanted to do was swing by Sami’s place.

“Oh, yeah. You know I’ve never really understood what it is you do. You know Sami is starting up a business out of her house. Something to do with graphics and marketing and such. Maybe she could help you with whatever it is you do?”

Hank said something under his breath which sounded an awful lot like, “leave them be,” but I knew what Clara was up to. And if I thought it would help my cause, I’d break my promise and recruit her to help with my stubborn barista.

“Is that so? Well, I’m not sure about that, but I appreciate the information.” I nodded at Hank. “I’ll see you next Monday, Clara. Enjoy the rest of your night.” I knew about Sami’s design background, and she’d mentioned something about working on setting up her website tonight.

The weather had continued to be unseasonably warm, and I’d ridden my Harley tonight. If she didn’t want to be seen outwith me in public, fine. But I wasn’t on board with spending the night without her. Whether it was my dick or my heart leading me didn’t matter.

Securing my helmet, I pointed the bike toward Sami’s house.

NINE

SAMI

Seven days.That’s how long I’ve been trying to convince myself that Finn was just a temporary fling. But out of those six nights, I’d stayed at his place almost every night since the first time we’d been together. Then, this morning, he’d been in my bed.

He’d shown up on my doorstep last night after I told him I was working on my website. Sexy hotness oozed from him. I should have told him I was busy, but he was decked out in his new black leather jacket and his eyes were filled with promises of more orgasms. I caved. I invited him in even though he’d parked his motorcycle in front of my house. Guess keeping him, us, a secret wasn’t a big deal any longer.

My website didn’t get any more attention last night, but oh did my body. And what he’d done with his tongue this morning, well, it had almost made me late for my opening shift.

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