Page 40 of Knocked up By the Mountain Man

I force a smile, nodding. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... a lot on my mind.”

He studies me, concern etched on his features. “You know you can talk to me, right? About anything.”

The sincerity in his voice makes my heart clench. I want to tell him everything, to let him in, but the fear is too great. I can’t risk it. Not now. Not ever.

“I know,” I whisper, avoiding his gaze. “It’s just... complicated.”

As we lie there, the barn silent around us, I make a promise to myself. I can’t let this go any further. I have to keep mydistance and protect us both from the truth that could tear us apart. It’s the only way to keep him safe, and the only way to protect my heart from breaking all over again.

But as I close my eyes, feeling his heart beating against mine, I wonder how long I can keep up this charade. How long before my secrets catch up with me? How long until everything I’ve tried to protect comes crashing down?

For now, I’ll let myself be held in his arms. But deep down, I know the clock is ticking.

And when the truth finally comes out, it will change everything.

18

BEAU

Idon’t knowwhatis happening at the moment.

It’s been a few weeks now, and me and Clara have been sneaking off for stolen moments alone at every opportunity, but nothing feels solid. It was bad enough having nothing solid when we were teenagers, but now…

Now it feels unbearable.

I just want to be with her all the damn time. Openly. But we still have things keeping us apart.

I hear her laughter before I see her.

Her gorgeous, lilting laughter which makes my heart skip a beat whenever I hear it. The only problem is that it’s not me making her laugh like that… it’s someone else. I have a feeling it’s Carl. I’m starting to think he has a massive crush on Clara, which brings out my jealous streak.

“Hey, everyone.”

I force a smile on my face so no one can see how irritated I am. Logically I know there’s no reason to feel this way. Clara is simply talking to Carl, explaining something to him, and he’s listening intently to her like she’s the wisest person ever.

I suppose to him she is. The specialist vet, unlike anyone Carl has ever dealt with before, and of course she’s beautiful and captivating. It’s no wonder he’s in awe of her. I know she hasn’t said she would, but wouldn’t it be amazing if she came back to Silver Ridge full time?

Not just for me, but for everyone.

We need her positive energy and wonderful smile around here. Her skillset would just be an added bonus. The vet we have at the moment isn’t bad but he’s not nearly as dedicated and knowledgeable as Clara.

“Hey, boss.” Carl nods in my direction. “We’re just discussing a new feed schedule for the horses.”

“Oh, that’s great. Good to see them looking so healthy now after everything they’ve been through.” There’s a strange pause in the air, so I continue talking just to fill the silence a little bit, and also to put my new plan in action. “Actually, Clara, I wanted to talk to you about the vaccination report. Do you have a moment?”

She knows I’m making it up, the vaccination report isn’t something we need to talk about right now, but she nods anyway. Thank goodness. I’m not sure what I would have said if she’d asked follow up questions. She waves goodbye to Carl and follows me inside my office. My pulse races at the speed of light with the thrill of heading into the privacy of my office with Clara beside me once more.

As soon as we step inside, I wrap her in an embrace. My God, it feels good to have her in my arms. The door closes behind us as I tilt Clara’s face up to kiss her. She stiffens for a moment, clearly not expecting this to happen, but soon relaxes against me and starts kissing me back.

She pulls back slightly, just enough to look in my eyes. There’s a question there, but I don’t want to answer it. I can’t. Instead, I capture her lips again, my kisses growing more urgent,more demanding. Clara responds with a fervor that matches mine, her hands tangling in my hair, pulling me closer, as if she needs this as much as I do. The world outside my office fades away, leaving just the two of us and the undeniable chemistry crackling between us.

In one swift, fluid motion, Clara drops to her knees in front of me. Her eyes never leaving mine, a silent communication passes between us. My breath catches in my throat, anticipation and desire swirling together in a potent mix.

“Clara…” I start, but she silences me with a look, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.

Her hands move to my belt, deftly undoing it, and I can’t help but shiver with anticipation. I rest a hand on her shoulder, both to steady myself and to feel the connection between us. Her fingers brush against my skin, sending shivers up my spine. I lean back against the desk, my pulse quickening, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

Her touch is feather light at first, teasing, as she runs her fingers along my length, making me groan with need. She looks up at me, her eyes dark with desire, before she leans in, her lips brushing against me in a whisper of a kiss.

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