Knocking Up His Bride Read online

  Charles keeps on staring straight at me. I look to Aurora and wait for him to start looking more her way. That’s how things normally go. I get it. Hell, if I was into chicks I’d be into her, too. Not only is she beautiful, but she’s kind and talented.

  “This is going to be a small trek that the snow is going to make feel longer. You ladies think you can do this?”

  “Yes,” we all say in unison. He gives us a skeptical look.

  “Listen, big mountain man. Aurora can run circles around all of us, and we all join in her mandated daily workout sessions for the most part. You just lead the way. And if you try anything I don’t like, I’ll be on like you white on rice, and I fight dirty,” Bells adds with an ominous tone.

  “Understood.” He gives a nod to Bells at her small speech, but his eyes come back to me.

  She's in pain, I mouth to Charles.

  He shrugs as if he already knows that.

  “Keep your steps high. It’s harder to drag the snow than it is to lift and place each foot,” he informs us. “All right, ladies let's do this. If something is bothering you I want you to tell me. I don’t care if you think you’re being whiny. I need to know either way.”

  “Got it,” we all agree.

  “Clover, I want you in the front. You listen to my calls from the back.” I don’t know why, but I feel a sparkle of approval that he trusts me to be at the front. I listen to every order he shouts out as we make our way off the road and into the snowy landscape. I never question and do just as he says, putting my trust in this man that has come to save us. This is so foreign to me, but for some reason I do trust him.

  He’s right, though. His truck wasn’t far, but with the cold and snow it made it feel a whole lot farther. I’m so relieved when it finally comes into view. He opens the back door of the truck, letting Aurora and Bells in first. When he closes the door he grabs me, pulling me into his big body.

  “You were fucking incredible out there.”

  My mouth parts in surprise. I’m not sure what to say to that. “You look like a damn snow angel.” His words are gruff, but they warm me all over. They wash away the chill of the cold snowy air before his mouth is on mine. The kiss steals the air right out of my lungs.

  It’s all over too soon, but when his lips leave mine, I remember where we are. What is happening? I wait for the fear to overtake me, but staring up into my mountain man's eyes, I know he’s going to get us out of this.

  There I go again, giving away that trust and faith that I usually hold on to so tightly. There’s something about my mountain man that makes me want to give him whatever he wants.

  4

  Charles

  I pull out of the little-used hunting road and onto the main highway. My lips are still humming from the taste of sweet Clover.

  Kissing a woman I just met isn’t exactly my M.O., but I can’t regret what I’ve done. It was too good, too right. Damn, she’s the sort of woman that I know I’ll never be able to forget. Just the way she looks at me, the way she led her friends through the snow without backing down or giving up. She only stopped once, and that was to help her friend Bells when she stumbled.

  “How far is the town?” Clover shoots Bells a worried glance.

  “About thirty minutes, but it’s going to be a little slower given the conditions.” I have to maneuver carefully and go cautiously with the chains on my tires. Glancing in the rearview, I see the next bank of clouds coming our way. It’s moving at a faster clip than the forecast predicted.

  “There was a cat.” Bells presses a hand to her forehead. “A big one.”

  “Leonard.” I shrug. “He likes to play in the road.”

  “You’re on a first-name basis with a cat?” Clover asks.

  I glance at her, taking in her long hair and fluffy, warm coat. She’s meant to ride beside me, a perfect fit for the passenger seat in my truck.

  “Leonard and I go way back.”

  “So, you’ve lived in Frozen Falls a long time?” Clover holds her hands in front of the hot air vent, so I turn it up a notch.

  “A few years, yeah.”

  “Where did you live before?” Her fingernails are a light pink with little sparkles on them.

  “All over.” I don’t think getting into my sordid past as a professional killer for the Brotherhood is in my best interest, not when it comes to convincing Clover to trust me. She’s already put her faith in me, and I don’t want to tarnish it. “What brings the three of you to Frozen Falls?”

