Page 21 of Claimed By The Mountain Man

“I don’t want to leave,” I admit.

“I don’t want you to either.”

We eat in silence for a minute. I hate that I’ve ruined our romantic dinner.

I clear my throat, trying to think of something to say to lighten the mood. “Thanks for making dinner. It’s delicious as always.”

“Thanks. I’m glad you like it.”

“Got any plans for this weekend?”

“I don’t. Not yet, anyway. Is there something you want to do? We could go to see Hudson and Hazel or go for a hike or something here? Did you need anything else? Like clothes or whatever?”

“No, I’m good. If my dad is up in Maple Creek, I don’t want to go up there.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. We can hang out here or go to a different town if you want.”

“We can hang out here. Maybe go for a hike or something. Or do you need any help around the cabin? I can clean or cut the grass.”

“We’ll see.”

We finish eating, the mood lightening as we talk about plans for the next few days. It starts to rain outside, and I stand at the kitchen sink, staring out at the falling raindrops.

“We might have to postpone our hike if this storm continues for long,” Carter muses.

I smile. “I’ve always loved the rain. It was calming when I was a kid.”

“Me too. I hated it when I was deployed. Sleeping in a tent in the rain isn’t always a great time.”

I laugh. “I bet.”

“Though it did make things a little cooler for a bit.”

“Did it rain a lot when you were deployed?”

“No, not really. I was always in the desert, so it was hot and sunny.”

“Sounds miserable.”

“It could be. It was the people who made that place fun.”

“It usually is.”

I go back to the counter to gather the dishes. Carter grabs the rest and joins me at the sink. I rinse the dishes and pass them to Carter to load into the dishwasher. We work together like an old married couple.

The thought makes me smile. I can picture Carter and me happily married and cleaning up like this. The image is so clear in my head. I pause when I realize how badly I want that. I don’t want to leave Carter or this place. I love this small town, this cabin, this man.

If I have to leave, I want at least one night with him. I want to have something to look back on when I’m living alone in some other city.

“Are you okay?” Carter asks, his hands landing on the counter on either side of me, caging me in. He crowds me against the kitchen sink, and I take a shaky breath as I stare up at him. My nipples pebble in my bra, and my body heats. I want this man. Badly.

I step toward him until our chests brush.

Carter’s eyes darken as he gazes down at me as our bodies connect. “Scout,” he murmurs.

I tilt my chin up, offering him my mouth.

He greedily accepts.