Page 2 of Wanted Mountain Man

Chapter 2

April

Saying that I will do it and actuallydoing itturn out to be two different things. My Aunt was happy to have me come stay and I like the town she lives in, a small mountain town called Starfall Valley. Walking around I certainly find plenty of good looking mountain men. But now what?

I still don’t know what to say to them or how to flirt. I tried sitting in the park reading a book but nobody noticed me. I went to the bar and got talking to a ninety year old about the good old days. I said hello to a nice looking man. Batted my eyelashes as I asked him for directions. And then I watched as a beautiful woman jumped into his arms and they started kissing right in front of me.

After a week of roaming the main street of town, I have to admit that I am no better off here than back in the city. So it is time to pack up my little yellow car and head back home with my tail between my legs.

“My sweet, April. You don’t seem happy. You have always been such a good girl, you take care of yourself.” I give my Aunt a big hug. I just can’t bring myself to tell her that I came here to get laid and failed. And that my life is a mess and I can’t keep a job,don’t have anywhere to live and don’t know how to make things better.

It is those feelings that are overwhelming me as I sit at a fork in the road outside of town. If I turn left, that road takes me back down the mountain. Back to my same old life. But something tells me to go right. Right takes me the scenic route up to The Ridge. I’ve never gone that way and I’m desperate for something new. Anything other than being the stupid virgin who can’t keep a job, can’t get a man, can’t do anything right.

With a rush of excitement I make the turn. The path less traveled. Something different. The possibility of new adventures. In reality, it’s just a longer way home and with a pretty view, but I push those thoughts aside. I am April the explorer. Brave. Independent. A woman who makes a decision and goes for it. Not the timid, fat, failure from the past. This is the new and improved April. Air-con on high, blowing my curls around, radio up loud, I’m enjoying a sense of freedom.

That is when the car starts spluttering, coughing and lurching. I slow to a stop and cut the engine. I up my phone. No signal. Getting out of the car I hope that maybe it has just overheated and needs a bit of time to recover. I walk to the front, picking up a burnt smell from under the hood. I’ll pop the hood and let it cool down. My door clicker doesn’t work. Fuck, my phone and everything is in the car. What the heck do I do now?

Turning towards the distant roar of motorbikes I wait to hail someone down for a lift back into town. But before I can see them, there is a hand over my mouth and an armed wrappedaround my body picking me up off my feet and carrying me back off the road and into the forest.

My heart races. I kick and struggle and try to scream. It’s not until we are beyond the tree line that I’m put on my feet. Turning around, ready to hit and scream, I see a tall, handsome man. He still has a strong grip on my arm and his finger is up to his lips telling me to be quiet.

“Get down. Stay quiet.” He yanks me down and I turn to watch the road where six motorbikes have pulled up around my car. The men are all leather and denim clad, big, beefy types, lots of tattoos, big beards and an air of danger about them.

I glance at the man crouching by my side. He is tall, broad shoulders, athletic and strong. He has a three day beard, sharp edges to his face and he looks ready to pounce. Energy runs through him. Alert and aware. His large hand resting on my forearm now.

Looking back to my car I watch as the men set about breaking the window. I gasp in outrage as they start pulling out my purse, my luggage, searching through everything. I stand up but that arm is once again around my waist. His hand covers my mouth again. His urgent whisper in my ear.

“You donotwant to go up there. Your things can be replaced. Stay very still and do not make a sound.”

With panic making my heart race I lean back into the stranger as one of the bikers stops and scans the forest where we are hiding. We watch as he stands there. My heart stops as I swear he looks right at us. I squeak and lean back further into the man holding me. His grip on me tightens.

The biker moves away to say something to the other men.

The man holding me lets go, only to grab my hand. “Come with me if you want to live.”

He doesn’t wait for a response. Moving stealthily like a panther through the forest. I jog along beside him. Gasping for breath, crashing through the undergrowth, my heart beating so loud I’m sure everybody can hear it.

At one point he stops, pulling me down again as he scans the forest. I pick up the scent of his soap mixed with the smell of the forest. A warm, clean smell that I find comforting. When he looks down at me he has a kind smile that makes me feel warm and safe. “It’s alright sunshine, I’ll keep you safe. I’m one of the good guys.”

Chapter 3

Jack

I hate this assignment. I love the outdoors, enjoy a bit of camping and I like my job as a sheriff. But hiding up here in the hills just to observe the criminal element is driving me crazy. We know there is a problem up here. Criminals hiding out so close to our nice little town. But the problem is too big for the town sheriff department. My job is to get an idea of numbers, the different gangs operating up here and then report back.

But hanging out in a tiny cabin, alone, surrounded by danger is not my idea of a good time. It’s been a week already. A week of hiding out in the dirt, checking out abandoned cabins, following bad guys, eating the same crap every night. I miss my uniform. I miss the town and my perfectly ordered life. But the job comes first. I take my role as protector very seriously.

I was waiting for one of the motorcycle gangs to pass by when I saw the bright yellow car come round the corner. Music blaring. A cute little face surrounded by curls bobbing away behind the wheel. And then as it stuttered to a stop I found myself hoping the woman would get out of her car so I could catch a glimpse of her.

She’s a curvy thing. And then I found myself laughing at her little temper tantrum right there on the side of the road. Andthat’s when I heard the motorbikes and knew I had to get her out of there.

Wrapping my arm around her was just a bonus. Feeling her wiggle against me causing me to feel things I shouldn’t. And seeing her face up close took my breath away. She doesn’t belong out here. All wide eyed, innocent. She reminds me a bit of my younger sister. Someone to be protected.

“It’s alright sunshine, I’ll keep you safe. I’m one of the good guys.” Her smile makes me feel all warm and my heart skips a beat.

“You can call me Jack.”

“April.” Her voice is soft. Nervous but calm. I hate to think what would have happened if one of the gangs had found her. I know at that moment I will do whatever I need to do to protect her.

---