Passionate

Rugged Mountain Ink

Khloe Summers

Summer to Winter Publishing

Copyright © 2022 Summer to Winter Publishing

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Cover design by: RebecaCVRS
Editor: Link Phoenix

www.authorkhloesummers.com

Chapter One

Brianna

I’ve seen him around town enough times that I should’ve said hi by now. It’s a small town. Passing by without even a head bob is getting awkward, especially since his shop is right next to mine. Then again, I’m not the best conversationalist when it comes to attractive men. Halfway through a simple hello I’m sweating and thinking about what positions they could put me in. I’m sick, and I probably need help, or maybe a night or two of romance.

I stare toward the man who’s browsing in my shop. It’s the first time he’s been in since I opened the place a few months ago. I should force myself to say something, but instead I’m gawking like a crazy person. Guessing by the way he stares easily at things on top of the fourth shelf, I think he’s about six foot four. I have a sliding ladder to get tea off that height. He definitely doesn’t need it. I suck in a deep breath and sigh. God, I didn’t just sigh. Heat flushes over my cheeks in embarrassment and I twist back toward the register, pretending to be busy with something if he happens to glance back, but he doesn’t. He keeps his tall, square, muscular body straight ahead, stroking his long beard as his tattoos flex along his biceps. Size and looks alone shouldn’t turn me on this much. It’s shallow, right? But it does, it really does, and I can’t help but wonder what he’d do to me. I laugh to myself as I think it over. My fantasy tells me he’d bend me over and tell me what a good girl I’ve been before he spreads me open with his giant cock. Reality tells me he probably won’t even turn around and look at me.

Maybe I should say hi. This is my store. I should at least provide good customer service. Then again, maybe he wants to be left alone. I really hate when sales people bother me while I’m trying to shop. I feel so much pressure to buy something after they’ve helped. Still though, I should say hi.

Clearing my throat, I step forward and let out a steady breath. My insides are shaking.

He’s just a customer. He’s just a customer. He’s just a customer. I repeat the mantra to myself as I step closer.

“Hi,” I say, way too enthusiastically. God, I annoy myself. “I’m Brianna,” I say, holding out my hand.

Why am I holding out my hand? I should just ask him if he needs help.

“I’ve seen you around town.” Okay then, I’m still talking. Why am I talking? Stop. Please stop.

The man nods and smiles, running his hand down his beard as he widens his stance and turns toward me. He’s even more gorgeous this close. My fantasies were most surely fantasies. I know that for a fact now. “Hey, yeah… Brianna.” He swallows up my hand in his. “Nash. I’ve seen you around, too. Sorry I haven’t had a chance to stop by yet.” He looks down at the wood plank floor, then back up at me again. “You’re Reese’s sister, right?”

I roll my eyes and nod. “I’m not sure I should admit to it. She’s made quite a name for herself here between the kidnapping, the firefighting, and what not. Do you know her well?”

He shakes his head. “Only in passing. She and the guys from the tattoo shop stop in for a slice a few times a week. Did you move out here to be closer to her?”

“That, and I fell in love with the area. I didn’t think I’d like mountain living, but this is incredible. Opening the tea shop was a dream that never would’ve gotten off the ground in San Francisco. Though, it might not here either. You know what they say… all you need is love and a cup of organic, ethically sourced tea.” I laugh off the undoubtable failing of my business and my weird saying, then make eye contact with the hot as hell pizza making lumberjack. “What about you? You always have dreams of pizza making?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I have instant regrets. Who asks a question like that?

“Something like that.” He adjusts his baseball cap backwards on his head and the rest of me melts into a puddle on the floor of the tea shop. “There was a need for one in town and I seized the opportunity. I more so enjoy getting to know everyone.” He smiles. “Almost everybody likes the pizza guy. Except you…” He stares back at me with bright blue eyes that pierce straight through me. “You haven’t been into my shop once.” He says the words as though he’s looking for an explanation out of curiosity, not audacity. Though, I’m failing to see the difference right now.

“Oh, well… I love pizza. I just… I… I haven’t had time lately between trying to get this shop running, the baby, and—”

The doorbell rings and my sister walks in. Her bright red hair is tied up loosely, and she’s wearing a cute little sundress that’s twisted in the front with a bright yellow flower pattern. I’ve never been happier to see her.

“Hey,” she smiles, as she walks toward me. It’s not a happy to see you smile, but a I’ve got something big to tell you smile. “You’re going to die when I tell you this… Oh.” She pauses when she notices Nash and I were talking. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you two were… I can—”

“It’s okay,” Nash says, back to pretending he’s extremely interested in organic teas. “I’m still shopping. Go ahead.”

Reese steps toward the counter and lowers her voice. “That guy is hot! He owns the pizza shop next door. I didn’t realize you knew him.”

I stare back at her, my voice so low I’m not sure how she can hear me. “I don’t. This is the first we’ve met.” I stand taller and move my eyes in an erratic pattern, hoping she’ll understand that I need her to get to the point and leave. “What can I help you with?”

She clears her voice and stands taller, resuming a normal talking volume. “Mom and Dad are coming to town.”

I suck in a deep breath, a bit of dizziness taking over. “What do you mean, they’re coming here? I’m supposed to go there at the end of the month. It’s a scheduled visit. I have the whole thing worked out with Abe. He’s going to sit with me for the afternoon and play fake husband, so Mom and Dad don’t crack, and my whole life doesn’t implode in front of me. I just had to promise Izzy no touching. I’m pretty sure she’d make an orphan out of Owen if I did.”

Reese gasps playfully. “And when exactly did this imaginary wedding happen?”

“We eloped.”

“That’s not going to make them happy, either, if their eldest daughter married without them. Besides, haven’t you seen them since you had Owen? Weren’t they curious why you and your made-up husband weren’t together?”

“I’ve only seen them once since the birth, and I said my imaginary husband was out of town. Trust me, it’s the lesser of two evils. Besides, who are you to talk? You’re doing something crazy every other day.”

“Right, and you’re the responsible one. If you’re not, the whole system is off balance.”

I can’t help but smile. “Well, get ready for an unbalancing then. The second they see I don’t have a husband and a six-month-old baby, they’re going to lose it.” I sigh. “You know how much I love Mom and Dad, but I can’t live with the stress they’ll cause if they find out I had Owen out of wedlock. I can see it now. Mom will insist they move to Rugged Mountain. They’ll rent a cabin right next to mine and they’ll be over twelve times a day, reminding me to change his diapers and clean my house. And I can’t even imagine what they’d do if they found out the tea shop was failing.” I’m nearly hyperventilating as I speak. The rigid expectations they have for me and for my sister are insane. That’s why she ran away to Rugged Mountain in the first place, and why it took all my strength and courage to leave San Francisco.

Reese grips my arm. “Hey, you’re spiraling. I can see it in your eyes. It’s fine. Just tell them your imaginary husband is on a business trip again. It’s fine.” She says it as though it’s an actual solution to our problem.

I roll my eyes. “That doesn’t work every time. They’re not dumb.” I lean against the counter and stare into the street. There are more people out than usual today, all of them roaming into the various shops in town, carrying bags of goodies. Unfortunately, none of them are mine. “Moving here was a mistake. Buying this shop was a mistake. Lying to mom and dad was a huge mistake.” I exhale heavily. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

Reese nudges my shoulder and hands me a cup of coffee she brought from home. “You’re panicking. Everything is going to be fine. Just…” She spins around in the shop and looks toward Nash. “What about him? He’d make a good fake husband.”

Nash lifts his head in surprise, but I know he’s been listening to the entire conversation. The shop is the size of a shoebox, and I haven’t been quiet.

“No,” I say, stepping between her and Nash. “That’s crazy.” I turn toward him. “Sorry about my sister. She loses her mind from time to time, but we still love her.” My gaze moves back toward Reese. This time it’s downturned and annoyed. “Stop. I need to come clean with them. I’ll tell them Ollie is the father of the baby, but he didn’t want anything to do with him, and that’s okay. There’s nothing they can say. I’m an adult.”

Nash nods without saying a word, then goes back to his tea hunting. I still don’t buy him as the ethically sourced cherry matcha tea type, but I try not to judge.

“Well, now I know you’ve lost it,” Reese says. “Dad just had a heart attack last month and Mom spent her entire ride to the hospital blaming me for causing it.”

“You know you didn’t cause his heart attack,” I say. “The cigars he won’t stop smoking caused the heart attack.”

“Right, but it still doesn’t feel good to hear Mom berating me with that nonsense while I’m worried about Dad’s health. Trust me, no good is going to come from you telling them the truth. They’re only going to press harder to take over your life.” She grins and looks toward Nash again. “Just let this handsome guy pretend to be your very busy husband for a few hours and you won’t see them again for another few months. Maybe by the time Owen is old enough to understand what’s going on, Mom and Dad will be completely different people.” A laugh bubbles up from her throat like she can’t help herself.

Damn it! What am I going to do? I’d forgotten about Dad’s heart attack. Not only did they give Reese a hard time about that, but Mom also reminded us over and over again how weak he was. Maybe he couldn’t handle the news of me being an unwed mother. No, I know he couldn’t handle it.

My heart does that racing thing again that makes my breathing feel uncomfortable and my diaphragm tighten. I lean down on the counter and try to catch my breath, but nothing helps until a warm giant steps in next to me, resting his hand on my back.

Is Nash really touching me? Is he really holding his hand on the small of my back like some western gentleman with a baseball cap?

