Hungry Mountain Man

by Charlize Starr

  I think I am destined for a love story like my grandparents’. I think I’m already living it.

  Epilogue - Jacob

  The launch party for High County Whiskey’s Nineteenth-Century label is the biggest event I’ve been to in years. It’s a giant glittering affair for the start of what the press is already calling a renaissance and a rebranding for us. The whiskey, made with my rapid barrel-aging technology and my great-great grandfather’s recipe, is getting a huge amount of buzz and has been very positively reviewed by several critics.

  It’s being heralded as a sign we’re moving away from scandal and flash and back to our roots: a family-brewed gentleman’s drink. Our new campaigns are subtle, mountain scenery and old photographs, small text blocks with quotes about mountain air inserted throughout them. They were Mia’s idea, of course, and every one of them has been a huge hit for us.

  Mia has been incredibly instrumental in all this with the PR needed after the Calvin scandal broke and in helping steer us toward this launch. She says she doesn’t even mind because it’s the kind of advertising work she’s always wanted to do. Dad says he’d hire her to do it full-time if she wasn’t so dedicated to the chocolate shop. Dad and all our staff and family friends love Mia. She’s been a huge hit with everyone I’ve introduced her to.

  She’s moved into the cabin with me, and she’s helped me turn it from a hideout into a real home. We’ve been talking about expanding it, taking the tiny cabin that had been where this all started and turning it the centerpiece of a much larger home. We could easily move out of the mountains, and maybe one day we will, but right now we’re both right where we want to be. I like the idea of keeping the cabin, making it something that fits my new life with Mia, something that uses my money and business to improve it rather being an escape.

  I’m more in love with her every single day, and it’s been such a bright spot in some of the darker days these past few months. Calvin’s trial had been painful. He’d insisted the whole thing had been his friend’s idea, and that he’d only agreed to go along with it because he was drunk. The footage of him at the well, my testimony of his threats and the other events, and those quotes he gave to the press about me being dead weight said otherwise, though. The judge ruled it proved intent, and now Calvin and several of his friends are serving at least fifteen years in jail.

  It had been hard for me to hear, and hard for Dad, although I think maybe part of him has had less faith in Calvin than I did for years now. It’s still had to wrap my head around, but Mia and I talk about it a lot, and it helps. She makes me see things about Calvin I tried not to do for so long.

  I push thoughts of Calvin out of my head. Tonight is about new chapters, new beginnings. The room looks stunning, and Mia is on my arm, looking even more than stunning. She takes my breath away. I pull her out onto the balcony when we can get a minute away from all the press and partners.

  “Mia,” I say, kissing her under the night sky, “thank you. So much of tonight is because of you.”

  “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” she says. I smile and reach into my pocket, and then slide down on one knee. Mia gasps. I take her hand and swallow hard. I’ve been planning to do this tonight for the past six weeks.

  “Will you marry me? Will you be right here with me for the rest of our lives?” I ask.

  Mia nods rapidly, making my heart soar. “Yes!” she says, eyes tearing up. I slide the ring onto her finger and stand up to kiss her, pulling her in tight this time.

  “I love you so much,” she says. “Oh, Jacob, I can’t wait to be your wife.”

  “I love you,” I say, laughing a bit and brushing a tear from her cheek. “I’m so grateful we ran into each other that first day. Literally.”

  “I’m glad I spilled coffee on you,” Mia says, smiling, eyes still watering.

  “I’m glad you gave me your number,” I say.

  “I’m glad you called,” Mia says.

  “I always call,” I tell her, nodding.

  “I know you do,” Mia says, kissing me again.

  “I love you,” I whisper again, holding her close.

  We stay out on the balcony for several more minutes, a private celebration of our own before we rejoin the large one. A few moments just for us.

  I don’t know what led us both to a small mountain town at the same time, how life had taken us both on that path, but I’m grateful for it. I wish Calvin had made different choices, but I wouldn't trade what I have with Mia for anything in the world. I don’t know how something so beautiful came out of something so dark and terrible, but if it had to have happened, I’m so grateful it had a silver lining.

  It’s hard to believe that almost a year ago, I almost died. But then, with Mia, it’s as if I really started living, maybe for the first time. I can’t wait to keep on living every minute of my life now with her right by my side.

  ******

  THE END

  Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading “Hungry Mountain Man” as much as I liked writing it. Please consider leaving an honest review here; it means a lot to me to hear from you.

  Charlize Starr

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  Doctor's Fake Fiancée

  Description

  I’m the best gynecologist in the world. My job is to look women in the… eyes. Deep.

  If you’re not on my booty call list, you want to be.

  But my lawyer says I need a wife. Or I’ll lose my daughter.

  And there she is. My new neighbor. The most innocent sweet geek.

  I watch her through my window. I can see that she wants to play. With me.

  So I make her a deal.

  She has only one condition. She wants to wait until the wedding night. Cause she’s a virgin.

  Game on, baby.

  LUCY

  I’ve always had a crush on him. He gave me my first kiss. My brother’s best friend.

