The Reindeer's New Year Love (Reindeer Holidays Book 7)

by Elizabeth Ann Price

  “Well, I didn’t think you came here on purpose. No offense to anyone who lives here, but this place is pretty awful.”

  Riker smiled. “I don’t think anyone really lives round here. The motel’s just for travellers, and the bar’s mostly just for shifters – one of the few places that is just for shifters. Guys like that coyote travel miles to go there.”

  “I wouldn’t travel five feet to go there,” she muttered. “Stop laughing!” she chastised in amusement as he snickered mirthfully.

  “Yeah, they don’t see a lot of females in there. No wonder they were so excited to see you.”

  His wolf growled as he thought of the coyote – he had been too excited. It was lucky Riker was there.

  “It was lucky you were there,” she said, echoing his thoughts. “I don’t know what I would have done otherwise.” Her hands stilled on his chest. “I’m lucky I met you.”

  Riker rumbled deep in his chest. He didn’t feel like she was the lucky one in that moment. He placed a couple of fingers under her chin, and gently lifted her face until she was looking at him. Her eyes shimmered and her lips parted expectantly. The sweet, heady scent of her desire amplified and he growled.

  He would never claim to be good with words. He couldn’t flatter and use honeyed words with women. Even if he could manage it he knew he wouldn’t. He was a straightforward guy, and he wouldn’t flirt to get what he wanted, wouldn’t throw out false platitudes or even honest compliments. But for this female, he could manage the truth.

  “Hell, you’re so beautiful, you make me ache.”

  It wasn’t the greatest compliment in the world – not by a long shot – but it was the truth, and the effect on her certainly suggested that she appreciated it… and then some.

  Anne leaned up and pressed her lips to his. It was soft and gentle and almost timid, or at least it was until Riker’s instincts kicked in. She squeaked against his mouth as he dragged her body against his and he kissed her back with wild abandon. Her arms and legs wrapped around him and he clutched at her body as if his life depended on it. Her supple form pressed against his, her breasts were crushed against his chest. She almost felt like she was on fire.

  It hadn’t been that long since he’d been with a woman – he’d certainly had longer dry stretches while on hunts – but right now, he felt desperate to kiss her, desperate to touch her. He felt like he’d been wandering the desert for years and had finally come across the most beautiful, sparkling water he had ever seen – and he wanted to drink it all down. He wasn’t sure he could get enough of her. She panted as he freed her mouth, but he didn’t want to stop kissing her, didn’t want to stop feeling the taste of her. He kissed his way over her cheek, and made his way down to her neck and shoulder, licking, nipping and kissing every inch.

  “Michael.”

  His name ripped from her lips in a ragged whisper, and his inner wolf howled triumphantly. Yes, she – this unbelievably gorgeous creature – wanted him. She was calling his name, shivering in desire for him.

  Vaguely, the logical, sensible part of him that was usually in charge wondered whether this was a good idea – wondered how she would feel when she found him gone in the morning. But that part of him was currently drowning in lust, and Riker didn’t think he could stop now even if he wanted.

  Holding her with one hand, he swiped the sideboard clean, knocking a non-working lamp, the bottle of calamine lotion, and a vase of withered flowers to the floor. He dropped her onto it and tore her robe apart before kissing his way down her chest and ensnaring one of her ample breasts, laving and suckling at her flesh before moving onto the other.

  Anne pressed her hands to his head, her fingers clutching at his hair, urging him in his ministrations. He could have spent all day worshiping her soft, pillowy breasts, but he had another target in mind. She mewled as he pulled away, but as she realized what he was doing, she let out a whimper of nervous excitement and wriggled her hips.

  Riker kissed his way down her stomach, and gently lowered himself so he was kneeling before her. He inhaled the sweet scent of her sex and growled. His inner beast howled possessively in agreement.

  “Mine,” hissed Riker, the word slipping out before he could stop it.

  “Yes,” she agreed, her body trembling in anticipation.