  “We wanted to get away.” Aurora, the bubbly one in the back, pipes up. “We’ve been on the road for months, on tour, you know?”

  “Aurora’s a star. Have you heard of her?”

  “I can’t say as I have.”

  “That’s okay.” Clover shrugs. “She’s been number one on Billboard a few times and has the biggest talent of anyone I’ve ever seen.”

  “Oh, Clover.” Aurora shakes her head. “You are always too good to me.”

  “Not at all.”

  “So, you toured the country?” I ask. “And now it’s done so you want a getaway?”

  Aurora drops her gaze from mine in the rearview. “Well, sort of. We were supposed to go back to LA, but we had some trouble.” She grimaces and falls silent.

  “What sort of trouble?”

  Clover reaches back between the seats and squeezes Aurora’s hand. “Aurora has a stalker. He’s been after her nonstop ever since she turned him down.”

  “It’s not normal,” Bells adds. “He’s obsessed to the point it reminds me of a Lifetime movie, you know? Not healthy.”

  “Not safe.” Clover shudders. “Kent Kingston is a menace.”

  “Sounds like an asshole to me.” I ease around a hairpin curve in the road at the top of a ridge.

  “Pretty much.” Clover nods.

  I slow down, then bring the truck to a stop.

  “What is it?” Clover looks over at me.

  I lean forward in my seat and peer at the road. An old logging road winds up along the ridge, and there are fresh tire tracks coming out of it and heading toward town. I follow the line of the ridge with my gaze. It leads back to the spot where I thought I saw movement earlier.

  “Something wrong?” Clover’s voice rises an octave.

  I press the gas and keep moving. “Does anyone else know you’re out here?”

  “What kind of Hills Have Eyes question is that?” Bells snaps.

  Clover turns around in her seat. “That bump on your head is getting bigger. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Bells sounds irritated, her breaths coming out in huffs.

  “You’re acting kind of weird,” Aurora offers.

  “We need to get her to a doctor. Can you go any faster?” Clover turns back to me right as the first fat flakes start to fall.

  The weather has already caught up with us.

  I sigh and run a hand through my hair. “We can’t make it to town. Not in this.” I wave a hand at the snowfall that seems to be increasing by the second. “The road is already covered too deep, and not even my chains will be able to pull us through.”

  “Then what are we going to do?” Clover wrings her hands. “If we’re stranded out here there’s no way we can get the help we need. Bells is hurt, Aurora is freaked out—”

  “I’m okay.” Aurora shrugs.

  Clover’s voice rises even more. “Okay, well then I’m freaked out, and—”

  I reach out and take her hand in mine. “Clover, take a breath.”

  “I’m just—”

  “Let’s all take a breath.” I breathe in smoothly and hold it until Clover does the same.

  We all exhale at once, and Clover takes another calming breath. I rub her fingers between mine, keeping her small hand warm.

  She relaxes back against the seat.

  “We can’t make it to town, but I have somewhere we can stay. There’s a medic there.” At least I’m pretty sure Barrow served as a medic for the Red Scorpions. He’s
a double threat, could kill without warning or save your life.

  “Oh my God, that would be great.” The pinched look finally starts fading from Clover’s beautiful face. “They can check Bells, right?”

  “Yeah, Barrow’s a good guy. He’ll help if he can.”

  “A giant cat,” Bells says, her voice almost dumbfounded. “Out of nowhere.”

  The pinched look reappears. “Can we hurry?” Clover asks.

  I should tell her it’s not safe, that I can’t push the truck too hard when it has chains on the tires, that we’ll get to the lodge in decent time. But when she looks at me with those big eyes, I can’t say no. Whatever spell she’s woven over me, it’s stuck tight, because there’s no way I will ever disappoint her if I can help it.

  “Sure thing. Everyone, hold on.” I turn to Clover and keep her hand in mine as I push the gas pedal farther than I should. “And you, sweet Clover, just hold on to me.”

