by Kasey Belle
Lady Grey wasn’t the only one who had changed over the past year. Koda had been a miserable bastard before his Irish spitfire showed up and put him in his place. Dakoda Stone would never be an extrovert, but he did socialize more and was far friendlier now that he’d found the love of a good woman like Ella. Jim was happy for his friend, but also jealous as hell. He wanted that. He wanted a wife and a couple of kids. The problem was he had nothing to offer a woman. He didn’t even own a house. He lived in the foreman’s cabin behind the barn as part of his pay. He was a washed-up bull rider whose only possessions were clothes, a ten-year-old pickup truck, and enough buckles to fill a trophy case― sans the trophy case to display them.
Jim rubbed the scar on his right forearm. Damn, some days he still missed the adrenalin rush being on the back of two-thousand pounds of raw muscle and power created, but those moments were rare now. He sure as hell didn’t miss the constant pain, broken bones, and nomadic lifestyle. Jim more often than not relished his quiet and simple life, except when the loneliness crept in like today.
He remembered his last ride with both fondness and fear. The outcome could have been so much worse, which was amazing considering what happened was pretty fucking horrible.
The bull stomped and banged around the chute letting everyone know he wasn’t pleased with the situation he found himself in that day. But, Jim was damn good and fully intended to tame the beast.
He straddled the bull and thought through his strategy as he wound the bull rope tightly around his right hand twice and then wove it between his fingers. At the same time, he questioned his sanity and tried not to think about how his chosen method was referred to as the “suicide wrap,” because the rope sometimes didn’t release when the rider either fell off or attempted to dismount. At the moment, however, Jim had been more concerned about staying on the Bull of the Year and winning a buckle that came with a nice fat check than falling off.
Unfortunately, the aptly named Demon Spawn decided to be unpredictable during Jim’s last ride. Instead of hooking to the right as he was known for, Demon Spawn leaped from the chute and bucked trying his best to dislodge his unwelcome rider. Jim lasted all eight seconds, however when it came time to extricate himself from the wild ride, shit went from bad-to-worse. Jim’s glove got caught up in the rope as the bull bucked. The bull basically beat the hell out of him after that.
At least, according to the video. Jim didn’t remember much after his head connected with the bull’s. The outcome, however, was still fresh in his mind. He ended up with a lacerated liver, bruised lungs, fractured ribs, and a spiral compound fracture of his right ulna. The orthopedic surgeon repaired the bone with plates and screws, but the injury forced him into early retirement. It was that or risk permanent disfigurement if he re-injured his arm.
“You okay?” Koda asked pulling him from his musings.
“Yeah.”
Koda glanced at Jim’s hand currently rubbing his forearm. “You miss it?”
Jim shook his head then nodded. “Sometimes, but then I remember that last ride and not so much.”
Koda’s eyes took on a far-off look. The usual anger in them replaced with peace thanks to his wife. “I get it. I feel the same way. I don’t miss the horrible shit. However, I do miss the camaraderie and sense of brotherhood.”
Jim nodded. That more than anything was what he missed about his rodeo days. Sharing the blood, sweat, and tears with his fellow riders. The only ones who could understand the toll the lifestyle took on your body and mind because they were chasing the same dream eight seconds at a time.
These days he found himself chasing another dream. One that included a place of his own, a wife, a couple of kids, and a dog. Jim wondered how long he’d have to wait for this new dream to become a reality.
Chapter 2
Nikki sighed with relief when she saw the large sign indicating The Sanctuary was five miles ahead on the right. She snickered. The Sanctuary of Sanctuary? Who did that?
After almost four days on the road she was more than ready to end this road trip. Construction, traffic, and bad weather had slowed her to a crawl in some areas and put her arrival in Sanctuary, Montana at the far end of her estimated travel time.
Casey had been good as gold, never complaining once about being stuck in the confines of their little car. In fact, her little girl had often been the voice of reason when a less than courteous driver decided to be an asshole. Casey kept her sane when she wanted to rage.
Nikki hit the sync button on her steering wheel and called her new boss, Dakoda Stone as requested, to let him know they were only a few minutes away. He rattled off a gate code and told her to meet him at the cabin on the right at the end of the long drive.