  He gripped her hips, keeping her in place, and she cried out as if scalded as he pressed his mouth to her opening and his tongue delved inside. Riker growled in ecstasy. Her taste was unbelievable, sweet and nectarous and absolutely perfect, and by the gods he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything.

  Riker attacked her sex with vigor, determined to take his fill of her, yet almost frantic because he wasn’t sure he ever could. He could pleasure her with his mouth and manhood, over and over, all night long, as she screamed his name, yet he wasn’t sure it would be enough.

  She arched against him, keening loudly, her body tightening and her hands clutching his head. She writhed and screamed, she tried to escape his attentions but he would have none of it. As her hips undulated in agitated delight, he refused to let her go, refused to allow her to escape before he had his fill of her. He thrust his tongue in her as he would his manhood. He lapped and suckled at her, drinking in her beautiful excitement, and then he moved his mouth to her clit, nibbling and kissing her flesh, making her more and more restless before delving into her channel again.

  Her fingers were almost painful as they clutched at his head, as they tried to find some purchase while her body rolled in almost painful bliss, but it was nothing. The pain was nothing compared to how much he would ache if he didn’t have her, if he didn’t make her come.

  Riker almost felt as if his whole life had been leading to his. All the anger and pain of his teenage years, all the training and discipline he had forced on himself to control his temper when he was starting as a hunter, and all the hunts he had been on, all the shifters he had caught and killed, they were just a prologue to this. Because here with her was where he was meant to be.

  His wolf howled possessively and Riker growled against her flesh. He could feel her tightening, shaking, readying for something wonderful.

  He had long ago given up on the idea of finding a female. When he was young he was too angry, too violent, and he needed the hunters, and then suddenly, after being with the hunters for more than twenty years, he had thought himself too old, too jaded to be of any use to a woman. But no, he wasn’t, it wasn’t too late, because this female was his.

  His beast howled again. Mine! Riker growled as he violently plunged his tongue inside her, and she screamed his name as her release hit her like a tidal wave. She almost ripped his hair out as her climax wrung its way through her. Riker calmed a little and soothingly lapped at her juices, groaning at the taste.

  Her body shook gently with the force of her release, and Riker too felt a little shaky. He was no stranger to pleasuring a female, but he had never found so much enjoyment in it, never taken so much happiness from having a woman fall apart so utterly and thoroughly thanks to him. He had never felt so proud of himself for doing so either.

  She leaned back, her head against the wall, her whole lovely body flushed, and her eyes closed as she panted.

  “Oh my… that was…” she breathed.

  Riker rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders, trying to ignore his cocky inner beast. She half-opened her eyes and watched in interest as he shucked out of his pants, revealing his rock-hard desire for her.

  He leaned down and kissed her gently as he pushed his manhood inside her and pulled her back into his arms. She moaned at the size of him, but she didn’t feel any pain. She was far too relaxed from her release, far too ready for another one.

  Her limbs glided around him and she moaned against his lips. Riker growled in return. She was deliriously tight and felt amazing wrapped around him. Her glorious body was made for this.

  Given the condition of the couch – which didn’t even stand up to Anne sitting on it - and given the current vi
olent lust swirling inside him, he decided to forgo the bed and pushed her against the wall. She cooed in surprise, but didn’t object.

  He snaked his hips, thrusting inside her and she broke their kiss so she could cry out in pleasurable surprise. He did it again, and again, his body crashing against hers. There was no preamble or slow build - he had to have her immediately. He didn’t think he’d ever been so aroused, so eager, so desperate to be with a woman, and he couldn’t wait a second more.

  Riker drove himself inside her with a fury, growling at the feel of her body already clutching at him. The feel of her, the taste of her on his lips, and the scent of her swirling around him was sending him mad.

  “Protection,” he rasped, forcing the word out of his mouth.

  He didn’t want to stop, didn’t think he could stop, but a last shred of sensibleness lingered somewhere in the back of his mind, and he had to say something.

  “On the pill,” she gasped.

