by Frankie Love
I draw in a deep breath. I’m not one to pick fights or lay down the law, but I’m also not used to having anything to fight for.
Now I do.
“I’ll make the call. I just need a boat to go back to shore.”
I’m one of four anglers on this long-range overnight fishing charter. The captain has just dropped anchor for the night at one of his secret spots, and he’s getting ready to clean all the fish we’ve caught tonight before grilling us dinner. I like to fish this way, because I learned quickly that money doesn't buy happiness. I save a hell of a lot of time hiring a boat and captain so I can focus on the fishing, but I’ve clearly changed my tune in the span of a day.
Never again am I gonna let any man other than me take the reins of my life, or the life of my woman and child.
I grab the radio, call in to the main office, and ask for a floatplane to come to where we are. I need out of here, and I can’t wait another goddamned minute to get home.
I know the captain thinks I’m showboating, tossing money around, but he can think whatever he likes.
He’s never had his cock sucked by Amelia; he doesn’t know the pleasure I know, and he never will.
I don’t need to explain anything to him.
The floatplane lands and I get one of the anglers I’ve been fishing with today to take the small boat that’s tied to the charter, and get me on the plane.
I need to get the fuck home.
The storm is fierce. More than once, the pilot swears about the turbulence, and the clouds above us are making chaos in the sky.
We’re safe to land, though, and thank God. When the plane comes to a stop over the crashing surface of my lake, I’ve never been so damn grateful to step on a dock in my life.
“You good flying back?” I ask the pilot. Wind is swirling around, but honestly it looks like the worst of it has passed us already.
“The storms are always worse down here, by the trees,” he tells me. “I’ll be fine. The worst of this storm is over.”
I make my way down the dock, heading to the house. By now it’s past nine at night, and I realize it’s been a hell of a long day. I hardly slept at all last night, because Amelia and I spent the majority of it memorizing one another’s bodies.
And then—like a fucking pussy—I left this morning, scared and running, once again.
What the fuck did I want out of life, and why did I spend a week pushing away the second best thing to ever show up at my door?
Most men don’t get that goddamn lucky in a lifetime.
I got it twice.
When I take the steps up to my patio, two at a time, my jaw falls. Holy fuck, this is bad. Tree branches have fallen across the patio. I step over enormous limbs, shocked to see the enormous bay window looking out to the lake smashed by a huge fallen branch. The glass is shattered, and I can easily step through it. I don’t, though, not wanting to slip on any glass—not at a time like this, when I need to take care of everything dearest to me.
“Amelia, Hope?” I shout, running to the patio door, pushing it open. Amelia didn’t lock it, but why would she? There isn’t a soul out here.
“Amelia?” I shout again, but there’s no answer.
My heart drops. Something happening to them is my goddamn worst nightmare … but in the living room, staring me down, is the fucking end-all and be-all.
A black bear is staring me down.
I stop dead in my tracks. The bear is pawing through my room, like he fucking owns the place.
How could I ever have left Amelia and Hope here without my protection? They need a man to take care of them, to show up, to never let them down. They need me.
Taking a better look at the bear, I can tell it’s just a cub. Maybe the storm frightened it far from his den, but it needs to get back to its mother, now.
Drawing a deep breath, I crouch down, wanting to make myself small enough so that it doesn’t see me as a threat.
As I position myself lower, out of the corner of my eye I see another bear—this one on the patio, arms raised. Pissed. This one is certainly looking for her goddamn lost cub. She growls loudly, and the cub that’s walking across my couch and fucking ottoman does the human equivalent of a kid getting caught in candy store.
Heart pounding, I watch as the cub runs through the room, toward the mama, knowing it’s busted but that there’s only more trouble if he tries to hide. I watch them run for the trees, out of my line of sight.
I sit there on the floor, my back against the kitchen cupboard, catching my breath. Then I panic. What if the bear already found Hope and Amelia?
I stand, then run to my office and grab my gun, not knowing if there are other bears in the house. As I make my way through my home, I find every room empty. My eyes fill with motherfucking tears as I search for them. I’m not a pussy, but I swear to God, if something happened to them I will die.
I need them in my arms, I need them now, and I need them forever.
They aren’t here, though. When I go through the door to the garage I see my pickup truck is gone, and the only thing left is my Jeep.
Thank God. They must have left during the storm. Left out of fear when the storm picked up.
I reach for my phone in my pocket, my heart dropping as I realize I must have left it on the fucking boat. Shit. I’ve got to find them, and I’ll drive all over Alaska until I do.
I grab my keys, jump in the Jeep. It’s time to find my girls.
Chapter Twenty
Amelia
The nearest city, Skagway, is a solid forty-five minutes from Reed’s house. Fortunately, it has decent hotels. This is the city I flew into, and driving through it now, I realize I’m okay. Hope is okay. Yes, the storm scared us, but it didn’t shake us.
The scariest thing of the day, actually, has been driving a car with a baby in it. I look in the rearview mirror every six seconds to make sure Hope is still smiling, still here. She hasn’t left.
She keeps repeating mamamamamama, and at first it’s precious, but eventually it just starts to shred my heart. I can’t leave her.
