Page 14 of The Beast of the Mountain
“Delicious too,” I say without thinking.
It’s the truth though. I enjoyed every second of Bear’s show. I’d watch reruns any time.
Bear grunts, still stroking my cheek.
“Got your car working again,” he says.
My eyes flare. “Seriously? What was wrong with it?”
He snorts. “Needed gas.”
“You’re joking.”
“Looks like your gas gauge is busted. Had half a tank for a while didn’t you?”
I cringe because yes, now that I’m thinking about it the needle hadn’t moved a centimeter the entire trip here. I guess the great mileage I was getting wasn’t so great after all.
“This is embarrassing,” I say after a few beats.
“Lucky is what I was thinking.”
“How so?”
“Wouldn’t have found you any other way,” Bear says as my knees begin to tremble.
Butterflies. Pulse pounding. Shaky breaths. The works.
“Guess you’re right.”
“Well, I hope you stick around for a while. I know you were hoping for an empty cabin to write in, but you could stay here if you’d like. I won’t bother you. I promise.”
“I’d like that,” I say. “On one condition. Two conditions,” I add.
“What’s that?”
“Show me why you love the mountains. It feels like I’m missing something in the city, and I’m wondering if I can find it here.”
Bear cups my face as something animalistic rises in his eyes, tugging on something deep inside me. He grabs my waist with the other hand, pulling me closer to him.
“Done,” he says. “And the last condition?”
“You stop sleeping on the couch.”
He groans, slow and deep, and then brushes my lips with his thumb, my nipples pebbling immediately.
“Okay,” he says. “But I have one condition as well.”
I’m trying my best to breathe but it’s getting harder as Bear holds me—his fingers searing my skin and making everything inside me go haywire.
“Tell me,” I say.
“I want to taste your lips, Riley. I’ve been aching for them from the moment I laid eyes on you. Give me a taste of heaven and you can have the world.”
My heart’s in my throat—pounding, pounding, pounding as Bear looks at me in a way no man has ever had. In a way I’ve always ached for a man to look at me. He’s looking at me like I’m the only thing he wants. The only thing he needs. And if I don’t grant his request he’ll unravel before me.
“Okay,” I say. “Kiss me. I’m?—”
I don’t have the chance to finish my sentence before Bear captures my lips with his.
