Page 12 of My Wild Mountain Man (Summer in the Pines #15)

“You know,” she guessed. “Okay… just go slow. Take your time. Don’t rush, and worst case, use your hand.

Stroke him while you’re licking or have the tip in your mouth.

And be careful of your teeth,” she advised, and I found myself relaxing.

“Honestly, if you don’t want to go down on him, it’s okay.

Don’t do anything you’re not absolutely okay with, alright? ”

“Right.” I nodded, and she hugged me.

“If you have any questions, no matter when or what time, I’m here.”

“I know,” I whispered. “Thank you. And, umm, I don’t mean to put you in a weird place but?—“

“I won’t say a thing. Not to anyone,” she promised, and I believed her. “Promise.”

“Pinkies?” She winked, bringing her pinky between us, and I did the same. Hooking it, we kissed our thumb before our hands dropped.

“I should get going. I have my last shift at the resort.”

“Last shift? Wait, does that mean you’re going to get that spot off Main Street? For the bakery?”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s just time.”

“Wow. All of a sudden? Did something happen?” She looked at me for a moment and shook her head. I couldn’t tell if she was telling the truth or lying. That was the problem with my sister. She might have been the wild, outrageous one, but she played her cards close to the chest.

“Nothing like that. It’s just time.”

“We should celebrate.”

“Maybe next weekend. This weekend, you have serious plans! And as payment for keeping your secrets, you’re going to have to tell me all the dirty deets.”

“Shut up.” I laughed. “I’m not even sure if I’ll go.”

“Liar,” Olive gently called me out. “I love you, babe, but remember, doing things is always better than not doing things. And Bash, well… he looks like he’d be fun to do! So, have fun, just… just protect your heart. Okay?”

“Yeah.” I shrugged like it was no big deal. We hugged, and she rounded her car and left. I watched her car disappear while standing outside my little SUV.

Antsy nerves rushed through me.

I didn’t want to go home.

If I went home, I felt like I was going to be climbing the walls, overthinking if I headed there.

But I couldn’t exactly show up at the brewery for karaoke night, either.

A small little bookstore had just opened at the end of Main Street I hadn’t had a chance to check out yet.

I decided that even though all I wanted to do was go home and put my feet up, I’d head there instead.

Walking around town in the middle of summer should have been stifling.

Luckily for me, there was a cool breeze coming from the lake.

So many different things were in my head, all of them about Bash and what we were going to do.

The uncertainty made me anxious. What if I couldn’t get into what he liked?

What if he changed his mind? I reached for the front door and was surprised when it opened. I looked up.

“Bash,” I whispered. His hand was already on my hip. Our eyes connected, and like usual, it felt like the world around us started to disappear.

“Rave.” His gaze dropped to my mouth and then my chest. I knew the moment he noticed the little love bite I wasn’t sure he’d left on purpose or by accident.

With the way his nose flared and his eyes darkened, I had a feeling it had been on purpose.

My thighs pressed together for relief. Overwhelming need washed over me.

“It’s nice to see you.” Bash smiled at me, and I felt like I was going to melt into a puddle of goo. It was genuine and real.

“You, too,” I whispered, unable to look at anyone else, not that there were too many people around. There we were, staring at one another while blocking the entrance to the bookstore.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I got out of work a little early and hadn’t had time to check out Pine and Prose.”

“Really? You?”

“Yeah.” I laughed softly. “Life’s been busy. Umm––“

“Excuse me,” someone said behind me, and I moved to the side. Bash followed me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I came to pick up a surprise for my pretty girl.” He lifted a bag between us.

“A surprise for me?” I guessed, and he nodded. He handed me the bag.

“It’s a blind date.”

“A blind––“

“With a book,” he cleared up. “They had a bunch of books wrapped up under a sign that said Blind Date with a Book , and I figured you might like it. I just hope you haven’t read it yet.

” I opened the bag and smiled at the beautifully wrapped book with a pocket filled with stickers and little sticky notes and a cute pink pen that said in my reading era in gold.

“Steamy mountain man romance,” I read and grinned up at him.

“Maybe I was trying to stack the odds in my favor,” he muttered.

His eyes dropped to my mouth and then behind me as he looked around.

Before I could ask what it was, he took my hand and pulled me into the alley between the buildings.

The sun had started to slowly set, and in that alley alone and together, his body blocked me from anyone walking on Main Street.

“Hi,” he breathed. His hand moved to caress the side of my face. I leaned into his tender touch. It surprised me that someone his size with his strength could be so gentle.

“Hi,” I repeated like some kind of nervous parrot, but I couldn’t help it. My face hurt from the smile I had on my face as I stared up at him, fighting the need to let my eyes flutter shut.

I’d just told Olive I was going to be smart. This was anything but smart. His sweet, soft touches were messing with my head, giving my heart permission to hope for more. And damn if I was going to stop myself.

I was in love with him.

No one else would do for me. This weekend would be what would sustain me for the rest of my days if he decided once was enough.

“Raven.” The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine, making my skin break out in goose bumps. “Why can’t I stop thinking about you?” he asked roughly, almost like he was talking to himself. “Jesus, you’re so fucking beautiful.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” I whispered, resting my hand in the center of his chest. It felt like we were in the middle of a hurricane, something otherworldly pulling us closer, drawing us together like two magnets who couldn’t resist one another.

