My Mountain Man Muse

And I think she loves me.

“It’s only been a week,” she finally says.

“The best week of my life,” I quickly add. “And I think it’s been a pretty good week for you too.”

“It has,” she whispers.

“Good enough to throw away your old life for?”

She looks at me for a long moment and then finally her lips curl up into a smile.

“Yeah,” she says, looking more sure as she stares into my eyes. “Good enough to take a chance on a happily ever after.”

I lean forward and kiss her so hard that it will destroy any lingering doubts.

“So, you’ll stay?” I ask when we finally pull away.

She nods. “I’ll stay.”

I take a breath of relief and let my back fall onto the ice. I’m staring up at the blue sky as fluffy flakes of snow come floating down all around me.

This mountain just got a whole lot sweeter.

And my life got a whole lot more exciting.

Lily climbs on top of me with a grin on her face and I smile as I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in close right where she belongs.

And right where she’s going to stay forever.

Epilogue

Lily

One year later…

“Don’t lie to me, Angie,” I say as I anxiously rub my swollen belly. “I’m nine months pregnant and way too emotionally fragile for any tricks.”

“I’m not lying, Lily,” my new agent says over the line. She’s calling from New York (that’s right, I have a New York agent!). “They absolutely loved it. They want to buy the book and option your next three novels!”

The phone slips out of my trembling hands and bounces on the floor with a thunk.

I sold a book?

I. Sold. A. Book!

A scream rips out of my throat as I throw my hands in the air in triumph. I’d jump around the cabin like Tom Cruise on Oprah, but let’s be real, I’m nine months pregnant. I’m physically unable to leave the ground. So, I just scream at the top of my lungs instead.

“Oh no!” I say with a gasp when I realize that Angie is still talking.

I waddle over to the phone and brace myself on the couch as I awkwardly bend down to pick it up. This kid needs to be born yesterday so I can get my body back.

“Hold on, Angie,” I say when I finally pick it up. “Start over.”

“From where?”

“From the beginning.”

She laughs. “Okay. You sold a book to Seal Skin Publishing.”

I throw my head back and scream again.

“Are you finished?” she asks with a chuckle.

“Not even close,” I say as my pulse races. I’m an author. A real, legit, professional author.

The back door slams open and Jayden rushes in with an ax in his hand. It’s the dead of winter, but he’s shirtless as usual.

“What’s wrong?” he says as he places the ax on the counter and comes to me. “Is the baby coming?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head as he grabs my arms. “Better.”

“Better than a baby?” he asks, looking at me funny.

“Okay, well maybe not better than a baby, but close.” This is my baby. I don’t expect him to understand.

God, he’s hot. He’s all sweaty and his muscles are jacked up as he waits for me to elaborate. I’m just standing there gawking at him. It’s been a year and I still get stunned by his breathtaking view. “What is it?” he asks.

I shake my head out of the clouds and grin. “I sold my book.”

His face lights up. “I knew you would. You’re amazing.”

Angie is still in my ear. “We have a lot to do,” she continues. “They’re going to send over the contract and we have to go over it with a fine-tooth comb. I think we can negotiate the advance up at least…”

My hand slowly drops, bringing the phone down with it when I see the hungry look in Jayden’s sexy brown eyes.

“We have to celebrate.” His voice has that husky edge to it, which always gets me going. My pussy is already throbbing. “I’m going to give you the star author treatment.”

“What’s that?” I ask with a gulp.

He leans in and presses his hard cock against me. I try to lean into him more, but my big belly keeps getting in the way. This kid really needs to vacate the premises now. She’s extremely close to getting an official eviction notice from the fed-up landlord.

Jayden starts kissing my neck as his hand slides up my leg. “I’m going to bring you into the bedroom and reenact any scene you’d like from your book.”

My mouth drops open with a moan when his hand hits my tingling pussy. He starts rubbing circles on my clit over my pants and I raise up on my toes as he pulls more moans from me.

“Oh shit,” I say with a wince when I remember that I still have my agent on the line. My author career has just started and I’m already acting completely unprofessional.