Page 18 of Auctioned to the Mountain Man

Once I slide in beside her and pull her to my chest, I discover how well she fits against my body. Swallowing, my throat feels tight.

This is love. I know it is. However, it’s also new, and I’m not accustomed to new things. Not used to the way my chest aches when she nuzzles into me, not used to the fear that she’ll up and leave my life altogether.

Her breath evens out against my skin, and she’s out like a light.

I hold her tighter and sigh into her hair. Pressing my lips against the crown of her head, I keep my confession to myself, choosing to save it for a better time. I’ve really worn her out.

She’s not used to this either, surely never having had a man between her legs. The revelation is one that’ll go to my head every single time I think about it.

Whatever it takes, I won’t let another man near her.

* * *

It’s not the morning sun that wakes me up—it’s her.

The slow stretch of her body against mine, the way her back arches just slightly as she rouses. My arm is locked around her waist, holding her in place, but she doesn’t fight it. Not even a little.

Instead, she presses closer, nuzzling into my chest like she’s determined to soak up every last bit of my warmth before the day steals her away.

Her wavy brown hair is a mess, strands clinging to her flushed cheeks, catching in the soft part of her lips. I reach up, brushing them away, and her eyes crack open—just enough for me to see the way the sunlight turns her usual deep brown into something golden, rich like honey.

She blinks up at me, slow, drowsy, and her lips curve in a sleep-soft smile.

“Morning,” she murmurs, voice rough in that way that sends heat straight through me.

I tighten my arm around her, sighing into her hair before breathing in deep. If I pretend I’m still asleep, we don’t have to separate. Not yet.

She laughs, the sound fueling the thumping of my heart. Settling in, her fingers tracing idle patterns over my ribs like she’s memorizing the shape of me.

Is she wondering if this is real? I’ve already asked myself twice, so I wouldn’t blame her.

Her fingers are still against my ribs when she sits up, the sheet pooling around her waist. Sunlight spills over her flushed cheeks, catching in the loose waves of her hair as she looks down at me.

“It’s Sunday,” she says, like it’s some kind of revelation.

I know what day it is. I’ve reminded myself ten times over.

“Just for today, let’s not work. Let’s take today off,” she pleads, her thumbs brushing over my skin. “Just one day. We can swim in the lake. Or fish. Or just lie in the sun and do nothing. I seriously want to relax and do nothing.”

Her smile is all sweetness, all warmth, but something in my chest twists.

“And then what?” I ask, voice rougher than I mean it to be.

Her brow furrows. “What do you mean?”

“After—” I sit up, forcing her back just enough to meet her eyes. “—you’ve relaxed. What happens then?”

The auction is over. Her debt’s paid. She doesn’t owe me a damn thing anymore—not her time, not her body, not the return of my love.

So what the hell happens now? I need to know. I can’t let her leave my bed until I have my answer.

Lily stares at me, lips parted. For a second, she doesn’t move. Then she blinks, slow, like she’s turning my words over in her head.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she finally says, voice small. “Or, am I assuming after everything that happened last night? Maybe this… isn’t something you want to continue. You don’t really seem like the kind of guy who would fool around.”

My brows slam down.What?

She laughs then—a quiet, nervous sound that shouldn’t hit me as hard as it does. But it does. It punches through me, sharp and bright, and suddenly my heart is hammering against my ribs like it’s trying to break free.

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