Page 3 of My Wild Mountain Man (Summer in the Pines #15)

bash

. . .

I was in the back office, staring at the Excel spreadsheets, but all I could see was Raven and her wide eyes filled with intrigue after I threatened to pull her up over my knee.

“Fuck!” I cursed, scrubbing my face. She had been watching me while I swam naked in the creek. I’d felt her gaze like a touch from afar. “Fucking hell,” I repeated, shutting my eyes as I threw my head back and stared at the ceiling.

“Do I want to know what your problem is?” Austin asked. I shook my head.

“You really don’t,” I grunted.

“Please don’t tell me this has to do with someone’s little sister,” he whispered, and I rolled my eyes.

“Shut up, Austin.”

“No, I’m serious, Bash. Onyx will lose his shit if he finds out you’re trying to seduce––”

“Seduce!” I hissed. “I’m not seducing anyone! I didn’t do anything. Not really .” Keep telling yourself that, and maybe you’ll believe it, a little voice in my head mumbled. I’d threatened to spank her, and my innocent pretty girl looked intrigued by it. “I found her on the trail by the waterfall.”

“You found her…”

“She was reading and got turned around. I helped her back to her car,” I explained. Never mind the fact that I was out there because I knew it was her day off and she usually liked going for a hike.

“And that’s it?” he asked, clearly suspicious.

“Yup.” I nodded, glancing at him from over my shoulder, omitting the fact I had been fighting tooth and nail from stopping myself from kissing her.

“Good. So, we going to Sugarloaf to do a little bar hopping?” he asked. The offer was there, clear as day. He’d be my wingman. I could hook up with some random woman, and in his head, that would fix the situation. Reality was, just the thought made my dick want to curl up on itself.

“I don’t think so, man.” I shook my head. “But how about a beer at The Clover?” Austin shot me a look like it was most definitely not his first choice, but it would do.

“Fine. Better than nothing. Meet you there about nine?” he asked.

“Sounds good.”

He walked out of my small office space, and I continued to stare at the screen in front of me.

The Clover was a biker bar just on the outskirts of town.

It was a hole-in-the-wall spot, but they had great food and ice-cold beer.

And more importantly, from what I knew, the Trejo girls didn’t go there.

The rest of the day went by in a blur.

My mind was too busy and mucked up with thoughts of Raven and how damn cute she looked out there on the trail. The way she’d been watching me skinny dip. How prettily she blushed for me, and the perfect way her hand had fit into mine.

Damn, I had it bad for her. The problem was, I didn’t know what to do about it. Liar , a little voice in the back of my head piped up. You know what to do. You just don’t know how Onyx will take it.

“Hey, you going to Clover with Austin?” Onyx asked the moment I got to the bar. I grunted, and the asshole had the nerve to grin at me. “Thank fuck. Keep an eye on Rave for me, yeah?”

“What?” I asked. My brows bunched as something in my gut twisted. Keep an eye on her? It was impossible not to when she was around.

“Heard she’s going there tonight with some people from work.” I swallowed hard at the information.

“You know she’s an adult, right? She can make her own decisions.”

“She thinks life is like some kinda romance novel. You know the bikers there are okay guys, but can you imagine one of the young ones trying to sweep her off her feet? She would fall for it hook, line, and sinker.” I had to shove my hands into the front pockets of my jeans.

I didn’t like the idea of some other guy hitting on her.

Or looking at her. Or breathing the same air as her.

“She’s smarter than you give her credit for,” I muttered, and he stared at me. For a second, I worried I had shown how I felt about her, or that he had some kind of inkling about it.

“It’s your night off. I get it.” He sighed, and I looked closer. Something was up with him by the dark circles under his eyes. “Look, I’m not asking you to babysit. I’m just saying––“ I didn’t need him to spell it out.

“Yeah, I get it. Keep an eye on her.” Though, an eye wasn’t exactly all I wanted to keep on her.

“Thanks, man, I owe you.”

“Sure,” I mumbled, feeling like a shit friend. I waved goodbye to him and hurried out. Knowing she was there or heading to the biker bar lit a fire under my ass. I didn’t even head home to change. I walked into the bar just as I got a text from Austin.

