Fina trembled with cold fear but stopped when she looked into Cutler’s eyes. They were so warm, so gentle and loving that she felt safe and home and...right.
“Yeah, yeah,” Nath murmured against Fina’s skin. He placed his hand on her shoulder and rolled her toward him. “Too much talking and not enough kissing,” he grinned and settled his mouth over Fina’s.
Nathaniel’s kiss tasted different than Cutler’s. Cutler was patient confidence. Nath was rawer. He was sexual energy yet it was tempered. Fina gasped when Nath traced her lips with the tip of his tongue. “Open for me, Fina. Let me taste you,” he breathed against her mouth then growled when she did. His tongue touched hers, stroked it carefully while Cutler ran his big hands down the side of her body and pressed kisses to the back of her ear.
The heat pouring off both their bodies was overwhelming and Fina squirmed. That only made their arousal ramp up and Nath leaned over her, pressing his chest lightly into her breast. He caressed her tongue once more with his then leaned back, breathing audibly. “Damn,” he groaned and shut his intense blue eyes. His hips rocked forward and he looked as surprised as Fina did. He levered them back, dragging his swollen cock away from her thigh.
Cutler took hold of her chin again and pulled her back to him. This time his tongue filled her mouth...slow and heavy and determined and Fina tasted the primal, spicy musk that was Cutler. He withdrew, dragging his tongue over hers, leading and encouraging her to follow. She clutched his shoulder and tipped her head to fit her mouth more firmly to his.
Cutler pulled back leisurely then looked down at her with self-satisfied pride. He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead before leaning away.
“Hey, wake up, buddy,” he whispered to the small lump beneath the blankets perhaps a foot away from him. Cutler peeled the sheets away from Ryan’s face. “Time to do chores. Then I’ve got to get ready for work.”
Ryan grunted and ran his fists over his eyelids and the bridge of his nose. He opened his eyes slowly. He sat up and looked at the three adults curiously, as if trying to puzzle out how the four of them had wound up in another comfortable tangle.
“Morning, Fina,” he greeted her first. “Your tummy still sore?”
“It’s better thanks.” She smiled at him, reached over Cutler’s broad chest and brushed Ryan’s hair back. “I’ll put your barn clothes out for you.”
“Nah. I can do it myself.” Ryan yawned and climbed out of bed. Wearing pajama bottoms with cowboys on them and a plain white t-shirt, he padded out of the room without another word.
* * *
Less than fifteen minutes later, Ryan was scooping feed out of a bucket and spilling it on the ground in the chicken enclosure. When the bucket was empty, he opened the gate, closed it behind him with careful deliberation then carried the bucket back to the barn.
“Finished, big guy?” Nath asked when Ryan appeared beside him. He took the bucket from the boy, hung it up on a peg then slung another two bales of hay into the trailer hitched up to the back of their ATV. He started it up, settled Ryan on his lap then took off smoothly for the paddock their Black Angus cattle were currently penned in. When they reached the gate, he hovered behind Ryan as the boy climbed the fence to reach the latch. Nath gave it a little nudge to help Ryan open it. Ryan jumped down, pulled the gate wide open and stood aside while Nath drove through. The boy closed up the gate, shoved the latch back in place as best he could then trotted over to the feed and water troughs where Nath was already unbaling hay.
“That ewe we were worried about looks better,” Cutler said as he let himself into the cattle paddock from the sheep pen. He brushed the dust off his rawhide gloves, grabbed two buckets of corn from the trailer and set one near the trough. He started to tip up the remaining one then waited until Ryan took hold of the other side of the bucket and the two of them poured the feed together.
“Yah, cow. Yah,” Ryan barked sharply when one of the heifers got too close. It slowed its approach.
Cutler and Nath shared a wry grin over his head, finished filling the troughs then checked the salt licks before piling back onto the ATV.
“What’s for breakfast, Nath?” Ryan asked. He hung onto his new, straw, cowboy hat when the trailer went over a bump.
“Don’t know, big guy. Fina’s cooking this morning.”
Ryan’s mouth thinned. “She’s doesn’t cook as good as you do.”
“As well as you do,” Cutler corrected him gently, then grinned. “Maybe not...but she’ll get better.”
