Page 10 of Tracked By the Mountain Man
She shatters with a scream that I muffle with my mouth, her orgasm so intense that her whole body convulses beneath me. The rhythmic contractions of her pussy around my shaft push me over the edge, and I come with a roar, pumping her full of my release.
In the aftermath, we lie tangled together, breathing hard. I should move, should clean us up, should at least try to process what just happened. Instead, I hold her closer and bury my face in her hair.
"Stay," she whispers against my chest. "Please don't leave tonight."
"I'm not going anywhere," I promise, and mean it completely.
five
Leah
Iwaketotheunfamiliar sensation of a warm, solid body pressed against my back. For a moment, disorientation clouds my thoughts, then Tyler's arm tightens around my waist, and yesterday comes flooding back. The cliff, the meadow, the drive to the B&B, and the night we spent together.
Sunlight streams through the French doors, painting golden rectangles across the hardwood floor. I can hear birds chirping in the garden below and the distant sounds of Darkmore waking up. Normal, peaceful sounds that make me feel more grounded than I have in years.
"Morning," Tyler's voice is rough with sleep, his breath warm against my neck.
"Morning." I turn in his arms to face him, taking in the way light highlights the strong line of his jaw, the gold flecks in his brown eyes. "Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in months." His hand comes up to brush a strand of hair from my face. "You?"
"Same." It's true. For the first time since Katie died, I slept without nightmares, without the crushing weight of guilt pressing down on my chest. "Thank you. For staying."
"Thank you for asking me to."
We lie there for a moment, just looking at each other, and I'm struck by how right this feels. Not rushed or desperate like last night, but settled. Like we've found something worth keeping.
"I have a proposition for you," Tyler says, propping himself up on one elbow.
"Oh?" I pull the sheet up to cover myself, suddenly aware of my nakedness in the morning light.
"Let me help you do Katie's Trail properly. The way you came here to do it." Tyler's expression grows serious. "With the right gear, the right route, and someone who knows these mountains."
The offer surprises me. After yesterday's disaster, I'd assumed he'd want to get me safely out of the wilderness and back home as quickly as possible.
"You'd really do that?"
"Leah, I've been carrying your sister's memory for five years. Her journal, her dreams about that summit, the plans she made for your trip together." His voice grows soft. "If helping you finish what you started helps us both find some peace, then yes. I'd be honored to guide you."
Tears prick my eyes. The thought of attempting the trail again terrifies me, but with Tyler beside me, it feels possible.
"What about your job? Don't you have Search and Rescue duties?"
"I've got vacation time saved up. And Jake owes me favors." Tyler reaches for his phone on the nightstand. "I can clear my schedule for the next few days if you're willing to extend your stay."
The practical part of my brain starts cataloging objections—my job, my responsibilities in Portland, the fact that I barely know this man despite the intimacy we've shared. But for once, I push those thoughts aside.
"Yes," I say simply. "I want to do this."
Tyler's smile is brilliant. "Then let's go get some breakfast and plan your proper mountain adventure."
An hour later, we're seated at the diner, which Tyler suggested for their strong coffee and quiet atmosphere. The place has a cozy, locals-only feel—worn vinyl booths and mismatched coffee mugs that speak of decades of serving the Darkmore community.
Tyler has spread Katie's trail route across our table, marking key points with his finger while I study the terrain with new eyes.
"Most people make is taking the creek path," he explains, accepting a refill from our server. "It's easier, safer, but it's not the trail Katie would have chosen."
I study the map, remembering my twin's appetite for challenge. "She would have gone straight up the ridge."
