Only For Forever: An Enemies to Lovers, Small Town Romance (Men of Rocky Mountain)

by Alexis Winter

  “Health problems?” I see her wince as soon as I repeat what she just said. She didn’t mean to let it slip and it’s written all over her face. “Like what? I’m a doctor, Steph.”

  “Yes, I’m aware. We’re all aware.” She motions around the room with both hands. “Look, I didn’t mean to say that. She’d be pissed if she knew I told you, so please don’t say anything.”

  “Is it serious?”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know yet, but please, Grant . . .” Her eyes are pleading and I nod my head yes.

  “Okay, fine, I won’t say anything to her, but I am going to go check on her.” I toss a few bills on the bar and reassure Steph that I won’t say anything to Leigh.

  I get in my car and drive straight to Leigh’s apartment. I glance around the parking lot, but I don’t see her car. I suppose she could have a garage. I bound up the stairs, knocking on her door several times. I wait a few seconds but don’t hear anything on the other side.

  “Leigh, you home? It’s Grant.” I knock several more times, but again, it’s met with silence. “I’m not mad. I just wanted to check on you and see if you’re okay.”

  I wait several more minutes but a response never comes. I glance at my watch and it’s after 7 p.m. Maybe she had an evening class that I didn’t see on the schedule at the gym earlier.

  I walk back down the stairs to my car. Tomorrow morning I’ll head to class and talk to her then.

  “Good morning, everyone. My name is Marsha and I’ll be filling in for Leigh today. Let’s all take to our mats and start in child’s pose.”

  Okay, this isn’t like Leigh at all to miss class. I try to push away all the terrified thoughts running through my mind and focus on my breathing and the movements Marsha is walking us through. But as soon as class is done, I grab my bag from the locker room and send a text to Leigh.

  Me: Hey, just leaving class and you’re not here. What’s going on? Stopping by Bean & Bun to bring you breakfast and we’re going to talk.

  I shove my phone in my pocket and rush to the bakery. This time, when I knock on Leigh’s apartment door with coffee and pastries in hand, it slowly opens to reveal a sheepish-looking Leigh on the other side.

  “So you are alive?” I can’t help but smirk as she offers a slow eye roll, but then they land on the bag in my hand and she reaches for it. I quickly pull it away.

  “Not so fast.” I hold it above my head as she scowls at me. “You going to let me in?”

  She mulls it over for a second before stepping aside and opening the door a little wider. I step inside, looking around the tastefully decorated space. It’s small but modern. It smells like sweet cinnamon and vanilla, most likely coming from the large candle burning on the kitchen island. A few plants are sprinkled throughout the bright living room along with some framed minimalist art pieces.

  “You prefer blueberry or banana?” I ask, pulling the giant crumb-topped muffins from the bag.

  “Blueberry.” She pulls two small plates from a cabinet, placing them on the counter before reaching for the coffee. She takes a small sip, her lips curling a bit before she places it back down.

  “Not good?” I ask picking up mine and taking a long sip. “This one is delicious. You want it instead?”

  “I’m good. Thank you.” She motions toward the muffin as she picks it up and takes a small bite. “So I know I owe you an explanation and an apology.” She nervously looks up from the muffin at me. “I didn’t mean to just blow you off. It was incredibly rude and I’m sorry.”

  “If you didn’t want to go out with me again, that’s okay, Leigh. I’m not a controlling asshole.” She looks at me, shaking her head slightly. “Even if the sex was . . .”

  “Yeah, it was . . .” She blushes. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go out again. I did—I do. I just had a bit of an issue flare up and needed to focus on myself. I know that’s not an excuse for not even texting back, but . . .” Her voice quivers and I can see that whatever she’s going through, it’s serious.

  “Hey . . .” I stand up and walk around the island to where she’s standing, pulling her in for a hug. “Whatever it is, you’re going to be okay. We’ll get through this.”

  We’ll get through this?

  I rub her back. I have no idea what came over me, but seeing her standing here, hurting, makes me want to destroy whoever did this to her.

