Page 5 of Fall Wedding With the Mountain Man (Ozark Mountain Men Falling For Love #2)

Elizabeth

This was the moment when I should have put a stop to it.

It was one thing to flirt with the sexy man who’d saved me from the auto shop staff, and quite another to cross that line. You know the one I’m talking about.

At one point, it’s just an abstract idea.

You think to yourself, ‘ Oh, he’d be nice to sleep with. ’

Then the next moment, you’re actually doing it. And then, the disappointment strikes.

They’re never as good in bed as you think they’re going to be. Or they do the classic come-and-roll-over routine, snoring before their orgasm has even dried.

Or the worst kind… the ones that show their true colors after the deed is done, and you’re left wondering why in the hell you slept with another asshole.

But despite all that, I found myself liking this man.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever met anyone as genuine as him before in my life.

Being surrounded by lawyers for the majority of my waking time, I’d almost forgotten that there were different kinds of people in the world.

Hudson appeared to have zero ambition, and he wasn’t upset by that at all. He seemed content with his life. Maybe even pleased with it.

And I had to say his quiet confidence was the most appealing thing I’d seen in years.

Which is why I said a second impulsive thing today and told him, “I could date a shit-hauler. It would be better than dating a lawyer.”

He tipped back his head and roared with laughter, then dropped a hand down onto my knee. “I like you, Elizabeth. You’re funny.”

I wasn’t sure what to make of that, but maybe some things didn’t need to make sense. I found myself laughing along with him, loud enough that I woke Leona and disrupted Frankie on my lap.

Hudson’s hand felt nice on my knee. And he didn’t try to take it any further than that. I was just happy to let him drive me around, my very own sexy chariot-driver.

“So this is Deer Springs,” he rumbled. “What do you think of it?”

Looking around, I tried to discern why he thought we were there. All I saw were cow fields interspersed with forest.

“Uh. This doesn’t look like a town.”

“Ever heard the phrase ‘Blink and you’ll miss it?’”

“Yeah.”

“Well, don’t blink, hon. Or you’re going to miss it.”

Right around then, I spotted a few houses mixed in between the cow fields and the woods. And then a quaint corner store. And then what must have been the town square. A cute bookstore. And next to it a bakery.

“Shelby’s law firm!”

It was right next to the bakery, and there was a proud sign proclaiming it to be the Mitchel Law Office.

I craned my neck to stare. She had potted plants out front and a cheery flower flag waving in the wind. “It looks… cute.”

“A cute law office. Imagine that,” Hudson rumbled.

There were a few streets with houses, and then just like that, the town ended and we were back to cow fields.

“You weren’t kidding about it being tiny.”

“Yup. You’ll be the flashiest thing that’s hit town since Grant’s parents visited last.”

“Who’s that?

“Just a friend of mine. He’s got rich parents.”

“Oh.”

Hudson turned left into one of the cow fields.

“What are you doing now?”

“Well, I happen to know a thing or two about the wedding you’re attending.

See, Shelby is getting hitched up to a guy I know.

And the wedding’s happening here . The reception will be at the Fall Festival, also known as the Autumn Harvest Festival.

I think they did that to save money because they bought their dream recently. ”

I flushed bright pink. “You didn’t tell me you know the groom.”

Hudson chuckled. “It’s no big deal.”

Actually. It was. I’d just spent the hour-long drive shit-talking the groom and saying my BFF was making the biggest mistake of her life. Embarrassment rolled over me.

He parked his pickup in a sea of pickup trucks. The field was full of them.

“I liked our little journey, Elizabeth.” His hand was still on my knee, and he squeezed it lightly.

“It kind of sucks that it’s ending so fast. And it’s just when I felt things were getting started .

”Somehow, now that the trip was over, I didn’t want to get out.

I liked this fantasy life I was living right now, and I wasn’t ready for the real world yet.

I wanted a few more minutes with Hudson.

Ideally unclothed and horizontal. But I’d take unclothed and vertical, too.

Looking at him, I said, “So thank you for the ride… and the kitten rental. I guess you should have her back now.”

But I held onto Leona, not actually handing her over to him. I also didn’t budge from my seat. I felt glued in place.

Then, on a reckless whim, I added, “Would you like to stay? You could be my plus one.”

He grinned at me and said, “Yes, ma’am. Besides, who else is going to hold your kitten while you do all your maid of honor duties?”

I started laughing, then dropped my hand down to his. It was comfortable there, like it fit, and I had a moment to wonder what the hell was happening to me.

Did the Ozark air cause people to fall in love? Because I was falling in love with this man, this kitten, the dog, and everything about this place.

We sat there staring at each other for a few minutes. Then Hudson rumbled, “Let’s go watch our people get hitched.”

“Our people?”

He gave me a devious grin. “Yup.”

I can’t believe he knows the groom.