  5

  Clover

  As much as I want to cover my face with my hands, I don’t. If Charles is going to push through, I'm going to sit beside him and do the same. I’m thankful Aurora is too busy fussing over Bells to notice what the hell is going on. I have no idea who taught Charles to drive, but damn the man is a god at it. And somehow I know he’ll get us where we need to be safe and sound.

  I hope Bells never finds out about his driving skills. A weird nagging feeling in my stomach hits me when I think about Bells enjoying how Charles can handle a vehicle. It would definitely be something they would both have in common. That’s not the only thing that would make someone notice him, though.

  He’s really hard to miss. He’s a giant man. And when I say giant, I freaking mean it. He’s one of the biggest men I’ve ever seen. That’s saying a lot, considering all the different types of people I’ve been around, including bodyguards, security, back up dancers, fighters and any other big muscular type men you could imagine. Yet, none of them even come close to him. I’ve never thought about a mountain man before. Never even imagined one could be so handsome. He might be a lumberjack.

  “Are you a lumberjack?”

  He flips a glance over to me for asking such a stupid question. I want to facepalm myself, but I don’t think that will help in the moment. I should remain quiet before I embarrass myself further, but there is something about him that has me so curious.

  “I can chop my own wood if that’s what you're asking.”

  I’m not sure if that’s meant to be dirty or not, but still I feel my cheeks warm. I push my glasses up my nose again.

  “That’s a tell, pretty eyes.” The truck gives another jerk, but Charles doesn't stop. You would almost think he hadn't felt it at all. I bet those massive thighs of his are absorbing some of the impact. That’s probably why he doesn’t seem fazed. Oh God, what is wrong with my mind? His thighs are the last thing I should be thinking about. It was that kiss. It had to be. It’s done something to my body.

  “You think my eyes are pretty?”

  “I promise you everyone thinks your eyes are pretty. More so when your temper starts to rise and the gold flecks start to sparkle.”

  I purse my lips, not enjoying the idea that I might have a tell that people can read.

  “Wait. What is the tell?” If I have this valuable information, then I might be able to stop myself from doing it in the future.

  “When you push your glasses up your nose.”

  “Sometimes they need to be pushed up.” I lift my chin.

  “Sometimes they do,” he agrees easily. “And sometimes they don’t, and you give them a push anyways.”

  Damn. He’s right.

  “Thanks.”

  He squeezes my hand. I didn't even realize we were still holding hands.

  “What are you thanking me for?”

  I let out a heavy sigh. There is quite a list at the moment.

  “I’m listening.” He glances over at me with those dark eyes and a half smile on his face, making him look even more handsome. I’m not sure that others would call him handsome. His nose looks as though it was broken a few times. His features are hard cut, like they were carved from stone. As if he were one of those warriors that the world had decided to honor so they made him from a mountain and breathed life into him.

  “For saving us. Trusting me to lead.” I glance down. “Kissing me.”

  “What!” Aurora’s head pops up between the seats. I gently put my hand over her face and push her back down.

  “Just watch Bells,” I remind her.

  “Don’t throw me into this,” Bells pipes up. “I want to hear about this kiss.”

  I groan and sink farther down into the seat.

  Charles immediately begins to scowl.

  I shake my head. “Don’t be mad, I’m just—”

  “Shy.” Bells supplies from the back.

  “Aren’t you in pain or something? Maybe you should pass out.”

  Bells ignores me. “I can’t believe our little Clover is all crushing on a mountain man.”

  This time I do cover my face with my hands. I liked it better when Bells and Aurora were quiet in the back seat.

  “Can we get there already?” I drop my hands to look at them. “He's a lumberjack, too, for your information.”

  “We’re here, pretty eyes.”

  Thank God. Both a feeling of relief and disappointment fill me. I’m glad we’re somewhere where we can seek shelter and Bells can get the medical attention she may need, but I’m also sad that I’ll no longer be practically alone with my mountain man.

