Rock Hard Mountain Man: A Billionaire and a Virgin Romance

by Rye Hart

  Once we were free of the smell of blood and fire, he uncovered my eyes and we made our way through the vast plains. I was exhausted, but I managed to keep my eyes open for just a little while, long enough to take in the stars. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed them until my sapphire eyes were scanning the heavens. They fluttered closed and I sighed, turning and resting my head against Rick’s chest, finally allowing myself to drift off into a peaceful sleep, one that I’d been denied for so long now.

  The steady, rhythmic sway of the horse soothed me and allowed my body to finally rest.. I’m not sure how long I was out for, but when I awoke, it was to the sounds of carriages and people talking. I lifted my head off of Rick’s chest and looked around, meeting the eyes of the people who were staring at me in amazement. I could hear people whispering, but I had no idea what they were saying.

  Rick wrapped a protective arm around me and I couldn’t help the urge to sink into his warm, strong arms. My eyes fluttered and I chewed my lip a little, looking up at him and he smiled back as if reassuring a child that everything was going to be okay.

  He kept me shielded until silence took over the landscape. He finally released me and I sighed, looking around, brushing my hands through my dirty red hair. My daddy always said that red hair was a sign of a strong-willed and tenacious woman, but I felt as far from strong-willed as you could be. I felt weak and beaten down.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  “Colorado,” he said softly.

  For a moment I considered the man who’d sent me money to come live with him, though the thought left me quickly. He would probably assume I’d died on the trip when wagon train didn’t arrive. I didn’t really mind it, though. I was hesitant to leave the side of the man who’d saved me.

  “Are you taking me to an inn?” I asked sadly.

  He shook his head. “The tavern is full of characters a lady shouldn’t associate herself with. It’s the only inn that we have here in Boulder, and I don’t reckon it would suit you.”

  My brows furrowed in confusion and I stared at him for a moment. “Then where are you taking me?”

  “I’m taking you to my home, Ma’am.”

  My heart fluttered. The sun was high and bright now and I was able to get a good look at Rick’s face for the first time. His skin was leathery and golden from years of working in the sun. There were small creases at the corners of his eyes that hinted at a propensity for laughter.

  His eyes were a rich hazel color, and his hair was thick and as dark at the night sky. As I looked closer I noticed a few faint, pink lines along his jaw that appeared to be scars. Even with these little imperfections, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. My heart thudded in my chest and my cheeks turned a deep pink color.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, glancing down at me.

  “ Yes, I’m just a bit surprised I guess,” I said, trying to regain my composure. ”Thank you for letting me stay with you,” I said softly, tucking a few wild strands of red hair behind my ear.

  “You’re welcome. It wouldn’t be very wise of me to risk my life saving you only to let you die out in the woods,” he pointed out with a smile.

  As we came over a hill I saw a large sprawling house. It was very flat and the roof was a bit shorter than on the houses back home, but it was clearly big enough for a large family. It was practically a mansion, as far as a farm girl like me was concerned.

  The horse stopped in front of the log house and I slipped off the creature, standing beside the monstrosity of a home, my eyes wide. “This is your home?”

  “Sure is.”

  “Why is it so big?”

  He jumped off the horse and started walking toward the barn that was situated just to the east of the main house.

  “It was an original part of the fort and I led the first charge to reclaim it. Part of my payment was this land and this house.”

  “Are you married?” I asked, the question falling from my lips with guarded sort of optimism.

  “A lot of people ask me that,” he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “It must be because of the house, huh?”

  If he were to ask me, I would have said it had more to do with rugged handsomeness, but it seemed a bit out of line.

  “I suppose so,” I agreed, moving to stand beside him, staring at the house.

  After a moment I dared to steal a look at him and he was smiling down at me. My heart fluttered again and I offered a shy smile in return.

  “Let’s get you inside and get you cleaned up.”

  He guided me toward the house and as I followed him, I had the sneaking suspicion that this man would become my everything.

  Chapter Five

  Rick was an amazing man. In the months that I’d spent in Colorado, I’d learned so much about him. He’d been born in Illinois and when he was fifteen his pa moved them out west towards Montana. Billings turned out to be far too crowded for Rick, so he went off to make his own destiny when he turned eighteen.

  He’d fought in countless militias and been on hundreds of raids, mostly saving people like he’d saved me. I hated the way his eyes got so sad when he talked about the people he could save or the raids they’d gone on where everyone had been killed. He considered me a miracle and I wasn’t going to argue with him.

  I was given my own bedroom in the home and he’d even purchased dresses for me. Beautiful, flowing things made of light cotton and dipped in bright colors that were extracted from the strange plants that grew in the western soil.

  I’d lived my entire life in Georgia and while I’d seen the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains and lived amongst the Southern hills, I’d never seen anything like the mountains in Colorado. They stretched up towards the skies as if their outstretched fingers were reaching for the clouds. I fell in love with them and told Rick I wanted to climb them. He laughed a little at my admission but never once told me I couldn’t do it.

