Revenge for the Mountain Man Bonus Scene

Ginger laughs knowingly, as if she’s heard this talk from her mountain man before.

Roscoe adds, “Maybe having you around will finally give me the motivation to build a warming hut, too.”

“Big plans,” Bodie chuckles, pulling me into his arms and feathering his lips over mine. “But this winter I’ve got warmer, cozier ambitions, if you don’t mind. I imagine you do, too, with all that talk of ten kids for you and Ginger.”

Ginger shakes her head, cheeks blazing. “Roscoe says ten. As much as I want babies, though, we’ll see about double digits.” Roscoe buries his head in the crook of her neck, whispering something to the blonde that makes her cheeks glow. She replies, making him laugh, and he hugs her more tightly. “Fawn, with all this talk of hunting and fishing, you and I are going to have plenty of time for girl hangouts.”

“Oh, yeah!” I say, clapping my hands together as Ginger’s face radiates excitement. “We need to create the book club we’ve been talking about,” I say, working hard not to frown. I still lament the loss of so many precious books in the fire that destroyed Bodie’s cabin. But he’s made it clear the new log cabin will have a library that far exceeds anything Flint compiled. “We also need to do some fall crafts …”

“And try quilting and painting and making cards,” Ginger adds.

“Whoa, whoa,” Bodie says. Leveling his warm gaze on me, he reminds, “Before you start making tons of plans, don’t forget that I have you locked and loaded every evening for sing-alongs.” His tender eyes convey all the other things that come with our evening ritual, which he shares with no one else. Like combing and oiling my hair, massaging and moisturizing my skin, and reading our evening story before we cuddle together on the couch or in bed for goodnight kisses and all the naughty places our roaming hands and passionate desires lead.

“Of course,” I whisper, walking forward and pulling him along by the fingertips as I explore more of the flat plain where our cabin would go. “I love it here. It’s perfect.”

“You heard the lady,” Bodie says, smiling at Roscoe. “We’ll take it. Thank you, man.”

The blond mountain man nods. “Enjoy exploring. Unless you need something else, Ginger and I are heading back to the cabin for dinner. Figure you two might like a little alone time.”

Bodie nods, going about setting up a fire circle with rocks as Ginger and Roscoe drive away. I search for kindling as he works, whistling “Hey Jude.” Once a large, golden blaze crackles in the ring, he retrieves folding chairs from the bed of the pickup while I work on grabbing blankets and snacks. We packed a rustic loaf of Bodie’s homemade raisin and walnut bread, cold cuts, nuts, olives, white cheese, and dark locally sourced honey. I go back for apple cider for our own private feast.

“The chairs might work for dinner, but I need you in my arms the rest of the time,” Bodie confesses, reading my mind. In fact, I’ve already found the perfect boulder for us to recline against, placing picnic blankets on the ground.

“Then, let’s start cuddled up,” I reply, cheeks glowing.

He chuckles deep in his chest. “Do we have to eat first, or can we go straight to dessert?”

“You can do anything you want because you’re the king of this place now,” I flirt with a broad smile. “Though I am hungry and could use a little nourishment before we satisfy our other appetites.”

“Done,” he says darkly, following me to the blankets where we snuggle together, watching the sunset and feeding each other. “This is good for us. Our own haven and escape from the world.”

“Yes,” I agree.

The past month has been about shattering barriers and stepping so far outside of my comfort zone that I marvel at how I’ve managed to do so much. After the fire, we had to give statements to law enforcement, which led to a rapid reunion with my biological family in town. Turns out, the Dunnings have been a fixture of Alpha Ridge Creek since pioneer times, and my family is plentiful.

My abduction haunted them for years, and finding me alive was something they no longer hoped for, though my mother, Marie, never gave up. I have three brothers and one sister, all older than me, and getting to know them has been a heartwarming and bittersweet experience.

