His whole body tightened in response to just the memory of it.
“I was worried that if someone was in the house, they could sneak around me somehow and harm you. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to be everywhere at once and something would happen. Or that I wouldn’t be enough.”
She reached up to run a hand through his hair thoughtfully. “I think you’re enough. I think you’re the best man I’ve ever met.”
For some reason, hearing that from her lips, even though she barely knew him, was the most wonderful thing in the world.
He couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss her, using his fingertip to gently tilt her chin up. Where her kiss had been insistent, his was calm and quiet, as he just enjoyed the feel of her body beside his and let the tension between them slowly build.
Her lips were plump, soft, and sumptuous, and he could have nibbled them all day if he didn’t want to keep her mouth locked to his.
Slowly, he slipped his tongue in, parting her lips as her mouth opened easily. He let out a groan at the feel of wet heat as her tongue moved forward to tangle with his.
They came closer as they kissed, bodies entwining, and they fit together in a way that was absolutely perfect.
Meanwhile, his hands ran over her body, checking that no harm had come to her, that she was safe and intact in his arms.
Precious.
He kissed her more deeply, stroking his tongue deep inside as her hand dug into his hair and pulled in a way that was erotic and painful at the same time.
He said nothing, just pulled back to kiss her deeply on her neck at the base of her shoulder, hoping to make her pull on his hair again.
She did, arching back as his mouth moved down her neck to her cleavage and the opening of the flannel. He used his deft tongue to undo the first button and then licked softly over the exposed, smooth, dark flesh.
She let out a little gasp and arched against him, more urgent this time.
He brought his hand up to undo the rest of the buttons, letting his mouth slowly wander down as she lay beneath him, letting him reveal her one button at a time.
When her shirt fell away, fully open, he looked at the most perfect pair of breasts he’d ever seen. Dusky nipples were hard with desire atop perfect, rounded globes he had to immediately hold in his hands.
He resisted the urge to bury his face in them and instead lowered his mouth to lick the first one. Gently then ravenously at first, letting his hands still squeeze her as she began to writhe and make little squeaking sounds.
He pulled back for a moment, watching her flustered face with a smile. Damn, his mate was perfect.
He moved to kiss and lick her other breast as both hands still cupped and squeezed. She began to move her legs together, holding them tightly, and he knew exactly what she wanted.
He slowly slid a hand beneath the waistband and felt for her soft cotton panties. They were already wet with moisture, and he stroked lightly over her sensitive flesh with them still on.
“Oh God, yes,” she said. “Don’t stop.”
He dipped inside the panties then, desperate to feel her wet skin. He stifled a groan as his finger found velvet, and he played in the folds before moving up to her stiff little clit.
She arched hard when he moved over it, and her fist moved up to her mouth so she could bite down. He reached up and grabbed her hand, then her other one, keeping them over her head as he began to stroke.
He could see every part of her at this moment, have total control as she writhed, helpless, and he played at her center, dipping into wet folds and swirling over her nub.
Her pretty dark skin flushed and glowed with exertion as she began to writhe harder, fighting against his arms as the pleasure became too much to take.
He removed his finger for a moment and raked his gaze over her, soft, curvaceous, nearly naked, and gasping, her whole body poised on the verge of release.
“Damn you. Don’t make me wait,” she grated out.
“Come, then,” he said, smiling as his hand came back to her center and pressed down.
She came over the edge immediately, and he released her hands so she could come up and wrap her arms around him, holding on for dear life as pleasure took over her world.
Her legs were trembling and thrashing, her nails digging into his back muscles, and he grinned against her cheek as she called out his name over and over.
“Hunter” had never sounded so good.
And he would be her hunter. He would hunt everything that ever endangered her. He would hunt them to the end of the world just to keep her safe.
When she was done coming, she flopped back on the bed, gasping. “It’s been so long. Oh God, that was amazing.”
He propped himself up on his side and let one finger lazily circle her breast, coming up to tease her nipple. “I’ve only barely begun.”
She took a deep breath and released it. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
He looked over her, her tousled curls and glowing skin that was shiny with sweat and arousal. “No, I think you’ve got a few more inside.”
She sighed, curling in against him so they were face to face on their sides. “Okay, maybe.” She moved her hips forward so she could be closer to him. “Maybe you’re right.”
He loved when she was shy like this, so he pulled her in even closer and threw a leg over hers, trapping her. Then he shoved his hand down between her legs, inside her panties once again.
This time he fingered her, moving in and out of her wet heat as his lips found her breast, suckling gently and teasing with his teeth.
She dug her hands in his hair, utterly trapped, murmuring obscenities as he continued to mercilessly bring her to the edge.
“Dammit, Hunter. Why does it—”
“Feel good?” he murmured against her nipple. “Because I’m good at it. And because I care.”
She arched back again, and he grazed his teeth softly over her breast, then blew on it, watching the nipple once again harden. His hand paused against her wet heat, and he let her take a few desperate breaths before starting again.
