Before he can say anything, my stomach growls so loudly that there’s no way his brothers didn’t hear it.
“Change of plan. First doctor, then dinner,” Andrew says. “You can bring her to the main house, and she can meet everyone else.”
Asher makes a grouchy face but nods.
“I’ll drive you. We can drop Andrew at his cabin on the way,” Adrian says with a grin.
“I can take her in my truck. You don’t have to babysit me. I’ll bring her over for dinner.”
Andrew and Asher exchange a look I can’t read, but I swear they have an entire conversation in a couple of blinks.
“C’mon, Adrian. We’ll see you and Ashbear in a little while, Emma,” Andrew says with a wink, then leaves the cabin with a chuckling Adrian behind him.
“Ashbear? I suppose you think that’s funny, little Raindrop?”
“I do. It makes sense and fits. Better than Raindrop. That doesn’t even make sense unless you’re talking about when I thought you were a real bear and cried.”
“Is that what you think? I’d never tease you for being scared. No, little one, it’s because when I picked you up, you smelled like spring rain—one of my favorite scents in the whole world.”
“Really?” There’s surprise in my voice. He thinks I smell good, too. Pheromones are a serious business. But this instant attraction is just scary. My stomach takes that moment to growl again. It’s getting as bad as Asher.
“Yes, really. Now, let’s bring you to see the doc, and then we’ll feed the beastie in your belly.”
All I can think about as he carries me out to his truck and buckles my seatbelt is, when did the scary bear turn into a teddy bear? And how the heck do I keep from falling for him?
The drive down the mountain is anticlimactic after the last few hours. I don’t know what time it is, but I’m surprised the doctor’s office is still open. It’s got to be way past normal closing time.
Asher parks in front of a brick building on Main Street with a sign hanging over the door that says Craig Winston, MD. I don’t even realize I’m wringing my hands until Asher puts his warm one over both of mine.
“Dr. Winston has been the doctor in Maple Creek since before I was born. In fact, he delivered me and my brothers. He’s a good one, but he doesn’t take any backtalk. If he says you need to do something, he expects you to do it.”
“Seems like that’s a trait of all of you mountain men,” I murmur, not expecting him to hear me.
His smirk when his eyes meet mine tells me he did. “You ready to go in?”
The deep brown looks like molten chocolate in the light from the street lamps, and I melt. “Yes, Ashbear. Let’s get this over with. I’m starving.”
If I wasn’t sitting down, his smile would have knocked me over. It’s the first one he’s graced me with, and it’s a killer. Holy cow. This man is like sex on a stick, and I’m falling a little more every time he shows me more of him. I knew this trip would change my future, but I didn’t have a clue how much. When I finally leave Gallant Mountain, I’ll never be the same.
five
Asher
I didn’t like Andrew’s edict that I have to take Emma to study the mountain sweet pitcher plants, but I understand the reason for it. When she spoke up, I have to say I was proud of her. She keeps surprising me. Emma is not as meek as she appeared at first, not even close. That streak of defiance triggers my dominance, and how she responds to that. Fuck. It’s enticing.
“I’ll come around and get you. Stay there.”
“Yes, Sir, Ashbear,” Emma says as she rolls her eyes. She’s lucky I don’t put her over my knee. She’s cast some kind of spell on me. I want to taste the lips that she keeps nibbling on and run my fingers over her pale skin. I bet it feels as soft as it looks. Fuck. Now I’m hard for her again. Perfect. Not how I want to walk into Doc’s office.
After climbing out of my truck, I take a moment to adjust myself before walking around to get my little Raindrop. I’m not sure she’ll agree to being mine, but I guess I have two weeks to work on it. First, I need to get her inside.
Emma wraps her arms around my neck as I pick her up and carry her into the doctor’s office. The waiting room is empty since the practice was already closed, but when Andrew called, he agreed to meet us here.
A bell rings on the door as I open it and step inside, and Doc steps out of the back. His receptionist is probably long gone.
“Hi there, Asher. Hello, young lady. Andrew said there was a little accident?”
I’m about to tell him when Emma surprises me again. “Yeah, I was in the woods without a flashlight and tripped. I’m sure my ankle is fine. But I had surgery on it about a year ago, and Asher was worried I might have done something.”
