Mountain Man's Rival: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Mountain Men of Liberty Book 13)

by K. C. Crowne

  I kissed her deeply as I parted her lips and slipped inside her, feeling her warmth wrap around me and grip tightly. She quivered beneath me and whimpered as I filled her, her face scrunching in a look of pleasure all over again.

  “Yes, Declan,” she whispered against my lips.

  I remained sheathed inside her, savoring the feeling of her lips against mine, her skin pressing against me. I kissed her neck, sucking on her sweet flesh as she arched her back upward. I began moving in and out, rocking gently at first in smooth, slow strokes.

  Her heels dug into my ass, holding me close to her. I thrust in, as deep as I could go, every inch buried deep. I could feel my own orgasm approaching, fast, and didn’t want to finish so quickly. I grabbed her hips and asked her to hold on as I rolled us over, her body hovering above mine.

  She smiled as she slipped my cock back inside her, and she picked up where I left off, rocking her hips back and forth and grinding her pelvis against me.

  Her hair fell in front of her eyes, so I pushed it away, cradling her face in my hands. Her breasts jiggled as she bounced above me, and I while I thought her face earlier was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen, her coming like this would easily take the cake.

  She rode me, her movements getting more and more desperate, her face twisting into one of pure concentration as she moaned. “I’m going to come—”

  I’d tried to focus on my breathing, baseball, anything but the beautiful woman riding my cock because I was damned close too. Hearing those words, I gave myself permission to cum with her.

  “Yes, Eva… Come for me,” I growled.

  Her pussy clenched tightly around my cock as if milking me, and that pushed me over the top. A wave of pleasure hit me so hard, I was seeing saw stars as Eva screamed my name. She fell forward, her hair tickling my face as our bodies quivered in pleasure together.

  She lay against me, her head resting against my neck. Her breath was warm against my skin. I held her like that for what felt like an eternity as we slowly returned to normal.

  She slipped off me, falling beside me in the hay with a smile. I turned to face her, wrapping my arms around her.

  And in that moment, I knew I’d be willing to give up anything for this woman. The car. My life in Liberty. Anything. She wasn’t asking me to do it, but I would, in a heartbeat.

  I had no doubt it would be worth it.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked, stroking her face softly.

  “It feels like I’m always hungry,” she said with a laugh. “If I’m not throwing up, I’m starving.”

  “Well, you’re eating for two. Or maybe three or four—”

  She playfully patted my arm. “Stop it, don’t you dare.”

  “Twins or triplets would be nice, don’t you think?” I teased, though I couldn’t deny the thought of having lots of babies with this woman did appeal to me.

  The look she gave me said it all. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.”

  “Alright, alright, back to my original question, though. I have some steaks marinating along with some sweet corn on the cob. Would you like to stay for dinner?”

  “My mouth is watering already.”

  “Good, I’ll get it started.” I kissed her as I rose, offering her a hand to help her up. We were both covered in hay. “Here, let me help you with that.”

  I swished at the hay on her rear end, and she chuckled, giving me a goofy grin. “You just wanted to touch my ass, admit it.”

  “Of course I did. Can you blame me?” I pulled her close and kissed her deeply.

  I’d already invited her to dinner, but I hoped she would stay longer. “Stay the night with me, please.”

  I thought she might fight me on it, but she stared at me for a moment, then nodded. “As long as I can use your shower.”

  “As long as I can shower with you.”

  “I think that sounds like a fair deal to me,” she said, playfully patting my ass. “But first, you promised me steak.”

  “On it,” I said, and my face hurt from smiling so much.

  We dressed quickly, and as we walked back to the house, hand in hand, I had to admit out loud, “It’s really good having you back.”

  “Believe it or not, it’s good to be back,” she said.

