Page 4 of Crushing on the Mountain Man (Mountain Man Summer #3)
Knox
There is something different about Brandy. Of course, she is all grown up into a beautiful woman. But there is something else. The spark is missing. It’s like a wall has been put up and the real Brandy is hidden.
Whatever it is, I am determined to get to the bottom of it. I owe it to her Gran who has always been so nice to me. To her brother Byron who was my friend for so many summers when we were kids. And, there is something that draws me to her.
She is beautiful, there is no doubt about that.
Holding her body next to mine set a fire within me and that had me thinking about her all through the night.
But there is a stubborn tilt to her chin I find just adorable.
Her lips are so damn sexy and I could get lost in her eyes forever.
Light blue. Like the morning mist over the lake.
But with a splash of hazel, like the river rocks. Just amazing.
So Brandy can say she doesn’t want me around. She can say she wants to fix up the cabin on her own. But I have a responsibility to make sure she is alright. That’s what I am telling myself when I turn up at her door the next morning with coffee and donuts.
“I’m here to help. I’m pretty handy with a hammer and I’ve been fixing up my own cabin so I have experience.”
Her look of surprise when she opened the door, changed to one of hunger when she sees the coffee and treats.
Sitting at the small table she tells me the list of things that have to be done.
There is a touch of panic in her voice as the list goes on and one.
But all I can think is that is how great it is that she will be for the whole summer with so much to be done.
“What do you do for work?” I ask.
“Ah, well I was a personal assistant. But I lost my job. And my apartment. So mom sent me up here to organise the place for rent or sale, since I have all this free time now.”
As we got to work I coaxed information out of Brandy about her family.
She tells me how everything changed when her father got a promotion and started earning more money.
Suddenly she was in a different school. Summers at the lake weren’t good enough for her mother anymore.
And now, her sister is set to be married.
Her brother joined the army. That doesn’t surprise me too much.
Byron was much better about taking orders than I ever was.
But it is Brandy I am interested in now. She won’t look at me when I look at her but when I turn away I can feel her staring.
“Are you looking at my tattoos?”
“What?” I love watching her cheeks go pink, embarrassed to be caught staring. “Yeah, your tattoos. Sure.”
I grin. “My way of rebelling against the family. And it’s what started me posting on social media, just to show the artwork.”
She nods.
“Want to touch them?”
“What? No!” She is blushing again. “Don’t you ever wear a shirt?”
“Not if I can help it. When did you become Miss. Prim and Proper. I seem to remember you putting frogs down my shorts.”
She shrugs and turns away. But I see a little smile at the memory and I want to see her smile more. Plus I wouldn’t mind her touching me. I am determined to work on her. Bring her out of her shell as we work together fixing up the cabin.
As we work I grow to admire Brandy more and more. She is willing to try anything, even though she has never done it before. Her whole face lights up when she does something well. Her big smile is contagious.
I don’t even mind when, helping me film a short video for social media, she questions how I spend my days.
“You don’t feel used for your body, doing this? You were always really smart. You don’t think you should do something more with your life?”
From anybody else I would have gotten defensive. But I feel comfortable talking to Brandy.
“Did you know that my oldest brother is the Mayor in town? And Carter is a firefighter? Wesley is a school teacher. My family brothers are all living respectable, responsible lives. I never wanted any of that.”
“But how long can you go on just posting videos of you being shirtless? Don’t get me wrong, they are..ah ,well, I can see why you have a lot of followers. But you could do so much more.”
“You’ve watched my videos?” Color fills her cheeks and the thought of her enjoying my videos. Me flexing my muscles, putting sunscreen slowly over my chest, working up a sweat, or walking out of the lake. All intended to be as sexy as possible.
And Brandy had enjoyed them? Heat races through my body. I want to grab her and kiss her. But she still has a guard up. Instead I just grin till she changes the subject with a huff.
I’ve lived out here on my own for a long time. I like it that way. After growing up in a big family, I like having my own space. Room to think. But being with Brandy is making me aware of just how lonely it can be. How nice it would be to have someone to share in life’s pleasures.
Each day I get to know her better. And at the end of each day I suggest we go for a swim. Everyday she shakes her head, no. But I feel like she wants to but something is holding her back.