Ryan seemed to mull this over for a minute. With Cutler’s hand on his arm, he climbed down out of the trailer to open the gate. “My mom was a good cook,” he said out of the blue as he pushed the gate closed after them. This time Cutler got out to help him secure the latch.
“She was?” he replied as casually as he could. It was the first time Ryan had talked about his life before he and Fina arrived.
“Yeah. I used to live with her and my dad...before the bad men came,” he added and there was a seriousness in his voice the brothers weren’t used to hearing. Again, they looked at each other over his head. Ryan fell silent and they let him.
Nath pulled the ATV back into the barn. Cutler stepped out of the back then held out his hands. Ryan liked to ride back to the house on his shoulders but instead of walking toward him, Ryan faced Cutler, stood very still and his large, brown eyes looked very serious and far older than his six years. “She’s dead,” he told Cutler then climbed onto his shoulders and hung onto his head for the ride back to the house.
Chapter Five
“Hell will freeze over first you son of a bitch.”
Cutler’s head came up at the raw anger in Fina’s voice. He set his morning cup of coffee down and hurried into the office. Fina sat at the desk, her laptop open in front of her. When she saw him, she slapped the screen.
“Did you see what that bastard had the gall to say?”
Of course he didn’t but Cutler decided it was prudent not to mention that. Fina shot to her feet and began pacing the room. Cutler took the chair she’d vacated and read the email on the screen. It was from a man identifying himself as Sim Brice and it had been sent to Whitesage Nursery’s general inbox.
Time to get your cute rump back home, my pretty little Fina. I’ve been patient but unless you get back here—along with the pack money you stole—being rogue and alone will be the least of your worries. Those businesses, this website and your ass are the rightful property of my pack. I don’t know what you’ve been playing at but if you get back here within the next few days, I’ll consider forgiving you. Your Alpha, Sim Brice.
Cutler felt his brow go up and his mouth thin. He could hear Ryan playing outside, carrying on a one-sided conversation with the cattle. He smelled Fina’s rage as clearly as he saw her strident walk and the color in her cheeks.
“Is this him?” he asked coolly.
“I’m assuming,” Fina spit out. “He never bothered to introduce himself.” She swore under her breath and stormed out of the office. He let her go. Taking herself on a long walk down the laneway might cool her down.
Cutler glanced at his watch, radioed his dispatcher and advised that he was available for duty, but would be at home for awhile unless he was needed. Then he sent himself a copy of this Sim Brice’s email before scrolling through the Whitesage Nursery website. He’d never seen it before and it was impressive. Their specialty was rare, antique, heirloom plants. The bulk of their business seemed to be the sale of seeds online. Cutler’s brows went up. He hadn’t realized there were over a thousand varieties of apples alone. The site’s homepage was a short, gracious letter to their customers, advising that there had been deaths in the family and as a result, Whitesage Nursery was closed temporarily. The letter directed customers to competitor sites in the meantime. Cutler heard Fina’s voice in every word of every sentence. He heard her determination and her hopefulness.
He checked the website for geographical indicators, the name of a webpage designer,
anything that could lead this Sim Brice to her or Wyoming...and found nothing. Breathing a sigh of relief, Cutler wrote down the company’s web address and forwarded it onto a buddy of his at the FBI who was a whiz at this sort of thing. He’d make sure nothing could lead the rogues to Fina. When he was finished, Cutler poured himself a fresh cup of coffee, checked the reports his officers had logged into the Sheriff’s Office intranet overnight and waited for Fina to walk off her anger.
* * *
“When’s Nath coming home?” Ryan whined as he crawled into bed a few days later.
“Day after tomorrow, buddy,” Cutler told him as he picked the library book off Ryan’s night table. “Would you like to start the next chapter or do you want to wait for Fina?”
Ryan took the book from his Alpha, opened it then scowled. “She burned the macaroni.”
“Yeah I know,” Cutler agreed quietly. He sat down beside Ryan, stretched out his long jean-clad legs, and propped his back against Ryan’s headboard. “She’s trying,” Cutler added with a resigned shrug.
“I wish she’d try harder.”