“I can play fake husband for a weekend.”

My brows narrow as my head lifts from the counter. “You don’t even know me. Besides, what’s in it for you?”

Reese grabs some tea off the shelf and helps herself to the register, ringing out her purchase. “Since you two have this figured out, I’m going to take off. Hank has this panning trip upriver this weekend and I’m helping out. Have fun with Mom, Dad, and your new hubby.” She grins and slides out the front door with a few jars of apple spice black tea, a flavor she stops in for a few times every week. I know she could stock up, but I think she comes partly to visit.

“Sorry,” I say, looking toward Nash. “She’s a whirlwind.”

“She cares about you,” he says, standing straighter. “And I don’t mind helping out. Actually, it would be a nice distraction. Everyone is telling me I need a break from work.”

My brows raise. “A break from work? Usually, that’s a vacation or a walk in the park. It’s not lying to a woman’s family and pretending her child is yours.”

He laughs and settles his tea down on the counter to purchase. “Yeah, but this is so much more fun. Besides, I’m terrible at relaxing. If I take time for a vacation, all I’m going to do is brainstorm advertising ideas. This way, at least I’ll be getting some entertainment.” 

“I feel like I should pay you for your help or something. I—”

He grins. “Trust me, the pleasure is all mine. I’ll pick you up here after work. We can talk details… wifey.”

I smile without thought at the name, wifey.

At this point in my life, I thought that sentiment was as far away as ever, especially from the lips of a man that looks like Nash.

He pays for the tea, and I hand him change, our hands brushing against one another with a spark in the exchange.

Maybe this isn’t going to be so bad after all.

Chapter Two

Nash

I can’t get her off my mind. First of all, those curves, that pretty face, and that cute little way she crinkles her nose up when she’s embarrassed. Then, it’s how strong she is to be raising a baby on her own while running a business full-time. My first few years of business were hell. Half the time I thought I was failing; the other half, I was pretty sure I’d made the worst mistake of my life. Thankfully, it all came clean in the wash, but it doesn’t always go that way. More times than not, businesses fail in their first year. And if they don’t, something else likely suffers. For me, it was my sanity and the relationships I had with nearly everyone else in my life. Everything was about the business. I ate, drank, slept, the pizza shop. It became my baby.

For the sacrifice, I have a successful shop, I’m friends with everyone in town, and I have a generous amount of return coming in, but that’s where it ends. No wife, no children, no personal life.

I work my normal routine during the day making pizzas, cleaning the shop, and managing the two employees I have. Today, though, I’m wishing away every second until I see Brianna again. The thought of holding her near me, pretending she’s my wife, gets me more excited than it probably should.

“Hey, man,” Wyatt says, walking into the pizza shop. He works down at Rugged Mountain Ink, a tattoo shop in town, and stops nearly every day right before I leave for a slice.

“You look like you already have one foot out the door. You in a hurry today?” His tone is probably less accusatory than I hear it.

“A little. It’s been a crazy day.” I don’t elaborate because I’m not sure how much he needs to know.

He laughs and pulls out a stool from beneath the bar, then lowers himself into it with a steady grin on his face. “Who is she?”

My brows narrow and my voice contorts. “What? Who’s who? There’s no one.”  

“Yeah right. This is about that girl next door, isn’t it? Brianna. I saw you two were talking this morning.”

I wipe down the counter and blow him off. “You want the usual?”

He nods. “Extra pepperoni today, a Coke, and some details. If my buddy is dating again, I think I should know.”

I toss a couple of slices into the oven and slide him a bottle of Coke. “I’m not dating again. I just told Brianna I’d help her out this weekend. Her parents are coming into town and—” 

“Let me guess, you’re going to play the boyfriend?” He laughs and shakes his head as he takes a sip of his drink.

When I don’t answer right away, his jaw falls, and he stares back at me long and hard before laughing. “Izzy has been talking about Abe’s acting role for a week. I guess they called in the understudy. You sure you’re up for all this? And what’s the point? You aren’t even dating this chick.”

I refrain from telling him how much I hope that changes.

The oven beeps and I pull the pizza out with a large flat spatula, layering the over-sized slices into a cardboard box before closing it up and handing it toward Wyatt.

He shakes his head. “If you think you’re going to nail this one down with some fake boyfriend scheme, you’re wrong. She’s super independent. Reese talks about it all the time.”

I don’t correct fake boyfriend with husband, but it’s on the tip of my tongue. I’m fake husband material here, Wyatt. Get it right.

He shakes my head with my silence. “Damn, man. You’ve got it bad. Just promise you’re not going to get hurt, okay? If you’re lonely, Mullet is doing single’s night down at Skully’s bar. I’d bet there will be a ton of women from Colorado Springs there. I think I’m going to try my luck. You’re welcome to join.”

Joining in on single’s night at the bar is the last place I want to be. Bars have never been my scene to begin with. Second, I have my heart set on a night with Brianna and Owen.

“I think I’ll pass on that one,” I say. “But good luck.”

He shakes his head and grins as though he thinks I’m making a giant mistake, then heads out the pizza shop, and into the street.

Maybe I’m making a mistake, but a lot of people have made really great lives taking a risk.

“I’m taking off guys,” I say to my small crew in the back. “Give me a call if you need anything over the weekend.”

Axel and Nora nod before waving me off as I make my way next door to Brianna’s tea shop. I shouldn’t have waited so long to talk to her. I should’ve come right over and introduced myself. I should’ve helped her when I saw her moving in. But fuck, she’s intimidating. I’m not usually that kind of guy. In fact, Brianna is the first woman I’ve felt I couldn’t talk to. She’s gorgeous, smart, and the way she swings her hips back and forth when she walks is intoxicating.

I pull the door and she looks up from behind the counter with a grin. It’s a wide and welcoming smile that lights up the room and tightens my heart.

Fuck. Maybe pretending is going to be harder than I thought. I’d imagined I could hold her like she’s always been mine. I imagined it all day. But now, seeing her again with those wide hips and grin, I’m not sure that’s possible. I’ve taken mental shots of her over the past few months and used them for my own sick pleasure. Now, being next to her for real seems a little fucked up.

“Hey, husband!” she says with a laugh. “Are you sure you’re still down for this because my life just got a little more complicated?”

She pulls a stroller from behind the counter, a sleeping baby inside. “My sitter had an emergency around noon, so little Owen helped Mommy at the store all day, and about an hour ago, my parents called to let me know they’re coming in tonight.” She looks down at her phone. “Which, for them, is probably less than an hour from now.”

“Well, an hour is long enough to learn the basics. What’s you—”

“Maybe, but what about my cabin? I’m not sure I can make it look like you’ve been living there in less than an hour. Do you have anything you can bring over to—”

“What if you moved into my place? I’m only offering because it might be easier to pass off as ours. My sister keeps a crib at the house. She and her son come visit a few times a year from New York. She’s a chef. My place is her vacation house, as she calls it.”

“But I’ve already given my parents my home address.” She lets out a heavy sigh, then scrubs her face with her hand. “This is a mistake. I know it. They’re going to know I’m faking and this whole thing is going to blow up in my face. Besides, who does this kind of thing?”

I step toward her and move my hand up onto her soft shoulder and squeeze gently, attempting to comfort her. I can’t help but wonder what kind of pressure her parents must put on her if she feels this rattled by a simple visit.

“I’m sorry. I know I look crazy. They’re really not that bad. I’ll just tell them that I made a mistake because I didn’t want to disappoint them, and that Owen and I are doing it on our own. I’m sorry I dragged you into all this. Besides, the age difference between us is going to throw them and my Mom hates tattoos. She’s going to treat you awfully. I don’t want to put you through tha—”

The doorbell rings behind us and I twist to see two people in their early sixties walk through the door. They're both dressed in their Sunday best.

“Brianna! My sweet girl,” the woman says, tipping up her sunhat to reveal tightly curled silver hair that falls onto her shoulders.

Brianna is frozen, staring blankly ahead as she accepts the hug from her mother, then her father, who’s a bit less enthusiastic about the matter. Instead, he’s studying the store… and me.

“You must be the husband,” the dad says, holding out his hand for mine. “The one who didn’t think I’d want to be at my own daughter’s wedding.”

My heart constricts as I look toward Brianna, her eyes telling a story of apologies.

“No, Dad,” she says. “This is—”

I shake the man’s hand. “Her husband, Nash,” I say. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, sir.”

Chapter Three

Brianna

Having spent significant time in hell during a previous life, I’m usually pretty impartial to the flames, but right now… I feel them for Nash.

“What’s wrong, dear? You look pale as a ghost.” My mother’s voice is calm and sweet, but she doesn’t mean it. She’s just getting amped up. She pulls a bottle of water from her bag and hands it toward me. “You need to sit.”

“No, Mom. I’m fine. I’m just trying to tell you that Nash isn—”

“She’s been trying to make everything perfect for your visit, and I think she’s gotten a little overwhelmed,” Nash says, taking my mother’s place by my side. I’ll have to thank him later for stepping between us. Though, I don’t know as if my mother has the same sentiment. I can tell with in seconds, they already have problems with Nash. I should’ve warned him earlier about their severe hatred of anyone and everyone. I’d warned Abe of all the possible snide remarks, which he was ready to laugh away. I’d only gotten to Nash a second before they stepped in.

“Nash owns the pizza shop next door,” I say. “He’s been in business for quite a few years now. The pizza’s pretty good.”