  Chapter 22

  Eva

  I groaned and rolled over, my eyes fighting to open. Sunshine beamed in through the windows, meaning it wasn’t too early – but we’d had a late night. My phone continued to buzz, and considering everything going on with my dad, I knew I needed to answer it. I fumbled with my phone as I fought to wake up, feeling a little confused as to where I was at first, before noticing the beautiful, sexy man asleep beside me.

  I unplugged my phone from the charger and saw the name on the screen. It was Matt.

  I answered, keeping my voice low as I slipped from the bedroom. “Matt, is everything okay?”

  “No. Dad isn’t waking up, and we’ve rushed him to the hospital. Lily is driving me there now.”

  My heart dropped into my stomach and my knees felt weak. “You mean… he’s gone?” Tears welled in my eyes.

  “Not yet, but it doesn’t look good. I thought you might want to be here, in case this is it.”

  I nodded and wiped my eyes. “I’ll be right there.”

  I got off the phone and turned to find Declan already standing in the bedroom doorway.

  “Your dad?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

  “Yes, he’s at the hospital now, it doesn’t look good,” I said as tears soaked my cheeks.

  Declan closed the distance between us in record time, wrapping his arms around me and holding me against his chest. He whispered soothing words to me and stroked my hair. “I’m so sorry, Eva…I’ll drive you.”

  “You don’t have to. I’m sure you have work.”

  “No, I can call in. I want to be there for you.”

  We quickly dressed, and we were out of the house in minutes. He drove, which was a good thing since I couldn’t stop crying long enough to see straight. He rested a hand on my thigh and kept glancing at me with the sincerest look of worry I’d ever seen.

  He listened as I blabbered on and on about how terrible I felt about not being here all these years.

  “Be kind to yourself, Eva. Your dad forgave you, you should too.”

  “I don’t know,” I replied, shaking my head. “I should have come back years ago.”

  “You were hurting,” he reminded me, giving my thigh a squeeze as we pulled into the hospital parking lot. “You had a right to your pain, you needed to heal. You’ve done nothing wrong, and not even your father holds it against you. You certainly shouldn’t.”

  He parked the truck and helped me out, walking with me toward the front entrance. As soon as we entered, I found my mom waiting for us.

  “Matt and Lily are with him now. I wanted to wait for you,” she said softly, letting me fall into her arms. “I didn’t want you to be alone, and I’m glad you’re not.” She offered a sad smile to Declan as she wrapped her arms around me.

  “Thank you, Mom,” I said. “Can we see him?”

  “Yes, right this way,” she said, taking my hand in hers. Declan stayed in the lobby, but she turned to him. “You’re family too. Come on.”

  “Please, Declan, I need you,” I said.

  And he was right there, at my side, holding my other hand as we walked the sterile white halls of the hospital. We turned into a room where the sound of the beeping and buzzing was overwhelming.

  Matt was at Dad’s side, Lily holding my brother’s hand next to him. Both had tears in their eyes.

  I hurried to Matt, hugging my brother tightly. “What did they say?” I asked.

  Matt said softly. “He probably has hours, if that.”

  “Oh God, I should have been there last night. I should have been here sooner, I—”

  “Shh, sis,” Matt said. “Dad knew you loved him, and before he went to bed last night, he told me, ‘I’m so glad I got to spend
this time with Evelyn’. You were there when it mattered.”

  “I know, but—”

  “No buts, Eva. You’re here now. I think it’s important if we forgive ourselves and say goodbye now,” Matt said.

  I nodded. “Alright, yes, you’re right. Thank you.”

  I hugged and thanked Lily before returning to Declan’s side, on the other side of the hospital bed. I’d dreaded looking at my dad, fearing he wouldn’t even look like the man I’d grown up with, but eventually, I had to look down on him.

  It broke my heart in ways I never knew possible. I broke down in sobs, and Declan wrapped an arm over my shoulder, keeping me close.

  “Daddy…” I muttered, looking at the shell of a man who had once been so strong. He looked weak and about twenty years older than he had just the other day. He’d gone downhill so fast, and it was still hard for me to believe it was him.

