Mountain Man's Baby

by Chloe Maddox

Roxanne.

  Like the song.

  How apt.

  I speculated as to whether or not we would’ve gotten further if we had not been interrupted by her well-meaning colleague, but given how resistant she was to begin with, I doubted we would.

  Her sense of duty and commitment seemed to triumph over whatever attraction she felt towards me.

  It was no matter.

  Soon, I would have her all to myself, and there would be no distractions whatsoever. There would just be food and water breaks, but beyond that, I didn’t plan on lifting my head up from between her legs till she was writhing, and when she was done with that, I planned on settling myself there till we were both absolutely spent.

  Thinking about it right now gave me a massive hard on, and I swore as I tried to let my thoughts take another turn which was nearly impossible. I needed to think about the work I had to do to repair the cottage.

  The roof was in dire need of repair, and I needed to fix the windows as well. I had planned on buying some supplies after I was done with Roxy, but our little tryst in the room made all my thoughts scatter.

  I made a noise in the back of my throat as my engine roared beneath me. The sooner I could put some space between us, the better it was for the both of us.

  For now.

  The second I pulled up in front of my house, I killed the engine and jumped out. I stalked into the woods, ripping my shirt off in the process as I realized I had a lot of energy to work off.

  I picked up my axe and threw a piece of wood in front of myself and began to chop. The feel of the axe in my hands as it swung down felt good, and it made my heart rate begin to slow down.

  Beads of sweat rolled down my back as I grunted with effort. Soon, my dog joined me outside, and she stared at me with hard unblinking eyes as I continued what I was doing.

  “Stop staring at me like that, Athena,” I growled in her general direction. Athena was a sheepdog I had adopted a few months ago. She blinked at me as she perked her ears up and let out a soft whine in the back of her throat.

  I ignored her as I continued to do what I was doing. I wiped the sweat off of my brow, trudged inside and dumped some cold water down my back.

  When my phone rang, I smiled as I saw the caller ID.

  “Hey brat,” I said as soon as I picked up.

  I could almost see my sister roll her eyes at the other end of the line. “Loser, how’s it going?”

  We’d been calling each other names since we were little, and it drove my mother nuts until she realized these were the terms of endearment we chose for each other. They were by no means original, given that we came up with them back in middle school, but they stuck.

  “Not much. How’s the new job going?”

  My sister, Cadence, who was the spitting image of me, albeit a little shorter was a social worker. She had a heart of gold which made her gravitate towards such a grueling job, and I honestly had no idea how she did it.

  Most people wanted to run away from their own problems, not help others face theirs. It took a lot of courage and patience to be able to do what she did every day, and still face the world.

  “Today was a good day,” she said in response, and I could hear the happiness in her voice. When she first started this job, it took a massive toll on her and her health. She hated not being able to help everyone, and whenever there wasn’t anything more she could do, I could see the pain on her face as she had to walk away.

  It took her a while to be able to find the right balance, and to accept that not every battle was meant to be won, so she enjoyed her little victories whenever she could. It was a good attitude to have, and one she tried to pass onto me, but it didn’t work.

  “How’s mom doing?”

  “She misses you. Are you coming to visit anytime soon?”

  She asked me that question every time, and I always gave the same answer, but we both knew why I didn’t go as often as I should have. I had lived on the edge for too long, and a lot of people had to pay the price, but no one had to witness that more than my mom did.

  It was shame that kept me away, and guilt.

  When I realized I needed to walk away, I chose the most remote place in the world that I could find as my self-imposed prisoned. Here, I lived out my days in exile trying to atone for what I’d done.

  “I’ll try my best Cady,” I promised. The lie felt like acid going down my throat, but she needed to hear it, and I felt compelled to say it.

  “Hang on, mom wants to talk to you.” I heard the sound of soft voices whispering until my mother’s voice came on the line.

  “Christopher,” my mom said, her voice warm and kind. Hearing her voice instantly brought back memories of my childhood. Playing out back in the dirt until my mom called us in for sweet tea and snacks.

  “Mom, how are you?”

  “I’m fine, honey. How are you? Still living up in that mountain?”

  “Yeah, mom, I really like it up here,” I admitted as I plopped onto the chair and stared at the view outside my window. With the sun shining down, and the grass turning a vibrant shade of green, it was quite picturesque.

  Roxy would probably love to take a picture of that, she struck me as the sort who had a good eye for this sort of thing.

  That thought nearly sent me toppling backwards. Why was I thinking of what she would like?

  I barely knew the woman. All I knew was that she made me rock hard, and I wanted to claim her as my own. The alpha male I’d tried so hard to keep under lock and key was pounding against his cage, demanding to be let out, and Roxy was the key.

  “You take care of yourself up there, and come and visit soon, okay?” my mom was saying, although my head was already a million miles away.

  I responded automatically, and after exchanging a few more pleasantries, I decided to get to working on some of those repairs around the house because the house wasn’t going to fix itself.

  After changing my clothes and grabbing my tool box, I climbed onto the roof and began to fix the shingles to keep the water from pouring in. I worked steadily till the sun dipped below the horizon and bathed the world in soft hues of pink and purple.

