She stepped toward him, bold and unafraid. She drew one hand over his chest, pausing over his heart to feel its steady rhythm beneath her hand. “But you seem so…human.”
Now she got to see the smirk instead of just hear it. “Oh, yes. When I am not monster.”
She frowned. “You know I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t think of you like that. A monster.”
She hadn’t thought about it that way until she was saying it out loud, but she supposed it was true. At first, she had considered the word monster, but only because she didn’t have another word for it. When it came down to it, she thought of him as a man — a man who had given her an incredible gift, a great opportunity in taking her in. The man who brought her things because — she realized suddenly, with his treasures around her — he wanted to share those treasures he valued with her.
She was sliding her hand down his chest, stepping into him, until his body was just a breath’s space from hers. She couldn’t bear to meet his eyes, feared the rejection she might see in them, because he was all of this, had all of this, and she was just a human woman, with nothing much to give. A human woman who couldn’t even follow his directions, who put herself in danger, who caused him trouble.
He stood still beneath her caresses, as she slipped one hand up toward the back of his head, her fingers tangling in his dark hair, the other hand moving down the front of his shirt, like she was waiting for permission to unbutton his shirtfront.
She hesitated at the top button, as though she wouldn’t be able to go on.
“Don’t stop,” he growled, and there was an urgency in his voice that couldn’t be missed or mistaken. The buttons passed easily through her fingers, until she was pushing the white fabric off over his shoulders, the thin cotton undershirt quickly removed, until he was nearly naked in front of her, his skin glowing a rich amber in the semi-lit space, infused with the same gold as their backdrop.
His chest was broad and heavily-muscled, the strong cut of his shoulders inviting her touch.
With the shirt gone, his skin was almost hot to the touch, and Paulette could feel that thing inside of her she’d been barely holding at bay come roaring through her, to the surface.
She knew with a certainty that this, this caress, was not going to be enough.
As if he could read her thoughts, he brought his own hands to her waist, carefully pulling free the sash she wore, spinning her around to unfasten the pearl buttons at the top of the high collar dress.
Like her, he made short work of the task, his fingers nimble as they moved down the line of buttons, following the curve of her back.
He slipped the dress off of her shoulders, let it fall to the ground so her pale skin was exposed, the thin silk of her undergarments the only thing hiding her from his eyes.
He pulled her around again, so she was facing him, and the heat in his eyes, the glow from the room, made her feel like the undergarments were doing very little to protect her from his eyes.
She could feel his desire. It was coming off of him in waves, wrapping around her, pulling her close and intoxicating her.
And she wanted him just as badly. That night at the dinner table kept playing through her mind, and all those times she’d thought about what might have been to come, what else might have happened between them.
It was going to happen now.
He was pulling her toward him then, suddenly anxious to taste her, his mouth on hers, his hands moving to divest her of the scrap of silk she wore, until she was naked and perfect before him.
She couldn’t say how it had happened. They were upright, and his hands were on her body, tasting her curves, the shape of her breast and the swell of her hips, and her hands were caught in his hair and tugging at his trousers, and then, suddenly, they were on the floor of the cave, the stone cool and hard beneath her, his body warm and heavy on top.
And hard. She felt him press against the inside of her thigh. Thick and long and fully aroused.
She let her hand brush up against him, capture his length, stroke him while his tongue invaded her mouth, while his hand moved toward her core.
Then he was sliding his fingers up against her, finding her warmth and delving into her, setting an easy pace, like he had nothing to do but watch the pleasure move across her face and move in waves through her body.
It had been a long time since she had been touched like this. When she had been a newlywed, maybe, before she’d set off on the journey west, where every day had been exhausting and she and Robert had been completely taxed, and then she’d been pregnant and nothing about this — pleasure for the sake of pleasure — had been a high priority.
And then, just like that, she’d found herself a widow, and it seemed like moments like this were something she might never have again, something she had even forgotten existed, forgotten that she might want.