  It broke my heart in ways I never knew possible. I began sobbing, and Declan wrapped an arm around my shoulder, keeping me close.

  “Daddy…” I muttered, looking at the shell of a man who’d once been so strong. He looked weak and about twenty years older than he had just the other day. He’d gone downhill so fast, and it was still hard for me to believe it was him.

  I took his hand in mine and held it firmly. “I love you, Daddy. I hope you know that.”

  I don’t know if I imagined it or not, but I swear I felt my father squeeze my hand back. I’d like to think he did, his way of saying, “I love you too.”

  A few hours later, my father passed away peacefully in his sleep.

  I’d made the right choice to be with him at the end. There are things – and people – in life that are worth more than a flashy career and fame.

  And those people were with me that day, in one room, as we said our goodbyes to my father.

  The funeral was small, just as my father would have wanted. Family and close friends only. He was a private person, and I didn’t want to risk his death being splashed all over the press just because of me. Lily and I had tried to keep everything on the downlow, but of course, people had to be told. Dad’s old work buddies, his brother and his kids, his cousins he’d grown up with. All in all, there were around thirty people who were close enough to my father to be there that day – many of them people I hadn’t seen in years.

  I drove to the funeral home early that day, Declan, Lily, Matt, and Mom at my side. We were a family, sticking together through most of the lead up to the day.

  Declan took my hand as people started trickling into the funeral home. My cheeks were wet with tears, but I tried to put on a polite smile to greet the people who came to pay their respects.

  My stomach rumbled, and I placed a hand on my belly. I wasn’t even a few months along, but it was growing rounder by the day. I’d tried to find an empire-waist gown to hide it from view, not wanting my pregnancy to distract from my father’s service, but the dress tended to make me look more pregnant than less. I hadn’t realized it until I got to the funeral home and saw myself in a mirror in the bathroom.

  One of my cousins greeted me with a hug. “I’m so sorry, Evelyn,” she said. “It feels like only yesterday I was spending summers with your family.”

  “Thanks, Marie,” I said, remembering all the trouble we used to get into when we were kids. We’d been close at one point, but when I left Liberty, I’d cut ties with pretty much everyone here, including people I loved. “This is Declan, he’s my—” I stopped, unsure what Declan was to me. He didn’t say anything or finish the sentence; he shook hands with my cousin.

  “It’s good meeting you, Declan.” Marie stepped back and gave me a once over, and I thought she might mention the pregnancy. But she didn’t. “It’s good seeing you again, though I’m sorry it’s under such sad circumstances. You look beautiful.”

  “You too,” I said, giving my cousin’s hand a squeeze. “I heard you got married. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”

  “It’s okay, I know you’ve got a busy career, but I hope we can grab coffee before you head back to New York.”

  At the mention of heading back to the city, my smile faltered, and my stomach dropped. For a brief moment, I’d forgotten about what was waiting for me there, and after everything that had happened, I really wasn’t in a hurry to head back to the chaos.

  “Of course,” I said. Marie moved along, hugging Matt and meeting Lily.

  A couple other relatives greeted us, along with some of Dad’s old friends. My feet were beginning to hurt, and I needed a breather.

  I whispered to Declan, “Do you mind if we step outside for a few minutes?”

  “Of course,” he said, walking me toward the door and holding it open for me as we stepped outside.

  Matt and Lily were out front; they must have had the same idea. We walked over to join them just as I saw a flash of light from behind some bushes nearby.

  “What was that?” Matt asked.

  My heart sank because I already knew what it was. “It’s a photographer,” I muttered.

  A head popped up from behind the bush, and there was another flash, directed toward me. Declan made a beeline for the man. “I’ll handle it.”

  Matt was right behind him. Lily stayed at my side.

  “Unbelievable,” she said under her breath. “I swear, I wanted to be a journalist, but not like one of these assholes.”