“That’s enough of that,” Cutler interrupted Ryan firmly. “Can you cook macaroni?” Ryan looked away and shook his head. “Then from now on, when Fina goes to the trouble of making you something to eat, you say thank you and I don’t care how bad it tastes. Understood?” he added, gentling his voice.
Ryan looked like he wanted to argue but, finally, he nodded. “Okay,” he sighed plaintively, shoved his pillow behind him and sat up beside Cutler.
“Thank you,” Cutler acknowledged. “How about tomorrow I bring home fried chicken from the diner?” he added and held his hand out, palm up. Ryan grinned, slapped Cutler’s hand with his then started reading out loud.
Fina walked in maybe fifteen minutes later, flexing her fingers gingerly. She’d spent part of the evening compiling an email contact list to promote Green Mountain Eco Tours to past customers and anybody who’d ever inquired about taking a tour. She leaned her backside on Ryan’s windowsill, listening to him read the last page of the chapter. Ryan’s reading skills continued to improve steadily. Fina couldn’t be happier—or more relieved.
“Good story, buddy,” Cutler said as he stood up. He fluffed Ryan’s pillow while the six-year old scooted under the covers. “Are there any more books in that series?” he asked, looking up at Fina.
“One more,” she answered, walked over to Ryan and brushed his hair back with her fingertips. “Did you remember to brush your teeth?”
Ryan took a deep breath and blew it out in her direction. “Cutler asked already,” he answered impatiently.
Fina inhaled and plastered an artificially bright smile on her face. “Ah...minty fresh. All right then.” She switched off Ryan’s lamp and she and Cutler headed for the door.
“Leave the door open,” Ryan asked like he did every night. “ ‘Night, Fina. ‘Night, Cutler.”
“Good night, Ryan,” they said almost at the same time and left.
In the family room, Cutler stretched out on the big sectional.
“Hey! Sofa hog,” Fina grouched then headed for the kitchen. “Want something to drink?”
“No. I’m good,” Cutler answered absently. He picked up the remote, looked at it then tossed it back onto the coffee table. He dug his fingers into his eyes. “State Inspector’s coming by the station house next week.” He rolled his neck and stretched his arms overhead until a couple of his vertebrae popped.
“Is that unusual?” Fina asked as she poured ice and water into a glass.
“Routine,” Cutler answered curtly. “They send somebody every year.” His eyes tracked Fina as she walked back toward him. “There’s some running around to do before they get there. Make sure the filing is caught up and the evidence locker is tidy...that sort of thing. Thanks,” he added when he reached up and took the glass from her hand. Cutler drank about half of it before handing it back.
“You’re pushing your luck tonight, Sheriff,” Fina groused, looking at her half-empty glass. She took a drink then set it down on a coaster.
“Yeah? Wanna see what else I can push? Hmm?” Cutler taunted. He grabbed Fina’s waist, dug his fingers into her ribs until she laughed then pulled her down next to him.
Fina perched on the edge of the big sofa, her hip beside Cutler’s and lay her hand on the middle of his chest. The two of them looked at it for awhile—her small, pale hand riding the steady rise and fall of Cutler’s massive chest. After a time, Cutler reached up and combed his fingers through Fina’s heavy, reddish-brown hair.
“You’re beautiful,” he said quietly. “I don’t tell you that often enough.”
Fina blushed and looked away. Cutler brought her gaze back to his by laying his finger beneath her chin. He looked up at her thoughtfully. He wanted to mate with her so much the wanting had become need. He’d waited until she’d stopped bleeding and had given her another two weeks on top of that.
“Cutler...” Fina said hesitantly, “Y-you said awhile back that you wanted me for your mate. You and Nath did.”
He nodded, waiting for her to continue, and traced her jaw with the tips of his fingers.
“As much as I...appreciate your saying it, I know it was only to make me feel better. Like I could still be wanted...after...” Her voice trailed away self-consciously. “It was sweet and I love you for saying it, but I won’t hold you to it.”
“Come here.”
“Pardon?” Fina’s breath caught at the low rumble of command in Cutler’s voice. There was tenderness in it too and her brow furrowed at the dichotomy.
