by Taylor Lee
Gratified to feel Sam’s tension lessening slightly, Jake eased his hold accordingly. He hoped the tilt of her head might confirm that he’d caught her interest. Deciding that he couldn’t avoid the decision they were about to make, he continued. “To date, the only people I’ve invited here are my grandfather, my brothers, and their women. It’s that special to me.” He breathed an audible sigh. “It’s important that you know, Sam, in the five years I’ve worked on this cabin, I’ve never invited another woman to come here. I haven’t wanted to share what is truly my sanctuary with anyone except my family.” He hesitated, then added softly, “However, I would be honored to show it to you.” When she didn’t answer, Jake leaned down and rubbed his beard shadow across her soft cheek. Giving her the opportunity to choose, he added, “If you’d like to see it.”
Sam allowed herself to rest back against Jake’s strong body. She couldn’t trust her legs to hold her upright, she was that shaky. Jake was right on target. While feeling like she was on the way to a guillotine was a tad overdrawn, since they left the restaurant she’d felt totally compromised and out of control. She was more than a little angry that as always, Jake assumed he was in charge. When she jumped out of the car and marched up the walkway, planning to let him know how angry she was, she was surprised when he had stopped her. She’d assumed that if she hesitated or resisted in any way he’d simply usher her in. Or toss her over his shoulder as he threatened earlier, confirming that she had no choice.
Instead he’d put the decision in her hands. She admitted that she was truly touched when Jake told her how he’d built the cabin and how much it meant to him. She was humbled when he’d confessed that the stunning structure was his sanctuary. Now, as she rested back against his muscled chest, Sam admitted he’d done something even more powerful. He’d given her the choice to go in—or not. She swallowed the lump in her throat, acknowledging that the choice he was giving her was about more than whether or not she would enter his private haven. She didn’t kid herself. Both she and Jake were too serious about their respective boundaries not to admit how important this decision was to both of them. In telling her how much his cabin meant to him, he was baring a part of his soul to her. He was allowing her to choose whether she wanted him to make love to her, take her in ways she’d never known were possible. Essentially, if she would bare her soul to him.
Once more, she had to grapple with this man who continued to surprise her. He was stronger, and frankly more commanding, than any man she’d known. But his power was based on principle. According to those who knew them, he was the least arrogant of his brothers. But his goodwill only went so far. There wasn’t a friend or foe who didn’t understand that Commander Jake Justice was not a man to be trifled with. God forbid if you angered him. Or, Sam thought, if you loved him. Stunned at the word she’d used to describe her tumultuous feelings about the powerful man holding her, Sam longed to climb back into her highly developed fortress that Jake had described. How much easier it would be to live behind those walls and not face the hard choice of protecting herself at all costs or giving in to a man who could easily break her heart, or just as important, her spirit.
Before she could rethink her decision, Sam took a deep breath and said, “I’d like to see your cabin, Jake. From what I can see, it’s beautiful.”
“Then, my lovely princess, you shall.”
Jake’s response was measured, but Sam didn’t miss the relief undergirding his reply. It was clear Jake had given her a legitimate choice. If she’d said no, there was no question but that he would have taken her home and likely worked to change the heated relationship between them. Instead, he’d given her the responsibility for her decision, and God help her, she’d chosen to do the hardest and most daring thing she’d done in a lifetime of challenging herself. That was to throw her protective caution to the wind and open herself to the powerful man whom she admitted she was falling in love with.
****
“I don’t know what to say, Jake. This is truly amazing. I can’t believe you built this gorgeous place. And what’s even more astonishing is that you designed it.” Nodding at the wall of windows comprising the back of the cabin, Sam marveled. “And this view is perfectly stunning. It’s as though you captured the shoreline of Lake Superior in a picture frame. I can understand why you call this your sanctuary. What amazes me is that every room in the house opens in some way to a gorgeous view. Either the national forest, mysterious wooded areas, or the Great Lakes’ coasts.”
