by Tasha Black
“Okay,” she said.
He went out onto the back porch. With the roof overhead, he wasn’t being snowed on, but the air was cold and crisp, and he could see the flakes already sticking to the branches of the pines.
Carol picked up on the second ring.
“Hey, Dax, did you two make it okay?” she asked.
“We did,” he told her. “It took longer than expected. The tree farm was shorthanded. We just got to the cabin.”
“Is it snowing there?” Carol asked with a tone of concern. “We’ve got flurries here.”
“Yes, it’s snowing,” he said. “I don’t mind driving back if you need me. We can take it slowly.”
“Oh no, no, no,” Carol told him instantly. “Don’t you dare go on those windy roads in the dark on a snowy night. Jim promised that he and Maxine would have the cabin ready for you to stay just in case. Did they get over there?”
“Yeah, actually they left a note saying they stocked the fridge,” Dax admitted.
“That’s lovely,” Carol said approvingly. “You two should spend the night. You can do what you need to do with the cabin tomorrow morning, then drive back in the afternoon if the roads are cleared.”
“Are you sure?” Dax asked. “I don’t want to spoil your plans.”
“What plans?” Carol asked. “All I ever want to do is be with these little guys. I finally have them all to myself. You can stay a week if you want.”
Dax laughed. “Okay, but if you need a break let me know. My buddies have all offered to help out, maybe I can finally take them up on the rain checks I’ve been stockpiling.”
“No,” Carol said quickly. “The twins are mine this weekend, all mine!”
They both laughed at her eagerness.
“Thank you,” Dax told her earnestly. “You’re always there for us.”
“Of course I’m there for you,” she replied gruffly. “We’re family.”
After they hung up, he stood outside for a long moment, watching the snow fall on the trees.
The wolf paced in his chest, torn between the call of the woods and the woman inside.
Dax turned and went back in.
Ava was crouched in front of the wood stove, closing the glass doors.
“You made a fire,” he said appreciatively.
“My time in the scouts paid off,” she said with a smile. “I checked, and he wasn’t kidding about having stocked the fridge. There’s enough in there to feed an army.”
“Good, I’m as hungry as one,” Dax declared. “Are you in the mood for anything you saw in there?”
“I’m not picky,” she said. “But I think I want a shower first.”
“Sure,” he told her. “Let’s go get you set up.”
Thankfully, a stack of clean fluffy towels was waiting in the bathroom.
He opened the door to the main bedroom, appreciating the lovely view over the trees.
“I have some t-shirts and sweats here,” he told her. “They’ll be big on you, but they’re clean.”
“That sounds amazing,” she replied.
He left her to go shower, and headed for the kitchen to make them some dinner.
Though the refrigerator was very well stocked, he decided on grilled cheese and tomato soup. It would be quick, simple, and filling.
After the day he’d had he figured he could use a shower as well. Maybe they could make some hot chocolate when he was done. He could always show off his cooking skills in the morning.
He snuck peeks at the snow out the window while buttering slices of bread. It was coming down harder now - it was good they had decided to stay.
Once the sandwiches were on the griddle, he opened a can of soup and emptied it into a pan, stirring in a generous amount of milk.
Between the wood fire and the stove, the little cabin was warming up. It was very pleasant to enjoy the tidy little space as the snow fell outside.
The shower turned off and he tried not to think about a naked Ava toweling off just on the other side of the door.
He distracted himself by plating the sandwiches and pouring the soup into mugs.
When she emerged, his breath caught in his throat.
She wore one of his flannel shirts and a pair of his sweats. Her skin was flushed, and her hair was still damp.
He realized he was gaping at her, and turned back to their meal. “How was your shower?” he asked.
“I’m feeling so much better, thank you,” she told him. “I tried to go fast so there would be plenty of hot water left for you. You really should have had the first turn.”
“Nah, I’m too hungry,” he laughed. “Ready for some grilled cheese?”
“Yes,” she said enthusiastically. “This makes me think of snow days when I was a kid. My dad always made me grilled cheese.”
“That’s really nice,” he told her. “And it’s definitely a snow day.”
He watched as she walked to the sliders overlooking the porch and the trees. The sky was a bright blue over the horizon. Soon it would be full dark, but for the moonlight.
“Wow,” she breathed. “It’s beautiful.”
He swallowed down the words he wanted to say - that she was beautiful, that her soul was beautiful, that he never wanted her to return to Glacier City.
“Oh, goodness, I don’t want our dinner to get cold,” she said, rousing herself.
They sat at the counter to eat, dipping their sandwich sections into their steaming mugs of soup.
Dax barely tasted his food. His senses were too filled with Ava, the female scent of her draped in clothes that smelled like him.
The wolf howled for freedom to claim her.
“I think I’ll take that shower now,” he announced, forcing himself to get up slowly and walk away from her to place his dishes in the sink.
