Page 7 of Smoldering Mountain Man

Thane: Wow, finally some action on those lonely trails of yours?

I chuckled to myself before typing out a response.

Ryerson: Yep. In the form of sexy curves and an ass I could sink my teeth into.

Thane: Shit, bro. What are you waiting for?

Ryerson: I’m a gentleman. And I just met her.

Thane: Ha! It’s been decades, my man. It’s time.

Ryerson: Decades?! You wound me. Besides, your math is off. It hasn’t been that long. And she’s literally a stranger and she’s sleeping in my bed.

Thane: Wait. Back it up. She’s in your bed?

Ryerson: Yep. Wearing one of my t-shirts.

Thane: Dude. Why the hell are you texting me right now?

Ryerson: I can’t just take advantage of her because she’s in my bed.

Thane: If she’s not into it, then you stop. No big deal.

Ryerson: You sound like you have a lot of women in your bed you don’t know.

Thane:

Thane: Stop texting me and go get laid, will ya?

Thane: Damn, I never expected to say that to my older brother.

Ryerson: peace out lil bro

Thane:

I clickedmy phone off and tucked it in my pocket. I let out a big sigh. Should I listen to my brother and just go for it? Or instead, be a proper host that doesn’t try to sleep with the girl he just rescued?

Shit! This entire situation was maddening. I stood up and ran a hand through my hair.

You like her.

You more than like her.

I shook my head in attempt to clear my thoughts. But it was no use. Marcella was something else…something special. So, what if she didn’t like the outdoors and enjoyed sleeping in.

So, she might not want to get up at the ass crack of dawn and go for a hike, but was that a dealbreaker?

Fuck, what the hell was I even saying.

When the morning comes, I’ll say my goodbyes and be on my way, with hope of putting this whole night behind me.

Yes. Good plan.

But as I walked back inside and climbed into bed, I already knew it wouldn’t be so easy no matter how many times I told myself it would be.

When my eyespopped open the next morning, a warm heaviness rested on my chest, and I blinked a few times.

I lifted my head. A woman laid on top of me, her blonde hair messy and covering her face.Marcella.

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