Page 49 of Playing With The Mountain Man

“It just is,” I grumped, setting my half-eaten bowl aside.

“Nuh-uh. I’m not buying it.” Tillie was stubborn, I had to give her that. “You’re the guy who I’m pretty sure asked me to marry him after he’d tasted my food.”

Now it was my turn to be embarrassed. I don’t think I’d ever forget that, nor do I think Tillie would let me, not for a second.

“I’d better be the only one asking you to marry him,” I grumbled under my breath.

“Well, I’ll have you know, just the other day Mr. Wolens …”

“That old guy who spends hours playing the crossword with Emmy?”

“Is that what they’re up to? They’re always super secretive about it.”

“Yeah. They take it in turns. He brings it in, and then they work through it together,” I explained.

“That’s sweet,” Tillie acknowledged, and I knew my little tidbit of gossip had done the trick. I’d completely distracted her from continuing my humiliation. At least for today.

Tillie climbed out of bed, flashing me a look at her creamy thigh, which had me groaning again. For someone who’d been celibate for the last few months, I was certainly making up for it. Or maybe it was just Tillie I couldn’t get enough of. Everything about this woman called to me. Even sitting in bed, eating cereal at midnight made me smile.

“Where are you going?” I asked, sitting up straighter.

“Well, Mr. Nosy, if you must know, I was going to take these bowls down to the kitchen and tidy up, then it’s this old lady’s bedtime. I have to be at the diner by six,” she reminded me.

I threw back the sheets and jumped off the bed. I strutted over to my closet, well aware that Tillie’s eyes were tracking every move of my ass as I crossed the room, before tugging on a pair of boxers.

“Where are you going?” she threw back at me.

I moved to stand in front of her, taking the bowls from her hand before leaning in and stealing a kiss.

“I’m going to take these down to the kitchen, clean up, make sure we’re all locked up, then I’m going to come back and snuggle the fuck out of you,” I told her.

“Snuggle the fuck out of me, huh?”

“Yep,” I confirmed. “Or snugglefuck you, I haven’t decided,” I added before disappearing out the door, leaving her standing there with shock on her face.

I was gone for barely ten minutes, but by the time I flicked off the hall light and stepped back into my bedroom, Tillie was already asleep. Not that I could hold it against her. She’d been at it since before the sun this morning, and then I’d wrung three orgasms from her before spending the last few hours laughing and arguing over absolutely nothing at all.

I crept across the room, closing the blinds before sliding into bed beside her and flicking off the lamp. The moment I was settled, even in her sleep, she moved toward me. With her head resting on my chest and her legs tangled with mine, I kissed the top of her head softly.

“Sweet dreams, pretty girl,” I murmured into her hair before letting my eyes fall closed and the stresses of the day fade.

It was barely morning when I woke up to the sound of the shower. With an unimpressed grunt, I climbed out of bed, pulled on some sweatpants, and headed downstairs to start the coffee machine. If Tillie had to be up this early, then I wouldn’t complain.

Ten minutes later, she appeared looking exhausted but determined.

“Morning,” I greeted, setting my mug down and reaching for her.

“Morning,” she replied, burrowing her face in my chest.

For a long moment, we just stood there, wrapped in each other, the early morning call of the birds breaking the silence. Slowly, I rubbed my hand up and down her back, holding her against me, never wanting to let go.

She rocked back on her heels and looked up at me. “What are you doing up? It’s still early.”

“I heard you in the shower and thought you might need coffee,” I told her, reluctantly releasing my hold on her and pouring her a cup.

“I tried not to wake you,” she murmured around the rim before taking a sip.

“Always wake me. How are you feeling?” I asked.