Page 3 of Mountain Man Defender (Mountain Men of Pineville #3)

THREE

DYLAN

“Why the frown, sis? Someone switch your coffee to decaf?” Lauren chuckled. A fluffy, dark gray kitten crawled out of her arms, then up her shoulder and snuggled into my twin’s neck.

It was Sunday. Apartment painting day. And the first time I’d be alone with Lars after the interruption of our newest client-guest’s arrival the other day. The frustrating man had been avoiding me since. I needed advice.

So, before I headed over to the apartment, I stopped at Lauren and West’s cabin for a cup, okay my third cup of coffee.

I was looking forward to being so close to my sister again.

Poor West. He was going to get a hopefully not too rude wake-up call on what it was really like being married to a twin once I was around day and night.

Growing up, Lauren and I had few boundaries. Might be worth hinting to him that if he didn’t want me walking in when they were “busy,” he might want to invest in a deadbolt or, better yet, a front door camera.

With a very unladylike snort, I replied, “Believe me, if that had happened, I’d be doing more than frowning.

Anyway, what’s with the fur ball? Did you finally breakdown West’s ban on cats?

And more importantly, what did you have to do to change his mind?

” Yes, I changed the subject. I was still deciding how much to share with Lauren about my feelings for Lars.

She knew I thought he was hot, but that was it.

So far. I gave myself five more minutes, if that, before I spilled my guts.

“I didn’t have to do anything. I happily complied with his demands.” More laughter. Then a wink.

My sister and her new husband were having so much sex, I doubted there was much more Lauren would have to do to sway her husband into anything. And since I knew they were holding off on having kids, so the kitten might be a good compromise.

Just as I had the thought, Lauren recovered from cracking herself up and said, “It was a compromise. He’s still not sure about fatherhood, so this little guy is our new fur baby.

” Lauren nuzzled the kitten, then transferred it back to the pen she’d set up off the kitchen.

Sitting back down, she narrowed her eyes and said, “Okay, spill. What’s really going on?

I know you, Dyl. You’re the most sunshiny sunshine there is.

Annoying, yes, but I’ve lived it. Give me the tea. It’s Lars, right?”

My head spun, and my guts churned. I’d missed this when I was off cavorting in Europe. She would always have my back, even as she kicked me in the butt when I needed it. “Get out of my head. And yes, it’s all about the Nordic bear. He seems to be cracking under my targeted campaign?—”

“But—”

“But just when I think he’s going to grab me and kiss me, he calls on some otherworldly strength and the flare of desire I’ve drawn from him poofs and he’s back to being his typical stoic self.

” As I voiced out loud what I’d been feeling for months, I questioned if I was fighting an unwinnable battle.

Maybe Lars wasn’t that into me, and I was just seeing what I wanted to see.

Or maybe his reactions were merely because he hadn’t been with a woman in a long time.

That tidbit of info had been, according to Ridge, who’d sworn me to secrecy.

Oh, well. Telling Lauren was the same as telling me.

It was a twin thing. Two for one and all that.

“First. Wipe that doubt right out of your head. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way his posture changes whenever you’re near him. Heck, if you two are in the same room, even if you’re standing on opposites sides, there’s an invisible current between you two. So, forget that.”

I knew that. Had felt that pulse of energy the very first day when he’d hesitantly offered his hand when we met.

His hand swallowed mine, and I’d instantly felt wrapped up in his warmth, connected on an unexpected level.

I’d felt dainty for the first time, which at five foot ten was difficult for a woman.

But he made me feel feminine, safe, and when I’d met his gaze, I suspected he was a fierce defender.

A testament to his Nordic ancestry. And I wanted more of that feeling.

I’d been doing my best to show him how into him I was. And yet, for whatever reason, it hadn’t been enough. He had seemed indifferent at times, and I was feeling more defeated each day.

“Get naked.” Lauren made the statement so matter of factually it caught me off guard.

I spit out my last sip of coffee all over myself.

“Akh!” That was unexpected and was the truthiest truth bomb ever.

But as I grabbed the kitchen towel Lauren handed me and cleaned myself up, I realized it wasn’t a bad idea.

I’d been waiting for him to make a move because I’d wanted to be sure he wanted me too. I’d totally overlooked the obvious.

Yes, it may be just a tad, okay, a lot calculated, but desperate measures and all that. Showing some skin had worked pretty much since Adam and Eve’s day, so I’d make it work for me.

I gave Lauren a hug and promised an update later tonight. She was off to help mom with a big event and West, Ridge and Addy would be working with various client-guests. That left Lars and me to tackle my apartment together.

Less than an hour later, I’d changed into clothes I wouldn’t mind getting paint on, and tucked my hair under an old baseball cap our dad had bought me at an Idaho Outlaws game we attended a few years back.

