Page 4 of Smoldering Mountain Man

I added a warm, wet washcloth to the list of things I needed and grabbed everything, including two icy cold bottles of water.

When I sat on the couch beside her, the shift on the cushions caused her to stir awake. She smiled when she saw me. “Is my King back to save me?”

I swallowed back the growl I so desperately wanted to let out. Hearing her saymy kingdid something to my insides, something I couldn’t explain, but there went my dick again, thinking it could say hello once more. “I don’t know about that, but I am here to help.”

Marcella’s blue beauties slipped shut again. I carefully lifted her bad ankle onto my lap, secretly thrilled she seemed to trust me already.

With gentle strokes, I cleaned her up and wrapped up her ankle. From what I could tell it looked like a bad sprain, but only an x-ray would be able to confirm.

While I finished treating her scratches and washing the dirt from her face, I kept sneaking glances at her, but her eyes remained closed.

A soft hum fell from her lips and the sound caused a tingle through my cock. Her breaths slowed and then evened out. She’d fallen asleep.

I grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and spread it over her before sliding off the couch, careful to rest her legs on the cushions. I propped her swollen ankle up beneath a pillow. I hadn’t yet texted my colleague to come look at Marcella’s anklewhich worked out well considering she’s fast asleep. I’ll drive her to the hospital tomorrow if I have to.

As I turned to go, Marcella’s soft voice drifted over me. “Wait, don’t go.”

“Would you rather take my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch?”

“No. I’d rather we sleep together. In your bed.” Her blue eyes turned molten, and she captivated me with her intense look.

Her statement sent my heart catapulting out of my chest.What? We barely knew each other.

“Uhm, I’m not sure…”

“It wasn’t a question.” Marcella smiled and raised her hands in the air, a look on her face that very much said-come get me.

I had a feeling she wasn’t taking no for an answer.

CHAPTER THREE

Marcella

Obviously,I was delirious. I mean, how else could I explain it?

I barely knew this guy, he took me to his home and could be planning my murder for all I know, and I’m asking him to take me to his bed?

You’ve really lost your shit now, Mar.

The pain from my ankle, the scary thought of being alone all night in the woods, and now a stranger rescuing me, it was all a bit much. Truth be told, the last thing I wanted was to sleep alone.

Ryerson studied me for a moment, the silence stretching between us. I saw the struggle on his face, the silent battle his brain was having. But give up on a chance to sleep next to the sexiest man alive? No way.

“Please? I won’t even go under the covers.” I wiggled my arms more. “Don’t make me beg. Because I will. Those damn woods traumatized me and is it such a bad thing to want some company tonight?”

A small smile stretched across his handsome face. “Okay, okay, you convinced me.” Ryerson laughed as he walked over to me and once again easily lifted me into his arms like I weighed next to nothing. “I could just as easily give you a ride home. As long as you promise to take yourself to the hospital tomorrow for an x-ray.”

“I couldn’t ask you that. It’s already after nine.”

I buried my face in his chest so he couldn’t see my blush. How desperate was I? I should’ve just let the man take me home and call it a day.

His deep chuckle reverberated through me. “If I had to guess, I’d say youwantto spend the night.” Ryerson slowly walked up a set of stairs and rounded a corner of the hallway.

“A lady never tells her secrets.” I took advantage of my nose pressed into his chest and inhaled his scent, trying to commit it to memory, hoping I could bottle it up and spray it on my pillow every night.

“You’re a hot ticket, you know that?” Ryerson’s sexy drawl made my insides burn.

“And you love it.” I grinned as he walked us into his bedroom and flicked on the lights. Soft, dim lighting filled the room, the atmosphere cozy. A large sleigh bed sat in the center of the room, with two nightstands on either side, both with a lamp. The colors were a gray and blue tone, and the entire room smelled like him. I wanted to climb inside his bed and never leave.

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