“I can’t wait to meet all the animals,” Casey chirped after Nikki ended the call. “Do you think I can do that today?”
“Not all of them. Some of the animals are wild and won’t respond well to humans in their domain. But, you can meet a few if Mr. Koda says it’s okay.”
Her little fist shot in the air and gave a little pump. “Yes! I am so tired of sitting in this car. Aren’t you?”
“Yes, baby. I certainly am. But it hasn’t been too bad, has it?”
“No. I liked being the navigator and watching the GPS. The car games were fun too. We make a good team. I just miss walking around.” She wiggled in her seat. “My legs and butt are tingling.”
Nikki knew the feeling. “We make an excellent team.” She glanced at Casey in the review mirror and smiled. “When you get out of the car be careful, so you don’t fall on your face. Numb butts will do that to a girl.”
Casey snickered. “I will.”
Casey had, remarkably, stayed awake for most of the trip. She asked questions about the landscape and unfamiliar towns they came across. She’d never been on a road trip like this before. Casey missed her grandparents, but it wasn’t like she’d never see them again. Instead of dwelling on her sadness, she treated their long journey as an adventure.
Nikki glanced in the rearview mirror again and smiled at Casey. When Betsy died Nikki wasn’t sure she could handle the parenting gig she’d found herself thrust into. Sure, the aunt thing was easy, but being the one constantly in charge? The disciplinarian? The sole provider? Yeah, not so much. Not because Nikki didn’t have shining examples of parenthood. She had. Nikki’s own mom and dad had been wonderful, loving, and kind. Betsy’s parents, who’d adopted Nikki after her parents died, were just as awesome.
At first, Nikki worried Casey’s grandparents wouldn’t accept Betsy’s decree, but she shouldn’t have. They understood and also had no desire to raise another child. They’d simply stated they were the grandparents and custody would muddy the waters. Their job was to spoil Casey, to guide and love her, not parent her. They’d had faith in Nikki and that meant a lot.
Nikki may not be the perfect parent, but she was doing a damn good job if she did say so herself. Despite tragically losing her mother, Casey was a well-rounded, confident, and caring child. She smiled and laughed. She got good grades in school and made friends easily. Nikki couldn’t be prouder of Casey and of herself.
“Mr. Koda is a shifter, but nobody else still, right?” Casey asked pulling her from her musings.
Nikki cleared her throat. “Last I checked that is correct.”
“But, Ms. Ella knows about shifters ‘cause she’s Mr. Koda’s mate. So, I can talk about you with them, but that’s it. Nobody else?”
“Correct, again.”
“I won’t forget. I promise.” Casey put her shoes on and cleaned up her markers, drawing pad, and tablet placing them inside the canvas bag that sat in the seat beside her. “I hope they are as nice as they seemed on Skype. Are you going to let Fox out to run when we get there? I bet she’s tired of the car too.”
The thought of the wind in her fur sounded like heaven. She’d wait and see what transpired to decide. It would depend on where their cabin was located and what kind of privacy they had. Nikki certainly didn’t want to
run anywhere the wolves lived. They were a territorial species. Then there was leaving Casey alone. She wasn’t quite old enough for that yet. “Maybe later tonight. We’ll see.”
“We could wait until she’s asleep. We don’t need to go far.”
“Okay.” Casey shot her a grin. “I kind of miss cuddling with her.”
“I miss cuddling with her, too.” Fox let out a wistful sigh. “We have the best kid.”
Fox wasn’t exaggerating. They sure as hell did.
“Do you think Ms. Ella’s belly is big?”
“She’s seven months pregnant so I’m sure.”
A few moments later, Casey cheered and clapped. “Look.” She pointed. “That’s the turn. See the sign says: The Sanctuary. Next right.”
Nikki turned and pulled to a stop next to the gate’s keypad access system and entered the six-digit code. The light turned green, and the system beeped twice before the large eight-foot steel gate opened. Out of habit from living in their gated complex in Shreveport, Nikki pulled forward and stopped waiting for the gate to close behind her before venturing on down the long drive which was fence-lined on both sides.
