MAX

by Kate Tilney

  MAX:

  Kings of the Mountain #4

  by Kate Tilney

  Copyright © 2020 by Kate Tilney

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

  Cover Photos by

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  MAX (Kings of the Mountain #4)

  Chapter One | Max

  Ash

  Chapter Two | Max

  Ash

  Chapter Three | Max

  Ash

  Chapter Four | Max

  Ash

  Chapter Five | Max

  Ash

  Chapter Six | Max

  Chapter Seven | Ash

  Epilogue | Max

  Also by Kate Tilney

  About the Author

  Ash

  When my environmental law firm gets hired to investigate a major corporation’s suspicious activity in the Montana wilderness, I need to see what’s up for myself.

  I hire a former colleague in the area to navigate the rough terrain. Time has been good to him. So good, it’s hard to stay focused on work.

  Max

  I left corporate law behind and swore I’d never look back. But when the one who got away—the woman who still haunts my dreams—asks for help, I can’t deny her.

  Now, I’ll do everything I can to protect her. Even if it means risking my own life.

  Kings of the Mountain is a series of steamy, sweet, insta love short story romances. Check out MAX if you like strong, curvy heroines and alpha heroes who find second chances—and love—in the face of danger.

  Chapter One

  Max

  It doesn’t any better than this. Standing outside of the office I keep in Meadowlark, Montana, I have a clear view of the glaciers.

  A few years ago, I had a loft that overlooked Central Park, a corner office in a Manhattan skyrise, and a salary with a lot of zeros at the end of it. These days, I share a cabin with my Irish setter, Buddy. My office used to be the storage room in a feed store. I make enough to be comfortable. I’m my own man.

  Taking a deep breath of fresh mountain air, I enter the office and nod to Judy, who works as my office assistant part-time. She’s on the phone, so I silently fill my coffee mug and grab one of the donuts she brought in to share. The woman fusses over me more than my mother ever did.

  I step into my office and drop into my seat. I pull up the bookings to see what’s in store today. Back when I was a corporate attorney, I was obsessed with details and schedules. Now that I own and operate Taylor Adventure Guides, I let Judy fuss over the details and schedules. It leaves me to focus on what really matters—helping city slickers explore the great outdoors without getting hurt or destroying the wildlife.

  It appears I have a solo guided tour through Glacier National Park for today and tomorrow. An overnight trip? I don’t remember having any of those on the calendar this week.

  “Hey, Judy,” I call out to the other room once I hear her get off the phone. “What’s with this overnight tour?”

  She pokes her head into my office. “That’s a last-minute booking that came in yesterday. She said it was urgent.”

  “Do you think she’d be more comfortable with another guide for an overnight? Maybe Anna or Kaleigh?”

  Not that I mind taking women out on the trails. I just always want to make sure our clients are comfortable with their guides. Safety first.

  “Ms. Fitzgibbons requested you personally.”

  Fitzgibbons. That’s a name I’ve heard before. One I used to know well. But it can’t belong to the same woman I knew in another life.

  “What do we know about this client?” I ask, trying to keep my tone casual.

  If I’m not careful, Judy will jump to conclusions. Before I know it, she’ll be picking out China for me and a woman I’m not even sure I know. God knows I need a wife like I need another job at a law firm.

  “You can ask her for yourself. Her cab just pulled up.”

  I barely have time to shove the last bite of donut in my mouth and wipe the crumbs from my shirt before the front door opens.

  A woman’s curvy frame fills the door. Light shines behind her like she’s an angel—or a goddess. When she steps fully inside, and I get a good look at her face, I see I’m right. She’s an angel and a goddess.

  My lips curve into a lazy grin. “Ashley Fitzgibbons. Of all the gin joints.”

  “In all the towns.” Ash gives me her own smile, so dazzling, it leaves me stunned for a moment. “Can you imagine my surprise when I looked up hiking guides in Glacier and saw your name?”

  “If you were half as surprised as I am right now . . .” Words fail me again.

  Though it’s been at least five years since she interned at my old law firm, I could still pick her out of a line-up. Though her once long blonde hair is now cut to her chin, her brown eyes are just as warm as ever.

  And the rest of her . . . The jeans she’s wearing cling to every curve of her hip and her round ass. Her low V-neck T-shirt is stretched across her full breasts. My tongue practically sticks to the top of my mouth.

  I kept my hands off of her five years ago because she was a college student and an intern. That made her off limits. That doesn’t mean I didn’t think about fucking her late at night when I was alone in bed. It doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about her a time or two in the years since.

  I need to forget those thoughts. For all I know, she’s married. Though if I was her husband, I wouldn’t let her go on a solo trip with anyone but me.

  Judy looks between the two of us with interest. I can practically see that lightbulb flash above her head. Ushering Ash into my office, I close the door behind us.

  “What are you doing in this part of the world?” I ask, gesturing for her to take a seat.