After checking into a hotel, I grab Hope’s things from the car and carry her to our room on the ground floor. The room door opens to the outside, so I park the car right in front of ours.
There are two queen beds, but I just lay a blanket on the floor and hand Hope a few toys, then drop the rest of our things on one of the beds.
I call Reed’s cell again, but there’s still no answer, as I expected. If he’s out in the middle of the ocean fishing, I really won’t hear from him for another day.
Grateful for being in town, with solid cell service, I try Everly’s number.
Miraculously, she answers.
“Everly, hey, babe,” I sigh into the phone, relieved to be speaking to my dear friend.
“Oh, Amelia, I’m so happy to hear your voice. Is everything okay?””
“Everything is up in the air. But actually, I’m feeling okay at the moment. Are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m amazing. I’m married. I’m in love. I mean, I burned Silas’s house to the ground, but we survived. And if we got through that, we can get through anything, I suppose.”
“Holy shit, Ev. You really did it? You really got married and everything?”
She snorts. “Wait, wasn’t that the plan? The whole thing? Like, the point?”
“Yeah, but I mean, what were we thinking?”
Everly is quiet, and I just need her to talk. I need a familiar voice.
“Say something,” I whisper.
“Are you safe?” she asks. “I mean, I know Monique vetted these men, but are you in trouble, Amelia?”
“No,” I tell her, sitting on the floor, cross-legged, beside Hope. “The man I was sent to is named Reed. Only problem is, he doesn’t want a wife. He has a baby and wants someone to take care of her.”
“Shit, that’s insane.”
“I know. And the worst thing is, I fell so hard for the baby. Her name is Hope, and I don’t know
how I can leave her. I love her. So much.”
“Honey. Oh, sweetie.” Her voice rings with that sincerity she always has. “Where is Reed right now?”
“That’s the thing. He left on a fishing trip, and there was a storm, and now Hope and I are at a freaking hotel.”
“You can always come stay with Silas and me. Obviously.”
“You just said you burned down your house.”
“Well, that’s true. We’re at a hotel in Anchorage right now. But we’re closing on a new house tomorrow, in Skagway.”
“That’s where I am,” I tell her. “You’re really moving here?”
“We are. And you are the closest family I have. If you need somewhere to go, come to me.”
“I just don’t know how I’ll leave Hope. And even though Reed is an ass, I think....”
“You love him?”
I pull Hope to my chest, rocking her. “It doesn’t matter how I feel.”
“Listen,” Everly says. “Silas and I were pretty rocky at first, but after a week it all clicked. Now I feel like he’s my soulmate. Maybe you and Reed just need more time, especially if a baby is involved.”
“I don’t need more time. I already know what I want.”
Hope starts whimpering. I need to make her a bottle and get her to bed.
“I should go,” I tell Everly. “But I’m so glad you picked up.”
“Are you gonna be okay? Should I fly out there right now?” Everly asks. “Because I can.”
“I’ll call you in a few days. After the storm passes and Reed gets home, I’ll make a plan. It might be me crashing on your newlywed couch.”
“Anything for you, Amelia.”
“Hey.” I can’t resist asking before I hang up. “How did your first time go?”
“Oh, my god, it was bliss. I was unprepared for some of it, but um. It was worth the wait.”
We hang up, and I smile. Despite things being bad with Reed, I’m here with Hope, and that’s a beautiful gift I never expected.
I give Hope her bottle, change her diaper, turn off the lights. We lay down on the bed, her cradled in my arms.
Closing my eyes, I listen to her deep breathing, her precious coos as she falls asleep.
And I fall asleep, too.
Hours later, a knock on the door makes me jump. Hope is still nestled against me, sleeping soundly, but I move my arm out from under her and go to see who’s banging on the door.
Through the peephole, I see the only person I want.
Chapter Twenty-One
Reed
She looks so fucking sexy. I love it when she’s tousled and sleepy-eyed, standing before me without a bra, her nipples instantly hard. It’s like all it takes is one look at her solid body and I want all of her.
I need her. I can’t ever let her go again.
“Fuck, Amelia, I looked everywhere for you.”
“You left the fishing trip?” She pulls open the door, and I step inside.
I see Hope sleeping in the middle of one of the queen beds, safe and sound. Thank God.
Pulling Amelia to me, I shut the door and press her against it. “I’ve been a fucking fool.”
“About which part?” Her eyes look up into mine. The room is dark, but shadows play across her face. She’s been crying; her eyes are red, and I know I’ve played a part in that.
I kiss her, press my lips to hers and inhale her sweet scent of perfection.
“Reed.” She pulls away, arching her back in a way that gets me hard, even though I know she isn’t trying to. “I can’t do this with you, be this person you want me to be.”
“You don’t know what I want,” I tell her, pinning her arms over her head.
She shakes her head ever so slightly. “You want a mother for Hope. You want someone to fuck. I’m replaceable. But I want to be more than that.”
I lean into her, my breathing hot and heavy because I don’t want my woman to ever feel this way again.
“Good, because you are more than that. You are fucking everything to me. If I lost you, Amelia, I don’t know what I would do. I need you. Not just to fuck me, and not just to care for Hope. I need you as mine. I need you as my wife.”