“Thanks, Sam. You’re right. I bought this particular piece of land for that very reason. It didn’t matter where I stood on the land, every direction I looked had a stunning view. The land more than anything determined the structure of the cabin. My goal was to bring the outside inside from every angle, if that makes any sense.”
Sam felt a thrill run up her spine. “I didn’t realize it until you said that, Jake, but that’s exactly what you did.” She laughed. “I have chills thinking about it. You captured everything nature has to offer and brought it inside without detracting from the outside.” She laughed again and shrugged. “I don’t know if that makes any sense, but suffice it to say, this is an extraordinary place. Thank you for bringing me here. I’m honored.”
Jake studied the lovely woman who had truly captured the essence of the home he’d designed and built. Knowing the Native Americans’ reverence for the earth, he wasn’t surprised that Sam had gone to the heart of what made his home the sanctuary that it was. Every window, door, and skylight made a connection to yet another unexpected element of the land it was built on. Yes, this place was his sanctuary, but he hadn’t known until this moment that it wasn’t finished. No, it took the presence of this extraordinary woman to make it complete. He didn’t know how to tell her that, and decided that words would have to wait. Actions were what was called for now.
He realized that for the first time since he’d met her, Sam almost looked relaxed. He breathed a sigh of relief. Jake determined that somehow he would build on the détente that they’d managed to create. Knowing how prickly and defensive she was, he decided that he would woo her. At first, that thought seemed ridiculously inadequate to describe the way he felt about her, and frankly, the things he was planning to do to her. But if anyone needed to be wooed, it was Samantha.
Given the chilliness of the mid-June night, Jake decided that a fire in the double-sided fireplace would provide as much light as he wanted. In minutes, the dancing flames and woodsy smell of the birch logs filled the room. Dimming the overhead lights, a peaceful darkness settled over the room lit by the subtle flames of the burning logs. Satisfied with the ambiance, he went to the bar and opened a bottle of one of his favorite Scotches. The Macallan 27 Year Old 1987 was shockingly expensive but came as close to a perfect libation as anything he’d drunk. It seemed exactly right for the minefield mission of wooing this beautiful and exceedingly challenging woman. He put two crystal copita glasses on the bar, then picked up the remote and in seconds, the seductive, bluesy notes of Marvin Gaye filled the room.
Pouring a healthy amount of the odiferous Scotch in each of the glasses, he turned to Samantha. Her rigid body language confirmed that his preparations had not gone unnoticed. Forcing himself not to grin at her strained expression, he handed her one of the glasses. “I don’t know if you’ve ever drunk excellent Scotch from a copita glass, but if you haven’t, prepare yourself for a memorable experience.” Pointing to the tulip shaped glass, he added, “Serious whiskey and Scotch drinkers insist that drinking fine liquors requires the use of all of your senses. The shape of the glass helps develop and concentrate the complex aromas of the Scotch, essentially allowing your sense of smell to savor the alcohol before you taste it.”
Jake delicately swirled the amber liquid in the glass, then nodded to her as he brought the crystal glass to his nose, indicating that she should do the same. When she tentatively raised the glass and mimicked his actions, her eyes widened at the potent aroma. Jake smiled in appreciation a
nd said, “Now, according to the libation snobs, you should sip this extravagant Scotch and swirl it in your mouth to release its complex flavors.” He raised his glass in a toast and murmured, “To the most beautiful woman in the world. Here’s hoping that this fine libation can help to relieve at least some of the tension she’s feeling.”
Sam stared at him, not knowing how if ever she could relax. She’d warily watched Jake’s careful preparations to ready his magnificent home in what was clearly impressive foreplay. Knowing the end game he had in mind, she did her best to quiet the convoluted sensations fluttering over her tense body. Part of her was wracked with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Dear God, it was bad enough that he was a literal Lothario while she was a pitiful neophyte, but what the hell was she doing in this extraordinary home with a man who had special glasses and rituals for drinking Scotch? She resisted the temptation to throw back the potent alcohol in a single gulp, hoping that it would reduce her anxiety that was as every bit as potent as the Scotch. Seeing the slight smile quirking his full lips, she pressed hers together, then followed his instructions.
