Page 26 of Mountain Rancher

“It’s like I told you last night, baby. You’re mine.” Hunter’s amber eyes are intense. “And I’m yours. Everything else is just details.”

His confidence steadies me. This is the man who runs ten thousand acres with unwavering authority, who makes decisions without second-guessing himself, who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to claim it.

And somehow, what he wants is me.

“You’re right.” My shoulders relax slightly. “I’m overthinking this.”

Hunter’s smile is triumphant as he rises from the bed, completely unself-conscious in his nudity.

The sight momentarily distracts me.

The defined planes of his torso, the trail of dark hair that disappears beneath the sheet, the small scar near his collarbone I kissed last night. I force myself to look away because one lingering glance could lead us right back where we started.

He crosses to where I stand frozen and takes his shirt from my hands and tosses it aside.

“Let me help you find your clothes.” He slides his hand around my waist and murmurs into my ear. “Though I much prefer you without them.”

I laugh despite myself and shove playfully at his chest.

“Focus, Thomas. We have twenty minutes to get to the main house.”

We scramble for our clothes, and the urgency creates a frantic energy. Yet we can’t seem to stop touching each other. His fingers brush mine as he passes me my bra, my hand rests briefly on his back as I move past him, we steal kisses between buttons and zippers.

Once dressed, I assess my appearance in the mirror hanging on his closet door.

Instantly, I feel my face burn.

My hair is a wild tangle, and my lips are swollen. There’s a bite mark on my neck that will be impossible to hide, and my clothes are hopelessly wrinkled.

Hunter appears behind me in the mirror.

“Almost ready to go, gorgeous?”

“Yeah, almost.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I look like I just spent the night having wild sex with the ranch manager.”

Hunter’s grin widens. “Is that a problem?”

I bite my lip.

“Not a problem, exactly. Just different.”

“That’s because you did. We’re not about to apologize for it. I’m not hiding what I feel for you. Not from your brothers, not from anyone. Nowlet’s go face your family together. As a couple.”

The word sends a thrill through me. A couple. It has a ring to it that makes my heart skip.

“Okay.” I take a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

The drive to the main house passes too quickly, and my anxiety returns with each mile. Hunter reaches across the console to take my hand, stroking reassuring circles against my skin with his thumb.

“It’s going to be fine,” he promises as we pull up in front of the main house. “Trust me.”

I nod and summon my courage as we approach the front door. To my surprise, Hunter doesn’t let go of my hand as we enter. If anything, his grip tightens, a clear statement to anyone who sees us.

We follow the sound of voices and laughter to the kitchen, where the unmistakable aroma of Melody’s famous cinnamon rolls fills the air. My heart pounds against my ribs as we step through the doorway, hand in hand.

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