Page 5 of Designing with the Mountain Man
The tangible desire hanging in the air like low hanging fruit.
“All in a day’s work, Mar. Now continue. Pretend I’m not here.”
“Ha! Like you’ll let that happen.”
“Touche. Do you need help with anything?”
“No, thanks. But I think I need to do this without an audience.”
I stuck out my bottom lip. “What fun is that?”
“It’s no fun. It’s work. Something you should be doing, yes?”
“This is my current job. Plus a few other builds I’ve got my hands in, but here is where I’m needed most.”
“But you’re really not, though.” Marlowe teased and suddenly, I wanted to throw her over my shoulder and slap her ass, give her a little special punishment.
“You know you’re just making me want to stay, right?”
“It’s like I know you or something,” Mar quipped, and I wanted to kiss the sassiness right out of her.
“You’re the only person who knows me.” I gritted out, afraid of the onslaught of emotions headed our way. “Like really knows me, Mar. Inside and out.”
“I know.”
Silence fell between us, neither one of us daring to say anything to the other. I wanted her. I wanted her so fucking bad.
But did she want me, too?
When she turned back to her mural, the moment was gone.
Like sand slipping through our fingers, nowhere to be found, a moment lost between us.
“Are you sure you don’t need help?”
“I’m sure. I think I was wrong earlier when I said I didn’t want anyone here with me. Because you’re not just anyone, are you?”
A hot poke of desire stirred deep inside my stomach.
“No, you’re right. I’m not.”
As the hours passed,Marlowe worked on the mural until she finally completed it. A beautiful rainbow, bright and colorful, etched across the wall with clouds surrounding it, exactly as the client described. I kept her company and kept her well stocked with drinks and food. During breaks, we’d eat and catch up on the past four years we spent apart.
“Not one day passed by where I didn’t think of you, Mar.”
“I know, me too.” She whispered. “I’m scared though.”
“Of what?”
“Of the pain of heartbreak again.”
My shoulders fell, my body limp with defeat. “It’s fucking awful, isn’t it?”
Marlowe nodded her head. “A living nightmare.”
“We don’t have to live in our nightmares anymore, Mar. We can create a happy healthy family together, without fear.”
“I shouldn’t even be the one scared. I’m the one who left. I’m so sorry, Steeler.”