To her surprise, swirling the liquid in the delicate crystal truly did release myriad aromas. Following his lead, she took a careful sip and swirled it in her mouth. It was as though the flavors exploded on her tongue. She was so intent on relishing the experience that she didn’t resist when Jake reached for her hand and led her over to the luxurious leather sofa in front of the fireplace. Realizing what he was doing, she tried to pull away but he tightened his grip. Meeting his gaze, she shuddered at the intensity she saw in his expressive eyes and the set of his chiseled jaw.
He smiled and shook his head. “I shouldn’t have teased you, Chief Delgado. The guillotine is in the basement. It’s only there as a last alternative. I promise I won’t resort to its use unless the beautiful woman I’ve captured and brought to my untried lair refuses to give into the powerful emotions she and I are both feeling.” He took another sip of his Scotch then lifted his chin indicating that she should do the same. Powerless to refuse, Sam carefully sipped on the potent alcohol and then took another sip, relishing the warmth that spread through her body. He lifted his glass to her and said, “Here’s to avoiding the guillotine and making mad passionate love to a man who will never get enough of you.”
Swallowing her angst, Sam met his heated gaze. Raising her glass, she took an oversized gulp of the potent Scotch and nodded in agreement.
Chapter 19
Sam snuggled under the covers on the king-sized bed, then startled awake, realizing that she wasn’t in her own much smaller bed. Slowly, she allowed herself to remember where she was. If it weren’t for the delicious odors of cinnamon and bacon wafting from the kitchen, she might have thought that she was in a dream. A very erotic dream. How else could she explain the panoply of heated images playing in her fuzzy brain? Stunned, Sam acknowledged that for the second morning in a row, she was waking up naked. She wrapped the covers more tightly around her as if she could protect herself from the delicious sensations flickering over virtually every inch of her naked body.
Acknowledging that she was in Jake’s big bed in his cabin—a pitifully inadequate name for the gorgeous masterpiece that he’d created—Sam allowed the images tugging at her brain to flourish. She couldn’t have stopped them if she’d wanted to. Which she certainly did not. The most erotic night in her life had begun in the living room, where Jake had given her the choice of the would-be guillotine in the basement or giving in to the sexual overtures of the powerful man seducing her. She knew she would never be able to sip on expensive Scotch without recalling the memory of the sinfully handsome, erotic lover who’d invaded parts of her body and her psyche that she hadn’t known existed. Certainly not the erogenous zones he played as skillfully as a master musician milking emotion from the strings of an instrument only he could play.
Luxuriating in the soft fragrant sheets, Sam remembered Jake carrying her into this room and laying her on the bed. God only knew where her clothes were. She could have cared less that she was naked. Coming down from the third or fourth powerful orgasm he’d wrung from her receptive body on the floor in front of the fireplace, she was lost in haze of passion-filled sensations. Fortunately, she emerged from the sensuous fog to see Jake beginning to undress. Even now, the memory of the tall man looming over her stole her breath. Watching him unbutton his shirt and letting it fall to the floor, she was stunned at the muscles rippling across his chest and shoulders. Already finding it hard to snare a full breath, Sam remembered him kicking off his heavy leather boots, and she watched in awe as he undid the top button and pushed his trousers lower on his slim hips. Recreating the erotic scene, Sam gasped at the memory of him shoving the pants to the floor and rising up over her in all his naked glory. Woefully ignorant of men’s naked bodies, Sam had been startled at the sight of his engorged penis. Long, thick and hard, it rose in front of him, reaching almost to his navel. Her first thought upon seeing the impressive organ was that it was a good thing he’d blindfolded her the night before. Even now, she marveled that not only had he put the hard staff inside of her, but he’d entered her with a series of hard deep thrusts that had brought her to a screaming orgasm.