  Riker roared, ignoring the bangs on the wall from the room next door. He pounded himself inside her, flash slapping against flesh, her cries meeting his snarls. He could feel her glorious body tightening, could feel her quaking, readying, could feel himself getting harder as her body clenched around him.

  He felt like he was going out of his mind. That if he couldn’t have this beautiful creature, he would die. How could one female make everything feel so wonderful and so torn apart all at once?

  Mine, snarled his beast.

  Yes, in that moment, she was his. This perfect female had eagerly accepted him – she wanted him almost as much as he wanted her.

  Mine his beast snapped again, insistently.

  “Mine,” growled Riker possessively.

  On hearing that word, Anne came undone. She cried out as her body shook and trembled in completion. She clutched at Riker, holding onto him as she fell apart, and Riker couldn’t hold out anymore. He thrust deep inside her and exploded, howling his completion and reveling in the waves of pleasure she had brought him.

  Riker panted, and leaned one arm against the wall. He almost felt like his legs were going to collapse. He’d never felt so worn out or satiated, and yet, he wanted her again. His body was wracked with tiredness – both physically and emotionally – but he wanted her again, immediately. He rubbed his chin over her neck and kissed her.

  Anne giggled as she clung to him.

  “What’s so funny?” he rumbled.

  “Nothing really,” she hiccupped. “I’m just all sticky from the calamine.”

  Riker chuckled. “Yeah, I think we both need a shower now.”

  *

  Riker woke at 4 am. Another message on his cell phone. He had it set to silent, but he could still hear the noise of the vibrations.

  Anne was still sleeping soundly, half draped over his body, snoring softly, and pleasantly resting one hand on his chest. After the wall, he took her twice more – once in the shower that soon heated when they were in there, and then again, much more slowly, on the bed. She had fallen asleep immediately, and he hadn’t been far behind. He wasn’t sure he had been this energetic with a woman in years, nor this exhausted after. He looked down at her sleeping form and couldn’t help the goofy smile that wanted to form. She’s an angel crooned his wolf. True, but even after only a few hours sleep, he could already feel his desire for her kindling once again.

  His phone vibrated again, and it didn’t stop this time – someone was calling him. Looking down at Anne, he wanted to ignore it – wanted to pretend the rest of the world didn’t exist, but he knew he couldn’t. That call could be something important. He was still in the middle of a hunt, and he wanted to find his quarry before the owl did something desperate like hurt innocent civilians. His worst hunt had ended in a hostage situation, and he never wanted to put anyone through that again.

  Carefully and lamentedly, he lifted her away from him and rolled out of bed. He grabbed his phone and padded to the bathroom.

  “What?” he hissed into his phone, thoroughly pissed at whoever had dragged him out of bed and away from Anne.

  It was Mick. “I got a sighting on our owl. He’s heading south, we need to move now.”

  Riker opened his mouth to agree, to say he was on his way, but words didn’t come out. He found himself surprisingly uncertain and hesitant. He had never hesitated over a hunt before – not once. He had the keenness of ten hunters when it came to catching his prey. But, when faced with slopping out into the pouring rain, to catch the twin brother of an asshole who had tried to shred his face only hours earlier, or staying with Anne…

  He glanced over to the lovely creature warming his bed. In his absence, her arm had spread across the bed, and she was stretching. The covers had slithered down her body, revealing her breasts, the rosy pink nipples puckering in the coolness of the room, and the flesh still pink from earlier in the shower when he got a little carried away and gave her a few love bites. His wolf growled and Riker felt his arousal stirring. He could hang up on Mick, wake her, and take her again – a few times.

  “You still there?” asked Mick, unusual worry in his tone.

  “Yeah,” muttered Riker, wishing that the floods had washed the local cell tower away so he wasn’t faced with this choice. Though, knowing his luck, even if they had his phone would still work.

  Anne sighed in her sleep and rolled over into the middle of the bed. After a couple more hours with her, he’d probably forget his own name, never mind the owl shifter trying to scarper to Mexico.

  “We’ve gotta move fast,” said Mick.

