Mountain Man's Secret Baby

by Lauren Wood

  “I don’t want all of this. You must take some of it. It was on your land and I don’t think I’ve ever had an easier kill.”

  “I only come out here when I need to and it never takes me long. People think that I won’t let them hunt on my land because I’m worried about the animals, but it’s really I worry that I wouldn’t be able to do this out here. I won’t come back out for a while and soon they will forget and get back to normal.”

  “You’re a smart woman Denise. I think I know what I want from you.”

  Chapter 7

  Denise

  I didn’t like the way he said that. If he was smiling because of the idea that had popped into his head about the bet, I didn’t want to hear about it.

  “What?”

  “You have to go out with me.”

  That didn’t sound so bad and there was a big side of me that had wanted to do that anyways. I didn’t like not knowing what was expected though. He had won, but that didn’t mean that I wanted to do anything more because of the bet. A date was just a date. It didn’t mean anything more than that and I felt like I should say something about it, but it wasn’t something that I was going to find easy to bring up all of a sudden.

  “Just a date though, right?”

  “Of course Denise. What kind of man do you take me for?”

  I could have answered sarcastically, but he had a vulnerable look in his eyes and I didn’t want to say anything out of the way. He was being serious and since I didn’t know him that well, I really wasn’t sure what he was going to be like.

  “You seem like a good man Ethan. I just want you to know that you can’t take advantage of the situation. I’m not saying that you would do that. I just thought it would be better if we both know where the other was coming from to start.”

  “I just want a date. That’s it. Whatever happens from that point on is up to you. I know what I want to happen, but it won’t unless you beg for it. Does that sound fair enough?”

  The twinkle was back in his eyes and I looked away before it got ahold of me and I wasn’t able to do so. He had this pull to me that found me looking back into his eyes and only then was I able to see that he wanted to do all of the things I was afraid he would want. It wasn’t hard to tell what he was thinking and it got me trembling inside.

  The worst part was that I wanted the same thing. I would never turn into anything but goodbyes and maybe heartbreak. I didn’t know if that was going to be enough.

  “So when?”

  “Now.”

  Of course it would be now. I was a wreck and I didn’t think that it would be a good time to do something like that in my current state. I literally had blood on me. I mentioned that and he turned a little red.

  “You know I didn’t even notice that. I’m too busy looking at other things.”

  He stopped and I could see that he was looking at something that didn’t have anything to do with the blood on my clothes.

  “My clothes?”

  “Yeah, we will go with that.”

  “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

  “I’ve never seen someone hunt like that. You aren’t even trying to hide yourself from the animals.”

  “They are more used to me like this. I walk this back here every morning.”

  He shook his head and appeared to not believe me. When I said something else, he assured me that he did believe me; he just wished he had a set up like this back home.

  “Just stop over hunting an area and don’t let anyone else either and they will come naturally. You plant a few things that they like and you will always have enough.”

  ‘I’m going to remember that.”

  “Good.” Because I was going to remember him. Even when Ethan went back, I had a strong feeling that I was still going to be thinking about him.

  ***

  When he said now about the date, he wasn’t joking around. We got his kill back to my house and he wanted to do it right there. I didn’t mind of course, but when he asked me to pull out a pan, I hadn’t expected him to start cooking.

  It wasn’t what I’d had in mind, but it had been a long time since I’d had a man cook for me, so I wasn’t going to stop what was going on. I knew that it was a rarity to be sure and I wanted to soak it all up. He looked like he knew what he was doing.

  “So was this your grand plan?”

  “What?”

  “Get a deer to cook for me.”

  “Well it’s one of the only things I can really cook, so there was hope that it would be a deer. I thought you had me.”

  “What would it have been if I had won?”

  He thought about it for a minute. “A date?” He chuckled like he had said something funny. Ethan looked damn good in the kitchen and I was enjoying the show. He had a smile on his face, but I could tell that he wasn’t quite sure about it all. Ethan was holding part of himself back. He had confidence when he looked at me, but the cooking part was not something that he did all that much.

  “Can I help you with anything?”

  “Can you cook?”

  I tried to look offended, but it definitely wasn’t one of my strong suits. I just threw things in a pot and made soup most nights. It was very forgiving and I didn’t have to think about it. You put a bunch of stuff in water and let it cook for several hours; it’s hard to mess it up. I’m not going to say that I hadn’t, but it was an easy style of cooking to say the least.

  “A little.”

  “That doesn’t sound very promising.”

  “It doesn’t have to be such a bad thing. I can make a salad for the side.”

  “That will do.”

  He went back to the venison steaks and gravy he was making while I was left to take care of the salad. There weren’t a whole lot of skills needed to make it, but I made sure that it was one that he hadn’t tried before. I’d just gotten some strawberries from Ayla and I hoped that I would be able to impress Ethan with the unusual salad. He had the whole house smelling wonderful and I wanted to help out.

