Guiltily, he knew he should turn and continue on the short distance to his cabin, less than a quarter of a mile away. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t help himself, couldn’t look away if he wanted to, and he definitely didn’t.
Entranced, he watched with golden eyes ringed with amber so dark it was almost black. He drank her in like he had walked for days in the dessert, parched for the sight of her without even knowing it.
As she slid effortlessly along the ice, Sebastian’s eyes followed. They took in everything, from her thick, night black hair pulled carelessly into a bun; some tendrils had fallen out to tease the length of her neck, and he found himself ridiculously jealous that it wasn’t him.
He stalled at her features, a heart shaped face framed high cheekbones, a straight nose that curled up adorably at the end, making her look like she was always up to mischief, and a mouth that had his pulse raising. But her eyes. Framed by the longest, black lashes, her almond shaped eyes were the darkest, warmest shade of brown that he just wanted to drown in.
Her smooth, brown skin held a flush of pleasure as she twirled around on the frozen pond like she had been born to do just that. Sebastian had never seen anyone that natural or graceful on ice skates. Certainly, he would never take that chance.
He had come to White Mountain Lodge, like many other shifters, looking for a sanctuary. A respite from the pressure of keeping half of himself hidden away every day. Being surrounded by people who never really knew him, couldn’t know him. He could almost see his lion half shake his heavy mane in disdain of all the ice and snow and cold, but this was exactly what Sebastian needed.
His eyes were drawn back to the mystery woman still skating, now doing backwards figure eights, leaving lines in the ice in her wake. Every movement slid seamlessly into the next, more graceful, more elegant, than anything he had ever seen.
The predator in him went on point. Sebastian could feel the sudden tension running through his muscles as they bunched, preparing to spring into action. He had to hold himself back, shocked at the intense reaction of his body. For so long he had pushed down the animal side of himself that he had actually begun to lose that sacred connection within himself.
Desperate to regain some semblance of balance, he had headed to White Mountain in the hopes that being around other shifters, and in the peace of the wilderness would ease the ache that tormented him constantly. But one look at this beautiful, dark-skinned beauty had man and beast instantly ready to pounce.
His ears perked as an almost imperceptible sound reached him, but he couldn’t decipher it. There it was again. Sebastian took a half step towards her, instinct overruling his brain as the sound came once again, more clearly this time. He rushed forward reaching the ice just as another cracking noise, this time much louder filled the air.
The dark beauty looked over at him with surprise widened eyes, and for a moment Sebastian couldn’t breathe. The force of her gaze on his hit him with the force of a mallet to the head, and he suddenly couldn’t make sense of his thoughts.
Still rushing closer to her, only a few feet away now, he watched as her skate hit a crack forming in the surface of the lake, and stuck, causing her to tumble face forward onto the ice. He reached for her just as she made contact, bracing her from most of the blow, but he could see her right ankle twisted oddly by the skate still stuck in the ice.
She sucked in a breath, and let out a gasp of pain on the exhale as she tried to stand, but couldn’t. Sebastian took her arm, letting her rest most of her weight on his big, sharply muscled frame.
“Hey, take it easy. It’s okay. Let me help you.” Sebastian said quietly as she struggled to stand on her own.
“No, it’s not okay. My ankle is twisted. I don’t think it’s fractured, but still it’s severely strained.” She said, his body tensing at her husky voice despite his mind yelling at him to keep cool.
They tried to walk a few feet, mostly shuffling, but at her barely muffled yelp of pain, Sebastian swept an arm under thighs, the other supporting her around her shoulders as he lifted her, cradling her against his chest. He ignored her outraged squawk.
“Just what in the hell do you think you’re doing? I can walk just fine on my own!”
Sebastian smirked at her obvious lie. She wasn’t able to take a single step on her own. And he couldn’t suppress the wave of possessiveness and satisfaction that rolled through him as he provided for her, easily supporting her luscious curves in his arms.
