Page 19 of The Mountain Man's Untamed Bride
"Want to see how it works?" I reached for the device.
"I don't think—"
"It's very simple." I picked it up, turning it in my hands. "This button controls intensity, this one changes the pattern, and this one—"
My finger accidentally pressed a combination of buttons, and the vibrator hummed awake with startling power. It bucked from my hands like a startled animal, buzzing across the coffee table and launching itself directly at Bodhi.
He reacted with impressive reflexes, catching it mid-air. Unfortunately, his grip must have hit another button because it suddenly pulsed with even greater intensity, causing him to yelp and fling it across the room.
The vibrator landed with a thud near the front door, vibrating wildly against the wooden planks. Colonel, who had been skulking near the window, immediately went into defensive mode, fluffing his feathers and advancing on the intruder with militant determination.
The sight of a rooster squaring off against a rhinestone-studded vibrator—feathers raised, head bobbing in challenge as he circled the mechanical invader—was too much. I burst into laughter, clutching my sides as tears formed in my eyes. To my surprise, Bodhi joined me, his deep chuckle filling the small cabin.
"Is that a weapon?" he gasped between laughs. "Or a rocket ship? Does it launch something?"
"It launches orgasms, Bodhi," I managed through my giggles. "Multiple ones."
Our eyes met across the room, laughter slowly fading into something heavier. The small cabin suddenly felt as hot as a sauna.
Colonel, sensing the shift in atmosphere, pecked experimentally at the still-buzzing vibrator, then leapt back in alarm when it vibrated against his beak. Bodhi made his way to the other side, carefully approached the device, and after examining it for a moment, located a recessed button on thebase. He pressed it firmly until the vibrations gradually slowed and finally stopped.
"Your chicken is a prude," I observed, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes.
"Unlike his houseguest," Bodhi countered, his words coming out low and gravelly, raising goosebumps on my skin as he returned with the now-silent vibrator.
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you slut-shaming me, mountain man?"
He turned the device over in his calloused hands thoughtfully. "I'm wondering why someone would invest in toys this expensive without having tried them," he said, his gaze flicking up to study my face.
My breath caught in my throat. The moment stretched between us, filled with unspoken questions.
"What makes you think I've never used them?" I asked, attempting nonchalance.
"Just an observation," he said, his expression unreadable. "Am I right?"
I threw my hands up in exasperation. "Fine. Yes. I'm a twenty-four-year-old virgin with a collection of untested sex toys. Happy?"
"Didn't say I was happy or sad about it." He set the vibrator carefully on the coffee table. "Just curious why someone like you would be in such a hurry to change that status with someone like me."
"Someone like me?" I challenged, rising to my feet. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"City girl. Rich family. Designer everything." He gestured vaguely at my existence. "You could have anyone."
"Maybe I don't want anyone," I shot back. "Maybe I want someone specific."
"A mountain hermit who talks to chickens?"
"A man who won't report back to my father or post pictures online or expect me to be some perfect little conservative wife."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "You're using me."
"Isn't that the point of this whole arrangement?" I inched forward, refusing to back down. "You get a pretend bride to keep your friends off your back, I get..." I gestured between us, "...whatever this would be."
"And then what? You go back to Atlanta with your virginity conveniently disposed of?"
Put that way, it sounded awful. Calculating. Cold. But wasn't that exactly my plan?
He moved closer, towering over me. The heat from his body was palpable even inches away. His gaze traveled from my eyes to my lips and back, lingering long enough to make my heart race. Uncertainty flickered across his features, quickly replaced by something darker.