One that I have to take one day at a time, still coming to terms with things like which name I feel comfortable using, and how knowing these people and becoming a part of their family shapes my identity.

Although they prefer to call me Bethany for obvious reasons, Fawn has become such a deep part of my history and who I am that I’m not sure if I’ll ever fully be able to separate myself from it. At first, I felt pressure to do so, but Bodie stepped in, advocating on my behalf. He has been my rock through all of this. My protector and my strength.

I have the impression the Dunnings want me to pretend the last eighteen years of my life spent in the backwoods never happened. And as much as I wish I could do that for them, I can’t for myself. The hardship and pain of my life shaped me as much as the good times. I can’t ignore one part, hoping it will somehow make the bad go away. Fortunately, Bodie gets this, my true protector and safe place from the world.

Finishing our ciders, Bodie pulls me into his lap, straddling him. “Why so serious, my little elf?” he asks, eyeing me curiously.

I shake my head, the corners of my mouth tilting up. “Just thinking about everything that’s happened over this past month. It’s been a lot. So much.” I furrow my brows. “I don’t know what I would have done if I never met you. I can’t imagine living without you, Bodie. Ever.” My voice cracks, and tears splash over my cheeks.

“Shh,” Bodie whispers, swiping his thumb over my cheeks and tasting the salt. “That’s something you’ll never have to worry about. Though, I understand how you feel. I thought I was leading a decent life all alone on the homestead, but it was black and white, colorless. Then, you showed up, with your technicolor passions and desires, and you blew everything I thought was alright clean out of the water. I could never imagine living without you now.”

Burying his head in the crook of my neck, he feathers my shoulders and decolletage in slow, sensual kisses as his hands rove over my back, arms, and hips, grinding me into his firm arousal. “What do you say we consecrate our land, Fawn? Give ourselves to nature and each other beneath this starry firmament?” His big hands grip my legs, inching the long skirt of my dress up as he massages my thighs, hands climbing to the center of my pleasure.

“You’re all I want,” I confess, desire thickening my throat. “Some days, it’s the only way I get through. Knowing if I can push through all the discomfort, I’ll find my way back to you and your love. Our nightly rituals.”

“Our thousand little initmacies,” he adds, kissing each of my fingertips one at a time. “That make us more than just one man and one woman but a family in the making.”

“A family.” I smile. “I like that, Bodie. Our family, just you and me, with no one else unless we invite them.”

He nods, seizing my mouth and kissing me breathless. Hungering for union, desperate for his warmth and firmess, my hands shake as I unzip and unbutton his jeans before sliding his rock-hard cock free from his boxers. “I’m going to marry you here, Fawn. If you’ll have me? In our own little heaven. Intimate, small, with only the people who make us feel safe and secure.”

“Of course, I’ll have you, Bodie. I can’t live without you. But what about all my family?” I ask, head spinning at the thought of so many Dunnings. “I’m sure they’ll expect invitations.”

“That’s what receptions are for,” he chuckles. “But you and me, uniting before the Universe?” He slides my dripping panties to the side, penetrating me with his smooth, hot head. He groans, and I whimper, pressing my hips towards him, taking him deeper. “Our union is just for us, and our closest friends.”

“Oh goodness!” I exclaim, suddenly realizing. “Bodie, you’re not wearing a condom.”

“No, I’m not. Am I? Should we stop?”

“I don’t want to stop,” I giggle, stroking his bearded cheek. “I want to work on our family in the making. But only if you feel ready for that?”

“Turning our love into something binding between us, a child? I can’t think of anything I want more,” Bodie says, surprising me. He chuckles, pressing his lips to mine. “You know, it’s what I’ve always wanted with you, in my heart of hearts, though I didn’t want you to feel pressured.”

“I don’t feel pressured. I feel loved. Completely, one hundred percent.” My lips find his, fading into the throbbing majesty of a perfect wilderness night as our pace quickens, and we give ourselves completely to each other, without reservation and filled with hope for our future together.

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