“I’m taking you to a cabin, it’s a lot closer than the main lodge, and we can take a look at that ankle there.”
She arched a delicate eyebrow at him, but refused to reply. Looking like she was trying to pretend he wasn’t there, even though his arms were wrapped snugly against her body.
It was impossible for him not to notice the delightful way her softness felt pressed flush against him. The instant desire that had raged through him when he had first spotter her flaring back to life as he inhaled the scent of her, all woman with the hint of something dark, earthy, and incredibly sensual.
He bit back a growl as he chanced a quick look down at her, gorgeous, dark eyes still glaring resolutely.
“I’m Sebastian, by the way.” He bit back a grin as she shot him another arched look, and then sighed in seeming resignation.
“I’m Tabitha. Tabitha Jones.”
Chapter 4
Within moments they came into view of a small, but cozy looking log cabin, picturesque as it was framed by the towering mountain that gave the lodge and surrounding wilderness its name, and the densely wooded area it sat in.
With a dusting of powdery snow on the roof and a thin stream of smoke trailing out of the small pipe chimney the scene looked like something out of a painting, or a movie, Tabitha thought to herself. She avidly surveyed the surroundings.
Anything to distract her from the near constant chills that swept through her elicited by contact from the burly he-man who had insisted on carrying her. She did need the help, she conceded to herself. But he could have at least asked before going all Neanderthal. He might as well have thrown her over his shoulder and carried her off to the nearest cave.
Tabitha sighed, knowing she was being unfair. She just hated being helpless. She also tried to bank the new round of delicious tingles that erupted at the thought of being with he-man in a cave. Alone.
She sneaked a peek up at him through a thick fringe of lashes, taking in the close cropped light brown hair, just long enough on top to be tugged artlessly by the wind, making him look rugged and tousled at the same time.
His bright amber eyes, as unusual as they seemed to shift and swirl depending on how the sunlight hit them. A burnished bronze when they passed under the shade of giant evergreen, or molten gold in the full light. Tabitha thought she could happily spend days just trying to figure out their exact shade.
No! She mentally reprimanded herself. That wasn’t why she was here. She was at the lodge to find peace from the turmoil that had been haunting her life the past year, not hook up with some random stranger, no matter how incredibly handsome and devastatingly sexy he was.
She shivered again as she felt the strength of his arms supporting her as if she weighed nothing. This he-man made her body feel alive in a way Tabitha hadn’t experienced in, well, she couldn’t even remember. She thought her and her ex had chemistry, but that was nothing compared to the lust that was swamping her system.
She sighed in relief as they approached the solid pine door, afraid if she stayed in his big arms another minute she would something completely crazy, like kiss him senseless. After entering, albeit somewhat awkwardly since Sebastian refused to put her down, and had to fish his keys out of the pocket of his down coat while juggling her as well, he gently set her down on the large white couch.
It was the only other piece of furniture in the cabin except for an equally large king sized bed pushed into the corner, and a small wooden chair next to the counter in the kitchen. This was obviously a man’s space. It s
uddenly clicked, and Tabitha turned to Sebastian accusingly.
“This is your cabin!”
He just grinned unabashedly and shrugged those broad shoulders of his as he moved about the sparse cabin with ease, putting a kettle of water on the small two burner stove to heat up.
“Let’s put some ice on that ankle.” He grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and wrapped it in a kitchen towel, walking towards her.
Tabitha had to catch her breath as he stood, towering over her in a way that made her hyper aware of everything male about him. And Sebastian was very male. Every line of his perfectly sculpted body screamed raw masculinity, and it made her want to stare, and kiss, and touch, and all the other things that she knew she probably shouldn’t.
That didn’t stop the fantasy from playing out in her mind before she could mentally press the stop button, blushing beneath the mocha skin of her cheeks, tinting it a warmer brown that Sebastian couldn’t fail to notice. She just hoped he wouldn’t be able to tell the reason for her sudden flush.
