Mountain Man (A Real Man 22) Read online

  Mountain Man

  A Real Man

  Jenika Snow

  MOUNTAIN MAN (A REAL MAN)

  By Jenika Snow

  www.JenikaSnow.com

  [email protected]

  Copyright © March 2020 by Jenika Snow

  First ebook edition © March 2020 by Jenika Snow

  Cover design by: Lori Jackson Design

  Content Editor: Kayla Robichaux

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction, transmission, or distribution of any part of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  This literary work is fiction. Any name, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Please respect the author and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials that would violate the author’s rights.

  Contents

  Synopsis

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue One

  Epilogue Two

  About the Author

  I was known in town as old money but lived off the land, a present-day caveman. They called me the town recluse, dubbed me a mountain man, antisocial. It was true.

  But then she came into my life and turned everything I knew upside down.

  It started with Bailey getting lost in the woods and finding herself on my doorstep.

  She was sweet and innocent, half my age, and I had no control when the arousal built between us that night.

  It ended with me taking her virginity in a passion-filled night.

  But then she was gone, and I should have gone after her, thrown her over my shoulder, and demanded she was mine.

  Four years later and our paths cross again. I thought I was stronger, able to control myself, but where Bailey was concerned, there was no doubt she called the shots. She owned my heart.

  She’d gotten under my skin in the best of ways, and I knew this time around, I wouldn’t let her get away.

  Chapter One

  Bailey

  I knew coming back to Mountain Falls meant I’d run into him.

  The man I’d lost my virginity to four years ago—on my eighteenth birthday.

  Gavin Taylor was a recluse, someone who stayed away from others, because he was that antisocial. He’d built a cabin a shitload of miles from town, high in the mountains; the only company he had was the wilderness that surrounded him.

  He was a mountain man in every sense of the word—gruff, rough around the edges, take-no-shit from anyone, and an overall caveman demeanor.

  Four years later and here I was, back in my hometown because of a job opportunity. I’d jumped at the chance to come back when I was offered a position in the pharmacy. A part of me missed “home,” missed family and friends. But it was the bigger part of me, the carnal part, that wanted to return, because of him. Gavin.

  I’d never stopped thinking about him or that night when I wondered off the trail during a hike and came to his cabin.

  I’d been cold and tired, thirsty and hungry. I’d gotten lost, found myself at his front door. He’d let me in, fed me, gave me something warm to drink, and let me sit by the fire. Aside from first name introductions, he hadn’t said one word the whole time, but as the hours passed, as I realized I didn’t want to leave, that there was this pull I had toward him, things... changed.

  Then I asked him for something warmer to drink, a glass of that whiskey he had sitting on the coffee table in front of him. I’d blurted out I was twenty-one, a lie and three years older than what I actually was. And he’d given me some without even saying a word, without questioning me.

  He’d poured me the whiskey, handed me the glass, and after I finished it, I started feeling a buzz. It was the first time I ever drank, and I was pretty proud of myself for not throwing up. But it wasn’t just the alcohol that had me warming. It was the intense attraction, arousal I felt for Gavin.

  That’s when I knew things would move to the next level.

  And then I’d been honest, told him I was only eighteen. He said we shouldn’t do this; it was wrong.

  I told him nothing had ever felt more right.

  And on that night, he’d taken my virginity with so much passion and rawness that I’d never been with a man since.

  Because Gavin had ruined all other guys for me.

  And as they say, the rest was history.

  Although it’s not history, because all I thought about in these past four years was him between my legs, the way he made me feel... the way he made me come.

  I pulled myself back to the present, put the last bag of groceries in my car, and shut the trunk, standing there and looking around. A part of me thought I’d see Gavin as soon as I came into Mountain Falls.

  A part of me had hoped.

  But I knew better. He didn’t like people. And I couldn’t blame him. The town of Mountain Falls, despite how beautiful and picturesque it was, was one of those towns where everyone knew everything and everyone’s business.

  No secret was safe in this town. Although, as far as I knew, that night I lost my virginity to Gavin would forever stay between us. Because I sure as hell knew if anyone in this town heard about it, they would let me know.