Austin: Sorry, change in plans. Can’t go tonight.

Fuck. This was the last thing I needed.

Austin cancelling and knowing I was going to have to keep an eye on her was going to make keeping my hands off her even harder. I ran my fingers through my overgrown hair. I hadn’t cut it because the idea of anyone but Raven taking care of it felt wrong. Like cheating.

It was crazy. She wasn’t mine. She was off limits.

Raven Trejo was the sweetest forbidden fruit.

I looked around and spotted her right away.

Like a beacon of light, she shone brightly in the old, dimly lit, dingy bar.

Sure enough, she was with some girls I recognized from the salon.

Raven was the youngest of the group. While she laughed and smiled at something one of her coworkers said, I slid onto a barstool far enough from her that she wouldn’t spot me right away yet close enough that I could keep an eye on her.

“Look what the cat dragged in.” Hillary, the bartender, grinned at me, leaning in close. “What can I get you, Bash?”

“Whatever your special is tonight and a Bud Light.”

“That I can do.” She winked and went to put my order into the kitchen after handing me a bottle of Bud.

I sipped my beer slowly, trying to avoid the temptation that was kitty corner from me.

I could hear the girls laughing and having a good time.

Before I knew it, Hillary brought me a brisket burger with a side of coleslaw and fries.

I dug in while I pretended to care about the baseball game happening on the TV above the bar.

Before I knew it, I was finished eating, and a group of bikers walked in. A couple of them made a beeline for the girls from the salon, and I felt like every nerve ending in my body went on high alert.

That’s when I felt it.

The air changed in the bar as she walked closer.

“Hey, darlin’, what can I do you for?” Hillary asked.

“Can I close out my tab?” Her sweet voice was like a balm over my soul.

“Sure thing, hun!” I turned, and when our eyes connected, I could see her thinking about ignoring me, avoiding me again. I wasn’t sure if it was half the beer I’d drunk or the fact I was so damn tired of staying away from her, but I smiled.

“Didn’t see you there, pretty girl. You having a good time?” I forced her to acknowledge me.

“Hey, Bash. You’re away from the brewery.”

“Hmm,” I grunted. “Having fun?” I asked, pointing at the group. Some of the girls were being led out to the small makeshift dance floor just as a slow country song started to play from the old jukebox.

“Yeah, the girls are a lot of fun.”

“You guys don’t come hang at the brewery like this,” I noted, and she shrugged shyly. She went with her sisters but hardly ever with friends.

“You know how Onyx can be.” I nodded. Her eyes left mine as she watched her friends dance with a soft smile on her face.

I could see one of the local bikers, a guy named Tray, staring in our direction.

The guy was closer to her age than me, about my height and build, with two sleeves of tattoos.

I knew if I let her walk away back to her friends, she would be in his arms on that dance floor before I could blink.

Fuck, I could bet the deed to my house on it.

“Wanna dance, pretty girl?” The offer slipped past my lips along with the term of endearment without thinking and ended up surprising the two of us.

“You want to dance?” she repeated. “With me?” Her eyes wide and her attention on me made me feel like I wanted to puff up my chest.

“Yeah,” I hoarsely answered. My skin felt tight. My overheated body worked triple time as I watched her closely. In that moment, it was just the two of us. Nothing else mattered. Everything around us felt like it disappeared.

“Oh.” Her pretty lips parted into a perfect O. It made my filthy, dirty mind wander in so many damn directions. My dick jerked to life as I thought about how those pretty lips would look wrapped around my cock.

“That mean you want to dance or––“

“Yeah!” She nodded with youthful enthusiasm. Jesus, that smile of hers made me feel a hell of a lot younger than I was.

“Good girl. Let’s dance.” I hopped off the tall barstool, and without stopping to think about the consequences of my actions, I took her hand in mine. Small and delicate yet strong. It felt right. Like the best thing in the world. And all I was doing was holding her hand.

Quietly, I led her straight to the small dance floor, where she stopped a step away and looked up at me with so much trust and innocence, every sane thought in my head vanished. I was a bastard. I should have turned right around and run the hell out of the bar.

But I didn’t. I had no intention to.

