Cave Man Need Wife (The First Mountain Man)

Prologue

Rock

Six Years Ago

I crawl on my stomach through the eerie cave, searching for our target. I was recruited for this mission because I know thing or two about getting a job done.

I was trained by the best – Sergeant Langham – and I’m fucking grateful to have learned how to navigate difficult terrain from a man like him. I saved his life once, and he told me he’d give me anything I wanted in return.

But there’s only one thing I want, and I can’t get it from him.

I want a wife.

A woman to call my own.

And after crawling through this damn jungle for weeks on end, I’m more determined than ever to get home and find just that. The distraction of missions are fine – it’s the time in between them when I feel the gaping hole in my life. I have no home. Not even a dog.

Hell, I’ll even try out online dating if I need to. Find some matchmaker. Whatever it takes. I’ve been alone long enough. I want a woman to come home to at night. Sure I might be a gruff-around-the-edges soldier – but with a little tender loving care I figure the beast within can be tamed.

But I’ve got to put down some roots first.

Now, the five men on my team are deep in a maze of caves, tunnels winding for miles under the Yucatan jungle. And losing my way isn’t an option.

Carnage shouts, “He’s up ahead!”

Stone yells, telling us to stay low. I can’t see Storm or Flint for the life of me.

I know what to do. I run to the left, knowing a blast is coming our way – the terrorist we are after knows we are edging in close.

I hear it before I see it – the grenade going off, the walls of the cave rumbling. From the corner of my eye, I see a patch of green and I dive for an exit that shouldn’t have been there – not according to the mapping I’d done in prep for this mission.

But it’s the green ass jungle and I’m flying toward it as the cave begins to shake, rattle, and roll.

My head smacks hard on a rock, and for a split second I blink, seeing a clear blue sky – before blacking out.

When I come to, I try to roll over, to stand, to get my bearings, but I’m dizzy, dehydrated – and not at all alone.

Right in front of me there is a big ole tiger. This isn’t some stripey ass cat from the zoo.

This is a prehistoric saber-tooth, and it’s coming for me.

I have no idea where I am, but this sure as hell isn’t where I want to be.

1

Rosalie

Weddings are not for the weak of heart. And this past week, my heart has been tested.

I love my sister, Samantha. But oh my gosh, am I feeling twinges of jealousy like never before.

She found the love of her life and that’s why we’re here in Tulum for their destination wedding, celebrating their newly wedded bliss.

Me? I'm as single as ever, longing for a life I don't have.

Last night at the wedding, everyone tried to make me feel better for not having a date. “Oh, you’ll meet your Prince Charming one of these days!’ “Have you seen the waiter? He’s quite a stunner!” “My college roommate has a son who has a friend who is single.”

I’m sure they all had good intentions, but it made me feel miserable. Maybe I should have found some guy on the internet for my plus one. But I wanted to come here with someone who was special or no one at all.

So, I boarded the plane by myself, went to my sister's rehearsal dinner and wedding reception, playing the part of maid of honor, doing my duties flawlessly, a smile on my face the entire time.

I'm pretty much the girl in that movie, 27 Dresses, always a bridesmaid, never a bride, and for the most part, I've been okay with that. I know eventually my day will come. One day I will be the one wearing white with all of my friends lined up beside me as I make promises to the man of my dreams. It will happen, eventually, but I can’t stand to stay at the resort for one more minute. I’ve crashed from the high of the wedding and just want to get away.

I think it's fantastic that Samantha and Luke wanted to have a destination wedding. Who doesn't like a great vacation in paradise? This peninsula on the east coast of Mexico is glorious. It's lush and wild, and the woman at the concierge desk told me the caves here are incredible.

I didn't think I'd want to go on this excursion by myself, but when I woke up this morning and I looked around at everyone else at the resort, holding hands and stealing kisses and giggling in corners, I knew I had to get away. I think I’m the only single person in this entire hotel.