His Wild Desire: A Curvy Woman Mountain Man Romance (Rugged Peaks Book 1)

10. Epilogue

Epilogue

The crisp mountain air nips at my cheeks as I step out onto the cabin”s weathered porch, a steaming mug of coffee in hand. Inhaling deeply, I savor the scent of pine mingling with the earthy aroma of last night”s campfire.

A year ago, this would have been a foreign world to me, the city-slicking marketing executive who wouldn”t dare venture beyond the confines of her climate-controlled high-rise. But now, as my eyes drink in the majesty of the snow-capped peaks against the azure sky, a sense of tranquility washes over me.

”Enjoying the view, princess?”

The deep, gravelly voice I”ve come to crave sends a delicious shiver down my spine. I turn to find Caleb leaning against the doorframe, his muscular frame barely contained by the worn flannel stretched taut across his broad shoulders. A lopsided grin plays on his rugged features as those piercing blue eyes roam over me with unmistakable hunger.

”Mmm, the scenery isn”t half bad.” I arch an eyebrow, taking a slow sip from my mug. ”Give me a little spin there, hoss.”

Caleb”s booming laugh echoes through the crisp mountain air, and in two strides, he closes the distance between us, snatching the mug from my hands and setting it aside before gathering me into his powerful embrace.

His fingers tangle in my hair as his mouth crashes against mine in a kiss that leaves me breathless. When our lips finally part, my fingers instinctively trace the ridges of muscle that ripple beneath his shirt, a silent testament to the strength that first captivated me a year ago.

Who would have thought that this gruff, solitary mountain man would become the other half of my soul?

As if reading my thoughts, Caleb”s expression softens, his thumb grazing my cheek in a tender caress. ”You know, when I pulled your sorry city butt off that trail last year, I never imagined you”d end up meaning this much to me.”

My breath catches at the raw vulnerability in his voice. Caleb Stone, the man of few words, opening his heart to me in a way I never thought possible.

”I was so set in my ways, content with my simple life out here in the mountains,” he continues, his thumb tracing the curve of my lower lip. ”But then you came barreling in with your high heels and big city attitude, and you turned my whole world upside down.”

A wistful smile tugs at the corner of my mouth as I recall the woman I was back then—the high-strung workaholic with her priorities all out of whack.

”I was such a mess when you found me,” I murmur, my fingers toying with the soft fabric of his shirt. ”Who would have thought getting lost in the wilderness was exactly what I needed to find myself again?”

Caleb”s arms tighten around me, his forehead resting against mine in that achingly intimate way that makes me feel like the only woman in the world.

”You were a force of nature from the moment I laid eyes on you.” A low chuckle rumbles from deep within his chest. ”I”ll admit, at first, I wanted nothing more than to toss your stubborn butt back on that trail and be rid of you.”

I can”t help but laugh at the memory of our initial friction, two opposing forces colliding in spectacular fashion. ”And here I thought you were just playing hard to get,” I tease, trailing my fingertips along the chiseled line of his jaw.

His eyes crinkle at the corners. ”Maybe a little,” he concedes with a wink. ”But you know me, I”m a sucker for a damsel in distress.”

I swat at his chest with a mock scowl, reveling in the rumbling laughter that escapes him. For a man of the wilderness, he certainly knows how to push my buttons. But as our laughter fades, that look of adoration returns to his eyes, rendering me utterly breathless.

”Seriously though, Emma...” His thumb grazes my cheekbone, impossibly gentle. ”You changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. You gave me the courage to open up, to let someone into this solitary world I”d built for myself.” His voice grows thick with emotion. ”You showed me that there”s beauty in sharing this life with someone you love. And damn it all if I don”t love you more than I ever thought possible.”

My heart stammers in my chest as the weight of his words washes over me. This man—this gruff, stoic mountain of a man who once kept the world at arm”s length—has given me the greatest gift of all: his heart. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as my fingers tremble against the stubble of his cheek.

”Caleb...” I whisper, pouring every ounce of emotion into that single word. ”You gave me something to believe in again. You showed me that it”s okay to embrace the beauty in the simple things and not get so caught up in ambition that I miss out on what really matters.” My fingers curl into the soft fabric of his shirt as if anchoring myself to the man who pulled me back from the brink and showed me what it means to truly live. ”You make me want to be better, Caleb Stone. A better woman, a better partner... someone worthy of your heart.”

”You are worthy, Emma,” he rasps, his voice a deep, gravelly caress that sends tremors through my very core. ”More than worthy. Which is why...”

Caleb slowly sinks down onto one knee before me. My heart stutters to a stop as realization blossoms, hot and dizzying, leaving me lightheaded. This... this can”t be happening. Not here, not now, not when I”m standing here in my ratty pajamas with bedhead and pillow creases on my face.

But those eyes... those fathomless blue depths gaze up at me with every ounce of his fierce determination, his love, his absolute certainty. And suddenly, nothing else matters but this man and the promise reflected in that unwavering stare.

Caleb clears his throat, and when he speaks, his words are low and rough with emotion. ”Emma Whitmore...” His fingers fumble for a moment before producing a delicate silver band, the metal winking in the golden morning light. ”You gave me the courage to stop merely existing and start living again. To embrace every moment, every breath, every adventure this life has to offer... and to share it all with the love of my life.” He draws in a shuddering breath, the silver band glinting between his fingers. ”So, Emma Whitmore, will you do me the profound honor of becoming my wife?”

Tears blur my vision as a tremulous laugh escapes my lips, the sound somewhere between a sob and a breathless whisper. ”Yes...” I manage to choke out, reaching for him. ”Yes, Caleb, yes... a million times, yes.”

In an instant, his powerful arms encircle me, lifting me clean off my feet as his mouth hungrily claims mine. I lose myself in the heat of his kiss, in the dizzying scent of pine and woodsmoke that is uniquely, utterly Caleb. This... this is my life now. Wild and unpredictable, yet overflowing with passion and adventure and a love so profound, it steals the very breath from my lungs.

When he finally sets me back on my feet, I can”t resist the urge to tease him through the delirious laughter bubbling up from somewhere deep within. ”You know, for a gruff mountain man, you certainly have a way with words, Mr. Stone.”

A rakish grin curves his lips as those eyes blaze with undisguised desire. ”Just wait until you see what else this mouth can do, Mrs. Stone-to-be.” His fingers tangle in my tousled hair, tilting my face up to his with a smoldering intensity that liquefies my bones. ”I”ll make sure you never want to leave this mountain again.”

As his mouth slants over mine in a searing promise, I can”t help but silently agree. This right here... this wild desire?

It”s everything I never knew I needed.