Page 10 of My Wild Mountain Man (Summer in the Pines #15)

bash

. . .

Sleep wasn’t easy. I tossed and turned until I gave up trying to sleep and got up and headed to the gym to try and burn off some of the excess energy that couldn’t let my brain shut off.

It was a little after four in the morning when I pulled up to Moonlit Muscle’s parking lot. Even though it was early and the sun still hadn’t risen, the lot was far from empty. I got my duffle and water bottle out when I saw her through the glass walls.

Raven.

The very woman who had put me in my place and made me rethink what the fuck I was doing. Not about my invitation to have her over for the long weekend but about how I was going about shit with her brother.

I knew in my heart, gut, and soul that Raven was mine.

Had I really thought it would be that easy to steal a taste of her, to know her completely and walk away?

Almost like the universe was setting up against me, I watched as the new sheriff, a good-looking guy about my age, walked up to her.

When she smiled brightly at him, like they knew each other, something in my gut tightened.

Just because she’d had a crush on me didn’t mean no one out there had noticed what a beauty she was.

And by the way his blue eyes soaked her in, I knew he appreciated the subtle beauty that lay just beneath the surface.

Raven was gorgeous, but it wasn’t a loud, boisterous beauty.

She was classy. Reserved. Even at the gym, she might have been wearing leggings that looked like they were painted on her, showing off the curves of her ass and hips and toned legs, but she was wearing an oversized shirt that made you wonder what was underneath.

And now, I knew.

My eyes shut, and I could see her in front of me, topless, her pretty, dark nipples standing at attention just for me. Fuck, I could smell her skin if I tried hard enough.

Just because I’m a virgin doesn’t mean I’m some blushing little girl.

Her words floated in my head, and I frowned.

I opened my eyes just in time to watch the shiny new sheriff say something that made her laugh.

And even though I knew how much of an unevolved Neanderthal it made me, I didn’t like it.

I wanted to be the man who made her laugh and smile.

But I couldn’t be.

I wasn’t the right guy for her, no matter what she or I felt.

I was too old, too wild, too much. Things would be too complicated if I really let her roll the dice on us.

My hands fisted at my sides as I watched the Sheriff lean closer, his features turning a little serious, and I knew he’d just asked her out. There was no doubt about it. And maybe that was what she needed to do.

Explore.

Learn.

From someone else? What the fuck are you doing? a voice in my head shouted as I walked back towards my truck. I got to the door and immediately turned the hell back around.

Fuck that.

Fuck the consequences of whatever the hell I was about to do.

I jogged towards the door and walked in, scanning my app at the entrance as I sauntered straight to her.

Her eyes moved and widened as she watched me approach.

“Hey.” I winked, pulling her by the waist and right to my side before kissing the top of her head.

“Sorry I was late.”

“Bash?”

“Bash Ledesma, from the brewery, right?” The good ol’ Sheriff said with an easy smile.

“That’s right, Sheriff. How’s it going? Arm day?” I asked. He nodded as his gaze bounced from me to Raven with a small smile on his face.

“It was. I’m about to head out.”

“Shame. I would have liked to ask you for some tips.”

“Maybe next time.” He smirked before his eyes moved to Raven. “So, you’ll do me that favor?”

“Luke,” she giggled, and I had to stifle a growl. My hands fisted at my sides, aching to pull her to my side and wrapping them around her waist. Instead, I looked at him.

“What favor?” I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

“He wants me to talk to my sister for him,” she shared before turning her attention and pretty brown eyes towards the sheriff.

“I’ll try.” Raven shrugged. “But you know how Oli can be.” She made a face, and they both laughed.

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from saying something snarky.

I’d never thought I could be the jealous type.

In the past, the green-eyed monster had never made an appearance, but since meeting Raven, or re-meeting her as a grown woman, I couldn’t seem to shake it off.

Thankfully, the Sheriff waved and walked towards the exit.

“You’re here early,” she noticed quietly, and I felt her pretty gaze on me.

“You, too.” I turned, but she simply shook her head and smiled.

“Not really. This is the time I’m usually here.” She stepped back and bent to pick up her water bottle. The stickers on it were all about books.

