Sweet Dreams (Sweetwater Book 2)

by Rivi Jacks

  “I am,” I whisper, pressing my lips to the hollow at the base of his neck.

  Lucas tips my chin up looking at me with a tenderness that pulls at my heart. Lifting his hand, he strokes my cheek with the back of his fingers. “You scared the hell out of me, Sofie.” His voice is raw, pained even.

  “I’m so sorry, Lucas. I didn’t mean to worry you, I didn’t dream anything—”

  “What am I going to do about you constantly putting yourself in harm’s way?” I take pause with the sudden change in his tone, and the look in his eyes makes my mouth go dry. He leans in, bringing his lips close to mine. “I’ll have to think on that,” he rasps softly.

  Crap. I stare into his eyes with unease. Surely he knows by now that I’ll never sit home like the good little woman.

  He runs his hands up and down my back as he buries his face in my hair, inhaling deeply. “We need to get dressed; we’re going to land any moment now.”

  “We are?” He lets me slide down his body to stand. I gather my clothes and Lucas points toward a door.

  Geez, Louise! The bathroom is gorgeous, done in sea green and eggshell white, gleaming fixtures, mirrors, and a shower big enough for two. This bathroom would be luxurious in any home, let alone a private jet. I dress hurriedly, entering the bedroom just as Lucas is buttoning a long-sleeved white shirt. He’s changed into a shirt and black jeans and as good as he looks—I’m a little sad to see the tux go.

  He paces toward me, all—predatory. I take a step back, reminded of how out of my league I am with him. I think I see a spark of amusement in his eyes as he holds out his hand. “Ready?”

  I lay mine in his, and he slides his fingers around my wrist, opening the door for me. When I look up, he gives me one of his damned smirks.

  Lucas drives us while Hayes and Losa follow in a second SUV. I’m glad we’re riding in separate vehicles; it helps my embarrassment a little. I haven’t looked at either one of them since Lucas, and I returned to the cabin after our interlude in the bedroom. I’m certain they’re supes, with excellent hearing.

  It’s a little after midnight, Mountain Time, and too dark for me to see anything, but Lucas plays guide on our short drive from the airport, describing everything. We exit the SUV at a sprawling resort, he tells me is situated overlooking a beautiful valley, surrounded by snow-capped peaks of the Teton mountain range. As I step out of the car, the wind bites right through my jacket, and I shiver. He pulls me close, and I huddle under his arm. We walk into the lobby, where a young woman meets us. Hayes and Losa follow discreetly.

  “Mr. Santiago, welcome back. We have your Suite ready for you, sir. If you will just follow Charles.” A young man steps forward.

  I am too exhausted to check my surroundings as we follow Charles, I’ll give it all a good look tomorrow.

  Our room is beautiful, lots of glass and wood. My eyes go straight to the king sized bed, fatigue getting the best of me. I can’t wait to take a shower and crawl in.

  “While you take a shower, Sofie, I’ll order you something to eat.”

  “I’m too sleepy to eat.” I yawn, standing in the center of the room, too stupid-tired to know what to do next.

  Lucas takes my hand and leads me to the bathroom. While he adjusts the water in the shower, I undress. He leaves the room as I step in, gasping at the heat of the water. I stand under the spray letting the hot water beat down on my neck and back.

  The shower door opens, and a splendidly naked Lucas enters. He moves in behind me, and sliding his arm around my waist, he places his hand on my stomach, pulling me back against his rock solid body. His hard erection presses boldly against my lower back.

  Whoa! This man is insatiable. The problem is I don’t think I can find the stamina to keep up with him right now.

  “I’ll wash your hair first,” he murmurs and reaches for the shampoo.

  I close my eyes as his hands work through my hair. His fingers massaging my scalp, almost send me melting onto the shower floor.

  “Step back, Sofie.” I do as told and lean my head back, letting the shampoo rinse out of my hair. Lucas squeezes the excess water out and applies conditioner.

  “Mmmm, this is nice,” I hum. A girl could get used to this kind of pampering.