“Good idea,” she said. “I’ll see if I can rustle up some dessert while you do.”
He headed back to his room to grab some clean clothes, but the sight of the trees through the window arrested him.
He stood in place, torn once again between the cabin and the forest.
His libido had withstood all it could.
Maybe his wolf could handle the temptation better than his human side.
Dax remembered the sensation of being in his other form, the simplicity of thought and emotion.
Before he could change his mind, he threw open the window and slipped out into the snow.
10
Dax
The wind swirled lacy flakes around Dax, lifting the scent of pine needles and the creatures of the woods.
He headed to the side of the house, not wanting Ava to catch a glimpse of him headed for the forest.
His heart beat fast, and his inner wolf danced with anticipation.
Once he was safely in the cover of the darkening woods, he stripped off his clothing and put it in the crook of a tree branch.
The wolf burst from him as soon as he offered it control.
The ground rose up and delicious scents assaulted him - the smoke of the wood stove, the loamy soil, the pine needles. He could hear the beating of tiny hearts - his natural prey - all around. And somewhere in the distance, the crystalline sharpness of water burbled along snow-covered banks.
He leapt into the underbrush, loving the scratch of the branches against his thick pelt.
His muscles stretched and burned pleasantly with each stride as the ground flew past beneath him. Fallen tree trunks, molding leaves, and clingy brambles all blurred under his clever paws.
When he had finally gotten his fill, he found himself atop an outcropping of granite that overlooked miles of lower ground. With the call of his animal side momentarily satisfied, another need, even more pressing, pushed its way forward.
Mate.
He gazed back toward the house, the air misting as it left his huge muzzle.
He was not confused. The knowledge that the woman waiting was his mate was clear and satisfying.
Mate.
Jubilan
t at the thought, he leapt from the rock and back toward the cabin. The distance he needed to cover seemed greater now that he was resolved.
At last, the warm golden windows appeared and the puff of woodsmoke rose into the sky ahead.
He slipped toward the side of the house and took in one last grateful breath before allowing his human form to rise.
The world expanded and the sounds and smells narrowed as Dax shifted back into himself.
He pulled on his clothing and slipped back in the window, into the warm, cozy cabin.
Ava was singing along with the radio in the kitchen. She hadn’t noticed his absence.
He closed the window behind him and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweats and headed into the bathroom, making a mental note to retrieve the clothes he’d abandoned outside before they left the cabin.
As the hot water of the shower pounded down on him, he felt grateful for all that the day had brought.
He was at peace with his wolf once more. He could feel the stretch and curl of the creature resting at last in his chest.
He closed his eyes and tried to understand what he was supposed to do about Ava.
Suddenly an incredible peace fell over him. It was if the water had turned into an unseen hand, stroking his back comfortingly, allowing him to see what he had been blind to until now.
An image of Jill formed in his mind, as clear as if she’d been standing right in front of him. He could almost smell her soft, clean scent.
“You sent her to me,” he murmured. “You sent her.”
Of course I did, he swore he heard her whisper.
His tears mixed with the water from the shower. He was glad that no one was there to see him weep like a child with gratitude and relief.
“Don’t go,” he whispered back.
The water encircled him once more, holding him until his breathing returned to normal, and then she was gone.
He stayed under the hot water until it went chilly.
When he emerged at last, it all seemed clear to him.
Ava was his mate.
It would take time for him to help her see it. He was committed to be as patient as it took for her to look at him that way, for their families and friends to accept them.
But his own time of indecision was over. There would be no more torment for Dax.
He knew what he wanted, what he needed.
He dressed quickly and headed out of the room.
As he stepped into the kitchen, he heard Ava’s quick intake of breath.
She gazed at him with open longing.
Warm relief filled his chest. She felt it too, whether she recognized it or not - just as he had involuntarily responded to the sight of her after only a short time apart.
He strode toward her, halving the distance between them.
She tore her gaze from his and looked down at the pot she was stirring.
“What’s that?” he asked gently.
“Mulled wine,” she told him. “Layla gave me a bottle and told me to warm it up on a cold night. I figured tonight qualified.”
She wanted to drink spiced wine with him.
“Tonight is perfect,” he told her approvingly.
She smiled, a bit of color appearing on the apples of her cheeks.
The wolf preened in his head, glad to find her eager to please him.
Easy, he told himself. Go slowly.
“I’ll just grab some mugs,” she murmured, turning off the stove. She stepped closer to him, going up on her toes to open the cupboard above the sink.
He watched her upturned face as she searched for what she wanted. She pulled down the first mug and placed it on the counter, her hand trembling slightly as if she were nervous.
When she reached further into the cupboard for the second one, her foot slid out from under her and the mug slipped from her hand.
Dax moved without thinking, snatching the mug out of the air before it could hit the counter, and wrapping an arm around Ava.
“Oh,” she said, her eyes wide.
