by Ashlee Sinn
“I’ll drive,” he whispered, taking the keys ever so slowly from my hand.
I turned in his arms, my back now pressed against the cold metal of the truck, my front brushing against the beautiful man that saved my life. I licked my lips and he watched. His other hand touched my shoulder and then his fingers danced down my arm. “What is it about you?” he whispered.
I didn’t think I was supposed to answer. Which was good because I could form no words right now. He leaned in and my heart pounded against my ribs. This was it. Yes, please kiss me now. I stared at those plump, moist lips of his and wished for them to touch me. Closing my eyes, I waited. And waited.
Major pressed his forehead against mine and sighed. Feeling brave and not wanting to let this moment pass us by, I rested my hands on his hips and pulled him a little closer. He growled and chuckled at the same time. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he breathed.
“I do.”
“Fiona,” his pause lasted long enough that I was forced to open my eyes again. “I can’t.”
Disappointment flooded my heart, the guttural pain of losing something I never had surprising me. Major shifted on his feet and let out a huff. His lips brushed my forehead long enough for a quick kiss but not even close to fulfilling all that I wished he would do.
“We should go,” he said as he stepped back and waved me away from the door. “Hikers will be arriving soon and I don’t have any clothes.” The sexy grin on his face helped me feel better and also tingled all of my lady parts.
Grabbing my arm, he helped me in the truck and then jogged around to the driver’s side. Without saying another word, he turned on the heat and pulled out of the forest. I watched him, I couldn’t help it. But not once did he glance my way. His naked body glowed in the morning sun filtering through the trees which had my heart fluttering faster than it ever had before. Yet, he never acknowledged me and he didn’t try to speak.
With a sigh, I rested my head against the window and cursed myself for letting him get to me. I was in Alaska to take charge of my own life. No longer did I have to deal with an unfaithful husband and an overbearing mom. I wasn’t here for them. I wasn’t here as part of some quarter-life crisis.
And I certainly wasn’t in Alaska to find love.
The aroma of Fiona’s disappointment filled up the truck cabin to a point I barely thought I’d be able to hold on to my humanity. I didn’t mean to hurt her. I just couldn’t let myself fall so hard for a woman who could break me all over again. There was something about her—something that reminded me so much of Annie yet had a uniqueness I couldn’t quite place. And when I saw her start to fall, my first thought was that I couldn’t lose her too.
Fiona’s heart raced and I didn’t know if it was because she was mad or because she’d felt an attraction to me. The idea of the latter had my animal riled up inside. And he wanted her bad. But we’d just met, and I couldn’t let my heart risk another bond like that.
As I got closer to my cabin, the uncomfortable silence grew. Say something, my tiger encouraged. Weird, since he was the one that had nothing to say as I was saving Fiona.
“So, what are you doing in Alaska?”
She rolled her head against the window and raised her brows. While pointing to the camera sitting in her lap, she said, “Taking photos.”
I liked her spice and couldn’t help but grin. “Do you work for someone or are you a freelancer?” This time, she turned in her seat and studied me. I felt my cock stiffen under her intense stare.
“Freelancing right now.” She looked back out the window and shrugged. “Although Julia hired me for the fundraiser last night.”
I’d be sure to thank Julia later. “And this morning?”
With the first real smile I’d seen from Fiona since I started the truck, she picked up her camera and started flipping through her screen. “Nature photography,” she answered quietly.
“That’s awesome,” I said.
She huffed and continued looking at pictures. “It’s a tough business to get into.” Once she found the photo she was looking for, she smiled and tilted the screen toward me. “But this one just might do the trick.”
I glanced over and studied the photo she took of me in tiger form standing on the rock watching her step closer to the edge. The fog behind me made the forest look ethereal and the light pinks and oranges of the rising sun darting throughout seemed fake. Somehow, Fiona had captured the sheer beauty of the scenery in once click while focusing on the white tiger in the middle of an Alaskan forest.
“That’s absolutely amazing,” I breathed and then forced my gaze to hers. Those green eyes clamped onto my heart and I knew this woman was going to change my life. “You are incredible.”
She blushed and ducked her head. “I’m getting better.”
“No.” My voice came out harsher than I wanted and she flinched. “You should be proud. I know a hundred people who would buy your pieces on the spot.”
With a giggle, she faced me again. “Thanks for that, but you don’t have to be so nice. I’m already indebted to you for saving my life.”
I concentrated on the road ahead as I got closer to the cabin. I didn’t know what to say to her because I couldn’t understand why I felt the way I did. I’d known her less than twenty-four hours and I already couldn’t imagine spending a moment away from her. Fiona would run full-speed the opposite direction if she knew how hard I was falling.
And my human heart wondered if this could really be happening all over again.
“Is that your place?” Fiona asked as we turned into the drive.
“Yeah.”
“Very cute,” she mused, taking in the small parking area and studying the light wood cabin.
“Come on, let’s get you inside.” I jumped out of the truck, trying to tamper down my swollen dick so that I wouldn’t scare Fiona away. Her presence alone was enough to get me hard, and that is something that hasn’t happened in a long time. Fuck, what was she going to do to me?
