Page 21 of Saved By The Mountain Man

“You wished to sleep in my bed?”

She smacked my chest, but she grinned.

“I wished to have you, Hugh. All of you. All of us. And it might have taken some time, but it finally happened. I have no wish to leave, no wish to want anyone else. Just you. Always has been you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. Hell, I didn’t know what to think of that.

I mean, sure, I’ve wanted her for ages, thought I hid that thought too.

And I would always say that my biggest regret was that I didn’t try something sooner. Would it have been worth it? Of course. But at the same time, I’m also not sure what that would have done to Brandi.

I believed everything happens the way it does for a reason.

Three years ago, she might not have been able to stand up to her dad, to be strong enough to say no more. But now she was. Now she was willing to fight for us.

“You think I’m crazy?”

“No, not at all. I’m just thinking about the past. About things that I might have done or might not have. Things I might have said. Ways I might have acted.”

“You know, I was running on impulse years ago with that kiss, and I don’t regret it, but I don’t think we were ready. Life in the gang isn’t easy. And I feel there would have been a target on your back.”

I frowned at that, wondering why that was. Sure, guys were jealous of my closeness with her dad, but that didn’t mean crap. I mean, look at the way things turned out. I still got screwed over.

“Why? What would have been so different?” I asked her.

“You might not have caught wind of it, but I would hear guys go and talk to my dad every time I showed up. They wanted to marry me, biker fashion. I didn’t think I was any prize, and my dad always shot them down, but had I picked you, stayed with you, they would have gone after you, no doubt about it.

“And not that I was worried you couldn’t hold your own, because that’s not the case, but in an outnumbered fight, they would have taken you down. And I don’t think my dad would have protected me after choosing you. So, I would have been left to those wolves.”

“You know, Brandi, it’s amazing to me how you came out of that so strong and brave.”

She laughed and I loved the way that sounded. In fact, it probably moved to the top of the list of my favorite things coming from her. That and her moan. They were noises I vowed to always hear, night and day, if she let me.

“You make it sound as if I had a choice here. Not with my dad. My dad wanted what I could do for him, the image I gave him, nothing more. He liked having power over me, liked being able to control me, liked how the ladies flocked to him because they thought he did such a good job with his daughter.

“But my dad, he didn’t care. I had to learn to fend for myself or I would be dealing with jerks that were bigger and meaner than you.”

I ran my hand over her arm and nodded. But I hated that she was right, and she was forced to have grown up a certain way because her dad was a big kid himself.

“How often do you fall asleep counting the stars?” she whispered, and I followed her train of sight. The night sky was gorgeous and so amazingly clear.

I even had a telescope that I kept locked away, only pulling it out at certain times. Being one with nature, no matter the timeof year, did something to my soul. It refreshed me, and I never thought it was possible.

“A lot, actually. That’s why I have the windows this way. And the skylights. I love watching the sky and love watching nature. I can’t have pets because there’s far too much wildlife up here and damage could be done, but I’m fine with just me.”

“Still just you?” she teased, and I grabbed her side.

“No. Now that everything is in the open, I want you. I don’t know how else to express it.”

She shifted, pressing her body more against mine, a wicked grin on her face.

“You could show my body again, maybe then my brain will register the facts.”

My eyes narrowed at her playful nature, but I wasn’t about to argue. If I had to spend a lifetime showing her the truth behind my words, I would. And I would enjoy every moment of it too.

I rolled her on top of me, her beautiful face with the backdrop of the night sky and I was lost to her. My heart was forever hers.

***** Vixen *****

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