Paulette could feel the ache building insider of her. She wrapped her hand more tightly around Zed, loving the sound he made in return, suddenly desperate to have him inside of her, to fully give herself to the man who had already given so much to her.
She pulled him toward her, nipping at his lower lip, drawing him to her until she was tucked completely beneath him, bringing her legs up and inviting him inside of her.
He needed no more invitation, with a gentle kiss he was moving upward, sliding into her slick depths, just as desperate to feel her as she had been to feel him.
And then there was nothing tender or unhurried about their union. She matched his pace, asked for more, her hands moving freely over his body, caressing his shoulders and back, dipping down to cup him and pull him more closely to her.
“Don’t stop.” It was her turn to moan in his ear, to beg for the pleasure he was giving her.
And he was only too happy to comply.
Chapter Nine
Afterward, they lay sated and spent on the cool cave floor, Paulette tucked neatly into Zed, marveling at how well she fit against him, at how easily his body enveloped hers. Everything had been perfect. The kind of perfection you were sure couldn’t be real until it was happening. She gave a little sigh, reaching for him again.
She knew they would have to leave this place, this sweet sanctuary where she had been allowed to know him — all of him — just as he had her. That they would return to the little home she thought of as hers.
And try to figure out how to bring this back with them. To let him be a part of their lives the way she knew with certainty she wanted him to be. To be the first thing she woke to, the last thing she saw at night. She wanted to see the baby in his arms, that irritating endearing smirk. All of it.
As much as she never wanted to leave this place, she was ready to go back. She was more than ready to have Abigail in her arms again, to feel that soft, small body against hers, and know she had been given a reprieve, and the right to raise her as she had always wanted.
But this, Zed’s hard, warm body, the way he was moving his hands over her skin. It was hard to give it up. Even for just a little while.
She finally disentangled herself from him, reaching for her dress, trying not to become distracted by the way his hand was moving over the small of her back, down further over the curve of her backside.
“Zed,” she whispered, caught somewhere between warning and desire. “We should get back. To Abigail.”
“Ah, yes,” he gave her a lazy grin, his hand continuing its progress, and it had her thinking of all the things he had done to her body, another tremor of excitement, anticipation of the pleasure she knew he would bring to her again, slipping through her. “Abigail. The other woman in my life.”
She turned away from him, trying to hide her grin. It felt strange to hear those words on his lips. She hadn’t been anyone’s woman in a long time.
And now here she was — his, completely.
And he was hers.
THE END
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KODIAK ISLAND SHIFTERS:
Sterling Bear Shifters Book 1: COLTON
(This book is a standalone with a Happily Ever After ending. It is the first book in a series you’re going to love about the Sterling Brothers, Grizzly Bear Shifters.)
Colton Sterling- Brilliant business strategist, Ladies man, Adrenaline junky, Self-made billionaire, and a Kodiak grizzly bear shifter.
Colton Never thought he’d settle down. It’s not that he didn’t like the ladies, he LOVED the ladies, and they loved him. In fact, his brothers joked about him having a woman in every port. The thing is, his grizzly had no desire to claim any of them as his mate, none took his breath away.
Until he saw her…
Hannah Cooper- Smart, curvy, bold young doctor way out of her league in the Alaskan wilderness. The thing is, she’s just passing through.
Colton has 24 hours to make her fall in love with him before she’s gone, back to the lower 48.
Can he rise to the challenge?
FREE BONUS BOOKS SECTION - STORY DESCRIPTIONS INCLUDED
SNOWBOUND WITH THE ALPHA
STORY DESCRIPTION
MIRA
Curvy Mira Jenkins has sworn off men. After suffering a traumatic experience at the hands of an ex-boyfriend, she just can’t get to that trusting place- not with any man. On the outside, she is a confident, all-together business woman. Inside, she carries a residual fear and anxiety from her trauma that threatens to envelop her if she doesn’t manage to get the upper hand with it.
