A Very Mountain Man Claiming Fallen

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A VERY MOUNTAIN MAN CLAIMING
FALLEN PEAK: MILITARY HEROES
BOOK 2
SHAW HART
 CONTENTS

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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12

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About the Author
Series by Shaw Hart
Also by Shaw Hart
Copyright © 2021 by Shaw Hart

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All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage
or retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, photocopying, mechanical or otherwise, without express permission
of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. This book is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, story lines and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to
actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or any events or occurrences are purely coincidental.
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 *

He says that we're meant to be. I say that he's crazy.

Grier:
Hunter West is trying to drive me crazy.
He's too cocky, too big, and entirely too pushy.
I should tell him to leave me alone, but I love sparring with him.
I love the way that his eyes light up when I tell him no.
I think that I might love him.

Hunter:
Grier has been mine since she set foot into my small town.
She just doesn't know it yet.
Or maybe she doesn't want to admit it, even to herself.
When I learn that she's about to sign up for some online dating site, I know that I need to make my
move.
It's time for this wild mountain man to claim his girl.
I just hope that she doesn't break my nose or my heart in the process.
 ONE

Hunter

MY PHONE RINGS, and I growl as I’m forced to take my eyes away from my girl to glance at the
screen.
“What?” I snap when I answer the call, and Anson laughs on the other end.
“Yeah, I missed you, too, buttercup,” he cracks, and I roll my eyes.
“Why are you calling?” I ask, wanting to get off the phone so I can give all my attention back to
my woman.
“I wanted to offer you a job.”
“Pass.”
“You haven’t even heard any details!”
“I’m not going back to the SEALs,” I tell him.
“I’m not with the teams anymore.”
“What?” I ask.
That catches me off guard. I thought for sure that Anson and Rhett were lifers. They always said
that the military and the SEALs especially had changed their lives.
“Yeah, Rhett was injured on deployment a few days ago, and we both got out.”
“Shit, man. I didn’t hear about that, or I would have been there. Is he alright?”
“Yeah, he’s good. It wasn’t too severe.”
“That’s good. What are you two up to now?”
“We’re starting our own security company. I thought that you could help with some of the technical
shit.”
“That’s cool. If I can do it remotely, I can help out,” I tell him.
“Awesome. How’s small-town life?”
“Perfect. I don’t know how you stand the traffic in Los Angeles.”
“It’s not so bad.”
I snort, and he laughs.
“Okay, it is that bad, but it’s home now.”
“How have you been?” I ask, and he sighs.
“Perfect. I married Lottie, and she’s pregnant.”
“It’s about fucking time,” I grumble, and he laughs.
 “You’re telling me! I’ve got to get back to work but I’ll email you the details.”
“Alright.”
“Talk to you later,” he says, and he’s gone before I can reply.
I’m happy for my friend. He’s been in love with Lottie since long before I even met him, and I’m
glad he finally claimed his girl.
Now I need to claim mine.
I turn back to the little salon, Snips, and watch as my Grier heads up to the counter to check out
her latest client.
I’m parked in my truck a few doors down, waiting for my own appointment. I come in every day
for a haircut. Really, it’s just the only way that I can spend any time with her.
My woman is a stubborn little thing. I know that we’re meant to be, but she’s been fighting me
every step of the way. At first, I thought she just liked being chased, and I was happy to oblige, but it’s
been months now since she first got to town, and I’m still not any closer to making her mine.
That’s going to change soon.
I can feel myself starting to lose it with each day that passes. I’m so obsessed with my girl, and I
can’t stand her putting space between us anymore.
I need to make her mine.
I knew from the moment I saw Grier that she was made for me. I had just moved to town a few
months prior and had been busy setting up my cabin when I came into town for supplies and spotted
her. She was headed into the grocery store, and I had almost crashed my truck trying to get to her
faster.
I had raced inside and searched all of the aisles to find her. She was in the produce section,
buying what appeared to be all of the clementines that the Fallen Peak Market had in stock, and I had
offered to help her carry them.
I thought that we had gotten on alright. She had kept me at arm’s length a bit, but I learned that she
had just moved to town, and I thought maybe she was tired or wary of strangers. I thought that it
would get better.
It hasn’t.
Sure, Grier isn’t as wary around me. Now she just sasses me, and while I love it, I also wish our
relationship had progressed past this point by now.
“Daydreaming about Grier or plotting someone’s demise?” Whit asks as he slides into the
passenger seat of my truck.
“Grier.”
“Ah, I should have known. You have your determined face on.”
I side-eye him, and he laughs as we both turn our attention back to Snips.
“Are you here to see Anise?” I ask him even though I already know the answer.
Whit is as in love with Grier’s friend, Anise, as I am with Grier. Just like me, he hasn’t had any
luck getting close to her either.
Whit sighs, and I glance at him.
“Anson called.”
“Yeah?”
I nod. Whit and I were in the SEALs together. We met on our first deployment and have been best
friends ever since. When I got out and moved up to Fallen Peak, he decided to join me.
I had invested well during my time in the service, and by the time I got out, I had a nice little nest
egg. It was more than enough for me to buy a cabin up here and retire.
 “How’s he doing?”
“Good. He and Rhett got out.”
“No shit.”
“Shit. Rhett was hurt, and they decided not to re-enlist.”
“Fuck.”
“Uh-huh. Oh, and Anson finally married Lottie.”
“Lucky bastard.”
“And she’s pregnant.”
“Good for him.”
I nod, but I know what we’re both thinking. We want that to be us.
Grier’s blonde ponytail swishes by the front window, and my cock hardens in my jeans. I want
her blonde locks wrapped around my fist as I plow into her.
“When’s your appointment?” Whit asks, and I clean my throat.
“Five minutes.”
He nods. He’s well aware of my standing appointment with Grier. That’s probably how he knew I
was here.
Anise walks past the window to grab something from Grier’s station, and Whit goes on high alert
next to me. I know without looking that he’s tracking her every move.
I was the tech guy in the service. I handled that on our missions, but Whit was a sniper. He can sit
for days and watch a target. I would know because I was his point person on more than a few
missions, and I would stay awake with him.
“When are you going to make your move?”
I mull over his words.
My plan of waiting for her to warm up and show some sign of being ready for me clearly isn’t
working. Every time I talk to her, the conversation follows the same pattern.
I approach her and try to be friendly; she says something sassy or sarcastic back; I fall even more
in love with her and she stomps off.
I can’t do it anymore.
Something needs to change.
I just have no idea what that is.
Maybe it’s time that I stop fighting my instincts when it comes to Grier. Maybe I should just trust
my gut. It’s gotten me this far, after all.
“Soon,” I tell him, and he claps me on the shoulder before we both climb out of my truck and head
toward our women.
 TWO

Grier

I RESIST the urge to peek out the window as I clean up my station. I can feel Hunter’s eyes on me,
and even though I would never admit it to anyone, I secretly love it.
His appointment is in a few minutes, and I try to hide how excited I am to be near him again. He’s
been coming in here every day. He says he just needs a trim, but after the third day, I stopped even
grabbing the scissors or clippers, and I’m mainly just styling it. Which means that I’m really just
running my fingers through his hair for twenty minutes.
It’s the best part of my day.
I’m getting too attached to him. I should schedule him with someone else or just cancel his
appointment, but I need the money. Fallen Peak is a pretty cheap city to live in, but I’d like to
eventually move out of my apartment and into my own place, so I need to save up all that I can.
I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing for the last five months and give him sass to try to cover
up how I really feel about him. It’s been working this long so I guess why rock the boat?
The bell above the door dings, and I take a deep breath before I turn to greet Hunter and Whit.
“Back so soon?” I ask sarcastically, and he grins.
“You know that I couldn’t resist seeing my girl,” he says back easily as he makes his way over to
my chair.
Jonah pushes open the door, nodding at the rest of us before he makes a beeline for Mabel. The
two of them met one night when her car broke down, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. I’m
happy for them. They both are such great people, and they’re so happy together.
Mabel beams at Jonah as he passes her an iced coffee and drops a kiss onto her lips. Her purple
hair is twisted up into two buns on top of her head, and she looks adorable.
Sometimes I wish I could have what they have.
With Hunter.
I clear my throat, trying to push that thought out of my head as I grab the cape and throw it over
Hunter.
Remember mom. We can’t turn out like her.
“Are we shaving it off today?” I ask him. “You wouldn’t have to come in for a trim every day
then.”
“No, just a trim and style.”
 I roll my eyes, grabbing the pomade and a comb.
I try not to think about how good it feels as I work my fingers through his soft locks. An image of
my mom doing the same thing to one of my stepfathers and my gut clenches.
My mom was always boy-crazy. She’s been married six times and had countless boyfriends over
the years. It should have been her and me when I was living with her, but instead, it was always her
and whatever man she was with at the time. I was always an outsider, always an afterthought.
I promised myself that I would never be like her. I’ve been taking care of myself since before I
could remember, and I don’t need a man to do it now. I can take care of myself.
Still, it might be nice to have someone else do it for once.
“What are you thinking about?” Hunter asks quietly, and I blink.
“Finding a man,” I sass him, and his gaze darkens.
“You don’t need to worry about that, Grier. You’ve already found your man.”
I roll my eyes. The truth is that I’ve never really noticed the opposite sex before. I was too busy
looking out for myself to pay them much attention. Until Hunter, that is.
It’s hard to ignore him with all his big muscles and those piercing blue eyes. It’s also hard
because he’s always there, putting himself in front of me every time I turn around.
“Like that?” Anise asks, and I glance over to see her finishing up with Whit.
“It looks great. Thanks, Anise,” he says, and I smile as I study them.
Whit is so calm and gentle. He’s perfect for Anise, and I wish she would let her guard down and
give him a chance.
I’d never tell her that, though, because then it would open the door for her to comment on Hunter
and me.
“Are you really looking for a man?” Mabel asks as she picks up her iced coffee and takes a sip.
“Sure,” I answer her, and Hunter tenses in his seat.
“You should try this online dating site! My friend was telling me about it,” she tells me, and I
pretend to be interested.
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” I lie, and I see Anise give me a look. “It would be a great way to meet
some new guys.”
Hunter reaches out, grabbing my wrist, and he shoots me a warning look. I start to feel guilty for
egging him on. I don’t really want to sign up for a dating profile, and I don’t want to meet other men. I
just knew that it would drive him crazy.
Maybe I should let off on messing with him. He’s never done anything to me but tempt me, and it’s
my own fault that I’m wrestling with all of my issues.
“You’re all set,” I tell Hunter, and he clenches his teeth, making a nerve pop in his jaw.
He heads up to the front counter, and I take his cash, forcing a smile as I shove the tip in my
pocket. He’s staring at me, but I can’t find it in myself to meet his eyes. I need to stop whatever this is
between us.
“I’m going to head out,” I tell Anise and Mabel as I head back to my station and clean up.
“We’ll see you tomorrow!” Mabel says.
She’s distracted by Jonah wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck. Anise
smiles, stealing glances at Whit, and I smile, waving goodbye as I head to the back to hang up my
apron and grab my purse.
When I come back out, Hunter is gone, and a pit forms in my stomach. I miss him, and I know I
need to figure out what I want to do about my feelings for him.
I wave goodbye to my friends one more time before I push out the front door. I’m digging in my
purse for my keys, distracted by my thoughts, and maybe that’s why I don’t see him.
“Whoa!” I shriek as a pair of strong arms wrap around me and lift me off my feet.
“Easy,” Hunter orders as he starts to carry me down the sidewalk to his truck.
“Put me down!” I yell, and he chuckles.
“Not a chance, gorgeous,” he says as he opens the passenger door and deposits me in the seat like
I weigh nothing at all.
“Now, we’re going to have a talk,” he tells me ominously, and I swallow as he slams the door
shut.
 THREE

