Page 52 of Playing With The Mountain Man

“Yeah?” I replied, spinning around and lifting my foot to pick the rock out of it.

“You’re not following me down the mountain. Don’t be ridiculous. Come give me a kiss, then go back to bed. It’s still early,” she bossed, and I'd be damned if that wasn’t as hot as when she was purring in my ear like a satisfied kitten.

“Tillie …”

“Last chance, Cody. Give me a kiss, or I’m gonna go without it,” she declared, glancing inside her car.

I might not know everything about her, but I knew Tillie was nothing if she wasn’t fiercely determined and stubbornly independent. And I had no doubt she would absolutely drive out of here without giving me a kiss goodbye if I didn’t move my ass.

I ignored the rocks digging into my bare feet as I closed the distance between us.

“Woman, you’re gonna be the death of me,” I accused as I closed in on her car.

I bent down and rested my arm on her window. “Yet you keep coming back for more.” She smiled, running her hands through my hair.

“I really should see someone about that,” I suggested.

“Yeah. You probably should,” she agreed with a grin brighter than the sun.

“Message me when you get to work,” I requested again.

Tillie’s eyes narrowed as a giggle bubbled up out of her, and it was a sound sweeter than the early morning call of the birds. “Will do. Call me tonight?”

“You can bet on it,” I assured her, knowing it would be the one thing I’d be looking forward to for the rest of the day.

I leaned through the window and pressed my lips to hers, melting into her kiss. With her nails scratching the stubble on my jaw, I tried to pour everything I couldn’t say into my kiss. Maybe I’d find my balls in Dallas, and when I got back, I’d be able to tell her everything I was holding back.

Another quick kiss and Tillie was on her way. I stood on the driveway and watched her go, my hand held up in the air like a fool. But I was a fool in love. It happened quickly, and it happened hard, but I knew deep in my gut that’s what it was. I loved Tillie Hooper. I just had to tell her. But first, I had to sort this shoulder out. Until I knew what was what, I didn’t know what my life would look like. What our life could be like. But for the first time, I was excited to find out. A couple more days. I could do a couple of days, then I would come back to claim my girl.

Chapter eighteen

Tillie

Tonight had been the first night on my own, and honestly, I loved every second of it. Don’t get me wrong, I loved when River was here. We’d make dinner together, then he’d sit at the table and do his homework while I folded laundry or cleaned up the kitchen, and then we’d watch some TV or read a book before I tucked him into bed.

Then the last few nights with Cody were … unexpected. I’d never meant to fall into his arms or his bed, but something about his easygoing smile and openness drew me in.

But tonight, tonight had been all about me, and as selfish as it was, I fucking loved it.

After another long day on my feet, I’d come home, poured myself a glass of wine, and filled the bathtub with bubbles before letting the hot water soothe away the aches and pains. Cody had been right when he said I couldn’t keep going like this and that I needed to look into getting help, but that was a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, I just wanted to eat my chocolate, read my book, and pretend all my responsibilities weren’t weighing me down.

The moment I’d stumbled through the door, I changed into a pair of gray leggings that had seen better days and an oversized T-shirt. I’d eaten ice cream for dinner, straight from the tub, pumped up my ’90s playlist, shaking my ass around the house.

Now I was lying in my bed with a bowl of popcorn, reading my book. The perfect end to a quiet night. One I didn’t realize how desperately I needed until now.

I’d spoken to River earlier. At least I’d attempted to. He’d tried to tell me what he’d been up to and how much fun he was having, but his words came out at a mile a minute, and I couldn’t understand any of them.

“Sounds like you’re having a great time, buddy, but why don’t you tell me all about it when you get home tomorrow?” I suggested.

“Do I have to come home?” he’d whined, only for me to laugh.

“Yes, you do. You have school on Monday.”

He grumbled something. Then I made sure to go over the details of what would happen tomorrow and promised him that I’d be there waiting for him when his flight landed.

River was my whole world, and the lifeline I hadn’t known I needed. When Sean passed away, taken from us in a car accident without warning, the only thing that dragged me out of bed each day was knowing River deserved better. I’m not going to pretend I got it all right. There were days when it took every ounce of strength I had to bundle him up and get him to school on time, before crawling home and diving back under the covers, cursing the world for letting this happen. But slowly, and with the help of our friends and family, we survived and stepped out of the darkness.

I looked at the photo on my nightstand, the three of us standing in front of the Christmas tree, wearing matching pajamas—we were that family. Sean loved Christmas and was the biggest kid of them all. He hadn’t met a tacky decoration he could leave on the shelf in the store. I smiled a sad smile at the frame before picking it up.