Page 39 of Mountain Wood

I brace for her rejection.

Grace rolls her shoulders back.

I hold my breath.

She arches an eyebrow. “What if I have conditions of my own?”

“Whatever they are, I’ll meet them.”

“I haven’t even told you what they are yet.”

“Doesn’t matter. Whatever you want, you get. That’s all there is to it.” I just want to keep her for as long as I can. The thought of Grace going back to a miserable, controlled, and lonely life makes me want to protect her even more.

Her cheeks blaze red. “Dean.”

“Grace.”

Is she going to back out now that I’m giving her what she wants?

“Are yousureyou want me to stay in your house with you?” Grace bites her bottom lip. “Winter is a long time to be cooped up with someone you barely know.”

“I’m glad you realize that. And if you want to leave at any point, I’ll get you out of here. I have snowmobiles, a plow, and friends who can dig us out, if necessary, but it might take some time.”

“You expect that much snow?”

“Iknowthere will be that much snow.” Too scared to move and break the connection we’re somehow building, I keep still. “Spring is a long time coming, sugar. Why don’t you take the week to think it over.”

“I don’t need a week. I want to do this.” Grace places the bottle on the counter with a resounding thud. “And I want you.”

When her gorgeous eyes lock onto mine, my control finally snaps, and I crush my mouth to hers. Seeing Grace get man-handled, and the way she stood up to that cocksucker, has me feeling many kinds of ways. I don’t know if I can trust her or not, but every fiber of my being screams that she’s mine. Whether she belongs to me only for winter or a lifetime, I’ll take care of her for however long she lets me.

I can’t compete with big money and fancy things, but I’ve got my own riches, and I’ll happily share them all with this woman.

Our tongues swipe against one another and she makes the sweetest little moans I’ve ever heard. Hernails scrape down my back, but I can barely feel it through my thick flannel shirt.

Grace runs her fingers through my hair next, and debris scrapes against my scalp. Shit. I’m still a mess from all the work Nick and I did today. There’s PVC pipe shavings, sawdust, and who knows what else all over me.

“I need a shower.”

Grace flashes a wicked grin. “I have one of those.”

She lures me into her bathroom and my fingers make quick work of unbuttoning my shirt. I peel it away and drop it on the floor. Then I tug my grey undershirt over my head and toss it too, just before I kick her door closed, shutting us inside her tiny bathroom.

Grace quickly lifts her cream-colored sweater off, and I stare at the pale pink bra lifting her breasts up. My mouth waters like I’m a starved animal with a meal.

Before this morning, I hadn’t touched a woman in over two years. Grace has broken the chain tethering my control, and I’m desperate for her. I want to taste her again. Worship her. Get inside her.

When I kick off my boots, Grace follows my lead, doing the same with her shoes. Unbuckling my belt and working my jeans off, my heart kicks hard against my ribs. I want to fuck this woman until she can’t walk. If I’m not mindful, I’ll do just that, and it could hurt her.

Every breath she takes pushes her tits out. I lean down and bite her nipple through her bra while she unclasps it. Growling, I clench the fabric between my teeth, pull it off her body, and let it fall to the floor.Dropping on my knees, I take her underwear off with my mouth next.

She moans as I sink my fingers into her ass cheeks and press my nose to her pussy, breathing in deeply.

This is a preview of the beast she asked to play with earlier. “Do you still want this?”

“More than anything.”

Lifting her foot up to place on my shoulder, I nip her inner thigh. “You can tell me to stop at any time.” Before I go further, there’s one more thing. “And this isn’t part of the deal to stay with me. If you don’t want—”

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