Hunter

GRIER IS SILENT, her anger filling the cab of my truck, and I grip the steering wheel as I steer us
down the dirt road to my cabin. I had to physically restrain her from jumping out a few times, and I’ve
been keeping a close eye on her ever since she almost got away. She had the door open and her
seatbelt off before I realized what she was doing. I almost drove us into a ditch, trying to drag her
back into the cab.
We pull up in front of my cabin, and I give her a warning look.
“You run and I’ll catch you,” I tell her, and she rolls her eyes.
She crosses her arms over her chest as I climb out, and my heart starts to beat out of control as I
near her side. I’m about to have my girl in my home for the first time. I can’t wait to see her amongst
my things. I want her scent all over my place.
“Are you walking, or am I carrying you?” I ask her, and she glares at me.
“We can just have whatever talk you want in the truck while you drive me home,” she snaps, and I
grin.
“Carry it is, then.”
“What? Wait!” She yells as I reach in, gripping the back of her thighs with one hand and wrapping
my other arm around her back as I lift her up and carry her into the cabin.
She kicks and screams at me to put her down as I kick the passenger door shut and march up to the
front door. I notice that she’s not fighting me that hard. That has to be a good sign, right? Hope starts
to swell inside of me. Maybe she’s finally ready to admit that we’re meant to be together.
Please, God. Let her be ready.
I bypass the living room and head right into my bedroom, laying her down on the bed. This is
where she belongs.
I come down over her, pinning her to the bed with my body. My cock hardens as she squirms
beneath me, and I grit my teeth.
“Get off of me!” She spits at me, and I just grin.
I love her fight and her spirit. My woman is tough. She’s so strong, and I’ve been drawn to that
from the start. I need a woman who challenges me and who makes me work for it, and Grier is
definitely that.
“There’s not going to be any other men. Is that clear?” I ask her, and her lips flatten into a straight
line as she glares up at me, heat and tension clear in her pretty blue eyes.
“You’ve already found your man, gorgeous, and he’s currently between your thighs.”
She gasps, and her hand comes out to slap me, but I catch it before she can make contact and pin
her wrists to the bed before she can try again.
“You’re going to stop fighting this thing between us because you are driving me out of my mind. Is
that clear, Grier?”
She still doesn’t answer me, staring up at me stubbornly, her mouth still in that flat line. I dip my
head, bringing my lips closer to hers as I stare into her eyes.
“We’re meant to be, gorgeous, and I’m going to prove it to you,” I whisper, and she blinks.
I can tell she doesn’t know how to react to me coming at her head-on. I’m throwing her off her
game, and I can feel it in my gut that things are about to change between us for the better. This is my
chance to finally make her mine.
“How?” she asks quietly, and I grin, relief flooding through me.
She wants this. I can feel it. She just needs me to take control.
“We’re going on a date,” I inform her, and she gapes at me. “I’m going to show you what being my
woman is all about, and in the end, you’ll want to stay with me.”
I can’t take it any longer. She’s so close, her warm breath fanning over my face as we stare at
each other, and my self-control breaks.
I close the distance between us and seal my mouth with hers. She’s caught off guard and she
doesn’t react right away. She remains frozen beneath me for a few seconds, and I wonder if I read
things wrong. Maybe she doesn’t feel this yet. Maybe I rushed her.
Then she moves.
Her hands flex underneath mine, and she kisses me back. It’s tentative, untrained, and I know then
that I’m the first man who’s ever kissed her. That thought only makes me harder.
She shifts underneath me, her center rubbing against the ridge in my jeans, and she moans at the
friction. She gasps as my teeth sink into her full bottom lip, and I take the opening, slipping my tongue
into her mouth and tasting her for the first time. I only meant to give her a quick kiss, but once my lips
met hers, I couldn’t pull away.
She moans as my tongue tangles with hers, and my cock hardens in my jeans at the sound. I want to
hear her make that sound again while my dick is buried ten inches inside of her.
She tastes like clementines, and I love it. She’s always eating them, and I picture her sucking on
my cock instead of them.
Her tongue touches mine, and I’m so close to coming. I need to stop this before I embarrass
myself. I press one more kiss against her lips before I force myself to pull back. I climb to my feet,
grabbing her wrist and dragging her to her feet too. She sways on her feet, blinking like she just came
out of a daze, and I lean down, swooping her up into my arms and carrying her out to the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” She asks, sounding unbalanced.
“We’re having our first date,” I tell her. “I’m going to cook for you.”
“Normally, people ask the other person out on a date,” she says drily, starting to get back to her
normal sassy attitude.
“Gorgeous, there’s nothing normal about what I feel for you. This isn’t some mild attraction or
crush. This, what I feel for you, it’s all-consuming, and I’m not giving you the option to say no to me
anymore. I’m sick of waiting for you to admit that you want me too so I’m taking over now.”
I set her down on the kitchen counter, and she stares at me with wide blue eyes. I can’t resist
dropping one last kiss on her lips before I turn to the fridge and get to work wooing my woman.
 FOUR