****
Jim let down the tailgate of his truck and reached for the bag of feed. He picked it up and tossed it onto his shoulder. He carried it into the barn dropping it against the wall just inside the open doors where Max would see it when he showed up after school. He went to grab the other bag when he noticed a black Mini Cooper with red racing stripes making its way up the long drive. Jim caught himself shaking his head at the sight. What kind of moron drove a car like that in a place like Montana? A tiny, front-wheel drive sports car the size of a go-cart wasn’t practical nor safe to drive in the treacherous winter conditions.
The Mini parked in front of Dakoda’s cabin just as the front door opened. Koda and Ella stepped from the house. With one hand at the small of Ella’s back and the other holding her right hand, Koda helped his extremely pregnant wife down the steps while she shot him an annoyed eye-roll. Jim snickered. Ella was the most independent woman he’d ever met. She wasn’t a fan of Koda’s overprotective coddling and more often than not let him know exactly how she felt about it.
The little car’s engine turned off and the driver’s side door opened. A woman, quite possibly the tiniest woman he’d ever seen, exited the vehicle. That explained the go-cart sized car, Jim mused. She probably couldn’t see over the dash of the average car, let alone a pickup.
Koda and Ella met the woman at the front of her car and shook hands before she went around to the passenger side. She opened the door and a precious blond-haired girl jumped out. Jim realized this had to be the new hire, Nicolette Hendrix. The woman turned, and his breath caught.
Jim studied her from his vantage point. She was the most strikingly beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes. She had softly tanned skin. The rich caramel color was pure perfection and urged him to lick it to see if it tasted as sweet as it looked. Her thick brown hair looked like it was highlighted with gold from the sun and fell in a riot of corkscrew curls around her shoulders and down her back. He couldn’t tell what color her eyes were from where he stood, but her lips, however, were another matter. They were pale pink and plump. He couldn’t wait to admire them up close and personal. Just when he thought she couldn’t be any more beautiful, she smiled. Transforming from gorgeous-to-radiant in the blink of an eye. Fuck it all to hell. She had dimples. He was doomed.
An ache in his groin pulled him from his lustful thought. He adjusted himself and shook his head, confused by the visceral reaction. This was ridiculous. He’d seen beautiful women before. Had sex with a few of them. Okay, maybe not as beautiful as this woman, but come on. He hadn’t been a horny teenage who got hard when the wind blew in the right direction for a long damn time. He needed to get a grip on his randy libido.
He groaned when Koda waved him over. He hoped nobody noticed his predicament. He tried to think of every horrendous visual he could as he made his way across the yard. The way his arm looked after his accident. Decomposing corpses. Granny porn. By the time he walked up he had his dick somewhat under control.
“Jim. I’d like you to meet the newest addition to The Sanctuary.”
Ella muttered something that sounded like, we really need to change the name. Which was probably exactly what she said. Ella Stone was anything but shy on how she felt about the name of their little slice of wildlife heaven.
Koda sent his wife a bit of side shade then continued, “Jim. Nicolette Hendrix. Nikki. Jim Halsey. Jim’s worked with us for a few years now. He lives on the property, so you’ll see him around a lot.”
Jim reached out and took Nicolette’s outstretched hand and the innocent touch was all it took. A tingle ran up his arm and straight to his groin. His unruly cock went hard once again. Nicolette gasped, and a blush stole across her cheeks. She jerked her hand away as if she’d been burned. At least he wasn’t the only one affected.
Koda caught his eye, glanced down at Jim’s crotch then back up again. Koda smirked. Jim narrowed his eyes daring him to comment. Asshat.
Ella cleared her throat gaining Jim’s attention. She placed a hand on top of the little blond girl’s head. “This is Casey.”
Casey sent him a gapped-toothed grin and thrust out her hand. He shook it. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Jim.”
“You, too, Ms. Casey.” He eyed her and decided to tease her a bit. His nieces and nephews seemed to prefer when he did, so he hoped she was the same way. He looked around, leaned in, and motioned for her to come closer, as if he were about to impart a great secret. She met him halfway. Her big blue eyes watched him with interest. “I didn’t want to say anything aloud in front of the others,” he said in a loud whisper. “But, you seem to have misplaced a couple of teeth.”