My dad nods, though it’s not approvingly. Instead, he stays quiet and wanders my shop, studying each tea as though it’s holding the weight of the universe. “Maybe he can get this place up and running.” He looks toward Nash. “I told her a tea shop was an awful idea. No one needs tea. They need coffee. If she’d run a coffee shop, I bet the place would be a gold mine by now.”

“Well, it’s only the first year of her work. It’s going to take time to build the place up, but people in town are interested in organic teas.” Nash comes to my defense, but I’m not sure how honest he’s being. If people in town were so keen on organic tea, I don’t think I’d have spent the last three months deep in the red.

My mother slaps my father’s shoulder as though she’s defending me, but really, it’s only a segue for her to speak the words he’s trying to say, but correctly. They’re good with this trick.

“Dear,” my mother says with a voice that sounds sweet, but isn’t at all. “What your father is trying to say is… you should add a little coffee shop in the back, and sell something people actually want instead of—”

“People love herbal teas up here, ma’am.” Nash’s voice is low and gritty, as though he’s changing the subject. He’s tired of them already. “And we were just on our way home, if you want to follow us up the mountain.” He glances toward me and winks before taking the stroller and pushing it out into the street, holding the door open for my parents who aren’t used to being corralled. They much prefer the version of the visit where they point me in whatever direction they want, and I fall to their mercy. It’s what suits them best.

When everyone is on the sidewalk, I step behind and lock up the shop for the day, and follow Nash toward the parking lot that’s down the street and around the corner. I like the leave the spaces right in front of my shop for customers, or at least the customers I wish I had.

My stomach tightens as I walk next to Nash, wondering if maybe my parents are right. I’ve probably wasted my money. I should’ve used it to buy a bigger cabin or a better car. Mine is completely shot to shit. I’m actually a little embarrassed to show Nash which one it is.

“We’re parked right here, darling,” my mother says, as my father rounds the short station wagon they drove up in. I have to give them credit. They’ve been driving that thing for twenty years and it doesn’t seem to age. If I have to hear one more time about how you shouldn’t buy anything new if the old one is running perfectly fine, I’m going to lose it. I get it, Dad, save my money.

Well, when they see that I’m still driving the same Chevy Cavalier with two hundred thousand miles, I hope they’re proud. It still runs… most of the time.

“Follow me up the mountain?” Nash turns toward me and helps snap Owen into his car seat without saying a word about the dilapidated Cavalier we’re piling into. Part of me is thankful. Another part of me wishes he’d say something so I could attempt to defend myself.

Owen fusses in his car seat as I make my way around, then stuff in the key to start the engine. Usually, he settles immediately with the rough vibration of the muffler, but this time, the car doesn’t turn.

Not now. I twist the key again, my heart racing. I really don’t want to look so stupid in front of Nash. What kind of mother can’t run a business, can’t afford a car that starts, and lies to her parents about being married? A terrible mom. A shitty, terrible, awful mom.

Just as my eyes are welling with tears, Nash rounds to my side of the car and reaches out for me. “I’ll have a buddy of mine tow it to the shop over the weekend and take a look. Why don’t you two ride with me?”  

I know it’s the best possible solution given we’re going to the same place, and we’ll be stuck together all weekend, but I feel bad taking yet another thing from this super kind man who’s helping me with so much already.

He doesn’t wait for my reply. Instead, he makes his way around the car, unbuckles the car seat, re-attaches the base in the back of his truck, before locking Owen in like a pro.

“Where’d you learn to do that? Do you have children? I think it took me at least a week before I figured out how to hook that thing in.”

“My nephew. My sister is a single mom as well. When she’s here, I like to help her as best I can. I say I’m doing it for her, but really… I love time with the kid.” He opens the passenger door of the truck and helps me inside before making his way around.

He’s tall, muscular, and strong in the way he touches me. I can’t help but swoon over how impressive he looks as my husband. Granted, fake husband, but if I were walking down the street with him, people would be wondering how the hell a girl like me ever landed a guy like Nash.

“This is better anyway,” he says. “We can use the ride up the mountain to talk about all the things I need to know about you two.” He starts up the truck and backs it out of the lot in one fluid spin of the wheel, his large palm flexing as he steers. Why is that turning me on? A big man, in a big truck, maneuvering it simply and easily like he’s done it a thousand times.

Okay, maybe I have an inkling as to why it’s turning me on.

“There’s not much to know about me. I lived in San Francisco for too many years, a few houses down from my parents, until I came out here camping with my sister, fell in love with the area, and decided to stay. I was in finance in a past life. This one, as you’ve seen… I own a failing tea shop. What about you?”

He grins, one hand on the wheel while the other strokes down over his beard.

I try not to look toward him because my brain is firing off fantasies of riding it, which only aim to hurt me long term.

“That’s interesting,” he says, “but I was thinking more along the lines of… what makes you tick? Who is Brianna?”

“That’s a good question. When I find out, I’ll let you know.”

He laughs. “What does that mean?”

“It means I’m not sure who I am anymore. When I’m not trying to keep the business afloat, I’m busy with Owen. I love being a mom. It’s incredible.” I pause. “It’s also exhausting, and all encompassing. I can’t remember doing anything for myself since I had him.”

“And he seems like a happy little boy. He’s lucky to have you.”

“Is he? I guess he can live off tea and breastmilk forever.”

I pause, really mulling over who the hell I am, or who I was. I know I had plans to be someone, but I’m not sure if they ever really panned out. “Before I was catering to Owen, I was catering to my parents. I’m not sure I ever really took the time to figure out who I am.”

He reaches out for my hand, squeezing it with comfort as though we’ve known each other for ages. “There must be something you like to do for you. What about hiking?”

I shake my head. “Not really. I mean I like the views out here, and the fresh air, but I’ve never really been a hiker. Seriously, Nash, I’m a lost cause, and truly the most uninteresting person that ever was.”

“Uninteresting?” he laughs. “You’re far from uninteresting. Since I met you, I’ve found my life to be interesting as hell.”

“There’s interesting and then there’s crazy. I think you’re getting the two confused. Anyway, tell me about you.”

He clears his throat and readjusts in the seat as we turn up the mountain road off Main Street. “Nothing to tell, really. I’m just a guy making pizzas all day.” We turn up a stone road and wind up the mountain side. I’ve never been this way before. Most of the cabins I’ve seen in Rugged Mountain are up further into the ridge.

“How long did you say you’ve been here?”

“A few years. Wyatt and I met at an ink convention up in Colorado Springs.”

“An ink convention? What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s everything tattoos. He was doing tattoos representing Rugged Mountain Ink, and I was wasting some time one Saturday on my way through. I came by his booth, and he did this on my arm.” He points to a dragon breathing fire. “We’ve been buddies ever since. I was looking for a new place to settle and he kept bringing Rugged Mountain up. One trip out and I was sold. Nothing beats this fresh air and peace. Like you, though, I can’t remember what I did before running the shop. It does take up a lot of my time.”

I twist toward him as we bump over the uneven roadway. “Right? At least yours is surviving, though. You’ve—”

“You’ve what? What’s wrong?” Nash pulls his truck in front of a massive log cabin that sits just on top of the river's edge overlooking the mountainside and the rushing water. Tall lodgepole pines line each side of the house and double glass doors fill the entry space, granite rock steps leading up to the doorway. I don’t know the price of real estate up here, but I know it’s not cheap. And I know this looks like a million-dollar home.

“Is there a house behind this one or something?”

He glances toward me. “What do you mean? No. This is the main house.”

“Like, you own this house? You live here and you own it?”

He laughs. “Yes. Is everything okay?”

“Not really,” I say, watching as my parents pull up behind us. “You’re rich.”

He shrugs. “Not exactly rich, but I make out okay. Is that bad?”

My eyes widen. “No, no. It’s not bad. It’s just… I… I have that shitty little car, a failing business, and I live in a one-bedroom cabin that I rent from a guy in town. I mean, my couch was there when I got there. This is…” I’m not sure why but suddenly I feel out of place, like I don’t belong, like this man is a millionaire and I’m the charity project he picked up to occupy his time.

My parents have already gotten out of their car and wandered up to the front of the house to take in the view. God. I bury my face in my hands.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he says, brushing his hand over the top of my knee. “It’s not true, though. I’ve seen you for months and didn’t have the nerve to talk to you. I want you here.” He turns back toward Owen who’s fussing in the back seat. “Both of you.”

I open my mouth in rebuttal, but a hard knock on my window startles me out of my thought. “Brianna, dear, your father has to use the bathroom.”

I glance back toward Nash, my cheeks heated with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry.”

He grins reassuringly, then rushes up to unlock the front door, talking and smiling with my mom as he moves.

This can’t be happening. I can’t be sitting at one of the nicest homes in Rugged Mountain, overlooking the river, taking in the mountains, and faking a marriage with the hottest guy here. It’s not possible, and how does a pizza shop afford a place like this? This house screams pizza empire not small-town pizza shop. I hop from the truck onto the paver block driveway and open the back latch to help Owen from his car seat. Thankfully, I’m breastfeeding, but I’m not sure I have enough diapers to get me through the weekend. I’ll have to take a trip over to my place in the morning.

Nash makes his way back out to help me with Owen and his bag, taking him from my arms immediately to relieve me of his weight. I’m thankful, but not used to the help. I’m used to doing everything on my own. It’s all I know.

