Page 12 of Destined for the Mountain Man

My face burns, but I walk closer to him and fit myself between his arms. I stroke over his biceps and bite my bottom lip. “Like this.”

“Just like that, but I don’t think it’s safe to chop wood while distracted.”

“Guess you have to trust me with the axe,” I tease as I pry it from his hands. He groans, puts his hands on mine and guides me through the motions.

I don’t manage to split a full log on one swing, but after three, it shatters and I bounce with excitement.

Grant’s breath tickles my ear as he chuckles. “Having a good day, Charlotte?”

“The best,” I agree.

We carry the logs inside and I get on my hands and knees to start the fire. I do it properly this time, lighting some newspaper and tossing it in when Grant gives me a wolf whistle. I gasp and look back at him.

He smirks. “Appreciation, right?”

I laugh and nod. We settle in for a movie, which has become our routine, but Grant pauses it before it can start and looks at me. I’ve already fit myself against his side, my thigh against his. He stares at me for a long moment and shakes his head.

“You’re actually here,” he murmurs as his fingertips gently trace my jaw.

I melt into his touch. “Yeah.”

“And you’re so much better than I dared hope for. How are you this good on paper and in real life, Charlotte?”

I swallow. “I um ... I don’t know. I don’t think I’m that great.”

“Seeing you so excited, so determined to learn and be better ... it makes me insane, do you realize that? You’re gorgeous, sure, but you’re somehow gentle and determined all at once, so patient and ambitious. I just want to keep seeing you succeed at everything you try.”

My throat tightens. How can a man like this, a man that my parents would have written off in at least ten ways be so ... good for me? I put my hand over his and turn to kiss his palm. “I like being here. I feel ... free here. Being with you makes me feel happier and freer than I’ve ever felt, Grant.”

He turns my cheek and kisses me softly. He starts to draw back, but I lean towards him, kissing him again. He groans and cups the back of my neck, teasing the sensitive hairs there as heguides me closer. I part my lips against his, trying to tell him that I want more.

I stroke over his chest, fisting his shirt in my hand as I climb onto his lap. Grant growls against my mouth and nibbles my bottom lip. He draws back. “We don’t have to do anything. We can just kiss. Ignore my body’s reaction to-”

“I don’t want to stop,” I say softly, kissing him again and tugging on his belt as I watch something carnal bloom in his eyes. “I wantyou, Grant. Every way I can have you.”

I expect him to say ‘finally’ or just go for it, but he cups my face. “Are you sure?”

Nodding, I mold my mouth to his again. “I’ve never been more turned on by anyone in my life. Never wanted anyone more than I want you.”

“I’ll be gentle,” he promises as I kiss down his throat. He takes a sharp breath. “And you can tell me no if it gets to be too much.”

“Okay,” I whisper. “I trust you.”

He lifts me up, his arm sliding under my ass. He kisses me again and again as he takes me upstairs. I laugh as he lays me across his bed. “The couch is not good enough?”

“You are going to be comfortable. That means not worried about falling off the couch,” he says as he kneels on the bed between my legs.

I take a breath and take off my sweater. My hand tips to my jeans, but Grant catches my wrist. “Let me do that. No rush.”

“But ... we have to be naked to start, right?” I ask.

He kisses me slowly, drawing out every curl of his tongue as his hand moves up my arm, then spreads over my breast, cupping and massaging until he focuses on my nipple. I arch into his hand and suck his tongue.

Grant grinds against me, then kisses along my throat. “I’m going to make you feel good, Charlotte. That’s the whole point. Every moan that leaves your throat is a reward.”

“Grant,” I whimper as he uses his teeth to drag my bra strap down my shoulder.

“So we’re going to be gentle and slow so I can learn everything that you like. So I can make sure you’re perfectly wet for me. So you know you’re mine,” his voice slips into a growl as he licks over my cleavage.

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