Take Me To The River: A Mountain Man Romance (Mountain Men of Whiskey River Book 1)
Take Me To The River: Chapter 18

This hot water heater isn’t a typical residential one. Like everything in the cabin, I know every part of it. This allows me to fix it, when it acts up. Also, I’ve converted it to work the way I need or want, as I’ve done to all the appliances.

So, I locate the part of the heater that isn’t working, remove it, and head out to my shed out back to work on it. It should be an easy fix and be done before dinner is ready.

As I work, I try to figure out what to tell Phoenix, when I see him in a day or two. He’ll want to know how he can help, and honestly, the clothes are enough. I’m soaking up all the time I can get with her.

The more time I have, the more I can convince her she’s meant to be here with me, and that I’m committed to her. As much as it sucks, the road is still washed out, but I’m grateful for more time together. Fortunately, we aren’t in need of supplies. In fact, we would be fine for a month or more, just the two of us.

Even longer, if she’s willing to give up a lot of her city comforts, which I don’t think she’d have a problem with, judging by how quickly she has settled in already.

Though I always kept a supply on hand of food, now I need to double it. In my head, I start making plans for more ways to store food. Stock up on more canned goods and ammo. Money isn’t an issue between what I already make, and what my parents left me, so I’ll be set as will my kids.

Kids.

I didn’t think kids were even in the cards for me. Children mean I’d have to replace someone who could stand to be around me, and I gave up on that a long time ago, but now, I can picture little girls that look just like Emelie.

Those thoughts morph to Emelie pregnant with a round belly, carrying our baby. Hopefully, the baby takes after her, small and perfect. I don’t even want to think of her trying to push out a large baby that takes after me. But I know she could do it because that woman can do anything she puts her mind to.

While I know she’s on the shot, I start to wonder when that will be out of her system. I have to make a note to look it up, when we get to town, as I want to make sure I’m ready for any possibility of a family.

Family.

It’s been such a long time, since I had a family, and already with her here, it feels like a home, not just a cabin, where I rest my head. I remember how my mom made our house a home, and how lonely it felt the weeks after she died. Dad felt it too, and I know he died of a broken heart, even if his doctor didn’t agree with me.

With Emelie here, she’s able to bring it to life, just like my mother brought our home to life. I know my mom would love Emelie, and I wish they could have met.

With the part fixed, I go back inside to install it. Emelie isn’t in the kitchen, but the bedroom door is open, so I assume she’s in the bathroom. I put the part back in and go to the kitchen to check the water, and sure enough, the water heats up pretty easily.

She’s been in the bathroom for a while now. Is she okay? Should I go check on her? Worry niggles at the back of my head, as I make my way to the bathroom.

‘Emelie?” I call and check, only to replace the bathroom empty. A quick search of the cabin shows she isn’t inside. Starting to panic, I rush to the front door.

She knows not to go outside without me. Was she coming to replace me? Is she hurt?

Flinging open the front door, I replace her sitting on the porch steps, and I breathe a sigh of relief, before looking her over.

Her leg is bleeding and muddy.

‘What happened?’

‘I tried to come replace you because dinner was ready, but I tripped on a rock.’ She nods to a rock that’s now exposed thanks to all the rain.

I lean down and scoop her up in my arms.

‘You should have stood at the door and called for me.’

‘Now you tell me.’ She rolls her eyes, and I have this urge to swat her ass, but seeing to her, takes priority.

‘I took my knife. Does that even out your anger?’ She asks in a soft voice and holds the knife I gave her up for me to see.

I know I can’t stay angry. She did listen, and it wasn’t like she was going outside for the wrong reasons. We just need a better system of doing things.

‘I’m not angry. You gave me quite a scare. I’m proud of you for listening to me, Little One.’ I set her on the bathroom counter and get a towel to clean up her legs and check out the cut.

It takes a few minutes to figure out the blood was coming from a cut by her ankle.

‘I thought it would be a lot worse than it is,’ I tell her, as I clean it up.

Then, I grab the first aid kit and start disinfecting it. As I do, I have memories of that first day, taking care of her. Everything felt right then, but I didn’t quite understand it all.

I understand now.

She’s mine.

No one will take her from me.

No. One.

The last week has been perfect. We went hunting again and checked my traps, and even though there wasn’t anything big, it was just a fun day out with my girl.

Having all sorts of time, we talked about our childhoods, our friends, and our parents. She has such a kind heart, and the more time I spend with her, the more I can see she won’t be happy in the city. Whiskey River might be the right town for her, even if the secluded cabin isn’t.