Grier

I HAVE no idea what’s going on. Hunter has always been kind of bossy, but whenever I’ve pushed
back, he’s stopped and given me space.
That isn’t happening here.
Whenever I try to snap at him, he just kisses me or smiles like I’m adorable and then goes right
back to taking charge of the situation.
I’m not sure how to navigate this new territory.
I watch him cook for us in a sort of daze. I’ve never been this turned on before.
Should I try to leave? It’s a few miles back to my apartment, and it’s pretty cold out. Besides,
I’m sure he would catch me before I made it to the end of the driveway.
I glance at the front door, and he laughs.
“Don’t even think about it, gorgeous,” he warns, and I glare at him.
I shift on the counter as I take in his strong back. He’s stirring some kind of stir fry, and I study
him. His dark brown hair is mussed slightly, and I wonder if it’s from my hands. I don’t think I
touched his hair when we were kissing earlier, but I was too lost in his kisses to pay much mind to
that.
My core clenches as I remember his weight on top of me, and I swallow hard. Maybe that’s all
this is for him. Maybe he just wants to get laid. It is a small town, after all, and I’m sure he doesn’t
have many choices of company.
If I sleep with him, will he stop pursuing me?
My stomach hollows out at the thought, and I realize that maybe I don’t want him to stop.
An image of my mom crying after another one of her boyfriends dumped her and disappeared hits
me, and I straighten my shoulders. I will not be like her.
I need to figure out what this is for him.
Is he all talk? Does he just like the chase?
Once I know, I’ll be able to come up with a game plan on how to keep him at arm’s length again.
I slide off the counter, and he glances at me over his shoulder. I give him a sweet smile, and he
narrows his eyes at me.
“What do you need, gorgeous?” He asks in that deep voice of his.
My heart flips over every time he calls me that nickname, but I try not to show it. I was always the
chubby girl in school. No one has ever called me gorgeous before. Not until Hunter.
“You,” I say, trying to make my voice sound seductive.
Hunter’s eyebrows rise in surprise, and I move closer to him, pressing my body up against his.
“Is there anything that I can give you a hand with?” I purr suggestively.
I’ve never tried to seduce a man before, and I have no idea if I’m doing it right. Not until I run my
hands down his body and cup his thick cock through his jeans. I swallow hard at how big he is. He
fills my whole palm, and for a second, I wonder what it would be like to try to fit all of that inside of
me.
He’s so hard, and I know then that he’s turned on, that he wants me. My fingers flex around him,
and he hisses out a breath. My core clenches, and I do it again. I love that I have this effect on him.
I wonder what would happen if…
The next thing I know, I’m in the air, and he’s setting me back down on the kitchen counter.
“Fuck, I love having your hands on me, Grier, but we’re not doing this right now,” he tells me,
looking slightly pained as he adjusts himself in his jeans.
My mouth waters at the sight, and I clench my thighs, my tongue coming out to wet my dry lips.
“Why not?” I pant and then blink.
I can’t believe that I just said that. I’m supposed to be testing him, not throwing myself at him for
real!
Hunter’s lips claim mine, and my hands land on his hard chest as I lean into him more. He growls,
pulling away and taking a few steps back for good measure.
“Scared you’ll come too fast?” I taunt him, and he barks out a laugh.
“I know what you’re doing, little girl. You’ve been testing me since you got here, since we met,
and I’m not failing any of them. You’re the most important thing in the world to me, and I’m not going
to mess up my chance with you.”
My heart kicks hard against my ribs at his words. I like him calling me little girl, maybe even
more than I like him calling me gorgeous.
That’s not what has tears stinging my eyes, though. It’s that he called me important. It’s that he
wants to fight for this, for me. No one has ever put in so much effort before. I’ve never been worth it.
I am to Hunter, though. He treats me like I’m precious and rare, and I love it. Can I trust him,
though? Can I give into this thing between us without losing myself in the process?
“I don’t know who hurt you, Grier, and if you tell me, I’ll be in jail for murder by morning, but
I’m going to show you that you can trust me,” he says, and I wonder if he can read my mind.
I swallow hard, blinking back the tears as I stare at him. He must see that I need a minute because
he turns back to the stove and continues making us dinner as I get myself under control.
Silence stretches in the kitchen as I try to think of something to say back to that. No one has ever
seen me that way before. No one has ever been so direct and honest with me before, either.
Most guys who hit on me just think I’ll be an easy lay, but not Hunter, and that’s kind of the
problem. How am I supposed to navigate any of this?
Could he really want me?
Can I risk it to find out?
He flips off the stove and carries the plate over to the kitchen table. I straighten on the counter as
he turns to me. I know before he reaches me that he’s going to lift me off the counter. What I’m not
expecting is for him to carry me over to the table and settle me in his lap.
He picks up the fork, and it’s then I realize that there’s only one plate and one fork. He brings the
first bite to my lips, and I glare at him. It feels safer to pretend to be annoyed than to swoon against
him.
“I can eat and sit all by myself, you know,” I sass him, and he smiles.
I try to squirm out of his hold, but he just tightens his arm around me.
“Calm down, little one, and open up.”
“I can feed myself,” I snap.
“But you don’t have to feed yourself with me around. Now, sit down and relax. Let me take care
of my woman.”
 FIVE

Hunter

IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING.

Grier is in my bed, curled up next to me, and it’s heaven.
This is where she’s meant to be.
After we had dinner last night, I carried her over to the couch, and we cuddled and watched a
movie. She had been tense against me at first, but it didn’t take long for her to relax and melt against
my side.
I knew that she felt this thing between us. I don’t know why she’s been fighting it and me so much,
but I’m going to find out and put a stop to it.
She had been half asleep when I carried her to bed. Maybe that’s why she didn’t fight me when I
told her to sleep in one of my shirts. She’s wearing it now, and I’m trying not to focus on the way that
it keeps slipping further and further up her thighs.
I’ve been dying to know if she’s completely bare beneath my shirt or if she kept her panties on. If
she keeps shifting against me like that, I’m going to find out real soon.
She shifts against me again, and I study her face as her head lays pillowed on my bicep. She’s still
sound asleep, and she looks so peaceful and relaxed. Normally, she reminds me of a scared kitten,
one who needs to be coaxed out. She keeps swiping at me with her little claws, but I can see now that
Grier is starting to trust me more.
Having her trust is the greatest feeling in the world, and I promise I’ll never do anything to
jeopardize that. I’m going to show her how good things are between us and that I’m worthy of her
love.
She shifts, starting to stir in my arms, and I smile as she blinks her pretty blue eyes open at me.
She smiles back, and my heart swells in my chest.
Then her eyes widen and she blinks the sleep out of her eyes, and she pulls back from me in
shock.
I guess that we’re back to fighting me…
“Is that the time?” She shouts, shooting up in bed. “I’m so late!”
Or maybe not.
She jumps out of bed, and I reach for her, pulling her back to me and rolling her under me.
“Don’t worry, gorgeous. I’ll get you to work on time.”
 “How? I have to go back to my apartment first and change!”
“I’ll tell you, but you need to give me my kiss first.”
“What?” She sputters, my words catching her off guard.
I press my hips against hers, letting her feel my erection as I grind against her. Those eyes of hers
drop to half-mast and get hazy as I rub my cock against her clit.
“Kiss, Grier,” I remind her, and she blinks, glaring at me.
Her eyes dart over to the alarm clock on the dresser, and I smirk.
“Times wasting, darlin’.”
She rolls her eyes, but I can see it then. She’s trying to hold back a smile, and I know she wants
this as much as I do. She just doesn’t want to for some reason, so I’m going to keep putting her in
situations where I’m in charge until she finally sees that this is forever.
She tilts her chin up, offering me her mouth, and I take it greedily.
Having her in my bed with me, having those lush curves pressed against me, has driven me half
wild with need. I can’t seem to stop grinding my cock against her, and she moans, opening for me
without me having to nip her bottom lip.
I slip my tongue into her mouth, and she sighs, her fingers tangling in the short strands of my hair
as I tangle my tongue with hers.
I pour all of my feelings into this kiss. I want her to know how much I want her. I want her to be
able to feel my love for her on her lips all damn day.
We break apart, and each suck in air like we’ve been underwater. She’s staring up at me, lust
clear in her eyes, and I want nothing more than to strip her bare and make love to her, but I know I
need to get her to work. I promised her I would and I need to show her that I keep my promises.
She’s still flushed and panting as I roll off her and climb off the bed. I reach for her, dragging her
to the side of the bed and pulling her up.
“Let’s go, gorgeous.”
I lead her over to the walk-in closet, and she gasps as her eyes lock on her side. It’s filled with
clothes I’ve bought for her in the last five months.
She looks stunned as she takes in all the clothes and shoes, and turns to me.
“What is this?”
“It’s for you,” I tell her calmly, and she glances back at the shelves of high heels.
My girl loves her heels. She rarely gets to wear them here with the snow, but I can’t wait to see
her strutting around in them.
Maybe I can convince her to wear just them sometime…
She still looks flushed from our kiss, and my cock protests that we’re not still in bed with her
pressed against us.
“How?” She whispers, and I step closer to her.
“I know everything about you, Grier. Or at least all of the superficial stuff. I know your size of
shoes and clothes. I know what you like in your coffee, or should I say I know what kind of coffee you
like with your caramel coffee creamer.”
She smiles, then bites her bottom lip, looking away from me.
“I want you here with me. I told you before, but I guess you didn’t believe me so I’m going to
keep saying it. You and me, Grier? This is forever. You’re my forever.”
She won’t meet my eyes, and I know she needs time to process it so I drop a quick kiss on her lips
and spank her ass on my way out of the closet.
“Hurry up and get dressed or we’re going to be late,” I call out as I head over to the dresser and
pull on a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt.
I hear her rushing around in the closet, and I smile as I head into the kitchen. I’m sure she’ll find
her other things in the bathroom when she gets dressed so I don’t bother pointing those out.
I grab the coffee creamer from the fridge and two travel cups as the coffee starts to brew. There’s
a package of clementines on the counter, and I peel three, putting them on a plate for her before I peel
my own.
I never used to like clementines all that much. Then I saw Grier eating them every day, and I
couldn’t help but start eating them too. I just wanted to be close to her in any way that I could.
I’m screwing the caps onto the travel mugs when she comes racing out of the bedroom in a tight-
fitting sweater dress and a pair of black high heels with bows on the front.
“We have to go,” she says, and I nod, passing her the clementines and coffee.
“You take that,” I say as I swoop her up in my arms and carry her out to the truck.
She doesn’t protest as I set her in the passenger seat, and I wonder if it’s because she’s running
behind or if maybe she likes having my hands on her body.
Please let it be the second; I plead as I jog around to the other side of the truck and climb in.
 SIX