  But I’m all grown up now. He doesn’t even recognize me.

  He proposes the most disgusting deal in the world. One million if I marry him.

  Another million for a baby.

  But I have no choice. I need the money to re-build my chemistry lab.

  He drives me insane with his devastatingly hot abs and gorgeous smile.

  And now I’m stuck in the same bedroom with him. For three days. All alone.

  This guy is going to be the end of me.

  Chapter One – Lucy

  I looked around my tiny living room filled with boxes, unsure where I was going to put everything. The apartment was charming, located above the Victorian home of one of the sweetest old ladies I’d ever met in New York. I was lucky to have found it when I needed it most. I carried a box into the small kitchen with a sigh, tackling it first. The window was wide open as Pandora played from my phone on the counter. I tried not to think about the rubble that was now the only thing left of my lab.

  I had opened my lab after college with stars in my eyes. My goal was to produce the best green solutions to reduce air pollution.

  Living in a big city, I was well-aware of the thick smog that filled the air and how it impacted air quality. I loved combining my ideas and those of my staff to find the best solution. I’d felt that way since I was in school, and I knew that I was the same geek now as I was back then. I was just a slightly broken version of her after the fire three months ago that forced me out of my apartment and into this one while I waited for the insurance company to reimburse me for my losses.

  I hadn’t purchased a great policy since I had been just starting out and regretted it now. They were not making this easy, but Mrs. Hastings was looking for a little extra income and offered me the one-bedroom apartment for a great rate.

  I was workin
g at a friend’s lab, pursuing the same goals as before, but it wasn’t like being at my own place where I could do things as I saw best. At Grant’s lab, I had to work around his staff. I never felt fully at home there, even though he assured me that I was welcome to anything that I needed. I just didn’t feel like it was mine. That was a familiar feeling after my relationship with Braden Lintier that had ended six months ago. I tried to spend as little time there as possible, only working to pay the little bit of rent and bills that I had while I waited for the money to come through for my lab so I could rebuild and continue with my dream.

  Now I had the distraction of moving in, so I organized my stuff with a little bit of false cheer and bravado. I was on my own and making it despite my troubles, acting like a strong woman. I knew that I was smart and had a lot of heart, but Braden’s verbal abuse had stuck with me since we were together. I had low self-esteem now and was struggling with that even more since the fire – something I wouldn’t put past Braden. I changed my name from Lucy Miller to Lucinda Graves to get away from him, but it would not be difficult to find me considering my job. He’d stalked me before, which had driven me to make the name change, but he wasn’t stupid. He could find me. I just wanted a chance to start all over and set Lucy aside – along with all of the mistakes that she made.

  I shuddered as I thought about the abuse that he put me through. My mind blocked out a lot of the physical abuse – the way that he tried to manipulate me into having sex with him – but I knew that I needed some time to recover. He had done his damage and hopefully would leave me alone now. I just wanted peace.

  I finished the kitchen and moved to the little bedroom that had come furnished for me. That was a big bonus since Braden had owned everything from our place together. I hung my clothes and put out pictures of my family. These touches made the apartment feel like it was mine. I saw some boxes on the floor and clipped back my caramel curls to do a little digging and see what else I had room for.

  The first one was all high school memorabilia. I had kept all my yearbooks in this box as well as some old books and notebooks that I used for taking notes. I opened one and cringed at the poem that I found, remembering my brother’s best friend Max Ranlin. It was all about him, as were many of the things I wrote back then – my silly crush on a guy that I’d never have. My brother Cameron moved to Montana after college and hadn’t mentioned Max in a while. Maybe they weren’t friends any longer. I had no idea, but picturing Max in my head made me smile to myself.

  He was always good-looking: tousled chestnut hair and bright green eyes with a hint of gold to them. I had a crush on him – so did all my friends in high school. I blushed as I thought back to the party he’d thrown when he was going to college years ago.

  It was wild, as Max had so many friends and admirers. I went with Cameron to make an appearance since Max was like a member of the family. I was more than likely the youngest person there, being a freshman, but everybody was kind to me because Cameron was my brother.

  They were also terrified to look at me the wrong way since Cameron was so protective of me. Max could be as well. I didn’t think I’d date until they went to college, if I was lucky. I mingled with some of the girls at the party, always aware of where the guest of honor was. I was a nerd in school – interested in science and math. The others were more on the jock side, but we all got on well together for a night here and there.

  I had walked outside to get some fresh air and peace after dancing for a while. I was sweaty, and the music seemed to get louder by the hour. I glanced around to see if any of the surrounding houses were lit up, awakened by the party. Max lived in a nice neighborhood in Long Island. His parents were wealthy from his father’s work as a surgeon. There was a lot of space between the houses, but the music was so loud.

  “What are you doing out here?” a voice asked. I jumped and turned to face Max. He was grinning drunkenly and holding a red cup in his hand as I glared at him.

  “You scared me! I was just getting some air.” I gestured around with my hand. “Don’t any of these people care that you’re having a loud party?”