Remembering him grasping the heavy organ at the base and advancing on her, Sam was stunned at the sensations flooding her core. The memory of his powerful cock had her gasping for breath and squeezing her thighs together in a useless attempt to stop the moisture streaming from her vagina. Reaching for a pillow, she crammed it between her legs, trying to mimic the pressure she’d felt when he entered her. Allowing herself to picture the flared head of his penis dripping with pre-cum, Sam shoved her fist into her mouth to stifle her moans and gave in to the sparkling sensations rippling in her core.
“Ah, what is my naughty girl doing? Is she reliving the glorious orgasms we shared last night?”
Horrified that she’d been so absorbed in her erotic memories that she hadn’t heard Jake enter the bedroom, Sam tried to quiet her quaking body. Too embarrassed to look at him, she turned away from him, not willing to meet his gaze.
“Oh, no you don’t, baby. You don’t get to hide a shred of passion that you’re feeling. Uh-uh, if anything, you need to share it with me.” He crawled in beside her and pulled her next to him. Seeing the pillow crammed between her legs, he chuckled. “Is that my replacement? Ah, darling, it’s definitely thick enough, but not nearly hard enough.” When she buried her flaming face against his chest, he leaned down and murmured in her ear, “Do you have any idea how sexy it is to see my gorgeous lover pleasuring herself? Tell me, Sam, what are you thinking? What is going on in that hot brain of yours that has your sexy juices spilling from your cunt?” When she tried to pull away, he insisted, “No, darling, tell me. I want to know what image is bringing my hot lover close to a climax.”
Understanding that he was serious and that she couldn’t hide what she’d been doing, Sam tried to answer him. “It…it was you. I was remembering you standing in front of me…naked. With your…”
When her stammering words ended in a tortured moan, Jake groaned and finished her sentence. “With my cock hard and thick?” At her muffled assent, Jake shoved at his sweats, pushing them to his knees, then kicked them off. Turning her onto her back, he rose up over her. Grasping his aroused cock, he pressed it against her belly. His voice was tight, ragged with need. “Is this what you were imagining, sexy woman? My straining cock, wanting desperately to enter your glove-tight cunt? Is that what you wanted, what you want now?”
Shocked at how hard he was and what his explicit words were doing to her eager body, Sam could only cry out, “Yes, yes. I want you, Jake. I want you to come inside me, like you did last night.”
Pressing her knees up against her chest, he spread her legs wide apart. His voice was as tortured as hers. “Jesus God, baby, do you have any idea how beautiful you are? Your pussy is swollen, flushed, dripping wet. I think you’re ready for me. Are you, darling? Ready for me to drive my
cock into you? Hard and deep?”
At her fevered cries, he grabbed the pillow that she’d been pressing between her legs and shoved it under her hips. Raising her pussy to an auspicious angle, he pressed the head of his cock against her weeping entrance. Promising himself that he would go easy, take her slow, he inched into her with a heavy groan. But it was not to be. Unable to resist the pull of her tight cunt, he rose up on his knees and began to plunge into her. Pulling back, then driving deeper, he began to thrust, his groaning pants echoing her frantic cries. After several hard thrusts, unable to hold back, he drove his cock into the hilt. With a primal roar, his balls banging against her ass, he gave in to the most ferocious orgasm he’d ever had.
****
Sam leaned against his hard body, relishing the steamy hot water coursing over them. Grateful for his strength, she admitted that there was no way that she could stand if Jake weren’t holding her. The multiple showerheads in his designer bathroom sluiced healing water from every angle over her agitated limbs. Holding her with one strong arm, Jake poured bodywash on a mammoth sponge, then scrubbed at her arms, legs, and back. Taking special care to wash her breasts and between her legs, he murmured loving words of praise and awe. He even insisted that he wash her hair. When she finally agreed that she could hold herself upright, he helped her out of the shower and wrapped her in a king-sized, thick towel, then used the fluffy towel to dry every part of her body. Wrapping a smaller towel around her head, he squeezed the water out of her long hair, marveling at it thickness and shining black color.