Her Mountain Hero Read online

  Her Mountain Hero

  Holly Jaymes

  Copyright © 2019 by Holly Jaymes

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Prologue

  1. Hope—Stranded

  2. Mitch—To the Rescue

  3. Hope—I Think I’ll Stay

  4. Mitch—Setting the Record Straight

  5. Hope—Happy Sally and S’mores

  6. Mitch—The Calm After the Storm

  7. Hope—No Strings Attached

  8. Mitch—Making the Most of a Month

  9. Hope—Christmas in September

  10. Mitch—Guilt

  11. Hope—Helplessly Falling

  12. Mitch—Hope Over Guilt

  13. Hope—Doesn’t He Want More?

  14. Mitch—A Moment to Remember

  15. Hope—He Loves Me Not

  16. Mitch—Fucked Up Again

  17. Hope—It’s Positive

  18. Mitch—She Loves Me Not

  19. Hope—Taking Control

  20. Mitch—Stabbed in the Heart

  21. Hope—I Messed Up

  22. Mitch—The Final Shoe Drops

  23. Hope—Things Get Worse

  24. Mitch—Coming Clean

  25. Hope—I Don’t Know Him

  26. Mitch—Trying to Do Right

  27. Learning to Co-Parent

  28. Mitch—Perspective

  29. Hope—Family

  30. Mitch—Building a Life

  31. Hope—Dreams Come True

  32. Mitch—Complete Circle

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  About Holly James

  Also by Holly Jaymes

  Prologue

  I believed in women’s liberation, but I also agreed there were distinct differences between men and women, beyond the obvious physical features. My twin brother and I were the epitome of that. I graduated from a small private liberal arts school last week, celebrating with family and a few close friends. My brother graduated from his larger university today, and his celebration pretty much only included his drinking buddies, of which there were many.

  I wouldn’t say I was a girlie girl. I could change a tire, and I could kickbox my way out of danger if needed. But I did like being a woman and many of the traditional aspects of femininity. Coco Chanel was my hero with her sophisticated casual-chic style and of course, her signature perfume Chanel No. 5.

  My brother was all boy, or I guess I should say, man. He played hard and worked hard, which I supposed would serve him well when he went to law school this fall. Most of his friends were the same. They were rich, entitled young men who liked to party, but when necessary, could pull it together enough to finish school and get a professional career, except for Mitch.

  Mitch Sloane was his own man. He’d grown up in a modest family with three other brothers, but he and my brother became friends during youth soccer as kids. Like my brother’s more affluent friends, Mitch could party like the rest of them, and yet, even when he was with them, there was something that made him apart from them.

  He finished college a semester early. I supposed earning a million dollars in your own tech company as a junior meant that he knew more than his college business program. Most of the tech giants before him simply quit college, but Mitch had honored his parents’ wishes and sacrifices and arranged to finish last December. I liked that about him.

  Actually, I liked a lot about him. Mitch was sexy handsome in that rugged sort of way whereas my brother and his friends were clean-cut and boyishly handsome. Mitch was dark, wore a scruff of beard, and had tattoos. He was my first crush when I was fifteen, and while I dated other boys in high school and college, whenever I saw him, my reaction to him was always more than with anyone else. Perhaps that’s why I was still a virgin. No one else did it for me like Mitch did.

  After my brother’s graduation ceremony, we had a little party at home, but then my brother moved the celebration to my parents’ weekend home along the river. He’d invited me along because, despite our differences, we were close. Since several of his female friends would be there too, I thought it would be more fun than hanging with my parents. But maybe I went to see Mitch.

  Mitch showed up looking perfect without trying. While my brothers and his friends all wore khakis and knit shirts, Mitch dismounted from his motorcycle and strode toward my brother wearing faded jeans and a white t-shirt. Yum.

  “There’s the nerd millionaire,” my brother greeted him with a hug. “You’ve already outdone us all.”

  “That’s ‘cause I party less and work more,” Mitch said, taking a beer from the large cooler.

  “Boring,” my brother said.

  Mitch shrugged. “So’s grad school.”

  “Aw…he got you,” one of their other friends said to my brother.

  Tina James sauntered up to the group. In high school, she and Mitch dated, but then she dumped him right after graduation. Apparently, he was fun to be around and knew his way around a woman’s body. But as for a long-term man, his middle-class upbringing wouldn’t have cut it for her. She broke off with him when he headed down to Blacksburg to attend Virginia Tech. Since then, she’d been with various men from more affluent families, including my brother last summer.

  Now that Mitch owned a billion-dollar tech company, her attitude changed if the flirty smile she was giving him as she pressed her palm to one of his impressive pecs was an indication.

  He smiled at her, but I could see in his eyes he was just being nice. Deciding to save him from her, I joined the group.

  “Hey, Mitch.”

  His eyes lit up. “Hey, Hope. How are you?” He disentangled from Tina to hug me.

  “Good. What are doing wasting your time with these losers?”

