Branded By The Mountain Man (Thickwood CO)

“Crap,” I mumble under my breath as I slam on the brakes.

It looks like I’m going to tangle with the mountain man again.

Whether I want to or not.4BradenI need my head examined.

When the rain didn’t stop, I knew for sure the bridge would flood. It always does. Judd called my cell to warn me that it was happening and ask me to feed his dog. He lives at the base of the mountain, but knowing the flood was coming didn’t come home last night. That’s not unusual, I take care of his dog, Bumbles, whenever the need arises. As a firefighter in Thickwood, he needs to be available.

On way to my buddy’s house, I thought of the curly, copper-locked woman—Fuck, I hadn’t stopped thinking of her.

I worried she would get her ass in trouble because of the flood. I had hoped to make it down in time to make her pack up and leave. When I got here, I saw how rapidly the water was climbing. I knew that option was out. I didn’t expect to see the foolish woman trying to cross a bridge that was already in distress. I watch as she hops out, still limping, of her van and faces me. Instantly, the rain begins to flatten her beautiful curls, and plasters her shirt against her curvy body. Just as quickly, my dick comes roaring back to life. This curvy woman is going to be a problem and instead of running for her, I seem to be begging for pain.

“What are you doing?” she cries out, trying to make her voice heard over the van’s engine and the combined sound of the rain and rushing water.

“Trying to save your life. Back that damn thing up. You can’t cross the bridge now, it’s too dangerous,” I berate.

“I can still make it, if you move!” she huffs, putting both hands on her hips. I have the strongest urge to grab her and fuck her against the side of her van, right here in the pouring rain. I breathe through it, my entire body throbbing with need. Clearly, the woman doesn’t know when she’s in danger—or how long I’ve been alone. I close my eyes and when I open them back up, I remind myself of all of the reasons that I moved out here to begin with.

“Really?” I ask her, and then I move and point to the bridge which is now completely submerged underwater.

“Oh my God. But I… it was just…”

“It’s a homemade travel bridge, which means it’s shit in water. It’s only there because the two people who own land on this mountain built it. It’s stupid to try and go over it in a rainstorm, it’s suicide right now.”

I watch as her back straightens, and she looks at me. Right now, she has the bearing of a queen and I can tell I’ve pissed her off.

“Well, it wasn’t like that before you got in the way,” she snaps.

“I’m not going to argue with you in the rain. Get your ass back in the van and follow me up the hill. I’ll allow you to set up camp there until it’s safe.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Lady, you’re not from around here, but I can assure you that the water is going to not only overtake the bridge, but the land we’re standing on. So, get your cute ass back in the van and follow me.”

She stands there for a minute and then the weirdest thing happens. She smiles. Maybe the woman really is certifiable.

Whatever, she finally gets in her damn van and backs up. I sprint over to my truck which I had parked to the side in the tree line, wondering—not or the first time—just what in the hell I’m doing.5Ophelia“He’s probably a jerk, Bogo,” I murmur as I follow the man’s taillights as he leads the way back up the mountain. “But, on the bright side, he thinks my ass is cute.”

Bogo snorts at me and he sounds so disgusted that I take my eyes off the road just for a moment to look at him.

“Well he said it,” I mutter at the damn pig that is looking at me like he’s judging me. I stick my tongue out at him. “And I’ll have you know that I do have a cute ass. I get complements on it quite often—especially when I’m wearing my favorite pair of jeans.”

Bogo snorts again, but this time, to add insult to injury, he literally buries his head between his little piggy legs, as if disgusted.

“You’re lucky I love you, Bogo,” I mumble with a sigh. My gaze goes back to the road and I’m surprised when Bogo rubs his head against my side, reminding me of why I love the little monster. I gently rub his little ear and sigh.

I follow the man for another ten or fifteen minutes. I guess I should worry that he’s some kind of serial killer, but I don’t get a bad vibe from him. Besides, he was worrying about me dying in the high water. If he was just going to kill me, wouldn’t that be stupid?