Grier

I HALF EXPECTED Hunter to leave after he dropped me off, but he ended up carrying me inside and
making sure I was settled before he ran down the street to the deli. He’s been in his truck, watching
me just like every other day ever since.
He brought me lunch today, and we ate it in the small break room in the back before it was time
for his appointment. That was close to an hour ago now, though, and he’s still outside.
He’s still watching me.
I can feel his eyes on me just like every other day, but something has changed. Instead of
imagining what it would be like to have him kiss me or press his big body against mine, now I know.
And that’s turning me on.
After I saw his closet and bathroom this morning, I knew this wasn’t just a fling for him. No one
goes through that much trouble to learn everything about the other person or spends that much money
for one night together.
Hell, I should have known it wasn’t a fling after the first week I was in Fallen Peak. Hunter never
let me out of his sight. He’s been telling me how much he wants me, how we belong together since I
met him. I guess I just needed him to show me.
He wants me. Me! And I want to give in.
“How was last night?” Anise asks, and I see her giving me a knowing smile.
“Oh, yes! I meant to ask you that! It was so hot seeing Hunter carry you off,” Mabel says as she
gives Jonah a haircut.
I see him look at her, and she grins.
“Not as hot as you, babe,” she assures him, and he smirks.
“It was… good,” I say, my eyes straying to the front window and over to Hunter’s truck.
“Why don’t you clock out now? It’s not like we’ve been that busy,” Anise suggests, and I notice
her eyes straying over to Hunter’s truck too.
She flushes when she sees Whit there, and I wonder what happened between the two of them. I
should stay and ask her, but I’m too anxious to see what Hunter has in store for me tonight.
"Alright. I'll see you guys later,” I tell them as I take off my apron, and they both shoot me
knowing looks as I grab my purse and head for the front door.
Whit and Hunter both jump out of the truck as I push open the front door, and I bite back a smile
when Hunter heads right for me and swings me up into his arms.
“You shouldn’t be walking around in those heels. There could be ice,” he tells me, and I raise an
eyebrow at him.
“I feel like you would say that if it was sunny and the middle of summer.”
He laughs, not bothering to deny that he just likes having me in his arms, and I let him carry me
over the pile of slush in the road. He sets me in the passenger seat and buckles me up. I huff out a
laugh, and he grins at me.
Once he’s behind the wheel, I turn to him.
“So, what happens now?” I ask him.
Is he going to just take me home? Are we going back to his place?
“Now, it’s time for our second date,” he says, and I lean back in my seat as he reverses out of the
parking spot and heads toward downtown.
“What are we doing?” I ask him, and he takes my hand in his.
“We’re going to get dinner and then go to the drive-in movie theater. We’ll park in the back
because I know you won’t be able to keep your hands to yourself,” he says, and I let out a surprised
laugh.
Hunter has always been intense with me. It’s like now that he’s got me, he can relax. I never
realized how funny he was, but I think I’m about to.
“We’ll see about that,” I tell him, and he grins.
“Please, Grier. I’m more than just a handsome piece of meat,” he jokes, and I laugh.
“I can keep my hands to myself just fine! It’s you that’s always picking me up or touching me,” I
say, lifting our intertwined hands.
“Can you blame me? Look at you,” he says, letting out a whistle, and I feel my cheeks heat with a
blush. “I have to stake my claim so that none of these other men think you’re single and try to take you
from me.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I mumble, and he pulls to a stop at the red light.
“Why is that? Because you realized that you love me?”
“No, because no one else thinks I’m beautiful,” I blurt out, and his eyes harden.
“Are you blind?” He asks me, and I stare at him in confusion.
“What?”
“Are you blind? That’s the only explanation I have for why you would think that. I’ve been
warning men away from you every day since I met you. There’s always someone sniffing around you,”
he grumbles as the light turns green, and he starts to drive.
“What?” I repeat, and he continues to talk more to himself than to me.
“It’s those damn curves. They were made for a man’s hands. My hands. And those eyes. I’ve
never seen eyes so fucking blue before.”
My body warms at his words, and I turn to the window, letting my lips curve into a smile when I
think he’s not looking.
If nothing else, I think that Hunter is going to be great for my self-esteem.
He parks outside Two Men and a Griddle, and I turn to him.
“We’re having diner food for our second date?” I ask him, and he nods.
“Of course. I know how much you love their milkshakes and burgers. We can go somewhere else
if you want, but when you’ve had a long day, I know that you like this place best.”
“How do you know that?” I ask him as he comes around to my side and lifts me out.
“Because I watch you, Grier.”
 “More like stalk me.”
“Call it whatever you want,” he says, not even trying to deny it.
He sets me down on my feet on the mat outside the door, and I let him hold the door open for me
as we walk inside. He leads me to a booth in the back, and I slide in, letting out a squeak when I
realize he’s joining me on this side.
“There’s plenty of room over there,” I tell him, pointing to the other side, and he just kisses the
top of my head.
“This way, you can feel me up if you get bored waiting for the food, darling.”
“Not gonna happen,” I say, grabbing a menu even though I already know what I’ll be getting.
Hunter takes the menu from me and sets it back behind the napkin dispenser.
“Hey!”
“We both know you’re getting the cookies and cream milkshake with extra whip cream and the
bacon cheeseburger, burn the bacon.”
I frown at him, wondering how he could possibly know so much about me.
“Maybe I want something else tonight,” I say, and he shakes his head.
“You don’t. You want to try to avoid me, but we’re not doing that anymore. Now, tell me about
your day.”
“Why? You were there for it,” I mumble, and his hand lands on my thigh.
“I was outside. I want to hear what happened from you.”
“Why don’t you just bring a chair into the lobby, and I wouldn’t have to recap everything for you,”
I snark, and he nods.
“Alright,” he says easily, and I panic.
“Do not sit in the lobby all day!” I half shout, and he grins.
“What will it be?” The waitress asks, and Hunter rattles off our orders before I can open my
mouth.
“That’ll be right out,” she says, turning back to the kitchen, and I sigh.
“Gorgeous?” He asks me, and I shake my head.
He knows so much about me; maybe it’s time I learn about him.
“Tell me about you,” I say, and he blinks.
“What do you want to know?”
“Where are you from?”
“Originally, South Carolina, but I’ve moved quite a bit with the Navy.”
“You were a SEAL?”
“Yep,” he says with a nod, shifting closer to me on the bench.
“Why did you join the military?”
“It was kind of expected. My dad and gramps were both in the military, though they were Army
and Marines.”
“Why did you choose the Navy then?” I ask, resting my elbows on the edge of the table as I listen
to him.
“I always loved the water. And maybe I had a fantasy of being a badass, and I thought that SEALs
were the best of the best.”
“Did you like being a SEAL?” I ask curiously, and he nods.
“Yeah, it was a good job. It gave me a lot.”
“Why did you get out then?”
“It was just time. I never wanted to do it for life. It’s too hard on your body and your family.”
 “Have you been married?” I ask, wondering what family he means.
“No,” he says with a chuckle. “Not even close, but I knew that I wanted that one day.”
“Hmm,” I say as our milkshakes are set down.
“My dad died a few years ago, and I realized that I could have been there; I should have been
there for him. Instead, I was halfway around the world, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do. I got
out once that term was over, and Whit joined me.”
“But you didn’t go back to South Carolina,” I point out, and he nods.
“There wasn’t anything there for me. I always wanted to see the mountains so I came here.”
I nod, and he nudges me with his knee.
“Why did you move here?”
“It was cheap,” I say, and he nods, urging me to go on.
I’m not sure how much I want to tell him, but after he opened up, it only seems fair.
“I wanted to get away from my mom,” I admit. “She’s not… she’s not the best. I’m actually not
sure that there’s a maternal bone in her body.”
“I’m sorry,” he says quietly, and I shrug.
“It’s fine. I’m away from her now. I don’t have to deal with her anymore.”
He frowns but luckily for me, our food is dropped off, and I change the subject. We both dig in,
but I can feel Hunter watching me, and I know that he wants to ask me more.
I just pray that he lets it go. At least for right now.
 SEVEN

