Mountain Man Read online Jenika Snow (A Real Man #22)

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Romance Tags Authors: Series: A Real Man Series by Jenika Snow
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Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
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Twenty minutes later, I was pulling onto the main road that lead me into town. I passed McKenzie’s, the little ‘50s themed diner, watched as people walked down the cobblestone sidewalks, and saw some lumber being put into the back of a pick-up truck in front of Harrison Lumber.

I knew this town like the back of my hand, but I only knew a handful of the residents personally, and those were really only the ones who owned the establishments I frequented. That’s how much I stayed away from socializing. And I was fine with that. It was my life and what I wanted, and besides, having people think I was this gruff, rough-around-the-edges, grumpy mountain man gave me the peace and quiet I wanted. I was fine with being isolated and not knowing anyone.

I was alone in life anyway. But I didn’t want to be that way for the rest of my life. I decided that when I first saw Bailey on my doorstep. And I knew that for certain when I touched her, claimed her.

I curled my hands around the steering wheel, the leather creaking slightly as I reigned in all the possessiveness I felt for her. I continued on my way to the attorney’s office, where the clerk would handle the paperwork for this particular listing I owned.

I knew one thing for sure; I didn’t want to just give up on her, didn’t want to forget how I felt or what we shared. And if in four years my feelings for her hadn’t dimmed, I knew they never would. She’d gotten under my skin in the best of ways. And as soon as this paperwork was finalized, I was going to search her out... find her.

I was going to make Bailey mine. Fuck the last four years of staying away from her.

Chapter Four

Bailey

I was anxious to get into my new place, to start making it my own, and hopefully settle in so I could do what I really wanted to—see Gavin again.

I’d been tempted to ask my parents about Gavin, but their questions on why I wanted to know wasn’t worth the headache. I’d find out myself.

I was going to go find his cabin, and I hoped, prayed, that he and I could rekindle what we had shared four years ago. Worst thing that could happen is things didn’t pan out the way I’d been envisioning all these years. And that was pretty bad given the fact that I felt like my feelings for Gavin went far beyond what was probably normal and healthy.

Someone shouldn’t feel this way for someone they only met once, exchanged one sexual, passion-filled night with so long ago, right? Or maybe this was normal? Maybe it was love?

I could absolutely see that, but on the other hand, I didn’t want to seem like I had gone over the edge, was obsessive, a stalker. I snorted at that thought, and the clerk who was sitting at the small table beside me glanced over, her glasses perched low on her nose, her salt-and-pepper hair put up haphazardly in a bun.

I mumbled my apologies and glanced down at the rental agreement. T. Properties. I might’ve lived in this town all my life, but I didn’t know everything that made it tick. This property company wasn’t something known to me. But when I’d been looking for a place, my parents pointed me in this direction. So here I was.

I looked at the clock. The owner of the rental better get their ass here in the next five minutes. I had things to do, a person to see. I was starting to get antsy, bouncing my leg up and down, messing with the fringe on my sweater.

And then the door to the office we were in opened, and I swore everything in me immediately came alive. Gavin stepped in, his big dog trailing behind him. I remembered the animal from that one night—Bear, he’d called him—sleeping in the corner as Gavin and I had learned about each other’s bodies in the most intimate ways. He hadn’t looked at me yet, had his focus on Bear as he ushered him inside.

“Mr. Taylor, thank you for meeting us down here today.”

Gavin looked up and gave a gruff nod to the clerk, and then turned his focus to me. A man like Gavin didn’t seem like he could be easily surprised, but the expression on his face, the way his eyes widened slightly, the fact that his jaw clenched when he stared into my eyes, told me he was just as shocked as I was.

Good. At least both of us could be in the same awkward situation.

I stood, my knees feeling weak, my hands starting to shake. My heart was racing so hard and fast I wondered if they could hear it, if they could see it beating rapidly at the base of my throat. I didn’t even know if I could say anything my tongue felt so thick, my throat so tight.


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