Page 129 of Mountain Men Heroes
An hour later she walked into the open floor of the Savage Fire still flushed. Her shower proved no help in squelching her libido, and she couldn’t even work the edge off herself. Every time she tried to touch herself, the only thing she did was rekindle the fire but no bursts of lights and cosmos erupted for her.
She crossed the hardwood floor and weaved through several tables still waiting for the staff to prepare for the afternoon crowd yet to arrive. Soft light bathed the entryway as the morning light spilled past the tables but failed to chase away all the shadows. For the darker areas, beautiful stained-glass chandeliers hung from long golden chains and gave the place a warm, inviting feel. Like a home away from home.
Over the back of the bar above the long mirror and shelves of various colored liquor bottles hung a large square, hand-carved clock. Two large bears on all fours adorned the top corners and little bear paws placed at the tips of the minute and second hands ticked by, signaling the early hour. If she hurried, she could still help Damon get things in order for the afternoon and have time to step in for Zahara’s husbands, who couldn’t make it to the monthly checkup at the doctors. With any luck she would use the time to say her piece and have that done and over with and shuttled off to Fairbank with time to spare.
In contrast to the guilt that weighed heavy in her chest, soft light came through the front window with the first rays of sunlight for the day. Zahara would say it’s one of the most magical moments in Alaska. But she craved to see and experience an Alaskan midnight sun.
Endless light, endless time. An illusion, but still it would be as though time could be recuperated. Or at least that was how the author put it in the guidebook.
Maybe next summer, if her sister still wanted anything to do with her after their conversation, she could plan another trip.
Ivy set to work putting out all the fixings for coffee. Filled the water tanks for the massive contraptions Damon had set up on the back of the bar and let her mind wander over nothing in particular as she placed clean mugs on one side of the bar and shots on the other for the people who like to chisel off the cold edge with something a little stronger.
Limes were cut and she had a fresh bucket of ice for the icebox already poured when heavy footsteps drew her eyes up.
A broad smile and a sexy grin greeted her.
“Hey, handsome. You’re not here for a rematch, are you? Damon and I beat you fair and square!”
Ethan’s broad smile worked wonders to boost her mood. She was quickly learning that the second oldest sibling couldn’t keep a sulky face if he tried. “Nah. Next year.”
Doubtful, but she kept that to herself. Setting aside the freshly laundered rags, Ivy clutched the side of the bar and leaned over for the small peck on the cheek in greeting. “Zahara said something about a climb up the back passages today. I thought you would be out with Drake, Holden, and Riley.”
“They didn’t need all of us so I volunteered to stay back and check some smaller unknown passages closer to home. Some of the local teenagers like to get rowdy back there, so better safe than sorry. Besides all five of us up there,” he made a drastic circle with his hand toward the peaks visible through the front window, “on those trails? No, that would be a recipe for disaster. One dog dare or another and we’d be spending Christmas in the hospital.”
She arched a brow when she came up with nothing to say to that. Men.
“Besides, mountain man or not, it’s nasty out there. The cold doesn’t really affect us as much as outsiders but damn, I hate getting wet.”
She could attest to that. Damon walked around like he was part snowman.
At his chin nod toward the front of the bar, Ivy looked out the window and saw that the slivers of sunlight that had once been there now dimmed as fresh snow and a strong wind kicked up flurries to swirl in the air.
She shivered down to her little Southern boots. Perfect weather for long and slow kisses and warm fireplaces. Whispery thoughts of what it would be like enjoying a cold wintry afternoon like today with Damon marched across her thoughts and brought a warm fuzzy feeling to the pit of her stomach.
As Ethan scraped a stool out from under the bar and made himself comfortable, she swiped a couple of mugs from the sidebar. “So a nice day off. Sounds like a perfect excuse for some hot cocoa and pie.”
Rich and savory tendrils of chocolate-infused steam wafted up as she poured them each a mug from the brew she’s put one five minutes ago. “I switched up the recipe a little from what Damon had written on the paper beside the machine. Hope he doesn’t mind.” She propped a hip against the counter and eyed Ethan over the rim of her cup with a smile of anticipation. “Whatcha think?”
His eyes rolled back after one long sip. “Mmm.” He took several more, the next one bigger than the last. “Damn, woman! Where did you get this recipe? It’s like Mrs. Marty’s double-dipped chocolate fudge brownies only in liquid form. Every man’s wet dream in a cup. You didn’t melt down her recipe, did you? Because wow, you could open a hot cocoa shop and have everyone in the state flipping for your brew.” He rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner and the way he licked his lips made her heart swell with pride at making someone happy.
Ethan slapped a hand over his heart. “I love you.” He sat his cup down heavier than needed and motioned for a refill. “If I wasn’t married already to Remy, I would scoop you up and never let you leave my home.”
Her mouth twitched into a grin. “Mr. Romeo, how ye melt me with thy words!” she teased, fluttering her lashes dramatically. “I get the same reaction from every patient I deliver pain meds to, by the way. So the competition would be stiff.”
“Sugar, pain meds. One in the same in my book!”
“What does Remy say about your sweet tooth?”
Ethan grinned wickedly and wiggled his brow and she nearly choked on her own sip of warm chocolate milk from the innuendo.
“You’re bad. Please tell me the rest of the Savage men have a bit more of a filter.”
“Nope. We’re all rugged badasses that don’t know any better than a mountain goat about how to behave in public.”
“Badasses! Ha.”
Ivy jumped at the loud bark of laughter. “You still shiver when your mama calls you by your full name, boy.” A door to the side of the bar swung open and the Savage senior graced the doorway with a smirk hinged high and a beefy hand closing the door behind him. “You boys give your mama wicked heartburn five times a week.”