Page 4 of Mountain Man Obsessed (Hard Timber Mountain Men #3)

JESSA

I wasn’t sure whether to slap him or kiss him back.

I’d be lying to myself if I said I hadn’t thought about what it might feel like to kiss my brothers’ best friend, but Harlan was impossible.

He didn’t earn the nickname Boulder for no reason.

He was unyielding, stubborn, and more immovable than the mountains surrounding Hard Timber.

Still, I couldn’t think with the way his big body pressed against mine, the way his hand slid up behind my neck and cupped the back of my head, and the way his tongue pressed against my lips demanding entrance.

The scent of campfire smoke mingled with the smell of the forest that always seemed to surround him. He took control, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw as he took the kiss even deeper. My hands tightened in his shirt, trying to tug him impossibly closer.

I’m not sure how long we would have gone on or how far I would have let it go if Bubbles hadn’t barked at something outside on the street and jolted me back to reality. I jerked back, bumping my head against the wall. Harlan looked just as surprised as I was.

His eyes widened, then softened as he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “Fuck, Firecracker.”

I couldn’t tell if he regretted the kiss or only regretted that it had happened with me.

“I should go,” I said, not waiting to see his reaction.

I ducked out from under his arm and grabbed my purse from behind the counter.

Anything I’d been working on could wait.

At that moment, I needed air. I was desperate to get away from the giant mountain man before one of us did something we’d both regret.

““I’m sorry,” Harlan called out after me. “That was a mistake.”

One I was sure he’d never make again. I didn’t bother looking back as I stumbled through the door out into the cooler night air. I’d pushed him, but I wasn’t sure who was to blame for crossing the line. There was only one thing I knew for sure… I could never kiss Harlan Flint again.

After a sleepless night of trying and failing to convince myself the kiss hadn’t been that good, I showed up the next morning and tried to pretend like nothing had happened.

I kept waiting for him to mention the kiss we’d shared, but he showed no sign that not even twelve hours before he’d had his tongue buried in my mouth.

I had to hand it to Harlan. He’d become an expert at embodying the spirit of a heartless asshole.

How could he act like everything was normal when his kiss had rocked my entire world and made me reconsider everything that had ever happened between us?

But if he didn’t want to acknowledge it, I wouldn’t either.

I spent the day unpacking some of the new fishing gear I’d ordered targeted toward women. The poles, waders and hats came in a variety of bright colors, some even with floral patterns. Harlan avoided me all morning and spent most of his time in the backroom, pretending to do inventory.

When Nellie came in with Calla and my nephew Lane in tow, Harlan came out of hiding.

“Hey. What brings you in today?” he asked as he walked toward the front of the store.

“I can take care of them.” Holding out my arms to give Lane a big hug, I nodded toward Harlan. “You can go back to whatever you were doing.”

Harlan stopped next to me. “I’ve got it. No offense, but you’re not exactly familiar with the inventory.”

Nellie looked back and forth between us, her lips splitting into a knowing grin. “We’re actually here to talk to both of you.”

“About what?” Harlan scowled like someone had just told him his favorite fishing hole had been overtaken by algae. I would have laughed if I wasn’t so irritated with him already.

Calla set a hand on Lane’s shoulder. “We were over at the cafe, and Nellie told us you’re planning an Adventure Weekend. Lane and I want to volunteer to help if you need it.”

“I can show people how to make s’mores,” Lane said as he smiled up at Harlan. “Dad said you might be able to teach me how to kayak.”

Harlan’s jaw tightened. Seeing him so uncomfortable provided me with such joy.

I leaned into it, wondering how long I could make it last. “Kayaking lessons are a great idea. We talked about kayaking as a group, but you’re right, people might need a few pointers first if they’ve never done it before. ”

“You could use the pond on my property for a first-timer lesson,” Nellie volunteered.

