Kept By The Mountain Man (Montana Mountain Men Book 3)

by Gemma Weir

  “Let me prove you wrong,” I growl.

  “What?”

  “Spend the weekend with me. In my bed, in my arms, be mine, let me prove how good it’ll be to belong to me.”

  “Then after the weekend you’ll take me back to town and we’ll agree to never see each other again,” she says simply, like it’d be that easy for me to let her walk away.

  “No. I can’t agree to that. How about you agree to be mine and if after the weekend you decide that isn’t what you want, we can talk about it. Then, if you really want to leave I’ll take you to town.” I say, silently adding that I’ll take her to town, then throw her back over my shoulder and bring her right back home again.

  She’s quiet and thoughtful for a minute, and for a second I think she’s going to refuse, but then she nods decisively. “Okay, but you have to promise that when all these feelings you think you have go away, you’ll tell me, you won’t drag things out for the whole weekend once you realize it was all just a weird brain fart.”

  “I promise I’ll tell you,” I say with a smirk. Does she really think I’m making up what I feel for her? If this was just about sex I could be balls deep in her by now, but I stopped myself because when I fuck her for the first time, I plan to claim her. Despite what she imagines is going to happen, I won’t be giving her up on Monday morning, I’ll be sliding a ring on her finger and putting a baby in her belly.

  Gripping her chin with my fingers, I tip her head back and lean in until my lips are a hair’s breadth from hers, then I wait until she closes the distance between us and kisses me. From now on I won’t wait for her to come to me, but for this kiss, her offering, her surrender is her sealing herself to me. This first kiss was binding, and now I have three days to show her why I’m keeping her and why she’ll want to be kept.

  For the next hour we make out like teenagers, and my dick hurts so much I think I may actually have to go to the ER for the worst case of blue balls in the history of man. She keeps pushing her tits into me, grinding her ass against me like she’s daring me to touch her, but I manage to hold myself back. If I start touching her now, I know I won’t be able to stop and I at least want to feed her before I devour her.

  A knock at my door forces me to pull away from her mouth and she whines, disgruntled that we’re not kissing anymore.

  “Dinner’s ready,” someone shouts.

  “Come on, honey, let’s go eat.”

  “I’m not hungry,” she pants, grabbing my face and trying to pull me back in for another kiss.

  “You can feel how hard my dick is, you know how much I don’t want to stop, but we need to eat and then we need to move your stuff from the guest room into here. Then I promise I’ll spend the rest of the night showing you what it feels like to belong to me.”

  Her lips part and heat fills her cheeks as if she’s embarrassed, even though I’ve already had my mouth on her pussy and my fingers buried deep inside of her.

  “You’re too fucking cute, I love this pink in your cheeks.” I laugh. “Come on.” Lifting her from my lap, I hold onto her until she’s steady on her feet, loving that just making out has got her so off balance.

  “I’m…” she trails off, obviously trying to say something.

  “What’s up, honey?”

  “Do you think they heard us?”

  “Yeah,” I nod.

  “I’m just gonna hide in the guest room,” she groans, covering her face with her hands.

  “Honey, do you know how often we listen to Cora or Bonnie screaming? Almost daily, no one will say a thing to you. They know you’re mine so they’ll have been expecting it.”

  “What do you mean, they know I’m yours?” she asks, her brow arched and a hint of defiance that it’s incredibly sexy creeping into her demeanor.

  “Exactly what I said. You’re mine, I knew it the moment I saw you, and they all knew it the moment I bought you home. We don’t have women here unless they’re our women,” I explain succinctly.

  “Look—” she starts.

  “No,” I snarl, closing the distance between us and slamming my lips to her, silencing her and dominating her in one action. I’m done listening to her argue and tell me I’m imagining my feelings for her. “I know this is quick and overwhelming and honestly a little crazy, but you agreed to give me this weekend, so the next time you question that you’re mine I’m gonna pull down your panties and spank your ass. You got me?”

  “You want to hurt me?” she asks cautiously.

