Property Of The Mountain Man

by Gemma Weir

  “Long and boring,” she says, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her cheek against my chest. “How was yours?”

  “Busy, we started a new slice today, so we spent half the morning transporting all of the equipment up to the top of the hill, then the moment we started cutting, the grab blew two tires so we had to go back down to the yard and drag out spares and run them back up again. I haven’t stopped since I left here this morning,” I tell her, exhaling slowly as I enjoy the way she feels in my arms.

  “I’m sorry your day sucked, what can I do to make it better?” she asks sweetly.

  “You’re doing it right now. I can’t wait to get home, two full days with you and I hated not seeing you all day,” I confess, not caring how pathetic I sound. If I could I’d keep her with me all day. “Wanna come work for me?” I ask hopefully.

  “I’m not sure I’d be that good at cutting down trees,” she giggles.

  “So come work in the offices, or drive a grab, or something. Hell, you can give up work all together and just come keep me company all day,” I say, meaning every word.

  “And how exactly would I pay my bills?” she asks amused.

  “What bills? Your car is paid for, the house is paid for, we have a kitty for the utilities and food, and my company would pay for your cell phone,” I tell her seriously.

  “Beau, don’t be absurd; I have to have a job.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s the twenty-first century and women look after themselves now,” she says sarcastically.

  “Women can rule the entire fucking planet for all I care. But me and you, we do what works best for us. I don’t want to not see you for twelve hours a day, I fucking miss you. I make enough money to look after us both, so quit your job and let me indulge in you with no space and no distance. You get bored, or we run out of money, then you can go get a job,” I say with a shrug.

  Stiffly she looks away from me, inhales sharply, then shakes her head. “I’m just going to pretend that we stopped talking after you said you hated not seeing me all day, because we’re at my job, and you’re obviously crazy,” she laughs coldly.

  “Why?”

  “Because I don’t want to argue with you when you’re saying stupid things. You missed me, and I missed you, let’s leave it at that,” she says, her lips tensed into a firm line.

  “It’s the perfect solution—” I start.

  “Beau, enough. This morning you tell me you bought me a car; this afternoon you’re telling me you want me to give up my job so I can be with you twenty-four hours a day. This is all just too much, and to be honest you’re starting to freak me out. So enough, okay? Enough. Let’s just go back to being people who’ve been dating for a week. Two people who are getting to know each other with all the normal boundaries that new couples have.”

  Pulling out of my arms she turns to walk away, but I curve my arm around her stomach and pull her back into my chest. “I’ll drop it for now, baby girl,” I whisper, pressing my lips to the pulse point in her neck, feeling it race beneath my skin.

  “I’ll follow you back,” I say as I stand on the sidewalk behind her while she locks the coffeeshop door.

  “Just go on home, I need to go home and grab my stuff for tomorrow night, I’m going straight to Cora’s after I finish work.”

  “Can’t you get ready at home? I can drive you back down the mountain, then come pick you up once you’re done?” I ask.

  “No, it’s fine, I’m gonna stay at Cora’s.”

  “Fuck no, I’ll come pick you up.”

  “No, you won’t, I’m staying at my friends.”

  Biting my tongue, I wait for her to get into the GMC before I climb into my truck and follow her back to her dad’s, pulling up behind her.

  “I thought you were going home, I’m just getting my stuff and I’ll come over,” she says a little tersely.

  “It’s fine, I’ll help you pack up some more of your stuff. Since you took your laundry last night there’s hardly anything left.” Following her inside and up to her bedroom, I grab the big case I spotted at the back of her closet and throw more of her things in there, starting with her underwear.

  “I need some pajamas too, I can’t keep being around your brothers in just your shirts, I need clothes that cover me.”

  “Fine,” I say on a huff, throwing a couple of pairs of soft flannel pajamas into the case. “But you’re not wearing this shit to bed.”

  “At your age I’d have thought you’d appreciate a comfy pair of pajamas,” she laughs, disappearing into the bathroom and returning a few minutes later with a vanity bag and hair straighteners which she drops into the case, rolling her eyes at the pile of her clothes I’ve packed. “I’m not moving in,” she tells me.

