Page 5 of My Wild Mountain Man (Summer in the Pines #15)

bash

. . .

“What’s going on with you?” Onyx asked, patting my shoulder before taking the seat next to me.

“What?” I asked, my brows bunched together in a frown.

“What’s going on with you? You burnt out?” The concern was clear in his features.

“Nah,” I denied, my voice thick with lies. “Nothing like that.”

“Let me guess, you met someone? At Clover?” he asked.

“What?”

“You went there Friday, and now, two days later, you’re sitting here looking like the weight of the world’s on your shoulders when, and I’m sorry to say this, my man, you should just go out and get a haircut.”

“Yeah,” I chuckled, knowing my smile didn’t reach my eyes as I ran my fingers through my hair. “I do need a cut.”

“You should go see Rave,” he suggested. I wasn’t sure if it was the guilt or what, but I felt like he watched me closer anytime he mentioned his little sister’s name.

“Rave’s probably busy with shit more important than––“

“To cut hair? A stylist?” he cut me off and rolled his eyes. ““You just need to hit her up, Bash. I’m sure she would squeeze you into her calendar.”

“I’m okay.” I cleared my throat, hating how tempting it was to do what he wanted.

I missed her.

I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since following her home.

How the hell I’d stayed in my truck, I had no fucking clue, but I had.

Even when she stood at her door and waved good night.

Everything inside of me had wanted to run out and bang on her door and beg her to let me in.

I glanced out at the floor. It wasn’t busy; it was Sunday and usually on the quieter side.

“You need sleep, man. You have huge circles under your eyes.”

“Thanks. Nothing better than your best friend telling you, you look like shit,” I muttered just as he shrugged.

“I’m just calling it like it is. I really thought you met someone, maybe some biker baddie.” He winked, and I rolled my eyes.

“No biker baddies,” I mumbled. Only one bookworm baddie.

“Shame. Maybe next time,” he muttered encouragingly before patting me on the back. “I think I’m going to head out, though.” I glanced at him wondering what the hell was going on.

“You are?”

“Yeah. I still have a kitchen sink to install when I get home.” The fucker had gone off and bought a complete fixer upper, doing most of the work on his own. It didn’t surprise me he wanted to finally focus on the kitchen, yet it did at the same time.

“Alright, man.” I started to stand when the two front doors opened and in like a fucking vision she walked in with her sisters.

“Speaking of the devil.” He laughed, taking the words right off my tongue. “Look, I’ll ask her for you.”

“Onyx––“

“Rave!” he shouted. I could feel people staring at us, but that wasn’t anything out of the usual.

Onyx was usually a loudmouth when his sisters were around. I watched the group of five women walk over to us. All of them were beautiful, but only one of them made me feel like I saw forever in her eyes.

“Onyx,” I growled, but he ignored me. Her eyes widened slightly, almost like she hadn’t expected me to be there.

“What’s up?” she asked. Her voice was like a balm to my soul. Her dark eyes bounced from her brother to me then quickly back to her brother. My hands fisted at my sides, so I shoved them into the front pockets of my jeans to stop myself from doing something stupid, like touch her.

“Can you help my guy out here, please?”

“Excuse me?” she asked.

“Do something with all this hair?” Onyx put his hand on top of my head. I moved out of the way, but my gaze never wavered from Raven’s.

Today, she matched her name. Probably coming straight from work, my pretty girl was in a black scoop-necked top and black flared jeans with matching boots. And even though she was in all black, she radiated so much light it made my chest feel full.

“Be nice, Onyx. He probably doesn’t want me to do it.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” I spoke up, fucking up any chances to keep my distance. Raven’s eyes widened with surprise. Then a smile that made her so damn pretty adorned her face and made me think of flower fields and sunshine.

“She does good work. You should go to her.” He patted me on the back before something caught his attention. “Hey, I’ll see you guys later.” He didn’t even glance in my direction before he hugged Raven and hurried out.

“Hi,” she said softly the moment he was gone.

“Hey. You here with your sisters for dinner?”

“We were just thinking about getting some apps and drinks.”

“Nice.” I nodded.

“I should probably go to their table.” She pointed behind her.

I opened and shut my mouth. I wanted to ask her to stay but couldn’t.

“Umm, I know Onyx can get pushy, but if you wanted a cut…” Her shoulder rose and fell as she licked her lips.

My eyes were drawn to them and my body started to feel all too warm. “I could do it.”