  Max laughed before he finished off whatever was in the cup. “I talked to them in advance. They were cool with it.”

  I knew him all too well and shook my head as I wandered back to the koi pond in the back, feeling him moving with me. “You paid them off?”

  “Yup,” he admitted as I took a seat, trying to see the fish in the dark. “I’ll only go away to college once, you know.”

  “That’s true,” I admitted. I felt sadness passing through me. I saw him so much, him being my brother’s best friend, so it hurt to think of Max being so far away. There would always be holidays and summers, but it wouldn’t be the same. I looked forward to seeing him on a regular basis – my crush on him was so strong.

  “Are you going to miss me, Luce?” Max pressed as I gazed curiously at him. His eyes were dark. I couldn’t quite see them, but something about them made me shiver. I licked my lips.

  “Of course. You practically live at our house.” I shrugged and sipped the soda that I had carried out with me. “Nobody will be there to give me shit. Even Cam is leaving to go to Harvard.”

  “I’ll be back. Of course, you could give me something to remember you by,” he hinted as I raised a brow at him.

  “What do you mean?” I asked shyly as he sat down and turned to face me. We were all alone. I froze as he stared into my eyes. Things were different than they had ever been before with him. I glanced towards the house as he reached out to stroke my cheek.

  “I’ve only seen you get more gorgeous by the year, Lucy. I’ve wondered what it might be like to kiss you.” His voice was a whisper, and I felt my heart jump into my throat.

  “What?” I was the school nerd and he was a smart football player. What could he want with me?

  “Can I?” Max asked as he scooted closer and cupped my face. I nodded slowly and he pressed his lips to mine, tasting of beer and peppermint.

  I knew that I’d never enjoy a kiss like this again. I was crazy about him. He tilted his head and ran his tongue against my lower lip as I trembled and gasped against him. I gave in and he swept my mouth with his tongue, meeting mine as his other hand wrapped around my hip. I felt heat wash over me – throbbing deep inside. I blushed as I moved closer. I’d only had a couple awkward kisses before this that steered me away from ever wanting another one, but this was the opposite. This made me want everything.

  We kissed harder until the moment passed. Hell, it might have been hours, but I was lost in the feeling of our lips meeting and his hand stroking me over my clothes. He wasn’t pushing for anything more than a kiss, but I wanted him everywhere inside and would give myself up if only he asked.

  I was terrified of that truth as he pulled away and kissed my jaw. Someone called his name and Max turned with a low growl to stare at the house. “It’s Cam,” I whispered as he nodded and stared at me for a moment. He stood slowly and looked at me again before running his hands through his hair and walking away.

  I blinked as I looked around my messy bedroom, still affected by that kiss twelve years later. What an idiot I am. I kept unpacking until I grew tired, taking a shower before I dropped into bed.

  Chapter Two – Max

  I looked down at the blonde writhing under me, begging me for more. We met at a bar where I watched a hockey game with some friends and she was willing to leave with me. Riley was with my mom for the night and I didn’t want to be alone, even though I knew I’d be sending her home in a cab when this was over.

  What was her name again? Brenda?

  I kissed her neck and unhooked her bra as she cried out again. Her voice was shrill and I winced. I regretted bringing this girl home. She was beautiful and I believed that she was a model of some degree – like she claimed – but fuck me if she wasn’t annoying. I played with her tits as I raised my head and caught something out of the corner of my eyes.

  I looked closer to see someone i
n the house next door. The light had never been on before and I squinted as the person stood and lifted their shirt off slowly. That was not Mrs. Hastings. I looked closer as I pinched Brenda’s nipples – hard. This woman was curvy and gorgeous in the light of the bedroom.

  Brenda cried out as I jerked forward.

  She slipped her pants off and I licked my lips as I stared at her, willing her to bare herself to me. From what I could tell, she had brown curly hair, but the room was cast in an amber glow as she wiggled out of her panties.

  My hand slid between Brenda’s warm thighs as the woman in the window turned towards me and revealed a dark bra that she slipped off. I heard Brenda moan as I slid my fingers inside of the woman, still focused on my new neighbor. Her tits were perfect: full with small, dark nipples. I moved harder inside of Brenda.

  The woman beneath me became the neighbor in my head, flaring my interest as I curled my finger inside of her. I’d want to make that woman come. I’d want to fuck her – unlike this empty woman beneath me. I pretended I was doing just that as she screamed my name.

  I watched my neighbor until she was out of sight but kept the vision of her in my head as I kissed the blonde. Women didn’t usually affect me so easily just on sight, and I wanted to enjoy this. I was a good-looking doctor and women threw themselves at me, particularly since I specialized in gynecology. I saw a lot of disturbing things in my work, but the lonely single women or housewives that came in often made it all worth it.

  I’d said no for a few years when I was still married to Riley’s mom, Blake. We were married and I had everything I wanted, so why cheat? It was when I discovered her with another man in our bed as our thirteen-month-old daughter slept in the room across the hall that I realized she didn’t think she had everything. The man had been a friend and fellow doctor in the building. Everything crashed down around me at that point.