  The sound of a car coming up the dirt path made me frown as I wondered who it could possibly be. Nobody came up here at this hour unless they were lost.

  I began to mutter under my breath as I cursed tourists, and their inability to stick to a map. How hard could it be?

  I debated staying up here and pretending like nobody was home, but it wasn’t worth the hassle. Most people took a look at me with my wild red hair and my bulky form, and they were scared enough.

  In this town, they didn’t just judge a book by its cover, they flipped through the pages, skimmed the index, folded the corners and played judge, jury and executioner.

  “Hello?”

  I poked my head over the side and was stunned to see Roxy standing there looking unsure of herself as she checked the address. She was dressed in a pair of tight skinny jeans that showed off the outline of her ass, and she had on a sweater that showed off her figure.

  A memory of earlier flashed through my head as I headed towards the ladder. She had showed up, just as I predicted, but far sooner.

  “Roxanne,” I greeted as I stepped down. She yelped when she saw me, and she brought her hand up to her chest. “I knew you couldn’t stay away.”

  Chapter 4

  I rolled my eyes as I discreetly wiped my palms on the back of my jeans and folded the paper up. I tucked the paper with his address into my back pocket as I tried not to stare at his chest.

  He was standing in front of me, shirtless like it was the most natural thing in the world, and as the sweat glistened off his skin, I found myself wondering what it would feel like to have him hover over me.

  I shook that thought away as I tried to focus on the task at hand. I was here on business after all. Not that I wanted to volunteer for this, but when Leanna said my name, it was too late to retract.

  I didn’t have a go
od reason after all. What was I supposed to tell my boss? That I didn’t want to go see Chris because I was afraid we’d end up ripping each other’s clothes off and going at it like bunnies?

  Just being around him again had my insides squirming, and a familiar pang in the center of my stomach. Why did wanting him have to ache so much?

  “I’m not here because of that, I am here for something else,” I explained as I reached into my purse. Chris was watching me carefully, but the look in his eye wasn’t one of mild interest.

  Unlike before, he was now watching me as if I was the most interesting thing in the world. No, wait, scratch that. He was looking at me like I was the prey, and he was the predator.

  His gaze was scorching hot, and it left a trail of goosebumps all up and down my skin especially when his tongue darted out to lick his lower lip. Suddenly, I wanted that tongue all over me.

  “Oh?” He raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest causing the muscles in his arm to ripple.

  “My boss wanted me to offer you this voucher in order to apologize for what happened today,” I said as I handed him the paper and shifted the purse from one shoulder to the other.

  I watched as he barely glanced over the contents of the paper before he turned his attention back to me, his green eyes hungry.

  “He also wanted me to assure you that nothing like this has ever happened before, and we take matters like this very seriously,” I added in my most professional tone. I tried not to squirm when I felt his eyes rake over my body in a way that was both sensual and naughty.

  The way he was looking at me right now made me want to march up to him and mesh his lips with mine. I ground my heels into the ground as I took a deep breath to get my hormones under control.

  “Noted,” he responded. “So you volunteered for this job, huh?”

  “I didn’t actually, but he felt it was apt that I be the one to deliver the message given that our earlier…predicament,” I finished.

  “A predicament indeed,” he said, suggestively as he took a step closer. I refused to budge an inch, even as he towered over me, and his overly powerful masculine scent invaded my senses.

  “You’re wearing too many clothes,” he commented, quietly.

  “Excuse me?” My face turned beet red, and I tried to hear him over the sound of the blood pounding in my ears.

  “I said you’re wearing too many clothes. I preferred it more when you were wrapped around me with very little clothing to separate us,” he said, slowly punctuating each word by taking a step closer till we were chest to chest, and I could feel him.

  I swallowed thickly. “That can’t happen again.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m a professional, and we need to maintain boundaries.”

  He gave me a look. “I don’t think you want to maintain boundaries, Roxanne. I think you want me to push you over the edge, so you can see just how good it feels.”

  I threw my head back to give a carefree laugh, but instead it came out sounding forced and nervous. “That’s awfully presumptuous of you.”

  He shrugged. “Not really. I can just tell that you have a wild side, and I would love to see what she’s capable of.”

  Red hot desire coursed through me as my legs tightened reflexively.

  He beckoned me forward with his finger, and I did as he asked as if I was no longer in control of myself. In a way, I wasn’t.

  “You don’t know me,” I whispered as I tilted my head up to look at him.

  “I know enough, and I can see it in your eyes,” he responded as he placed his hand on the small of my back. “I can make you feel good, Roxy. So fucking good that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.”

  “Is that so?”

  “It is, in fact.”

  “I don’t think you can.”

  “Is that a challenge? I accept that.”

  “It’s not a—”

  Before I could respond, his lips descended on mine, and I was shocked to see how they felt. This time the energy between us was different. Before it was slow and smoldering, now it was raging hot and fiery as it burned between the two of us.

  I sighed as I melted into the kiss, and he growled against my lips as he hooked his hands around my legs and wrapped them around me. I gasped as he maneuvered us into the house and shut the door behind him.

