Page 8 of Loving the Mountain Man - Thickwood CO

“Hello, Jules.” Hudson’s voice is deep and raspy, and it makes me melt for him. I want to hear him moaning my name as he comes deep inside me.

“Hey,” I all but moan. His hand finds my hair, which seems to be his thing now, and he gives me a chaste kiss. I’m almost disappointed until he bends down when he’s done with our kiss to give Beau a scratch behind his ear.

“Ready?” Hudson asks as he stands again.

“I sure am. Let me give Beau a treat, and we can be on our way.” I turn around, heading to where I keep Beau’s treat container on the counter when I hear Hudson let out a groan.

I whip my head around, and this time, it’s my turn to see him taking in every inch of my body. Tonight is going to be amazing; I can feel it.

11

Hudson

I’ve never done this. The palms of my hands are sweaty, so I rub them on my jeans before I place my hand on the dip of her lower back. Dating was never on my mind back in New York. It was a shit show of epic proportions, the way women would throw themselves at me. It’s what made me become the recluse I am today—well, until I met Jules.

She’s made me reevaluate my way of thinking when it comes to women. She’s pure as the fresh air surrounding these mountains.

“Where are we going?” Jules asks as I lead her to my truck. After leaving her shop earlier, I went home and cleaned it out; it was full of dust, wood shavings, and mud from the driveway leading to my house.

“I figure we’ll go back to my place and cook dinner. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, if we’re not going anywhere, though, do you mind if I bring Beau? I promise he won’t get into anything,” she asks, and I already know anytime she asks for something, the answer will always be yes.

“Yeah, gorgeous. I’ll wait here while you get Beau.” I kiss her softly on her forehead, then she turns around and runs upstairs, picks up the pup, holding him in her hands so he doesn’t have to navigate the steps.

He yips as he sees me. “Let’s go, boy. You want to go explore some grass?” He wags his tail in contentment.

“Thank you, Hudson. He’s not used to being alone.” Her smile shocks me to my core every single time.

“No problem, ready to go?”

“Yep, Beau can sit in my lap. That way, you don’t have to make room in the backseat of your truck,” she offers.

“It’s okay. He can have the whole backseat. It’s cleaned out,” I reply and reach for Beau. She hands him off like a baby. Damn, this woman will be the best kind of mother ever.

Beau walks on the bench seat in the back, pacing until he finds his spot, then plops down with a huff. I laugh at the cute French bulldog. He’s got to be the most dramatic dog I’ve ever met before. I close the door, then go to the woman who’s got my mind in a jumbled mess in the best kind of way.

“Ready?” I ask Jules, and she nods. I open her door, holding her hand the entire time she steps up and into the cab. When she sits down, we’re at the perfect moment, the perfect time, and God damn, her mouth is calling to me.

“Hudson.” Her voice is barely above a whisper, and with that, I take her mouth, not giving a shit we’re out in the open where people can see the way we’re devouring each other. Her hands go to my shoulders, her nails digging in, and that just spurs me on more.

“The way you come alive with my mouth alone, I can’t wait to see what else lights you up.” We break apart, both of us reluctant. Now, it’s time to get my girl to my place and show her an amazing night.

12

Jules

I’ve heard the story all through town. Hudson bought a mammoth of a house that sat abandoned for years up on the mountain, and he’s painstakingly restoring it to its glory. He even contracted some of it out, helping our townspeople out with new jobs. Hudson may be the town billionaire, but he’s humble, kind, and he gives.

Hudson holds my hand on the center console during the whole drive. We talk about life, how he grew up, how I was raised. Anything and everything. Nothing is off-limits in our talk. We even talk about how he couldn’t stand living in New York anymore and how I’ve always been the small-town girl, not once feeling like I needed to leave Thickwood and spread my wings. Heck, my parents still live on the outskirts of town in the same house I was raised in.

---