When we step inside the house, I’m even more amazed. Floor to ceiling windows span the entire front space and the walls are a knotty pine with a light glaze. Leather sofas and sitting chairs are rested neatly in front of a stone fireplace and the scent of pine emanates throughout the space. It’s like I’ve stepped into some mountain home magazine.

My mother walks toward me, her eyes wide. I should probably close my jaw. I’m supposed to have lived here for the past year.

“You didn’t tell us you were living in a place like this, dear. No wonder you moved out here.”

My stomach turns.

“This place is incredible.” She links into my arm and begins walking as though she’s proud of me for the first time since I left San Francisco. I hate that I like it. I hate that I need her approval like some sick adult child. I make a promise to myself then and there to raise Owen with more independence.

“Show us around, honey,” she continues brightly. “I can’t wait to see the baby’s room.”

I glance back toward Nash, my stomach in knots. I don’t know what I’m looking toward him for other than reassurance, but when he steps into action, I’m left with more kindness than I can handle.

He hands me Owen, then steps in beside me, addressing my mother directly. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to show you around. Brianna has to make a quick call.”

My mom looks Nash up and down, and I know something rude is about to slide from her mouth.

I will her to stop, hoping for once in her life she can hold her judgment.

“Okay, darling,” she says. “I’d love to hear the story of how a boy with so many tattoos got such a nice house.”

“Mom!” I say. “That’s rude.”

She turns toward me. “Rude? Honey… I’m curious how he afforded this place. That’s not rude.”

I give her a stare, and we both know what it means. I don’t figure it’s going to be enough to stop her, but thankfully it does. As they move down the hall, I hear them change the subject to the architecture of the home.

I let out a heavy breath I’ve been holding as they walk away, my heart clenched so tight I think it might burst with the exhale. One hour down, twenty-three to go. What could go wrong?

Chapter Four

Nash

Brianna sits across from me at the dinner table holding Owen in her arms as he suckles at her breast. It’s beautiful to see, though I’m trying not to stare.

“Cover yourself up, Brianna!” her mother scolds from next to her at the table. I wonder if she’s seen me watching. Then again, she is my wife, so watching should be allowed.

Brianna shoots her mother a glare. “I’m not covering up. If it bothers you, you can leave the table.”

My fists ball instinctively as the shot fires across the space, my impulse to cheer quelled by the reality of our dinner table situation.

Brianna’s mother isn’t as satisfied with the response. Her face has turned down, and she’s formulating another rebuttal. I can almost see it working up her throat.

“Where are your wedding rings?” her mother snarls. The words sting as she says them. I should’ve thought about that today instead of fantasizing about holding her close to me. Because if we were married, Brianna would have the biggest ring I could afford.

“We had them sent to the jeweler for inscriptions.” I’m thinking fast on my feet, but I’m not sure they’re buying it.

“Oh, what do the inscriptions say?” her mother continues.

“Mom,” Brianna says, moving Owen carefully to her opposite breast. “That’s personal. We’re not—”

“It’s okay,” I say, looking toward Brianna. Our gaze meets as I say the words, “Mon coeur est à vous. It’s French, meaning, my heart is yours.”

Brianna’s mother’s eyes widen, and I wonder if I’ve laid it on too thick.

“That’s beautiful,” she says. “Are you French, Nash?”

“My dad was French, a first-generation immigrant. My mother was a tried-and-true Texan. They met at a county fair when my father was traveling after college.”

“An educated family? That’s good to hear.” Her mother straightens. “And what does your father do? We’d love to meet them. Do they live in town?”

“Not exactly. They passed away years ago. I raised my teenage sister after that and looked over their estate.”

The room quiets and I look toward Brianna, hoping to gauge some sort of response, but she looks confused as though she can’t tell if this is part of the ruse or if I’m serious. I clear my throat. “It’s been a long while since I’ve sat with a family like this and eaten a meal. I have to say, it’s quite nice.”

“Well, I bet it is, darling,” Brianna’s mother says. “But don’t you eat with your family every night?”

“Yes, Mom,” Brianna says, glancing toward me before her mom. “Of course he does. He’s talking about extended family.”

“It’s true,” I say, looking toward Brianna with a stilled heart. I can’t help but wonder if she’s feeling what I’m feeling, if she understands how genuine my words are. “Lonely doesn’t begin to express how I was feeling before I met Brianna.”

“I should give Owen a bath and lay him down for the night,” Brianna says, breaking eye contact. “Besides, I’m getting pretty tired myself.”

Okay, maybe we weren’t feeling the same things.

Her mother and father stretch from the table and excuse themselves for the night as well. “It’s been a long car ride. We should probably get some sleep, too. I think we can find our way back to our room through this mansion,” her mother laughs. “Are you sure you don’t want help cleaning up, Nash?”

“It’s okay, Mom,” Brianna says. “I’ll be right back out to help him. I—”

“No. Please, get ready for bed.” I grip her hip and pull her close, our gaze on one another. “I’ll be there before you know it.”

Brianna nods toward me, and I sense something is off. Maybe I was laying it on too thick. Maybe I’m not laying it on thick enough. Maybe all this is too real for her. Maybe it’s not real enough.

The group disappears down the hallway and I clean up the table. There isn’t much to tidy. We threw burgers on the grill and ate off paper plates, so I’m just tossing a few things away, but I need the space to get my head together. Even though I want a family, I can’t get attached to this one. I have no idea what Brianna is thinking, and I’m guessing running off isn’t a telltale sign for this is working great, keep going.

When the table is cleared, I flick off the lights and head back to the bedroom, where Brianna is sat on the edge of the bed with her face downturned.

She looks up when she hears the door creek. “I’m not sure where to sleep. I laid Owen down in that crib in your nephew’s room, but I—”

“I figured we’d sleep together. I mean, for the sake of our story. But I can sleep on the floor if you’d rather. It’s not a probl—”

“No,” she says, clearing her throat before heading to the bathroom. “It’s fine. We’re adults. We can manage a single night in the same bed.” She bends toward the shower and starts the water immediately, sitting on the edge of the tub to check the temperature as it runs. She hasn’t closed the door, so I follow behind her.

“Is everything okay?”

“Nothing is wrong,” she says. “I’m just stressed.”

“What happened? I thought everything was going well. Am I too much? Not enough? I can take some direction…”

Her eyes widen and she reaches out a hand for me. “Everything is going great. You’re a dream boat.”

“Why are you saying that like it’s a bad thing?”

“It’s not a bad thing. It’s a great thing. You’re the perfect guy. You’re accomplished, rich, hot, and you’re sweet as hell. I mean that wedding ring thing….” She makes a motion of a chef’s kiss. “I guess I’m just bummed that this isn’t real.”

“It’s not real?” I gasp playfully, trying to wash away my own feelings on the topic.

“Ha. Ha,” she says dryly. “I need to tell them in the morning that this is all a lie because no one would ever understand why I left a guy like you. In fact, I bet they’re sitting in their room right now trying to figure out what a man like you would want with me, anyway.”

“But the tattoos will bring them back down to Earth. Don’t worry.” I laugh and so does she.

“Thanks for doing this. I’m sorry I’ve made everything so complicated.” She takes a deep breath and looks toward me. “Are you really lonely? You mentioned at dinner that you were, and I can’t figure out how a guy like you would be lonely a day in his life.”

“I have my share of offers,” I laugh. “But I don’t know… I think I’m looking for more than what most women want to give.”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, I see it now. You’re one of those guys. The ones that are never satisfied.”

“Maybe you could say that. I just want a family to take care of, and a woman who wants to be taken care of. Oddly enough, that’s hard to find.”

“That’s because this isn’t the eighteen hundreds. Women can take care of themselves now.”

“I know, and that’s great. I want that for y’all too.” I tip my head downward, then meet her gaze again. “Also, I want to take care of everything a man should take care of, and treat my woman like the queen she is.”

“Is it true what you said about your family?”

I nod. “They died in a car accident shortly after I graduated high school. The estate became mine at twenty-five. I sold everything off and split the money with Becky. I spent a few years traveling, then settled down here and bought the pizza shop. Your tea shop will pick up, you know. You’ve just got to keep at it. I have a few advertising partners I can hook you up with that will get the word out to more people that you’re open.” I pause, wondering if I’ve overstepped, but her face lights.

“Really? I’d love that. I’ve been struggling with advertising.”

“It won’t take long after you get the word out. People in this town love buying local. They’ll love your shop once they know it’s there.”

She smiles. “Thanks for not trying to turn me into a coffee shop. My father and my sister both keep telling me that’s the missing piece, but I don’t know… I love what I’ve created. Besides, Mr. Robinson already has a monopoly on coffee. I hear he has the best in town.” She takes a deep breath. “Why are you doing so much to help me? You barely know me.”

“I know you care about everyone enough that you’re desperately trying to save your parents feelings. I know that you care for that little boy out there like he’s the only thing on Earth. I know that you work hard to make your business work. I know you’re sitting in here right now worried about hurting everyone because you tried your best to please them.”

She stands from the edge of the shower and folds her arms in front of her chest. “You don’t know me, Nash. You know the things that I’ve done.” She sighs. “Thank you… thank you for all you’re doing, but don’t kid yourself with all this she’s a good person stuff. I’m a train wreck.”

“Why?”

She shrugs. “Really? Well, we could start with how I’m lying to my parents so I don’t have to tell them I got pregnant out of wedlock, or maybe how I have completely let myself go, or—”

“What are you talking about? You’re perfect.”