  Roughly, he pushed me up against the door and began to wriggle his hips against mine.

  “I am going to make you go crazy, Roxy,” he said as he tore his lips away from me. “I’m going to lick, kiss and suck every square inch of skin until you are writhing with pleasure beneath me.”

  His words sent delicious red-hot lust coursing through me, and my grip on his back tightened as I felt myself grow wet. His expert hands began to glide over my skin as he pushed down one edge of my sweater, and began to smother the patch of skin with bites.

  My breathing came in short puffs as if I was running a marathon as my mind raced to keep up with what my body was experiencing. Every place he touched felt like it was electric, especially when he reached behind my back and unhooked my bra.

  “Useless contraption,” he muttered against my skin. “Why do women wear bras anyways?”

  “They’re supposed to help keep our breasts in place,” I squeaked as his hands snaked underneath my sweater and cupped one of my breasts.

  “Keep them in place? So, like support?” He chuckled against my skin, a deep throaty sound that sent new waves of desire crashing over me.

  “Yes,” I said, huskily.

  “I can support them, I can do that very well in fact.” Suddenly his hands left my legs, and they were both squeezing my breasts as he jiggled them up and down.

  “I don’t think that’s what they had in mind,” I responded, breathlessly.

  “No? That’s a shame. I think I do a much better job than a bra, don’t you think?” He squeezed the edge of my nipples to prove his point. I gasped at the contact as my head fell forward into the crook of his neck.

  My breasts had always been a sensitive spot for me, one touch, and they’d just go crazy, and the way he had his hands all over them right now was making me insane.

  “I think I’ve figured out a sensitive spot,” he whispered into my ear as he began to nibble on my earlobe.

  “Oh?”

  “Yes, your tits are fucking hard, and that’s driving me nuts right now.”

  His words were like lightning coursing through my veins.

  When did dirty talk become so….sexy?

  I had never been comfortable with it before, but with Chris, I felt like a wanton sex goddess who could just go all night.

  I gulped as Chris wedged a leg firmly against my core as his tongue lightly grazed my neck, licking and sucking until he reached my lips. A huge groan escaped his lips as I began to slowly move the bottom half my body.

  He bit down on my bottom lip hard, and I gasped at the pain. His tongue immediately darted in and began a slow sensual dance with mine, each battling for dominance as my hands began to boldly explore the rest of his body.

  He was built like a freaking Greek sculpture!

  With his rock-hard muscles, and his firm ass, I couldn’t help but speculate if he looked that good fully naked. If his chest was any indication, then he did.

  A voice in the back of my head screamed at me to stop what I was doing right now. To hit the brakes before it went any further because once I took that step, there would be no going back.

  Dawson Falls was a small town, and I was bound to run into Chris again, and what about when he came over to get his picture taken? I’d have to excuse myself, and I’d have a hell of a time coming up with a good reason.

  All these thoughts burst through my mind in quick succession as my hands halted their movement, and I began to be filled with doubt.

  “Don’t you dare,” Chris growled against my mouth as he wrenched his lips away and pinned me with a heated look.

  “Don’t I dare what?” I ques
tioned, confusing lacing my tone.

  “Don’t you dare stop. I can hear the wheels turning in your brain, but for once in your life, don’t think, Roxanne. Just feel. I know you want me, so why are you denying it?”

  “It’s because—”

  He silenced my protest with a kiss. “No thinking, just feel.”

  In one swift movement, he had my sweater, and my bra up over my head and across the room where they landed in a heap somewhere. Goosebumps broke out across my flesh at the sudden contact with cold air, and my arms immediately moved to cover my breasts.

  Chris gently pried my fingers away. “You are gorgeous, Roxanne. Don’t ever cover yourself up. I want to see those beautiful breasts on proud display.”

  I blushed when I heard his words as I took a deep shuddering breath.

  “I’ve never done this before,” I admitted, quietly.

  “I can tell, but I’m going to make you feel amazing. I just need you to trust me,” he commanded, his voice dripping with authority.

  My head snapped up to meet his, a protest already formulating on my lips before I caught the look in his eye. Raw and naked hunger, and I saw my own reflection mirrored back in his.

  “Can you feel how hard you make me?” He pressed himself against my core, and a sigh escaped my lips when I felt him.

  He was practically bulging against the front of his sweatpants. I was surprised the fabric didn’t rip because of how turned on he was.

  “Yes.”

  “Good, now imagine how good this’ll feel when it’s buried all the way inside of you.”

  I was growing wetter and wetter by the moment, which was embarrassing.

  I had never been this horny before, and I didn’t want that to be a turn off for him.

  In one expert movement, Chris was the one pinned against the wall, and he positioned me so that I was practically riding him over his clothes, and he had his hands digging into my backside.

  I glanced down between us, and a slow smile made its way to my lips.

  “I think you have a problem right there,” I murmured, softly as I reached between us and cupped him.

  He made a guttural noise in the back of his throat. “You’re damn right I have a problem, and you’re the solution.”