Page 3 of Smoldering Mountain Man

CHAPTER TWO

Ryerson

Today outof all days my dick decided to wake up and say hello.

There was no warning, no sign it was coming. Just one look at a gorgeous, curvalicious, woman in need of my help and he was brought back to life.

Who the hell was this woman?

I would’ve known I’d seen her before because I wasn’t going to forget a face like hers. If anything, confusion spread throughout me, unable to grasp what was happening. I was feeling things I didn’t feel, dormant things I didn’t want to feel. I’d gotten so good at blocking out the feelings, my dick stopped working. The desire was gone, my heart stomped on one too many times. Now at forty, time was running out for love, and I was okay with it.

Until now.

My ears burned with heat, and I licked my lips, the urge to kiss her so hard to ignore. Instead, I pulled my eyes off her and focused on the trail, ignoring the fact that I knew these woodslike the back of my hand. I could find my way out in the dark if I had to.

“What brought you into the woods tonight?” I asked in hopes of a distraction.

“Oh, nothing. It was a silly, little idea.”

I chuckled. “I’ve heard lots. Hit me.”

Marcella shrugged her shoulders and looked the other way. “I wanted to pick some wildflowers. Why not just stay in my backyard? Good question. Wish I knew the answer. Instead, I got lost and as the darkness grew, so did my panic.”

“How far do you think you wandered?”

“Couldn’t tell ya. An hour or so, maybe? Don’t follow up with why I chose to go right before sunset because I don’t know. Sometimes it’s likebam- squirrel!Does that make sense?”

I admired this cute, funny woman for a second. I don’t think I’ve smiled this much in such a short period of time since, well honestly, I don’t know. If she hadn’t wandered that far, did that mean she’s lived nearby all this time? Sometimes small towns don’t feel so small.

Her beauty captivated me, from her blonde hair and blue eyes to the little sparkling jeweled stud in her nostril. I could tell she was younger than me, but she was all woman, with plenty of curves I wanted to sink my teeth into.

“It does. I get what you mean. The mountain trails around here are so breathtaking, it’s easy to get distracted.”

“I’ve lived here for several months now, and this is the first time I’ve ventured into the woods. Honestly, I didn’t even know there were trails.” Marcella spoke so innocently, it was hard to judge her too harshly.

“I take it you’re not the outdoorsy type?” I turned towards the end of the trail, the trees beginning to thin out. My cabin was only a few hundred yards ahead. I loved living so close to the mountainside, not only to enjoy the wilderness and hikingtrails but it made my commute to work nonexistent. I literally followed the trails to the hub station from my backyard.

Marcella hunched her shoulders and grimaced. “How could you tell?” A smile broke through, warming the air between us.

“You’d have explored these gorgeous trails if you loved the outdoors.” I walked up to my fence and unlocked the hatch, pushing the door open. “Home sweet home.” I said as I carried her through the yard after locking the gate behind me.

“Wow, your backyard is amazing.” Marcella took in my inground pool, complete with glowing lights and a gentle waterfall. A sweeping patio surrounded the crystal waters and stretched out to a lounge area where chairs sat around a firepit. A screened in table and chairs were off to the side, an option for when it’s too buggy outside or you want to eat a meal without flies.

“Thank you. I worked hard on it.”

“Wait, you mean, you did this?”

“Well, some of it. I hired guys for the pool, but I laid down the patio myself along with all the landscaping.”

“Damn. You’re talented.” She said as I carried her up the back steps and onto the deck where another table and chairs sat along with a grill. Through the glass sliding door, I brought her inside, walking her to my couch where I set her down gently.

“Thank you. Can I get you anything to drink?” I fished her phone from my pocket and handed it over.

“Water would be great please.” Marcella took her phone and placed it beside her on the couch. She pawed at her hair, attempting to smooth it down, but it was no use. Little flyaways flew every which way, her ponytail half knocked out. I still thought she looked great.

“I’ll grab you some. I’m also going to grab my first aid kit and put in a call to one of the night rangers on the mountain. He’s atrained paramedic. It’ll save you a trip to the hospital tonight at least. You’ll most likely need an x-ray tomorrow.”

“I figured as much.” She sighed and leaned back against the couch cushions. Her eyes fluttered shut and I noticed the smudges of dirt on her face, the scratches on her arms and legs. Poor thing looked roughed up.

---