Breakthrough

by Kris Bryant

  “Shit. Okay, that piece is mine. I just got excited. Okay, I promise to pay attention to what I’m doing. Please continue.”

  I loved the relaxed side of Brynn. The hardness of her eased and made her even more beautiful. I promised that I would do everything I could to keep her happy and not stressed. “So, on top of all of this, she wants me to write a book.”

  “No way.”

  I nodded. “She wants me to write a book about how a city girl survived Alaska. After reading my journal and all of my mishaps, she thought it was funny and thinks it would make for a good read.”

  Brynn abandoned her post and came over to me. She dropped to her knees and kissed me soundly. “That’s fantastic, babe. Congratulations.” She kissed me again, but this time it was with passion. We were both breathless when we pulled apart. “I don’t want to eat two burnt pieces of French toast. I’ll be right back.” She carried two plates over to the table and I hobbled over to take a seat.

  We talked about all of my bad luck until yesterday. I needed to share my experience with her. She was going to have a hard time hearing it, but it needed to be said. When she sat, I started the story.

  “After I found out about the book, I wanted to do something special for you. I can’t cook for shit, but I can bake a cake. My German chocolate cake is to die for. You’re okay with coconut, right?” I asked. She nodded. “So I sent you a text and ran to the store. Oh, I invited Mandy and Lisa over for cake. I guess they know what happened, right?”

  “Mandy called me last night after she couldn’t reach you. We were already at the hospital so I gave her the scoop.”

  “Okay. I barely checked my rearview mirror the entire ride back to the cabin. One of the guys must have seen me at the grocery store or talking to Mandy and followed me here. I’m sorry I wasn’t more careful.”

  She brushed it off with a wave of her hand. “Don’t even worry about it. I would’ve done the same.”

  “He must have called everybody while I was at the store. Ten minutes after I got home, the cabin was surrounded. Lara said she would have officers there in ten minutes. I just needed to hide for that long.” Brynn’s fingers tightened around her silverware while she listened. “I’m happy you told me about the crawl space. That saved me.”

  “They still put their hands on you and hurt you,” she said.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t leave with them.” I didn’t tell her how they dragged me out and slapped me around. I wanted her to think my injuries were crawl space related. She didn’t need to know the truth. “Here’s an interesting question. Do you know who actually shot me?”

  “Lara said it was one of the hunters. You turned and ran away from them, and he took a shot at you. One of the officers shot him. He’ll live. The bullet went clean through his right shoulder.” She took my plate after I stopped myself from asking for another round even though I was still hungry.

  “Do you want more?” she asked. I shook my head. I still needed to watch my caloric intake. “Okay, let me clean up. Do you feel like going with me to collect Wally, or would you rather stay here?”

  “I definitely want to go. Let me just throw on a sweatshirt and my boots.”

  “No rush.”

  “I miss him. I’m so glad he wasn’t here yesterday.”

  “He’s fine. I’m sure he misses you, too. Let’s go get him.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Wally was beyond excited to see us. He stood and splayed his paws high while making the strangest noises.

  “That’s the sound he makes when he’s happy,” Brynn said. That made me tear up. Wally shuffled over to me. I picked him up and tossed him on his back to rub his belly. He grabbed my hands and he wouldn’t let go. “Let’s get out of here before more people stop us and want to know everything you just went through.”

  We’d already had a brief conversation with Tina. Since Wally stayed with her last night, I felt the need to inform her. After she heard about my ordeal, she hugged me and was very sweet. I wanted to tell her about the article, but we had time for that later.

  “Do we need any medicine or anything while we’re out? Because once we get home, I don’t want to leave for days. Selfish? Hell yes.” Brynn always knew how to make me smile.

  “I’m good. Let’s go,” I said. Wally assumed his position on my lap and looked out the windshield. It was so peaceful in Brynn’s truck. Music was playing softly in the background, the sun was shining, and I was sitting next to the woman who changed me. Transformed me for the better. I was happy. The scenery outside was beautiful. Spring was in full force and fishing started next week. I felt like I had been in Alaska for longer than three weeks. Brynn pulled up to the cabin and parked.