He placed the ice pack over her ankle tenderly, and she was struck by the contradiction of his gentle actions and the strength she knew he possessed. Tingles erupted were his knuckles brushed against her shin as he smoothed the cold ice over her bruised ankle.
She hissed at the cold, but welcomed the relief from the relentless ache.
“Thanks.” Tabitha said softly, looking up at him through her long lashes again, this time trapped by his burning gaze, bright gold this time as he stared down at her, the muscles of his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth.
“Anytime.” His voice was rough with desire, and she felt it like a caress. There was something about this man that dared her to be bad. And why not? Didn’t she come here to relax? Although the image she had in her mind of their bodies twined together was anything but relaxing.
He stepped away, breaking the momentary spell that he had cast over her. Tabitha shook her head, telling herself to stop it, but that didn’t help the steamy images that kept flooding her mind.
Sebastian stood at the single window facing the direction they had just walked up from, his back suddenly stiffening as he craned his neck to look toward the sky. He shook his head and then turned to her with a seductive grin teasing the corners of his delectable mouth.
“Well, it looks like you’re gonna be stuck here for a while.”
“What? I have to get back to the lodge. I can’t stay here.” She really did have to leave, if she stayed she wasn’t sure what would happen. Sebastian just shook his head ruefully again.
“Take a look outside, sweetheart. That storm’s about to drop.”
Tabitha leaned forward on the couch to get a better view out the window and had to bite back a curse. The skies that had just been crystal clear were now roiling violently, a flat mass of gray that sat heavy on the horizon and she could just make out the big flurries of snow starting to fall in waves.
“I guess you are stuck.” She glanced back up at Sebastian, and he just shrugged, again, not even bothering to hide his grin any longer. “Come on, it won’t be so bad.”
Tabitha sighed, that’s exactly what she was afraid of.
Chapter 5
The smell of onions, peppers, and garlic sautéing in the pan filled Sebastian’s nose, momentary drowning out the scent of the gorgeous, sexy woman still glaring at him on his couch. He glanced outside. The snow was coming down fast and hard, he knew they weren’t going anywhere for a long while yet.
The thought sent a surge of masculine emotion through him, and he could practically hear his inner lion’s roar of approval. He had spent almost two years trying to reconnect with his other half, and this woman accomplished what he couldn’t in a matter of hours.
Sebastian glanced at her again. Her soft brown skin contrasted against the light material of the fabric, and he couldn’t help but imagine what his skin would look like against hers. Sliding, grasping, all light and dark twined together until you couldn’t tell were one began and the other ended.
He had to hold back a growl at the thought. Something about Tabitha drove both him, and his animal half, absolutely crazy. His big palms ached to touch her, to feel every curve, every hidden place.
The scent of garlic just starting to burn forced his attention back to what he was doing. He stirred, checked that the water in the pot next to the sauté pan was boiling, and dumped in a box of linguini noodles.
In just a few minutes he had two plates piled with steaming pasta and topped with red sauce, and a bottle of red wine. He walked over to hand Tabitha one, and then pulled up the only other chair so he could sit across from her. He didn’t trust himself to sit on the couch next to her. He wanted her so bad, his hands were shaking.
He opened the bottle and poured some into the white coffee mugs, the only cups in the cabin. He took a swig, trying not to chuckle at Tabitha’s look of disdain as she accepted the mug full of wine, but hummed in appreciation as she took a sip. In fact, Sebastian noticed, she made little noises throughout the meal, driving him insane and making it impossible to focus on his own food.
She would put a bite to her lips and moan as she tasted the tang of the marinara, or make some other sexy sound that threw Sebastian for a loop every time. All he could picture was her making those husky noises with her sweet lips wrapped around him, or riding on top of him, or taking her from behind while Tabitha was on her hands and knees.
That was one fantasy that triggered all of Sebastian’s male instincts, and he had to stand up and walk to the window until he could make his body calm down.