  “Work brought me out this way, and I had a couple of days.” She crosses her legs, pulling the denim even tighter over her thighs. “I’ve never seen the glaciers. I figured now is as good as ever.”

  “Where are you working?”

  “I joined an environmental law firm after I graduated.”

  My eyebrows fly up. “You switched to the other side?”

  “Corporate law wasn’t for me. It seems it wasn’t for you either.”

  I shake my head. “Is there anything in particular you’d like to see while we’re in the park?”

  She raises her cell phone. “I made a few notes. Can we start with these?”

  Taking the offered phone, I scroll through the list. Unlike most of my clients who have a list of landmarks—like the Grinnell Glacier and Logan Pass—or generalities—waterfall, elk, bear—Ash’s has coordinates and mile markers.

  “This is doable.” I study her face, trying to read if there’s more to this list than she’s letting on. “You always were good at your research.”

  “I like to be prepared.” She bites down on her bottom lip, and I’m once again momentarily stunned. I almost miss her question. “How soon can we leave?”

  Swallowing hard, I hand her phone back. “We can be on the road within the hour.”

  “Perfect.”

  I have no doubt spending a couple of days with this beauty from my past—and her unusual list—will be anything but perfection itself.

  Ash

&
nbsp; Maybe hiring Max Taylor to be my nature guide wasn’t the best idea ever. Oh, I have no doubt he’s capable of taking me all the places I need to go. His Yelp reviews are off the charts good. Plus, I remember him being one of the most brilliant and diligent attorneys at the law firm when I was in school. I fully trust his abilities to get me from Point A to Point Z and all the other places in between.

  I’m just not so sure I’ll be able to concentrate being alone with him for an hour, let alone twenty-four.

  He’s even more gorgeous than I remember. When I worked for him, I had the biggest crush on him. Who wouldn’t? Tall with dark brown hair that’s almost black. the most piercing ice blue eyes I’ve ever seen, and a jaw that could distract a saint, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.

  Now that he’s ditched the tailored suits for flannel and jeans—and grown in a beard—every inch of him screams man.

  But work comes first. I’m here to collect evidence. My firm is investigating reports of a chemical corporation illegally operating in the area. If that’s true, this corporation will be in a pile of trouble.

  Nobody defaces a national park without paying the price.

  I just need to get a few pictures and collect a couple of water and soil samples. We’ve already stopped at a couple of the places where I managed to get pictures without raising too much suspicion.

  Taking the water and soil samples will be trickier. For one, to an outsider it would look like I’m breaking the law by stealing from a national park. While I have a warrant to do just that, I’d rather not share that information unless necessary.

  I just need to concentrate. Then I can go back to D.C. where a promotion is on the line. At twenty-six, I would be the firm's youngest junior partner. That—and knowing I’m helping to protect one of the most beautiful places in the world—should be enough to keep me focused on the job.

  But as I watch Max steer his oversized truck through the winding roads, I wonder what it would be like to have those hands on me. Big, firm, and strong, I bet they’d know their way over my body the same way they know these roads.

  “You have a pretty specific list,” he says, drawing my attention away from where my imagination—and body—aches to go. “How’d you come up with it?”

  “One of the partners in my firm gave them to me.” Which is true. “Said they were must-see spots.”

  Max nods, but it’s hard to tell what he’s thinking while his eyes are focused on the road. “What kind of work brought you out this way?”

  “A federal case.”

  I wish I could tell him more, but given the high profile nature of the whole situation, I need to keep everyone on a need-to-know basis. Plus, while he may not be working for a corporate law firm these days, he did spend the better part of a decade representing those interests. If there’s even a tiny possibility his allegiances stand with them, I can’t risk having him tip off his old buddies.

  “Sorry.” I flash a smile. “Client-attorney privilege.”

  “I remember those days.”

  I’m sure he does. “So what about you? What are you doing out here? Do you still practice law?”

  “I gave that up.”

  “What happened?”

  He lifts a shoulder. “I guess I just woke up one day and realized I was tired of lining my pockets with money by spending fifty or sixty hours in an office.”

  I can definitely appreciate that. But it’s still surprising to see him here. He’d always seemed so driven. Though the fact that he’s out here building a business—a successful one at that—doesn’t mean he’s any less driven. Just that his interests and priorities changed.

  “How did you settle on being a wilderness guide?”

  “Growing up, my family was big on hiking. Hunting. Fishing. Lots of time outdoors.” He spares me a quick glance, and his icy blue eyes stir butterflies in my stomach. “I took a rare vacation to do some hiking out here. In that week, I was happier than I’d been since college. I took it as a sign I needed to make a life change.”

  “And just like that you came out here.”

  “Just like that.”

  The way he says it is like a gentle caress over my body. I press my thighs together, trying to ignore how wet my panties have become from a quick look and a few words.