  “Hey, who you calling loser?” My brother teased.

  “Compared to Mitch, y’all are slackers.”

  “Too true,” my brother held up his beer bottle in salute to my statement.

  Mitch laughed and clicked his bottle with my brothers. “Well, if any of you slackers need a job, let me know. Of course, you need to know computer programming.”

  “I know how to find Porn Hub online,” my brother said, laughing at his own joke. Clearly, he was already past tipsy.

  I rolled my eyes.

  Mitch frowned. “Jeez, Parker, are you having that much trouble with the women?” Then he grinned.

  “You cut me, Mitch,” my brother said. “In truth, internet sex is less tough on the old heart, if you know what I mean.” My brother cut a look at Tina, who was still standing so close to Mitch that her boobs were rubbing against his sizable arm.

  “No, I don’t know. My heart is completely intact.” He glanced at Tina too.

  I snickered, but Tina seemed oblivious. “I bet you can have anyone you want, can’t you, Mitch?” she said.

  He seemed to think about it. “Oh, I don’t know.”

  You could have me, I thought. Cripes, I was as bad as Tina. Not wanting to come off looking desperate for Mitch’s attention, I excused myself and went inside. I wasn’t much of a beer drinker so I invaded my parents’ wine cooler instead.

  “Was it something I said?” Mitch said as he leaned against the doorway to the kitchen.

  I jumped, startled at his voice.

  “Oh shit, sorry Hope, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  I laughed. “I just wasn’t expecting you. I figured you and Tina would be halfway naked by the riverbank by now.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Not gonna
happen.”

  I poured my wine and leaned against the counter since he blocked my exit. “I don’t think she knows that.”

  He shrugged. “So, what are you up to? You graduated, didn’t you?”

  I nodded. “Last week. You didn’t make it to my blow out.”

  He quirked a brow. “You didn’t invite me.”

  Mitch and I were friendly, but he was friends with Parker. It didn’t occur to me to invite him. “Would you have come?”

  “Sure.” He took a swig of his beer.

  “It wasn’t a blowout. It was a small gathering.”

  “If you invited me, I would have come.”

  “You’d have been bored,” I said, taking a sip of wine.

  “I’ve been bored before. Sometimes these parties bore me.”

  I studied him. “Have you grown out of your frat-boy stage?”

  He laughed. “Maybe I have. I’ve got a company to run, and people who rely on me to feed their families or pay their student loans.” He frowned. “Shit, I hope that doesn’t mean I’m boring.”

  “I think that you being boring would be impossible.”

  “Really?” He seemed to like that statement.

  There was a massive crash and an “Oh sorry,” in the other room. I could only imagine what vase or other item some drunken guest had broken of my mother’s.

  “I do understand about the party thing though. I’d rather be sitting on the riverside than at this raucous event.”

  “So, let’s go.” Mitch straightened from the doorjamb.

  “You’re here to hang with Parker.”

  “Who is now probably naked with Tina.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Are you kidding me?”

  He shook his head. “Your brother was always easy.” He nodded his head toward the back. “Come on.”

  I grabbed the bottle of wine, and a throw blanket off the couch, and followed Mitch out the back door. “Let’s go up the river a little bit. It will be quieter.” Our parents’ weekend home was at the end of the road, which meant there was no property next to it on one side. Over the years, my brother and I had worn a trail to a place along the river where there was a little beach with soft sand. The water there was shallow and slow enough to wade to the tiny island in the middle.

  Mitch and I walked in silence along the path, using the bright full moon to light the way. When we reached the beach, I spread the blanket out and lay back on it.

  “You know you can’t see the stars as well at home,” I said.

  He lay beside me. “The best place to see the stars is in the mountains. It’s almost like you’re closer to them.”

  I thought about that. “In some ways, you are.”

  We lay again in silence for a few moments.

  “So, what’s your next step, Hope?” He turned his head to look at me. His face was so close, and I could smell his cologne or soap. It was very manly like him.

  “I’m going to work for my dad.” I turned away from Mitch, not wanting him to see how much I didn’t want that.

  “I thought you wanted to be a designer or something?”

  I shrugged. “I need to be realistic.”

  “So that’s it? You’re giving up on your dream at twenty-one?”

  “No.” God, I hoped not. “But I need business experience, and I’ll get that from working with my dad.” I sat up, needing to end the conversation about how my life was starting to veer off the path I’d wanted. “I’m going swimming.”

  “What?”

  I took my shirt off.

  “Ah, Hope?”

  “What?” I stood and looked down on him as I pushed my skirt down.

  “Maybe that’s not a good idea.”

  “Oh, for goodness sake,” I said. “A bra and underwear are like a swimsuit. You’ve seen me in a swimsuit.” I tried not to be disappointed that he wasn’t turned on by me. I had all the bits men liked, but perhaps because I was Parker’s sister, Mitch wasn’t interested.

  Not waiting for him, I waded into the water. “It’s still a little cold.”