  But Mick was a competent hunter. He could certainly find the owl by himself. Hell – Mick was supposed to be after this damn owl. Riker had already caught his half of the gruesome twosome twins.

  “The sighting was from a sixteen-year-old human girl he carjacked. She’s in the hospital with a concussion and a broken arm.”

  Damn.

  “After he dragged her out of her car, he didn’t even wait for her to get out of the way, he clipped her – she could have been seriously hurt. He might kill the next person.”

  “Better we take one vehicle,” said Riker decisively. He rattled out the location of the motel and told Mick to get there pronto.

  Riker pulled his clothes on and grabbed his weapons case. As much as he – and his beast – wanted to stay in the motel room, he didn’t need anymore convincing.

  He pulled the covers over her, and gave her a look of regret. He was pretty sure he would always regret leaving her to chase after some dumbass owl, but he had to do it. Besides, hopefully, they could take the owl down quickly, and he could be back before she even awoke.

  Chapter Five

  Carrie yelped as she awoke to find an annoyed middle-aged woman standing over her.

  “What the fffff-fudge are you doing?” cried Carrie.

  The woman pursed her disagreeable mouth. “Check out was ten minutes ago. I gotta clean this room.”

  A tart reply that the room didn’t appear to have been cleaned since the seventies danced on her tongue, but Carrie kept it to herself. She was still just a bit too discombobulated to start an argument with a woman she didn’t know.

  “What time is it?” asked Carrie, wrapping the blanket around her a little more tightly – she was naked under there and all.

  “What do I look like, the talking clock?” grumbled the woman as she set about giving the room a desultory dust.

  Carrie groaned and grabbed her phone. The battery was nearly out but she could see it was ten minutes after eleven. Jeez. She must have been exhausted last night, and then she remembered she definitely was exhausted, and the reason for it, and she blushed. Her inner reindeer chuffed proudly, but Carrie was still a little amazed at herself. She had never imagined she was the kind of girl who would hop into bed with a guy she had only just met – a guy whose last name she didn’t even know! Not only that, but she had been the one to start it – she was the one to kiss him. But then, she’d never met anyone like Michael before. She didn’t thin
k there was another guy out there that could make her want to rip all her clothes off with just a blank stare.

  Not that she had any regrets. Although, as the other occupant of the room glared at her, maybe she regretted not setting an alarm to wake up earlier.

  “Can’t you come back in like ten minutes?” asked Carrie as the woman continued to glare.

  “What do I look like, a machine? I have four other rooms to do before two – I haven’t got the time to come back later.”

  Given the lack of effort she was making in Carrie’s room, it seemed unlikely she would need two hours and fifty minutes to do all the rooms, but Carrie managed to control her temper.

  “Plus, you’ve made a real mess in here,” complained the female, “you’ve broken the couch, knocked the lamp and the vase over.”

  “Look I’m sorry about the couch, but surely you can just pick up the vase and the lamp.”

  “I have a bad back,” she sniffed.

  Carrie rolled her eyes. This woman sure was a treasure. “Look, can’t you do another room and come back here?”

  “What do I look like…”

  “Never mind!” interrupted Carrie, realizing she wasn’t going to get anywhere with this woman. “I’ll change in the bathroom.”

  “I need to clean in there!” snapped the woman in outrage.

  “Well, why don’t you clean in here first, and then you can clean in the bathroom afterwards. I’m sure I’ll be done before you are,” Carrie said sweetly.

  She wrapped the blanket around her and dragged her suitcase into the bathroom. Not wanting to risk the woman’s ire even more, she decided not to bother with a shower, and instead did a quick basin wash. She dragged her hair into a messy bun and pulled on jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt. She also didn’t bother with any make-up. It didn’t appear like Michael was still around anyway.

  No, he had clearly gone. Carrie sagged and her reindeer humphed. She wished she had pinned him down about his full name and number the previous evening, but what with one thing and another, she didn’t think about it. No, she was far too distracted to think about minor details like that.