Page 1 of Mountain Man Protector

ONE

ADDISON

Today should be filledwith excitement. I was meeting with one of the owners of the Triple R Lodge.

Today would be another step toward fulfilling a promise I’d made to myself over a decade ago. After the tragedy of losing my older brother, I’d pursued a path that would give me the knowledge and tools to work with and help veterans, first responders, and anyone who’d suffered trauma during their job protecting others. They needed support and to know they didn’t need to overcome their struggles alone.

But today it was highly likely I’d come face-to-face with the man I’d spent an unforgettable night with exactly a month ago.

It had been my thirtieth birthday and with one shot of tequila, the encouragement of my closest friends, Mika and Zoe, I approached the hot guy I’d been exchanging smoldering, promise-filled gazes with all evening. He was six a foot plus muscled, tattooed, bronze-skinned, hunk of male perfection.

My action had been so out of character, I still blushed at the memory.

Just one night I said. I made him pinky swear to no names, and no morning after promises. A night of rolling around naked, revealing long-wished for desires I instinctively knew only he’d be able to deliver.

And deliver he did. The man was an over-achiever. Midnight eyes that had captured my gaze over and over as I celebrated with my besties had fueled my confidence before and after my brazen request.

And my plan would have worked had it not been for small town fate. Throw in a shared goal neither of us knew about until six days ago, when we’d both attended a birthday party. Me with my new partner and her husband, who was his cousin. The fact it was at the same pub where’d I’d met him should have raised the caution flag before I accepted the invite.

I’d recently joined a local counseling practice run by Caris Anderson. Her client base had grown to the point of needing someone specializing in trauma therapy and she’d recommended me to West when he’d called her looking for therapist recommendations for their new venture.

The man who’d provided me with three glorious orgasms had sat across from me, his eyes still smoldering. But this time they’re filled with a knowing and a wanting that stole my breath. I’d lasted less than an hour before I excused myself with no intention of returning.

But he’d been an Army Ranger, and he’d seen through my ploy.

I thought I’d made a clean escape, my hand on my car’s door handle, when a whiskey-soaked voice called out my name across O’Malley’s parking lot.“Addison.”Hearing my name for the first time coming from his lips sent tingles along my spine, a delicious reminder of all the spots along my now overheated body he’d touched that night.

But he didn’t ask me to wait. And there was no demand in his tone, as he’d said my name. Unlike the last time. The only time we’d been together when the demands had been frequently and eagerly followed. I’d turned into a woman I still didn’t recognize but had spent every night since wistfully reliving and wishing I could fix my trust issues with men.

And as if he knew what I’d been going through since our night together, what I heard layered within my name sounded like a promise and that scared me just as much as my reaction to him. And I almost went back. But that would have defeated the purpose of my walk on the wild side, plus the requested anonymity.

Now, the further up Pineville Mountain I drove, the more my self-preservation tried to tempt me into cancelling. As much as I wanted to work with the men who owned the Triple R Lodge, all retired Army rangers, whose mission had now turned to providing a safe space for other veterans and first responders a place to heal, doubts continued to fill me with every mile that passed.

Could I work, if not directly with, but around walking-sex-on-a-stick, Ridge Beauchamp who’d blown my mind? Could I maintain a professional distance? Or would the reminder of that night, and of how my name sounded on his lips just six days ago, and the temptation of reliving our time together become too difficult to deny?

So much for pinky swears.

West Stafford and his fiancée, Lauren Davis, stood out front on the lodge’s wrap-around porch, waving as I pulled into a parking spot. Lauren ran Full Plate Catering along with her chef mom and their company would provide meals for the guests. It’s how the two met, and how I was unexpectedly reunited with my one-night stand when I accepted Caris’ invitation to meet her friends the night of Lauren’s birthday.

Just thinking of Ridge sent waves of panic quickly through me, followed by a sharp tug of anticipation low in my belly. But there was no sign of him. I took a fortifying breath and gathered my purse and folder containing ideas I wanted to discuss with West.

“You got this. Don’t let the sexy silver fox chase away your dreams,” I mumbled. It was the weirdest pep talk of my life, but I rolled with it and stepped out of my car.

“Welcome, Addison.” West greeted me, his arm wrapped around Lauren’s waist.

“Hi, West. Lauren.” Reaching out, I shook both of their hands and followed them inside. The lodge had been completely gutted and remodeled over the past two years, and they’d officially open the doors at the end of next month. Offering pro-bono work for the non-profit was exactly what I’d been looking for when I’d returned to Pineville.

“I thought we’d sit down and talk about your ideas in the meditation room. I’d really like your feedback on what we’ve already done with it. And maybe you’d have some suggestions as well?” West said. Leading the way, Lauren and I chatted about the improvements as we walked through a great room with an enormous stone fireplace, then turned down a hallway leading to six guestrooms.

In the opposite direction there was a dining area next to a kitchen with a hidden laundry area that led outside to paths leading toward a workshop and an almost finished barn plus three cabins where West, Ridge and Lars, the third owner, all lived.

The realization that Ridge’s living quarters were so close to where I’d be working with clients was a possibility I hadn’t expected. Thinking the chances of running into him would be few after today, but if he was always on site, would I be able to give my full attention during therapy sessions?

“Here we are. Do you like the arrangement?” Lauren had placed several overstuffed chairs in the room instead of a single chair and couch. The old tradition of having patients prone while a therapist or doctor tried to connect with their patients never worked for me.

“I do. I like the ability to change the room around as needed for a solo or group setting.” Sitting at the table in the corner, I waited as West and Lauren said their goodbyes. She wanted to stay just long enough to meet with me before leaving for an event in town Full Plate was catering tonight.

“I’m so glad you like it. And this was great to officially meet since we didn’t get a chance to talk last week.” Lauren gave West a quick kiss, her face blooming with a pink blush as he gave her a soft pat on her bottom. The look the two shared nearly made me jealous of what they had found.

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