  Declan reached the photographer first, and the look on the photographer’s face made me feel sorry for him. Almost. He looked absolutely terrified at the behemoth who was towering over him. Declan was a gentle giant, but the photographer surely didn’t know that.

  “You need to leave,” Declan said, his voice booming and sounding scary as hell. “Or I will personally escort you off the property, and you won’t like that very much.”

  The photographer looked between Matt and Declan and held up his hands. “Fine, there doesn’t need to be trouble.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief as the photographer left the property, and my eyes scanned the area, fearing more. Had they been at the funeral home the entire time, including when we arrived? Who had leaked the information about the event? I went through everyone I told, and then realized how ridiculous it all was. Why should I constantly live in fear of someone leaking private information to the press? I was tired of it.

  Lily’s phone buzzed. She looked up at me with a sigh. “Google Alert.”

  “What is it?”

  Declan and Matt joined us just as Lily’s face turned white.

  “What is it?” I asked again, more urgently.

  “I’ll handle it,” Lily said. “Don’t worry about it.”

  She walked away from us and Matt tagged along, but she said, “No, please, let me make a call. Alone.”

  Matt looked like a hurt puppy, watching as Lily headed toward the parking lot alone.

  My stomach twisted as I wondered what was happening, so I pulled out my phone and did a quick search for my name. “Dammit.”

  “What?” Declan asked.

  Tears stung at my eyes, but I pushed them away. “He wasn’t the first photographer here today. Someone must have been here when we arrived this morning.”

  I showed Declan and Matt the headline, which included a photo of the four of us walking into the funeral home together, my belly prominent and circled.

  I’d only read the first few lines: Eva Stone is only a few months pregnant, but she already has a very prominent belly on her. Twins? Or is this already chubby artist enjoying eating for two a little too much?

  “I’m going to kill them,” Declan said, his gaze moving around the parking lot like a lion on the hunt for his prey.

  I placed a hand on his arm. “No, don’t worry about it. I don’t want drama today. Let’s grab Lily and tell her not to worry about it either. We need to be together today.”

  Matt and Declan walked by my side, both of their eyes scouring the area for any sign of a photographer. Sadly, many were just too good at hiding, and technology meant that mo
st didn’t even need a flash or a big bulky camera to get a photo. They could literally be anywhere, and it did no good to worry about who might be sneaking photos. The press was already talking about me, no escaping that.

  We approached Lily just as she got off the phone. She turned to me and said, “I spoke to Gerard and he doesn’t know who’s behind the leak, but he’s looking into it and will call me back shortly.”

  “Lily, please, don’t worry about it. You’re off the clock.”

  “I’m never off the clock, Eva,” she retorted fiercely. “I’m always here to help you.”

  “Right now, Matt needs you,” I reminded her. “And since I’m your boss, you’re officially off the clock. Don’t make me fire you again.” I smiled and winked.

  She frowned, but then her eyes fell on Matt and her face softened. “Are you sure, Eva? We can get to the bottom of this.”

  “What good will it do? Vultures will continue to be vultures. There’s nothing we can do to stop them. But today, we need to take care of each other.”

  Lily took Matt’s hand and nodded. “I think I can handle that.”

  “Good,” I said, checking the time. “We should get inside; the service is about to start.”

  We returned to the funeral home together, and I knew that it was the beginning of the end.

  I was done with my life in New York City.

  Chapter 23

  Declan

  I wrapped my arm protectively around Eva as we walked to my truck. The service for her father had been lovely, but the entire time we were at the gravesite, I kept an eye out for photographers. I could see it stressed Eva out, and while I wasn’t the type to get into fights, I would have likely punched the next photographer we saw.

  Matt had spoken with the owners of the funeral home, and they had people watching out for the scum as well, but it really hadn’t been enough.

  My heart broke for Eva, who just wanted to say goodbye to her dad and spend time with her family. She somehow remained strong throughout all of it.