Hawk Valley Mountain Men Box Set

by Mazzy King

  I climb down first, then help Ava down. She’s quiet, likely embarrassed, and I feel bad for her. I check my phone for the first time since returning to the cabin, and sure enough, it’s screaming to take shelter from the possible tornado. I pull the doors shut and latch them, then turn to find her sitting on the couch, rubbing her ankle. Her cheeks are pink.

  With a sigh, I head to a basket I keep on a shelf and grab a sweatshirt from the pile of clean clothes inside. I tug it on, then perch on the edge of the couch beside her. “I’m not a murderer. I won’t hurt you. You’re not wrong to be wary, but you also can’t go gallivanting off into the wild in a storm with a busted ankle. That’s way worse than sticking it out with me for a bit.”

  “I know,” she murmurs, then shakes her head. “I just— It’s hard to explain.”

  I spread my hands, making a show of looking around. “We have time. And I’m a good listener.”

  She looks at the doors, then at me. “Aren’t you worried about losing your cabin?”

  “Nah.” I shrug. “First of all, we get tornado warnings all the time in the spring and summer. A tornado hasn’t touched down here in a long, long time. Second, even if a tornado did wipe me out, I’ve got great insurance and, frankly, plenty of money. Rebuilding would be a pain in my ass, but I’m not worried about it.”

  Ava cocks her head. “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m a private contractor,” I reply. It’s the standard answer I give anyone who asks.

  She narrows her bright-blue eyes. “Uh-huh. So what do you do?”

  I can’t help but smile. “That’s classified.”

  Now it’s her turn to wave a hand around the room. “And who am I going to tell?”

  “Why should I trust you?” I lift my brows. “You could be a psycho.”

  She purses her plump, pink lips and flashes me an annoyed look. “Fine. Point taken. You really can’t tell me?”

  “How about this. I’ll tell you if you tell me whatever’s going on with you that’s hard to explain.”

  Ava swallows loudly, her throat bobbing. I wait.

  Finally, she says, “Okay.”

  “I used to be a Navy SEAL,” I tell her quietly, and her eyes widen. “When I got out, I started a security consultancy. That grew into me assisting the US military and black ops organizations with security tactics and tech. I’ve been involved in top-secret military operations the general public will never know anything about that have literally saved the world as we know it.” I shrug. “And that’s why I own the Glock you somehow found. And to be transparent, I own a whole lot of guns. A veritable armory, actually.”

  Ava flushes. “Um, about that. I had to use the bathroom. And then I got distracted and forgot about my ankle, and—well, anyway, I wasn’t snooping through your stuff. It was an accident. And it freaked me out.”

  “Yeah, I got that.”

  She moistens her lips. Now I’m distracted by the sight of her tongue swiping between her lips and can’t help but wonder what they taste like.

  “It’s more than just guns being scary,” she starts after a moment. “I got mugged on New Year’s Eve.”

  A sudden tightening fills my chest.

  “I was out with friends. Had a lot to drink. Needed to get some fresh air,” she says, her voice hardly above a whisper. “I went out into this alley, and these two guys stepped out of nowhere. They held me at gunpoint, shoved me around, and stole my things. They threatened to kill me. And then they just…ran off.”

  My fists clench.

  Her gaze is pinned to the opposite wall. “I wasn’t hurt very badly. They didn’t assault me in…other ways. I just had a few bruises. But every time I close my eyes, I see them. I see those guns aimed at my face. I’m scared to go anywhere by myself. I have panic attacks sometimes.” She swallows again and glances to me. “I haven’t quite figured out how to move past it.”

  Before I can talk myself out of it, I reach out and lay my hand on top of hers. “I’m sorry, Ava.”

  She gives a little shrug, like it’s no big deal.

  “I know what it’s like to have a hard time moving on,” I continue. “You didn’t ask for my opinion, but I’ll give it to you anyway—you just gotta take it one day at a time. Earth-shattering, I know.”

  I’m heartened by the little smile she gives me.

