Page 98 of Beastly Mountain Man

“You were rewarding him.”

“That is an unnecessarily negative interpretation of relationship building.”

I laughed, and Caprice smiled with me before her expression became serious again.

“I want you too. Not because I’m on vacation. Not because the road closed. Not because you were here every time I needed something fixed.”

Her fingers slid beneath the edges of my jacket.

“I want this when my phone is ringing and your radio is going off and neither of us has spent the afternoon having sex in a shower.”

“That afternoon set a high standard.”

“It really did.”

She laughed, then pressed her forehead briefly against my chest.

When she looked up again, her eyes were bright but steady.

“I’m going home, Lucky. I’m not leaving you.”

The words hit harder than anything either of us had said since she told me she had to go.

I bent and kissed her.

There was nothing tentative left between us now. Caprice wrapped her arms around my neck, and I lifted her until her boots left the snow. Her laugh disappeared against my mouth before the kiss deepened.

I knew the feel of her body now. I knew how she fit against me when she stayed close and let everything else wait. I knew the sound she made when I kissed below her ear and how quickly she would tell me when she wanted more.

Wanting more now would have been easy.

Letting the kiss be enough mattered more.

I lowered her slowly until her boots touched the ground.

Caprice stayed against me with her hands linked behind my neck.

“You’re very good at the part where you pick me up, although twice is not statistically meaningful.”

“I’ve had some practice. I’m willing to collect more data.”

“Eventually.”

That single word sent enough heat through me that I laughed.

“I’ll make myself available.”

“Excellent.”

Bear shoved his nose against the side of her coat.

Caprice released me and crouched.

This time she didn’t joke immediately.

She put both arms around his neck while Bear leaned into her so hard she had to brace one boot behind herself.

“I’m going to miss you,” she told him. “Please try not to destroy any other woman’s underwear before I get back. I’d like to remain your most memorable offense.”