Read Online Mountain's Captive by Michelle M. Pillow - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michelle M. Pillow
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place in his rugged home and his gut automatically stiffened in pleasure. He ignored his body’s unsubtle hinting and refused to let the scent affect him.
“Why?” Chloe did as his suggested. “What’s happening?”
“Grandpa is gone.” Everest said, bending to throw another log on the fire. “He left early this morning.”
“Then how am I to get back to Miner’s Cove? He said he’d take me.” Chloe eyed Everest in disbelief. “He is coming back, right?”
“Well, eventually he will.” Everest shook his head and gave a short laugh. “I am afraid you’re going to be my guest for a short while.”
“What do you mean? Why can’t you take me back?” Chloe breathed in growing fear. “I can’t stay here. I have a deadline. I have to get married.”
“Did you forget? You are married.” Everest kept his expression blank. His throat tightened bitterly. “Don’t you think he’ll wait for you?”
“This is insane. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing at, but I won’t be a part of it. I want to go back to Miner’s Cove now.” Chloe grew suddenly afraid. She prayed that he wasn’t one of the stalking fans she had always feared. “Either you take me or I’ll walk.”
Everest laughed at her determination. “Unless you know a way to fly over several hundred feet of unsteady snow, I would say you’re not going anywhere. Besides, an untried city girl like you would be dead within ten minutes in those elements.”
“You can’t keep me here. I have friends, very powerful ones. They know where I am. They’ll not let you get away with kidnapping me.” Chloe stood and began to back away from him. His laughter cut her off. His eyes flashed with mirth.
“I don’t want you here anymore than you want to be here, lady.” Everest leaned back on the chair and crossed his arms. “Believe me, if there were a way to get you out of here, I would do it. If I thought I could make it, I’d throw you over the snow bank.”
“Then why are you trying to trap me here?” Chloe asked, unsure. His firm lips made her tremble. She might not remember their night of shared passion, but her body seemed to just fine.
“I am not trying to trap you.” Everest shook his head in amusement. “Are all writers as dramatic as you are?”
“I am not dramatic,” Chloe huffed. “What would you have me think? You come back alone saying that I can’t leave. You have yet to give me a decent explanation as to why.”
“If you would calm down long enough to have a simple conversation, I could tell you.” Everest’s calm grated her nerves. Despite the inconvenience of her presence, he found her confused rage intriguing. He chuckled to himself, thinking he must indeed be getting bored living all by himself. This woman came attached to more problems than he wanted to deal with.
Chloe moved back to the chair, afraid that she was being irrational. The man before her threw her off guard. His very nearness rattled her brain. She wanted him, of that she was very certain. But even though he was her husband, she knew she couldn’t have him. She didn’t know him and he didn’t know her. It took all of her willpower to look calm. “Please, tell me what’s going on.”
Everest smiled at her obvious self-control.
“It would seem that Grandpa has got it into his head that we are married.” He raised a sarcastic eyebrow. “I forget who told him.”
Chloe said nothing. She gave a guilt-ridden glance to the floor.
“He takes marriage very seriously and for some reason thinks that we are perfect together.” Everest’s features remained blank.
“What?” Chloe sat back in shock. Secretly, she was pleased by the compliment. “Did he say that?”
“No, he wrote it,” Everest dug a hand into his pocket, “in a note he left early this morning. Would you like me to read it?”
Chloe nodded, unable to answer. She ignored the paper, unable to focus on anything but the subtle movements of his firm lips.
“To my
“Why?” Chloe did as his suggested. “What’s happening?”
“Grandpa is gone.” Everest said, bending to throw another log on the fire. “He left early this morning.”
“Then how am I to get back to Miner’s Cove? He said he’d take me.” Chloe eyed Everest in disbelief. “He is coming back, right?”
“Well, eventually he will.” Everest shook his head and gave a short laugh. “I am afraid you’re going to be my guest for a short while.”
“What do you mean? Why can’t you take me back?” Chloe breathed in growing fear. “I can’t stay here. I have a deadline. I have to get married.”
“Did you forget? You are married.” Everest kept his expression blank. His throat tightened bitterly. “Don’t you think he’ll wait for you?”
“This is insane. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing at, but I won’t be a part of it. I want to go back to Miner’s Cove now.” Chloe grew suddenly afraid. She prayed that he wasn’t one of the stalking fans she had always feared. “Either you take me or I’ll walk.”
Everest laughed at her determination. “Unless you know a way to fly over several hundred feet of unsteady snow, I would say you’re not going anywhere. Besides, an untried city girl like you would be dead within ten minutes in those elements.”
“You can’t keep me here. I have friends, very powerful ones. They know where I am. They’ll not let you get away with kidnapping me.” Chloe stood and began to back away from him. His laughter cut her off. His eyes flashed with mirth.
“I don’t want you here anymore than you want to be here, lady.” Everest leaned back on the chair and crossed his arms. “Believe me, if there were a way to get you out of here, I would do it. If I thought I could make it, I’d throw you over the snow bank.”
“Then why are you trying to trap me here?” Chloe asked, unsure. His firm lips made her tremble. She might not remember their night of shared passion, but her body seemed to just fine.
“I am not trying to trap you.” Everest shook his head in amusement. “Are all writers as dramatic as you are?”
“I am not dramatic,” Chloe huffed. “What would you have me think? You come back alone saying that I can’t leave. You have yet to give me a decent explanation as to why.”
“If you would calm down long enough to have a simple conversation, I could tell you.” Everest’s calm grated her nerves. Despite the inconvenience of her presence, he found her confused rage intriguing. He chuckled to himself, thinking he must indeed be getting bored living all by himself. This woman came attached to more problems than he wanted to deal with.
Chloe moved back to the chair, afraid that she was being irrational. The man before her threw her off guard. His very nearness rattled her brain. She wanted him, of that she was very certain. But even though he was her husband, she knew she couldn’t have him. She didn’t know him and he didn’t know her. It took all of her willpower to look calm. “Please, tell me what’s going on.”
Everest smiled at her obvious self-control.
“It would seem that Grandpa has got it into his head that we are married.” He raised a sarcastic eyebrow. “I forget who told him.”
Chloe said nothing. She gave a guilt-ridden glance to the floor.
“He takes marriage very seriously and for some reason thinks that we are perfect together.” Everest’s features remained blank.
“What?” Chloe sat back in shock. Secretly, she was pleased by the compliment. “Did he say that?”
“No, he wrote it,” Everest dug a hand into his pocket, “in a note he left early this morning. Would you like me to read it?”
Chloe nodded, unable to answer. She ignored the paper, unable to focus on anything but the subtle movements of his firm lips.
“To my