“Can we do a dig, too?” Lane’s eyes lit up. Everyone in town knew he was into dinosaurs. I’d made sure to order one of the kid’s trail backpacks in a pattern that had dinosaur bones all over it. I couldn’t wait for it to come in so I could give it to him.

“Sorry, little man, but that’s got to be a hard no. I can take you out sometime if you want, but I’m not set up to orchestrate a whole dig.” Harlan shoved his hands into his pockets and blew out a breath. “Looks like you’ve got this under control, Jessa. I’ll be in the back if you need me.”

Nellie shook her head as he retreated back to his hiding spot. “That man is suffering, but with pain comes growth. You’re doing a good job here, hon. Keep it up.”

If someone ever sold tickets to watch Harlan Flint suffer, I’d be the first in line.

But I had no idea what Nellie was talking about.

Anyone could see that the two of us working together was a daily exercise in frustration.

How did that translate into growth? I was about to ask, but Nellie continued.

“These men think they were targeted on the Ex-List because someone has it out for them.” She shot a sly grin at Calla then back at me.

“But being called out has already knocked some sense into Thatcher and Holt. You being here is making Harlan look at things differently. He’s getting involved in what’s happening in town, opening up to new ideas, and taking suggestions on how to improve his store. ”

“I just need experience to put on my resume, that’s all.” At least that’s all I’d wanted when I started. Seeing Harlan squirm as I tried to drag the outfitters into the twenty-first century had been the cherry on top.

Nellie nodded. “Mmm hmm. You’re making a difference, sugar. Just look at these adorable new travel mugs.”

Pride filled my chest as she picked up an insulated tumbler with cartoony bears all over it. “Bear-y tired. Need coffee. I can’t believe Harlan let this into his store.”

“He hasn’t noticed it yet,” I said. “But he’s going to flip when the bear paw slippers come in. Those won’t be as easy to hide.”

“You’re giving me hope. We might actually pull this off and keep Wild Wilderness from setting up shop around here.” Nellie set the tumbler back on the shelf. “Now, can you help us find a pair of hiking boots? If I’m going to pitch in with your big weekend, I’m going to need some better footwear.”

Nellie settled on a pair of all-purpose hikers and a pair of thick pink and purple socks, another one of my recent additions to the store. I rang her up and promised to let her know when the bear slippers came in.

Knowing at least a few people in town were supportive of the changes I was making to the store fueled my confidence.

While Harlan hid in the back room, I pulled out my notes for the adventure weekend.

We might not be able to do a real dig, but we could set up something fun that could keep the kids occupied for hours.

Let them dig up dinosaur eggs that had a small prize inside with a coupon for their parents’ next full-price purchase from the store.

I jotted down a few more ideas before the next customer entered. It was someone I didn't recognize, probably not a local based on the way he looked around, his eyes wide as he walked into the store.

“Can I help you find something?” I asked.

“Yeah, I'm looking for a tent. The one I brought with me got messed up last night, and I need a replacement. What do you recommend?”

Tents… I didn't know anything about the tents that Harlan kept in stock, but I wasn't about to ask for his help. “Let's go take a look.”

I led him to the small section of tents that Harlan kept at the back of the store. The last time I went camping was probably with my Girl Scout troop in elementary school. I scanned the selection, looking for something that would help me identify what kind of equipment he might need.

He pointed to one on the bottom shelf. “How easy is something like that to set up?”

“Um, says it’s a five-minute set-up, so it sounds like that would be pretty simple, especially for someone with experience.”

“Does it come with a rain fly? The forecast is calling for rain this weekend, and I don't want to get stuck without protection.”

The packaging didn't say anything about a rain fly. Unless I wanted to look it up online, it was time to call in the expert, aka Harlan. “Let me go get someone who knows more about it.”

I left the guy standing in front of the tents and pulled open the door to the back room. Harlan sat at a table with papers piled around him. As I stood in the doorway, he looked up from the photo he was holding in his hands.

“I've got a guy out here looking for a tent, and I could use some help,” I said.