He imagined she was surprised to find herself in his embrace instead of sprawled on the floor. His shifter reactions were superhuman. He knew it could be surprising to people who weren’t used to being around shifters.
“Careful,” he told her, his voice rough with need. He wasn’t sure if he was telling her to be careful not to fall, or careful with his heart, or with the brutal demands of his body.
“Dax,” she said softly.
But she didn’t move away from him, didn’t fight the urge to lose herself in his eyes.
He was the predator, and she was the prey.
But it was more than that. This was their destiny. He was her mate. She sensed it too.
It was why she welcomed his embrace, even if she didn’t yet know it for herself.
He opened his mouth, but there were no words.
Instead he extended his hand to caress her cheek.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.
“I adore you, Ava,” he told her, his voice breaking on the last syllable of her name. “I need you.”
She closed her eyes and he didn’t know if it was happiness or sadness that caused her not to be able to look at him.
But she stayed in his arms, her ribcage swelling with each breath.
Wild with need, he lifted her up, slid his arm under her knees and carried her through the kitchen, down the hall and into his bedroom.
Outside, the moonlight glowed on the new fallen snow. The bare tree branches were adorned with a mantle of white.
Ava clung to him, as if she couldn’t bear for him to let her go.
But he needed more than this.
He laid her on the bed and peeled off his t-shirt before joining her.
“Dax,” she whispered.
“Nothing has to happen tonight,” he told her, determined to hold back as long as it took. “But I want you to know how much I need you.”
Her eyes drifted down to where his need was tenting the sweats he wore.
“I don’t mean that way,” he clarified. “At least, not just that way. I mean that I need you in my life. I love the way you make me feel. I love seeing you with my kids.”
Her eyes met his again and she smiled. “I love the way you make me feel, too. Are you sure we aren’t making a mistake?”
“This isn’t a mistake,” he assured her. “This is the best thing that could happen to us. This is our chance to give each other happiness. I want to make you happy, Ava. We both deserve to be happy.”
She reached out slowly to stroke his cheek as he had stroked hers.
He smiled as he felt his eyes close, felt himself lean into her touch, just as she had done.
When he opened his eyes again, she had drawn close to him, so close he could taste her sweet breath.
“Dax, are you sure?” she whispered.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” he told her.
He pulled her close and she met him in the middle, pressing her soft lips to his, sending the frenzy in his blood to the boiling point.
She kissed him as though there were nothing else in the world besides the two of them, as if there had been no pain or uncertainty before this kiss, as though there would be nothing but joy afterward.
He savored the moment, loving her abandon even as he felt her nipples peak under the soft flannel that was the only thing separating them. Helpless with need, he ran his hand down her side, stroking her breast with his thumb.
Ava sighed, opening her mouth, and his tongue sought hers, eager to be inside her, just as the rest of his body demanded.
He slid his hand under the shirt, lifting it higher, breaking their kiss to pull it over her head.
She lay beneath him, beautiful in the moonlight, her eyes luminous with need.
He lowered his face to place a chaste kiss on her chest.
A long pink scar made a slight dent along her left breast, seeming to point his way to her puckered nipple.
He kissed
the scar first, brushing it gently with his lips. He understood that it must have been from her illness and he was overcome with admiration for her bravery. Ava had fought and she had won.
She had come out on the other side compassionate and ready to open her heart.
She sighed and he felt her fingers tangling in his hair, caressing him.
He licked one nipple into his mouth, teasing the other with the pad of his thumb and loving the way she arched her back for more.
He moved lower, pressing kisses into the softness of her belly, and then lower still, until he nuzzled her thighs.
She froze for a moment and he waited, ready to crawl back up beside her and hold her all night long if that was all she wanted.
Then she relaxed her thighs and he caught her scent - sweet, musky, and utterly enchanting.
He pressed a kiss to her tender opening, losing himself in the unconscious sounds she made as he began to tease her.
11
Ava
Ava gasped as Dax’s tongue ran a hot line against her.
Waves of sensation shot through her. Pleasure and anticipation building in her so fast she felt almost out of control.
Dax’s strong hands grasped her hips, anchoring her, as he teased and toyed with her.
When she cried out in frustration, she could feel his smile against her inner thigh.
But then he gave her what she wanted, long, lavishing strokes of his tongue, until she felt like she would float off the bed, if not for him holding her down.
The pleasure swelled in her, rising and tightening, pulling her body taut with desire.
At last she felt him slide a finger against her opening, and press slowly, slowly inside.
She moaned as he found a place inside her that made her toes curl.
Then he lowered his mouth to her again, licking around his fingers and making her wild with need, but avoiding the swelling pearl that craved his touch the most.
When she cried out again, he licked her clitoris into his mouth at last.
Ava lost herself to the sensation and the knowledge that this was Dax, caressing her from the inside, flicking her firmly, sending her over the edge of the precipice and into the arms of ecstasy.
She flew almost out of herself with the blinding pleasure.