  When he begins rubbing my shoulders with his soaped hands, I almost purr. His hands are large and firm, fingers digging softly into my shoulder muscles. He smooths his palms up and down my arms, working soap over my skin. When he moves to my breasts, I moan softly. Arching my back, I press my soap slickened breasts more fully into his hands, all thoughts of tiredness forgotten. His answering chuckle is a deep sound in his chest.

  “You little minx,” he says as he moves his hands down over my stomach.

  “Lucas,” I cry softly.

  “Hmmm?” He reaches for the body wash and squirts more onto his palm. Rubbing his hands together in front of me is arousing, as I wonder where they will land next. He steps back and smooths the soap over my back, sliding down over my bottom. Massaging and kneading each cheek, his fingers slide between and rub against that intimate part of my body that he’s shown me is highly sensitive. I hold back my moan, and bite my lip, not wanting him to know how his touch affects me. I’m still not comfortable with him touching me there. When I try to move forward, he slides an arm around my waist, pulling me back to his front. “Hold still,” he rasps.

  His hands are suddenly on my legs, lathering soap over my thighs and calves, massaging as he goes. “Turn.” When I do, I find him kneeling in front of me. Oh, my. I suddenly find it very hard to breathe. He lifts my feet, one at a time and washes them, as I balance with my hands on his shoulders.

  “You’re clean,” he says. As I look down into his face, I catch the wicked gleam in his eyes. “Wait. I think I forgot something,” his voice is low and silky, causing my stomach to free fall. He gives me a naughty smile and presses his nose to the apex of my thighs. I inhale sharply, and I think I sway a little at the thought of his mouth on me.

  He leans back, using his hands to move my legs apart and works his soapy fingers between my legs.

  I close my eyes and mewl softly, absorbing the sensations. I’m still holding onto his shoulders, and my hands tighten.

  His crafty fingers rub and probe, stirring the glowing embers within me to a roaring blaze. I run my hand through the wet strands of his hair, gathering a handful, tugging gently.

  “Lucas!” I gasp.

  “Shhh.” He quickly stands and uses a washcloth between my legs to rinse the soap away. Moving me under the shower spray, I stand trembling as the water sluices over my hair and body.

  He steps close to rinse, then turns off the water. I squeeze my dripping hair, and he helps me wrap a towel around my head. Then he’s drying my skin, rubbing briskly with a towel, eliciting gasps from me at the near pain he’s causing. My skin is sensitive from his manipulations in the shower, and the rub down adds to the unbearable ache low in my belly.

  “Lucas, please,” I whimper.

  Spa robes are hanging on the back of the door, and he quickly dons one. Just as quickly, he has me bundled in the other. Looking down to meet my gaze, he smiles. There’s something in that smile I can’t quite place.

  “Ready to eat?”

  What? “No,” I whine, stretching out the word. Standing by the door, he waits for me to precede him out of the room. When I stubbornly don’t budge, he smiles again.

  “You need to eat and get some rest and—” A text alert sounds from his phone lying on the bathroom counter. Picking it up, he glances at it, and I wonder who would be sending him a text at this hour. He pockets the phone in his robe. “I have a meeting to attend.”

  It takes a few seconds to realize what he’s saying. “A meeting? It’s two in the morning,” I announce, a little stunned by this news.

  His fing
ers curl around my wrist, and he pulls me from the bathroom, through the dressing room, to the table in the main room, strategically placed so you can look out the wall of windows and close enough to the fireplace to enjoy its warmth. A covered plate and a glass of milk sit on the table waiting for me. Lucas pulls out a chair, pushing me down to sit. He lifts the cover from the plate revealing a fried egg sandwich.

  “You ordered me an egg sandwich,” I say softly.

  “And a glass of milk.”

  I look up at him. “Thank you.” How can he be so attuned to so many things about me, yet fail to understand my need to share all aspects of his life?