  “Never, if I spank you, it’ll be to remind you that you’re mine and that I won’t put up with you constantly questioning me.”

  “Have you ever read fifty shades or seen the movie?” she laughs.

  “I’m not a fucking dom, Alice, I don’t have a play room or a spanking fetish, I’ve never spanked a woman in my life. I’m a Barnett, and when it comes to the women that belong to us we tend to turn into cavemen. I’m not gonna apologize for it, or try to change myself,” I tell her honestly. “Now, let’s go eat with my family, and then I’m gonna strip you naked and fuck you until you forget your own name and all you can remember is that you’re mine.”

  Before she has time to argue, I take her hand and pull her forward, opening my bedroom door and leading her into the living room. All eyes turn to us for a moment and I see Beau barely hiding a smile before he turns his attention back to his wife, whispering something into her ear that has her twisting around to throw herself into his arms.

  It’s been nearly eight months since Beau came home and realized he was obsessed with Bonnie Williams and knew she was his. She didn’t make it easy on him, but within weeks they’d realized they were perfect for each other. They’ve been married for nearly five months now, and the love they feel for each other is so palpable it almost feels like being around my parents when I was growing up.

  When our mama died, we all died a little too and even though none of us ever wanted to leave this house, I think we all felt the loss of the love she was filled with. Now we have Bonnie and Cora here, this place is becoming a home again and now I have Alice, I’m starting to understand why my brothers are as whipped as they are.

  It’s been less than a day and I’d already do anything for her, imagine how I’ll feel in a month, a year, ten years.

  Her fingers tighten on mine, and I love that just this tiny gesture makes me feel like she wants my support when she’s feeling apprehensive. I need that from her, and that’s not something I knew about myself until I saw her.

  “Food’s done, come sit down,” Penn calls, so instead of heading for the couch like I’d planned, I turn and go to the dining table, pulling out a chair for Alice and holding it for her while she sits. Taking the seat next to hers, I lay my hand on her thigh and shuffle my chair toward hers, wanting to crowd her, hell, I’d have her on my lap if I didn’t think she’d freak out. I don’t know how I know, but if I give her a chance to think about this thing between us, she’ll run. So many things she’s said have been red flags, like her expecting me to get bored of her before the end of the weekend and her insistence that I’m making up my need for her in my head.

  I don’t know her well enough yet to be able to make her understand how sure I am of this thing between us, so until I do I’ll keep her close, preferably within touching distance until she’s as sure as I am that I’m just as much hers as she is mine.

  When Penn places an empty plate in front of her, she immediately drops her gaze, like a child hoping if she can’t see him, he somehow won’t be able to see her. It’s a strange thing for a beautiful, adult woman to do and I feel my brow furrow as I try to understand why her body language has suddenly become so closed off.

  “Miss Alice, that RV of yours is definitely a classic,” Bay laughs, taking the salad forks and dropping a portion onto his plate.

  “My dad bought it when I was a kid, it’s probably done well to last this long,” Alice says, barely above a whisper.

  “I’ve got a contact out in Arizona who thinks he m
ight have an engine for it, he’s gonna have a look and let me know,” Penn says, taking the serving dish full of ribs from Cody and putting some onto his plate.

  “Okay, thanks,” Alice says, not elaborating or trying to get any more details.

  Penn’s brow furrows as he looks from her and the way she’s blatantly trying not to engage in a conversation, then to me. I shrug minutely, not wanting her to see me.

  Beau passes me the salad and I put some on my plate, then add some to hers as well, before I pass it off to Cora who is sitting next to Alice. I do the same when the ribs, then the baked potatoes come to me, automatically serving her as well as myself without really giving it too much thought.

  The conversation goes on around us, but Alice doesn’t try to get involved, giving one word answers when she’s asked a direct question, but not asking anything or entering into discussion with anyone, even though my whole family tries to include her.

  “You okay?” I ask, when dinner is finished and Penn is collecting the plates as Cody grabs the pies he made earlier for dessert.

  “Yes, thanks,” she answers quietly.