“My hours here are a little crazy.”

“What time are you off tonight?” she asked.

“Tonight?” I felt myself getting drawn in. With a mind of their own, my feet had closed some of the distance between us, and I was suddenly less than a foot from her.

“Tonight.” She smiled. “I mean, if you want to. I have the keys to the salon.” She jingled said keys between us.

“That’s…. convenient.”

“Isn’t it?” She giggled, and a pretty blush painted her cheeks. “Either way, I’ll see you Friday,” she whispered bravely, just low enough for me to hear.

“Raven.” I took my hand out of my pockets. My fingers brushed hers at her side. I wanted to tell her not to show up, take away the offer I’d made, but I knew I’d rather burn in hell than rescind it.

“I close tomorrow, too,” she put out there, and just as quickly as she’d showed up, she walked away, making her way to her sisters’ table. Fuck.

Temptation was calling, and I was wild enough to freaking answer.

I returned to the bar and tried to focus on work. Serving customers and making sure our wait staff was taken care of was usually a breeze. Muscle memory now that I’d been doing this for the last seven months.

But I kept getting distracted.

Especially when a group of rowdy college-aged guys came in and started to flirt with the Trejo sisters while they were out on the dance floor.

Olive was a knockout and always got tons of attention, but my girl in that outfit was the one getting chatted up.

A tall, young fucker was getting too touchy feely for my tastes, and it fucking killed me to stand off to the side.

“Hey, Bash,” Coral said as she sat at the bar. “Can I get a cherry Coke, extra cherries?”

“Of course. How’s it been?” I asked, making small talk while I watched the guy lean in and say something to Raven.

“I should be asking you that.”

“What?” I frowned.

“You know she’s an adult now, yeah?” My eyes connected with hers.

“What?” I asked again because there was no way she could know how I felt. Could she?

“Raven,” Coral pointed out.

“What about Raven?” My voice sounded scratchy in my own ears while I tried to play dumb in front of the oldest Trejo sibling.

“If you have to ask that, then maybe never mind.” She shook her head while taking a sip of the cherry Coke I put in front of her.

“Coral––“

“You know, maybe one of those frat boys is what she needs.” She shrugged. “But I can tell you for a certainty that’s not what my little sister wants.”

“I’m too…” I swallowed.

“You should step in.”

“What?”

“He’s going to ask her out, and then what? You lose your chance?” The question hung heavily between us.

“No disrespect, Cora, but I might not be the right guy for Raven.” Too old and jaded with sexual tastes that leaned towards the darker end. But as I watched the guy give her his number, I knew I didn’t want her with anyone else. It was selfish of me but fucking true.

I hopped over the bar and headed straight towards her without a plan in mind.

Almost like she felt me get closer, her eyes rose and met mine. The moment I was within reach, I took her hand.

“Dude?” the college kid called out, but I didn’t listen. I held her hand and brought her right against me as we started to dance way too slowly for the song that was playing.

“Bash?” she gasped, and my cock, fuck, it was hard just from feeling her in my arms and breathing in her sexy, soft scent.

“Just… dance with me, pretty girl,” I whispered against the shell of her ear and felt her body relax in my arms.

I was playing with fire.

Dancing with her again. This time in front of everyone.

Testing my self-control. My hand pressed against on the small of her back.

It shocked me how much smaller she was than me.

How much of my hand covered her. The images it created only made me harder.

My balls ached for a release I knew I wasn’t going to find in that moment, but I didn’t care.

I would take any spare second she’d give me.

We danced, our bodies pressed so close I doubted a sheet of paper fit between us.

I knew I was fucking up. There would be hell to pay if Onyx returned to the bar, if someone told him I’d slow danced with his baby sister.

But fuck, I couldn’t stop. The only reason I had to tear myself away from her after two songs was because my bartender needed help after a bit of a dinner rush.

The night went by too fast, and before I knew it, Raven and the rest of the Trejos were gone.

A longing ache in my chest settled deep, making me wish for more.

Minutes felt like hours the moment Raven left with her sisters.

Time dragged on until it was finally time for me to head home.

It was late, and I’d just locked up the brewery.

My employees were gone, the parking lot basically empty.

That’s when I saw her.

Standing next to my truck, under the streetlamp and moonlight. My steps faltered as her face turned to look at me, that sweet innocent smile that haunted my dreams pointed in my direction.

“Raven?” I called out her name when I was standing right in front of her.