  I set to work on the sandwich, watching Lucas as he moves about the room. The suite is actually one large room with the bedroom and sitting area designated by the placement of the furnishings. With the gas logs lit in the fireplace, the suite exudes a warm coziness. Lucas crosses to the room’s outside wall of French doors, drawing drapes to effectively shut out the night before returning to the bedroom area.

  An unexpected knock on the door of the room has Lucas walking the entry hall to answer, and I lean in my chair, trying to get a glimpse of who it is. He’s soon back and gives me a quick look as I turn my attention back to my sandwich.

  Just as I finish eating, he comes from the dressing room to stand beside the table, and I stare up at him. He’s dressed in black. He wears the casual jeans, button shirt, and jacket as well as he wore the formal tux. His hair is still damp and hangs over the back of his collar. The stubble on his jaw is now thicker than a five o’clock shadow, darker. He is all male—wicked and predatory. My mouth dries, making it hard to swallow. I reach for my glass of milk.

  “Here is a phone for you to use.” He lays it on the table. “You can call your family or whomever you wish.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper hesitantly. Is that who was at the door, someone delivering a cell phone?

  “Sofie, Ryan and Mateo are outside.” I frown at the names. “Ryan Hayes and Mateo Losa,” he clarifies. “One of them will be at the door leading out into the hallway, the other will be outside the French doors.” I glance over at the drape covered doors. “If you need anything, ask either one.” How long is he planning to be gone? “If you want to talk to me—call. Okay?”

  I look up into his silver-green eyes and nod.

  “Go to bed now that you’ve finished eating.” Leaning down, he brushes his lips over mine. “Soon, sweet.” And then he’s moving toward the entryway. He turns and gives me a long piercing look, before going out the door.

  What the hell? My breath huffs out softly, and I shake my head. I know if I weren’t so tired, I’d probably be— I’m not even sure what I’d be. Right now I’m just too tired.

  I head for the bathroom in preparation for bed. And not because I was ordered to do so.

  By the time I’ve dried my hair and washed my underwear, placing the bra and panty on a hanger to dry, I can barely brush my teeth. Why am I so tired? Lucas said it was from the flying and the altitude we’re at now. I imagine the stress of my life in peril earlier has something to do with it too. I slip on the t-shirt Lucas laid out for me and cut the lights, crawling into bed.

  Chapter Nine

  Girl, you need to pay attention.

  I feel like someone is shaking me awake and then I have the oddest feeling of being pulled from a distance. I open my eyes to find I’m in a tunnel.

  No.

  Not me.

  I feel confused and disoriented for a moment as I look around. And then I’m moving forward, following a torch-lit passageway.

  But it’s not me…

  What the hell? Is this real—or am I dreaming?

  I gasp as without warning, I come face to face with a huge beast of a Kihn.

  Remain calm, girl. Harvey’s voice whispers to me as the Kihn passes right through me… us. It’s the strangest feeling… a little nauseating.

  Wait! What’s going on? Am I seeing this through Harvey’s eyes? My heart is racing as we proceed along the passageway.

  Pay attention, Harvey repeats as he continues forward.

  The passageway twists and turns, crossing other sections of the tunnel. I try my best to keep count of the intersections before Harvey suddenly turns off the main path that we’ve followed into an unlit, pitch-black corridor. It’s a little unsettling as every instinct protests in reaction.

  Calm, girl.

  Easy for him to say. I’m still not sure what’s going on, but I’m pretty sure that I am dreaming, that I’m really not here, I’m just seeing what Harvey is seeing. There’s no reason to let it freak me out.

  Harvey suddenly comes to a jarring stop, and I cry out as the pathway gives way to—nothing.

  It takes a moment of fighting the urge to climb right back through him and grab hold of something, knowing I want like hell to wake up safe in my bed.

  Why has he brought me here?

  I’m on the edge of deciding I don’t much care for this Guardian shit when it registers that we are above a huge cavernous room, looking out over a large group of Kihn below us.

  It’s shocking—there are at least two hundred of them, and it’s not lost on me that they’re ready for battle.

  Kihn warriors.

  I wake with a gasp, so twisted in the bed’s blankets, I feel claustrophobic.