“Really? You’re a morning person?” I asked.

“I’d just rather get my workout over an done with. Plus, it helps set me up for the rest of the day.” I nodded. I hated being up early, but for her, I would switch up my schedule. Shit, there wouldn’t be anything I wouldn’t do for her. I swallowed hard, letting myself drown in her eyes.

“You okay, Bash?” She stepped closer. I felt her hand move closer to mine then felt the loss of her not taking it in hers.

The man I want in my life, the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, would be a real man who wants me forever. He’d fight for me. Chase me. Win me. Her words replayed in my head, and the words that tumbled out couldn’t be stopped.

“Would you like to go get breakfast?” I blurted. I just wanted more time with her. I wanted to show her just how important she was to me.

“Right now?” she asked, surprised when I took her hand in mine. Our fingers tangled together. She glanced around us, probably worried about who would see us. “Bash, Onyx––“

“I don’t care,” I rasped honestly. “Breakfast?” I offered again, wanting so badly to be alone with her.

She stared at me for a long moment, and I was almost positive she was going to turn me down and send me to hell.

And who could have blamed her for how I had put my foot in my mouth the night before?

She had called me out on it, and I fucking loved that about her.

As I stared at her, wearing those leggings and oversized shirt, her dark hair tossed up in a high messy bun and her face flushed and fresh of makeup, I didn’t think she could be more beautiful.

My sweet bookworm was ballsy. Brave and beautiful.

Mine. The word repeated in my head like a caveman obsessed, and there was no denying it.

Raven was mine. I just had to figure out how to make that happen.

Have I already fucked things up before they ever really started?

“Raven.” I cleared my throat, but whatever was going to come out died on my tongue with the way she smiled up at me.

“You haven’t even worked out yet, and you want to go eat?” She had no fucking idea what I wanted to eat. She giggled, almost like she could hear my thoughts. Not that she called me out on it. Cheekily, Raven hip-checked me and pulled me towards the treadmill.

“Let’s just do a thirty-minute run, and we can go for breakfast.” She winked with her sexy little compromise, and I nodded. I felt like a lost little puppy, more than happy to follow her anywhere.

Our jog was great, and breakfast at the local diner was even better.

Usually mundane things were brighter, lighter when I was by her side.

I was in trouble. Deep trouble. My pretty girl had swept me up and held my heart in her hands.

But who the hell was I kidding? She’d owned it from the moment she stepped into the brewery after returning from school.

One look, and I had been a goner. I’d known it then, no matter how hard I had tried to fight it these last couple of months.

“This was fun.” She smiled up at me. “Pancakes made by someone else always taste a million times better than cooking them for yourself,” she adorably said as we stood outside the diner.

From where we were standing, I could see her car. A sinking feeling started to settle in the pit of my belly. Our time together this morning was coming to an end.

“They are.” I stepped closer, not bearing to be too far away from her. When I took her hand, her eyes widened. We were out in public where anyone could see us, including her brother or someone who could go back to tell him something.

“Bash,” she whispered. My cock hardened beneath my gym shorts at the sound of my name off her tongue.

“Tell me I’ll see you tomorrow.” Shit, I was looking for trouble, digging myself into a deeper fucking hole. One I had no plans of getting out of. Raven was mine. She’d been mine since I’d first laid eyes on her.

“Tomorrow,” she repeated and chewed on her bottom lip. “Bash––“

“Give me a chance.”

“A chance for what?” she asked without judgment. I swallowed. “Look, Bash, I just… I need to know if this is sex or…”

“Or,” I cut her off and squeezed her hand.

“Bash.” Her eyes widened.

“It’s more, Raven.”

“More what?” an all-too-familiar masculine voice asked behind me, but I didn’t pull my hand away from hers. I turned and fought like hell from wincing.

I felt like the world’s crappiest friend.

There was Onyx, his dark almost black eyes bouncing from his baby sister to me. Looking at the two of us like he didn’t know what to make of us.

“Pancakes,” Raven quickly said, pulling her hand away from mine and crossing her arms in front of her. “I came into the diner for pancakes.” She pointed at the diner behind her. “And I saw Bash there, so I made him join me,” she shared like it hadn’t been the other way around.

