Winter Craving

by Marisa Chenery

  “Shut the damn door, you idiots,” Cyrus said.

  As Talon, his youngest brother, reached back and pushed the door closed, Shyla jumped off Cyrus’ lap and sat beside him on the couch. She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed. He quickly tugged her closer so she was pressed up against his side with his arm around her shoulders.

  Before his brothers could say anything, Cyrus spoke first. “Why are you guys out in the storm?”

  Gage, the third born, answered. “Mom knew you’d gone into town to do your laundry. Since none of us has cell reception, and we’d already been by to let her and Dad know that we were okay and you hadn’t, she asked us to check on you.”

  “As you can see, I’m fine. So you can all run along now and tell Mom and Dad I made it home safe.” They were thirty years old and their mother still was somewhat overprotective.

  “And you brought a friend home,” Rhett said with a grin.

  Cyrus blew out a breath. He’d have to make the introductions or he’d never get rid of his brothers. Now he knew how much of a pain in the ass he and his other siblings had been to Kiel when his older brother first became branded and found Neha. He’d have to apologize to Kiel when he saw him again.

  “Shyla, these are my brothers, Rhett, Gage and Talon.” Cyrus pointed to each one as he said their names. “Kiel, my older brother, is at his place with his wife, Neha. He obviously had enough sense to stay inside.”

  “We stopped by Kiel’s place first,” Talon said. “He told us to get lost. I think he and Neha were entertaining themselves, if you know what I mean?” His youngest brother turned his gaze on Shyla. “It’s nice to meet you, Shyla. If you planned on going home tonight, sorry to say you’re stuck here.” Rhett and Gage nodded.

  “I already knew that,” Shyla replied. “You three aren’t the only idiots to go out in a blizzard. Cyrus came to my rescue after I dumped my snowmobile and then became hopelessly lost trying to walk back to my cousin’s place in town where I’m staying.”

  “So that’s how you found her,” Rhett said.

  Cyrus knew his brother meant that was how Cyrus had found his mate instead of having to go to the other packs or wander Helena, the city closest to Canyon Creek. He gave a short nod, hoping his brothers would leave already. They didn’t look as if they wanted to any time soon.

  Gage confirmed that as he walked farther into the cabin. “Maybe we should stay and keep you both company.”

  Before Cyrus could answer with a curt “Bugger off,” Shyla said, “None of you are wearing winter jackets. Don’t tell me you came here in nothing but winter boots and your long-sleeved shirts.”

  Cyrus silently cursed. His brothers would have left their places in wolf form, therefore negating the need for winter outerwear. The only time they wore winter jackets was when they were going beyond their land or running their traplines and they had to spend most of the time as humans. He hadn’t thought anything of it when Rhett, Gage and Talon had walked in without wearing much protection from the cold.

  He quickly answered. “They left their jackets out on the porch so they wouldn’t track a ton of snow into the cabin.” He gave each of his brothers a pointed look. “Especially since they aren’t staying.”

  Talon, thankfully, backed Cyrus up. “Yeah, we left them outside. I guess we’ll go report to Mom and Dad that you’re all right so Mom doesn’t decide to come here herself.”

  Cyrus would have to introduce Shyla to his parents, but not tonight. He had her all to himself and he planned to use it to his advantage to get to know her better, excluding interfering family members.

  “We’ll go,” Rhett said. “Hopefully we’ll get to see you again soon, Shyla.”

  His brothers said their goodbyes, then walked out the door, closing it tightly behind them. Cyrus turned to Shyla. “Now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?”

  Chapter Three

  A rush of desire shot through Shyla at Cyrus’ question. The remembered feel of his lips against hers as she ground her pussy along his hard cock had her heart beating faster. If his brothers hadn’t arrived, she was pretty sure she would have gone to the end of the road she and Cyrus had been on. And that wasn’t like her. The two men she’d slept with in the past, it’d taken her a little over a month into their relationship before she’d said yes to sex.

