Page 23 of The Mountain Man's Untamed Bride
"So you didn't pick me because you wanted a mountain man," I said when she finished. "You picked me because I was the opposite of what your father wanted."
"Not entirely," she countered, straightening her spine. "I had options. You were my first choice though. You were guaranteed to make my father's blood pressure spike." A hint of her usual spirit returned to her eyes. "I figured if I had to hide out, might as well be with someone easy on the eyes."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Come on, Bodhi. Playing dumb doesn't suit you," she said with unexpected directness. "The alternative was a guy with a Santa beard who stuffed dead animals for fun. I had my reasons."
I couldn't help a slight smile despite everything. "Quite the endorsement."
We sat quietly for a moment, the watch resting on the coffee table between us like evidence from a crime scene.
"What happens now?" she finally asked.
"We keep you safe," I said simply. "This place is sturdier than it looks. Good locks, solid construction, rifle within reach. I've dealt with threats before. We'll handle this one too."
"I can stay?" The vulnerability in her question caught me off guard.
"You can stay," I confirmed. "But we're not sleeping together just to check a box on your escape plan."
Disappointment flashed across her face like a shadow. "I thought—"
"That losing your virginity would somehow free you from this engagement?" I said, finally understanding her earlier attempts at seduction. "Men like him don't really care about that. They care about ownership. Running away without ending things officially just makes you property that's gone missing."
She didn't argue, telling me I'd hit the mark.
"If anything happens between us," I said, surprising myself, "it should be because you want me, not because I'm convenient cover."
She studied me like I was a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out. "Most guys wouldn't turn this down," she said, gesturing to herself.
"I'm not most guys." I shrugged. "Out here, you learn the difference between what you want and what you need."
She nodded slowly, then stood, adjusting her outfit. "I should probably change into something less desperate."
I watched her walk toward her bedroom, appreciating her honesty more than her attempts at seduction.
"Bodhi?" She paused at her door.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you." Simple words, but genuine. "For believing me."
I nodded, not trusting what might come out if I spoke.
After she disappeared into her room, I examined the watch one more time before locking it in the old strongbox under my floorboards. Initials carved into the back—LR—confirmed her story. This Langley Richardson had resources, connections, and the kind of entitlement that wouldn't accept losing what he considered his.
Strange how quickly priorities can shift. Two days ago, my biggest concern was that stubborn deck post. Now I was planning defensive strategies against some nepo baby who thought he owned the woman sleeping under my roof.
The sound of the bathroom door opening pulled me from my thoughts. Scarlett emerged wearing an oversized t-shirt and loose-fitting shorts—the most modest outfit I'd seen on her yet, and somehow more appealing than the lingerie. She gave me a small, uncertain smile before disappearing into her room.
That smile hit me harder than it should have. It wasn't calculated or practiced—just a moment of genuine gratitude from a woman who hadn't expected kindness.
I settled into my chair facing the door, gun within reach. Whatever came next, she wouldn't face it alone.
Chapter Eight
“Operation: Escape the Ex”
Scarlett