“Hey, who turned out the lights?” Sebastian turned around at Tabitha’s question, thankful for the sudden darkness that enclosed the inside of the cabin, hiding the evidence of his arousal.
“The storm probably knocked the power out. It happens all the time.” He was already walking around the room, lighting candle after candle until a soft, golden glow spread out over them, casting long, dark shadows as they flickered.
“So, we’re stuck here, and the power’s out, and I can’t walk because of my stupid ankle.”
Sebastian assumed an exaggerated contemplative look, then grinned at her, mischief shining in his amber eyes.
“That about sums it up, yeah.”
Tabitha couldn’t help the chuckle. He was so ridiculous. And handsome. And sexy. Oh, so sexy. Dangerously sexy. The turn of her thoughts had her blushing again, and Sebastian noticed, despite the dim light cocooning them in a feeling of intimacy.
She felt so comfortable around him, it didn’t make sense. The easy banter, the way he made her smile despite herself. Before she could stop herself, Tabitha wondered what it would be like to have a long term relationship with this mysterious man, so unlike all the others she had dated.
She roughly pushed that thought aside. But if she couldn’t have anything else, at least she could have tonight. Here, in this cabin, stuck with him in the candle lit dark, the storm raging outside blocking out the rest of the world and the rest of her problems, she couldn’t think anything she wanted to do but surrender to the feeling growing stronger inside her.
She had spent most of her life sacrificing the things she had wanted for her career, to be the best. But now, she wanted, and there was nothing stopping her from reaching for it with both hands.
“Sebastian,” she had to clear her throat as he turned from the window to her prone form.
“Sebastian, come over here.”
He took a step towards her before the words even really processed. Maybe it wasn’t what he hoped it was, thought it was. Maybe she just need more ice for her ankle, he told his overwrought body. It had stood to full attention at the sound of her roughly whispered words.
“Tabitha, I…” He trailed off, unsure of how to finish his sentence, not even knowing what he had meant to say as she reached up and stopped him with a small, delicately fingered hand to his chest. Although it landed more on his abs, making all the muscles there tense as pleasure from her touch flooded his s
ystem.
“Sebastian, I want you.” Her voice was so soft he could barely hear the words.
“I want you.” This time, her words stronger, there was no mistaking her meaning and he could have howled as the beast within him leapt, desperate for a taste of this delectable creature.
Sebastian gently scooped her up off the couch, walking the short distance to his giant four poster bed, and laid her down, being careful not to jostle her ankle.
“That makes me so glad to hear you say that. Because, darlin’, I’ve wanted you since the moment I first laid eyes on you.” He heard her breath caught as his raspy words tickled the side of her neck, just below her ear.
He leaned in, unable to resist the temptations of the curve of her neck, kissing sweetly with gentle pressure and then a sharp nip that had her gasping and writhing beneath him.
She was incredible. The way Tabitha responded to the slightest brush of his lips on her skin made him crazy, made him desperate to hear the sounds she would make when he was buried deep inside her.
Without waiting for another moment to pass, Sebastian had his shirt, boots and pants off, leaving him only in navy boxers. He made just as quick work of Tabitha’s clothes, and soon both of them were writhing against each other, the air ripe with sexual tension that left no room for teasing touches.
With a brutal kiss, Sebastian claimed her mouth for his own, leaning his hard body against all of her softness, but being careful to avoid her ankle. He couldn’t wait another minute to be inside her, filling her. He felt like an inexperienced cub, but this woman drove him crazy with the insistent tug of her fingers and husky moans tickling his ear.
They were both out of patience, not that they had much to begin with, and they kissed, pressing their bodies against each other in a desperate attempt to get closer. Feeling his control start to slip, Sebastian grasped the edge of her tiny lace panties and tugged, feeling them rip and then throwing the material to land somewhere on the floor with the rest of their clothes.
HIGHLANDER: The Highlander’s Surrender Bride (Scottish Alpha Male Pregnancy Romance) Page 32