  Now that the moment had passed, Shyla didn’t know if she wanted to get that swept up again. She barely knew Cyrus. She had no idea if he only wanted a one-night stand or pursue something more lasting. If he only wanted the former, she wasn’t about to sleep with him. That wasn’t her, and no matter how attractive she found him and how close she’d come to giving him everything, she’d stand by her decision. And if it were the latter, she still wouldn’t have sex with him tonight.

  She looked at Cyrus. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think we should slow things down. I’m not…that kind of girl. If you just want a good time, I’m not the right woman either.”

  Cyrus scooped her up and sat her across his lap. He placed a hand on her cheek and turned her face so she looked him right in the eyes. “What happened earlier was my fault. I got a little carried away. I’m not looking for a quick bout in bed and then we say goodbye to each other. And I’d never push you into something you weren’t ready for.” He smiled. “I’m happy to hold you and maybe steal a kiss or two.”

  “That I don’t have a problem with. If anything, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”

  He ran the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “What made you decide to leave Chicago and move here to Canyon Creek? In case you don’t notice, this is me trying to get to know you better.”

  Shyla chuckled. “Gosh, I’d never be able to tell. As to the answer to your question, I needed the change. I’m twenty-nine and I felt as if my life wasn’t going anywhere. I was in a dead-end job I hated, and the men I met weren’t much better. My cousin, Nancy, was the one to suggest I come out here. We’d been close growing up, and we still kept in touch after she moved to Montana. I came for visits a few times and felt as if I should be calling Canyon Creek my home. It took Nancy a couple years to convince me to make the move, since I’d be leaving my parents behind, but I finally came around to the idea.”

  “So you haven’t found a place to live yet?”

  “No. I only arrived four days ago. I drove from Chicago with all my belongings in a rental trailer. With this storm, I’m so glad I left when I did. I don’t mind driving in the snow, but when it’s deep like this, I stay off the roads.”

  “What about a job?”

  “No leads on that, yet. I have some money saved up, and Nancy and John have already told me they won’t charge me rent.”

  “Canyon Creek is such a small town, and new job openings can be hard to get.”

  “I know. I’ve already thought about having to possibly look in Helena. It’s only a thirty-minute drive from here.”

  “I wouldn’t want to have to make that drive both ways every day for a job.”

  “If I get desperate enough, I might not have any choice. Not everyone can have a job like yours where you get to be your own boss and work in the great outdoors.”

  Cyrus gave Shyla a crooked grin. “You’d like to be a trapper, would you?”

  “I think I could do it. I like the whole living off the land kind of thing. I’ve always been into camping and fishing. My parents would take me every summer for a couple weeks to the lake close to Chicago where they’d rent a cottage.”

  “Trapping isn’t the same as fishing. The animal has to be skinned, then the pelts dried and stretched on a board.”

  “I’m pretty sure I can handle that. It might take a little getting used to, though.”

  “It’s hard, cold work. The hours are long, and you don’t get days off during the season. Plus, you don’t get a steady paycheck.”

  Shyla smiled. “If I said I think I could handle it, are you offering me a job?”

  “Would you take it? It’s not a profe
ssion most women are known to do.”

  “I’ll admit trapping would be way out there compared to the office jobs I used to work, but I’m up for the challenge. It’s better than sitting at my cousin’s place doing nothing. And you can teach me how to survive in the woods if I ever do something as stupid as I did today again.”

  Cyrus nodded. “All right. You’re hired. I’ll teach you all I know about trapping. I’ll make a real mountain woman out of you yet.” He held his hand out.

  Shyla placed hers in his and shook it. “Deal.”

  He released her hand before he sat her on the couch beside him. “To celebrate our new partnership, I think a beer is called for. I’ll run outside and grab us each one.”

  As he stood, she asked, “Outside? Why would you keep your beer out there? It’s cold enough to freeze them.”

  “I’m sure you noticed I don’t have any electricity, which means no fridge. I have an ice house close to the cabin. It won’t take me long.”