Her breath catches; her eyes fill with tears. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it, Reed.”
“Oh, I mean it, baby. I’m going to make you my wife.”
I kiss her again, this time pressing my hardness against her. She groans beneath me, her chin tilting up, and I leave a trail of kisses across her neck. She whimpers, and my hands grip hers over her head. I swear to God, I won’t let go.
My hands find the waistband of her leggings, shoving them down. Sliding my hand between her legs, I sink my fingers into her perfect folds. “You’re so wet, baby,” I whisper in her ear.
“For you, Reed, I’m always wet for you.”
Her eyes flutter closed as I circle her pulsing clit, unable to stop myself from touching her.
“I need to have you, and I can’t wait,” I tell her. “I love you, Amelia, so fucking hard.”
“I love you, too,” she pants. “We can make love later. Now, I need your cock to fill me. I need to feel you in me.”
I let go of her hands, and she steps out of her pants. She unbuttons my jeans, and I drop them so fucking fast, because looking at her bare pussy again gets me hard as steel, and I’m gonna fill her tight cunt with my solid rod.
“Take me,” she begs, and I don’t wait. I pick her little ass up, resting her against the wall as she wraps her legs around me. Sinking onto my cock, she whimpers, because it’s tight and warm and so fucking right.
“Oh, yeah, baby,” I tell her, then I kiss her hard, my teeth pulling at her pouty lips, swollen with desire. My hands cup her ass cheeks, and her soft flesh in my palm makes me thrust deep in her little pussy.
I can’t hold back, and why would I want to? I want to fill my wife with my seed so she remembers my promise to be hers. I want to fill her with my release, so she never forgets who she belongs to.
“Oh, I’m gonna come, oh God, Reed, I’m coming so hard,” she moans in my ear. “Oh, yeah, yes, yes, fuck.” Her juicy pussy pours over our thighs, and I love how my massive cock hits her so deep that her body can’t help but gush all over me.
I thrust into her, loving that she came first, so that she’s barely caught her breath when I shoot into her. I want her to lose her mind; I want her to disappear in pleasure.
“Oh, I love it when you come in me,” she says, her words buried in moans, because she loves this so damn much.
I finish, my come filling her tight little gap, and when I lift her off of me, her hand immediately reaches for my cock, like she can’t bear to be separated from it.
She strokes my hardness as I lift the hem of her tee shirt. Lowering my mouth, I suck her full tits, my tongue indulging in her perfect, hard nipples.
“One day, these gorgeous tits are going to be full of milk. I’m going to fill your pussy with my come, and your womb with my child.”
“Good,” she tells me. Then, biting her lip, she runs her hands over my ass, pulling me to her. “As your wife I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
I kiss her again, then lead her to the bathroom where we wash off, cleaning up her dripping pussy. I try to lick her slick thighs, but she giggles, then swats me away. She points at Hope, who is still sleeping soundly.
Amelia pulls her leggings back on, and I put on my boxers, and then she and I crawl into bed, Hope cradled between us.
The room is silent, save for three hearts beating as one.
“Would you have left?” I ask, needing to know the answer.
“I thought about it,” she admits in a whisper, “because I’m so tired of feeling unwanted. But even if you didn’t want me, I could never have left Hope.”
“I’m so sorry I put you through that.” I find her hand, and lace my fingers through hers.
“I’ve been so focused on finding a man who thought I was enough for him … but I had it all wrong
.”
“You’re more than enough, Amelia. You’re more than I deserve.”
She pulls away. “Reed, listen: I thought I needed a man, but I don’t.”
“What are you saying?”
“I can do this on my own. This whole life thing? I can figure it out by myself if I need to.”
“But?”
“But I don’t need you. I want you. A life with you and Hope.”
I kiss her, because how could I not with words so sweet and pure and real? “Finding you is the best thing that’s ever happened to Hope.”
“The best thing that has happened to me, too,” she whispers, solemnly.
“Wait, what about meeting me?” I laugh softly. “Seriously, though, Amelia, I will marry you tomorrow. I love you, and I don’t want you to ever feel unwanted again. I want you now and I want you forever.”
“Tomorrow?” she sounds surprised.
“Or we can wait. You don’t have to be my mail order bride with a rushed wedding. You want a big show with a white dress and a fucking first dance? I’ll give that to you, baby. I’ll give you everything.”
“Stop making me cry.”
“Wife, I’ll be making you cry for the rest of your life.”
“Tears of joy though, right?”
“No, I’m talking tears of motherfucking ecstasy.”
Epilogue
Eight Months Later
Amelia never really thought about what sort of wedding she’d like, until the night Reed told her he was making her his wife. But she knew without a doubt she wanted a winter wedding, right here in Alaska, under the snow-capped mountains that her husband-to-be so dearly loved, with a fire blazing before them, just like the love in their hearts and the passion in their soul. Hot as hell, and all-consuming.
The lodge Delta runs with her husband Boone is the obvious location. And since Everly and Silas have moved to Skagway, into a gorgeous waterfront home, they flew with Amelia, Reed, and Hope for the winter wedding.