I rose on the tips of my toes just as he dropped down, and our lips touched.

I’d thought his kiss would match his touch.

But it didn’t, not even close.

It was like throwing gasoline on a fire.

We burned hot and bright. Wild and free.

I didn’t think. I didn’t know my name. All I could do was hold on and let him take the lead as his togue plundered my mouth, mimicking what my body ached for.

When his scruffy cheeks scraped against my jaw, moving down my neck, making my hands move to the back of his hair, my fingers dug into the back of his skull.

“That feels so good,” I whimpered a little too loudly and loved the heated way his chuckle made me feel.

“This is nothing. You have no idea how good I am going to make you feel, pretty girl.”

“Bash,” I moaned his name, and he nipped at me. His teeth scraped against my neck.

The world felt like it was upside down, inside out, but the one thing that made sense was his lips on my skin and my body in his arms. “Jesus,” he rumbled.

The vibrations against my flesh made my knees buckle.

Not that I had to worry with the way he was holding me up.

He pulled away and held me, making sure I felt exactly just how much he’d enjoyed that stolen kiss.

“Fuck, baby girl.”

“Bash.”

“I don’t want to leave you right now, but I’m closing the bar tonight.”

“Oh,” I mumbled, my lips parted, still tingling from his mouth on mine. I didn’t want him to leave, either, but for some reason, I kept it to myself. I didn’t want him to think I was some kind of clingy virgin. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.” His nose flared. “My house,” he rasped, and I shrugged. I had no idea why I was playing hard to get by not giving him a clear answer.

“We’ll see.”

“Raven.” The warning was clear, and for some reason, it made me laugh. His gaze softened and his hand rose and brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “What are you doing tonight?”

“I have a hot date with two of my favorite guys.” I smirked, and his brow rose. “Ben and Jerry,” I shared. “And a new book.” I lifted the bag between us. “Well, probably a couple of books.” I pointed to the shop behind us.

“Lucky book and ice cream.” He rested his forehead against mine, and for a moment, we just stared at one another. He had somewhere to be, and we both had a huge decision to make. Who was I kidding? He had an important one to make.

“You should come to my place,” I quickly blurted before I changed my mind.

“What?”

“I know what I want, Bash. If all I can have are the next three days with you, I’ll take them.”

“Rave,”

“But you should come to me. Come by my house, I mean. Because honestly…” My gaze dropped to the ground. But a moment later, the tips of his fingers carefully tipped my chin upward.

“Because why, Raven?”

“You’re the one that needs to be sure.” My voice softened. “If Onyx—“ I swallowed hard, guilt eating at me for even thinking of jeopardizing their friendship. “If my brother finds out, I’m honestly not sure how he’ll take it. You have more to lose than I do.”

“He’d be mad at both of us,” he noted, and I nodded.

“You’re right. He would be. But I’m his sister. Eventually, he’d have to get over it. You two have a thriving business and a lifelong friendship.” I swallowed.

“Would you care?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Would you care if he got pissed?” My brows bunched together.

“Of course, I would. I don’t want you two to fight––“

“No, I mean, if this was more than a little fling? If you and I could try and see if we had what it takes to make it work, would him not talking to me make you not want to be with me?”

“No,” I answered without having to think it over. “I’d want this. I mean…” I chewed my bottom lip, and his eyes dropped to it, turning his gaze molten. “I mean, in case you weren’t sure.”

“Fuck, pretty girl,” he groaned, pulling me against him, wrapping those strong arms of his around me and hugging me tighter. “You’re too good for me.”

“That’s not true,” I spoke into his chest. “You’re a good man. A little wild but good, nonetheless.” His hold on me tightened.

“I’ll see you soon,” he whispered against the top of my head. I felt him kiss my hair before pulling back. “Be safe getting home today, yeah?”

“Always,” I whispered. His hand found mine, and before I knew it, almost like I was floating on air, he led me to the front of the bookstore.

“Text me when you get home,” he gently ordered, and somehow, I didn’t feel the need to roll my eyes. How could I when he looked at me that way? With genuine concern and care.

“Okay,” I agreed all too easily.

“See you soon,” he promised again and opened the door for me. I stepped away from him, and the cool air from the air-conditioned bookstore felt like a relief against my overheated skin. I turned and watched as he waved one last time before he shut the door, then turned to walk towards his truck.

I forced myself to smile at the cashier, who said hello, and looked around. I wanted to chase after him and get back in his arms or cuddle up on his lap. I could picture the future together so easily. Too easily. Too naively.

I found the romance section and looked at book after book, hoping something would catch my eye while I tried not to be stuck too deep in my thoughts even though I knew I would be diving into the one he’d bought me, even if I had already read it or not.

I’d always told myself I wouldn’t be one of those girls who wore their heart on their sleeve. That I’d be a tough nut to crack. A woman a man had to chase and earn. Like a super cool heroine in one of the books I read.

But reality looked a lot different. Agreeing all willy nilly to anything the man of my dreams wanted from me and didn’t feel any remorse about it. At least not yet.

See you soon. His words replayed over and over as I added one book after another to my pile to buy. See you soon. He hadn’t said he’d come over. For all I knew, that kiss had been the last one.

I shook the thought away, knowing I’d feel like I was holding my breath when the clock struck midnight, waiting for the doorbell to ring.