Hunter

GRIER HAS SEEMED FREER and more open with me ever since we left the salon this afternoon,
which made me relax. I’ve been teasing her, being with her the way I dreamed. I don’t even think now
before I reach over to hold her hand or brush some hair away from her face. She’s stopped swiping
those claws at me and is letting me pet and carry her whenever I want.
This is everything that I wanted.
I hold her hand as I steer us into the drive-in movie theater and over to a spot in the back aisle.
“Have you ever been here?” I ask her as I shift into park.
“No, I didn’t even know these still existed. I’d only ever seen them in old movies,” she says as
she looks around with excited eyes. “Have you been to one before?”
“Yeah, we used to go at least once a month when I was a kid. They only played old movies, and
my dad and gramps loved it. I’d sit in the back, and I remember falling asleep back there more often
than not.”
Grier giggles, pushing the passenger seat back as she gets settled.
“Do you want something to eat?” I ask her, nodding over to the little concession stand.
“I’m pretty full,” she says with a sigh, and I grin.
“We can’t watch a movie without popcorn,” I tell her as I push open the truck door.
Grier does the same, and I hurry to help her out. I take her hand as we walk along the path over to
the concession stand. It’s getting a little cold out now that the sun has set, and I bundle Grier closer to
my side as we wait in the short line to order.
“Want something to drink?” I ask her, and I see her eyes light up when she sees the Icee machine.
She’s so fucking cute.
I’m getting the feeling that she hasn’t had a lot of carefree days like this in her life, and I aim to fix
that.
I order us a large tub of popcorn, one of each of the boxes of candy, and two Coke Icees. Grier
can’t stop smiling as we carry it all back over to my truck, and I feel a sense of pride that I could
make her so happy.
“Let me get the door for you,” I say, putting the food in my arms down on the hood before I open
the passenger side door and help her in.
The movie hasn’t started yet, but we still dig into the candy.
 “What was your favorite treat as a kid?” I ask her as she takes a sip of her drink.
“Hmm, I’m not sure. We didn’t have many treats when I was younger,” she admits quietly, and I
frown.
She never really talks about herself or her life before she came to Fallen Peak. I’ve always gotten
the feeling that it wasn’t great. I don’t want to force her to relive something painful, but I want to
know everything about her. I want to know if there’s anything that I can do to make it better.
“Do you have any siblings?” I ask, and she shakes her head no. “Me either.”
“What about your mom?” She asks, eyeing me carefully, and I pass her a box of gummy bears
before I answer.
“She passed away when I was young. I barely remember her. I don’t think I would know what she
looked like if we didn’t have pictures,” I tell her, and she reaches over, resting her hand on mine.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. My dad used to tell me stories about her, and I know that I would have loved her. He
was crazy about her. Never even looked at another woman after she was gone,” I say, and I could
swear that I see a wistful look in Grier’s eyes.
She wants that kind of love, which is good because so do I.
“I had my dad and gramps, and it was good. They were always there for me and supportive; I
know they loved me. I only wish that I had more time with both of them.”
She nods, glancing out the front window as the movie starts to play.
“What about you?” I ask her quietly, and she sighs.
“It was just my mom and me…. And whatever man she was seeing at the time.”
“There were a lot of men?” I guess, and she nods.
“She was never single. She was boy-crazy, but she could never seem to find one to stay. None of
them really loved her; they were just using her for something,” she says bitterly, and I think I’m
starting to see why Grier has been pushing me away for so long.
“And you never wanted to be like that,” I whisper, and she glances at me sharply, seeming
surprised that I would know that about her.
“No,” she admits. “She was always so sad. I was stuck picking up the pieces. I was stuck taking
care of myself. It could have been her and I as a team, but I was always the odd man out.”
“I’m so sorry, Grier. She should have been looking out for you, not the other way around.”
She nods, looking like a sad, lost girl and it breaks my heart. Seeing her like this breaks my heart,
and I find myself reaching for her, dragging her over and into my lap.
“It’s her loss,” I whisper against her temple, and she sighs, melting into me.
“I know. I just wish…”
“Wish what?” I ask, needing to know.
I will give this girl anything that she wants. I would walk through fire, would move heaven and
Earth for her.
“I wish that I had that, even now. I wish I had a family, people who love and care about me, no
matter what. Someone whose love for me wasn’t dependent on what I could do for them or give
them.”
“You do,” I promise her. “You have Anise and me. Mabel and Jonah. You have people, Grier.”
She rests her head on my shoulder, and we sit in silence for a few minutes, watching the movie. I
need to figure out how to get us out of this sad place and when my hand brushes against her side and
Grier jolts, I think I’ve figured it out.
“Are you ticklish?” I ask her with a laugh.
 “No, absolutely not,” she tries to lie, already scooting back towards her seat.
“I think you are,” I say as I brush my fingers against her side again.
“Hunter!” She yells, wiggling away from me, and I laugh, holding her in place as I continue to
tickle her side.
“Stop! Stop!” She yells through her laughter, and I grin.
“Are you sure?” I ask her, and she’s laughing too hard to answer me.
She’s sprawled out across my lap, and my cock has taken notice. Her squirming all over me is
only turning me on more, and when she’s breathless, I stop tickling her and stare down at her.
Her head is resting against the window, and she grins at me, still trying to catch her breath.
“You know what I’ve always wanted to try?” She asks in a husky tone, and my dick hardens even
further.
“What’s that?” I ask, and I barely recognize my own voice.
“I’ve always wanted to try to make out in the backseat of a car, just like in the movies. It always
looked so romantic. Like the couple couldn’t wait long enough until they got home to have each other.
It’s just too bad that you don’t have a backseat.”
“I will go buy a car right now,” I say, and she giggles.
“Or… we could just try to make do with this,” she whispers as her hands wrap around my neck.
“Whatever you want, gorgeous.”
Her lips meet mine, and this is the first time she’s initiated the kiss. My heart feels like it’s about
to burst out of my chest at the thought, and I pull her so that she’s straddling me, pushing the seat all of
the way back to make room for her.
Grier’s hands land on my shoulders, and she instantly starts to grind down against me as our
mouths fuse together. My hands cup her ass, squeezing the globes as I help her move against me. She
moans low in her throat, and I know she likes my rough touch.
I run my hands up her sides, fisting one hand in her blonde hair and tugging until she gasps, giving
me the opening I need to slip my tongue past her lips.
“Hunter!” She groans against my mouth, and I grin.
“Love hearing you say my name like that, baby girl.”
She moans again, her movements growing sloppy, and I know she’s close. I want to keep her
balanced on that razor’s edge for hours, I want to watch her face when I finally give her release, but
it’s been too long. I need to see her come on top of me right now.
My cock leaks in my jeans as I tug on her hair, forcing her to arch her back. My free hand finds her
tits and I mold one in my hand, my thumb stroking back and forth over the hard peak of her nipple.
“Hunter!” She screams, and her eyes fall closed, her face flushing as she comes against me.
“Fuck,” I hiss, the zipper of my jeans digging into my length.
Grier is still moving above me, her movements frenzied and needy.
“Take me home,” she says breathlessly, and I pull her against me, kissing her swollen lips once
more before I help her back to the passenger seat.
“Anything for you, darling,” I say as I shift into drive, and we peel out of our spot.
Driving back to my cabin is the longest drive of my life. Grier is squirming in her seat, and each
twitch has my dick hardening even further in my jeans. He can’t wait to be inside her.
Her blue eyes are wild and filled with need as I slam on the brakes outside my place and shift into
park. I’m out of the truck and dragging her over the center console before she can blink, and she
laughs as I run carrying her inside.
I head right for the bedroom, walking funny with my jeans digging into my cock so painfully. I set
her on her feet and reach for the hem of her sweater dress, tugging it over her head.
“Fuck me,” I hiss when I see that she found the lingerie that I picked out for her this morning.
“You’ve been wearing that all day?”
“Uh-huh,” she says, playing with the bow between her tits.
The black lace is molded to her breasts, and my mouth waters at the sight. Bows are holding the
side of her panties together, and she looks like every fantasy I’ve ever had.
The bows on her lingerie match the ones on her shoes, and my dick rages in my jeans. I hurry to
strip, needing to give him some relief before I pass out, and Grier steps back.
I can see on her face that she wants to take charge but she’s unsure of what to do. She’s so
independent and strong, and I grin.
“Get on the bed,” I order her, and she steps back, her knees hitting the side.
She drops down, and I step toward her, kicking the last of my clothes off and out of the way.
“I—” She starts, but I’m already on her.
I push her back on the bed, kissing her lips hard before I move lower and suck one of her nipples
into my mouth through the lace of her bra.
“Hunter!” She calls, and it’s like music to my ear.
I want her to be hoarse by the time tonight is through.
I switch breasts, my fingers moving lower as I push her legs apart so that I can fit between them. I
drop to my knees, and she gasps, looking down at me with lust-filled eyes.
“I need to taste you, baby girl.”
Her eyes darken further, and I grin as I trail kisses down her stomach to the edge of her panties.
She smells like oranges, and my mouth waters as I nudge the lace to the side and lick a path up her
center.
“Hunter!” She screams, her hips coming off the bed, and I reach up, pinning her in place.
“Mine,” I growl, and her legs tense as I go back to licking my new favorite treat.
My tongue nudges her clit, and she says my name in a strangled voice. I chuckle to myself as I
flick it with my tongue again.
“Please, don’t tease meee!” She cries, her words trailing off as I suck her clit into my mouth and
roll my tongue over the bundle of nerves.
“Who’s in charge here, gorgeous?” I ask her, pulling away but still circling her clit with my
thumb.
“You, you are,” she says, her eyes closed.
She’s flushed, her hips circling in time with my thumb, and I grin.
“Damn right.”
I bury my face back in her folds, and she reaches down, trying to grip my hair as I eat at her like a
man starved.
Mine, mine, mine, is playing on repeat in my head as I lick up all of her juices and drive her
closer and closer to her peak.
“Oh, oh, oh! Hunter!” She screams as she comes against my face, and I moan, licking her through
her orgasm.
My cock is an angry monster hanging between my legs and I grip him, giving him a few pumps as I
kiss my way up her body.
I lift her, moving her into the center of the bed, and she looks up at me with half-lidded eyes.
“Ready for me, baby girl?”
“Yes, daddy,” she says innocently, and I grit my teeth to keep from coming all over her.
 I’ve never thought about being called that. Never even knew that I needed it, but hearing that word
from Grier’s mouth just feels so perfect. That’s what I am to her. I’m her protector. I want to take care
of her, provide for her, and love her. I’m her daddy.
Her eyes widen, and she opens her mouth, embarrassment clear on her face.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from! I –”
“Say it again,” I order, my hand circling the front of her throat and squeezing slightly. “Say it
again, baby girl.”
“I’m ready for you, daddy,” she says softly, and I close my eyes.
“Thank fuck.”
I guide my cock to her snug opening and inch my way in.
“So fucking perfect for daddy. You were made to take my cock, baby girl. Only you.”
I’m talking nonsense as I sink into her another inch, but I can’t seem to stop.
“Look at you, taking all of daddy’s cock on the first try. Such a good girl.”
“Daddy!” She whines as I bump up against her virginity, and I smile.
“You saved yourself for daddy, didn’t you?”
She nods excitedly, and I kiss her.
“That’s my good girl. Now you need to take a deep breath and spread those thighs for me, baby
girl. Daddy needs to rut.”
“Oh, god,” she cries, and I wrap my hand around her throat once more.
“You don’t say anyone else’s name when I’m inside of you, baby girl. Is that clear?”
“Yes, daddy.”
“Good. Now be a good girl and do as daddy says.”
She takes a deep breath, and I kiss her hard as I thrust forward, popping her cherry and claiming
her as mine.
I should go slow. I know this is her first time and I want to make it perfect for her, but as soon as
her snug warmth wraps around me, I’m out of my mind with need.
“Fuck! So goddamn tight for daddy. Never felt anything better in my life,” I hiss out as I start to rut
into her like an animal.
“Daddy!” Grier moans, and I grip her thighs, wrapping them around my waist.
“You’re going to be spreading these thighs whenever daddy wants, aren’t you, baby girl? Every
time daddy’s dick goes north, you’re going to be there to take care of it.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” She chants as I pound into her over and over again.
“Been teasing me with this good girl hole for months. Couldn’t keep it from daddy, though.”
She gasps, her breath stalling in her lungs, and I know she’s close.
“That’s it, baby girl. Come all over daddy’s cock. Make a mess with your new favorite toy.”
She screams as she comes, her juices flooding my cock, and her release triggers my own.
I come with her, groaning her name into her neck as I come deep inside her.
“Fuck,” I grunt, and she moans.
I lean back, staring down at her pretty face. She’s staring up at me almost shyly, and I grin.
“More,” I say, and her eyes widen as I pull out and roll her over.
I pull her hips up, my fingers digging into her lush ass as I sink my cock back into her drenched
pussy.
“It will be deeper this way, baby girl.”
She moans in return, and I grin as I fuck my girl to another orgasm.
 EIGHT

