Page 11 of The Silent Mountain Man

"I am."

I reach over, pick up my glass, and guzzle down some water. "That's…great."

I don't know what it is about Harrick, but he unnerves me. Not in a bad way, just in a way I'm not used to. I've met celebrities, politicians, powerful businesspeople, and yet no one's ever turned my head to mush like this before. Sure, I've been starstruck, but this is something else entirely.

"So, back to me telling you a bit about myself. Let's see… I'm twenty-seven. I'm a marketing executive for a leading entertainment agency. And…"

My age and my job? That's the best I can come up with? Why am I not describing myself better? I'm a pretty interesting person. I've been to a ton of places. I know how to scuba dive. I speak okay-ish Spanish. Despite leaving my heavy emo phase in my angsty teenage years where it belongs, I can still sing every My Chemical Romance song ever.

Normally, I can talk underwater. What is going on with me today?

I flick my gaze over to the fire burning brightly. Some of the tension instantly melts away. Don't know what it is, but staring into the flames always relaxes me. Some time passes before I hear, "You okay?"

I turn my head toward Harrick. "Yeah. I'm good. Sorry if I'm acting…flighty. I'm usually a lot better with words."

"No need to apologize," he says, his voice dropping into husky territory.

Our eyes meet again. A torrent of heat bursts in my chest. I'm struggling with words, so maybe I should switch to something that doesn't involve talking?

I lick my lips and reach my hand out. As if he knows exactly what I'm wanting to do, Harrick mirrors the movement, lifting his arm closer to me.

My fingertips graze his forearm, skimming the smooth skin on the underside, then finding a vein and tracing over it.

His dark eyes fall to my lips.

I shuffle closer to him.

He doesn't move.

I move a little more. Then some more.

By my third shuffle, the sides of our legs are touching.

I look up at him. "You gonna make me doallthe work?"

"No." His eyes go soft. "Only wanted to make sure you feel safe and comfortable and that this is really what you want."

"This is really what I want," I whisper.

"You sure?"

My breath trembles as I stare into his dark eyes. "I am."

"Because I have to tell you, that once I start fucking you, Eddie,I'llbe the one doing all the work. I'll be the one making sure you feel better than you've ever felt before. Is that what you want?"

Fuck to the yes yes yes!"It is."

Harrick smirks, and in one swift move, his lips are on mine. I close my eyes as he wraps an arm around my waist and tugs me even closer to him. My hands land on his round shoulders, and I let out a small gasp at how solid they are.

He eases his tongue into my mouth, the tips of our noses touching gently. I can smell his shower wash on him.

And on me.

Our mouths merge, and the kiss deepens.

My cock aches in my pants, swelling with desire as I slide my hands up Harrick's neck until I finally reach the holy grail—his sexy-as-fuck beard. It's softer than it looks, and my fingers melt right into it.

Harrick growls in approval as I stroke his beard, taking me more forcefully with his mouth. He knows how to kiss. In fact, he almost kisses as well as—

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