  I’m about to change the subject to anything safer—the weather, the scenery—but a loud rumbling catches my attention. My heart lurches.

  “What’s that?”

  Then, before I can blink, a cascade of rocks tumble into the road. I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out.

  Chapter Two

  Max

  Arms rigid, fingers white-knuckled on the steering wheel, I slow and swerve the truck to miss the worst of the rockslide.

  Bump. Bump. Pow.

  Shit. Keeping control of the truck, I get us far enough from the rocks to be out of danger before I pull to a stop.

  Now that we’re out of imminent danger, a wave of adrenaline rushes through me. I don’t have time to think about how close we just came to being pushed off the road by falling rocks. I turn to Ash, her face white, brown eyes wide with terror.

  “You okay?”

  She nods, but her fear tears at my heart. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I reach for hers and pull her into an embrace. Only once she’s in my arms, and I feel her shudder against me in relief, do I feel better.

  “You were amazing.” She pulls back to look into my eyes. “The way you drove around that. I don’t know how you had time. I thought we were going to be crushed.”

  “Quick reflexes, I guess.” I give her a carefree grin. I don’t want her to know just how easily the situation could have gone the other way.

  I tighten my hold on her and pull her against my chest again. My hands move up and down her back. With every second I can feel more tension leave her body. As it does, my control and calm returns. Even as my cock comes alive, pressing painfully against my jeans.

  It’s probably just the adrenaline. Nothing to do with the fact that her full breasts are pressed against my chest.

  Only when I’m sure she’s past the point of breaking down into tears—and I’m past the point of going into a rage—do I let her go. I wouldn’t mind holding her a bit longer—or maybe forever—but there are a couple of pressing matters I need to attend to at the moment.

  Namely to see just how much damage has been done to my truck.

  I heard the telltale sign of a blown tire. Based on how shaky it was driving that last quarter mile, there’s a better than good chance all of the tires sustained some damage.

  Giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, I hop out of the truck. I give the front and back tires a quick glance and swear under my breath. It’s just as I suspected. The back tire is blown and the front tire is quickly losing air. I round the truck and see the other side is in a similar state.

  Hands balled into fists at my side, I take a deep breath in and out. It could have been much worse. We could have been hurt—or worse. Tires can be replaced. It’s just going to put a damper in Ash’s sightseeing.

  I open the truck door again.

  “What’s the verdict?”

  “Tires are all blown to hell.” I sigh, my shoulders slumping. “I’ll have to call a tow.”

  “How long will that take?”

  “Out here?” I glance around. “A couple of hours if we’re lucky. More if we’re not.”

  A flicker of concern flashes in her eyes. “That long?”

  “We’re not in the city.”

  “No. I guess we aren’t.” She chews on her lip sending another jolt to my cock. “Is there any chance we could keep going on foot?”

  I lean against the door, frowning. “Are you in a hurry?”

  “I just don’t have much time here. I’d hate to waste it waiting for a tow truck.”

  I suppose it’s a reasonable excuse. I’m not buying it, but I have no reason to question her. “We won’t be able to get everywhere on that list of yours.”

&n
bsp; “We can get to the next two stops?”

  “Before nightfall?” I lift a shoulder. “Sure. If we make good time.”

  She nods and reaches for her door handle. “Great. How soon can we head out?”

  I arch an eyebrow, still curious at her eagerness to move on. I’d say she had a hot date to meet, but we’re a little too remote for that. “I can carry the tent and rations. But we’ll have to leave most of your luggage behind.”

  “That’s fine.” She grabs her backpack and camera.

  “You might want to leave some of the heavier stuff behind.” I gesture to the camera.

  “Oh, this? It’s not so bad.” She holds it up. “Besides, what’s the point of coming all this way if I don’t get a few photos?”

  I don’t answer, but I’m definitely on guard now as I grab my own pack of supplies, including food, a transmitter, and my camp ax—just in case. While it may not be my business to know what Ash is up to, I’m about to make it my business.

  Ash

  I’ve grossly underestimated my hiking abilities. But after dragging Max away from the truck, I’m not going to admit it now.

  Especially not when I’ve already managed to get a soil sample from one of the spots where witnesses observed activity. When we send this to the lab, they should be able to detect whether or not mining chemicals were recently used in the area.

  Or so I’m told. I’ll admit, I’m a little loose on the science and how it works. That’s why we have expert testimony.

  Feeling lighter emotionally—if my feet and thighs are aching—I distract myself by checking out the scenery. A guide worth every star in his online reviews, Max points out flora and fauna along the way.

  “It really is gorgeous here.”

  He nods. “There’s something about this place that just grips at you. It’s a shame there are people who can look at all this and think it’s not worth protecting.”

  Those words follow so closely to what I’ve been thinking and why I’m here. I’m more tempted to tell Max everything. It’s clear he loves this place. With his legal experience and local expertise, he could be a real asset.