Page 12 of Mountain Man Obsessed (Hard Timber Mountain Men #3)

HARLAN

Six Months Later

The night air was sharp with pine and smoke, cool enough that I pulled Jessa closer even with the fire throwing off heat. Above us, the stars spilled like diamonds across the black sky, brighter than anything we’d ever see closer to town.

We’d set up camp at Bane’s Lookout, familiar ground now, though the memory of her first attempt at camping on her own six months ago still made me smile.

Back then she’d shown up with three times the gear she needed and a stubborn streak longer than the trail itself.

Now she knelt by the fire, moving with confidence, her hair catching the light, as if she’d been born to embrace the wild outdoors.

“Moment of truth,” she said, cradling an enamel mug in both hands. Steam curled up into the cold. “After six months of practice. Behold my perfect camp coffee.”

I took it from her, sniffed, sipped, and grunted. “Not bad.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Not bad? Last month you said it was finally better than yours.”

I kept my face straight. “That was indoors. On a controlled stove. This is a field test.”

“Unbelievable,” she muttered, taking the mug back. “Do you nitpick everyone’s boil times, or am I special?”

Bubbles, sprawled next to the fire with his head on his paws, thumped his tail like even he found that funny.

I stretched out next to her, brushing my fingers down her arm until she leaned into me, warm and solid. “You’re super special,” I said as I pressed my mouth to her temple.

She tipped her head, her smile smug. “That’s better.”

We sat like that for a while and let the night settle around us. The fire popped. An owl hooted from deep in the woods. The wind combed through the pines with a soft hush, like the mountain itself had secrets to keep.

I’d camped out here a hundred times, sometimes for fun, sometimes to clear my head. But it had never felt like this… never felt like more than survival. With Jessa tucked against me, Bubbles guarding the fire like it was his personal mission, it felt like living.

She sighed. “Six months ago, I thought I was proving something by doing this alone.”

“And?”

“And I almost lost a leg when I picked up that hatchet.” She nudged my ribs and let out a soft laugh. “I’m glad you showed up.”

“I’m glad I did too.” My hand found hers, threading our fingers together. “Although, for the record, you were holding it wrong.”

She groaned. “If you ever bring that up again, I swear?—”

“Relax.” I tugged her hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles. “You’ve gotten better. I don’t worry about you out here anymore.”

Her expression softened at that, more than I expected. “That means more than you know.”

We watched the fire burn down to glowing embers. She leaned back against my chest, quiet for a long beat, and then whispered, “I didn’t think I’d find home again.”

“You did,” I said, resting my chin on her hair. “Right here.”

She tilted her face up, catching me with that look—the one that still knocked the air out of me. “I know.”

I bent down and kissed her, slow and tender, the kind of kiss that made the rest of the world fade. Her mouth was warm, her fingers curling at the back of my neck, and when we broke apart, the stars above us seemed to spin even slower.

Bubbles huffed, then shifted closer, curling his big body against Jessa’s legs like he’d decided she was officially his too.

“Guess he’s claimed me,” she murmured, scratching his ears.

“Smart dog,” I said.

She smiled into the firelight. “Think we’ll keep doing this? Camping? Fire pits? Scaring owls?”

“As long as you want,” I said, and I meant it.

The fire crackled, the night stretched long, and for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel like I had to hold everything together all by myself anymore.

With Jessa by my side, waking up every day didn’t feel like a battle.

Her efforts had scared away Wild Wilderness, and we now shared a thriving business.

After a few weeks of acting all butt hurt I hadn’t confided in them first, her brothers came around, and the bond between us had strengthened, not shattered.

I had everything I’d ever wished for and had been too afraid to take. Having my woman in my bed every night and building a future together was the real prize. The only thing that really mattered was Jessa… and finally, she was mine.

Want to find out what happens next with Harlan and Jessa? Get an extra bonus scene here !

Then grab the next book in the series, Mountain Man Claimed !