  “You probably are going to write, aren’t you?”

  I nodded. “I’ve been here for a long time and Erin has been accommodating. I want to get this done so you get my undivided attention. If you want to work today, I understand.”

  “No way. There are things I can do around the cabin. I just want to be around you.” Brynn gripped my hand and kissed my fingers. She grabbed Wally from my lap and put him on the ground. They both waited for me to slip out of the truck.

  “I will camp out on the couch if that’s okay. Do you have a printer I can use?” I couldn’t remember seeing a computer anywhere during the tour.

  “Yes. Wi-Fi. It’s in the back room. Help yourself to whatever you need.” She disappeared for a few minutes and came back in sweats and a T-shirt.

  We looked like a couple spending the weekend relaxing at home. She sat on the other end of the couch with a book. I printed off Erin’s notes and got started. I dismissed lunch with a wave of my hand, missed an early afternoon walk with both of them, and by the time dinner rolled around, Brynn stood directly in front of me and interrupted my flow.

  “This is ridiculous. You need to eat something and stretch your legs. We need to dress your wound, and I need you to talk to me for like five minutes.”

  I’d spent the last five hours writing. Erin asked if she could have the article in three days if I was feeling up to it, but I wanted to get it done tonight. I wanted at least two free days and nights with Brynn. I took my glasses off and tossed them on the coffee table.

  “You’re right. I need a break. And maybe a massage.” I smiled.

  “Are you always so focused at deadline time?” she asked.

  “Always. But then I get a few days off and it’s worth it. I think I’ll be done with this sooner than later.” Even though I had a lot of information recorded, I needed to verify the laws and run a few things by Lara. We’d been texting the last hour.

  “I ordered a pizza. It’s going to take a half an hour so I’d like to look at your leg and just talk until it gets here.”

  I immediately felt guilty. “Yes. Where’s Wally?” I didn’t remember seeing him this afternoon.

  “He’s sleeping. Once the pizza gets here, he’ll wake up.” She sat next to me with her first aid kit and patted her thighs. I lay on my side and put the injured calf on her lap. “Let me know if I’m hurting you.” She was so gentle unwrapping it.

  “How does it look?” It had been gently throbbing for the last few hours, but I’d been able to distract myself with work.

  “Angry,” she said.

  “Three or four stitches?” I couldn’t remember.

  “Three.” She applied the medication and wrapped it again with fresh gauze and a different wrap. “This will help the bandage stay in place. How are you feeling? Do you want anything stronger than ibuprofen?”

  I shook my head. “I really am fine. Tell me about your rescue yesterday. I told you about mine.” She smiled and told me about the caribou stuck to a log in the river. It took three rangers to free him. Brody got kicked in the shoulder. He was bruised, but nothing was broken. The buck took off, but Brynn didn’t think he was injured.

  The delivery boy showed up with dinner and everything was forgotten except eating. Wally even got a few pieces of crust. When I jumped back
into the article, Brynn got up, started a fire for us, and sat back down with a different book. It was sweet that she wanted to be near me.

  “I’m going to go to bed. You good with Wally out here, or should I take him back with me?” It was ten o’clock and I was almost done.

  “He can stay here. He’s no bother at all.”

  “Do you need anything before I go? Medicine? Snacks? A kiss?”

  “Yes, no, no, and yes. Definitely yes.”

  She smiled sadly at me. I sucked for not giving her attention, but I also knew she didn’t know what getting this done meant for us. If I finished the article quickly, we would have more time together without the deadline hanging over my head. Also, if I wrote the article well, more people would understand the need for poaching regulations. Hunting laws changed with every presidency, and more and more animals were injured due to lifted restrictions and hunters being careless. This plus the sanctuary article would generate interest and money to help the animals. I was excited to be a part of it.