Maybe if I gave myself one night?

One really fucking great night with her. I could work her out of my system and out of my skin. Or maybe the road to hell was paved with nothing but good intentions?

I extended my hand instead of reaching around her waist. I needed this to be her choice.

My pretty girl didn't hesitate and placed her soft hand in mine, unknowingly sealing her fate.

Our fate. I pulled her closer and heard a soft little gasp.

The sound went straight through me like a shot of great whiskey, warming me up from the inside out and making my cock throb.

We started to move to the slow sexy beat of the song, our bodies in sync with one another. Holding her in my arms, looking into her eyes was a stupid thing for me to do. With every beat of my heart, those gorgeous, soulful eyes chipped away at my self-control. Her smile filled my soul with warmth.

One song bled into another. The tempo picking up speed as I twirled her around the floor.

Our laughter mingled with the usual noise of the bar.

Sweaty and exhausted, I held her waist, her front flush up against mine when the song slowed down again to something slower and sultrier than before.

Her own hands found their way around my neck as my neck bent down to press my forehead against hers.

“Bash,” she breathed, and goose bumps flared over my skin. Fuck, I loved hearing her say my name. “You’re a good dancer.”

“I’m good a lot more than dancing,” I flirted, and her smile grew.

“Are you now?” She giggled as she pressed closer against me. There was no doubt in my mind she could feel how hard I was.

“Hmm,” I grunted, my hand rising to touch her cheek. “Yeah.”

“Like what?”

“A lot of things.” I knew I was skating on thin ice and playing with fire.

“You wanna show me?” she taunted, and I stilled. This wasn’t just harmless flirting. We could both get scorched.

“Rave.” Her name sounded like a prayer. Raven’s hand moved, stroking the back of my head.

“Please.” That one little six-letter word would be my downfall. If that wasn’t enough, the little minx kept talking. “One night,” she whispered low enough for my ears only. “One night, and no one has to find out.”

Fucking hell, she was saying all the right things.

“How much did you have to drink?” I rasped.

“A Coke.”

“What?” I frowned.

“I don’t drink when I have to drive,” she shared.

“That’s good, baby. Smart.”

“So?”

“Raven––“

“One night,” she quickly repeated, pulling away a little more so her eyes could connect better with mine. “I need to get over you,” she blurted, and I stilled. Everything inside of me turned cold.

“Excuse me?” I asked and watched as she stepped back, her shoulders dropped.

“You know how I feel about you. I’ve had a crush on your forever and––“

“That was little kid stuff, Rave.”

“No.” She stubbornly shook her head, making her even more beautiful.

“It wasn’t. It’s real. And I need to move on.

I’m twenty-one, and I’ve never… I’ve never even been on a date or kissed someone.

All because I keep thinking about you. It’s like my heart is the most stubborn thing in the world!

” She was clearly frustrated. Her words left me momentarily tongue tied. She wanted to get over me?

“Raven––“

“You know what? Forget it!” She laughed awkwardly. I hated how pale she looked. “Forget what I said. Please, forget it. Oh god, I can’t believe I just said that! It was stupid. I got caught up in the moment,” she rambled, but her words replayed in my head. Bouncing around like a ping pong ball.

“I’ll see you around, okay?” She turned around and headed towards where she’d been with her friends. She grabbed her purse and quickly waved bye to her friends and awkwardly waved at me before walking out of the bar.

I was stunned by her confession.

I need to get over you. I need to move on. I’ve never even been on a date or kissed…

Fuck. I’d known she was innocent, but Raven Trejo was completely untouched like fresh fallen snow because she wanted me. Me? A wild mountain man with not a whole bunch to offer her?

“You let her go, stud, you’re stupider than I gave you credit for,” Hillary suddenly said next to me.

“Hill,” I rasped. She didn’t understand. She didn’t get how Raven was too good for me. Too young. Too forbidden. “Hillary.” She shook her head, her eyes wise from her time on earth and everything she’d seen in her life.

“If you don’t go after her today, you’re going to regret it. Go,” she ordered before walking away, carrying empties on her tray.

I did the only thing a rational red-blooded man would do in that moment.

I went after my girl.