She laughs and turns away, running her fingers through her long light hair. “And you’ve lost your mind.”

I rest my hand on her shoulder and turn her toward me. “Maybe, but I like it here. And crazy or not, you’re drop dead gorgeous. I thought that the second I laid eyes on you… months ago.”

“Why didn’t you say anything then?”

“You had a baby. I wasn’t sure if you were with someone and I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Besides, we had to work right next to each other. I figured you’d have talked to me if you wanted to.” I step forward again, my hand brushing on the side of her face. “This doesn’t have to be fake. I like having you here. Watching you with Owen, watching you be a mom, watching you…”

Time passes between us for a few long seconds, though I’m not sure they’re nearly as long as they feel. I don’t want to fuck this up, and I wonder already if I’m pressing too hard, but I want to kiss her. I want to hold her close and make her mine like an animal desperate to claim her.

“I like you too, Nash. But trust me… life is more complicated with me around. You’ll miss your old life. The quiet, the peace, the lack of drama.” She turns toward the running shower and clears her throat. “I should probably get rinsed off. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

I struggle with turning away, but I can’t well stand here and stare any longer. She’s asked for a second, and I need to give her that, whether I want to or not.

Chapter Five

Brianna

There’s nothing like cool water to reset your mind. I lean back against the marble tiled shower and shut my eyes, letting the water trail down over the top of me as I try to make sense of everything Nash is saying.

He’s lonely. So despite the fact that he’s rich, hot, smart, sweet… he also just can’t seem to find a girlfriend? I’m not buying it. He probably has some super strange affliction I haven’t seen yet. Hell, I haven’t even looked through the house. He probably collects toenails in a jar somewhere. It’s the only explanation, and I can’t have my son around some man that collects toenails.

God. What am I doing here? I don’t even know this guy. What kind of mother does this? A sick one. A very sick, mentally unstable mother. I should call Reese. I need advice, but I know she and Hank went upriver looking for a new place to pan. My only other friend is Julie, and I’m not sure she’d be up for a call this late. Maybe I’ll try her in the morning. Right now, I guess I have to crawl into bed with a hot stranger and make the best of the night.

I twist off the shower and grab a fluffy white towel from the side bar where three are hung overlapping one another. He keeps the place stocked and clean, which is unlike every other man I’ve ever known, another sign that he’s collecting toenails. The rest of the house must remain spotless as a diversion.

When I step from the shower, I notice he’s set one of his t-shirts next to the attached bathroom for me. That’s a nice thought since I only have what I’ve come with, and this sundress isn’t going to be comfortable to wear to bed. Tomorrow, I’m sure my mother is going to ask why I’m wearing the same thing. I should sneak down to the cabin tonight and grab a few things for tomorrow, but I’m exhausted. Turns out, a full day of lying will really take it out of you.

When I step from the bedroom, Nash is sitting up in bed reading a book. From here, it looks like some mystery title, but the closer I get, I realize it’s science fiction. It’s something from the H. G. Wells collection. My heart gushes with a bit too much excitement over the tattooed, shirtless, hottie reading in bed.

Are my panties wet?

“I figure we can sleep with a few pillows between us if that makes you feel better,” he says, setting his book on the end table as I climb in under the covers.

“I don’t think that’s necessary. We’re two adults. I think we’ll be good for tonight.”

I don’t look toward him, but I sense a smile rise up onto his face before he turns toward me. “You look good in my t-shirt.”

My heart flutters but I’m not sure what to say. “Thanks for setting it out. I can—”

“I can stop by your place in the morning and grab a few things for you before everyone gets up. I’m usually up early, anyway.”

“Why don’t you wake me up and I’ll go with you. I’ll set the baby monitor in Mom’s room before we leave. She’d love that. We can grab donuts for everyone at the bakery on the way back.”

“It’s a date,” he says, rolling onto his back to stare up at the ceiling.

I do the same and realize in doing so, it’s not a ceiling at all. It’s a skylight that stares straight up at the stars.

My entire body shivers as he starts to talk, his voice deep and graveled as we look up at the stars together.

“I can’t believe how successful your shop is,” I say, trying to calm the urge to jump him. I may be a little lost right now, but I’m sure with one hundred percent certainty that’s not what a respectable mother does. “This place is incredible.”

“The shop is successful, but this place was built with my inheritance. My parents did well for themselves, and they left it all to me and Becky. So, she took her half and bought and apartment in the city overlooking Central Park and I spent mine here, in the middle of nowhere. There’s quite a bit left, and the shop gets me great return on investment. I learned a lot of that from my father. He owned a chain of sporting goods stores across the United States and Canada.”

“Anything I’d know?”

“The Adventure Box.”

My eyes widen as I turn toward him. “Your family owns The Adventure Box? The biggest sporting retailer on the west coast?”

“Second biggest in the east,” he says. “We still get royalties off the place, but I wanted something of my own, a little place to call mine. The pizza shop fit the bill. I’d like to use some of the money to build out my orchard, but we’ll see what time allows. As you know, businesses keep you pretty busy.”

“Why go through all the headache of owning a business if you have all this money?”

“It’s a good investment, but also, it keeps me active in the community. I like that everyone knows my name and they’re all calling on me for help. I mean, hell… I’d have never met you if I weren’t at that shop. And I’ve made some pretty good friends just serving pizza every day. Turns out most people like a slice or two.”

I laugh. “See… you’re not lonely. You have everyone in town.”

He twists toward me. “Haven’t you ever been surrounded by a room full of people but still felt completely alone?”

I shake my head. “I’m not sure you could ever find me in a room full of people, but I get your point. That’s how I felt in San Francisco before I left. The city was huge, there were people everywhere, but I couldn’t get close to any of them. I mean, I had friends but… I always felt like I was on the outside looking in.”

“Yes, exactly!” His eyes brighten as he says the words, our gaze on one another as a flash streaks across the sky. I can only see it in my peripheral vision, but it’s bright and has a long, blurry tail.

“I think that’s a shooting star,” I say, my gaze still on his as though the only thing that matters is this moment between us.

He keeps his eyes on mine, white-hot heat burning between us. “I think it was.”

Suddenly, my stomach aches and my heart pounds. I want to kiss him, and my body wants to be against his with such force that a flurry of heartbeats in my throat are beckoning me closer.

I lean in, desperate for his touch, my body doing things that I haven’t given it permission to do.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says. “Inside and out.”

My heart swells. He’s saying all the right things and my body wants to give into his lips that are nearing closer and closer, but just as they brush against mine, I back away, regretting the move immediately.

What am I doing? Obviously, I want him, but I have to look out for tomorrow me, who’s going to regret moving too fast. I have a baby boy to think about. I have a business to focus on. I can’t let one night of whatever this is screw up my focus.

“I should get some sleep. It’s late, you said we’re getting up early, and…” I turn around, turning my back to Nash, snuggling into the oversized t-shirt that smells just like him. “Thank you for everything. I’m just exhausted.”

His body softens behind me then leans in closer, his hand rubbing against my back in comfort. “I’ll take this as slow as you want, sweetheart. But do me a favor, let’s not lie to ourselves and pretend something isn’t happening here.”

I twist back immediately, my blood boiling at the presumption in his words. Really, I think it’s just an excuse to turn back and look at him again. “And what’s happening here, Nash?”

“Well you can’t deny what our bodies are feeling. You can’t deny the chemistry we have, right?”

“I can feel it, just as well as you, but it’s not realistic for me to act on any of it. I have a child. When a woman has a child, that child becomes her top priority. Nothing else can matter.”

He nods slowly and rolls onto his back, his shoulders wide and flexing.

Damn. I want to cuddle into them so badly, and feel his warmth against my skin. Would it be so bad to trust my body, to trust myself, to give into the temptation?

“I don’t want to push you,” he says, his voice deep and graveled. “When you’re ready, you let me know and I’ll be here.”

“Why? You just met me, and I’m not a single package deal. I come with a son, an infant son… who needs a lot of attention, love, and—”

His lips sweep against mine with heavy, quick pressure, his hand on the side of my face as I melt into him.

It’s happening, and God it feels good.

“I’m sorry,” he says, pulling away. “Maybe it’s best if I sleep on the floor. My body isn’t doing what I ask it to tonight.” He turns to slide from the bed, but my arm reaches out for him, holding him in place, desperate to press him against me again, to feel his rough beard against my neck, to feel his large hands wrap me up.

He stops and looks toward me, his arms flexing as he reaches for the back of my neck and pulls me into his lips, kissing me with purpose and strength. There’s no turning back, I have to have him… now!

Chapter Six

Nash

Holding Brianna in my arms is like holding everything I’ve ever wanted, but I don’t know how to explain any of that. So instead, I just keep kissing her. I kiss her lips, her neck, her shoulders, the inside crook of her arm, her collarbone, and every inch of skin in between.

She moans softly with each touch.

Fuck. I want her. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone. I’d treat her and Owen like the center of my world, and I’d love them both better than anyone could.

Her body fills in the spaces of mine as she lifts her weight on top of me, her soft curves like heaven against my skin. My dick goes hard in a matter of seconds. Fuck, this isn’t right.

Her lips massage mine, her long hair drapes down over my shoulder, her breathing picks up, the sweet sigh in every touch now a permanent memory I want replayed like an echo until forever.

“I need to let you know if you let me have you, I’m not letting go,” I groan into her ear. “You’re mine.”