  “Course not,” I say sardonically.

  Crossing to her closet she leans in, sliding the hangers across until she pulls out a tiny black dress. Lifting it up, she holds it in front of herself, glancing down, her eyes narrowing slightly as she assesses herself.

  “You’re not wearing that,” I snap.

  “What’s wrong with this dress? It’s cute,” she scowls.

  “It’s fucking tiny, your ass is going to be hanging out,” I growl.

  “It’s not that short, it’s past mid-thigh, plus I wasn’t asking for your opinion anyway.”

  “Baby girl, I’m fucking warning you, you are not leaving the house in that dress.”

  Inhaling slowly, she turns to look at me, her eyes glacial, warning me that she is not a happy fucking bunny right now. “Beau, I’ll wear whatever the fuck I want, and you better get that into your thick caveman skull right now.”

  “Bonnie you can wear this dress for me anytime you want,” I hiss. “But I don’t want any other assholes getting to see you in it.”

  Shaking her head, she hangs the dress over the closet door and leans down, pulling out a pair of sky-high black shoes and a tiny leather jacket.

  “Bonnie I’m serious,” I snap, thoughts of every guy in town seeing her in that dress and imagining what she’d look like naked filling my mind.

  “Fine,” she says sweetly. “I won’t wear the black dress.”

  Tension leaches from my shoulders and I open my mouth to thank her, when she reaches back into the closet and pulls out a bright red dress. This one is shorter and probably tighter, with cut out panels on the sides. “I’ll wear this one instead.”

  When she turns to look at me, the red dress held aloft in her hand, her eyes sparkling with unrestrained mirth, I have to inhale sharply to stop myself from ripping the dress from her hands and setting it on fire.

  “Bonnie.” Her name comes out like an animalistic sound, but she doesn’t heed the warning, closing the closet door and grabbing the shoes in her other hand. Waiting by the door, she arches her eyebrow, daring me to challenge her again.

  “Are we going to your place, or would you rather I slept here tonight?”

  Closing the case, I lift it from the bed and stalk towards her. “You’re not wearing that dress.”

  “My next option is those shorts you weren’t a fan of the other day,” she retorts, stepping out of her bedroom and sashaying down the stairs, out the front door, and to her new car.

  I follow her back to my house, scowling the entire time as I imagine how she’ll look in that fucking red dress. I don’t want her to go out at all, but I hate the thought of her being out without me, wearing something so tempting. Before, she was sweet little Bonnie Williams the virgin. But she’s not a virgin anymore and it’s impossible to ignore the sexy allure she exudes.

  Opening her car door for her when we arrive, I help her out the car, glaring poisonously at that fucking dress.

  Her laugh only angers me further. “You wishing you hadn’t commented about the black dress now?”

  “I’ll lose my fucking head if you go out in that. I don’t want you to go out at all. Ask Cora to come here, we can get take out, Granger makes a mean cocktail, you girls can hang out and
she can stay over in the guest room.”

  “You sound like you’re trying to arrange a play date,” she hisses. “What is the problem? I’m going out with my girlfriend to a bar for a few drinks and some dancing. You’re making this an issue when it isn’t one.”

  “How would you feel if I was going out?”

  “I’d tell you to have a good night and to drink water before you go to sleep so you didn’t have a hangover the next morning. Because I’m not crazy,” she says pointedly.

  “I’m pretty sure I warned you I was crazy. You’re mine, Bonnie, and I won’t fucking share.”

  “Jesus, Beau, I’m not going out to find someone to hook up with,” she says rolling her eyes dramatically.

  “The fuck!” I yell, grabbing her and dragging her to me. “You think that’s fucking funny?”

  “You’re being an asshole,” she shouts, shoving at my chest in an attempt to free herself from my hold.

  “I know,” I shout back, closing my eyes and pulling in a deep breath.