Following her therapist’s advice, Mira plans a much needed escape from Denver’s city life in the form of a hiking excursion through the mountain trails. So what if her friend backed out at the last minute? Mira needs her getaway to keep her sanity in check and that means she’s going with or without a hiking buddy.
***********************************
CADE
Cade Donovan has seen war first hand. Different battle, different country, same senseless slaughter. Suffering from PTSD, he spends his days holed up in his secluded $4 Million estate deep in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. He no longer has any use for the human race and leaves his home only on rare occasions like when the wolf inside of him needs to run wild.
When Cade finds an endangered hiker on an isolated trail, he is enraged at having his paradise invaded. His anger is short lived, however, once he realizes that the hiker is a sexy, curvy woman.
He really has no choice. His sense of honor demands he help her, and soon she is lying in his bed while he offers his home as a sanctuary to recover from her injuries.
How did that happen?
No worries, it’s temporary. A day or two, max and then she’s gone.
There’s only one problem. This woman stirs feelings in Cade that he hasn’t felt for a very long time. The way she tames his hot temper and soothes his beast is making it very difficult for Cade to say goodbye. Not to mention the fact that his wolf wants to keep her and claim her as his mate!
Chapter 1
“Honestly Amanda, there's nothing wrong with going out every now and then, letting yourself enjoy the wonders of nature!”
Mira Jenkins pouted into her iPhone. Her brow was furrowed in annoyance as she paced the room. Even so, she knew her pleading was in vain, she was pretty sure she was going to lose the argument but she had to at least give it a fair shot.
“Besides, you've been cooped up indoors so long, at work and at home, you'll go crazy without some fresh air!”
She placed a hand on her thick waist, drumming her index finger and waiting for a comment back from her best friend.
“I'm sorry, Mira, I just... Look, me and Randy haven't had much time together. Dealing with work and other obligations, we haven't had any couple time! C'mon, you've got to understand, next time? I promise I'll go with you the next time you are ready to go hiking, okay?” Her friend's voice begged on the line.
Mira, paced a bit more along the floor and let out an overly dramatic sigh. She tugged at the neck of her warm, black turtleneck that pressed a little too snugly against her throat.
“Alright, Amanda, I'll stop bugging you. But, when we get ready to go next time, you bring the hot chocolate, 'kay? I'll be taking the Pear Lake Trail.”
Mira smiled as she heard her girlfriend’s squeal of delight at being let off the hook, her eyes lingering briefly on the second pack on her floor.
“Okay, I promise, Mira. Thanks for understanding, hon, it's reeeeeeally important for us tonight!” Mira laughed at her friend’s voice. She sounded like a joyous puppy able to jump in the snow for the first time.
“Promise to use protection,” Mira said in a light, singsong tone, then, she heard the line go dead silent, a grin spreading along her lips.
She knew Amanda was as red as an apple at her comment. A short laugh slipped out before she disconnected the call, shaking her head with a big grin. She did love to torture her friend. Shy as heck, adorably so, and so naively innocent. So different from herself.
Mira stretched her arms above her head and wandered over to the window, letting out a calm slow breath as she eyed the view of the Rocky Mountains looming ahead in the distance. She had been hiking many times before, and loved the quiet, the invigorating exercise and the refreshing bite of chilled mountain air. The best thing about it though, was how well it served to clear her head of traumatic memories. She had tried so many different things, and actually not too long ago, she was afraid she was going to permanently lose her mind. It was her therapist who suggested finding solace in nature. Once she began taking regular hikes, she found them to be like a magic elixir. When she felt anxiety building, her hiking was like hitting a reset button.
It had been a little over a year since the constant emotional and physical abuse from her ex-boyfriend Jeremy had escalated to a peak resulting in him holding a gun to her temple, and an hours-long police stand-off. She still struggled with the memories, and there were occasional panic attacks and night terrors. But her twice monthly excursions into the mountains were her best defense against her anxiety.
