by Vivian Arend
He looked into her eyes. “I love you, Lillie. Maybe this is too fast, and yet I’ve been waiting for you my entire life. I love you, and want you to move in with me, wherever we choose. I want you to be my wife. My lover. My friend.”
The entire time he spoke, his fingers didn’t stop moving. Lillie clung to his arms, needing an anchor to keep her from floating off the countertop.
“Everything else we’ll figure out later, but this part we’ve already got. And it doesn’t matter how many times I say it, I’m never going to get tired of how it sounds.” He stopped, his fingers deep inside her. As if he couldn’t leave her—as if he needed to have her with him.
She didn’t want to wait, but she wasn’t going to give him what he wanted until she got what she wanted as well. Lillie scrambled for his zipper and pulled his cock free, wiggling her hips to the edge of the counter.
Jim was just as eager, grasping the root of his thick shaft to line them up perfectly. Then they both watched as he slid into her all the way. Deeper than his fingers, deep enough she trembled.
So deep they were one person, and she never wanted them to be apart.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Jim pulled back just so he could press forward all over. He repeated the move three times, a half dozen, until she lost track. Until they were both gasping. His speed increased, rubbing her clit perfectly as he arched over her and ground his pelvis against her on every stroke.
And his eyes—mesmerizing. A magnet holding her gaze. He teased his thumb over her clit, and her climax hit.
That’s when he said it again.
“I love you.”
Locked together, arms wrapped around each other’s torsos, touching intimately. Their hearts as one.
It could have been hours later when they finally loosened from their clinch. His breath made her hair sway as he clutched her, his forehead pressed to her neck. Then a low chuckle shook his chest, growing louder and harder as she ran her hands over his shoulders.
Jim spoke, the words rumbling out lusty and full of happiness. “I’m sorry for ruining your bucket list.”
Lillie lifted her fingers to straighten his hair, sensual satisfaction still pounding through her veins as she pondered the comment. “When did you ruin my bucket list?”
He grinned as he pulled out and tucked things away. “You wanted to have a final fling before going to meet your fiancé. You failed.”
Oops. “I didn’t do that very well, did I?” Mischievous thoughts danced in her brain, and she didn’t attempt to rein them in. “Well, we’re not married yet. So, you know, if we go back to Vegas, I bet I could convince Damon—”
Jim’s growl was back, echoing through the kitchen loud enough to set the pots hanging over the stove swaying. Lillie wiggled off the counter, darting out of reach and flipping through the doorway back to the foyer.
He chased her, his mocking roars mixing with her laughter as she dashed up the stairs and headed for safety.
“You’d better be headed to our bedroom, wench,” he warned.
She paused at the top of the stairs, eyeing all the doors lining the wall, and wondered which one hid the master suite. “Shit, you build them big.”
Strong arms caught her up, and he smiled happily as he carried her to the proper room. “I’m a grizzly. We do everything bigger.”
Epilogue
Jim strolled the hallway, his fingers tangled in Lillie’s. She continued to chatter on about something she’d discovered during her trip into Whitehorse, and it wasn’t that he was ignoring her…
He was so delighted with how well things had turned out over the past couple weeks, he couldn’t focus on her words because he was completely obsessed with the woman uttering them.
He tugged her to a stop, settling onto the bench overlooking the grand foyer and lifting her into his lap so he could stare at her face. “Tell me again.”
“I was in town this morning, and the Alpine Bakery is even more delicious than Peter told me.” She traced her hands along his collar, straightening him with the easy affection he’d come to crave from her. “The local wolf pack are a funny lot. I spotted a bunch of them on Main Street, and they were setting up some kind of dog-sled races. I mean, not in their wolf forms, but in human. It was sweet.”
Jim smiled at her enthusiasm. “There’s a community event planned for the weekend. I’ll be sure to take you, if only to keep all those wolves from getting to make passes.”
“They aren’t nearly as stiff and uptight as the wolves in Glasgow.”
“Good to know. Not that we need to have much to do with them.”
“Well, one of them owns this great computer shop, and she’s working on getting better internet service established, so that would be nice.” She stuttered to a stop, blushing slightly.
Jim narrowed his gaze. “I thought you gave up hacking.”
“I did,” she exclaimed, slipping her gaze away as she played with his tie. “Mostly.”
“Lillie…”
Her hazel eyes sparkled, amusement rising as she smiled innocently. “Just remember, if you ever need the lowdown on any of your competitors, I’m only a squeeze away.”
A loud banging sounded from the front door, drawing their attention. Peter hurried across the pristine granite, pulling the grand doors open as Jim took to his feet, keeping protective watch over Lillie.
He didn’t need to worry.
“Jeez, I thought I’d freeze my furry paws off before I ever saw civilization again.” Damon untangled a six-foot, bright blue scarf from around his neck and dumped it into Peter’s hands, followed by his hat, gloves and oversized winter parka. He glanced at Jim who was guiding Lillie down the stairs. “Why the hell did you build a place so far north? Are you taking over for Santa or some shit? The entire ride up here I kept expecting to see brightly dressed gnomes leaping from tree to tree singing Christmas carols.”