Grier

WAKING up in Hunter’s bed is starting to feel so natural. His bed is a lot bigger than mine, which is
a good thing because he’s so big. We need room for all of the wicked things that he wants to do to me.
My thighs press together, still sticky from both of our releases last night. Or maybe it was from an
hour ago when he woke me up by thrusting his cock into me once again. Hunter was insatiable last
night. Every time I woke up, he was either eating my pussy or fucking me.
My body is deliciously sore this morning and I stretch in bed, trying to work out some of the kinks
as I grab my phone from the nightstand.

ANISE: Are you still coming over this morning to help me paint?

“CRAP!” I murmur when I see that it’s already after ten.

“What’s wrong?” Hunter asks, reaching over to pull me closer to his side.
His face is still buried in his pillow, but when his hand brushes against my breast, he moves,
burying his face between my breasts. His mouth finds one of my nipples, and I moan as he sucks it
into his mouth.
“I have to go,” I say, gasping when he bites down on the aching peak.
“No,” he says, acting like a kid whose toy is about to be taken away.
I love this playful side of him. I don’t think that many people get to see it, and I’m honored that
I’m one of them.
“I need to go help Anise. I promised,” I say as my phone buzzes in my hand. “Besides, I’m pretty
sore. I think that you broke me last night.”
That gets him to pull away, and now he looks worried.
“I’ll run the bath for you and get you some pain medicine,” he says, slipping from the bed.
“I have to go!” I call after him.
“Just a quick soak,” he says, and I hear the water turn on a second later.
“So bossy,” I mumble to myself as I crawl out of bed.
 By the time I make it into the bathroom, the tub is half filled with bubbles and steaming water.
“Here,” he says, dropping the medicine into my hand and passing me a glass of orange juice.
“Thanks, daddy,” I sass, and he swats my ass.
“Careful, baby girl or you’re going to find yourself bent over that bathtub with all ten inches of me
buried in that tight little pussy.”
I flush at his words, hurrying to swallow the pills and step into the bath. My core clenches,
wanting what he just threatened me with, but we’re already late.
Hunter holds me steady as I slowly sink down into the bubbles, and he groans.
“Fuck, that’s so hot.”
“The water?” I ask innocently, and he grins.
“Nope, it’s all you, gorgeous.”
“Why don’t you make yourself useful and go get me some clementines,” I order, and he turns on a
heel, heading to the kitchen.
“I’ve always wanted to know; what’s the deal with the oranges? Are they just your favorite fruit?”
He asks as he walks back in with three clementines already peeled.
“No, I just don’t want to get scurvy.”
“Scurvy?” He asks, stopping dead in his tracks and staring at me like I’m crazy.
“Yeah.”
“Like what pirates used to get?” He asks, still frozen in the same spot.
“Yeah, I read a book once, and it sounds terrible. It’s not happening to me.”
“I don’t think that it would… I mean you go outside in the sun. There are other ways to… do
people even still get that?” He asks, trying to hide his smile.
“I don’t know, but I’m not going to,” I say as he passes me the clementines.
I can see him trying to hold back his laugh, and I hold a slice out to him.
“Here, I don’t want you to get it either.”
“Thanks, darling,” he says, grinning as he takes it.
“Can you text Anise back for me and tell her that I’ll be there soon? Or do you want her to come
and get me?”
“I’ll drive you. I need to go see Whit this morning and run a few errands.”
“Like what?”
“Like go to the grocery store and stock up on clementines.”
I throw another slice at him, and he catches it easily, popping it in his mouth. He grabs my phone
and texts my friend as I pull the drain on the tub and stand up. Bubbles drip down my body, and I see
Hunter tense, straightening from where he was leaning against the vanity.
“Fuck me,” he groans, and I grin at him.
“Not right now. Sore, remember? Plus, I’m already late!”
He grumbles but grabs a towel, wrapping it around my body and lifting me out of the tub.
“Alright, you get dressed and I’ll get us coffee.”
I watch him go, wondering why I fought this thing between us for so long. Hunter is amazing.
Every moment with him is perfect.
Is this what mom thought too?
I blink, clearing that thought from my head as I head over to the closet and grab a pair of yoga
pants and a tank top. I slip on my old pair of tennis shoes and go in search of Hunter.
He’s in the kitchen, pouring coffee into my travel mug, and my heart seems to lodge in my throat
when he turns and grins at me.
 “Ready?”
I nod wordlessly, and he grabs my jacket, helping me slip it on before he passes me my coffee.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime, gorgeous.”
The drive to Anise’s apartment is quiet, but Hunter holds my hand the whole way. When we pull
up out front, I turn to unbuckle, and he stops me.
“Want me to stay and help?” He asks, and I shake my head.
“That’s okay. I haven’t seen Anise alone in a while. It will be good to catch up.”
“Are you going to tell her about us?” He asks, and I bite my bottom lip.
“I’m pretty sure she already knows. You dropped me off yesterday and now again today.”
“Good,” he says, and I roll my eyes as he leans over and kisses me.
He tastes like coffee and oranges, and I can’t help but smile.
“I’ll be back in a few hours unless you call me before then.”
“I don’t have your phone number,” I say, realizing we’ve never exchanged them.
“I’ll text you,” he says easily, and I frown.
“You don’t have my number.”
“Sure, I do. I’ve had it for months, but I figured that you would block me before now if I tried to
text or call you.”
“Maybe…” I hedge, and he laughs.
“I’ll text you,” he says again, and I nod, hopping out of the truck and waving before I turn for the
apartment stairs.
My phone buzzes in my coat pocket and I know without looking that it’s Hunter. I smile as I head
up to Anise’s place and let myself in. Hunter pulls out of the parking lot once I’m inside, and I smile
as I turn back to Anise’s place.
“Oh my gosh!” I yelp, spinning away again.
I can hear Anise and Whit jumping apart, and I wonder if I should walk out or turn back around.
“He was just leaving!” Anise says, and I peek over my shoulder to see Whit glaring at her.
“I can stay and help paint,” he grumbles, and she shakes her head.
“No, you can’t. You really, really can’t.”
“I think Hunter said that he was going to stop by and see you,” I add, and he sighs.
“I’ll see you later,” he tells Anise, and it sounds like a promise.
“Great.”
I step out of the way, waving as he passes me and heads down to his truck. I must have been
wrapped up in thoughts of Hunter to have missed it sitting right by the stairs.
“So,” I start, and she gives me a hard look.
“So, if you ask, I will ask about what’s happening with you and Hunter,” she threatens, and I sigh.
“We’re seeing each other,” I tell her, and the words aren’t nearly as scary to say as I thought they
would be.
“Seeing how much of each other?” She asks, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
“All of each other,” I say, and we both burst out into giggles.
It feels good to laugh with my best friend. I’ve been so serious, so closed off for so long, and
Hunter is starting to break down all my walls.
“Mabel said she could stop by to help after her shift today, but I think we might be done before
then,” Anise says as I follow her into her bedroom.
“Why are we painting again?” I ask her as she pulls out supplies.
 “Because it needs to be done, and my landlord said he would knock off two hundred dollars from
rent this month if I did it myself.”
I nod, grabbing a roller as we turn to face the back wall. It’s only a small section in the corner that
had water damage after the last storm. They had to replace the drywall, though, and now we need to
paint her whole bedroom to match that spot.
“So, you and Whit,” I pry, and she shifts on her feet as she unwraps her own paint roller.
“We’re kind of… friends with benefits,” she finally spits out, and I squeal.
“How is it? He’s so hot,” I gush, and she blushes.
“It’s really good,” she says, her face flaming bright red.
“Go girl!”
Anise laughs and high-fives me before we both dip our rollers into the paint and get started. I ask
her how things started between them, but she dodges the question, instead turning things around on me.
“He’s been in love with you for so long. I’m surprised that he waited five months before he
kidnapped you,” she says after I tell her how he drove me to his house that first day.
“He seems too good to be true,” I say, finally voicing my one concern with all of this.
“Isn’t that how love is supposed to be?” She asks as we finish up the last wall.
“I wouldn’t know.”
She nods, taking my roller from me.
“I’m going to rinse this off.”
“I can help,” I say as my phone rings, and she laughs.
“I’ve got it. Talk to your man.”
She heads out to the kitchen, and I grab my phone, excited to hear from Hunter. I can tell him
we’re all done here and he can come get me. Then maybe we can have round two of last night.
I bite my lip as I pull my phone out of my coat pocket, and my stomach sinks when I see my mom’s
name on the screen.
“Hello?” I answer, and wish I hadn’t when I hear her sniffles.
“Baby! He left me,” she wails, and I can feel that familiar ball of anger forming in my belly.
“Who?” I ask.
I haven’t bothered to learn the last ten guys’ names so I’m not sure which boyfriend she’s referring
to.
“Gary! You didn’t meet him. You had left me before we started seeing each other.”
I roll my eyes at her dramatics and cross my arms over my chest.
“He was so sweet. I really thought that he was the one,” she says longingly, and I grit my teeth.
I can’t remember how many times I’ve heard her say those exact same words, and it’s getting
under my skin.
“Sorry, mom. I’ve got to go,” I say, trying to end the call, but like usual, she’s not paying me any
mind.
“I guess he was just too good to be true,” she says, more sniffles coming after that statement, but I
tune them out.
Too good to be true.
I had just described Hunter that way.
Am I turning into her?
“I guess you were right, Baby. All men leave.”
Her words are like a kick to my gut, and all the air leaves me in a whoosh.
All men leave. That had been my mantra for so long.
 How could I have forgotten that?
How could I fall for Hunter so fast? Sure, he’s great now, but we’re still in the honeymoon phase.
How long before he leaves? How long before he gets bored of me?
I don’t think that I could survive him leaving me.
I love him.
A sob leaves my mouth at the thought, and I find myself blindly reaching for my coat and purse.
I end the call without saying goodbye and beeline it for the front door.
“I’ve got to go!” I call out to Anise as I twist the knob.
“Wait! Don’t you want to stay for lunch?” She calls out, but I’m already gone.
I run down the stairs and over to my car. My apartment is in the same complex as Anise’s, but I
know I can’t sit at home and wallow in my thoughts right now.
I dig my keys out of my purse and hop in, cranking the engine and peeling out of the parking lot.
I’m not sure where I’m going, but I don’t want to be here when Hunter gets back. I can’t face him yet.
I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to face him again.
How could I fall for him so fast?
 NINE