  “He nicknamed her.” Aurora’s whispers break me from my thoughts. Probably because they’re nowhere near close to being whispers.

  I peer out the front window, but I don’t see a rough cabin or anything at all, really. “All I see is snow.”

  “Spread your legs,” Charles says.

  I instantly do it. It’s not until my girlfriends are like What the fuck? that I notice just how quickly I’d spread them for him. My body obviously has a mind of its own. I’ll have to work on that.

  Is he smirking? I think he’s smirking. Oh God. My cheeks are on fire. I watch as he opens the glove box. I see a keypad, and he types in a ten-digit code. If I had to guess, he thinks he doesn't have to hide it from me because he did it so fast and there were too many numbers for me to remember.

  Too bad for him that’s not really how my mind works. I could tell him those ten numbers right now and then do it backwards if he liked. But I keep all those little facts to myself. When it comes to men, it’s often better to play dumb. Still, there is something inside of me that thinks Charles would be impressed by that skill.

  “Welcome home, ladies.” What looks like snow over mountains starts to open up. My mouth falls open in surprise as he pulls into a giant garage. The door closes behind us.

  My eyes land on the three men that come to stand in front of the vehicle. All have their arms folded over their chests, and none of them look happy at all to see us.

  “They’re more bark than bite,” Charles says.

  “I prefer the bite.”

  “Bells.” I growl her name. She gives me a weak smile that has me worried. She uses jokes to mask her pain. I turn my head toward Charles. “Promise me you’ll make this right.”

  He doesn't say anything at first. I unlock my seatbelt, getting right in his face, not caring that everyone is watching us.

  “Promise me.” I stare into his dark eyes.

  “Promise,” he finally says before he once again gives me one of those kisses that make me question everything about life.

  6

  Charles

  I can’t stop mauling this beautiful woman. It’s like every logic switch in my brain shuts down when I look into her eyes.

  She answers my kiss, her tongue swiping against mine as I pull her to me, her soft body molding to my hard hands.

  Her friends gasp, but I ignore them. I ignore my friends, too, losing myself in the taste of this unexpected angel with the pr
etty eyes. She’s too much, and I want every bit of her. How did this woman just get dropped into my path? I certainly don’t deserve this sort of good fortune, but I’ll take it all the same.

  Someone clears their throat. I look up to find Tiernan grinning, Diego blank-faced, and Barrow scratching his head.

  I pull away from Clover, though it’s no easy task, especially when I see the dazed look in her eyes, her lips already swollen from the intensity of my kiss.

  “Is it just me, or does this mountain man keep pawing at Clover?” Bells puts a palm to the bump on her forehead. “Or maybe I’m hallucinating.”

  “It’s real.” Aurora claps. “And I’m here for it!”

  Clover blushes and sits back down. As much as I want to pull her into my arms again, that bump on her friend’s head isn’t getting any better.

  “Ladies, welcome to the lodge.” I open my door and jump down, then walk around and open Clover’s door.

  She puts her hand in mine, trust written all over her, and I help her to the garage floor. Then I open the back doors and assist Aurora and then Bells. The latter is unsteady on her feet.

  “Barrow,” I bark.

  He hurries over, takes one look at Bells, then whistles. “That’s some knock you got up there.”

  I make quick introductions as my men approach. “These ladies wrecked out on the highway, thanks to Leonard. I found them right before the storm hit. This is Aurora.” I point to the pixie-like one. “And this is Bells.” I should introduce Clover, but I find myself pulling her behind me. Because maybe they don’t need to look at her, or know her, or say anything to her.

  “And you are?” Tiernan quirks a grin at Clover despite my efforts.

  “Clover,” she says warmly.

  Too warmly. If she’s warm, I want it to be for me, not the assholes I’ve taken in over the past couple of years.

  “I’m going to need a better look at that.” Barrow steps forward, and Bells gives him a long, skeptical look.