“Sorry, you missed them. We sent them off on vacation for a month.”
Damon stepped forward, then paused, eyeing his shoes and the wide granite floor.
Jim shook his head. “You’re never going to grow up, are you?”
His friend waggled his brows. “Whatever for?”
He took a running start before skidding rapidly toward them, perfectly balanced with his arms extended. Lillie laughed before ducking out of the way.
Damon spun past, completely out of control as he crashed into a side table.
Lillie let go of Jim’s arm and hurried over to help the wolf to his feet. “Are you okay?”
“He’s fine,” Jim growled, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at his friend. “Don’t bother being sympathetic. He just wants you to pet him.”
“Sir, I am shocked at the accusation.” Damon grinned though, slipping his arm around Lillie as he brought her back to Jim’s side. “I didn’t even try to sneak a kiss.”
“That’s because you know you’d look funny without your teeth,” Lillie commented sweetly, patting his cheek as she escaped his clutches. “And you don’t really want poor Jim here to hurt his hand on your face, do you?”
“Of course not.” Damon stepped back to a safe distance before lifting his laughing gaze to meet Jim’s. “I see you decided against sending the trollop packing.”
Jim pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did you have a particular reason you’re here? Or did you travel all this way just to annoy me?”
Damon paused. “Actually, I’m a master of multitasking. I thought I could do both…”
Only Lillie’s sparkling laughter gave Jim the patience to refrain from threatening Damon with fleas. She caught them both by the hand and backed toward the kitchen. “Come on. I know Mrs. Natty was making cookies this morning.”
She danced away, and Jim couldn’t stop a sigh of happiness from bursting free.
“You’re positively giddy,” Damon observed. “Henpecked looks good on you.”
“Shut up.” He pounded his friend on the back as they cut through the swi
nging doors into the kitchen. “Some day you’ll meet your mate, and I will gloat and taunt and throw you a big party.”
Damon slipped to the tall windows overlooking the now snow-filled swimming pool, staring out at the wintery scene. “Sure. If you insist.”
In the background, Lillie was discussing a snack with the chef, and Jim watched for a moment as his lovely woman spoke, her hands flying in excitement as she organized, of all things, milk and cookies.
Jim turned away to stand beside his silent friend. “Deep thoughts?”
“Mysteries of the universe. The answer is forty-two. We already know this.”
“Ahh, but what’s the question?” Jim leaned on the wall beside the window. “Enough blathering. It’s good to see you, but I didn’t expect you to visit until the spring. You’re allergic to snow.”
Damon wrinkled his nose in disgust as he stared outside. “Nasty, sticky stuff. Makes great base if you scoop it into a glass and pour liquor over it like civilized people do.”
Jim waited. His friend would get to the point eventually. Maybe.
“Come sit by the fire,” Lillie commanded them, and Damon and Jim exchanged glances before trotting after her obediently.
The wolf settled into the chair closest to the heat with a long rumble of satisfaction. “This? Makes the trip worthwhile.”
“Good to know my fireplace ranks higher than I do,” Jim poked.
“Fireplace and cookies. Jeez, you’d think I’d pick only the fireplace over you? Some best friend you are.”
Lillie snuggled into the loveseat beside Jim and slipped her hands around his arm. “Are you going to stay for a few days?” she asked.
Damon shook his head. “Can’t. Got things to do, and I don’t feel like checking in with the Takhini pack to let them know I’m around. Too much politics. I can safely stay the night without ruffling too many feathers.”
It was a valid point. Wolves were testy about certain things, and Damon was not only a powerful wolf, he had his hot buttons. It wasn’t worth getting the local Alpha riled up for a short visit. Jim nodded at the logic, even though… “This summer you can come for longer. We’ll know who to talk to by then—you might be able to do your meet-and-greet over the phone or something.”
“Maybe.” Damon finished munching down his first cookie, his bright eyes matching his blue button-down shirt. He rubbed the crumbs from his fingers and smacked his lips. “Tasty. Anyway, the reason I’m here.”
He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small object, extending his hand forward. In his palm a small round disk flashed in the firelight.
“Lady Luck.” Jim stared at the artifact. He’d honestly not thought about it once over the past two weeks since chasing after his supposed-wife-slash-turned-out-to-be-Lillie incident.
“Yep.” Damon pulled his hand back and stared down at the shiny. “Thought you’d like to know she’s safe, and all. Finally convinced the judge to hand her over.”
“Good for you.”
And he meant it, even when Damon began flipping her into the air, her shimmering copper surface sending streaks of light over the walls as she spun.
“Actually, here’s the thing. I knew you were okay with me winning her. You picked Lillie and doing the right thing over this bauble, and I was impressed. So…”
Damon stopped flipping her vertically and instead tossed the coin at Jim.
Only instinct made him move fast enough to catch it, his heart skipping a beat. “What the hell are you doing?”
His friend leaned back in his chair, easing toward the fire’s heat. “It’s mine to do with what I want for the year, and I want to give it to you. Take it, it’s yours.”