She didn’t exactly have a hiker’s bod. Her thick, hourglass shape stood at 5'4”, but she still made commitments to herself. Each and every time she hiked those trails, she would find the marker she had set the time before, taking it further up the mountainside. It had become her chosen way of redirecting her anger and fear and, so far, it worked.
She tugged on her jacket and gloves, shouldered her pack, and straightened to look in the mirror. Bright blue eyes stared back, like pools of water, checking absently to see how she looked. Tired as normal, though she looked prepared. She was prepared to face the day ahead of her, climb that trail, and cast her worries aside.
Mira checked her pack once more, mentally ticking off each item on the checklist she kept in her head. Flares, ice picks, a small shovel, some supplies of food and water, and a medical kit. Her fingers ran along the rope she brought, checking to be sure there were no frays in the material. The rope was perfect- like new. Of course, she always packed extra clothes too, just in case. She was always cautious, and that included taking a buddy with her. Unfortunately, Amanda had been her last resort, and now that she had bailed, it was either cancel the trip altogether or risk it alone. The week at work had been rough, and she’d had more than a few nightmares. She totally needed to find her Zen. Cancelling, Mira felt, would be detrimental to her mental health right now. This time, just this time, she’d have to take the risk of a solo hike for the sake of putting her head back in order. It was worth it.
“That's everything, I think. Oof, this thing doesn't get any lighter.”
She let out a slight wince before straightening, and adjusting the pack onto her shoulders. With a partner, she could distribute some of the gear between the two of them. Alone, her pack was bordering on too heavy. She absentmindedly grabbed her phone before realizing what she was doing. The phone was of no use out there. The towers didn't extend that far. That was another relief. Setting her voicemail message to explain she was out hiking and wouldn't be back for a day or two, she turned her phone off and dropped it on her bed.
Mira paused before the door, smiling as she looked at a picture frame hanging on the adjacent wall. A lovely woman, looking like a far more mature version of herself was sitting in a rocking chair, holding a child in her arms.
“Take care of the place, Mom. I'll be back soon, okay?” she whispered.
It was a half-hour drive to the foot of the mountains and the sun was rising. She would have to hurry to get to the checkpoint by nightfall.
As she slid into her car, starting it and giving the engine a rev, she gripped the wheel tightly. Her jaw set, and she glared out of the windshield, her heart racing. There was a man walking on the side of the road. Was it…? He looked like…. It can’t be Jeremy. She held her breath and grasped the steering wheel until her knuckles were white just to keep her hands from trembling. She was almost on top of the guy before she realized that while there was a slight resemblance, the man was definitely not Jeremy. He’s in prison, you idiot, she chastised herself. She really needed to stop seeing apparitions of him all over the city. Just one more confirmation of how badly she needed to get out of here today and spend some time in the mountains.
The six months she suffered gradually escalating mental and physical torment at the hands of Jeremy Mathers was bad enough to leave deep emotional scars, but that horrible afternoon that stretched into evening left her with bouts of fear and anxiety that slammed her at completely unexpected moments. PTSD was the diagnosis, but the label didn’t explain the bone deep horror that Mira could experience at times. She didn’t like to remember that particular event, but her therapist had insisted that she go over what she could remember again and again. She remembered his face contorted with rage. She remembered being bound to a chair, a rag stuffed in her mouth. She remembered being struck repeatedly in the head with the butt of his gun. She remembered going in and out of consciousness, and her own warm, sticky blood pouring down her face and dripping onto her lap. But she also remembered the trial and the day that Jeremy was led away in handcuffs after the final verdict of guilty.
BOX SET: Shifter 4-Pack Vol 2 (Wolf Shifter, Dragon Shifter, Mafia, Billionaire, BBW, Alpha) (Werewolf Weredragon Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection) Page 29