  I got into my car and smoothed my hands down my jeans. I don’t know why I was so nervous. I didn’t even know if he still lived in Mountain Falls. But in my heart, in my gut, I was sure he did.

  Aside from the few things I’d learned about him after our encounter, I realized Gavin was just as much of a mystery to me as he was to everyone else. He was a fourth-generation Mountain Falls resident, his great grandfather striking it rich with oil, which was technically passed down. Gavin, being the only living Taylor now and having no heir, owned all of it. He was wealthy beyond belief, but he didn’t live outside of his means. In fact, he owned nothing lavish, as far as I remembered.

  God, what was it about him that had me so consumed all these years? I could’ve blamed it on the fact that he’d been my first, but I knew that wasn’t the case. He was the strong, silent type, and I had a feeling he didn’t let people in to know who the real Gavin was.

  He was very much the tall, dark, and handsome type who had a mysteriousness to him that intrigued the hell out of me.

  Had he thought about me all these years? Did he wonder what I’d been doing, if I’d met anyone, if I’d been with anyone?

  God, the very thought of him with another woman had my stomach clenching and distaste taking hold. I meant it when I said he ruined all other men for me. Everyone else seemed like… boys.

  I tried to push thoughts of Gavin aside and focus on the present. But that had never been easy. I headed to my parents’ house, a temporary situation until the legalities of renting the duplex were squared up and the owner and I could finalize everything.

  And as I drove, the only thing that kept playing through my mind was how I wanted to get lost in those woods again and find myself on Gavin’s doorstep.

  Chapter Two

  Gavin

  I pulled my pick-up to a stop in front of my cabin, cut the engine, and glanced over at the porch. Bear, my Tibetan Mastiff, was sprawled out on the wood. He lifted his big head, saw it was me, and promptly went back to sleep. He’d been one hell of a guard dog back in the day, but now that the vet considered him geriatric, he’d been retired and was living out the rest of his days sunbathing instead of protecting the property. And that was fine by me.

  He earned this downtime.

  I climbed out of the vehicle and shut the door, walking around the side and looking in the back of the truck. The bed was filled with lumber, my ax situated between the logs, the handle worn and damaged from years of use.

  All morning, I’d been out on the property cutting down dead trees, stockpiling the wood for winter later this year. There were things that always had to be done around the cabin or the property, the hundred acres that surrounded my home having been in my family for generations. The cabin had once been my father’s, one he and my grandfather had built together before Dad married my mother and I was born.

  And after my parents passed away in a tragic accident while overseas for their anniversary over a decade ago, I renovated it in their honor.

  In their memory.

  I added on to it, even though it was just me living there. I didn’t need the extra space, but it had given me something to do, and I knew my mother had always wanted more space. I did it for her.

  It also kept me busy. It didn’t matter if I had money in the bank, more than I’d ever need in a lifetime. I lived off the land as much as I could, did repairs myself, and didn’t spend money on anything that I didn’t absolutely have to. Hell, my pick-up truck was twenty years old, rusted around the wheels, with a cassette player that didn’t even work in the dash. But it was a beast on these uneven mountain roads, and it got the job done when need be.

  I grabbed my ax and headed toward the porch, setting it by the front door and then turning to look at Bear. He made a gruff sound when I leaned down and scratched behind his ear but otherwise stayed lying down, obvious
ly wanting to get back to sleep.

  I went into the cabin, and like always for the last four years, my focus was trained right in front of that fireplace. All these years later, and I could still remember the way she smelled, the way she felt pressed against me, and the warmth of her body licking over my naked skin as I thrust inside her.

  I shouldn’t have done any of that. She’d been far too young, only eighteen. It was wrong, being twice her age and having just met her, but she’d been the first person that made me feel... something.

  Bailey made me feel something more than this void.

  And I let the whiskey start doing the talking, let my body and arousal control the situation. And I had absolutely no strength where she was concerned, none when she touched my arm and leaned in close, telling me she felt something between us that she wanted to explore. And when she admitted to me that she was lonely, that she just wanted to feel alive, all self-control I had completely fucking snapped.

  Because I felt the same way.

