Page 14 of Griffen the Mountain Man
Raising her hand to my lips, I press a kiss to the delicate skin and exhale the riot of nerves our conversation brought up.
It’s good to know I’m not being unrealistic or ridiculous. My siblings would have told me the same thing, but having Heidi fully support my secret dream is an entirely different feeling.
Like anything is possible as long as she’s by my side.
CHAPTER TEN
HEIDI
A rush of autumn air flits through the crack of the passenger’s side window. It’s a little too cool to roll it all the way down, but I don’t mind. The combination of heat blowing from the vents of Griffen’s truck and the brisk chill from outside creates the perfect cozy cocoon.
“Want to wander the trails behind Hearthstone, or are you ready to go home?” Griffen asks, his right hand covering mine on the console.
“A walk sounds nice, especially with the full moon tonight.”
He nods then turns onto another road that will lead us to his family’s lodge. The drive isn’t long, and soon we’re ambling down a worn dirt path that circles a pond reflecting the moon and trees.
“Do you think you’ll still work at the lodge if Rhys takes you on as an apprentice?” My question interrupts the comfortable symphony of leaves crackling beneath our boots and the rustling of critters settling in for the evening.
Broad shoulders rise and fall in nonchalance. “Probably. Hearthstone will always be part of my family’s legacy. Once I have enough experience, maybe I can contribute more than my handyman skills. Ezra already sources whatever the lodge needslocally, so I don’t foresee him having an issue letting me provide a decorative light fixture or table set here and there.”
“I haven’t met your brother, but I’m sure you’re right.”
“We need to rectify that, you know. All of my siblings want to meet you.”
“Really?” Nerves tangle in my belly. I’ve heard stories about the Caldwell brood from Greta, Gramps, and Griffen—not to mention, they’re sort of unavoidable in Suitor’s Crossing as one of the town’s founding families. They’re basically local royalty.
Which adds to the pressure of meeting Griffen’s family as his… girlfriend?Heart spark? We haven’t labeled the fragile bond between us yet.
“Yep… Technically, you’ve been invited to the past two Sunday family dinners, but selfishly, I’ve wanted to keep you to myself,” he says sheepishly. My hand tightens around his where it swings by our hips. “You’re aware of my hangups with sex and relationships, but they’re not. All they know is that I’m a bit of a recluse when it comes to women.”
“A bit?” I tease, leaning into his side.
A bark of self-deprecating laughter rumbles from his chest. “Okay, a lot. But what we’re doing, it’s new territory for me. I’m trying to recalibrate my thinking… while also just being plain possessive.” He shoots a sly grin my way. “My siblings can be overwhelming. They’ll want to hog all of your attention, and I’m not ready for that.”
“I understand.” And I do, although a part of me wishes he felt differently. “Speaking of recalibrating your thinking…”
We’re far enough away from the lodge that the glow of lights surrounding it barely penetrates the woods around us, which has a wholly inappropriate idea taking root.
Twisting in front of Griffen, my hands land on his chest and deliberately push him until his back braces against the bark of a large tree, shadows sliding forward to hide us from prying eyes.
“What if we work on showing you that there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to your…ahem… package.” My gaze drops to the length resting against his thigh.
“Heidi…”
I push to my tiptoes to steal whatever he was going to say—denial or agreement.
I’ve never been the aggressor with men, but it’s empowering showing Griffen what could be. And he never takes long to adjust before snatching back control.
“Let me do this for you. For us,” I murmur, pressing one more hard kiss to his lips before lowering to my knees on the cold forest floor.
His fingers wind through my loose hair to tug at the back until my eyes meet his. In the dark, only glimmers of lust and need are visible, but it’s enough to tell me how he desires this just as much as me.
The sides of his unbuttoned flannel flap open as my nails scrape down his firm abdomen beneath a white tee. God, he’s so burly—a mountain man meant just for me.
I fumble with the belt buckle and top button of his jeans, too distracted by my good fortune, but finally, I have what I want: Griffen's hard cock free from obstruction.
His grip in my hair flexes as I stare in awe.