  “But how many days is too many days?” she asks. “Shouldn’t you feel like you’re making some progress at some point?”

  “You’re in the mountains, aren’t you?” I stroke the back of her hand with my thumb. “You came by yourself—I assume, anyway. I suppose you could have a boyfriend tucked back at the inn.”

  “No.” She shakes her head and blushes, twisting her ponytail around a finger. “No boyfriend. Here or back home.”

  “Explains why those two fuckfaces got away,” I say, the edge in my voice surprising even me. “Because if you were mine and that happened to you on my watch, they wouldn’t be walking.”

  Too much, a little voice says in the back of my mind. Calm your shit.

  But instead of recoiling, her eyes fix on my face. “Really?” She swallows again. “Do you, like…have ways?”

  I chuckle, shaking my head. “I’m not going to answer that. Tell me about you instead.”

  And she does. I learn she’s twenty-two—as young as I suspected. A senior at Hawk City University majoring in photography. A sorority girl. If all goes well, she’ll be graduating magna cum laude next month. She’s close with her parents and has a younger brother with autism who is something of a musical genius.

  But no boyfriend.

  In turn, I tell her a little more about myself. She seems especially interested to know why I’m single and living in the mountains.

  “I mean, you’re hot,” she says with a frankness that makes me blush more than her. “And you have a great career. You could have any woman you want.”

  “We all have flaws,” I say gently. “I’m certainly no exception. Besides, I just haven’t met the right one yet.”

  As I say that, we lock eyes. And it feels like my soul…shifts.

  Chapter 5

  Ava

  Did Loch feel that too? Did he feel that shift between us? It was like the moment, the instant before taking someone’s photo, and they shift their gaze from the lens to…you. They see you, the person behind the camera.

  Loch saw me, the person behind my fear.

  He gets up from the couch and climbs a few steps up the ladder, pressing his ear to the door and listening intently. Then he unlatches it and cracks it open.

  “Pissing rain outside,” he says, “but looks like the tornado’s passed.”

  I blink. In the midst of our conversation, I completely forgot why we came down here in the first place. It’s so cozy, it could be a basement.

  “Do you still have a house?” I ask.

  He turns to me with a smile. “Let’s go find out.”

  He unlatches the door again and this time throws it open wide. We’re immediately pelted with rain, but there’s nothing to be done about it. There’s still very much a storm, but at least we won’t get swept up inside a tornado.

  “You go up first,” he yells over the noise.

  I wince as rain smacks my face and nod.

  “Sorry,” he adds, trying pointlessly to wipe my cheeks.

  I grab the ladder and his hands find my waist. Normally, I’d be a little self-conscious about that, because I’ve never been an itty-bitty thing. But his hands are gentle as they help me find purchase on the ladder.

  “I’m gonna give you a push up,” he says. “It means I have to touch your butt.”

  “That’s okay,” I reply, a little breathlessly.

  I hop up to the next rung and then his hands plant on my ass and push.

  Was that a squeeze I felt?

  I don’t have time to address it, as I’m focused on getting up and out. I reach the top and throw my good leg out, then roll over until I can push up to a standing pos
ition on one leg. I’m panting. That was freaking exhausting.

  Loch hoists himself out, shuts the doors and latches them, then immediately wraps his arm around me to help me toward the house. By the time we get inside, we’re both soaked to the bone, and I’m shivering violently.

  “Well,” he says with a smile, “house is still here.”

  I nod rapidly, my teeth chattering.

  He steps toward me. “Listen, this is a big ask, but it’s getting pretty late. I will absolutely take you to the inn if that’s what you want, but this rain isn’t going to let up until morning and some of those mountain roads can be pretty treacherous. If you’re okay with it, you’re welcome to stay here. You can sleep in this room”—he points to the bedroom just behind me I found earlier—“and I’ll sleep upstairs, or I’ll sleep down here and you can sleep upstairs if that’s better.”

  “I’ll stay there,” I chatter, nodding to the room behind me.

  He looks relieved. “Okay. Then go take a hot shower and warm up. I’ll turn the heat on and throw something together to eat.”