  Sighing, she places her hand on my cheek, stroking softly. “Calm down and stop being crazy. I get that you’re this big, bad caveman, but it’s only a night out with my friend. If I wanted to hook up with other guys, I’d have been doing it for a while now and I wouldn’t be here with you. Whatever you’re thinking that’s got you all riled up, it’s in your head. Let’s go eat, because I’m starving, then you can make me scream your name as many times as you want until you feel better,” she winks, kissing me quickly.

  Slightly mollified, I turn her in my arms, and smack her butt, encouraging her to walk ahead of me. She pushes through the front door and into the house, that godforsaken dress hanging over her shoulder.

  “Hey guys,” she calls in greeting.

  “Hey,” Cody says from the kitchen, where the smells of roasting beef is fragrancing the air.

  “Well damn,” Huck says from behind us. “That’s one hell of a dress. You guys going on a date?”

  “No,” Bonnie laughs. “I’m going out tomorrow night with my friend Cora.”

  “In that?” Bay asks, his head popping up from the couch.

  “Yes. It’s called a dress; I think you might have seen one or two before. This one is red and pretty, but you can get them in all sorts of colors and fabrics,” she replies sarcastically.

  Bay’s gaze lifts to me and he arches his brow in question. “You’re letting her wear that?”

  Bonnie’s huff is so loud I bet you could hear it over at her dad’s house. “He isn’t letting me do anything, because I’m an adult and I don’t have to ask permission to choose my own clothes.”

  “Sorry, honey, but if you were my girl I wouldn’t let you out in a dress like that,” Teddy says with a shrug.

  “Are you all serious?” she asks incredulous, looking around at my brothers.

  All of them nod, agreeing that no way in hell would they be happy with that dress if she was theirs.

  “You’re all cavemen,” she shrieks, throwing her hands up into the air.

  “No, baby girl, we’re Barnett men. Po—”

  “Possessive, jealous, assholes,” she interrupts. “Yeah I’ve heard that one before. Gotta say, I’m starting to understand why you’re all single.”

  Chuckling, I reach out and take the fucking nightmare of a dress from her and head for our room. When I’ve unpacked her stuff, I find her in the doorway watching me. “I think I have more stuff here than at home now,” she says.

  “Good.” I laugh.

  Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head. “I’m gonna take a shower, Cody says dinner will be about fifteen minutes, he told me off when I offered to help.”

  “They like you,” I tell her.

  “I like them.”

  “Want me to scrub your back?”

  “No, I’m hungry and If you come help me shower, dinner will be cold by the time you let me go.”

  “Spoil sport,” I tease.

  Walking past me, she disappears into the bathroom and I hear the water being turned on a moment later. She hasn’t closed the door fully, so I follow her in, boosting myself up onto the counter and watching as her head tips forward and the water douses her naked skin.

  “I can feel you watching me,” she calls.

  “I can come touch if you want.”

  “Hungry.”

  “Me too, but I could have you for dinner.”

  “Stay out there,” she warns, pointing at me.

  “Tell me about Cora, have you been friends for a long time?”

  “Since middle school, she’s flaky and crazy. I love her.”

  “Has she got a boyfriend?”

  “No, she has a toxic on again, off again thing with her ex. I actually hope she meets someone new, then she’ll finally get away from Mitchell. He doesn’t care about her enough to commit, but he doesn’t want to let go either.”

  Her arms lift as she rubs shampoo into her hair, her tiny pink nipples dripping with soap suds as the water washes her hair clean. My clothes are off and I’m stepping into the shower with her before she has a chance to protest. I suck her nipple into my mouth as I part her folds and push two fingers into her all the way to the knuckle.

  A startled cry of pleasure falls from her lips and I fuck her with my fingers, relentlessly chasing down the orgasm I need to give her. When she comes, loud and quick, I pull my fingers out of her cunt and lick them clean, grabbing the back of her head and kissing her, letting her taste herself on my tongue.

  “So fucking sweet and all mine, I couldn’t resist,” I smile, grabbing the shampoo and lathering it into my hair, then I clean my body with soap, letting the water wash the suds away while Bonnie pants, her eyes still wide with arousal.

