Page 76 of Bossy Mountain Daddies
"Those steaks smell amazing, Buck," I say, sipping the wine Ford poured for me.
Buck smiles, that warm, easy smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes. "This is the easiest meal in the world. Nothing to it."
"He's being modest," Griff says, coming to stand behind me, his arms wrapping around my shoulders. "He could have been a professional chef if he wanted."
"The restaurant world is too high-stress," Buck replies, flipping the steaks. "I cook because I enjoy it, not because I want to get screamed at by some asshole in a tall white hat."
Ford joins us, setting the table with careful precision. The domesticity of the scene strikes me—how easily we've transitioned from the intensity of our earlier activities to this comfortable, almost family-like dynamic.
Dinner is perfect—steaks cooked exactly to each person's preference, roasted vegetables with herbs, a risotto so creamy it makes me moan. We eat at the dining table overlooking the darkening mountains, the conversation flowing as easily as the wine.
After dinner, Ford suggests the hot tub. The night air is cool against my skin as I step onto the deck wearing just my bikini. The men join me, their bodies illuminated by the blue glow of the underwater lights as they sink into the steaming water.
I slide in between Griff and Ford, sighing as the hot water envelops me. Buck sits across from us, his long legs brushing against mine under the water.
"This might be the most perfect day I've ever had," I admit, leaning back against the edge of the tub.
"It's not over yet," Ford says, his hand finding my thigh beneath the bubbling water.
Griff's arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. Buck's eyes darken as he watches us. The desire that never fully dissipated begins to build again, a slow burn spreading through me.
As Ford's hand inches higher on my thigh and Griff's lips find my neck, I close my eyes, surrendering to the thought that thisnight is far from over—and I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for me.
Chapter 22
Skye
The truck's engine hums beneath us as we wind our way back down the mountain, the afternoon sun painting the forest in amber light. Buck is up front with Griff and Ford and I are in the back seat. Ford’s hand is casually on my thigh and occasionally he squeezes it. Griff's eyes occasionally find mine in the rearview mirror. I can't remember the last time I felt this good, this complete, this utterly satiated.
"So there we are," Buck continues, "standing in Principal Wilson's office with our clothes soaking wet and reeking of fish guts."
Ford groans beside me. "How have I never heard this story before?"
"Because it's deeply embarrassing," Buck laughs. "Vanna made me swear never to tell it again."
"Well, she's not here now," Griff responds, "and I need to hear how the hell you two ended up covered in fish guts."
Buck's eyes crinkle at the corners as he grins. "It was Vanna's idea to sneak into the high school pool after hours. Said we needed to practice for the swim meet, but really, she just wanted to use the diving board."
"That tracks," I say, imagining a teenage Vanna with the same determined glint in her eye that she has now.
"What we didn't know," Buck continues, "was that the fishing club had been cleaning their catch in the maintenance room sink that afternoon. They'd left all the guts and heads in a big bucket."
"Oh no," I laugh, already seeing where this is heading.
"Oh yes," Buck confirms. "Vanna decides she's going to do a double backflip off the high dive. She does it and starts shit-talking me as soon as she gets out of the pool. So I grab the bucket that’s right there next to me, don’t bother to look in it and end up dumping fish guts all over her head, thinking I’m just dumping water on her."
Ford is already laughing hard enough that he has to wipe his eyes. Griff's shoulders shake as he drives.
"Fish guts everywhere. All over her, all over me when I try to help her. And of course, that's exactly when the night janitor walks in." Buck's whole body shakes with laughter at the memory. "Poor old guy nearly had a heart attack. Thought we were bleeding from the head."
By the time we pull into the Devil's Pass parking lot, we're all laughing so hard it hurts. Buck finishes the story as Griff parks.
"So Principal Wilson is interrogating us the next day. We came up with some ridiculous excuse for why we were in the pool at night and he says with the straightest face, 'I've heard some fishy excuses in my day, but this takes the cake.'" Buck delivers the punchline with perfect timing, and I'm doubled over, tears streaming down my face.
We stumble out of the truck, still caught in the aftershocks of laughter. Buck wraps his massive arms around me from behind, pressing a kiss to my temple.
"Vanna got detention for a month," he finishes against my ear. "I got two months because I called the principal 'Willy' to his face when he was lecturing us."