Her breath cracks as she looks into my eyes. “Are you sure you’re ready for all I am?”

I kiss her neck, diving into the hollow with pressure and a sucking motion as I take in her soft floral scent.

Fuck. I’m not going to make it. I have to claim her.

Kissing my way down, I make my way to her core, taking in her scent like an animal desperate for her taste. Her thighs quiver and I tuck in closer. My tongue swirls around her clit then presses inside her slit. She reaches down and grips my shoulders, her eyes clenching shut, her fists buried in the sheets.

I can tell it’s been a while since anyone has made her a priority, since anyone has made her feel good.

Her hips rock up against me, brushing against my beard as soft, quiet sighs relax from her lips.

I slide a finger inside of her wetness, then another, stretching into her core as I brush against the sponge inside of her.

“Oh, God,” she moans louder, slapping her hand over her mouth to mute the sounds of her pleasure.

Pumping my fingers in and out with a scratching motion toward her g-spot, I close my lips around her clit and suck. Her muscles tense and her thighs beat quickly next to my face until she begins to grind against me again, the soft scent of her body now all over me as she comes.

Fuck. I’d only planned on pleasing her, but now I’m harder than ever, and the harder she comes, the more my reasoning begins to vanish.

“Nash! Yes… Nash.” My name chants through her lips as her orgasm intensifies. I lick up and over her, tasting the sweetness of her flavor until the orgasm subsides, and her legs fall lifeless beside me.

I drag up beside her, my cock rubbing against her body as I move.

She reaches out and pulls at my shorts, moving beneath the fabric to jerk at my cock. Her small hand can’t even go around the circumference.

“I want you inside of me,” she begs, a strain in her voice. “But I want to taste you, too. I want you in my mouth.”

Hearing her say those words sends a shiver straight through to my cock. I stand from the edge of the bed, my mind now lost to whatever hormones are pulsing through me.

“Come here, sweetheart,” I growl, wagging a finger toward her.

Her eyes light and she sits up from the bed, my t-shirt still in place on her curved frame. Reaching over, I lift the fabric off her body, exposing her softness.

God damn. This much goodness can’t be right.

She crawls closer, the heavy weight of her breasts swinging before me as her lips kiss the tip of my cock.

Another groan exhales from my mouth as I press my hand to the back of her head and push her onto me harder. “Let me fuck that sweet little mouth of yours.”

She moans on my cock, smacking her lips gently.

I’m so aroused I could probably come right now without another touch.

“Wider,” I say, sliding my dick against her tongue. “Open your mouth wider.” It’s been years since I’ve been this close to anyone, and she feels amazing.

I pump my hips slowly and fuck her sweet lips as they close around my cock. Her cheeks are filled and her head is bobbing. She’s working hard and I’m losing control. Whether I want to finish or not, I’m about to come.

“You should stop, sweetheart. I can’t hold out much longer.”

She doesn’t pull away. She stays in place over my shaft, moving faster, steady as though she wants to taste me nearly as bad as I want to come.

“Look at me,” I say, desperate to see into those sweet eyes as I finish.

She does as I’ve asked, and looks up at me, and within seconds I lose it.

“Fuck!” I come hard staring into her eyes as my seed drips down her throat.

Her head bobs over me a while longer, teasing out the last of my pleasure as I twist and flinch away.

When she’s swallowed, I climb back up onto the bed and cuddle her into my arms. I want all of her, but I’ve learned not to be so greedy. She needs to know I’ll take my time with making things right, and in this moment, all I want is to hold this woman in my arms and fall asleep to the stars shooting above us. That is until I hear a loud clamor on the other side of the house. Maybe the night isn’t over quite yet.

Chapter Seven

Brianna

It’s a sharp sound like breaking glass, but that couldn’t be it, right? I mean who would break in anywhere up here. This is like the safest place on the planet, so much so that the Rugged Mountain Gazette spends their articles giving relationship and recipe advice.

Nash springs from the bed and pulls on his sweats. They’re a gray pair, that inadvertently show off the biggest part of him. If I weren’t panicking about the noise, I’d be pinning him to the ground to finish what we started.

“You stay here,” he says. “I’m going to check Owen and the rest of the house.”

“No, I’ll check Owe—”

He looks toward me, his gaze serious as he grabs a baseball bat he keeps beside the wood dresser next to the bed. “I appreciate you want to check him, but I’d feel a lot better if you let me do the first sweep. The noise is coming from the kitchen, anyway. That’s on the opposite side of the house.”

I sit up on my knees and toss his t-shirt back over me, letting the fabric swallow me up again. I’ve never had anyone to take care of me. If there’s a noise, I go after it. If something needs to be fixed, I fix it. I’m not sure I can change that about me. I’m not sure if I want to.

“I’m going to get Owen,” I say, looking toward Nash. I’m curious how he’ll react, but he only nods. “Okay, but I’ll walk you into his room, and you stay there until I clear the house. Understood?” His tone is serious and without compromise.

This seems like a good negotiation, considering I know it’s against his natural instinct, so I nod and follow him into the dark hallway and toward the spare bedroom where Owen is sleeping. The house has gone quiet since the initial crashing sound, which somehow worries me more. If it were an animal that broke in, you’d think he’d still be making some noise. If it were a branch, we’d still hear it slamming against the house. Instead, everything has gone silent.

Nash stares back at me before grabbing hold of the door handle. “Promise me you’ll stay right here until I come back.”

I nod and he leans into my lips, kissing me with the scent of my pleasure still on his beard.

Damn it. I’m not sure how all this escalated so quickly, but now having him move into another room without me has my stomach turning itself in knots. I need him to be safe.

I peek over the crib top and see that Owen is still sound asleep, his chest rising and falling gently as though there weren’t crashing noises disturbing everyone in the house. Well, everyone except Owen and my parents who also don’t seem to be disturbed by the sound… unless they’re the cause.

Dear God, please don’t let them be the sound. Please don’t let my mother be the one traipsing around in the middle of the night snooping, then she broke some precious family heirloom that can’t be replaced. Please, please, please.

I open the door and peek into the hallway, trying to see what I can down the hall, but there’s no noise and it’s complete darkness. It’s not like me to stay in place and wait to be rescued, but I promised Nash I’d stay in Owen’s room, so I’m going to stay put. Then again, he could be hurt… or worse. Whatever is down there could be threatening him somehow. Worse yet, it could be my mother, holding him hostage and berating him with middle of the night questions about his life and all the things that inhabit it.

I move to the edge of the door and close Owen’s quietly, tip toeing down toward the end of the hallway. Nothing yet. Everything is in perfect shape, until I see it, wide and clear, and it’s not my mother at all. It’s my father bent down picking up pieces of a vase he’s broken. My heart drops as I see Nash and him talking.

“Dad!” I bark, walking toward him quickly, my heart in my stomach. “What’s going on?” I look toward Nash. “I’m so sorry. We will replace this—”

“I know it’s not true,” my father says, standing straight up from the porcelain he’s been sweeping. “You two aren’t living here together.”

My heart sinks. He knows we’re not married. He knows Nash isn’t Owen’s Dad, and he knows I’m a big, fat, liar. It’s like I’m sixteen again on the doorstep telling him I’d been with my friends at a sleepover when really, I was at a concert I shouldn’t have been at. Except this time, I’m a grown woman who should know a hell of a lot better.

“There’s not one photo of the two of you in this house,” my father says as he brushes back his grey hair. His hands are wrinkled, and his skin is thinner than I remember when I left the city. The heart attack has really taken some life out of him. I’m such an ass. I should’ve known I couldn’t pull this off. “And there’s a name plaque in the room Owen is sleeping in that says Josiah. Did Owen get a name change or are you two renting this house to impress us?”

“Renting the house?” My brows narrow toward him. He thinks we’re married but renting the house?

I let out a heavy breath and look toward my father who I know doesn’t approve of most things I do. Well, unless they’re exactly what he had planned. If I follow that one simple rule, I’m fine. Right now, I’m not fine. I’ve messed up every rule in the book. I’ve had a baby out of wedlock, I’ve lied to them about it, and subsequently fallen for the tattooed guy I was pretending to love to make them happy.

“I'm not married, Dad.” I say the words plain and flat. “I’m not married. This isn’t my house, I had Owen out of wedlock, and my business is failing.” Funny enough, saying the words is a huge relief.

My father’s bushy brows narrow inward and his tone tightens. “Who is this then?” He glances toward Nash.

“This is Nash’s house. We’ve seen each other around town, but we only officially met this morning. He offered to help me because I was panicking about how you and Mom would react to the truth.”

“And what’s the truth, Brianna?” my mother’s voice presses from the hallway. I didn’t think my stomach could tie itself in anymore knots, but it finds a way.

“The truth,” I say, sucking in a deep breath, “is that the baby’s father, Ollie, didn’t want anything to do with Owen. He was up front about that when I left San Francisco. I didn’t want him to be a part of the picture if he didn’t want to be. I can do this on my own. I don’t need a man to help me with anything.” 

“Then who’s this guy here, supporting you…” My mother’s voice is torrid and rough as though she’s on the verge of yelling.

I glance back toward Nash, unsure of what to call him, how to label what we’ve become, or what’s happening between us.

“I’m always going to be here for your daughter and Owen,” Nash says, standing taller. “Nothing is ever going to stop me from that, but she is one hundred percent the driver of this vessel. She is a hard worker, a business owner, and a damn good mom.”

“And a liar,” my mother quips under her breath.