  He was a supportive man and he cared for me in ways I’d only ever dreamed of. We weren’t lovers or even love interests, but he showed me kindness and respect and that was more than I’d ever hoped for. Most of the men that had been left back home in Georgia were cruel and prone to drink. Rick gave me a sense of hope, a belief that there were still good men in this world.

  We spent our nights together, talking by the fire and exchanging stories. He seemed deeply interested in what had happened to my small home town. It saddened him that so many people were losing their livelihoods in the name of so-called progress. He scoffed at the word, spitting it out as it left a bad taste in his mouth.

  The scar on my neck was hard to forget about. Rick and I would be having one of our usual conversations and I’d catch his eyes wandering over to it. I would shut down immediately and hide in my room. I’d settle at the vanity and try to cover the scar with my thick, red hair. I didn’t want Rick looking at it;I didn’t want anyone looking at it, but that was unavoidable.

  Rick took me to the town doctor and the man inspected it closely, assuring me there would be no lasting physical damage other than the scar. As the words left his mouth he patted my knee and offered me a sad look, knowing what the presence of the scar was going to do to my life. He knew that things would be very difficult for me and he wasn’t wrong.

  I attempted to make friends in the town, chatting with the ladies after church and trying to catch their attention at the small, local market the residents had set up. Some of the women offered me guilty smiles before quickly scuttling away, while others sneered and turned their noses up as I passed. After the first few weeks, I stopped trying at all. It was far too upsetting to continue being pushed aside and ignored.

  It brought me closer to Rick. He must have noticed the way the women treated me, because he always made an extra effort to spend time with me. We became good friends over time and soon, our bond began growing even stronger. I wanted to tell him how I felt, but women just didn’t do that. Besides, who would want to be with a woman who had essentially been branded?
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br />   Since I couldn’t express my feelings for him, I showed him that I cared in other ways. I helped him tend the small garden behind his house and I made sure his clothes were clean. I cooked and scrubbed the floors, doing anything a wife might do. He told me over and over again that I wasn’t obligated, and I told him just as often that I didn’t mind. I liked taking care of him.

  Some of the women at church caught on to the fact that I had feelings for Rick and they made their own advances painfully obvious. A beautiful woman name Claire with long, curly blonde hair would press herself against him in the most indecent way and whisper soft nothings in his ear. The worst part about it was the fact that she was married to the town’s mayor. It was clear she didn’t love him and he didn’t seem to care; as long as he had a pretty woman at his side, the mayor was happy.

  Today was no different than any other day. It was spring and the flowers and trees were finally starting to bloom. A cool breeze swept through the valley we lived in, blowing a woman’s hat right off her head. I managed to snatch it out of the air and smiled, handing it back to her as I wandered through the church yard in search of Rick.

  I found him in a nearby field where some of the men collected to talk after the church service. He had his pipe in his mouth and was laughing at a story one of the other men was telling. My heart warmed and I put my hand over my chest, trying to ignore the tight squeeze of emotion. I needed to stop pining over a man who would never want me.

  As I started to cross the field, I noticed Claire out of the corner of my eye. She had the look of a snake in her eyes as she crept up on the men. I bristled with anger, but stayed behind, not wanting to let my emotions get the better of me. Proper ladies didn’t fight and I just wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my hands off Claire if she teased Rick’s hair one more time.

  Claire came to a stop beside Rick and his mood immediately changed. He went from smiling and laughing to sour and frowning. I was too far to hear what they were saying, but I watched as they exchanged a few lines of banter. She pressed her bosom against him and he rolled his eyes, nudging her away. He started to walk up the hill towards me, the smile returning to his face until Claire grabbed his arm again. He shook her off and offered her a few sharp words before climbing up the hill, leaving her stunned and silent.

  I stood at the top of the hill, my eyes bright and my heart fluttering. He smiled and offered me his arm.

  “Ready to go home, Darlin’?”

  Chapter Six

  ‘Ready to go home, Darlin’?’

  The words echoed in my mind over and over again. My heart was slamming in my chest and the joy in my belly was nearly bubbling over. Time and time again he chose me over Claire. No matter how many times she tried to sneak her way into his bed, he flat out refused.

  One evening, I was stirring a large pot over the fire, glancing up out the window as Rick came inside, knocking his boots off so he didn’t dirty my freshly cleaned floors.

  “How’s dinner coming’?” he asked, glancing up at me as he crossed the main living area.

  “It’s coming,” I said, moving to stand beside him. “How are the cattle?”

  “Actin’ a bit strange, but I’m not sure why,” he said, scratching his head.

  “We’ll figure it out. Come sit and eat.”

  Just as I urged him to eat a loud clap of thunder echoed overhead, causing me to jump and gasp, my eyes wide. I hadn’t been expecting the noise and flash of light that followed it. I stumbled forward and Rick caught me in those strong, warm arms and held me close. I could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke.

  “Let’s eat outside?” he suggested.

  I hesitated, but finally nodded. I trusted Rick. I always trusted him. I knew he would keep me safe. I spooned our stew into two metal bowls and followed him outside. We sat under the canopy of the large porch, leaning against each other and watching the bright light flash across the sky.

  “You remind me of lightning,” he said after a moment.