“I said,” Cutler said firmly. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled Fina’s small body on top of his. “Come. Here,” he repeated, saying it gently this time and arranged her limbs until she was stretched out on top of him. He kissed the tip of her nose and ran his big hands up and down her back. “My wolf has chosen you as its mate, Fina Whitesage,” Cutler said like he was explaining something to a child. “Our kind believe that there is one true lifemate for each of us and my wolf recognized you as that the second I walked into the café and smelled you.” Fina’s blue eyes were wide and startled and Cutler smiled at her tenderly. “Now it does not necessarily follow that the human part of me will love my mate.” Her expression dimmed and Cutler cupped her face in his hands. “But in this case I do, Fina. I love you.”
“Don’t do this to me, Cutler.” Fina squirmed, trying to get away, but his hands returned to her back and he held her easily.
“Do you think I’m lying?” he asked and his brows drew together. The light from the kitchen caught his shimmering, aqua eyes and emphasized the dark, luxuriant fringe of his lashes. “Delusional? Heartless? Cruel?”
“No of course not but—”
“But what, Fina?”
Fina placed her palms on Cutler’s thick shoulders. She should feel foolish, perched on him like an infant, but she didn’t. Cutler was big and powerful and his body supported hers effortlessly. She rose and fell with every breath he took and she could feel his hard body against every inch of hers and she liked it...liked it on a level that was unexplored and wonderful. Fina chose to deliberately ignore those feelings. “You’re an Alpha, Cutler,” she blurted out and now it was Fina’s turn to sound like she was explaining something to a child. “You’ve taken me in, sure, and I’m grateful—don’t ever think I’m not. But my pack is dead. I have no status, no standing. I’m a stray for crying out loud,” she barked into his face. “Alphas don’t mate with strays. That’s only one step above rogue and the distinctions are thin. Your pack will never accept me as top bitch.”
“Are you finished?” Cutler demanded hotly. He exhaled hard and his lip pulled back from his upper canines. “Jeez...you’re just about the most stubborn, idiotic woman I’ve ever met, Fina Whitesage,” Cutler exhaled again but this time he did it slowly, reigning in his anger. “I love you, Fina,” he said with stark finality. “Do you believe me?”
“Cutler, I—”
“Yes,” Fina hissed in annoyance. “There—are you happy? You don’t have to go all Alpha on me you know.”
One corner of Cutler’s sensuous mouth quirked up. “It’ll do. For starters.” He ran his hands up and down Fina’s back again, liking the way her warmth bled through her soft, linen blouse. “I didn’t say it would be easy on you. There are members of my pack who will see you as an interloper. Women especially.”
“Oh and let me guess...the young unmated ones who’ve been chasing your tail for years.”
“Well...yes,” Cutler admitted with a shrug. “I’m older than you, Fina. I’ve been an Alpha for almost six years. I’ve dated,” he added dryly.
Fina laughed and tucked her face in beside Cutler’s thick neck, hiding the blush heating her cheeks. He hugged her to him and let his hands move over her waist, the curve of her hips, her jean-clad thighs. Laying his hand on the small of her back, he held her to him, making sure she felt the unmistakable swelling of his cock. She stiffened then squirmed uncomfortably but didn’t pull away. Instead she chewed on her lower lip.
Cutler took hold of her chin, tilted it up and kissed her gently. He tasted warm, male and salty. His tongue swept her lip when she stopped biting it. Like before, Cutler’s kiss was patient, sensual but most of all confident. He was a man who knew what he wanted, held it in his arms and entertained no refusal.
Knowing that, Fina was surprised when Cutler pulled back and looked up at her with those infuriatingly seductive, aqua eyes.
“If you tell me you don’t want this...you’re not ready for this I’ll stop,” Cutler explained quietly. His big hands moved over her back, warming her and that warmth slid straight down to her nether regions. “I want you, Fina Whitesage. I want you for my mate and I will mate with you. Whether tonight or sometime down the road. Give me a good reason, a reason that isn’t a lie or fear,” Cutler added quickly, “and I’ll stop.” He shifted and Fina felt his erection dig into then ease away from her thigh. “I won’t like it but I’ll stop.” Those full, sensuous lips of his curled up in a naughty smile that made Fina want to chain him to the sofa, shred his clothes and hump him like a mad dog. She figured he had that affect on women.
When a Pack Dies Page 9