Page 4 of Protected By the Mountain Man

“I don’t know, honestly. She was my first rescue and she seemed so young, and honestly, I never thought I would see her again after I heard her parents weren’t rebuilding. But I guess fate had other plans,” I say.

“Well, you better get her this time. I’ve never seen you so smitten, and we’ve been friends for years,” Ethan says. “Now get back out there before she leaves without you.” He slaps me on the back as I squeeze past him and head back to the front.

I step back into the bar area and see Luna chatting with customers, but the look she throws me tells me something is wrong. I look to where Ava was sitting and see some guy saddled right up next to her, arm balanced over the back of her chair. She clearly looks uncomfortable, and I’m in no mood to have her feeling anything but fucking delighted while she’s in my brewery.

I stomp over, seeing read as the fucker next to her turns to me, slicked back hair and red-rimmed eyes meet me. He’s wearing a button-down shirt with a quarter zip sweater over it, very clearly a guy from the finance retreat in town this week. I’ve had enough of them, their drunken antics, and their shitty tips.

“Move,” I say.

“Whose gonna make me?” the slimeball says, slurring his words. God, this guy is pathetic.

“The owner of this fucking place,” I growl, tossing his arm off the back of Ava’s chair and taking my place beside her. She looks at me with thanks in her eyes, clearly glad to have someone get this loser off her back.

“Jesus, man. She’s a free woman. Isn’t that right, Anna?”

“It’s Ava, you piece of shit. Get the fuck out of my bar. Better yet, get the fuck out of my town. People like you are the reason tourists get a bad rap.” I reach forward and pull his chair back. He finally gets the hint and stands, wobbling off while muttering something about being too rich to get treated like this. Good fucking riddance.

I promptly take his seat and pull Ava’s chair closer to mine. No use beating around the bush.

She laughs as I pull her in, turning the chair so her legs are wedged between mine and it feels so perfect, so natural, that I know she was meant to be in here tonight.

“That guy was a fucking moron,” I say.

“He was telling me about how I should invest in a boat,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Thanks for saving me… again.”

“I’ll always save you, honey.” I wink at her before flagging down Luna to pass us a few drinks. I want to get to know everything I can about this woman because I have a feeling she’s going to be mine.

Chapter Three

Ava

I’ve never had anyone show romantic interest in me… like ever. So Scott’s clear attraction to me is throwing me off and I’m not sure how to act around him. The way he saved me from the boat guy sent butterflies to my core and all I know is that I want to keep feeling that way, keep being around him.

Luna drops the drinks in front of us with a knowing smile before giving us our space. Scott has placed a hand on my thigh, my legs still resting between his. This kind of intimacy is new to me, and I think it should feel strange, but it just feels right.

“Tell me about your studies,” Scott says, taking a sip of his beer.

I launch into my research the plants I’m hoping to find, how I hope to be able to findsomethingto stimulate growth efforts around the area. He asks thoughtful questions, only ever breaking eye contact when a regular approaches him. Each time, he waves them off and tells them he is in the middle of a conversation and will talk to them another time. It can’t be a great business practice, but it makes me feel like the most special girl in the world.

Before I know it, the brewery has largely cleared out and my head is feeling a bit fuzzy from the three ciders I had tonight.

“Scotty, we’re heading out,” Ethan shouts, arm wrapped around Luna. “You good to lock up?”

“I’ve got it,” Scott replies, not even turning to look back at Ethan. Ethan just grins at me before turning and heading out.

“Can I drive you home?” Scott asks, brown eyes warming.

“I- I drove here, actually,” I say, stupidly. I want him to take me home, but my nerves are getting the best of me.

“That’s okay,” he says, rising and grabbing my hand. “We can get your car tomorrow, honey. Promise,” he pulls me out of my chair and pulls me to him.

“This okay?” he asks, reaching up and brushing my hair from my face, the brown waves falling behind my shoulders with his touch. I nod, at a complete loss for words. He bends, lowering his mouth to mine and the first touch of his lips makes me feel like I’ve been shocked. It’s the spark I’ve been saving myself, that instantknowingI always hoped I would find.

I open my mouth to his, letting out a soft moan as I taste his tongue. I can feel him smile against me and I instinctively return it before we break apart.

“Wow,” I say.

“Yeah. Wow,” Scott says, pulling me towards him once again. I feel the overwhelming need to be honest with him in this moment, feeling like I owe it to him before we go any further.

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