  She kissed me softly. “Don’t stay up too late.”

  I nodded even though we both knew I would. “Good night, Brynn.”

  It was just past midnight when I sent my article to Erin. There were mistakes, but I had editors to catch the bad stuff. I gave her everything she wanted. My body was sore from the position I was in all day so I stretched for five minutes and drank an entire bottle of water. I was exhausted but I wasn’t done. I had one more thing to do before falling asleep.

  * * *

  I crawled into bed behind Brynn. She was on her stomach and even though she looked peaceful, I wanted her awake. I kissed her neck. “I love you,” I said against her skin. She stirred. I moved up to her ear and nibbled on her lobe. “I love you,” I whispered. “Wake up, love.” She muttered something incoherent. I kissed the side of her mouth. “I love you.” Her eyelids fluttered open. She blinked awake.

  “What?” She closed her eyes again. I wasn’t loud enough.

  “I love you.”

  Her eyes stayed open this time. She turned to face me and rubbed her eyes. “What wrong? Are you okay? Did something happen?”

  “I said I love you.” She stared at me. I said it again and again and sprinkled tiny kisses all over her face. She pulled me in her arms.

  “Say it again. I’m not sure I heard you right,” she said.

  “I told you yesterday, even though I was heavily medicated. I love you, Brynn Coleman. I love how perfect you are in this world and how perfect you are for me. And not just because you were always there for me. You have the purest heart out of anyone I’ve ever known. I love how much you’ve changed me. I’ve found peace with you.”

  “Oh, Kennedy. I love you, too. So much. And I know I shouldn’t because you’re leaving any day and I shouldn’t open myself to you, but I can’t help it. You make my heart beat so fast just with a look or when I hear your sweet laugh. You are a complete mess here in Alaska, but you have made it so much fun to rescue a damsel in distress that I couldn’t help but fall for your charm.” She pushed me down on the bed and kissed me passionately, deeply, completely. She pushed off my clothes and I did the same with hers. We both moaned when our naked bodies touched.

  “You fit me so well. So tall, strong, and beautiful.” I ran my hands up and down her body. I would never get enough of her.

  She settled between my legs and pushed into me. I was so tired, but a surge of love and passion raced through me and I wanted to show Brynn how much she meant to me. We found our rhythm, but before I could come, she stopped and placed kisses all the way down my body until she reached my core. She moaned at how wet I was for her. I was swollen with need. I only lasted a few minutes with her mouth on me. I was ready to be hers. I cried out as she devoured me. She crawled back up to kiss my mouth and hold me while I rode out each wave of my orgasm. I held nothing back.

  “I love you,” she said against my mouth.

  I kissed her hard and she matched my passion easily. I slid two fingers inside her and moaned with her. She was so tight that I could feel her heartbeat against my fingers. She was mine. We both knew it. I slid in and out slowly, but she begged me to go faster. Still above me, I watched her face as I pumped in and out of her. She leaned down and bit my shoulder. She was keeping herself in check, but I wanted her to let go.

  “Come for me.” I pressed a kiss into her hair.

  She bit harder and pushed back into my hand. I massaged her clit with my thumb. After thirty seconds of build up, she yelled while her body tightened and released her beautiful energy. She lay beside me and put her hand on my chest.

  “I really do love you. It’s going to be so hard to let you leave in two days,” she said. The smile slid off of her face.

  I smiled at her. Not just a sweet, normal smile, but the cat-that-ate-the-canary kind of smile.

  “You don’t have to be so happy about it.”

  “Hey, you worry too much.” I leaned over to kiss her cheek.

  “When does Erin want you back?”

  I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Kennedy, please tell me when you have to be home. Don’t leave me hanging, love.” She sounded sad. All I could do was smile at her and touch her.

  “Brynn, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I’m already home.”

  * * *

  Eight months later

  I busted into the cabin, the swirling snow and cold air pushed me through the door faster than I would’ve liked. “Why am I here?”