  Cyrus crossed the room, then slipped on his boots. He walked outside without a jacket on. Shyla shook her head as he closed the door behind him. After being so cold for so long earlier, there was no way she’d go out in the storm dressed like that. She shivered just thinking about it.

  She leaned back on the couch. She hadn’t really thought about being a trapper, but the biggest appeal of it was the fact she’d be working closely with Cyrus every day. Shyla enjoyed his company, and there was the added bonus that he had a body that made her weak in the knees. It’d be one job where the benefits were too hard to pass up.

  * * * *

  One beer turned into three. Each time Cyrus made a quick dash to the ice house to retrieve the bottles. After they’d finished the last one, it was late enough to go to bed. Shyla covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned.

  “It looks as if you’re ready to call it a night,” Cyrus said. “You can have the bed.”

  “Where will you sleep?”

  “I’ll manage on the couch.”

  Given the size of it, there was no way he’d be able to stretch out and be comfortable. Shyla shook her head. “No, you won’t. We can share the bed. After all, it’s not as if we haven’t already done that while being naked. Though that last part I won’t be doing. I’d end up getting cold and won’t sleep.”

  “All right. Since you put it that way. We’ll both take the bed. You can wear one of my sweatshirts. It’ll be big on you, but it should keep you warm. I can’t have you getting sick before your first day on the job as a trapper.”

  “No, we can’t have that,” Shyla agreed with a chuckle.

  Cyrus took her empty beer bottle, stood, then walked into the kitchen area. He placed it and his bottle on the counter before he returned to her. “Let’s go to bed. I’ll get you that sweatshirt. I’ll use the bathroom first so you can have the room to yourself to change.”

  Shyla stood and followed Cyrus into the bedroom. He crossed to the single dresser and pulled out a thick sweatshirt. As he held it out, it looked large enough to swallow her. She accepted it from him and turned to watch as he walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

  She quickly undressed. The bedroom was a little cooler than the main part of the cabin. The fire in the fireplace had burned down to coals. Cyrus had kept the woodstove going. Shyla tugged the sweatshirt on. It almost reached her knees and she had to roll up the sleeves three times to uncover her hands.

  Shyla crawled into the bed and pulled the covers up over her. They were cold. As if he’d read her mind, Cyrus returned with an armful of wood. He put one piece on top the coals and used an iron poker to stir them and bring it to flame. Once it burned nicely, he stacked three more good size pieces on top it.

  He brushed off his hands as headed once more to the dresser. Cyrus opened the bottom drawer and took out a pair of sweat pants that looked to be a match to the shirt she wore. He kept his back to her and pulled off his long-sleeved t-shirt. It ended up on the floor. As did his jeans a few seconds later.

  Shyla couldn’t tear her gaze off his naked form. The man really had an amazing ass. It was muscled and tight. She silently sighed in disappointment as he yanked on the sweatpants without turning around to give her a good view of his front as he had his back. He obviously was comfortable being naked in front of her.

  Once the pants were all the way up, Cyrus turned and headed over to the bed. He slipped under the covers. “Man, the bed is cold. The fire should heat the room pretty quickly, but if you want to steal some of my body heat, go right ahead.”

  She didn’t need to be asked twice. As Cyrus lifted his arm for her to scoot under, she snuggled against his side and tangled her legs and feet with his. “Thanks.”

  “Your feet are like ice cubes.”

  “You should see what I usually sleep in. I wear a sweatshirt, polar fleece pajama bottoms and thick fuzzy socks. It’s not exactly sexy, but it keeps me warm. Besides, it’s not as if I’m sharing my bed with anyone.”

  “Well, you’re more than welcome to dress like that and share mine. It’d be like unwrapping a present. What’s on the outside hides the part I can’t wait to get my hands on.”

  Oh my. The way Cyrus spoke in a husky voice and stared at her as if he wanted to do exactly what he’d described, she was definitely heating up. And it wasn’t from the fire. It all had to do with the man who held her. He turned her on like no other had in the past. Just a look and she was ready to change her mind about not having sex with him tonight. And god, it didn’t help that he smelled so damn good. With her head pillowed on his chest, his scent filled her nose with each breath she took. She swore it acted like an aphrodisiac.