Hunter

WHIT and I have been grinning like fools all day and it’s all because we finally claimed our woman.
I came over here so he could help me with the stuff that Anson sent over for us to work on. It wasn’t
that hard. He was setting up a website and a few other things for their new security company. He
asked if he could send anything else our way if they needed help, and Whit and I both agreed.
Doing that helped distract me from being away from Grier, but we finished up with that work an
hour ago and we’ve been bored and antsy ever since.
“Think they’ll be done painting by now?” Whit asks.
He’s been checking his watch every five minutes since he got back to his house. I know that he’s
anxious to get back to Anise. He’s been annoyed all afternoon that she wouldn’t let him stay and help
paint. I had to restrain him at one point, too, because I know how important it is to Grier to have some
girl time.
Even if it’s killing me to be away from her.
“Probably.”
We glance at each other, and then we’re racing for his front door. We’ve been holding ourselves
back, trying to give them space but it’s not either of our strong suits.
Whit locks his front door and I sprint over to my truck. He’s not far behind me and I wave once as
he hops into his own truck.
“See you there!” I call as I start the engine and back out of his drive.
He lives not too far from me, and it takes no time for us to head down the backroads and pull into
the girls’ apartment building. I park and send a text to Grier that I’m outside. When she doesn’t
answer, I hop out and jog up the stairs after Whit to Anise’s door.
He knocks, and she doesn’t look surprised that either of us are here.
“Hey, we’re done painting.”
“Good,” Whit says, pushing past her inside, and she rolls her eyes.
“Grier left a while ago,” she tells me, and I freeze.
“What?” I ask, already pulling out my phone to see if I missed a call or text from her.
There’s nothing, and I frown.
“Where did she go?”
“I’m not sure. She seemed upset and took off in her car.”
 I curse under my breath and spin on my heel, racing back to my truck.
Where could she have gone? Back to my place? I hope so. I want her to come to me when she’s
upset so that I can make it better.
Annoyance eats at me that she didn’t wait for me or text me to let me know that she was done, and
I promise to turn that ass red so she never does this again as soon as I’m home.
I double back past Whit’s place and turn into my driveway, but her car isn’t here.
Could I have passed her on the way here?
No, there was no one else on the road.
Why hasn’t she called me?
“Snips!” I say to myself, turning my truck around and heading back to town.
She must have gotten called into work, or maybe Mabel needed her for something. I cruise past
the salon, but my stomach drops when I don’t see her car outside or her inside.
Where could she be?
I drive to the market and past Sweetie Pies and Two Men and a Griddle, but she’s nowhere in
sight. I cruise past the drive-in movie theater, the motel, and the gas station, but there’s no sign of her
and I’m starting to panic.
My phone buzzes and I rip it out of my pocket to see a message from Whit.

WHIT: She just pulled in here.

I BREAK every single speed limit to get back to the apartment. By now, the sun has long since set,
and worry and anger race through my bloodstream.
I park next to her car and hurry to get out and up the stairs. I’ve never actually been to Grier’s
apartment before, but I know which one is hers. I know everything about this girl.
I take the stairs two at a time to the second level and then sprint down to number two hundred and
twelve.
I knock, waiting impatiently for her to answer the door. I’m pacing, trying to rehearse what I want
to say to her. Maybe we need some ground rules because she clearly can’t do this to me again.
When she doesn’t answer after a minute, I try to knock again.
“Grier! Open up!” I yell, but there’s no movement on the other side of the door.
I knock again before I give up.
“Oh, fuck this,” I growl as I raise my leg and kick her door in.
The wood splinters from the contact, and I push past the pieces and inside.
“Grier!” I call, storming down the hallway and into her bedroom.
My steps falter, all of the anger leaving me as I see her curled up on her bed, sobbing.
“Grier,” I say urgently, rushing to her side.
She gasps when she sees me, tears still spilling from her blue eyes, and the sight breaks my heart.
“How did you get in here?” She asks, and I pull her into my arms.
“I kicked down your door. What’s wrong?”
She tries to push against me, fighting me as I hold her against my chest, and I growl into her hair.
“Grier, what’s wrong, gorgeous?” I ask, trying to wipe her tears away. “Tell me and I’ll fix it.
Please, just please stop crying, baby girl. Your tears are killing me.”
That only makes her cry harder, and I grip her tighter, wrapping my arms around her like I’m
trying to shield her from something.
I don’t know how long we sit like that before her tears finally stop and she wipes her eyes on my
shirt.
“Baby girl,” I start softly, and she interrupts me.
“My mom called,” she says, her voice flat.
“What happened?”
“Her latest boyfriend broke up with her.”
“Why are you crying about that? I thought that you didn’t like any of her men.”
“I don’t. I didn’t even know this one.”
“Then why the tears, gorgeous?”
“I… I thought about you and me.”
My heart feels like it leaves my chest at her words, and my grip on her tightens like I’m afraid
she’ll disappear if I’m not holding her.
“What about us, Grier?” I choke out. “We’re nothing like them.”
“Aren’t we? I got so wrapped up in you so fast. I’m just like her.”
“No.”
“Hunter,” she starts, but I shake my head.
“You are nothing like her, and I’m nothing like her boyfriends. I’m not using you. I’m never going
to leave you. I’m your man, your daddy. I’ll be anything you want me to be, but I’ll never let you go.”
She doesn’t look convinced, and I hate that one conversation with her mom got in her head so
badly.
“I’ve been telling you from the beginning that this is forever and I meant it. You are it for me,
Grier. I have never loved anyone before you and I’m never going to love anyone after you. This isn’t a
fling for me. This is forever. Just give me a chance to prove it to you.”
She’s silent, her eyes filled with indecision, and I drop my forehead down against hers.
“Give me a chance, gorgeous. Otherwise, I’ll just keep breaking down doors and kidnapping you
until you see reason.”
She lets out a startled laugh, and I smile. I can’t resist anymore and lean forward, pressing my
mouth against hers. I can still taste her tears on her lips, and I kiss her until that taste is gone and
nothing but oranges is left.
“I love you, Grier,” I whisper against her mouth, and she lets out a shaky breath.
“I love you too,” she whispers, and a feeling that I can’t describe rushes through my body, leaving
tingles and sparks in its wake.
“Say it again,” I order her as I roll her under me.
“I love you, Hunter.”
I know she just placed her heart in my hands, and I swear I will never do anything to break it.
“Hold on,” I say, pulling away from her.
I jump off the bed and head back out to the front door. It’s hanging off one hinge, but I do my best
to close it so that no one walks by and sees or hears my girl.
When I turn around, Grier is standing there, staring at the broken pieces of wood behind me.
“Come here, baby girl,” I tell her, and she walks to me without hesitation.
I lift her up in my arms once she’s close enough and turn, pinning her against the ruined front door.
“This is forever. Say it.”
“This is forever,” she says, and I grin.
“Glad that we’re finally on the same page,” I say as my mouth comes down on hers once more.
 TEN

