Page 31 of My Wild Mountain Man

“Really? You?”

“Yeah.” I laughed softly. “Life’s been busy. Umm––“

“Excuse me,” someone said behind me, and I moved to the side. Bash followed me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I came to pick up a surprise for my pretty girl.” He lifted a bag between us.

“A surprise for me?” I guessed, and he nodded. He handed me the bag.

“It’s a blind date.”

“A blind––“

“With a book,” he cleared up. “They had a bunch of books wrapped up under a sign that saidBlind Date with a Book, and I figured you might like it. I just hope you haven’t read it yet.” I opened the bag and smiled at the beautifully wrapped book with a pocket filled with stickers and little sticky notes and a cute pink pen that saidin my reading erain gold.

“Steamy mountain man romance,” I read and grinned up at him.

“Maybe I was trying to stack the odds in my favor,” he muttered. His eyes dropped to my mouth and then behind me as he looked around. Before I could ask what it was, he took my hand and pulled me into the alley between the buildings. The sun had started to slowly set, and in that alley alone and together, his body blocked me from anyone walking on Main Street.

“Hi,” he breathed. His hand moved to caress the side of my face. I leaned into his tender touch. It surprised me that someone his size with his strength could be so gentle.

“Hi,” I repeated like some kind of nervous parrot, but I couldn’t help it. My face hurt from the smile I had on my face as I stared up at him, fighting the need to let my eyes flutter shut.

I’d just told Olive I was going to be smart. This was anything but smart. His sweet, soft touches were messing with my head,giving my heart permission to hope for more. And damn if I was going to stop myself.

I was in love with him.

No one else would do for me. This weekend would be what would sustain me for the rest of my days if he decided once was enough.

“Raven.” The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine, making my skin break out in goose bumps. “Why can’t I stop thinking about you?” he asked roughly, almost like he was talking to himself. “Jesus, you’re so fucking beautiful.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” I whispered, resting my hand in the center of his chest. It felt like we were in the middle of a hurricane, something otherworldly pulling us closer, drawing us together like two magnets who couldn’t resist one another. I rose on the tips of my toes just as he dropped down, and our lips touched. I’d thought his kiss would match his touch.

But it didn’t, not even close.

It was like throwing gasoline on a fire. We burned hot and bright. Wild and free. I didn’t think. I didn’t know my name. All I could do was hold on and let him take the lead as his togue plundered my mouth, mimicking what my body ached for. When his scruffy cheeks scraped against my jaw, moving down my neck, making my hands move to the back of his hair, my fingers dug into the back of his skull.

“That feels so good,” I whimpered a little too loudly and loved the heated way his chuckle made me feel.

“This is nothing. You have no idea how good I am going to make you feel, pretty girl.”

“Bash,” I moaned his name, and he nipped at me. His teeth scraped against my neck.

The world felt like it was upside down, inside out, but the one thing that made sense was his lips on my skin and my body in his arms. “Jesus,” he rumbled. The vibrations against my flesh mademy knees buckle. Not that I had to worry with the way he was holding me up. He pulled away and held me, making sure I felt exactly just how much he’d enjoyed that stolen kiss.

“Fuck, baby girl.”

“Bash.”

“I don’t want to leave you right now, but I’m closing the bar tonight.”

“Oh,” I mumbled, my lips parted, still tingling from his mouth on mine. I didn’t want him to leave, either, but for some reason, I kept it to myself. I didn’t want him to think I was some kind of clingy virgin. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.” His nose flared. “My house,” he rasped, and I shrugged. I had no idea why I was playing hard to get by not giving him a clear answer.

“We’ll see.”

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