Page 6 of Smoldering Mountain Man

“Oh, believe me I know. So, tell me why. There’re so many bugs…and dirt.”

“Nature is beautiful. Maybe I’ll take you on a hike one day.”

I grimaced. “Uh, maybe not. I’ll be inside with a book and some wine. Maybe a bubble bath. And definitely some delicious takeout like pizza.”

Ryerson ran a hand through his hair. “Damn, we’re quite the opposite. I don’t eat much pizza. No takeout. I do a lot of clean eating, meal prepping, and lots of veggies and fruit. Your body’s a temple and all that.”

“You gotta treat yourself sometimes. Please tell me you don’t wake up at the ass crack of dawn, do you?”

“You betcha. The early bird catches the worm.”

I laughed so hard my sides hurt. “Dude. What is with you and these sayings?”

“They get the point across.” He shrugged with the biggest shit eating grin on his face.

“I love my sleep. This would never work.” I teased.

“Friends it is, then.” Ryerson elbowed me in the side playfully. He reached out and tussled my hair.He tussled my hair.That’s it, I was friend zoned.

“Sleep well, Marcella. Goodnight.” He clicked off the lights and rolled over.

“Goodnight.” I echoed. I stared at the ceiling so I wouldn’t stare at him.

It took hours before sleep finally came and when it did, it was restless at best.

Another one of my stupid ideas causing way more chaos than I expected.

When would I ever learn?

CHAPTER FOUR

Ryerson

Friends?Ha!

There was no way I considered Marcella only a friend. I had to physically hold myself back from ravishing her. A sexy woman in my bed mere inches from me and I had no idea how to act. So instead, I dropped the friends comment and rolled over, my erection digging painfully into the mattress.

I pretended to be asleep while waiting for her to doze off. I thought about rolling over and taking what I wanted but what kind of gentleman would I be? I wasn’t a horny teenager anymore. Though in this moment I certainly felt like one.

Maybe some fresh air would help. Sleep wasn’t coming anytime soon, that much was true.

After what felt like hours, I rolled over and found Marcella fast asleep. I wasn’t about to be fooled so easily this time, and I called her name a few times, but she didn’t stir. I climbed out of bed as slowly and quietly as I could, grabbing my phone from my nightstand, and hurried across the dark room. I slipped out the door a moment later and shut it softly behind me.

Downstairs, I grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed outside. A cool night breeze rustled the trees as the crickets sang their nightly tunes. Sitting in one of the deck chairs, I admired the stars in the sky, the night clear and perfect for star gazing.

Never did I expect this night to end with a woman, astrangerto be exact, sleeping in my bed, with my t-shirt on. The soft fabric hugging her curves in all the right places. Curves I ached to touch and caress.

I swallowed hard. So much for the outside air cooling me off. If anything, I was hotter.

Sitting on one of the back porch chairs, I pulled my phone from my pocket, swiped at the screen, and navigated to my messages. I clicked on my brother’s picture, our text conversation opening, and composed a message.

Ryerson: You won’t believe the night I had.

Thane, my younger brother and one of my closest friends, usually responded fairly quickly, our relationship having only gotten stronger over the years. We were close growing up, our parents taking us here and there, always having some place to go, leaving us to keep each other company.

Thane: Put a guy out of his misery, will ya?

Ryerson: I heard screams from my backyard and ended up rescuing someone on the trail.

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