  “Why are you being so nice?” She laughs, wiping away a stray tear as she steps out of my embrace, eyeing me suspiciously.

  “Who says I can’t be nice?”

  “Just a little out of character is all.”

  “I’m sorry, Leigh.” She looks up at me. “You’re right. I’ve been a dick to you and I’ve been selfish.” I reach a hand up and brush her hair behind one ear. “You deserve so much better.” I lean my head down, my lips coming to rest against hers. “Let me be that man for you, Leigh,” I whisper against her lips between kisses. I cup her face with my hands, pressing my forehead against hers.

  “Grant,” she steps back again. “I just—” She shakes her head.

  “Hey, look at me.” I tilt her face upward. “You don’t have to tell me anything or agree to anything. Just let me be a friend. Let me be here for you.”

  She nods her head slowly. “Be a friend then and let me eat my muffin and then maybe help me build a community garden at my place this Saturday?”

  I step back, even biting my tongue and not saying what’s on the tip of it . . . as long as you let me eat your muffin after. Be a friend, Grant, a friend.

  “So Saturday?” I confirm as I take a bite of my muffin.

  “Only if you want to.” She shrugs and a hint of her smile appears on her lips.

  “I would love to help you plant a community garden.”

  Giddy isn’t a word I’ve ever used to describe my mood, but today . . . I’m fucking giddy. When I pull into Leigh’s apartment complex, she’s waving at me from the side of the building.

  “Fuck me,” I mutter as I take her in. She looks more and more tempting every time I see her. She’s wearing a white crop top beneath a pair of denim overall shorts that cling to her hips. Her hair is piled in a messy knot on her head and she has a red bandana as a headband.

  “You bring any more of those muffins?” She plants a hand on her hip as she holds out a pair of gloves to me.

  “Is that why you invited me?” I smile, handing her a bag from Bean & Bun while I take the gloves.

  “Well, duh.” She digs into the bag and pulls out a blueberry muffin, taking a huge bite. I watch as she licks a stray crumb off her plump lips, a small moan slipping past them.

  “And here I thought it was my charm.”

  She laughs and shakes her head. “Better put those gloves on. Don’t want you to mess up those delicate doctor hands.” She nods toward the pair she just handed me.

  “Delicate? They still managed to get you screa—”

  “Ooookay, time for work,” she cuts me off, showing me to the raised beds that have been built in the common area.

  “So what made you want to do this?” I ask, grabbing a bag of soil and a rake.

  “Well, I was talking to Denise, who manages the building, and she told me that a few years ago, they put the beds in but no one was willing to tend to them. I love gardening. It’s a stress reliever and it provides some beauty.”

  I try to focus on spreading the soil, but my attention is pulled to Leigh as she stretches across the bed to grab the tray of flowers. I can see straight down her top and memories of her firm tits in my hands send a bolt of electricity straight to my groin.

  “What about you? Your parents have a garden?” She looks up at me as she says it, and it snaps me back to reality. I grab a trowel and begin digging holes for her to pot the flowers.

  “Growing up, we had one back in Illinois—a veggie garden, actually, because the soil there is like black gold. And my mom planted a garden in memory of my father at her house in Denver.”

  I see her stop working out of
the corner of my eye and she reaches forward, placing her hand on mine. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” I look up at her, and the expression on her face is genuine and it tugs at my heart. I want to fall for this woman more than anything, but I’m not ready.

  “It’s okay. He passed almost five years ago now. He was . . .” I shake my head thinking about Gerald Rossi, my idol growing up. He was the perfect example of what a father and husband should be and he was my best friend. “A professor. Taught linguistics at the University of Denver.”

  Neither of us says more on the matter. We focus on planting the flowers Leigh had put in one bed, and the vegetables in the other.

  “You think we should do four tomato plants or five?” she asks, looking down at the small leftover space in the corner. I take the moment to look at the sweat that’s beading on her forehead. She lifts a gloved hand and wipes it away, which smears dirt across her face.

  “I’d go with another bell pepper plant since tomatoes produce more per plant. And you have a little . . .” I point to her head.