  We eat with my brothers, then I spend the rest of the night making her scream with pleasure as I show her again and again why she should stay home with me, instead of going out.

  19

  Bonnie

  I wake up smiling but sore the next morning. Beau made it his mission last night to try to convince me not to go out, and although it didn’t work, I still thoroughly enjoyed his efforts. Repacking some underwear, my makeup, toothbrush, and my heels into one of the bags Beau transplanted from my closet, I turn to glance at my red dress that’s hanging over the closet door. I don’t really understand why he’s losing his mind about it, it’s fairly decent and not even that short.

  I start to zip up the bag, then at the last minute I cross to the dresser and steal one of his huge t-shirts, shoving it in my bag to sleep in tonight. I have pajama’s here now that I could take, but his clothes smell like him and even though I refuse to admit it out loud, I’ll probably miss him tonight when I stay over at Cora’s,

  Quickly braiding my hair, I slide my feet into my boots and grab my red dress before I head back into the living room. Beau, Bay, Granger, and Huck are all still at sitting at the kitchen counter, while Teddy is asleep fully dressed on the couch, and Cody and Penn are either still asleep or have already left for work. I’m surprised by how comfortable I am here with the guys. Since I shouted at them all the first time Beau brought me here, they’ve all been incredibly sweet to me. I’m not sure if that’s just because they’re nice, or if Beau’s threatened them to behave, either way being here is surprisingly easy.

  Bay pushes a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal towards me. “Breakfast,” he says, eyeing my bag and the dress.

  “Thanks.”

  “You still going out tonight?” he asks.

  “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

  He snickers. “I thought my bro might have convinced you not to.”

  Scowling I glare at Bay, then look to Beau, but before I have a chance to speak Cody reaches over and punches Bay in the arm. “Shut the fuck up.”

  Bay spins towards Cody angrily, but at his words he stops, then his eyes widen and he quickly darts his gaze back to me. “Sorry,” he says quietly. “I’ll shut the fuck up now.”

  Huge hands wrap around my waist and Beau
lifts me onto the stool he just vacated, then slides my breakfast along the counter toward me. “Eat,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss to the side of my neck.

  For a moment we all sit in awkward silence.

  “I got the quotes back for the soundproofing, I’ll start with your room, then work my way round the rest of the house. Penn’s snoring keeps me awake,” Granger says in his quiet, calm tone that I’m surprised to find I’m becoming accustomed to.

  Though the Barnett men are all surprisingly alike in looks, they’re entirely different in personality. Where Beau is big, gruff, and intimidating on the outside, Bay is a charmer, and Cody is sweet, but forceful. Granger is a surprisingly peaceful presence, unlike Huck who is by far the loudest and most outgoing. Penn I’m still trying to figure out, but the baby of the family and the brother that’s the closest to my age, Teddy, is just happy go lucky and easy to be around.

  It should be weird for me to be here, literally surrounded by my boyfriend’s family, but it’s not. They’re a huge, incredibly close group, but I don’t feel like an outsider. A thrill runs through me. I always wanted to be close to my brother, even though he’s always pushed me away, even more so in the last few years, but Beau’s brothers all treat me like I’m already part of the family, and I can see myself gaining six brothers if things between Beau and I work out.

  Warmth washes over me as I glance at the scene around me. I can imagine this becoming my life. Beau already wants me to move in, but would I want to live in this massive bachelor pad with seven guys?

  Yes.

  The answer is effortless, yes, I can see myself waking up with Beau and then eating breakfast with our family. I can see myself hanging out with the guys if I get home early, I can see myself being happy in this loud home filled with love. The thought both thrills and scares me. Beau keeps promising me forever, but I just don’t trust that it’s true yet. My man wants all my time, no space, no distance, but I can’t think clearly when I’m with him, because the fantasy he’s offering me is just too perfect to turn down.

  He might not want me to go out tonight, but it’s exactly what I need, some space to process and see if I’m ready to take this huge leap with him. To decide if I’m ready to believe that this is real and not just the dream I’ve created in my head.