  I lifted my hand and rubbed the back of my head. Fuck, I was getting turned on. She’d been the first woman I’d slept with in years. She’d been the only woman I’d been with since. And I wanted her again and again, over and over until neither of us could walk.

  I only wanted her, only wanted to feel how soft she was again, how good she felt as I thrust inside her. She’d been so tight and wet, so fucking hot.

  Fuck, I was obsessed with her. There was no other explanation for the fact that I couldn’t keep my mind off her, and even all these years later, she was still the first thing I thought about when I woke up, and the last thing on my mind as I jerked myself off before bed.

  I growled low and tossed my keys on the table. I had a bad fucking case of blue balls. Had them for four fucking years. But no other woman would compare to her. No other woman could have me feeling an iota of the kinds of things Baylee had.

  I braced my hands on the counter and breathed out slowly, closing my eyes. That was a bad fucking idea, because the image of her popped into my head, one of her laid out in front of my fireplace, her dark hair fanned out over the rug, her lips parted, and her eyes wide as I thrust all my hard inches into her virgin pussy.

  My dick was stiff, a fucking lead pipe hanging between my legs. I reached down and palmed myself behind my jeans, and all that did was have my balls draw up even tighter to my body and the need to go jerk one off in a cold shower riding me hard.

  But no. I wasn’t going to give in to my carnal desires. Not until it was time for me to lie in bed and stare at the fucking ceiling as I pictured filling her up with my seed.

  After I claimed her in my cabin all those years ago, I searched her out, knowing I wouldn’t be able to stop needing her, knowing I wanted her by my side. She was the first person, the first woman, who had a hold of my heart, who refused to let it go even after she left. And I knew no other woman would hold a flame to her. Ever.

  But she’d left town, gone to college. I overheard those little details at the grocery store when I was picking up a month’s worth of food. And I nearly cursed right then and there, stormed off like a fucking caveman, because I couldn’t get what I wanted. And that was Bailey.

  I kept myself busy with work around the cabin and the property, even more so once I knew I couldn’t have her. I’d been pissed at myself for not making her see we were meant for each other. I was fucking angry I’d let her get away.

  At this point, it was all busywork, but it was manual labor that would not only tire me out but hopefully keep my mind preoccupied. That was until I thought about her again, which seemed to be every other fucking minute.

  Fuck, I either needed professional help or I just needed to find out where she was and go to her, demand she was mine like I was a barbarian. And that actually seemed very fucking realistic.

  Chapter Three

  Gavin

  I kept to myself pretty much ninety percent of the time. The only reason I needed to go into town was to either stock up on supplies or when it had to do with one of the properties I owned.

  And that was enough socializing to last me a lifetime.

  My great-grandfather had moved to this town with not much money. Then, he struck it rich with oil. Afterward, my grandfather and father had bought several properties throughout the town. Over the years, my family had renovated, sold, and rented out those properties. And now T. Properties was well known in town. Although financially, I didn’t need to deal with any of this, could have had the lawyers handle the legalities and paperwork, I had a Type A personality, so things needed done my way.

  Besides, being forced to actually be social and deal with people in the town I lived in made it so I wasn’t a total fucking hermit.

  I opened up the driver side door and looked behind me. Bear was sitting on the first step of the porch. I knew what he was waiting for.

  I whistled and patted my thigh with my hand, calling him over. “You coming with me today, boy?” For a moment, he just stood there as if he were thinking about my question. “You grumpy old dog. I know damn well you like going into town.” Then, he slowly took his time and walked over to me. He was starting to get arthritis in his joints, so I lifted him into the cab, and he moved over to the passenger seat.

  I smirked and shook my head as I stared at him looking out the window.

  I cranked the engine, put the truck in Drive, and headed down the mountain toward town. It was a good twenty minutes of rocky terrain, but Bear and I were used to it. Half the time, he came with me when I had to do my supply run; the other half, he was too tired and lazy to be bothered getting up from the porch.

  I reached over and scratched behind his ear, and he made a gruff sound before turning his head and licking my arm. I was going to be sad when I lost him, but for as stubborn as he was, I knew it would be a long while before he finally passed away. And I cherished every day, let him live it on his own terms. He deserved it. He earned it.

  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.