  The small house was perfect for me and sometimes a guest, but I’d never tried to cook with someone else in the kitchen and I bumped into him several times.

  Each time he would give me this look and I would apologize, but I did it on purpose a couple of times to get a feel for the goods. It was a good excuse, the size of the kitchen and I was able to cop several feels innocently enough.

  “I didn’t know that molestation was part of the date.”

  “It’s an ever-changing bet.”

  “I can see that.”

  He chuckled and I laughed. My face turned a little red, but I turned away so that he couldn’t see it. I still had blood on me, but the way he looked at me made me forget everything but him.

  Chapter 8

  Ethan

  “Wow, this is really good.”

  “You didn’t have any faith in me?”

  I could tell that she didn’t. Denise wasn’t very good at hiding her emotions and I found that a charming addition to her personality. It was better to not have to guess what she was feeling. It was better because I didn’t have to wonder. She was very clear with her facial expressions.

  “Well it’s good. You proved me wrong. I don’t know many men that can cook a deer steak like this.”

  I was going to take that as high praise. I had a feeling that Denise didn’t give it very often. She was someone that thought things through and I liked the idea that she had brought me here for a reason. I was attracted to her and she was attracted to me. I knew what was going to happen next, even if she didn’t. I’d claimed Denise as soon as I set my eyes on her when I walked into the restaurant for coffee.

  It didn’t have much to do with the bet anymore. Charlie had asked about it, but I wasn’t worried about the money. I wanted the girl and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to cinch the deal now. I still had plenty of time, but my body was sick of waiting when there was something in its sights that I wanted so badly.

  “I need to g
o take a shower Ethan. I can’t stand to wear this anymore and I think I have some in my hair.”

  Her words sent my brain into a spiral and as she played with the ends of her hair, I could see that she was nervous. I could see her lathered up in the shower in my mind and it made me smile. I wanted to see it in person because I knew that it would be better than I could come up with.

  “Do you need some help?”

  It was an innocent question that was meant to gauge her response. I didn’t think that she would agree to it of course. She wasn’t going to be that easy. No one in town had touched her and if they had, they were very good at keeping it to themselves. From what I had heard, Denise was untouchable and I didn’t want to have the same experience. There was something between us and I knew that I wasn’t the only one feeling it, but I didn’t want to push her away.

  “What are you going to help with?”

  “Anything that you want.”

  She giggled and I liked the tingling sound in the air. “That was a fast answer.”

  “Come on. I will help you in any way that you need it Denise. I’m quite good at some things.”

  I got up and started to move towards the bathroom and she stopped me. “I don’t even know if you would fit in the shower.”

  I had been upgraded to into the shower with her. I looked up at the loft bed that she had sprang from earlier in the day and I can’t say that there was a lot of hope of me fitting up there either. I had more hope for enough space in the shower. If nothing else, I would take her out in her yard because that was pint sized like everything else.

  “If I don’t fit, I will just watch, make sure that you get everything.”

  Denise had that same giggling sound and she looked away. “You’re naughty. You don’t say three words to me in a week and now this.”

  “I didn’t think you wanted anything said to you in the restaurant. You’ve got quite the reputation around town.”

  “Really? I don’t like the sound of that. What is being said?”

  I was already regretting saying anything. I should have known better, but my stupidity knew no bounds sometimes. I didn’t want to tell her, but I was the one that had opened this can and now I was going to have to deal with it.

  “Well it’s said that you aren’t interested in anyone in Nome. No one. Many have tried, fewer got close, and none have won from what I hear.”

  Her face was getting bright red and I knew that I should shut up.

  “They said that you are cold and distant, a ball buster prude. And there is some still that think you are into the pink palace more than men.”

  “Wow, that’s a whole lot of talking. Bunch of damn women gossiping.”

  “It doesn’t matter what they say Denise. I think it’s just jealousy. They want you and can’t have you.”

  “And you think you can?”

  It was a challenge much like the hunting and it was another one that I knew I was going to win. I could see it in her eyes and instead of getting upset about the rumors that I told her about, it seemed like she wanted to prove them wrong as well. Who was I to stop her? I would be more than willing to give her what she needed to do so. I was here to help if nothing else.

  “”I sure hope so.”

  She grinned at me and there was a light in her eyes as she moved forward to kiss me. I didn’t have to make the move. She was doing it for me and in seconds I was ready to go wherever was needed to feel her underneath me. It didn’t matter where. She had mentioned the shower and I hurried her in that direction. I don’t care how damn small it was. I was going to make it work.

  Chapter 9

  Denise

  What was I getting myself into? I was a little irked that Ethan had heard so many things about me, but more so that they were true. I wasn’t smitten with anyone in Nome, but I was with Ethan. I liked him and once he started to half-drag me to the bathroom I let him because I was getting swept up in his need. The kiss that I started was chaste and it wasn’t until he pulled me into his hard body and deepened it that it really took a turn for the worst.

