Page 17 of Her Mountain Rescuer

But I also don’t want to be Beau’s secret forever. Especially given that we plan to have a future together. Eventually, everyone will know, and everyone includes my dad.

My dad, who’s hosting a dinner party tonight with his pregnant wife, Kaylee. There are several people here, including me and Beau. We made sure to arrive separately and have kept our distance. I can still feel his presence in the house though. It’s like I’m magnetized to him, always aware of him.

I carry a salad bowl from the kitchen and into the dining room, setting it on the large mahogany table already laden with food. Dad and Kaylee—who’s actually a whole year younger than me—have gone all out tonight. There’s roast beef in the oven, and dishes containing mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, sauteed green beans, and macaroni and cheese are already on the table. There’s even homemade bread. Kaylee shoots me a grateful smile, fussing over napkins and cutlery as I set the salad bowl down.

“How’s your ankle, honey?” asks my dad. We chatted briefly when I first arrived, but he’d gotten distracted with the arrival of other guests. I’d told him about my disastrous hike and how I’d twisted my ankle and gotten caught in the storm. He knows that Beau came to my rescue. He doesn’t know that Beau took my virginity that night and claimed my womb for all his future babies.

Gah. Why is that so hot?

“It’s better,” I say, glancing down at it. “It was a minor twist and it healed in a few days.” Beau made sure to check on myankle every single day, massaging it gently and distracting me from any pain with orgasms. Honestly, if I’m walking funny it’s because my big dicked boyfriend fucked me senseless last night, not because of any lingering pain in my ankle.

“Good. I’m so glad you radioed for help and that Beau was able to come get you. I owe him one,” he says just as Kaylee hurries by to add some tea lights to the table. Dad snags her arm and pulls her against him, his hand cradling her baby bump.

Seeing them together makes me wonder if I’m not giving dad enough credit. After all, he’s married to a woman twenty-five years younger than him and they’re having a baby. I’m finally going to be big sister at the ripe old age of twenty-two. He’s in a huge age gap relationship. Maybe he’ll be cool about me and Beau.

Maybe. Or maybe he’ll see it differently because Beau’s his friend and he’s been in my life since I was a baby. He might see it as a betrayal, on both our parts.

I don’t know. Which is why we haven’t told him yet.

“Just relax, babe,” Dad says, smoothing his hand over Kaylee’s hard, round stomach. “Everything looks amazing.”

She lays her hand over top of his on her belly and beams at him. “Thanks. I just want everything to be amazing.” She glances over at me, something glinting in her eyes. “Speaking of amazing, you’re looking happier than I’ve seen you in a long time. You’ve got a glow. Any particular reason for that?” she asks, grinning.

Heat creeps up my neck and I’m suddenly fascinated by the flowers on the table. Are those dahlias? Maybe I should look it up. Yes. I will definitely get my phone to reverse image search the flowers. “Um, no? No reason for a glow. Lots of hiking, I guess.” If by hiking, you mean orgasms.

“Oh, come on,” she laughs, her tone teasing. “You’re always busy, and you look…well, you look radiant. So, what’s his name?”

My eyes flick to Beau of their own volition, who’s leaning against the wall near the fireplace talking to a few mutual friends of his and Dad’s. Thatcher, Brooks, and Ford all live in Honey Ridge, like Beau, and all have that rugged mountain man appeal. But none of them do it for me—only Beau. As if he can feel my eyes on him, my man looks over at me, and I can feel the heat in his gaze from here. Goosebumps dance up my arms, and I have to force myself to look away.

“There’s no guy,” I say lightly. “Just keeping busy with things I enjoy.” Those things being Beau’s massive cock, namely.

Kaylee scoffs. “Uh huh. Sure.” Dad kisses the top of Kaylee’s head and moves toward the bar to make someone a drink. “If you say so.”

I bite my lip and look over at Beau again. His eyes are on me from across the room, and they’re dark, his jaw tense. God, he’s so hot. The way his dark green sweater clings to his broad frame, highlighting the width of his shoulders, the flat plane of his stomach. His sleeves are rolled up, exposing his tattooed, muscled forearms. His strong fingers are wrapped around a drink, and I watch his throat as he takes a sip. I’m already wet thinking about being alone with him later. His hands on me, his deep voice in my ear as he says filthy things…My clit throbs and I shift my weight.

“I’ll…um. I’m just not ready to share yet,” I say. I don’t want to outrightlieto my family. I’m just not ready to tell them the whole truth.

Kaylee’s eyes light up. “So thereissomeone!” She looks around the room, surveying the guests. “Is he here?”

“Um…”

“Is it Thatcher? He’s got that broody, lone wolf thing going on. Or maybe Brooks? You did say you had a thing for an older man.”

“Not ready to share,” I repeat, keeping my tone light.

“Fair enough,” says Kaylee. “But I hope you’re ready soon, because I’m dying of curiosity.” She frowns at the table and then returns to the kitchen. I glance around the room, feeling restless and antsy. I can feel Beau’s eyes on me still, that magnetic pull between us making the air feel heavy and charged. I need a drink. Something to take the edge off before I burst into flames under my boyfriend’s gaze.

Beau Cameron is my boyfriend. That sentence makes me want to do a happy dance every single time I think it.

I head toward the makeshift bar Dad’s set up in the spacious living room, brushing past Beau as I go. I let my fingers trail over his lower back as I pass him, the contact subtle but electric. I feel him stiffen, the muscles in his back flexing under my featherlight touch. He doesn’t look at me, which makes his reaction even more delicious.

I keep going, glancing back at him over my shoulder and our eyes meet. The look on his face is thinly veiled lust, and I can tell he’s fighting down the urge to go feral and toss me over his shoulder. He won’t, but it’s there. I can see it all over his face.

My pussy clenches, and I bite my lip to hold back a whimper. He’s going to make me pay for teasing him like this. And that’s exactly what I want. I want him to remind me who I belong to.

My clit is throbbing and my legs feel wobbly when I reach the bar and pour myself a glass of wine. I take a long sip, trying to cool off. My pulse is racing, whooshing in my ears. My skin is prickling, and I can still feel Beau’s eyes on me.

My panties are wet. Already.

---