“She is most definitely not a liar,” Nash says, standing in next to me. “She’s a woman who is doing her best to please two people who in my humble opinion don’t deserve the trouble.”

I glance up at Nash, my heart full and warm. I’ve never had anyone stand up for me like that before.

“Question for you, dear,” my mother snarls. “If you were going to bring someone home to fake a relationship with, why’d you pick the old ruffian?”

My jaw drops. “Old Ruffian?”

“Yes! He’s clearly ten years or more older than you, he’s covered in tattoos, and I overheard you two rented this place to impress us. You probably live in one of those rental cabins we saw on the way in. Is that how you want your son to be raised?”

I hold Nash’s hand in mine, for the first time in my life about to stand up to my parents. “First of all, I don’t need to impress you. I realize that right now. Second, this is Nash’s home and the number of tattoos he has doesn’t make him anything other than hot as hell. Third, I think you two are going to have to find another place to stay tonight.” The words hurt as they come out, but this is me. I’m a single mom, a struggling business owner, and turns out… I’m pretty proud of that.

My mother shakes her head and turns toward the room she’s been sleeping in to gather her things, my father following behind her.

I turn toward Nash, my heart broken in half as Owen starts crying from the nursery.

“I’m so sorry,” I say, holding him in my hand. “You didn’t deserve that. You deserve so much more. You deserve that family you were talking about, one that’s going to make you feel like you belong. I’m sorry. I should head to the cabin.” I walk toward the room Owen is sleeping in, my heart pounding as I realize how ridiculous this whole thing is, how stupid I must look to Nash.

Lifting Owen from the crib, I hold him against my chest and let tears fall one after another as I hear the front door close. I’ve tried to please my parents forever. I stayed in San Francisco for years, and now knowing they could walk out so easily, without so much as a rebuttal, breaks my heart.

“You okay?” Nash steps into the room, his hand on the small of my back as I hold back tears. “You can let it out,” he says. “I’ve got you.”

For a second longer, I try to hold tears inside, but they begin to fall without warning, and soon I’m pressed against Nash’s chest, Owen still in my arms.

“What am I doing?” I mumble, wiping tears from my face.

Nash rubs my back and takes Owen from my arms. “You’re going to go get back in bed, I’m going to put Owen back to sleep, and I’m going to hold you until you feel whole again. Go on.”

He lays Owen back into the crib and rubs his back softly, nodding toward me to leave.

I’ve never been good at listening, but right now, I’ve never been more thankful for a little direction.

Chapter Eight

Nash

I crack an egg in a pan and anticipate the sizzling sound that comes afterward, but realize I haven’t turned the oven on.

“We’re going to need heat if we’re making eggs, aren’t we?” I’m talking to Owen who at six months old only babbles back, but still, I like his company. If nothing else, he’s a really great listener. So far I’ve told him all about the new sauce recipe I’m thinking of trying at the shop and the advertising plan I’ve thought of for Brianna’s tea shop. He seems to be on board for both, though a part of me wonders if he’s just being nice.

“What time is it?” Brianna asks, brushing her hair back as she makes her way down the hall. “Please tell me last night was a terrible dream.” She reaches down for Owen, lifting him from the swing I’ve set him in. “Thanks for getting him up. You really didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s only nine-thirty, and you were sleeping so soundly. Besides, I needed his advice on a few things, so really, you’ve done me a favor.”

“What kind of advice is that?” she asks, lifting Owen onto her breast. He latches on immediately as though I’ve been starving him.

“Bro… you could’ve had that bottle. I offered it to you.”

Brianna laughs. “He’s a picky eater. The sitter has trouble with it, too. We’ll get out of your hair after he eats. I—”

“I was hoping you guys would stick around today. I still haven’t gotten a chance to show you where the orchard is going. Besides, there’s—”

A heavy knock hits the door and my eyes lock on Brianna’s. “I’m expecting Julie. She’s one of the owners of a lot of property up here. She’s Maddox and Henry’s sister. Have you met her?”

“Met her? She’s my best friend! Why is she stopping by this morning?”

I walk toward the door while I’m talking. “I texted her this morning and asked if she could stop over and look at some land bordering my property. I’d like to expand the orchard onto it and she owns that lot as far as I can tell from Henry.” I swing open the door and greet Julie who’s wearing jogging pants and a Rugged Mountain Ink hoodie. She’s tied her hair into a loose bun and she’s carrying a coffee mug from home.

“Hey! I only have a few minutes, but I’m happy to look at the lot you’re thinking of buying.”

Brianna turns the corner, Owen still attached to her breast. “Julie?”

“Brianna?” Julie’s eyes go wide. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s a long story. Come in, and have a bite with us.”

Julie lifts her mug. “I’d love to, but I’ve got a prospector coming to check out my lot today. Turns out, there might be gold in my mountain.”

“Like Tara’s?”

A child found gold in a rock at a party Tara was having a while back. Since then she’s held prospecting parties and a few people in town have gotten a few extra bucks. We haven’t heard of anyone else hitting since.

“No, this is bigger chunks. I think I’m sitting on an actual mine. I won’t know anything until the meeting with this guy, though, and…” She looks toward Brianna and winks. “I saw the guy’s pic online and oh my god… he’s gorgeous! Apparently, he’s been all over the world searching for gold. Anyway, why are you two here half naked, having breakfast together? Did I miss something?”

I glance toward Brianna and grin. “I think maybe you did.”

Julie shakes her head and smiles. “I’m jealous.”

The sound of car tires on gravel come in from behind her and we all take note of the station wagon pulling up the driveway.

“Shit!” Brianna rocks Owen in her arms, then moves from the doorway and looks back toward me. “I don’t know why they’re back. Why would they be back?”

“Maybe they want to apologize,” I say, holding my hand out for her. She takes it and I immediately feel her clamming up. “You don’t have to talk to them. You don’t owe anyone anything. I can ask them to leave.”

“On that note,” Julie says, “I’m going to take a ride out to the edge of your property to make sure your lines are out of my gold mine. If they are, you’ve got yourself a deal. You want up to the cherry trees, right?”

I nod. “Thanks Julie. I’ll be in touch.”

Julie stretches her arm out for Brianna and squeezes. “I don’t know what’s going on, but it looks like you’re in good hands. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

Brianna hugs Julie and we watch as her happy-go-lucky demeanor is replaced by two people who look like they didn’t get a very good night’s sleep.

“Did you forget something?” Brianna asks, rubbing Owen’s back as he continues to eat.

Her mother glances down at her and holds back an eye roll before her father speaks. “We did forget something. We forgot that you’re an adult who’s perfectly capable of making your own choices.” His tone is stoic until it cracks with emotion. “We’d be heartbroken if we couldn’t see Owen anymore. And Owen wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you and your choices, so they couldn’t have been that bad.”

“I agree with your father, dear. We made a mistake.” She looks toward me. “And we made a mistake in judging you. You must really care for the two of them to help out like this.”

I look toward Brianna and squeeze her in close to me, my gaze on hers as a soft smile lifts up onto her face. “I do.”

“Well then,” her mom says, “who are we to stand in the way? Owen seems like a happy boy. That’s all we want. In fact, we were thinking of taking him out for the day. There’s a festival going on in town, something about farm days.”

“Oh, that’s the spring farm festival!” Brianna’s face lights. “Owen would love that. He’s never seen any farm animals before.” She says the words then looks toward me as though she’s contemplating whether or not to forgive her parents.

“We’ve put too much pressure on you to be perfect,” her father says, his hand reaching out for his daughter. “We love you, Brianna. You and Reese both. We don’t want to ruin anymore of our time together with judgments. We should’ve realized that sooner. Please forgive us.”

Brianna hesitates for a long while then reaches her hand out toward her father before her mother grabs hold as well. “It means a lot to me that you guys came back. And I think Owen would love to go to the farm festival with you. I’ll grab his things and you guys can take him down there.” She looks toward me. “I’m going to stay up here with Nash for a while. He wanted to show me the orchard and—”

“We could meet everyone for lunch,” I say, excited that she has a chance to reconcile with her parents. “I think there are a bunch of food trucks from Colorado Springs set to be down there.”

Her parents agree, then we gather Owen’s things, and see them off before closing the heavy door behind us.

“Are you okay?” I lift my arm over her head as she stays against the door.

“I think so. It’s nice that they apologized. I want Owen to know his grandparents. Plus, standing up to them seemed to have an effect. I probably should’ve done it a long time ago. I mean, Reese did, and look at her. She’s all over the mountain with a gold hunting family. I know that’s not what they had planned for her, but they stopped giving her grief about it. Maybe they can see that for me too now.”

“You did the right thing,” I say. “I could tell they were sorry. It probably scared them thinking they weren’t going to get to see Owen anymore. I know it would me. It would scare the hell out of me not seeing either of you.”

“Well, I might feel the same way about you,” she says, looking away before our gaze meets. “I’m sad that I wasted so much time with you right next door. I could’ve been stealing all your advertising secrets for so long now.” A playful smile lifts onto her face.

“Is that right?” I lift her from the ground and carry her toward the bedroom. “I think maybe I should make up for lost time then, and make you earn those ad secrets.”

Her lips lean into mine slowly as I make my way down the hall. “I think that’s a payment I’m willing to make.”

And with that, I toss her onto the bed and stare down at the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and the beginning of a life that I’m damn well sure I don’t deserve.