This time he was more voracious, moving in and out of her as she began to buck against his hand, clearly loving what he was doing to her.
He wanted badly to be inside her, but without protection, there was a risk of mating, and before she knew what he was, he couldn’t risk that.
So he simply continued to pleasure her, working her to the edge of release and then pausing, whispering in the dark, listening to her begging and whimpering before letting her go over and over again.
Feeling her thrash in his arms and scream his name was perfect, and he was glad Garrett had told him there was no need to worry about sound. He couldn’t imagine it being this good if they were quiet. He needed every moan, every muffled sound, and every scream.
When he was done and she appeared to be having trouble breathing, he finally withdrew his hand.
“How many was that?” she asked, gasping.
He smiled indulgently. “I don’t know. It’s hard to count when I’m in heaven.”
She gaped at him. “But you… It’s all been about me.”
He propped himself up, helping her pull her pajamas back on as she slowly recovered, her breathing returning to normal.
She’d been so wet for the last one, and it had been so strong he had no doubt that, for now, she was done.
She reluctantly helped button her shirt, then flopped back on the mattress with a groan. “You really know how to overdo things.”
“Impossible, remember?” He stroked a hand through her hair, then lay down on his back and pulled her in against his side so he could play with her hair.
Though he’d only pleased her, he was utterly full of contentment.
And to his chagrin, despite him fighting it, a low rumbling began to emerge from his chest.
She pushed up a bit so she could look down at him, her face both exhausted and a little amused. “It’s that sound again. What is that?”
He swallowed, a
nd the purring stopped. “I guess my stomach rumbled. Probably hungry.”
She eyed him doubtfully. “Never heard a stomach like that.”
He flexed playfully. “Hey, it takes a great stomach to feed muscles like these.” He enjoyed her look of lust for a second before he laughed and pulled her in against him.
His heart was still beating so hard.
“You’re silly,” she said. “But I believe you if you say it’s nothing. Just want to make sure you’re okay.”
He was touched she was worried about him, but he knew she didn’t need to be. “I’m fine. More than fine now that I have you with me.”
“Oh God, I’m going to want to do that again, as soon as possible.” She buried her face in his side, burning with pure embarrassment.
He caught her chin, bringing her head up so she could rest on him, her cheek against his chest. “You couldn’t possibly be cuter. And as for doing that again, I was planning on it.”
She stroked her hand lightly over his abs, running down every line of them before coming back up. She pushed herself up to place a kiss on his nose before flopping over and facing away from him. “Good.”
Then she pulled the covers up over her with a giggle, struggling slightly as he came over to spoon her from behind.
“Nope, not getting away this time.”
“Okay.”
“Besides, I have a feeling you’ll sleep best in my arms.”
She was quiet then, and he almost wondered if he’d said something wrong.
But then she just nodded and snuggled in.
And then soon, she was sleeping peacefully, and all was right with the world.
Chapter 10
Kelly woke up with a languid, sensual ache that reminded her she’d had more orgasms the previous night than she had in the past year combined.
She flushed as she pulled the sheets up around her, looking over to see that Hunter was lying next to her in bed.
He must have gotten too warm because he was naked from the waist up, his tanned back and arms bared to the morning sun, his blond hair rumpled.
She’d never met a man like him, one who would cock a gun and check out a house one minute and ruthlessly, tenderly pleasure a woman the next.
She raised a hand, wanting to run it over his back, teasing the skin there, but stopped when she looked down and saw several large slashes with smaller, older ones beneath.
All were clearly healed, but they had happened in different time frames.
She traced a finger lightly over one of them and jumped back when she felt him stir.
When he turned over to look at her, she felt suddenly nervous and a bit regretful about what had happened the night before.
It wasn’t like her to get carried away like that, but she’d been intoxicated by having him close. By how amazing he had been, and by the feeling of being safe for the first time in so long.
But that was a heated moment in the darkness and so much different from facing him in the light.
He relaxed on his back, one muscular arm raised over his head, making his bicep flex. He winked at her, flexing it again on purpose as she looked away with a blush.
“Incorrigible man,” she muttered, but she was realizing she would never want him any other way. His unbridled ability to just move forward in life, to take what he wanted, to put himself out there, was waking her up. Making her think about a different way of living, rather than always hiding in the dark and waiting to be betrayed.
Yes, it had hurt when people had run from her, but she would never meet people who wouldn’t if she didn’t give new people a chance.
“What are you thinking over there?”
She felt more blood rush into her cheeks and propped herself up on her elbow, gathering her thoughts. Unable to really communicate what she’d been thinking, she decided to change the subject to something else she was curious about. “What happened to your back?”
His eyes widened slightly, looking so blue in the morning light that they reminded her for a second of the cougar she’d seen a couple nights before. “I, uh… I get in fights a lot.”
“With what, wild animals?”
He laughed, then sobered slightly. “Sometimes.”
“Oh?”