  “What?” She lifts her hand again and wipes at her cheek, adding another streak of dirt, and I can’t help but laugh.

  “Here, let me.” I remove my glove and step closer to her. “You’ve got a little dirt.” I try to wipe it off but it’s dried. “Just a second.” I reach down and grab the hose that’s coiled by my foot. I pinch the handle a little too hard, and water shoots out with more force than I expected and it sprays her leg.

  “Hey!” She jumps away.

  “I’m so sorry,” I laugh as I turn back to her.

  I rub my wet fingers over her face, removing the dirt this time, but instead of stepping away, I let my hand linger. A few small tendrils of her sweaty hair cling to her neck.

  I don’t even bother trying to hide what’s going through my head. I dip my face into the crook of her neck, inhaling before placing my lips against her warm, sweaty skin. I hesitate, waiting for her to rebuff me. Instead her hands are suddenly on my chest, her small hands fisting my shirt.

  I pepper more kisses on her skin, letting my tongue snake out to lick the saltiness.

  “Tell me to stop,” I whisper, but she doesn’t.

  “Tell me you don’t want me to pull you inside and devour you.” I lean back to look at her, but she grips my shirt tighter, smashing her lips against mine.

  11

  Leigh

  I taste the saltiness of my own sweat on Grant’s tongue as it swirls around mine. I groan as he nips my bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. I grip his shirt, which has grown moist with his own sweat, and I’m just trying to get closer to him.

  I push every thought from my head—every warning that tells me I need to let him know about his baby that’s growing in my belly. I release his shirt, sliding my hands up his chest and tangling my fingers into his hair as I deepen the kiss.

  “Wait,” he murmurs against my mouth, but I don’t stop. “Leigh, baby.”

  Baby? The single word wakes the butterfly in my stomach.

  He takes a step back, breaking the kiss and putting space between us. I glance down between us, his desire clearly evident by the massive bulge in his jeans.

  “Look at me,” he says tipping my head upward. “Let’s go inside and have some water.”

  I don’t hide my disappointment, but I nod and turn to walk back to my building. He doesn’t touch me as we walk the up the stairs to my apartment and step inside. I fully expect him to tell me all the reasons why we should take things slowly, or maybe that we shouldn’t do anything at all. Not wanting to hear a lecture, I march directly to the fridge and pull it open, leaning down to scan the contents.

  “You want water or . . .” I glance around, seeing what else I have. “That’s all I’ve got.”

  “No.”

  “But you just said—” I reply to his clipped answer, spinning around as he walks deliberately toward me. I freeze as he rounds my island in three steps, but he doesn’t stop. I step backward, stumbling a little until my back hits the wall next to the fridge.

  “I know what I said.” He places a hand on either side of my face, dipping his head till I can feel the warm puff of air as he speaks.

  “What do you want?” My words are hushed.

  “The question is, what do you want?” He removes his hands from the wall, placing one on either side of my neck until his fingers are laced together at the nape.

  “Because what I want . . . what I want, Leigh, isn’t going to be quick,” he plants a featherlight kiss on my lips, “or slow,” another kiss, “or soft.”

  I swallow hard, all the moisture from my mouth suddenly gone. I can feel my knees trembling a little as I wait to hear what it will be.

  He pulls back and studies my expression for a second before continuing. “What I want is going to be demanding.” He steps closer, pressing his rigid cock against me hard, and my mouth falls open. “It’s going to be long and rough.” His words are shooting off fireworks in my body and his lips begin to press softly against the skin of my neck again.

  “It’s going to make your body tremble with desire.” He drags his nose up my neck. “Drunk with lust and quivering with passion.” He nips my earlobe, the sensation settling between my thighs. I can feel my wetness building and I’m about to lose my mind.

  “And most importantly,” oh God, he’s not done yet, “it’s going to have you so wrecked with pleasure, you’ll be begging me for more.”

  I want to tell him I’ve never begged a man for shit, but he’s not just another man. I’ve been with him, I know his ability to command my body, and I know without a doubt that he’s right.

