Page 29 of The Mountain Man's Curvy Surprisem
“Not me.”
“The emails?”
“Not me.”
“Then, what part of this is you?”
“The love part,” he says so quietly I second-guess my ears.
“What did you say?”
“The love part,” he repeats louder, leaning forward to kiss my cheek and nuzzle against my neck.
“But—”
“I learned all about you from your correspondence with Mack. He kept a detailed notebook of everything. And I looked you up on Mountain Mates, falling for you in the process. But nothing prepared me for the first time I saw you standing on my porch, the golden light of late afternoon making you radiant. Never in my entire existence have I seen anyone so breathtaking.”
I say quietly, “That was beautiful. Are you sure you didn’t help with any of those letters?”
Mateo shakes his head firmly. “I didn’t know about any of it or you until after Mack left, and I started cleaning up after him and looking through the notebook. I still have it, if you want more proof?”
“I do,” I say firmly, my stomach knotting. “So, you broke up with all eleven women. But what happened with me?” I stroke his forearm gently, careful not to disturb his bandaged hand.
“I couldn’t do it,” he says gruffly. “From the moment I saw your photos, I was smitten. All I could think about was how not to hurt you. An impossibility under the circumstances. And once I saw your profile on Mountain Mates? It literally killed me because you were perfect for me, Calliope. Youareperfect for me, if Mack hadn’t complicated everything. All of this makeswhat happened at the lake so much fucking worse. Because I’d rather cut off my own arm than hurt you.”
“Or shatter your hand on a boulder.” I frown.
He nods roughly, breathing against my neck.
“You’re not like that all the time, are you? Because I don’t want to be around a violent man or one who has trouble controlling his temper.”
“When I used to drink, I was a bit of a hellraiser. But I’m committed to sobriety, Calliope. Have been for the last eighteen months, and I plan on keeping it that way no matter what.”
“Tell me about what you were like on alcohol. Did you ever get in fights? Or hit anybody?”
“Fights, yes, but not because I was drunk. I’m a Ranger who still works undercover. So, fights come with the territory.”
I shiver in his arms.
“What’s wrong?” Mateo asks.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“It’s a part of who I am and what I do, Calliope. There’s no way around it. But I’m a skilled warrior, part of an amazing team of guys who never let each other down. So, you have nothing to worry about.”
I squeeze his good hand.
“And just so you know, I’ve never laid a hand on a woman. I would kill any man who did.”
I shiver again, and he pulls me close, showering my cheek in kisses. “Am I scaring you?”
“No, I don’t like thinking about you in danger.”
“You care about me, then,” he says darkly.
“Of course.”
“Despite everything?”