Grier

HUNTER ROCKS AGAINST ME, my thin yoga pants letting me feel how badly he needs me. I
cling to him, never wanting to let him go.
There was something so freeing in admitting that I loved him and taking that leap. I know that
Hunter will always catch me, and I can’t believe I compared him to my mom’s boyfriends for one
second. They’re nothing alike.
Hunter’s hard body presses me back against the wall next to the broken door. and I love feeling
his strength against me. I know that he would do anything for me. I know he’s honest and trustworthy,
and when he says this is forever, he means it.
The hard ridge in his jeans rubs against me, and I moan, arching up against his body for more.
“Bedroom,” I say against his lips, and he shakes his head.
“Daddy can’t wait, baby girl,” he says, and before I know it, he’s gripping the tank top and tearing
it straight down the middle.
I gasp, my eyes wide as he reaches for my bra and rips the center clasp open. The scraps of
material are dragged down my arms, and I grip his shoulders as he leans back, reaching for the seam
of my yoga pants.
“I’ll buy you more,” he grunts out as he tears a hole in the center of my yoga pants and panties.
“Hunter,” I say, but I’m not sure what I want.
Seeing him like this, knowing he can’t wait to have me, has me burning hotter than ever before.
“Shush, baby girl. Daddy’s got you,” he says as he tears down the zipper of his jeans and pulls his
cock out.
He thrusts into me without warning and moans when he feels that I’m dripping wet for him.
“Does daddy’s little girl need a good dicking?” He asks as his hips punch up against mine.
“Yes!” I moan, wrapping my arms around him as he pounds into me like a beast. “I was so achy,
daddy.”
“I’m going to fix that, baby girl. Daddy will make it better.”
I never knew I needed this, but calling Hunter daddy feels so right. It’s the role that he was meant
to have.
“You don’t ever run from Daddy again. He’s going to fix everything for you. He’s going to take
care of you.”
 “I’m sorry, daddy,” I say as I press against him, offering him my mouth.
“I’m going to spank that ass cherry red for scaring me this afternoon, but we both need this. Daddy
just needs to take the edge off,” he grunts as he ruts into me.
“Yes!” I shout when he hits that spot inside me that has me lighting up like a Christmas tree.
My orgasm seems to come out of nowhere, rising inside me like a wave and crashing down in an
instant.
“Daddy!” I shout as I come, and he increases his pace, thrusting into me like a madman as he
wrings out the last of my orgasm.
Then, he spins, carrying me back to the bedroom.
“More,” I whisper in his ear like the sex kitten I am.
“What did daddy say he was going to do?” Hunter asks in a hard tone, and my pussy clenches
around his length as I think about him spanking me.
“It was meant to be a punishment,” he muses, “but I think we’re both going to like this.”
He pulls out of me, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He grabs my wrist, and I gasp as he tugs
me down over his lap. My ruined yoga pants and panties are pushed down my thighs and left in a
tangle around my knees.
“Daddy,” I start, but before I can finish that sentence, Hunter raises his hand and spanks me.
“You don’t ever scare daddy like that again. I was going out of my mind, driving all over town
looking for my baby girl.”
“I’m sorry, daddy. I’ll never run from you again,” I promise.
“Damn straight,” he says, his hand coming down on my other cheek, and I start to pant, my hips
rising with his spanks.
“Such a dirty girl. How did daddy get so lucky?”
“Oh, please!” I beg, and he spanks me again.
With each strike, I find my pussy getting more and more soaked. I’m sure that I’m leaving a wet
spot against his leg, and the thought only turns me on more.
He gives me ten spanks on each cheek before he pulls me up and against his chest. I’m dizzy with
lust as he settles me over him and thrusts up into me.
“Ride me, baby girl,” he orders as my hands land on his chest.
I’m so turned on that I don’t even think I just move instinctively, rising and dropping back down
on his length over and over again in a heady rhythm.
“So perfect. So pretty,” he murmurs, his hands finding my breasts and cupping them as I ride him
faster.
“So needy,” I pant, and he grins.
“Good. I like you needy.”
I whine, and he smirks.
“We’re getting married. This Saturday,” he informs me, and I want to argue with him, but my
orgasm is starting to brew inside me once more.
My nails dig into his chest, and my pace grows sloppy as I chase my release.
“That’s it, baby girl. Make a mess all over daddy’s cock.”
I’m not sure if it’s his words or just time, but I do as he says and come, flooding his dick with my
juices as I ride out the last of my orgasm.
Hunter’s hands are on my hips, helping to guide me up and down, and I look down, our eyes
meeting as he finds his own release, his come splashing against my cervix.
I collapse against his chest, both of us breathing hard, and he wraps his arms around me. This is
perfect. It’s everything that I never dared dream to even wish for.
But I can’t let him get his way all of the time.
I push up onto my forearms and stare down at him.
“You know, most people ask the other person to marry them,” I tell him, and he laughs.
“We aren’t most people, gorgeous. Besides, you think that I would give you a chance to say no?”
He asks as he rolls me under him.
I don’t get a chance to answer before his lips land on mine and I’m lost once more in my Hunter.
 ELEVEN

Hunter

ONE YEAR LATER…

“LET ME GET THAT,” I tell Grier, and she rolls her eyes.
“I can carry in some groceries,” she mutters, and I shake my head.
“You’re carrying our kid. That’s all that you need to do.”
She grabs the bag with the bread in it, shooting me a hard look as she stomps up to the front door.
She’s been in a bad mood all day. She’s ready to go into labor any day now, and I know she’s
hoping it’s soon. She says she’s sick of feeling like a beached whale, but I don’t know what she’s
talking about. She looks just as gorgeous nine months pregnant with our son as she did the day I met
her.
She just needs a good fuck and then she’ll be in a better mood.
I’ve been doing everything that I can to make my wife happy. I never minded the crazy food runs
for what craving she had, and I certainly didn’t mind her increased libido. Now that we’re in the
home stretch, though, I think we’re both anxious about her going through labor.
I hate the idea of my girl in pain, and if I could trade places with her, I would in a heartbeat.
“Do you want a snack?” I ask her as I set the bags down on the counter.
I’m already reaching for the overflowing bowl of clementines before she can reply, and she sighs
as she takes a seat at the counter.
“I’ve been pregnant for a hundred years,” she complains, and I laugh.
“Not quite.”
She glares at me, and I pass her the clementine before I start to peel the next one.
“Why don’t we relax today? I can rub your feet, lick that sweet pussy, and we can cuddle on the
couch.”
She nods, a pained expression coming over her face.
“Did you want to do something else?” I ask, studying her a little more closely.
“No, I need to do some work on Anise’s baby shower, but that’s all I –”
She gasps, her hand going to her stomach, and I practically leap over the kitchen island.
 “Grier?”
“It’s just a twinge,” she says, but her face is still scrunched up in pain.
“It’s a contraction.”
“Probably just Braxton Hicks again,” she grumbles, but I’m already headed to the nursery to grab
the hospital bag.
“Let’s go. Just to be sure,” I say, and for once, she doesn’t argue with me.
I throw everything perishable into the fridge and race to the truck to help Grier into the passenger
seat.
“I’ll text Anise once we get there,” I promise her, and she nods, taking a deep breath.
“I think I’m fine,” she says, straightening in her seat as I buckle her in.
“Humor me,” I say with a hard tone.
“No, really. I’m fi—”
Her words cut off, and I rush to slide behind the wheel and head towards town. The hospital is
only ten minutes away, but we make it in five. I come to a screeching halt next to the front doors and
almost run right into Whit.
“Hey, I was going to call you,” we both say at the same time, and then I glance over to his truck as
he looks over to mine.
“Go,” he says, and I nod.
I run inside, asking for two wheelchairs, and the nurses chase me back outside. Grier is trying to
get out of the truck by herself, and I growl at her as I pluck her out of her seat and place her in the
wheelchair.
“Are you ready to have a baby, gorgeous?” I ask as we’re wheeled inside and down the hallway.
Grier is breathing hard and squeezing my hand too hard to answer. I glance over my shoulder to
see Whit and Anise headed into the room next door, and I give him a worried smile that he returns
before we head into the hospital rooms.
“It’s going to be okay,” I promise Grier as I help her get settled in the hospital bed. “I’m going to
be right here.”
She nods, giving me a smile as she takes my hand.
“I know. Everything always turns out alright with you by my side.”
“Nowhere I’d rather be,” I tell her as the doctor comes in.
“Who’s ready to meet their baby today?” She asks, and I kiss Grier’s forehead as we prepare to
do just that.
 TWELVE

Grier

FIVE YEARS LATER…

“WHEN WILL you and daddy be back?” Noah asks me, and I smile down at him.
“We’re only going to be gone for a few hours, honey. Aunt Anise and Uncle Whit are going to look
after you. And you’ll get to play with Molly while we’re gone,” I tell him, and his little face lights up.
“Molly is going to be there?” He asks, and I try not to laugh.
“Yep, it is her house, after all.”
He’s too excited to pay me much mind as he hurries to get his shoes on.
“I can drive him over there,” Hunter says as he comes out of the kitchen.
“Are you sure?” I ask, and he nods.
“You relax. The men have got this. Right, Noah?”
“Yeah!” Our son cheers, and I laugh.
“Alright. Tell Anise I said hi.”
“Will do,” he says, dropping a quick kiss on my lips as he goes to help Noah finish packing up the
toys he wants to bring for his playdate.
Noah and Molly were born on the same day, at close to the same time, and they’re best friends.
They grew up together, and I’ve loved going through this whole motherhood journey with my best
friend.
We babysat Molly two weeks ago so that Whit and Anise could have some alone time, and now
they’re returning the favor. I can’t wait to have a few hours with just my husband and me.
Hunter and I got married that Saturday, just like he told me. It was a small ceremony at the
courthouse with just Anise, Whit, Mabel, Jonah, and a few other friends. We went to Two Men and a
Griddle afterward and though it was a small celebration, it was perfect.
Hunter whisked me away for our honeymoon and we spent two weeks in Hawaii. We had our own
private villa, and I think he made it his mission to make love to me on every available surface in that
place. Not that I’m complaining.
It was only about a month or so after we got back that I realized that I had missed my period, and
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