I’d even added my favorite scent in some strategic places.

I was as ready as I ever would be. And I hope Lars was ready to be swept off his size fourteen, waffle-stomper wearing feet.

He'd already begun painting by the time I arrived. He didn’t so much as flinch when I entered the apartment.

The front door and the windows were wide open, letting in the late Spring fresh air.

PJ was sprawled out on his side on the kitchen floor, all four legs pointing straight out as he snored.

The kitchen area looked as if he’d already finished it.

How long had he been up here? “Hi. Um, where do you want me?” Hands in my back pockets, I rocked in my beat-up old running shoes waiting for him to finish the far wall. His impatient “hold on” was the only sound in the room, except for the squeak of the paint roller.

When he turned around, the roller dropped to the floor. The sound bounce checking off the plastic covered floor echoing off the walls. I’d never seen Lars look startled before. His jaw had also dropped, and he was staring at me as if I’d sprouted an extra head.

The shorts I’d chosen to wear had seen better days, but by his reaction, I knew the cutoffs were the perfect. And my confidence grew when his gaze settled on my bare legs.

Wait until he saw my backside . I gave him a flirty smile, stepped forward, picked up the paint roller, and handed it to him. “Something wrong?”

Slow blinks were followed by a slow, upward scan of my legs, before his gaze settled on my face.

Lars cleared his throat, then with the speed of a wildfire, he blanked his face and froze me out once again.

“Thanks. You’re late.” He took the roller, dipped it into the paint tray and turned back to the wall.

Oh no, he didn’t. “According to your schedule, maybe. I seem to remember agreeing to nine a.m. Besides, it’s Sunday.

Don’t you sleep in, like you know, the rest of humanity?

” I made sure to put a lightness into my tone, less snark.

I didn’t want to poke the bear too much today. Just enough to get us both naked.

I didn’t expect an answer, so I looked around for the rest of the supplies and spied them in the corner and headed that way. “I can help you in here or in the bedroom. Which one?” I hadn’t even meant to make my question provocative, and yet I did.

I bent to grab the other roller and…oh, yes. Quicker than I’d hoped .

“Jesus Christ, what are you….” The rest of his sentence faded, and all I heard was heavy breathing. I turned around to face the man who, hopefully, was going to take the huge hint and take me in his arms and kiss me until next Sunday.

I thought I was brave, but I found myself suddenly unsure, shy even.

No longer was he hiding his reaction from me.

I’d noticed he had an, um, bigger package than most because yeah, I’m a red-blooded woman with needs and I can appreciate the male form.

Lars was a big man, so that meant he’d be big—everywhere.

But now he’d become noticeably bigger. His erection tenting the front of his work pants to the point of imminent exposure.

But it was his eyes that struck me the most. They were narrowed like always, but the heat was near nuclear level, and I may have sighed. Okay, definitely. Sighed. Loudly.

One sigh turned into a gasp as he tossed down the roller.

In two long strides, he stopped short, inches from me.

At a loss for words, I simply soaked in his attention.

However, I couldn’t miss the way he was opening and closing his hands.

The muscles in his forearms flexed. The veins pulsing.

And the strain on his face as he fought, then losing an inner fight, finally reached for me. Oh, my.

“Hey, guys. Great news. I’m free to help knock this project out. Addy had an emergency call in town, so, uh, yeah. I’m interrupting, I’ll just go—” Ridge backpedaled toward the open front door.

Shoot, I should have locked it.

“Stop. You’re not.” Lars growled. He didn’t need to finish the sentence for the deeper meaning to be crystal clear. His arms fell back to his sides, and he turned away from his friend, sucking in great gulps of air before he turned back around.

“I’ve got another roller in the shop. I’ll be right back. You two can start in the bedroom. I’m almost finished in here, then I’ll start on the bathroom.” Lars nodded at me. The heat now banked to a low simmer, but I knew better. Now I knew for sure just how I affected him.

And wow. That was more words strung together than he’s said to me in the last week. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but dammit. He couldn’t have made it clearer. His reaction said he wanted me. My elation vanished by his words because he would do nothing about it.

We watched as Lars moved like his heels were on fire out of the apartment. The sound of his pounding boots thundered as he descended the stairs.

Ridge at least had the decency to look apologetic.

On the flip side, with the warm weather, the paint should be dry by tomorrow and I can finally move in. And then I was going to have a heart-to-heart with my mountain man.

No more teasing.

No more tempting outfits.

No more hoping he’d make the first move.

I’d simply tell him how I felt. And accept whatever decision he made. I was going to need to stock up on some pistachio ice cream, just in case.