  He sat on the sand, watching me, but it was too dark to make out what he might be thinking. Finally, he stood, and I thought he was going to leave. Instead, he pulled his shirt over his head.

  “Oh my,” I said softly to myself. Mitch was ripped. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on his torso. I had the strangest desire to run my tongue over his chest and down his abs. I wanted to trace the intricate design of the tattoo that covered his shoulder.

  Then he undid his pants, and despite the cool water, my body felt with wild heat. He pushed down his jeans and stood in a pair of dark boxer briefs. His legs were long, lean, and muscular. I squinted, wanting to get a better look at his groin. He had to be impressive there as well. Not that I’d know impressive from ordinary, but still.

  He strode toward the water, and as he got closer, I had to force myself to not stare at his crotch.

  “You’re right. It’s cold.”

  I wanted to ask if cold water really shrank a man’s penis, but that was probably not appropriate.

  He came and stood next to me. The water came up to just below his belly button, while my waist was underwater.

  “Now that we’re here, what next?” he asked.

  I wanted to squeeze his pecs next. I clasped my hands together to stop myself from doing it.

  His eyes drifted down to my chest. I looked down to make sure I was still covered and saw that my nipples were sticking out. I crossed my arms.

  “Why is it, do you suppose, that cold water makes a dick shrink, but tits get hard?” he asked.

  Thankfully he thought it was the water that made my nipples poke out, because I wasn’t sure. Mitch radiated sexuality and getting hot and bothered around him was pretty standard for me.

  “So that’s true about men in cold water?” I asked.

  “Yep.” He pulled out the waistband of his underwear and looked down. Curious, I leaned over. His waistband snapped back in place.

  I jerked my gaze up to his as I realized what I’d been doing.

  He smirked. “Trying to sneak a look at my junk?”

  I swallowed. “I didn’t see anything.”

  He frowned. “Well, that’s because of the cold water. It’s there.”

  “I’ll have to take your word for it.”

  “Now that’s just mean.” But he said it with humor.

  We stayed in the water until I could barely feel my legs from the cold. Back on the blanket, the warm, humid June air took away the chill.

  We finished off the bottle of wine and then lay back on the blanket. In the distance, I could hear my brother’s party, but it felt like it was in a different world. Or maybe that was the fog from the wine.

  I looked over at Mitch. He lay next to me, his hands under his head, and his eyes closed.

  I rolled to my side, pressing my hand on his chest to help me get leverage to look down on him. “Are you asleep?”

  “Nope.” His eyes remained closed.

  I blamed the wine for impeding my impulses as I traced the outline of his muscles on his chest.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, still keeping his eyes closed.

  “Have you ever thought of modeling? You’d make a great model.”

  “Nope. I like what I do.”

  “Well if that tech thing doesn’t work, you could model,” I said.

  “If you make the clothes, maybe I will.”

  My hand stilled and looked at him, feeling all warm inside that he was still holding on to my dream even as I was letting it slip away.

  “You say nice things, Mitch.”

  “I’m a nice guy.”

  I trailed my finger between his pecs and lower between the packs of his abs toward his belly button.

  “Hope.” His hand covered mine as his eyes snapped open.

  “Hmm?”

  “Do you know what you’re doing?”

  I looked at him, not sure what he was getting at. He nodded downward. I followed his
gaze and noticed the bulge in his underwear. Even more fascinating was the tip of his penis sticking out from his waistband.

  My body heated, and more than anything, I wanted to pull his shorts down. I would have liked to learn everything there was to know about his body.

  Slowly I turned my gaze to meet his. “It’s true about the water.”

  He nodded. “And it doesn’t take much for him to come out.”

  “So, if I were Tina…”

  He shook his head. “Tina wouldn’t get this close.”

  I wanted it to mean something that he let me get this close. My rational mind told me he trusted me as a friend, so of course, I could be near him. The problem was, I wanted to cross the line. Would he let me? Would he go with me?

  I tested the waters by pulling my hand free and continuing my finger’s journey downward until I reached his belly button.

  He hissed in a breath. “You’re playing with fire, Hope.”

  “I like the heat.”

  His eyes filled with desire.

  Taking a chance, I continued to move my finger lower and lower until I brushed gently over his tip.

  He groaned. “We shouldn’t do this.”

  He didn’t say “you should do this,” he said, “we” as if he was participating.

  “Do you want me to stop?”

  “Fuck no.” His eyes closed, and his face contorted into frustration as if he was battling within himself. Finally, he opened his eyes. “You got a peek at me, now how about you share?”

  The center between my thighs filled with pressure. I wasn’t sure how far this would go, but I was ready to go all the way.

  “It’s a front clasp,” I told him.

  His eyes narrowed slightly as his hand reached over toward me. His fingers flicked the fastener so adroitly that it was clear he’d done it many times before. My breasts stayed in their cups, so he gently pushed one away, flicking over my hard nipple as he did. God, it felt good.