  For some reason, her dismissive answer pisses me off and I grab her chin in my fingers and lift her face up, forcing her to actually look at me, rather than hide from me by acting like the table is the most interesting thing she’s ever seen. “Look at me when you speak to me,” I growl quietly, not wanting to make a scene but needing her to mind what I’m saying.

  Her eyes blink slowly, her brow furrowing like she can tell I’m mad but she has no idea why. “I’m fine. Are you okay?”

  “You’ve barely said two words the whole way through dinner, and you’re staring at the table like it’s about to give you the winning lottery tickets. What’s going on?”

  Her eyes dart around the table and I’m glad that if they can hear us, my family are at least pretending like they can’t. “Nothing, I’m just minding my own business. Your family are being polite and I appreciate that, but I’m a stranger in your home.”

  “My family want to get to know you.”

  “Why?” she asks, like she honestly doesn’t know the answer.

  “Because you’re mine, you’re going to be family.”

  “Look—”

  Just like before, I cut her off by kissing her, not giving a fuck that we’re at the dining table or that they might be watching. “Mine,” I say, as I reluctantly pull away from her mouth.

  When she sighs, I’m not sure if it’s lust, or relief or tension that she’s exhaling, but she relaxes into my hand that’s cupping the back of her neck, not trying to get away from me.

  “I know they’re overwhelming, but I know you’ll like them if you just give them a chance,” I whisper, pressing my lips to her ear.

  “Okay,” she breathes.

  Three perfect, golden crusted pies appear on the table in front of us, along with a huge bowl full of fluffy whipped cream.

  “Peach, cherry and custard, I am the motherfucking god of pie,” Cody announces loudly, his hands raised above his head in triumph.

  “Well, me and the baby are sorted, I don’t know what the rest of you are having,” Cora laughs as she pulls the entire custard pie in front of her and immediately digs in, not even bothering to cut a slice.

  “Not the peach, Peaches?” Huck asks her.

  “Not today, today is all about custard pie,” Cora says through a mouthful of desert.

  Laughter fills the air as Cora shovels pie into her mouth, rubbing at her round pregnant belly and humming appreciatively. Huck moves his fork to take a bite and Cora slaps his hand away, glaring at him evilly. “Mine,” she snarls.

  “If you’re mine and that pie’s yours, it makes it mine too,” Huck laughs, leaning in to stab his fork into the dish again, only for Cora to attempt to stab him with her fork this time.

  “Listen, asshole, you got me pregnant and now I’m fat, I need to pee constantly and I haven’t seen my pussy in almost a month. This pie is mine, and if you have even an ounce of sense in that neanderthal head of yours, you’ll stop trying to steal mine and my baby’s happy.”

  Bonnie laughs so hard her face goes red, and she almost chokes on her own piece of pie she’s taken while everyone’s attention has been on Cora.

  When I glance at Alice, her wide eyes are moving between Cora, Huck and Bonnie as if she can’t look away but doesn’t know who to look at first.

  “Cora,” Huck says, a warning in his tone.

  “Huck,” she says back, with just as much warning in her own voice.

  “They love each other, I swear they do,” Bay says with a laugh to Alice.

  My girl nods, but she doesn’t look at all convinced.

  “Do you have any siblings?” Teddy asks Alice, his voice soft and surprisingly gentle as if he doesn’t want to spook her.

  “Just one sister,” my girl tells him, and it looks like she’s having to physically force the words out. For the first time, I realize that’s how she was at lunch too, like it’s an effort to have a conversation. I wonder if maybe there’s a reason she doesn’t like to speak? Although she had no issue telling me I was imagining how I feel about her.

  “Older or younger?” My attention is split between my girl and my baby brother as he coaxes a response from her.

  “She’s older than me.”

  “How many years?”

  “Five,” Alice says, and if I’m reading her right, talking about her sister seems to make her sad.

  “Oh, that’s the same as between me and Granger,” Teddy smiles.

  Alice tries to smile, but her attempt seems a little brittle. “She enlisted in the Army straight out of high school.”