“You were eating pancakes?” he asked incredulously. He knew me too fucking well, but I simply shrugged, not wanting to outright lie. “You hate pancakes.” I breathed in and cleared my throat.

“What can I say? I needed a little bit of a comfort meal.”

“Huh.” He noted, looking at me for a little too long; a suspicious brow rose. “I see Raven cut your hair. Finally.” The fucker didn’t miss a thing. I nodded, running my fingers through the short strands.

“Best haircut I’ve ever had,” I said honestly.

My gaze drifted to Raven. She was already looking at me with those fathomless dark eyes.

Her lips parted with a heated stare. I knew exactly what she was thinking about.

My gaze dropped to her chest before looking at my best friend.

“What are you doing out and about? I thought you were working on your kitchen?” I asked, hoping it was enough to change the focus from us.

He shrugged, but something about the way he wouldn’t meet my gaze made me think he was hiding something. “I had to get some supplies at the hardware store.”

“The hardware store, huh?” I muttered.

“You really taking three days off this weekend, or you going to show up at the brewery?”

“Three-day weekend, Bash?” the little brat asked, as if it was brand-new news to her. “That sounds fun.”

“Yeah. I need a break. And no.” I turned to Onyx. “You won’t see me popping into the brewery. Why?” The last word slipped past my lips.

“Just wondering.” He smirked, turning towards Raven. “This guy always says he’s going to take time off but goes for a hike and straight back to work. You know what? Thinking about it, you guys should go for a hike this weekend,” he suggested.

“What?” we both simultaneously asked, but the jerk just chuckled.

“Raven loves to read in between the trees, and honestly, Rave, Bash knows all the great hidden parts of Moonlit Pines.”

“You want me to take your sister on a hike?” I asked incredulously. Raven looked at both of us, but I couldn’t read her thoughts. I just needed to be honest with Onyx. “Actually, Onyx, I need to talk to you,” I started to say, and Raven’s alarm went off.

“Shit! I gotta go and get ready, or I’ll be late for my appointment. It was… nice to see you guys.” She went and hugged her brother before turning, and just as she was about to hug me, she stepped back. “Bye. Thanks again for breakfast.”

“Right.” My voice sounded scratchy. I hated to watch her leave, but fuck me, it was a fucking show to watch her go.

“What did you need to talk to me about?” Onyx asked, and I turned to look at him.

“Umm…” I swallowed. “I think I’m going to do an early inventory today. You know, to close out the month, get shit ordered. That way, nothing’s delayed.”

“Cool.” He scratched the back of his neck, glancing towards the hardware store. “That’s cool.”

“You good, man?” I asked. He muttered something incoherent under his breath.

“You and Raven,” he said, pinning me with his eyes. “You guys good?”

“What?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I sensed something off, and the way she rushed away right now…”

“She has to get ready for work,” I pointed out.

“Hmm,” he grunted. “Right. Well, if you end up changing your mind about taking time off this weekend, I’ll swap with you for next weekend.” The three of us had decided we deserved some time off and each were taking turns to take our own three-day weekend off.

“Something going on?” When he wouldn’t meet my eyes, I had a feeling something was up. “Big plans?”

“Na,” he chuckled, his attention wavering once again to the shop at the end of the street. “Nothing like that.” He shook his head.

“You sure, Onyx?” I asked, and he frowned. His eyes met mine. We were about the same height and weight.

“I’m sure. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, I’m just going to go shower and get ready for the day.”

“Cool. I better get going,” he muttered, already moving to head to the hardware store.

Whatever was going on with him was going to be interesting to watch unfold. If he was talking to me at the time. Because I knew I was going to need to have a serious conversation with my best friend.

It wasn’t if but when we got together. Raven was mine. I didn’t want whatever friendship I had with her brother to blow up in my face, but And even if that was the only option, I’d still take a go at things with Raven.

She was right.

My pretty girl deserved someone who would chase and fight for her. And I was more than ready to go ten rounds if it meant spending the rest of my life with her.