  “Then do it,” I whisper. His eyes flash to me, dark and hungry.

  “Is this what you want, Leigh?” He grips my neck again, his eyes burning into mine. “Because I won’t be told again that this is a mistake. If I take you, I want all of you.”

  I don’t hesitate. I grab his shirt and pull his mouth to mine. I kiss him until we’re both breathless, as I reach down to his waist to undo the button and zipper of his jeans while struggling to rip his shirt from his body.

  He grabs my hands, pinning them above my head, my back slamming against the wall. “I’m in charge,” he says roughly.

  He releases my hands, pulling me forward. He reaches for the buckle of my overalls, unhooking them one at a time before dragging the denim down my body. I’m left in my white cotton thong and crop top with Grant on his knees before me.

  “I need a shower,” I say as he runs his hands up the back of my thighs, but he doesn’t seem to care. He grips my ass with both hands, pulling me forward so hard that I stumble and catch myself on his shoulders. He presses his nose to my wet core, kissing me through my panties and causing my knees to buckle.

  “Ohhh,” the word slips past my lips as my eyes roll back in my head. He stands up suddenly, his eyes so dark and possessive it’s almost scary. He grabs my panties and rips them down my legs before hoisting me onto the island.

  “Spread your thighs,” he says as he reaches forward and pulls my top over my head, tossing it to the floor with my panties. My tits bounce free and I watch as he reaches in his jeans, adjusting himself. He maneuvers his hands behind my knees, pulling me to the edge of the island.

  “Lean back on your elbows.” He watches me as I slowly lower myself back, and then he dips his head again and devours me.

  “Water could never quench my thirst like your pussy does.”

  I gasp and moan as his tongue does things to me I’ve never felt. He kisses me like he kisses my mouth, his tongue and lips lapping at me until I’m quivering, on the cusp of exploding.

  I’ve never watched a man pleasure me like this before and it’s almost as good as it feels—to see his eyes roll back in his head as he moans at my taste, and the way he reaches into his jeans to fish out his cock so he can stroke himself while pleasuring me.

  I can’t take it anymore. The next thing I know, my back is flat against the cold marble countertop as
I grab my breasts, rolling my nipples between my thumbs and forefingers as an orgasm tears through my body.

  “If I could only have one thing for the rest of my life, it would be the taste of you on my tongue.” His words reverberate through me as he pulls me off the counter and onto my feet. I’m dizzy, still completely lost in my orgasm, as he leads me to the couch.

  “I want to see you slide up and down my cock,” he says as he kicks off his jeans and shoes, pulling his shirt overhead in one swift motion. He’s standing here in my living room in all his naked glory. I smile as I take a moment to look at his long, lean form. Muscular lines run down the center of his abs, with a V forming at the base right before it gives way to his monster cock.

  “What’s that look?” he asks, fisting his shaft as he slowly pumps up and down. My mouth waters.

  “I want to taste you.” I watch a bead of precum form on the tip as a smile breaks across his lips.

  “In time, baby, but right now . . .” he takes a seat on the couch, his legs spread as he continues to stroke himself, “I want you on my cock.”

  I give him a teasing smirk.

  “Now,” he says, his expression growing serious.

  “And if I don’t?” I say as I slowly start to drop to my knees instead, but my attempt to evade his command is quickly thwarted. He lunges forward, grabbing my arm and spinning me so I’m face down and ass up over his knee.

  “What the . . . ?” I don’t have time to finish the sentence before the loud smack of his hand against my bare ass rings out.

  “Ow!” I yelp as he pulls back and does it again on the other cheek.

  “You ready to obey me, Leigh?” I don’t answer right away and I hear the movement of his hand whiz through the air as he cocks it back and lands it square on my ass again.

  “Yes!” I shout as the sting quickly turns into something more. I glance over my shoulder at him, and his breath is rapid as his chest rises and falls.

  “Did you like that?” he asks as he reaches down and runs a finger up my slit and my asshole. “You absolutely liked that,” he smirks as he repeats the movement again.