Page 19 of Owned By the Mountain Man

“Come here.” I reach up and tug on him until he’s stretched out over me. A sense of rightness comes with the feeling of his body over mine, like we were always meant to be this way. “I love you too, my mountain man.”

He makes love to me with a slow, unhurried pace. We don’t even stop when Duke comes knocking on the door of the cabin. We just keep touching each other, going higher and higher until we’re finding our beautiful release together.

He’s still in my body and our skin is sweat-slicked when Nash kisses me again. “Marry me. Now.”

“You mean like right now?” I ask, unable to stop smiling. “You have clients and the shop and—”

“Screw all of that. The only thing I want to know when I close my eyes tonight is that you’re wearing my ring. I want us to be tied in every way possible, honey.”

My heart melts at his words. It seems I’m not the only one excited about our future together. He is too, so much that he can’t wait for it to start. “If the courthouse is open, then let’s do it.”

12

NASH

“Well, what does she look like?”I demand impatiently when Blade finally joins me outside in the cold air. I pace back and forth, my cane swishing in front of me with every step on the icy sidewalk.

I was in a room in the back of the Courage County wedding chapel, but I couldn’t sit still. I finally drove Trace and Roman crazy, so they brought me outside. I think they thought the fresh air would calm me. But there’s only one thing that will and that’s sliding a ring on my woman’s finger.

“A bride,” Blade deadpans. Not for the first time since I met him, I want to throttle the bastard.

Brennon must sense how close to the edge I am because he growls something into his phone. The next thing I know he’s talking to his wife. It’s hard to understand some of what he’s saying then suddenly Cadence is on speakerphone. She’s with Laura, helping her get ready.

All I had to do was send a text to my friends and they jumped into action. Roman talked to the minister and got the chapel opened. Trace called the courthouse and sweet-talked Judge Helen into getting us a marriage certificate.

Blade secured the rings for me. I don’t know how he got his hand on the beautiful set of gold bands complete with an engagement diamond that’s roughly the size of the sun. He muttered something under his breath about marriage being a stupid fairytale when he passed them to me.

Cadence and Brennon handled the decorations and the wedding clothes. She describes the scene to me, “She’s glowing, Nash. She’s wearing a white tea-length wedding dress, so it falls to her calves.”

I don’t know exactly what tea-length is, but my woman has great legs. I’m glad she’ll be showing them off today.

“The dress itself is white lace with cap sleeves which means they just barely cover her shoulder, and it has a sweetheart neckline. The neckline means it looks kind of like a lowercase ‘M’ shape, only there’s a deep plunge because your wife has great cleavage.”

I chuckle at that. Yeah, her tits are amazing, and I’m already aching to get her back to my cabin and explore them again.

“Her shiny, black hair is falling in soft waves across her shoulders, and she has a crown on her head. She looks just like a princess, even down to the white ballerina flats. But most of all, she looks happy, Nash.”

Brennon grunts when his wife says my name, and I get it now. I get why he’s always so grumpy when Cadence gives attention to anyone but him. It’s because he wants to be the only man in her eyes. Just like I want to be the only man in Laura’s eyes.

“Now, your turn. What are you wearing, my hunky mountain man?” Laura’s voice teases me across the line, and I didn’t realize she was listening to this conversation.

Brennon groans and pulls the phone away before I can answer. He switches it off speakerphone and says something in a growl to his wife. I’m pretty sure he’s threatening to tie her to their bed tonight.

Fortunately, Roman interrupts my thoughts. “You know that fancy new mall they’re building in Asheville? Guess who just got commissioned to design an art piece for the lobby.” He smacks Trace on the back of the shoulder.

Trace just shrugs like it’s not a big deal. The man is humble to a fault. He makes so much damn money and most of it goes back into his charity for underprivileged children. Yet for all of his good deeds, he’s still alone in that cabin of his. One day, I hope he finds a woman to share his life with, like I found Laura.

“Impressive,” Blade offers by way of congratulations. I think that’s the closest thing to a compliment he’s ever given in his life.

Before I can add my own congratulations, the chapel doors swing open, and the minister is beckoning for us to come inside.

I take a deep breath, feeling anticipation swirl inside. Today is the day I get to give the woman who is my soulmate my last name. Tomorrow is the day I’ll wake up next to her for the start of our forever.

* * *

Laura

I thinkbrides are supposed to be nervous, but I can’t bring myself to be nervous as I peek down the aisle and catch the first glimpse of my groom.

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