  “Do you get to see her much?”

  “No, she has her own life and I move around a lot…” Alice trails off as if that explains why she doesn’t see her sibling. For a minute my chest tightens, I hated being away from Rockhead Point and all my brothers while I was at college, I came home for every holiday and moved back as soon as I graduated. I think the longest I’ve gone without seeing my family is three or four months, and reading between the lines I get the impression she hasn’t seen her sister in at least five years, maybe longer.

  My hands move without thought, curling around her waist to pull her back to my chest, holding her as close to me as I can get without taking her out of her chair and putting her into my lap. She stiffens for a minute, but then she surprises me by not pulling away from my touch, she even relaxes a little, letting some of her weight fall into me.

  “Do you work at the garage too?” she asks Teddy, actually engaging for the first time.

  “No, I work with Beau and Huck up on the mountain. Beau owns a logging company.”

  “Beau started his company, then Bay started the garage and Cody owns his own building contracting firm too. I have my furniture business. Huck and Teddy work with Beau, and Penn works at the garage,” I explain.

  “They keep trying to get us to give up our jobs and work for one of the family businesses, but I work at the coffee shop in town and at my daddy’s ranch in my spare time, and Cora basically runs her mom’s clothing store,” Bonnie says, sticking her tongue out at her husband when she mentions not working for a Barnett business.

  “You don’t want to work for your husband?” Alice asks.

  “Hell no,” Bonnie says vehemently. “Christ, he has enough control issues with me at the coffee shop. If I worked with him, he’d be a nightmare,” she laughs, pressing a kiss to Beau’s cheek to soften her words.

  “Baby girl, you know it’s only a matter of time till I convince you to give up working completely. No space, no distance,” Beau says to his wife, pulling her onto his lap and nipping at her neck with a playful growl.

  “See what I have to put up with,” Bonnie giggles. “Alice, I’d tell you to make a run for it but they’re all cavemen in this family and Granger would only chase after you.”

  Alice squirms uncomfortably in her seat and I glare at Bonnie who isn’t payi
ng me an ounce of attention, as Beau whispers something into her ear that makes her cheeks turn pink.

  “Jesus, if you pair are planning to have another spanking session tonight you need to go do it at your dad’s, I can’t listen to you screaming then begging for more again,” Cora says straight-faced, her fork still in the now half gone custard pie.

  “Cora,” Bonnie snaps.

  “Don’t Cora me,” Cora says, shaking her head. “We all hear you, I can’t wait until the contractors fit the soundproofing.”

  “As if we don’t all hear you guys,” Bonnie cries. “Harder Huck, I’m pregnant not breakable,” Bonnie says in a very when harry-met-sallyesque way.

  Cora giggles, then Bonnie starts too and suddenly the girls are laughing as they high five across the table, then lift their glasses in toast. “To big axes and men who know how to swing them,” Cora says.

  “Alice, you’re gonna want to get in on this,” Bonnie prompts, and both girls wait until Alice reluctantly lifts her glass and clinks it against the other women’s at the table, while the rest of us stare on in part amusement and part horror.

  Maybe suggesting Alice talk to the girls to help her understand the Barnett men might not be such a good idea.

  7

  Alice

  I think they seriously just called each other out for having very loud sex in the house they share with a lot of other people, then high-fived in support of the other having great sex, then made a kind of weirdly inappropriate toast about their men having big dicks and being good in bed and insisted I be involved.

  These women are crazy.

  This whole family seems crazy. Granger has apparently decided I’m his, because he knew the minute he saw me. Apparently that’s just the way it happens for these guys and his family seem to just think that’s totally okay, because they all seem to think it makes perfect sense that I’m here, that I’m now part of a couple with Granger, a guy I met for the first time today.

  The craziest thing is that I think I actually kind of agreed to be with Granger, at least for the rest of the weekend. I definitely made out with him like I was a freshman doing seventy-seven minutes in heaven on his bed, after I let him give me not one, but two orgasms with his fingers and mouth.