My Mountain Man Valentine (Be My Fake Valentine Story)

Chapter Eight

RYDER

When I woke up, a quick glance at my phone confirmed it was barely five in the morning. Normally, I would have stirred for an early hike or a sunrise tour, but today I wanted nothing more than to stay right where I was.

Tessa lay curled in the crook of my arm, her long dark hair splayed across my chest. It was hard to reconcile how quickly I’d gone from fake boyfriend to…whatever this was, lingering in her bed when we weren’t supposed to be serious. Yet nothing about my feelings felt pretend.

A sigh left me. If not for those ominous letters, maybe we could enjoy this shift in our relationship without worry. But whoever was sending them had escalated the threat, making it clear they’d been watching Tessa closely enough to know she spent the night at my place. It left a sour taste in my mouth, the idea that some creep felt entitled to track her every move.

Still, Levi’s acceptance helped. At least we didn’t have to hide from him anymore, and I hoped that he and I would be able to renew our friendship going forward. Slowly, I eased out of bed, careful not to disturb Tessa. I found my flannel shirt tossed over the nearby chair, pulled it on, and stepped quietly into the hallway. A glance out the living-room window showed the street still cloaked in pre-dawn darkness. The hum of the furnace kicked on, and the scent of last night’s tea lingered around the couch.

My phone buzzed. Expecting a booking update, I swiped the screen. Instead, I saw a text from a local friend, Talan, who sometimes helped with tours:

Heard rumors you’re at Tessa’s a lot. That true? Angelique showed a weird snippet of a video with you two last night at Skyline.

My pulse thumped as I stared at the message for a moment; unsettled by Talan’s text. A weird snippet of video? What the hell was Angelique up to now?

Setting the phone aside, I reminded myself there was no proof she was the letter writer. She might be filming random bits for her feed or stirring gossip about my new relationship. In any case, I wasn’t letting her threaten Tessa.

With a quiet exhale, I grabbed a glass of water and headed back to the bedroom. Tessa stirred, blinking sleepily when I walked in.

“Everything okay?” she asked, voice soft with lingering drowsiness.

“Yeah,” I lied, unwilling to wreck her calm with speculation. “Just a text from a friend.” Sliding back under the covers, I looped an arm around her waist. She relaxed instantly, resting her head on my shoulder.

“Mmm,” she murmured, nuzzling closer. “I could get used to this. Waking up with you, I mean.”

Her words, so honest and unguarded, hit me square in the chest. I dipped my head to brush a kiss over her hair. “Same,” I managed, throat tight. “But I know you’ve got a store to run soon. What time do you open?”

“Nine,” she sighed, sounding reluctant to move. “But I’ll aim to be there by eight-thirty to set up.”

“That gives us a couple hours,” I teased lightly, pressing my hand against the curve of her hip.

A tiny grin curled her mouth. “I guess it does.” She tilted her face up, eyes still heavy with sleep, but a spark of warmth flashed there. We didn’t need more words. Lowering my head, I took the rosy peak of one breast into my mouth, eliciting a moan that vibrated through her chest and straight into my soul. My tongue swirled, worshiping her as I had longed to, my aim to drive her wild with each caress. Her hands tangled in my hair, guiding me, spurring me on with gentle, insistent pressure.

“Please, Ryder,” she gasped, and there was no hesitation in her voice, only raw need. “I want you. More than anything.”

Moving my attention lower, I settled between her creamy thighs and traced a path down her stomach with my tongue, savoring the taste of her skin until I reached the apex of her thighs. There, I paused, inhaling the scent of her arousal before diving into the sweet essence of her. My fingers joined my mouth, stroking, circling, teasing until she writhed beneath me, her moans building into a symphony of pleasure.

When I felt her body tighten around the invasion of my fingers, I redoubled my efforts with my tongue, committed to drawing out her release. When she finally came apart, it was with my name on her lips, a plea and a declaration all at once, and I savored her, letting her ride the waves of her climax until the tremors subsided and she lay spent and panting beneath me.

I waited until she came down to earth again, my need now something I could barely control. Her fingers reached out to me, traced the skin of my arms and sculpted chest. Her dark eyes were satisfied, but I saw the hunger building again, saw that she wanted much more than I’d given her already.

I kissed her again, softly at first, then with more need as the passion rekindled, as the need turned into a flame that threatened to burn everything down if I didn’t find a way to quench it soon. I ran my fingers down between us, wanting to stoke the flames within her. When her hips danced in time with the silent melody my fingers played upon her skin, I knew it was time. When she cried out my name, her nails digging into my skin, my restraint shattered. I entered her in one fluid motion, and every nerve ending seared with the need for release. As I moved within her, every thrust was a stroke against my own self-control. I could feel the tension coiling tighter, my desire spiraling.

“Ryder…,” Her breathy whisper was both plea and permission, and it spurred me on. I watched her beneath me, her eyes closed, lips parted in pleasured cries that only heightened my arousal. There was a ferocity in the way she met each of my movements, a boldness that ignited something primal within me.

But this was about her, Tessa, who deserved to be cherished. So, I fought back the impending tide, determined to draw out her pleasure. My hands traced the contours of her body, memorizing the rise and fall of her chest, the softness of her skin. Leaning down, I captured her nipple between my lips once more, eliciting a gasp that cut through the haze of my desire.

I could sense her climbing again, her body beginning to clench and unclench rhythmically around me, signaling her approaching climax. My movements became more deliberate, designed to coax her over that edge. Her hands clawed at my back, urging me deeper, faster, until she arched beneath me, a keening wail escaping her as she came apart once more. The sensation of her tightening around me was exquisite torture, driving me wild. It was too much, the dam broke, and with a guttural groan that felt torn from the depths of my being, I surrendered to the rush. I came hard, deep inside her, waves of pleasure pulsing through me as I filled her with my heat.

Collapsing beside her, I pulled her close, our sweat-slicked bodies clinging together in the aftermath. Her heartbeat drummed against my chest, a sweet cadence that echoed my own.

Eventually, we broke apart, breathless. She gave me a look that was half amusement, half yearning. “I might be late to the bookstore.”

My grin widened, a playful rush sparking through me. “I’ll write you a note to excuse your tardiness.”

She laughed softly, then turned and pressed her lips to mine, stealing another kiss that tasted of promise before getting up and heading for the bathroom.