  “Because you live here, love,” Brynn said. She greeted me with a warm kiss, took the groceries from my arms, and kicked the door shut.

  “This is brutal. A couple of inches of snow? Like ten inches fell in the twenty minutes I was at the grocery store. How am I going to survive winters here?” Brynn pulled me into her embrace.

  “You can hibernate here like a bear. I’ll wake you only to feed you and make love to you. I’ll do all the shopping and shoveling from now on. Deal?” She kissed me. It was the kind of kiss that reminded me of why I was sharing my life with her. I melted into her.

  “Deal. Because it’s going to take me a long time before I’m ready to tackle the roads around here by myself.” I’d begged Brynn to let me drive to the store that morning. They forecasted only a few inches. It was probably only three inches, but I loved to exaggerate for the attention. Brynn never failed at giving it to me.

  “I have a surprise for you.” She twirled me in her arms so my back was against her chest. She walked me over to a box. “They’re here.”

  I squealed with delight. “They’re here.” I turned around and kissed her. “They’re here,” I repeated. She handed me her pocketknife, blade unfolded. I carefully cut the tape along the edges. I opened the flaps and we both stared.

  “Beautiful. And brilliant.” She was just as excited as I was.

  “I wonder if Mandy got her box, too?” I asked. I picked up a copy of my first book, Does Prada Make Hiking Boots? The title was over the top, but Erin assured me it was a smash. The pre-order sales were already through the roof.

  I had written about everything that happened to me and already had a few stories to put into the sequel I had a contract on. I thought nobody would want to read about my hardships, but I was dead wrong. People liked to read about failures, especially humorous ones, and they loved stories where the protagonist wins. I was a winner all around. I got the girl, a multi-book contract, an Ellie award finalist nod for the sanctuary article, and a pet raccoon named Wally. I had settled into the perfect life for me.

  “I love you, Brynn.” I kissed her softly and held her close. I loved feeling her heartbeat against my skin.

  “I love you more.” A laugh rumbled in her chest.

  “Impossible.” I kissed her again. “I moved thousands of miles to be with you and Wally. You gave me a dresser.” I smiled. We both knew I had an entire room that Brynn had converted into a closet for me.

  “I gave you a few drawers and my heart.”
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  “I think I deserve more.” I kissed her and she smiled.

  “Then marry me.”

  About the Author

  Kris Bryant grew up a military brat living in several different countries before her family settled down in the Midwest when she was twelve. Books were her only form of entertainment overseas, and she read anything and everything within her reach. Reading eventually turned into writing when she decided she didn’t like the way some of the novels ended and wanted to give the characters she fell in love with the ending she thought they so deserved.

  Earning a B.A. in English from the University of Missouri, Kris focused more on poetry, and after some encouragement from her girlfriend, decided to tackle her own book.

  Kris can be contacted at krisbryantbooks@gmail.com

  Website: http://www.krisbryant.net

  Books Available from Bold Strokes Books

  Breakthrough by Kris Bryant. Falling for a sexy ranger is one thing, but is the possibility of love worth giving up the career Kennedy Wells has always dreamed of? (978-1-63555-179-2)

  Certain Requirements by Elinor Zimmerman. Phoenix has always kept her love of kinky submission strictly behind the bedroom door and inside the bounds of romantic relationships, until she meets Kris Andersen. (978-1-63555-195-2)

  Dark Euphoria by Ronica Black. When a high-profile case drops in Detective Maria Diaz’s lap, she forges ahead only to discover this case, and her main suspect, aren’t like any other. (978-1-63555-141-9)

  Fore Play by Julie Cannon. Executive Leigh Marshall falls hard for Peyton Broader, her golf pro…and an ex-con. Will she risk sabotaging her career for love? (978-1-63555-102-0)

  Love Came Calling by CA Popovich. Can a romantic looking for a long-term, committed relationship and a jaded cynic too busy for love conquer life’s struggles and find their way to what matters most? (978-1-63555-205-8)