“No.” She slapped a hand over her mouth and giggled. “I lost them.”
He frowned and cocked his head. “That’s what I said.”
“No, silly.” She pushed playfully at his shoulder. “They fell out because they were loose.”
“Hmm. You should probably brush them more often so that won’t happen again.”
She giggled again while the adults snickered. He glanced at Nicolette. She smiled at him. Damn, he could get used to that. Casey tucked on his sleeve.
“Mr. Jim. I didn’t lose my permanent teeth. Only my baby teeth.” She flashed him a smile and pointed at the bit of white poking from her top gum. “See. The new tooth is coming in.”
He wiped imaginary sweat off his brow. “Whew. I was worried there for a second. You’d look awfully funny running around without teeth.”
“I have another loose one on the bottom.” She wiggled the tooth with her finger. “Momma says the tooth fairy has our new address so when it comes out she’ll visit me and put money under my pillow like before.”
“I heard the post office shares all that vital information with Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and such. Good to know the rumors are true.”
“I know right?” She planted a hand on her cocked hip. “I get two dollars a tooth, three for canines, and four for molars. That’s a lot of cash.”
“Seriously?” Casey nodded. “That is so unfair. The Tooth Fairy only gave out quarters when I was a kid.”
Casey shook her head in mock sadness. “I’m glad I didn’t live in the old days.”
Jim playfully ruffled her hair. “Sassy.”
She swatted his hand away and smirked. “Don’t be a hater, Mr. Jim.”
Ella made a little noise. He glanced over and saw she looked at him like he hung the moon and was fighting tears. She waved a hand in front of her face. “Don’t mind me. Stupid hormones.”
Dakoda wrapped a concerned arm around Ella. “Maybe you should go inside and lay down, love.”
Ella elbowed him in the ribs. “Maybe you should chill.” She turned her attention back to him. “We were planning to share a snack with Nikki and Casey before we head over to their cabin. Would you care to join us?”
“U
m.” Jim rubbed the back of his neck. He knew he should get back to work, but the thought of leaving Nicolette didn’t sit well with him. What the fuck was going on? Her mere presence pulled at him. “Sure.”
Chapter 3
Damn. Jim was beautiful. His thick brown hair brushed his collar. His eyes were a unique mix of blue and green. Nikki wondered if the color changed with his moods. His nose was slightly off-center telling her it had been broken at least once. He had what romance novels described as kissable lips, the lower slightly larger than the top. His crooked smile caused a flutter in the pit of her stomach. He had a thick strong jaw and a little dimple in his chin. The chambray shirt he wore clung to his broad shoulders and tapered waist. The sleeves were rolled up exposing muscled forearms. The right one sported a gnarly scar, and she wondered what had happened to cause such an injury. His blue jeans fit him like a glove showing off his strong thighs.
There was a subtle shift in the wind and Nikki’s nose picked up the most amazing aroma. What was that? It was sweet and made her mouth water. Another breeze. She inhaled. Cherries.
Nikki’s fox gasped. “It’s coming from… HIM.”
“Him? Meaning Jim?”
“Mmhmm. Oh, here it comes again. I want to roll around in it.” Fox growled “Mate!” then jumped up and down chanting. “Mine. Mine. Mine.”
“Stop it.”
“Why? He’s our mate. We found him.” Fox’s agile body performed a little backflip.
Nikki found herself in uncharted territory. One of the ways she controlled her PTSD was with routine, finding her mate was a total break from the control she needed. Her skin prickled with both awareness and angst. “We aren’t ready for our mate.”
Fox snorted in derision. “You aren’t. I am.” She gave Nikki a smile of encouragement. There was no denying Fox’s excitement and confidence. “We can do this. Tackle him to the ground and make him ours!” Fox ordered as she preened and pranced with her fluffed out tail standing straight in the air. “You know you want to,” she sang. “Ask him to turn around. I bet the back is as good as the front.” She made biting noises and snapped her jaws. “I want to take a bite out of his tushy.”