“I grew up in Montana, sometimes on a ranch, sometimes out in the wild. There’s a lot of wildlife there, and sometimes I was careless about getting in the way of it.”
“Where were your parents?”
“I’m not dead, right?” He looked up at the ceiling wistfully, a small smile teasing the corners of his full lips. “I guess I’m not good at following directions. I probably should have stayed away from certain fights.”
She still wasn’t sure how any of that related to the marks on his back, but she was sure his past had been interesting.
He hummed a bit to himself as he stared at the ceiling, then looked over at her with a playful expression, clearly done with the topic of a moment before. “So should we head down for breakfast?”
She sat up, rubbing her face with her hands. “Oh God, do you think anyone heard us?” Only Dawn and Garrett were in the home with them, and it was such a small house.
“No,” Hunter said. “In fact, Garrett told me when we got here that it’s soundproof and on the other side of the house.”
She felt her face almost go up in flames from sheer embarrassment. “Oh no, he knew…”
Hunter gave her a lascivious smile. “I think it’s more so his guests can’t hear him getting it on with Dawn. I bet they’re always—”
“No, no!” She lunged forward, putting a hand over his mouth, and accidentally fell onto him, knocking him back.
He held her against his chest, raising an eyebrow at her in surprise. “I know you wanted to have another go as soon as possible, but this exceeds even my expectations.”
She pushed off of him with a laugh. “It was an accident, you—”
“Oh, good,” he said, helping her sit up before getting up himself. “Because the guys and I should probably head over and see if we can find any remaining tracks from whoever it was that tried to break in last night.”
Her chest tightened as she remembered it, and she put a hand to her stomach, which suddenly ached with stress.
Hunter, who’d just gotten out of bed, walked over to her and tilted her face up. “Hey. We’re going to figure this out. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, okay?”
She looked away. “Okay.”
He crouched, catching her gaze gently. “Do you believe me, Kelly? Tell me you believe me.”
She met his eyes bravely. “I believe you. I’m just worried that—”
“Nothing to worry about,” Hunter said. “Except for getting down for breakfast before that bear can eat it all.”
She frowned because it was a little startling always hearing the word bear.
Hunter looked at her curiously. “You don’t like that word, do you?”
“I mean, I think bears are scary. Doesn’t everyone?”
Good save, Kelly.
Hunter cocked his head, looking unsure. “I don’t know. I grew up around them.” He shrugged. “But if it bothers you, I can call him that big beast instead.”
She laughed, glad that Hunter was always so respectful. “That works.”
“All right, let’s go see about that breakfast.” He pulled on his jeans and shirt and strode over to the door. “I’ll keep facing this way while you get dressed.”
She quickly pulled new clothing out of her night bag, deciding she would shower while Hunter was out checking out the house.
When they walked down the hallway to the kitchen on the other side of the house, they saw that Dawn and Garrett were already there, smiling at each other over plates of French toast.
“Leave any for us, you big bea—beast,” Hunter said, correcting himself.
Garrett raised an eyebrow at him but gave his always pleasant smile. “Sure. Over there, for both of you.”
“Sit by me,” Dawn
said eagerly, pushing out a chair next to her at the table.
So Kelly did, feeling more comfortable every moment around these new people, feeling like they were already her friends.
As Hunter grabbed plates and loaded them with French toast and bacon, Garrett turned to Kelly with a smile.
“So Hunter, Grayson, and I are going to go check out your place. Is that all right?”
She nodded, taking a bite of French toast as Hunter got them both glasses of coffee and orange juice. She gave Dawn a grateful smile. “This is amazing. Thank you so much.”
Dawn just beamed. “You deserve it after the night you’ve had. April will come over to hang with us, and even though the guys will probably ban us to staying in the house, I’m sure I have some fun stuff we can do.”
“I’m sure,” Kelly said, looking forward to seeing her other friend again.
“Yeah, sorry,” Garrett said. “It’s just that until we figure out if something was trying to attack you, you’re safer inside the house.”
Kelly nodded, watching Hunter as he quickly scarfed down his meal, obviously eager to get to hunting whatever had broken the window the night before.
If she hadn’t stopped him, he might have gone out there. Might have wound up in danger, killed, or hurt. And they wouldn’t have had that amazing night together or the fun moments this morning, waking up in the same bed.
She made a note to always try to protect him, even if she couldn’t tell him everything that was threatening her just yet.
“Um, guys, if you’re going over there, please be careful,” she said, gripping her coffee mug nervously.
“Anything you suspect or that we should know?” Garrett asked, and all eyes turned to her.
This was it. Her chance to tell everyone it could possibly be her stalker bear and let them all think she was utterly insane.
But the bear had never broken a window, and she hadn’t seen any sign that he was around. And he should still be far away, the last place she’d seen him.
So last night must have been something else. And she was sure these three large, capable men could handle it.
“No, it’s fine,” she said quietly. “I just… It was scary last night.”
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