Page 6 of The Mountain Man’s Unexpected Bride (Mountain Man Sanctuary #5)

Brock

W hat on earth is wrong with me? Going into her bathroom like that!

All day I've been struggling with how sweet and delicate Savannah is, and how much I want her for my own.

I keep reminding myself that this is just a temporary arrangement, but my instincts are telling me to claim her and make her mine.

Seeing her like that, all covered in bubbles, made me want to explore her slick body from head to toe. The things I'd do to that delicious woman are probably illegal in some states. That's another thing that kept me up last night. If I'm not going to marry her, should we become intimate at all?

Maybe she'd like to meet other men who might be more compatible with her than me. I immediately scratch that thought and am surprised at the anger I feel at all these imaginary men that don't really exist. I try to focus on the moment.

We've finally arrived at Hunter's Peak, and we're nearing my cabin. Savannah has been very quiet during our trip, and I wonder what's going through her mind right now. When we near the house, I realize she's uneasy in her seat and has a look of wonder on her face.

"This is your cabin? My god, it's huge! I can't believe you built it yourself."

My chest feels full of pride for what I've accomplished. More so now that I can share it with someone special like Savannah. We walk in, and I give her the grand tour. She's the most excited about my library, and I see her pick up book after book in awe. I think she's going to be a reader like me.

"This place is amazing, Brock. Thanks for sharing it with me."

"I'm so glad you like it, Savannah. I hope you make this place your own."

"Are you kidding me? I've already got a ton of ideas for what I could do to make it more of a home. If that's okay with you?"

"You've got carte blanche to do anything you want."

I want to take her into my arms and give her a better welcome to this temporary shelter I'm offering her, only she doesn't know it's temporary. Will it break her heart to know she has to leave in six months? Can I even hurt her like that now that I've gotten to know her a little more?

It's close to dinnertime, so that could be an activity we can do together.

I'm eager to spend time with her, and I've noticed that her demeanor has changed from that of a shy girl to that of a curious young woman.

I check the fridge and see that Cassie from the General Store has come in and restocked it.

"Want to help me make some dinner?"

"Oh, of course. That will be so much fun."

I open the door to the fridge so that we can see what we have available to us. I think we've got enough to make a chicken stir-fry with some white rice, and I practically see Savannah's mouthwatering. So we set out to chop vegetables and get dinner ready.

We work in perfect sync together, and having her right by my side does something to my insides. Little by little, Savannah is winning my heart, and I'm not completely against it. When everything is ready, we set up the table and I place the food on it.

The moans she makes when eating the food have gotten my dick to pay attention, and I keep looking at her lips as she puts food in her mouth.

We're discussing this and that, and I think dinner is going well overall.

Suddenly, she reaches out for more stir fry, and her juice spills all over the table.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry."

She runs and gets a dish towel and starts frantically cleaning everything up. All the while, she's chanting "I'm sorry" as if it were a mantra. I get up from my seat and go to her. She's still cleaning, but there's nothing more to dry up.

I take the towel from her and still her hands. I realize she's in tears now, and it's all I can do to hold her. I don't want to overwhelm her even more, so I just stand there and use a napkin to dry her tears. She looks up at me with despair written all over her face.

"Please, please don't send me back. I'll do anything. Just don't send me back."

Then the tears start again, this time it’s more like a waterfall, and my heart breaks for her. There's only one thing to do. I put my arms around her and hold her tight. My hand goes up and down her back, soothing her, and I pray I find the right words to put her at ease.

"It's okay, princess. I would never send you back to that place. It's okay."

She's still sobbing uncontrollably in my arms, and I place kisses on her forehead while mumbling words of comfort.

"It's okay. You're safe now, my love. Let it all out."

It takes her a few minutes to regain her composure, but she eventually does. I take more napkins and dry her face. She's holding me tight, and I feel like I'm worth a million dollars just knowing I've managed to be her savior.

"I'm sorry, Brock."

I lift her face so that she's looking at me instead of looking down at the floor.

"It was an accident. Accidents happen all the time."

Her face is all flushed, and she looks even more beautiful than usual. This vulnerable side of her makes me want to become her protector for the rest of our lives. I can't help myself anymore, so I lower my face to hers and our lips meet.

Hers are soft and salty because of the tears, and I marvel at how well we fit together. It's a chaste kiss, and I'm about to pull back when she puts her hands around my neck and draws me in. Her kiss is sloppy and inexperienced but it has an instant effect on my cock.

I follow her lead and let her explore as much as she wants. Could this be her first kiss? It must be. For me, it's the most amazing kiss I've ever experienced, and I start to deepen it. I lick the seam of her lips, and she opens up to me.

A flash of heat goes through my body when our tongues intertwine and start doing a seductive dance with each other. This woman is irresistible to me, and I don't ever want to let her go. When I feel tears going down her face, I push back to see what is going on.

"Are you okay?"

She nods, but I'm not convinced. She looks so vulnerable right now. So I pull her back into my embrace and just hold her there for as long as I can.