Harlan grumbled something about me not being qualified to work in the store and got up from his seat.

I glanced at the photo he’d been staring at.

It was a picture of him, Thatcher and Holt from one of their fire watch trainings.

I’d been so jealous at the time that the three of them got to go out with Nellie’s husband in the summers, leaving me home alone or with Dane while they roamed all over the mountains.

They all looked so happy in the photo. Even Harlan was smiling. I couldn't remember the last time I’d seen him like that, but the huge grin on his face did something to my insides. I picked up the photo and slid it into my back pocket, then clipped the leash onto Bubbles's collar.

“I'm taking Bubbles out,” I called to Harlan.

“Got it,” he said, then turned his attention back to the customer. No doubt he’d be able to give the guy way more information than he needed to make a decision about a tent.

I let Bubbles lead the way and waited while he took a quick detour to a patch of grass where he did his business.

The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, the sun was shining, and the sweet scent of sun-warmed honey drifted down from the hanging baskets of geraniums and alyssum that lined Main Street.

It was a beautiful day, but I couldn’t enjoy it, not with the heavy tension lingering between Harlan and me.

Determined to clear the air, I waited until the customer drove away before entering the store again. Harlan stood behind the counter, skimming through my notes for the adventure weekend.

“What are you doing?” I asked, catching him off guard.

He looked up like he’d been caught in the act of doing something he shouldn’t. “Just looking through your notes to see what kind of ridiculous events you have planned.”

“Ridiculous events that are going to save your store,” I shot back, not in the mood to argue with him about it. At least not while there were other, more important things we needed to discuss. “Are we going to talk about last night, or do you want to continue to pretend like it didn’t happen?”

His smug grin vanished. “Like I said, it was a mistake. I had a couple of whiskeys by the campfire, and they must have gotten to me.”

“You expect me to believe that a guy who keeps tight control over every aspect of his life suddenly got carried away?” I unclipped Bubbles's leash and hung it on a hook while trying to keep my pulse at a steady rate.

“What can I say?” Harlan’s big shoulders rolled up in a shrug. “You pushed me too far, Firecracker.”

He was hiding something. I could tell by the hard glint in his eyes. “Don’t try to put the blame on me. You wanted to kiss me.”

“In the moment. But I can guarantee you it won't happen again.” His jaw clenched, and he refused to meet my gaze.

I pulled the picture out of my pocket. “And I suppose your reaction doesn’t have anything to do with my brothers?”

Harlan glanced at the picture. His expression didn’t change, but the deep breath he pulled in through his nose gave him away. “Your brothers are family to me. More than my own flesh and blood.”

“That’s what I figured.” I moved closer, stopping right across the counter from him. I’d always loved pushing his buttons and getting a reaction out of him, but this was different. This meant something. “Good to know where your priorities are.”

“Hell, Jessa.” His palms pressed down on the counter. “You’re going to be out of here before the season changes. The last thing you need is to start something up that you won’t be around to finish. You know you don’t belong here. Can't even help a guy pick out a damn tent.”

He was right. I had big plans. Plans that would take me far away from a town that was so small it didn’t even show up on a map of Montana. Even so, I couldn’t stand for him to be right about anything. “I think it’s time I tried out some of the gear on my own.”

“Oh yeah?” He arched a brow. “This ought to be good. What exactly do you have in mind?”

“I’m going camping this weekend. I’ll figure out what I need and borrow it from the store.” I turned my back on him, eager to put some distance between us.

“You think you can convince one of your brothers to take you up into the mountains and set up camp so you can say you’ve got experience?”

“No. I’m a big girl now, Harlan. I’ll do it alone.

” At least the dark look on his face gave me a sense of satisfaction because inside I was in a full-blown panic.

I’d never picked out a campsite, never tried to pitch a tent.

But I’d hike the whole Appalachian Trail if it would let me pull one over on Harlan.

And getting the better of him was exactly what I intended to do.