I opened her door and grabbed her camera and backpack. She gave me a funny look but kept silent. Perhaps she was trying to avoid looking at me since her eyes kept darting back and forth and her cheeks reddened to a sexy shade of pink. But when she stepped out of the truck and swayed to the side, I immediately wrapped my arms around her waist.
She smelled so damn good. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, just dizzy.”
When she touched the back of her head with her hand and it came away red, I winced. The sharp metallic scent of blood had my tiger racing inside. She was hurt. And hurt worse than I’d thought. “All right. You’re mine now.” In one quick move, I scooped her up into my arms and enjoyed the giggle coming out of her mouth. Fiona didn’t protest and that worried me even more. She didn’t strike me as being a damsel in distress type of woman yet here she was, allowing me to carry her into my house to my first aid kit. Her feminine body fit perfectly against mine, and when she rested her head against my chest, I couldn’t stop the sound that came out.
“Are you purring?” she asked with another giggle.
“Can’t help it,” I said stiffly.
Fiona looked up at me and pressed her hand against my cheek. I almost tripped over my feet when her bare skin touched my own. “I think it’s sexy,” she whispered.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit. No, damn her. She couldn’t say things like that. I was already feeling so strongly connected to her, that even the smallest sign of her reciprocating would mean that my animal would claim her.
I set her down on the couch before I jogged into the bedroom and threw on some clothes. I heard her sigh, wondering if that sound was meant for me and my behavior. But I didn’t care. I needed to stop thinking about how much I wanted her and focus instead on patching her up and sending her on her way.
“So, why are you in Alaska?” Fiona asked me as I collected the materials I needed to treat her.
“I work for the ISC.”
“I know that, but aren
’t they headquartered in New York?”
“Yes.”
“So, why are you still here?”
With arms full, I walked over to the couch and set down my supplies on the coffee table. “Well, I was only supposed to be here for a few weeks, but several months later I’m finding it hard to leave.” I looked into her emerald green eyes and saw my future. Fiona and I could stay here together. Forever. Or at least until she drew her last breath as an old woman. Yes, that’s what we wanted.
“Will you be staying?”
I swear I heard a tinge of hope in her question and it made me smile. But I couldn’t answer that. Not yet. “Let me see your head.”
Fiona didn’t move at first and I wondered if she was going to let me get away with not answering. She shouldn’t but she eventually shifted her feet up underneath and turned her back to me. “I think it’s still bleeding,” she said.
I gently parted her hair away from the cut. My first instinct was to lick it. I wanted to taste her and make her mine so badly I caught myself leaning forward in anticipation. Fiona didn’t even flinch at my closeness and that only made me want her more. So strong. So beautiful.
“Is it bad?” she asked.
“Actually, not as bad as I thought. You don’t need stitches, but let me try to get a bandage on it.”
She nodded and turned around to face me. Her eyes devoured my lips and it was all I could do not to jump on top of her right now. Her hand brushed my cheek again and she lifted her chin. A second later, her lips grazed mine. A light touch that ignited my tiger. He wanted to taste her more just as much as I did, but when she pulled away and set her head against my lap, I froze.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” she whispered.
Seeing that this position gave me better access to bandage her cut, I wondered if that’s why she chose to lay on top of me. Maybe she didn’t feel the same intense connection I did. That thought crushed me so I focused on fixing her up instead of letting the pain of losing her rip me to shreds.
When I finished, I helped her sit up and I made us some tea. She watched me closely as I scurried around the small kitchen and asked her only what kind of tea she wanted. I thought I heard her laugh at one point, but I didn’t want to see that smile knowing it would be walking out of my life very soon.
I sat down next to her close enough that our shoulders brushed against each other. But Fiona wasn’t focused on that, and instead examined her forearm and wrist. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
Her face scrunched up in thought. “Well, I was just looking at the scratches I have from when you grabbed on to me.”
“What?” I jumped forward and pulled her arm closer. “I scratched you?” My heart raced, pounding against my ribs at an extreme pace.
“Just a little,” she said, studying my face. “Why are you so freaked out? It’s not like you can change me.” Her smile faltered when I didn’t respond quick enough. “Right?”
Shaking my head, I sucked in a deep breath and made myself see that I’d only scratched the very outer layers of her skin. “Right, I can’t change you.” I felt her staring at me again but I couldn’t bear to meet her gaze.
“You know, that was my mother’s biggest fear.”
“What?”
“That I would get turned into an animal if I came to Alaska to photograph shifters.”
“I thought you came here to photograph nature?” I briefly worried I’d been tricked.
Fiona laughed and I instantly eased. “I did. But I’ll probably keep working with Julia for a while. At least until I can get settled.”
“Oh, I see.”
Setting down her tea, Fiona twisted around again so that she was facing me. “I told my mom that she had nothing to worry about because I knew how to take care of myself.”
“Yeah…” I didn’t know where she was going with this.
“And I reminded her that shifters were born not made.”
I stayed silent.