  He helps me to the bathroom and opens the closet door to show me tons of fluffy towels and a couple bottles of basic shampoo and conditioner. Nothing I would ever make a habit of using on my hair, but it’ll do for one night.

  “You can borrow some sweats,” he adds. “I’ll put your clothes in the dryer. Just bring them out when you’re done.”

  He leaves me to it, and I hobble about the small space, shedding clothes while the shower water heats up. Thick steam fills the air and I moan out loud with joy as the hot water envelops my frigid body in warmth.

  I stay in much longer than I should considering I don’t pay the water bill here, but I’m finally thawed, and the cold has left my bones. And now that I’m not freezing, I can finally admit to myself Loch is definitely not a serial killer or a psycho. In fact, he’s a pretty great guy.

  He’s a pretty sexy guy, too.

  My hand drifts down between my thighs. What would he say if he knew I was a virgin? I’ve given myself my fair share of orgasms, but the thought of someone older, someone experienced, someone strong and brave touching me, taking me, making me his makes me shudder.

  Are you seriously considering giving your V-card to a total stranger?

  If I’m being honest…yes, I definitely am.

  I might not know him well, but that doesn’t make him a stranger. He doesn’t feel like a stranger. In fact, the way my soul settles into a comfortable position inside me makes me feel like I’ve known him my whole life. I haven’t felt comfortable with a stranger since long before my attack, but my gut tells me I’m truly safe with Loch, and that he’s supposed to mean more to my life than being some kind stranger who’s gone out of his way to make sure I’m all right.

  But would he even want someone like me? The type of woman I picture him with is svelte and sleek and dark, someone who can kick ass. Like an international spy.

  Then there’s me, the girl who twists her ankle hiking on a mountain path, thinks her savior is a serial killer, and then runs away from him in the middle of a fucking tornado. Not to mention the fact, I’m a college student who likes photography. He’s an ex-SEAL, for crying out loud. He’s been a badass for more than half my life. I must be nothing more than a stupid kid to him.

  Miserably, I step out of the shower and use one towel to dry my hair and the other towel to dry my body. Out in the bedroom, laid out on the bed, is a stack of clothes. I unfurl them to find the basic sweats he promised. The navy-blue sweatshirt says, appropriately, NAVY across the front. The sweatpants are plain gray, but they’re both so soft when I slide them on—onto my naked body, since my bra and panties are soaked, along with everything else I wore. That reminds me—he promised to dry my stuff for me. The thought of him handling my delicates makes me blush, so I fold them underneath the rest of my clothes.

  Embarrassed? Weren’t you just planning to seduce him a second ago? my mean inner voice taunts.

  “Shut up,” I mutter and walk out of the bedroom.

  Loch must have taken his own shower, because he’s also wearing sweats and lounging on his couch with a beer, watching TV.

  He glances up and smiles as he sees me. “Feeling human?”

  “Just barely,” I reply.

  He hops up and shows me to another small room where the washer and dryer are. I toss my clothes in the dryer and he turns it on low. “Hungry?”

  My stomach growls as if on cue. “Starving, actually.”

  “Good.” He leads me to the kitchen, where a pot steams on the stove. “I made stew, hope that’s okay. I got the recipe from my buddy Asher, who got it from Mrs. Morris.”

  “Sounds great,” I say, salivating.

  He dishes out two bowls and passes me one. “Want a beer? Or I have wine.”

  “Wine’s good. Whatever you have, doesn’t matter.” He pours me a glass of red and we commence eating. “This is fantastic. You’re a great cook.”

  He shrugs. “Made it a few thousand times. Pretty easy once you get the recipe down.”

  “Does your friend live around here?”

  Loch nods. “A few of my buddies do. Their cabins are all within half a mile or so of here.”

  “I noticed that huge cabin way up there,” I say, pointing my spoon toward the mountain’s summit. “Someone lives up there?”

  “Yeah. That’s Stone Jericho. He’s from here, but is some tech giant in the city. He built that palace as a getaway. He’s kind of a recluse. I’ve only met him once.”

