Page 9 of Haunted Hayride with the Mountain Man

She disengages from my arms, slick heat making my fingers pulse when I pull them from her. She drops to the bed behind her. The very second her fingers go for my fly, my heart goes doubletime, like it’s trying to escape my ribcage and confess my undying love for my would-be wedding planner.

“I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

Her eyes are cloudy with lust, unfocused when she pulls her attention to my face.

“I didn’t think you could possibly be different from other women but I had no right being that stupid.” My throat’s so tight it’s hard to swallow around the words as I forge on. “I’ve been pushing down the hurt for so long when all I needed to do was let it out. The grief has been heavy, it feels fucking incredible to put it down with you.”

Nova’s studying my face like the map for a long lost treasure. I don’t know what I did to get so lucky as to have her crash into my life, but she’s made my burdens seem lighter somehow.

“I just fell into planning weddings,” she blurts, finally pulling me from my jeans, coaxing me on top of her.

The second our skin makes contact, I lose all train of thought; night becomes day, up becomes down, all I can do is let my baser instincts take over.

“But I could love my job if it was you planning an entire season of weddings at Frost Peak Farm with me.”

I almost ask her to plan ours. It nearly comes out of my mouth.

I swore I’d never get that close to marriage again, not with another woman who could hurt me or without knowing how much of a future I have. But having even a second with her, I wouldn’t pass up the chance to make it legal.

My cock lines up with her sopping wet entrance and I find her legs wrapped around me again like they never left. Her heat envelops me as I ease into her, stopping to give her a second to adjust to my size before I give her another inch.

Once I’m buried inside this sweet woman, her hips take off, hungry, greedy, silently urging me on. The patio door’s still cracked open but she doesn’t give a damn as I take her, giving her everything I have.

Words fail me. I could never tell her how much she means to me, how good she’s making me feel, even as my toes curl.

“Harder,” she urges, eyes darkening. Her luscious tits graze my abs with every deep thrust, her stomach a perfect cushion beneath mine. “Please, Skyland. Don’t make me beg.”

“I love the way my name sounds when you say it.”

“Skyland!” she growls, her walls bearing down on me. She’s a rubber band about to snap, hips rocking frantically against my pubic bone, taking what’s hers.

Rearing back to stare at her face, I watch as Nova spills over the edge. Her eyes stay locked on me, my face eating up the blue in her eyes as her pupils blow wide, slamming shut when the sensations get to be too much. I’m holding on with every ounce of control I have; watching, waiting, giving in the moment her forehead, once pinched with focus, relaxes and her body softens.

Nova digs her heels into my ass as I release into her, cursing her name as I fill her. She’s a slice of luck I never thought I’d be able to have and letting her go tomorrow is going to absolutely end me.

She falls asleep curled up beneath me, hands tucked under her head like a pillow. She sleeps like an angel, not even waking as I get out of bed and get redressed.

It kills me to leave her like this but I have no other choice. The decision has to be hers and if I don’t walk away right now, there’s no way I’m going to let her leave.

SEVEN

Nova

I wake from the deepest sleep of my life to an empty bed. The crescent shaped indent where Skyland should be is empty, leaving my chest feeling the same way. I could have only been out for half an hour but it’s like time stopped; before Skyland and after. They feel like different worlds.

I thought we had something. I can’t be disappointed, I knew what I was getting myself into, but I really hoped I’d wake up with him still wrapped around me, asking me to make promises I’ve never made to anyone.

The thing is, I wouldn’t be giving anything up. The more time I spend in this town, with the mountains rising all around me, the bare branches reaching out for me, the more I know I’ve found where I’m meant to be. I wasn’t supposed to be spreading myself thin travelling across three states, no wonder I never felt relaxed. I need one location, one site, building my clients based on their venue choice. I can finally branch out of my mother’s shadow at 33.

But of course, none of that can happen with this Skyland-shaped hole in my heart. I tell myself I’m fine with it being one night, but I was never okay with that, I may never be.

Even though it’s barely dark, I’m crawling out of bed and packing my things, searching for an emergency number for the tow company. Forget another peek at the farm, I know it’s perfect, but I don’t want to share this magical place if I can’t have it for myself.

It’s crazy how much I still want to learn about this man. Where did he move from, what kind of career did he have before he gave it all up to come take care of his dad, what does he do for fun? What kind of car does he drive and where does he park it at night? I can’t stop the questions from swirling in my head as I pack.

I know this idea is ridiculous. I should just get back into bed. It’s barely 9:00PM and I paid for a night at the hotel. I’m going to pay double for a tow truck but my ego won’t let me stay in Ashwood another second.

Stuffing the last items into my overnight bag, I throw one last glance in the mirror. At the sight of my reflection, I break down, collapsing against the door in a fit of sobs.