Matched to the Mountain Man: Seeking Curves

"No, I would just like a steady income doing what I like. I work part-time at Honeybee's Coffee. It's a coffee shop in LA, and it's pretty close to my apartment. I bake cakes as often as I can," I say, breathing in. "I've been getting more clients. I make TikToks, it's a social media thing, showing my work; and I've been getting more and more business from that, which is awesome because it's really hard without a massive ad budget to promote my work to even get a foot in the door.

"I do specialty cakes, so I don't exactly want to go work for a big bakery because then I would just be doing their work instead of my work, and it's a hard business, which I know you know, because you're kind of on the other side of it, though restaurateurs work late hours and bakers work early hours. So kind of flip-flopped in that sense," I say with a smile.

The waitress comes and clears our plates and delivers our dessert. It's rich, dark chocolate cake with raspberries. We dig in.

"I feel like I've been talking about myself a lot," I tell him.

"I still feel like I have a lot to learn," he tells me.

I smile. "But isn't this just a one-off dinner date?" I whisper, not wanting to reveal our secret that we're not in love or intimately involved.

He swallows. "It feels like more than a date, doesn't it? I mean, this feels like something real, something potentially incredible."

"Potentially incredible," I repeat, taking a bite of the cake. He takes a bite of it, too.

"What are you thinking?" he asks.

I laugh nervously. "Honestly?"

"I only want honesty."

"Well, I mean, I make cake for a living," I say. "Or at least I'm trying to make cake for a living," I say with a smile.

"And your honest opinion?"

"Well, I think people say they want something really rich and dense, but deep down they want something sweeter." I pluck a raspberry off my plate, plop it in my mouth. Truett leans in and kisses me. God, his lips are soft. I melt into them. I want more. My eyes close, and I savor the kiss for what it is, ours.

When the kiss ends, he clears his throat. His eyes are practically glazed over, looking at me as if he sees something more than just one night, one date, like he sees forever.

I swallow, not wanting to fantasize about something that isn't real, that hasn't been promised, that has no guarantees. I didn't come out tonight to get my heart broken.

"I planned on getting a hotel tonight," he tells me.

"Oh, yeah?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to join me?"

I lick my lips. "I'm honestly not prepared to spend the night at a hotel. I wear contacts, and I don't have a toothbrush or a change of clothes."

He nods. "I understand. It’s just that kiss… I want more than one kiss. And this dessert, I know it doesn't taste as good as you would." Heat crawls up from my belly. My face burns. My need grows.

"You could come back to my place," I tell him, "if you wanted."

"You mean it? I don't want to push you."

"Oh, I mean it," I say. "It's what I want, if you..."

He nods, "Please." He stands. He takes my hand. "Let's go."

9

Truett

When we get to her place, she unlocks her door nervously, looking over her shoulder. She bites her bottom lip. "I never have guys over."

"I'm not a guy," I tell her. "I'm a mountain man, remember?"

She closes her eyes. "That doesn't make this any easier," she says.

"Don't be nervous," I tell her.

"I am nervous," she tells me. "I'm just me, and you're you, and…" She closes her eyes.

"You're perfect," I tell her.

My hands move to her hips, taking in her nice, curvy ass as she pushes open her door. I follow her inside, loving the view of her back.

Her place is small and charming. She lives in a fourplex that hasn't been updated in decades. I can instantly tell why she chose this place. The kitchen is huge and the lighting is good. She's decorated it with a feminine touch, and that endears me to her even more. "There's a lot of pink in here."

She laughs. "Does that bother you?"

I shake my head. "No, I think it's cute."

She giggles. "Oh, God. Cute, huh? I'm trying for sexy, seductive. Oh, I don't know, hot as hell?"

"Hey, you got all of those things, too," I tell her.

She slips off her shoes and I do the same. "So, you feel okay getting comfortable here?" She asks, watching me.

"If you don't mind."

She shakes her head. "I don't. I'm glad you're here. I want you here. I'm just, I've never had a man over to my place."

"Well, then, I feel honored to be your first."