  What the hell was that?

  Once I’ve untangled myself from the bedding, I lie quietly for several minutes, waiting for my heart rate to slow. Taking deep breaths, I coax my body to relax. I can’t seem to stop shaking. That was—

  The next thought has me sitting straight up in bed. Is that why Lucas is here? Is there a large group of Kihn preparing for— Why would they be here? Is there a connection to the gate here in Wyoming that no one’s bothered to tell me about?

  I try to shake the feeling of impending doom as I head for the bathroom. Coming back into the main room I can’t silence the alarm bells that seem to be going off with the need to talk to Lucas. I check the cell phone he loaned me to discover it’s almost noon. Looking around the room, I note nothing is different in the suite. Clearly, he’s not been back. So—where is he? I start to punch in his number but hesitate. How am I going to tell him about my dream? I frown biting my lip. Harvey evidently thought it important that I see what he did. The thing is, where is it happening? Here in Jackson Hole? I start to pace, recalling what I saw, and I’m filled with renewed certainty that Lucas needs to know about the dream. This time I complete the call, and it goes straight to voicemail. Okay—so now I wait for him to call me back. The problem is, patience in this type of situation is not my strong suit.

  I cross the room to peek out the curtain covering the window, and my mouth drops open.

  Wow! What a view. Geez, the Tetons kick ass.

  I catch movement in my peripheral vision and see Losa—Mateo—I like first names best. I see Mateo standing with his back to the door. I’m pretty sure it’s Mateo. He suddenly turns his head, confirming that it is him. I release the curtain and walk to the inside door looking out the peephole. It looks as if Ryan is across the hall, facing the door. Hmmm. Are they keeping the boogeyman out—or me in?

  I quickly dress and then call Sawyer, leaving a message when I get no answer. I call Diane next.

  “Hel-lo,” she says hesitantly, not recognizing the number.

  “Diane, it’s Sofie.”

  “Sofie! Where are you? Sawyer called Jake last night and told him what happened and that Lucas took you with him.”

  “I’m in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.”

  “Why are you in Jackson Hole, Wyoming?”

  “I haven’t a clue. Lucas dumped me in his room at this lodge and then took off. He said he had a meeting.” Considering the dream, I add, “I think he’s keeping something important from me.”

 
“Why do you think that?”

  “Just—a feeling,” I say hesitantly. This secret part of my life connecting me to the Kihn has never weighed so heavy on me.

  “You’re probably just still spooked because of what happened yesterday.”

  “Maybe,” I say to appease her.

  “When are you coming back?”

  “Sometime Sunday, I work the next day. Do you know if Sawyer called Ben?” I’m hoping that he did. I don’t want to deal with Ben’s questions when I have no answers.

  “Jake did.”

  Thank goodness.

  “I guess you won’t be back in time for dinner at Ben and Lucy’s?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” Damn, I forgot about that. “Is Jake there with you now?”

  “No, I haven’t seen him today. He told me last night that he was doing something for Lucas. He and Nick.”

  Another errand? “Okay, let him know I called. I need to get something to eat. I’ll call you later, and you can call me anytime. I’ll try to reach Emma Rae and the rest of the family, but if you talk to any of them before I do, give them this number.”

  “Okay. You stay safe.”

  “I will. Don’t worry about me. Lucas has two military-type guards at both doors.”

  “Ooh, are they good looking?” she teases.

  “Have you noticed any ugly men in Lucas’ Guard?”

  She giggles.

  “I’ll talk to you later,” I tell her before ending the call.

  I jump in the shower, happy I had enough forethought to wash out my underwear before I went to bed last night but wishing I had clean clothes. While I’m blow-drying my hair, I hear the phone ring. When I see Jake’s name, I realize Lucas must use this phone.

  “Jake—”

  “What the hell did you think you were doing going out to the McNish place?”

  Geez. My first reaction to his—in a huff—greeting is to be a smart-ass and say, “Hello to you too,” but I don’t. I take a deep breath and say, “I know, I know. It was—”