Page 6 of Beastly Mountain Man

Lonely people don’t eat you out before properly introducing themselves, June.

Finally taking a bite of the stew, the flavor explodes on my tongue. The meat he’s used is game, I’m certain. The vegetables are so soft and chewy, while the broth is perfect.

A moan slips out before I can stop it.

Across the table, his stern expression fractures. Just slightly. A faint curve of his lips, there and gone—but it’s enough.

He looks good.

I guess all that walking has left me with low energy. Having spent so much of it getting here and giving him a chunk as well, there’s only one way to replenish.

Knowing there’s little I can do as of right now, I enjoy my bowl before downing a glass of crisp, fresh water. Once I’mfinished, I’m leaning back, feeling fuller than I have in my entire life.

I can’t remember the last time I ate a meal cooked so well.

Ace only stares at me for so long, his curiosity growing to the point where he’s the one to disrupt the silence.

“Where did you come from?”

The way he’s asking, it’s like he believes I popped up out of thin air. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Rather, there’s a bit of weight behind my reasoning.

Sitting back, I shift so I can bring my knees to my chest. This shirt is so roomy, I’ve got plenty of room to work with.

“Not too far away, I guess. A few cities over.” Shrugging a shoulder, I tease the button on the shirt that bulges because of my knee. “A place a lot louder than here. It’s like the complete opposite.”

He continues staring, not satisfied with my answer. What all does he want to know? The exact location where I ran away from isn’t that important to why I’m here. Maybe that’s what he wants to know?

“Um, I came from my parents’ house. I was staying with them up until a couple of days ago. One long bus ride and a short-lived Uber ride later, here I am.” Squirming in the seat, I lower my gaze.

The sound of his chair scraping against the floor fills my ears as he moves closer. Like he can’t stand having distance between us, the moment he’s reaching out for me, I know he plans on picking me up as he pleases.

My guess is right when he drags me to his lap instead. His arms feel so strong wrapped around my body, and his chest is radiating warmth like no other.

I’m not so used to this warmth, I’m struggling to believe it’s real.

He buries his nose into the crook of my neck and breathes in deeply. It tickles to the point where I can’t contain my next giggle.

It’s hard thinking about the heavy weight of my past I left behind when he’s being so over the top.

This man. He’s outright insane. Maybe he’s not used to having company, and he doesn’t know how to act normally around women.

Yeah, that has to be it.

“Where were you headed?” His sigh tickles my throat next.

After kidnapping me away from my original path, now he wants to know? That makes me want to laugh more than him, making my skin tingle.

“I came across a job that offered an opportunity to live a peaceful life. Some kind of secretary job, I guess. I don’t know all the fine details, but it’s what I needed to get out of my current living conditions. Even if I jumped the gun a little, I needed out…” Murmuring the last bit, I stop myself from letting out too many details.

Ace doesn’t need to know about the fine details, nor do I want to resurface my rough farewell to my parents.

Looking up at him, I catch the weight of his gaze. His brows are knitted together, his eyes glued to mine.

Lifting my hand, I graze my fingers along the scars lining his brow. They’re long-past healed, three white lines that indent his skin.

It’s a slight distraction for him as he jerks against my fingers. Studying my face like he expects me to… I don’t even know, he stills when I don’t do what he thinks I will. Letting me stroke his face, he hums against my skin.

“Why do you stay in a dangerous place?”

---