Page 12 of Rescued By the Lumberjack

Reaching for her, her lips part into a perfectoas I lift her up, setting her right on the counter.

“Grayson!” Gasping my name, she stares at me with wide eyes. With her lip caught between her teeth, I’m tempted to lean in and catch it between my own.

Breakfast be damned, I need to know what she tastes like.

“Well?” Lifting a brow, one of my hands cup her knee. Giving it one squeeze, I drag my finger down her leg before I cup her ankle. What little swelling I spotted yesterday is now gone. My thumb brushes the vein dancing around her joint and her toes curl.

She shrugs her shoulders, her cheeks so pretty and pink.Fuck.

Reaching to grab her other one, I squeeze them both before watching a shiver roll up her spine. Her entire body curls, and hearing her little sigh turns my semi-erection into a full-on one.

Stepping forward, I guide her ankles to cross at my back. While I might not have been active with women for a good while, if I’ve misunderstood any of this, I’ve given her the perfect opportunity to let me know once I’ve released her.

Her ankles remain hooked. Hell, she’s tugging me closer to the counter, causing my poor cock to dig into the wood.

“I didn’t want you to kick me out,” she admits through a whisper. Her brows come together, and I can see the nerves written all over her face.

“Piper, I couldn’t ask you to leave, even if the mountain had an evacuation warning.” I shake my head at the very thought. Hell, do I tell her how I really feel? What if I go scaring her off?

Women typically run when a man tells them they want to keep them locked away in their home. Fuck, evenIcan see how bad that is.

I’d take care of her. All this time, I’ve lived up here without much help. I wouldn’t hurt her like her previous relationship. We’d survive up here on our own, and I’d have everything a man in my position could ask for.

I don’t realize she’s moving to cup my face until her fingers are tickling my skin. Just like the rest of her, she’s so warm. I can’t help but to lean against her touch.

“You mean that?” Her lips curve and I’m blinded by that smile. “You’d let me stay?”

“For as long as you want,” I rasp with a nod. “Not just anyone. Just you.”

Reaching for her, my hands cup the outside of her thighs. Giving her legs a squeeze, I brush the hem of my shirt she’s wearing. Pushing it high toward her hips, I squeeze those next.

“Don’t know what it is, but you’ve flipped everything upside down.” Confessing the truth, I groan in the back of my throat. “Tell me your demands, and I’ll make them happen.”

She looks around, definitely thinking about it. Hell, even if she considers having me, I’ll feel like the luckiest man on this mountain.

After a few seconds, she runs her tongue along her lip, teasing me. Thankfully, her words knock me back into place.

“Would you like to leave the mountain from time to time?” she asks, her voice shaky. It’s a big ask, we both know it. She watches me carefully, giving me plenty of time to soak in her question and try to find an answer.

Even if I’m sure Piper is the one I’ve been waiting my whole life for, am I willing to do something that I’ve sworn off?

“If I see you skin a rabbit, I’ll cry,” she continues when my brows come together. “We have to go grocery shopping. You can’t rely on your sister forever.”

“I’m not right,” I tell her softly. “I don’t do well around people. They look at me, and it’s like they know…” I get choked up on my words.

Being a combat medic, despite my best efforts, I’ve lost men I called friends. Not being able to save them all, the pile of names really grows on a man. Eats up at their conscience until they can’t even be around society without feeling like a monster. Can’t even look at their reflection without feeling sick.

Piper doesn’t look at me like I’m a monster. When she looks at me, there’s only warmth radiating off of her. When I look back, all I see is the nature that keeps me calm. If I’m looking into her eyes, I won’t have time to think about anything that happened in the past.

“If you stay by my side… I’ll try,” I promise her softly.

Her fingers leave my cheeks tingling, and, despite being so much smaller, she easily tugs me toward her mouth.

Any panic I feel at the mystery of the future melts away as our mouths meet in a hot slide. Once she lets me in, I’m tasting the strawberry syrup like I’ve licked it straight from the spoon instead.

Hunger prickles at my senses, and just like that, I’m unable to think once more.

I need to get this shirt off of her. I’ve got to get my lips everywhere else to discover if she’s just as sweet elsewhere. I don’t expect the taste of strawberries, but I’m willing to bet whatever flavor her pussy is will become my favorite.

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