  “Some might say the same about you,” I reply.

  “They’d be right,” he says. “I am a recluse. When I’m here, anyway. I spend a lot of time with a lot of people out in the world, and when I come home, I just want to be home.”

  “You don’t get lonely?” I ask, stirring my stew.

  He lowers his gaze, shrugging as he takes a swig of beer. “I mean, sure. I’m a man, after all.”

  The implication makes my skin heat. He’s a man. With manly needs. A powerful tingle twangs between my thighs.

  “Do you ever…hook up when you’re out in the world, as you put it?” I hedge.

  He lifts a brow. “Working in life or death situations makes that kinda impossible.”

  “So you just don’t hook up with anyone?”

  He chuckles. “I’m past the ‘hookup’ phase, Ava. I want a real relationship. So no, I don’t just hook up with anyone.”

  “When’s the last time?” I ask. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help it. He’s so open, and I’m very curious about his sexual dossier.

  Loch chuckles again. “Why?”

  “I wanna know.”

  “Okay. I’ll tell you if you tell me.”

  I hide a smirk. He’s in for a surprise. “You first.”

  “It was a little less than a year ago.”

  My eyes bulge. “You haven’t had sex for a year? Isn’t that an eternity for men?”

  “Well, it’s not something I’m proud of,” he replies. “That’s just the way it worked out.” He takes another swig of beer, his eyes boring into me. “Now you go.”

  I take a deep breath. “Okay. Well, the last time I had sex with someone was…”

  He leans forward. “Yes?”

  “Never.”

  Loch tilts his head. “I beg your pardon?”

  He heard me. I gaze back at him.

  “You’re a virgin?”

  “Why do you sound surprised?”

  He holds up a hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to offend you. Not many people are anymore.”

  “I guess we’re both waiting for the right one,” I say.

  “I guess so,” he says quietly.

  Now or never. Now or never.

  I push my bowl to the side slowly and lean across the island. “Loch?”

  He says nothing, but his eyes are steady and dark green as they meet my gaze.

  “Be my first,” I say softly. “Make love to me.”

  Chapter
6

  Loch

  Did I hear her correctly?

  I’m not sure how to make words for a second. There are so many things I want to say—mostly asking if she knows what she’s saying.

  “And don’t ask me if I’m sure,” Ava says, as if she can read my mind. “I know exactly what I want. I said what I said.” Then her confident expression falls. “Unless…you don’t want to. That changes things. Sorry. I presumed—”

  “You presumed right,” I blurt, then shake my head, reaching for her hand. “Look, it’s not about what I want, though, believe me—I want you. I’ve wanted you since the second I saw you sitting on the path. But…what you’re asking for…”

  “What, I should save it for marriage?” Ava says drily.

  “Only if that’s what you want,” I reply gently. “Look, you hardly know me. I don’t want you to look back and regret this.”

  She rises from the stool she’s perched on and hobbles around the island, her eyes on me. “Look, I might be young—younger than you by a decade—but I know what I want. And as for not knowing you, technically, sure. You’re right. But, Loch, I know how I feel deep down when I’m around you. I’ve never felt this way around anyone since my attack. I feel safe around you. I feel protected. And one thing I learned since the attack is that my life could be over in an instant.”

  My heart clenches.

  She shrugs, but her face is earnest. “I could’ve died that night. I could have died today, running away from you like a lunatic. Hell, that tornado could’ve touched down and killed us both. You just never know. And because of that, when I want something, I don’t hesitate.” Ava nibbles at her bottom lip. “And, Loch, I want you. And I want you to have me. Even if it’s just for tonight.”

  I’m worthy. She picked me.

  That’s all I need to know.

  I reach out and tug her by the waist toward me. I tangle one hand into her half-dry, light brown hair and draw her face close to mine.

  “Tell me how you want it,” I say between my teeth, because the sudden need to be with her, be in her, is overwhelming. My cock is instantly hard, and I know she can feel it because her breathing increases. “Slow and soft, or hard and fast?”