Page 18 of Seduction in the Mountains

Miranda jumps up from her chair and crawls across the table to me. I stand and pull her into my arms, kissing her like I’ll never get another chance. My lips are everywhere. I taste her neck, the tops of her breasts, her mouth—I can't get enough. I'm desperate for her.

"You used your English teacher tricks on me," Miranda pants, trying to catch her breath as I bury my face in her cleavage. "Beautiful words."

"What tricks, little ghost?" I pull back, breathing hard. "I'm no villain, but I’ll burn the world down to save you. You deserve nothing less."

Miranda pauses, grinning. "My painting. You remembered."

I gaze into her eyes, and my love for her fills me entirely. "Miranda, I'm going to marry you."

Giving her head a little shake, she huffs out a short laugh. I put a finger to her lips as she starts to speak, quieting the anxiety about to spill in the form of a protest. "Not yet. I promise. And if marriage isn’t something you want, that's fine. But you’re mine, and I’m yours."

Miranda watches me through watery eyes as she smiles. "I trust you with my heart, Cole."

The sun breaks through the clouds after days of gloomy weather. I pick her up and she wraps her legs around me as I head through the curtain and up to her apartment.

Mine. Forever.

Epilogue - Miranda

One year later . . .

"Whatiswrongwithme that I loved this book?" Melody peeks at the rest of us through her fingers.

The other ladies around the table cackle and nod in agreement.

"It says you are up for a good time," I tease.

Melody sticks her tongue out at me, laughing as she grabs her purse. "Well, this good time needs to go home and get into my jammies." She gives me a kiss on the cheek as the other ladies pack up their things and say their goodbyes.

It's book club night—one of Cole's brilliant ideas to drum up enough business to hire more help. One night a week, various book clubs can reserve space at the shop, and they have to meet a minimum per person. We’re booked through the end of the year for these nights.

"What time do you want me to pick up Jeremy tomorrow morning?" I ask Melody before she ducks out, my eyes on Cole as he collects empty coffee mugs. He expertly avoids the flirtatious overtures from the horny ladies who just spent two hours talking about smut.

Melody waves a hand. "Whenever you feel like it. Mom's staying over tonight since I have to be at work by seven tomorrow, so I'm sure she'll make a big breakfast."

Cole politely smiles at eighty-year-old Mrs. Jennings, offering her an arm as he helps her toward the door. She rubs his bicep and sighs before leaving.

Cole locks the door behind everyone and turns, lifting an eyebrow. "Remind me to make sure Jeremy is never here on these nights. Someone has to protect him from the sex-crazed ladies of Duhring Park as he gets older."

I laugh as I walk over to him, my heels clicking on the hardwood floor. I wrap my arms around his neck as his hands land on my hips and he kisses me passionately. Grabbing his waistband, I pull him close and kiss him hard. I break away, panting. "But who will protect you, my love?"

Cole growls playfully, stopping my wandering fingers. I pull back, surprised. "Not yet, baby. I want to show you something."

He turns me around with his hands on my shoulders and walks me toward the curtain separating the shop from the back. I try to glance at him over my shoulder, but he says, "Keep walking. It's right upstairs."

"You know it's probably a little too dusty up here to have fun, Cole." I laugh. "Unless you want me to get all dirty, Mr. Rose?" I say in a naughty voice.

"Enough of that." Cole grits. He continues walking me up the stairs, undeterred, but I hear the sexy edge in his voice.

Cole stops me in front of the door to our old apartment. Jeremy, Cole, and I moved into a modest house in a nearby neighborhood last month. We're still close enough to the shop and school to make it easy, but now we have more space and room to breathe. Cole and Jeremy are inseparable, and now that he's moved up to seventh grade, it's a little less weird in the classroom. Or so they tell me.

Cole reaches around my hip as he kisses my neck, and I lean into his touch. Pulling away, he turns the knob, throwing open the door to our old apartment.

I look up and suck in a gasp. "Cole!"

I run into the immaculate apartment, now set up as an art studio. Twirling, I see an easel, paint supplies, and a gorgeous deep purple velvet chaise lounge in the middle of the room. I spy a potter’s wheel in the little bedroom straight ahead, with fresh tarps spread out under it, waiting to get smeared with clay.

Cole comes up behind me, kissing the top of my head. "You mentioned paints, but I remembered you loved pottery, too, so I set up both. I would’ve had it done sooner, but you’re always here. Something we’re going to remedy soon."

---