“But I didn’t know you would be the one that kept me safe. The famous white tiger of Alaska.” She licked her lips and I almost lost all control. Her hands cupped my cheeks and she climbed on top of my lap. “Thank you, Major.”
As gently as before, she bent forward and kissed me while I held perfectly still. It wasn’t an aggressive kiss, but boy did I want it to be. I grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her back. “What are you doing?”
“I’d like to show you my appreciation.” She kissed me again.
“You don’t have to do that.” What? Why did I say that?
With a laugh, she threw her hands over my shoulders and nuzzled against my neck. “There’s just something about you, Major Patel,” she whispered almost to herself. “Something that makes me feel safe.”
I gave into the hug and held her tight. My erection grew and I had no doubt she felt it. My animal wanted me to claim her right here, right now. He wanted to be inside of her so bad that fire ripped through my gut as he clawed toward the surface.
Fiona lifted her head and watched my lips again. “I want to stay here with you,” she breathed, as though answering some unspoken question.
And that was it for me. I pulled her close and crushed my lips against hers. When I pushed my tongue inside, she reciprocated with no hesitation. For years I’d controlled my behavior around women, mostly to avoid falling too deep. But I couldn’t stop myself with Fiona. It was as though we’d known each other our entire lives and only now had a chance to connect. She giggled when I shifted my hips and pressed my hard bulge against her. I growled and cupped her breasts.
“Major,” she breathed. “I never do this.”
“Do what?” I slipped my hand further down her ribs toward her hip.
“Make out with someone I just met.”
“Well,” I said, trailing kisses along her neck and collar bone. “I did save your life.”
She laughed again and started grinding her hips against mine. “That is true. So, that takes off, what? Like at least a year of dating, right?”
“At least,” I growled.
Fiona leaned back and looked at me. Like really looked at me as though she could see all my deepest secrets buried somewhere in my eyes. I knew they’d turned orange but she seemed to like that even more. With a quick flick of her arms, she pulled her shirt off and threw it to the other side of the couch.
My mouth dropped open in shock. “No bra?”
She smiled. “Nope.” Then, wrapping her hands over her own flesh, she squeezed them tight. “They needed a little break today.”
I tilted my head forward in between them and inhaled her scent as she giggled. “Good god, woman. You’re killing me.” And as though she hadn’t already won me over, she wiggled them back and forth against my cheeks.
“Do you like that?” she teased.
I bit down on one just hard enough to make it red. “What do you think?”
“Well, I think—”
My phone rang.
“Ignore it,” I told her, sucking on the taught nub right in front of my face.
She titled her head back and let out a moan, the seam of her pants rubbing against my erection. “Okay,” she breathed.
The ringing got louder and I groaned when I recognized the caller. “Son of a bitch.”
Fiona froze on top of me and then leaned back far enough to reach my phone lying on the coffee table. She looked at it and tilted her head. “Derrick?”
I sighed, trying to decide what to do. Then I looked at Fiona’s giant breasts bouncing around in front of me and said, “Fuck it.” Kissing her flesh again, I tried to get back to where we’d left off.
“You should probably answer it,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because,” she kissed my nose and then my lips, “if you don’t answer it now, he’ll just keep calling back and ruining the fun we’re about to have.”
I loved her. Already, I knew it. I loved her.
So, with a sigh and a lonesome look at the breasts waiti
ng for my attention, I took the phone from her hand and hit the button. “What do you want?”
Several loud noises came through the other end and then I heard Derrick say, “Major, what is that?”
I quickly glanced at the phone and realized he could see everything. “Are you Face-timing me? Shit!” Without another thought, I turned to phone so that the camera was pointing toward the kitchen and not at Fiona’s naked torso.
“Hey Major, who’s the girl?” Bo did little to hide the teasing tone of his voice. As the youngest and wildest Callaghan brother, I’d learned that Bo never had much of a filter.
“I think that’s the photographer,” we heard Derrick say.
“I think she was naked,” Bo shouted through a whisper.
“Oh my god,” Fiona mouthed and then crawled off my lap and quickly put her shirt back on.
I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Sorry,” I mouthed but I couldn’t help smile at her flushed cheeks and the way her lips were curving up into a grin.
She just shook her head and nestled up against my side.
“Major? You there?” Derrick shouted into the phone that still gave him an awesome view of my kitchen.
“It’s okay,” Fiona whispered, kissing my cheek and gesturing for me to continue the conversation.
“I’m here,” I groaned, trying to keep her out of the shot. “What do you want.”
“First of all,” Bo pushed his face onto the screen, “You need to tell us who that is!”
“Who?” I asked innocently.
“Her!” Bo said. “The woman snuggling up next to you that you think we can’t see!”
Fiona laughed and reached for the phone. She twisted it to the side far enough for her face to appear. “Hi. I’m Fiona.”
“Hi Fiona,” Derrick and Bo said at the exact same time, making her laugh again. Then we clearly heard Derrick say to Bo, “It’s the photographer from last night.” And then Bo said, “All right, Major.”
This time, I felt a little flushed, embarrassed for what my friends were saying in Fiona’s presence. “Okay, for real. What do you want?”