  I blinked and looked over at him, a bit shocked by the comment. “I remind you of lightning? How in the world is that?”

  “You’re bright, intense, and often silent.”

  “Lightning isn’t silent,” I snorted.

  “Of course it is. Thunder makes the noise. Lightning has its own energy.”

  I blushed deeply and looked down. “If I’m lightning, then what are you?” I asked after a moment, my cheeks burning from embarrassment.

  He smiled a lightly. “I was hoping I could be thunder,” he whispered softly, putting an arm around me.

  I froze up, staring into my stew as lightning danced across the sky. He looked down at me, his fingers pressing into my shoulder with a gentle urgency. I swallowed and looked up at him. He was smiling the gentle smile he always offered me and his hand reached out, fingers dancing over the scar on my neck.

  I turned away, my hand flying up to cover the scar, far too embarrassed by the mark to simply ignore it. “What are you doing?”

  “Exploring your imperfections.”

  “Why?” I asked, tears pooling in my eyes.

  “Because they make you beautiful.”

  I turned to him, the hot tears starting to roll down my cheeks. “I’m not-”

  “Shhh. You are beautiful. You’re beautiful to me. There’s something about you, something different from the other women. Something I’ve never seen in anyone else before.”

  I swallowed thickly, looking down at our laps. “I’m nothing special,” I whispered softly.

  “Of course you are,” he argued. “You’re brave! You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman. You’re my lightning in a bottle.”

  “Why lightning?” I asked, looking up at him.

  “Because there can’t be thunder without it,” he said simply.

  “You’re saying you need me?” I asked, brows furrowed as he took my hand and brought it to his lips.

  Another clap of thunder sounded overhead and lightening illuminated the sky. I saw his face clearly and in his gaze I saw an adoration that no other man had shown me.

  “What are you saying, Rick?” I asked again.

  He leaned in closer so that the space between our lips was so minimal that I could feel his warm breath.

  “I’m asking you to be mine.”

  I started to open my mouth to speak, but before the words of doubt could escape, he pressed his lips to mine and put his hand on the back of my neck, holding me close and refusing to let me go. My body filled with warmth and my fingertips started to tingle. I whimpered underneath him and pressed myself closer, eyes fluttering open and then shut again.

  My fingers tangled in his mess of dark locks and I held him tight, not wanting to let go. We only parted when the need for air grew too strong to ignore. He stroked his fingers through my hair and I barely heard the words he spoke over the sound of my beating heart.

  “Be mine?” he asked again.

  I nodded quickly and threw my arms around him, our lips crashing together again as the heavens danced for us.

  “Yes!” I whispered against his lips breathlessly. “Yes.”

  Chapter Seven

  I was on cloud nine for the next few days. Rick was mine and I was his. We’d held each other through the rest of the storm, sharing adoring kisses and looks of pure bliss. Was this love? I really hoped it was.

  At first I’d been concerned that my feelings towards Rick stemmed from the fact that I felt like I owed him some sort of debt for saving me. I was concerned about the legitimacy of my feelings, but now I knew my love for him was true.

  Though we had yet to say it out loud, we both understood that we were, in fact, in love. It happened fast, but that’s how everything in the west happened. It came through in a whirlwind and swept you off your feet. This was no exception to that rule.

  I decided to stay quiet about it, knowing it might cause a bit of an uproar. Women all over Boulder were trying to get their hands on Rick. He was young, handsome, and had money to
spare. He was everything any young woman could have hoped for in a husband, and he was mine.

  I smiled at the thought as I ran my fingers over a brass watch. It had delicate engravings in it, depicting horses. I knew he would love it. It was a bit pricy but our vegetable crop had brought in a rather large sum of money. Rick was actually surprised that I’d managed to grow so much so quickly. He’d struggled with the soil for years and decided to just settle on live stock.

  The elderly man selling the watch thanked me as he handed the money over. I smiled fondly and tucked it carefully in my dress pocket, patting it gently as I head back down the dirt road to our home, practically skipping. I was excited to show Rick his gift.

  About a mile out from my home, I heard the sounds of hooves padding the ground. When I turned I saw Claire riding up behind me on her white steed. She came up beside me, her horse moving at a slow trot to keep pace with me.

  “Why if it isn’t our little stray!” she sang.

  I frowned deeply and tossed a red braid over my shoulder, starting to walk away from her, determined to put some distance between us.

  “Where are you going?” she called after me, her horse blocking my path now.

  I looked up at her and put my hands on my hips. “Aren’t you a little old to be playing these childish games?” I asked.

  I should have been the bigger person and just walked away from the confrontation, but I was tired of Claire butting into every aspect of my life. I wanted to settle this with her once and for all.

  “I’m not playing any games, dear.” she said, a coy, wicked smile coming across her lips.

  She jumped down from her horse and took a step toward me so I took a step back. Her hand flew out at lightning speed and grabbed at my hair, yanking it back and exposing the brand on my neck. I slapped at her hand and she just laughed, pulling it back and shaking her head.

  “I didn’t know my dear Rick liked his women so feral.”

  “I’m not feral,” I whispered, my voice weaker than before.