Page 65 of Rescued By the Mountain Man Cowboy
I roll my office chair around, wrapping my legs around his. Luke’s hands comb through my hair and grip tight enough that chills flutter down my body.
Groaning, he breaks the kiss.
“Don’t fucking tempt me, Brown Eyes. I’m trying to make a good impression.”
Laughing, I lower my legs back down on the floor and press a kiss on the tip of his bearded chin.
“You done with work?” he asks.
“I am. I can feel Eomma and Halmeoni glaring through the wall that I’m not in the kitchen with them.”
“They keep offering me cut fruit,” Luke frowns, which makes me laugh.
“I told you. There’s an art to cutting fruit and serving guests. You haven’t refused, have you?” I ask, fighting a smile.
“Your grandmother is pint-sized, but even I know not to refuse anything that woman offers or demands.”
We both laugh before one more kiss. I can’t remember laughing so much in my life. Life with Luke has been unexpected in the best of ways. I learned so much about him, but also about myself this year.
Moving in with Luke immediately was effortless. Madi insisted on emptying my apartment in Portland and bringing my stuff here. They refused to let me face the trauma of earlier this year, and I love both my best friend and her cowboy for that.
Now, telling my parents about the move was not as effortless. In fact, I stalled for two months before finally confessing the truth. All of it. Turns out, their gratitude toward Luke for protecting their daughter won him brownie points. Appa played hardball with Luke over video calls at first, but surprisingly, seeing how happy and different I was with him, stopped the jokes about him being a white boy with tattoos.
Appa respects Luke’s service and they’ve bonded on their own. My father actually calls Luke on the phone like they’re old friends.
“Anna, are you finished with work?” Mom asks.
I smile, knowing how hard it was for her not to hovering over me in my new home office. “Yes, Eomma, I’m done for the entire holiday weekend.”
“Good,” she says, “Come help your Halmeoni with the Tteok,” Mom instructs.
My grandma scoffs. “Help me, as if I didn’t make this and more all by myself when you were little,” she says in Korean.
Luke squeezes my hand and kisses my cheek. “I’m gonna check with your dad if he wants to ride with Gabe and me.”
“Love you,” I whisper for only him to hear.
The softness around his eyes happens every time I say it. It’s one of my favorite things in the world now.
“Love you,” says back, kisses my forehead and heads out.
I stare at my man walking way because, come on, it’s on hell of a view.
“Your boyfriend is very fit but stop drooling and pretend to help me like your mom instructed,” my grandma jokes in Korean which has my mom scoffing by the sink.
“Coming, Halmeoni,” I say, smiling.
They’ve been here for three days with chaos and endless groceries, preparing for this feast Thanksgiving we’re hosting for the entire ranch in our new cabin. Two months ago, Luke and I talked about my mom inviting herself, appa, and my grandma to help with the holiday–teach Luke how to eat and appreciate authentic Korean cuisine.
Luke, my sneaky, hot cowboy already had been working with Gabe on a new cabin closer to the ranch’s main house where Madison and Gabe now live. It’s a three bedroom A-frame with our master and bath upstairs. We made one of the bedrooms my new office for my freelance marketing firm.
Since taking over marketing for Wild Peak Ranch and the distillery, other clients have reached out. I never pictured myselfgoing at it on my own but man, I love making my own rules, schedule, and choosing clients who work well and have ethics.
My parents walked in all Connecticut class but I warned Luke not to let that fool him. Appa talked horses with Luke and Gabe for hours, Eomma got in our kitchen and rearranged everything which had my stomach hurting later that night in bed with Luke. He pretends it doesn’t bother him. He’s a good sport and I love him for that. Then my grandma arrived and adorned our fireplace mantle with guardian tiger ceramics.
By lunch time, the all day feast commences.
The cabin gets full quickly as ranch hands arrives, eager, smelling all the food from outside. I’m setting aluminum trays on the long fold out table we set for the buffet.