  At one point I wasn’t able to stop what was going on and I didn’t want to. This wasn’t like me. The rumors were true. I overthought everything and I was picky, but right now I was just a woman in the arms of a perfect man. I knew that there was never going to be another moment like this.

  Then it was done and he was pulling me away and into the bathroom. “Damn this is small.”

  I giggled because I had this nervous energy inside of me that wasn’t going to go away easily. I’d been thinking about this very thing long before Ethan arrived. My body needed it and it was as if he knew that very thing and had come to Nome to give me what I needed.

  “I told you that it wouldn’t be possible for us to be together in here.”

  “Why is everything so small? How have you done it before?”

  “I haven’t had a man in here like that since I moved here many years ago. I guess that is where all your rumors came from.”

  “That’s a long time.”

  I didn’t need him to tell me how long it had been. I knew all too well because it felt like an eternity since I’ve been touched and loved in the way that I need it. I needed this far more than Ethan was ever going to understand, even knowing how long it had been for me.

  He moved towards me and pulled me in for a kiss. It was insistent and his lips were soft as he pushed me up against the wall. I’d long since forgotten why I needed to take a shower so badly, but it was as if Ethan could keep his wits about him far better than I could.

  He turned the water on while he kissed me and only pulled away for a moment to get the curtain open. I was lost in the moment and I didn’t even realize that he was taking my clothes off as he nipped and nibbled at my neck. It was one of the best feelings in the world and I tried hard not to call out like I was. It just felt too good to be silent.

  Then I was being pushed into the shower and the hot water was running all over my body. The hot stream turned red as it ran down my body and went down the drain. That’s why I was here. I remembered now.

  Ethan was taking his clothes off when I looked out and I wondered again if his large body would fit in here with me. There was barely more than standing room and I didn’t think it was possible.

  I moved to the back when he started to come in and I was immediately surrounded by Ethan. Every inch of his body was touching mine and there was nowhere for me to go. I didn’t know how we were supposed to do anything in this situation, but he seemed to think that there was plenty of room because he bent down and kissed me again before his hands started to run all over me.

  It was like he was everywhere in that same second and I couldn’t take it anymore. When he leaned down for another kiss and to nip at my neck, I put my arms around his neck and let him lift me up into his arms. I wanted more than just kisses and touches. I wanted him inside of me and when my legs wrapped around his waist, he seemed to finally get what it was that I had to have. There was no more use for foreplay. I was already wet and needy.

  Ethan grabbed my hips and lifted me up slowly and settled me down onto his long cock. It was all I could do not to cry out. He was thick and started to stretch me as soon as he entered. I closed my eyes and held on tighter as he pushed deeper and let gravity settle me down all the rest of the way. His tip was hitting bottom and all I could do was wiggle a little as he held me still.

  “Do you hear that?”

  I didn’t hear anything but the beating of my blood in my ears. There was no way that I was going to hear anything else over that.

  “I think there is someone at the door.”

  I growled at him and told him that I didn’t care. He was wedged inside of me, unmoving and it was truly driving me crazy. I needed him to fuck me, right now.

  “Fuck me Ethan. You won the bet, now claim your prize. I need to come.”

  He had a weird look on his face for a minute and before I could say anything else, he covered my mouth with one hand a
nd started to slide in fast and hard. I made a noise every time he did and the hand muffled the sound, but not all the way. And it certainly didn’t help when I came and started to scream.

  Ethan just moved faster and I could hear the sound of knocking on the door ever so faintly through it all. There was a loud sound in the other room and it sounded like someone was pushing the door in. I looked to Ethan, but he was not paying attention. All he was worried about then was plowing me as hard as he could and he was. He really was.

  I came again and I didn’t care either. The bathroom door opened as Ethan was coming inside of me. He bellowed out and I was face to face with my boss. What the hell was going on?

  Chapter 10

  Ethan

  The commotion was more than I wanted to process after ass like that. The tiny bathroom was full of a few other people staring at us. I didn’t care to cover up and the women in the party were sizing me up. Molly, the one from before was smiling at me and smiling at her waitress.

  “Well it’s about damn time Denise.”

  Denise wasn’t taking all of the attention very well. She was embarrassed and I thought her whole body was going to turn bright red like her hair. She was certainly on her way to that very thing happening. I didn’t know what to say to make it better, but I did have the wherewithal to at least get a towel and help her wrap it around herself.

  “What in the world are you doing here Molly? I’m kind of in the middle of something right now.”

  “Yeah, I can see that honey. I think we all can. I was worried about you when you didn’t answer your phone. I thought something had happened to you.”

  No one had backed off from the door and now that Denise was covered she seemed able to process what was going on better. She had a smile on her face when she looked at me and it was the first time that I was thinking about covering myself up.

  “Honey, you’re going to have to cover up or we aren’t going to be able to get much talking done. Put that thing away. It looks like you finished.”