  Shyla lifted her head as Cyrus turned his toward her. Their lips had a scant inch between them. She swallowed as her heart sped up and her nipples grew taut under the thick material of the sweatshirt.

  The intoxicating scent became stronger, causing her to hold back a moan. As what had happened earlier, Shyla wanted nothing more than to jump Cyrus’ bones. She’d had friends who’d talked about being unable to help themselves when it came to a man because they’d turned them on so much they hadn’t been able to think much less say no. That’d never happened to Shyla until now. She’d thought her friends had been shooting her a line of bull to cover the fact they were easy to get into bed. She realized how wrong she’d been.

  “I have to kiss you again,” Cyrus said in a strained voice. “Please tell me you’re okay with that.”

  All Shyla could do was nod. She wasn’t strong enough to deny what they both wanted. She hoped she’d be able to stop before she allowed it to go too far. A small voice inside her mind said yeah right, who was she kidding?

  A small sigh escaped her as he closed what little distance separated their mouths and claimed her lips. The kiss started out slow with gentle caresses. That soon wasn’t enough. She wanted, needed, more.

  Shyla stroked her foot up and down Cyrus’ leg as she tentatively ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth. That had him making an animalistic growl, which seemed to vibrate through her all the way to her toes. He angled his lips for a tighter fit over hers and proceeded to kiss her silly.

  His tongue pushed inside and plundered her mouth, thoroughly exploring her. Shyla put her hand on Cyrus’ chest, just over his heart. It rapidly beat, almost a match for hers. She kissed him back, her arousal ramping up, her body readying itself for a more carnal touch.

  He dragged his hand down her back and across her bottom to her thigh. He hooked it with his arm and lifted it so her leg rested on his hip, opening her. She moaned as he thrust his erection against her. Unlike before, she didn’t have jeans or panties on to separate them. The sensation was stronger as the tip of his sweat pant-clad cock brushed along her clit.

  Cyrus reached between them to where their bodies met. He ran his fingertips up the inside of her thigh until he reached her pussy. He let out a loud groan as he released her mouth. “You don’t have any panties on.”

  “
I hate wearing them to bed.” Shyla sucked in a sharp breath as Cyrus stroked a finger through the wetness at the opening to her body.

  “And you’re wet,” he said with a low growl. “How am I supposed to resist that?”

  He nuzzled the side of her neck as he’d spoken, which caused goose bumps to break out along her skin accompanied by a slight shiver. “I think I changed my mind about slowing things down.”

  Cyrus lifted his head and looked Shyla in the eyes. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “Just don’t make me regret it.”

  “You don’t have to worry, babe. I’m not going anywhere.”

  He kissed her with renewed passion. Cyrus rolled them so she ended up on her back with him propped on his side next to her. He tugged the covers over them before he took hold of the bottom of the sweatshirt she wore and slowly lifted it up her body. His gaze followed each inch of skin he bared. For once, Shyla didn’t feel self-conscious. The way he stared at her, as if he needed her to live, made her feel sexy as all hell.

  After he’d freed her completely of the shirt and had thrown it over the side of the bed, Cyrus ran a caressing hand from the top of her chest to one of her breasts. He circled her taut nipple with his index finger before he gave it a tug. He repeated the process on the other.

  He slid farther down the bed, leaving a trail of kisses along her neck to her collarbone as he went. Once he was level with her breast, he flicked it with his tongue enough to wet it, then blew gently across it. She gasped. Her nipple tightened even more. He did it again, eliciting the same response from her, before he sucked it into his mouth.

  Shyla buried her hands into his thick, longish hair to hold him to her. He drew hard on the peak, which had more of her juices leaking from her pussy. He skimmed his hand along her ribs and down her belly to the mound of her sex. Cyrus didn’t stop there. He continued his downward journey until he once more reached the slick opening to her body.