The skipped beat was back, with friends, as Jim’s heart thumped into double-time. He glanced at the copper disk nestled in the palm of his hand, the designs like familiar dreams rushing into his brain. This was what he’d longed for. What had been missing in his life…
He glanced beside him and caught sight of Lillie, a small half-smile teasing her lips. The firelight licked over her hair. She’d taken to wearing it down over her shoulders because he’d asked her to.
Her eagerness to learn more about him delighted him. They’d talked damn near nonstop for the past two weeks. They were only beginning to see how much they belonged together.
She was his love and his luck. He tossed the coin back to Damon without another glance. “Keep the trinket. I’ve got the only lady I need right here.”
“Ick. Mushy stuff.” In the background Damon mock-sighed in disgust, but it was the brilliant light in Lillie’s eyes that held Jim trapped.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Positive.” He leaned forward, intending to kiss her no matter what noises Damon made. He didn’t think she could look any more beautiful, but somehow, it happened.
The entire room lit up as she shot out of his arms and twirled in the middle of the room, her arms stretched to the side as a loud squeal of excitement escaped. Her hair shimmered in the light like fireworks set off in their house. Jim watched in amusement and adoration.
And confusion when she stopped in mid-twirl and thrust out a hand toward Damon. “Mine,” she shouted.
“You cheated,” his friend grumbled, but he flicked the coin into the air. “I don’t know how, but you cheated.”
“Did not.” She stuck out her tongue briefly, dancing away from his hand that was swinging toward her butt.
Jim narrowed his eyes, both to warn his friend off and because something was seriously fucked up. Before he could demand answers, Lillie sank to the floor in front of him, her elbows resting on his thighs as she held up Lady Luck and flashed a dazzling smile.
“Here.” She tilted her head toward Damon. “I won the bet. I told him you’d turn down his gift. So now? Lady Luck is mine forever, which means she’s yours too.”
There should have been a playbook offered with this conversation. “I… You won Lady Luck? But Damon brought her here…”
Damon laughed. “She’s way better at bartering than you, dude. Called me up the other day and suggested we do an all-or-nothing for ownership of Lady Luck. Pointed out you and I didn’t need a reason to get together to do crazy things—we can do that without involving the coin. So here was the deal—I offer you the coin. If you turned me down, she won. If you accepted, you got to keep Lady for the year and then she’d legally become mine forever.”
She’d gambled on him valuing her more than the trinket. Jim stroked her cheek softly. “I love you.”
“I know. And you don’t need any lucky coin to be happy.” She rubbed her cheek against his hand, and this time when he pulled her closer she didn’t refuse, rising to meet him and accept his kiss.
“And…that’s my cue to take my bags to my room. You got Netflix in this place? I feel the need for a marathon of zombie movies. Or an apocalyptic Day After Tomorrow ice age washes over the earth and leaves the place looking like—well, surprise, surprise. Look outside,” he exclaimed. “Just like that.”
Jim brought Lillie to her feet at his side, laughingly bumping his friend. “Movie marathon if you want, or we take out the snowmobiles. Freak out the local mountain lions—have some fun.”
Damon offered a hand. “You’re a good man, bro. You deserve to be happy.”
Like old times, Jim clasped his friend’s hand firmly. “This isn’t goodbye forever. You’ll be out for our wedding in the spring.”
“And you need to meet Addie—she’ll be coming out then as well.” Lillie could pull off beseeching like whoa.
“I’m defenseless against your united assault.” Damon pressed a hand to his chest. “Of course I’ll be here to support you. But now? I’m gonna wipe you both off the mountainside.”
Jim let his friend get ahead of them, holding Lillie back until they had privacy. She waited for him to speak, her happy glow turning her into a shimmering human statue.
“You trusted me an awful lot with that bet.” Jim caught her hair in his hand, tugging
her face toward him.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Lillie wrapped her fingers around his neck. “I already trusted you with my heart. There’s not anything bigger than that.”
And that was true, and she was right.
And this was just the beginning of forever as far as he was concerned. “So, there’s only one thing left to say.”
She raised a brow expectantly.
“What do I win when I beat you on the trail today? I think a dirty massage works.”
Lillie laughed. “With my tongue?”
Oh fuck. Jim adjusted his stance, his cock instantly reacting in a Pavlovian response. “Shit.”
She danced out of reach. “Deal. I’ll even be naked the entire time. Hmmm, I might use the music I did the pole dance to in the club. Remember? I’ll play it in the background.”
Then she turned, her hips swaying vigorously as she hummed the dirty tune, passing Damon in the front room as Jim walked awkwardly, hindered by his body but hopelessly and utterly in love with his lady.
His luck had come home forever.
More From Vivian Arend
I hope you enjoyed Jim & Lillie's story! If you'd like to see how they're doing a few months down the road, they are featured in Diamond Dust, part of the Takhini Wolves series. That complete series is Black Gold, Silver Mine, Diamond Dust, and Moon Shine. (Books stand alone- you can begin anywhere!)
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