Chapter Nine

Brianna

I’ve been thinking about Nash’s big hands since last night. Well, and the other big things about him. His big biceps, his big shoulders, his thick neck, and well… his really thick cock. Between everything going on, being with him like this has been the one thing that’s held me together. Sure, the physical aspect of it is good, but emotionally, I’ve never felt closer to anyone. Having him wrap me up in his oversized body is like a heaven I didn’t think existed. In the past, I’ve had sex, but with Nash, it’s different. It’s emotional, raw, and the way he talks makes me crazy, hungry for more.

I should take longer to relish in this moment, but he’s got me so high that I can barely think straight and I’m desperate for Nash to make this aching between my legs stop.

“You’ve had so much stress,” he says, lifting his t-shirt up and over my frame. “Are you going to let me relieve it all for you?”

I nod as my heart races like a Kentucky Derby horse just after the gun shot. I’m breathless already and we’ve just begun.

His hands reach up and cup my breasts, pinching my nipples as I arch back and let out a moan. “Can I tell you where I want you, and what I want you to do?”

Something about giving up control here gets me embarrassingly wet. I’ve had to be in control of everything for so long. The business, my parents, the baby, the cabin, the bills, life. Letting go with Nash makes me feel free.

“Yes,” I manage, my voice shaking. “Tell me where you want me.”

He growls low in my ear and trails his tongue down to each nipple, sucking and swirling until he pulls up a suction that leaves my clit twitching for help.

“Get on the bed on your hands and knees,” he says.

I do as he’s asked, bending over with my ass stretched into the air, my wet mound dripping for him to take.

He groans. “You’re swollen, dripping wet, and red for me, sweetheart.” His hand grazes over the top of my sensitive slit and down my thighs.

I jump at his touch, then lean back, desperate for more.

I’m not a virgin. I know how this is going to feel, but not with a dick as big as Nash’s. He’s huge, and being bent over like this is only going to give him a tighter angle. My stomach turns with nervous energy as he edges his girth closer.

As the head of his cock sweeps against my wetness, I shiver and lean back further, my core desperate and aching to feel him as deep as I can despite the pain that I know will follow.

“Are you ready, sweetheart?” His voice is low with a growl as his tip begins to go inside of me.

A creaking sound that’s supposed to be a yes slides from my lips as he pushes in deeper, sending me into a whimpering puddle of gratitude. His hand reaches around front and he lands a single finger on my clit, rubbing wildly in circles as his hot, firm body presses against mine. His girth is so wide it hurts, and within seconds he’s so deep that he’s pressing against my cervix with a pressure I’ve never felt before.

I’m boneless as he holds me in place, rubbing my clit, thumping into me, his lips on my shoulder, biting at me playfully as he groans low and fast.

Damn, this isn’t going to take long.

“I want all of you,” he groans. “Forever.” He thumps in faster. “If I claim you right here and now, you have to know that you’re mine. I won’t take no for an answer.”

His demand for me, and my future leave me desperate for his come, desperate for him to claim me, desperate to give him whatever else he wants from me.

He pushes in harder, then flips me over onto my back, the weight of his heavy cock on my stomach as he looks me in the eye. The room is bright, and everything is visible. His light blue eyes, his broad shoulders, his biceps as he lifts my thick thigh up onto his shoulder to angle into me again.

“I have to look you in the eyes when you come, sweetheart. It’s the only way.” He presses into me again, his thick cock spreading me so wide that there’s a pinch of pain as he gives me as much of himself as he can. His finger returns to my slippery clit and my breathing picks up.

“Look at me,” he groans. “Look at me with those pretty brown eyes. Let me see how much you like me inside of you.”

“I love it, Nash. Fill me up. Claim me.” As the words leave my mouth, so does a roaring cry as an orgasm builds deep within my stomach and spreads quickly over my pelvis and into my groin.

With my leg on his shoulder, he drops his face into the crook of my neck and thumps into me harder. “Keep coming. Tell me who you belong to.”

“I belong to you, Nash. I belong to you.” Saying the words intensifies my orgasm and the emotion I’m feeling. I’ve never wanted to belong to anyone more.

“That’s right, sweetheart. Come all over my cock.” His breath is hot on my neck and with each word he speaks, the bit of orgasm that still teasing its way out is intensified.

He leans up and braces himself with my opposite leg, thumping into me faster and faster as though he’s driving toward his own orgasm. “That’s right, squeeze around my dick. Show me who you belong to.”

I grip his shoulders and hold on tight as he moves, the rough muscles twisting and flexing beneath his skin. With in seconds, his eyes squeeze shut as an orgasm takes over, his body thumping against mine with a slower speed as he tries to gain composure. Keeping a grip on his shoulders, I let him work down from his high, then open my arms before he collapses next to me.

“You okay?” he groans, cuddling me into his chest. “You were so tight; I was afraid I was hurting you there for a second.”

“I’ve never been better.”

He sighs and runs his fingertips down over my sensitive skin. “Good. I plan on doing that every hour of every day until you can’t take it anymore. Does that sound like a deal?”

“That would mean a lot of quickies in the back of my shop. I’m not sure that would be best for advertising.”

He leans forward and kisses my lips with gentle warmth and brushes my hair back away from my face. “Or that’s the best advertising yet.”

I can’t help but grin at the idea of him bending me over in the stock room, or in the back of his pizza shop. And I can’t help but feel warmth when I think about him being mine. That is if he meant what he said. I mean, guys say crazy things when they’re having sex. Maybe he didn’t mean all that stuff about me being his forever. My heart rushes through the scenario where he leaves after today and I’m alone again, destined to see this mistake I’ve made every day as I roll into work to run my business into the ground.

“Where’d you go, sweetheart?” His tone is soothing as he keeps his gaze on mine, studying my face.

“Did you mean what you said about the whole together thing, or was that just pillow talk? It’s fine if that was just something that you needed to say to come.”

“Don’t think you’re getting off that easy,” he says as he tightens his grip on me. “You’re mine.”

Warmth spreads over my heart and for the first time in my life a sense of relief washes over me. I have found my forever, and it feels pretty damn good.

Epilogue

Nash

Six Months Later

“If I’d thought to advertise with the tattoo shop, I could’ve brought all these customers in a year ago.” Brianna’s beaming as she runs her hand down over her expanding stomach. “Look at all these people. Who’d have thought?”

The guys down at Rugged Mountain Ink let us put a few flyers up in their shop. We also started an ad with the Rugged Mountain Gazette and we’ve seen a huge increase in numbers after offering a two for one deal. Buy two canisters of organic, ethically sourced tea, and get a slice of pizza on the house.

“I knew once people knew you were here, they’d all fall in love with you. Now, if picking a baby name were as easy.” I laugh and run my hand down over Brianna’s expanding belly as Owen toddles across the tea shop. He’s hell bent on knocking everything off the bottom shelf and restacking it all in a nearby corner. We let him do his work.

“I was thinking Madison and Mason. They’re twins so they should have a matching name. What do you think?”

“I love it. We could get them ma—”

“No way. It’s got to be something to do with gold,” Julie interrupts. She’s been browsing in the shop for a birthday gift for Reese. “We’re finding so much of it in these hills. By the time these kids are grown, this place could be totally different. They’ll need appropriate prospector names like Pearl and Montana.”

“Pearl and Montana?” I hate to admit it, but I kind of like it.

Brianna looks at me with a metered grin. “I don’t hate it.”

“I agree. They’re kind of vintage sounding, and they would fit well with the whole boom going on around here.”

“Time piece names,” Julie says, her eyes wide with excitement as though she’s just named our children. “What do you think?”

I look toward Brianna, and she smiles wider. “I think we’ve found our names.”

Julie squeals as I lean into kiss Brianna, holding her right against my chest.

There’s something about this woman and the three children she’s given to me that I will do anything for. They’re my life, and they always will be.

“What happened to that prospector guy you were seeing Jules?” Brianna asks. “You could bring him to dinner tonight. I’ll bet he, Hank, and Reese could get going on some good conversation.”

She waves Brianna off. “He didn’t show up. Apparently, some mountain in South America won us over. I guess he might stop after that. We’ll see. Either way, I know there’s gold in my mountain. If he doesn’t come soon, I’ll light the dynamite sticks myself.” She laughs and picks up a gold tin of tea from the shelf where Owen’s been stacking them. “I think your boy is trying to tell me something.”

“Two for one,” I say. “Two canisters of tea, one slice on the guy next door.”

Julie laughs and grabs another container. “You’ve got yourself a deal, pizza man.”

Three months ago, the woman that owns this tea shop became my wife. We didn’t know then that she was carrying my twins. All we knew was that love was all we needed. Well, love and maybe a few crates of tea. Because all anyone ever needs is love and a cup of organic, ethically sourced, piping hot, tea.

Thank you for reading!

Check out Julie’s Book Next!

Khloe Summers is the author of over one hundred short and steamy romance titles. Her books are written in many different tropes, but usually contain growly older alphas, curvy women, and lots of steam.

Khloe lives with her husband, (who she affectionately calls Daddy) in sunny Florida. They spend most of their free time sinking their toes in the sand, eating too many pizzas, and hollering obscenities at the TV on football Sunday. (At least he does. She sits on the sidelines and quietly orders nonsense off Amazon.)

Before this life is over, Khloe would like to check everything off her sexy bucket list and visit South Africa to wrestle evil poachers into submission. (And maybe see some baby elephants.)

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Khloe Summers is also AVA QUINN.