The fact that she might be near gives me hope. I can learn to live in town, and I can even be happy there if I’m with her. Much more so than a city like Billings. Her happiness is a priority, and I already know I need to be near her for my happiness.

The amount of jerky we’ve made is almost double any amount I’ve taken into the shop before. That’s all because of her. Our last time out, she got her own deer and was able to carry it back to the cabin.

We used hers to stock the freezer and mine for jerky. I’m happy that now we would have almost enough meat for both of us through the winter. Even though we still have the rest of the summer to go hunting, I like to be prepared.

Two days and Phoenix radioed, letting us know he was ready to meet at the spot where the road was flooded. I didn’t expect he would wait too long, as he was eager to meet Emelie, even if it was from across the small river that’s flooding the road.

As we set up the pulley system we have in the back of our trucks, Emelie watches in awe, as he sent over a basket of clothes for her. He also included a bag of goodies from the bakery in town, and that won Emelie over. Her eyes lit up so bright, and I make a note to do something like that for her more often.

The water had cleared up enough we could yell at each other, but even with the body of water between us, I was still uneasy about introducing her to him. Though, I guess introducing her to one of my friends is easier than all three at once, plus Jack, the store owner.

While I know these men will protect her, like their own, and they’ll respect me enough to let her be, but until now, she has been mine and mine alone. As the road clears, I’ll have to start sharing her. Something I’ll have to get used to.

My Emelie is smart and understood right away because as soon as we parked the truck, she climbed into my lap and proved she’s mine. Her words, not mine.

Relationships are about trust, a give and take, and I trust her, just like she has shown the trust she has in me. We have a lot of things to figure out, as the road clears, and we’ll head into town, but we will navigate the road together.

She gets me in a way I didn’t think was possible. Not only does she understand my possessiveness, but loves it, and it turns her on, which makes me crave her even more.

Now, we are finishing up the last of the jerky to take into town. Watching her sitting at the kitchen island working, she just fits. I love it, but I still can’t seem to shake this feeling that she isn’t here to stay, and it’s driving me crazy.

‘Do you want to go back?’ I ask her outright.

Maybe, hearing her thoughts in her own words will help calm me.

‘Not really. I don’t have anything to go back, too.’ She says with a shrug.

‘What if you stayed and moved in here with me?’

Even though I’ve hinted at it, and even demanded it a few times, but in the end, it’s still her choice. I need her to choose to be here with me because she wants to be and not because I’ve ordered it.

She sets the bag she’s working on down and looks up at me.

‘I’d like to, but what would I do? I can’t mooch off of you.’

Swiftly, I move around the counter and come to stand in front of her. I love that she has this independent streak in her and wants to stand on her own two feet, but out here, everything is giving and taking. We’ll take care of each other.

‘I want you to stay here as my woman. That means we help and support each other, and you’re mine to spoil, to pamper, and to love.’ I choke on the last part.

Her eyes go wide. This is the first time either of us has spoken the word out loud, and while it’s not quite the same as saying those three words, it’s pretty close. I feel it. I know without a shadow of a doubt I love this girl, but I don’t want to spook her and tell her too soon.

‘You would hunt and help with the jerky. I never could have made this much on my own. It’s about double than what I normally take in. Then later, when we have kids,’ I pause to watch her reaction to the idea, and she smiles, letting me know she wants kids, too.

‘Later, when we have kids, you would stay here and take over making the jerky, and I’d go hunt. We can make this work however you like. It’s a lot to talk over and think about, but I want you considering it. And I want to start planning.’

She’s still a bit hesitant, so I lay out the last plea I have.

‘I want to take care of you. That gives me such joy. From simple things, like making your breakfast and feeding it to you, to running a bath, fixing your scrapes, and providing for you. I want that. I want it all.’

‘I want that, too.’ She whispers like she’s scared to admit it out loud.

She places a hand on my chest ever so lightly, but I feel every bit of skin she’s touching. I cover her hand with mine.

‘You will stay?’ I ask, needing to know.

‘Yes, My Giant. I’ll stay with you, always.’

The level of happiness she just gave me is indescribable. There’s a relief, knowing she’s mine, and she’s going to stay, but the joy that she chose this and me, brightens my world.

I lean down to kiss her, and the moment my lips touch hers, I’m lost in her. My heart starts pounding so loud that I can hear it in my ears, and I don’t want it to end, but she pulls away.

That’s when I realize the pounding wasn’t my heart, and it was in my ears.

Someone is pounding on the door.