Keith answers, “He’s the CEO.”
Brady speaks, “Before that I bounced around all our businesses to make sure I knew every aspect to prepare for where I am now.”
Annie chimes in, “So, Carly, you won’t have to work ever again if you don’t want to. If I were you I’d be thrilled to just stay home and raise a family.”
And there we go again. My body reacts at the thought of how to make that family while my head is freaking the heck out over how fast this is moving. But I think Annie is expressing her dream that can’t come true, so I say, “That does sound lovely. I guess we’ll have to see.”
Brady leans close to whisper in my ear. “I like the idea of you staying home to raise our children, but it’s up to you.”
My eyes fall to my tribal paw print. I always said the first tattoo was a life-changing event that shouldn’t be done on a whim and should mean something so special living without it was hard. I thought giving myself this tattoo broke both my rules, but I’m beginning to think maybe it didn’t.
Sierra and Keith are talking, but neither Brady nor I are listening. His hand is on mine, and he’s stroking my skin with a finger. When I look into his eyes, I’m lost in the depth of them. My mate. Will this be the father of my children and the man who makes me happy for the rest of my life? He seems so sure, and I hope some day I will be too.
16
Chapter 3
Carly
Brady stands. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
As we walk by the table, I notice Sierra and Keith are deep in conversation and don’t even look our way. Annie gives us a smile from the kitchen, and I wonder when it was she started cleaning. A flicker of guilt crosses my mind because I should be helping her, but it passes quickly when I return my thoughts to the physical presence of Brady.
He takes me to the stairs, and our feet beat together as we climb up them. We continue on to another flight that leads to a cupola-like structure on top of the house. There are windows in every wall and on the ceiling.
The view is stunning, and I gasp when I see the stars. The sky is so black that they look like tiny diamonds on velvet. “I love this room.” The air is chilly, and I wrap my sweater tighter around my body, but the strong arms that pull me back against a rock-wall chest practically sear me.
Brady nuzzles my hair. “It’s one of my favorite places, too.”
I turn in his arms and press my breasts against his chest. A shaky breath escapes my mouth when I look up into his eyes.
“Can I kiss you, Carly?” He leans down, and his mouth is inches away from mine.
I answer by reaching up to meet him. The strong cords of his neck are under my hand, and the muscles flexing mimic the quivering of my core. He nibbles gently, but I want more and dart my tongue into his mouth as an invitation. He takes it, and our kiss becomes a frenzied connection as I lean in and try to fill every crevice of his body with mine.
Large hands cup my butt as he easily lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist. I don’t think I’ve ever been with a man big enough to do this. There is no doubt about his desire as his erection presses against my panty-clad sex. Our mouths break apart, and he kisses his way down my neck. Throwing my head back, I moan. “Oh, God, does this feel good.”
Brady walks us over to an overstuffed sofa and lowers me onto it. Bracing himself over me with his arms, he rotates his groin slowly against me, and I squeeze my legs around him as if I can draw him inside me. A low growl comes from him before his mouth takes mine in a mind-numbing kiss.
I’m drowning in my desire, and when his finger flirts with the edge of my halter, I arch, letting him know I want to be touched. He responds by releasing my breast from my bra, and his fingers curl around to cup it. With a squeeze, he lowers his mouth to my tender nipple and sucks.
I’m grinding against his groin, and a mewl escapes my lips. He pulls away and says, “Damn, I knew this would be good, but I didn’t know how good.” His stomach twitches as he flexes his hips forward. “I want you in my bed, but once you get there I’ll never let you leave.”
He rises up off me and combs through his hair with a hand. I ache with need, and I crave him filling me. He says, “I’m sorry, I was only going to kiss you.”
I sit up and rearrange my bra. “Don’t be. I wanted everything you gave me.” His eyelids are heavy, and it takes all my willpower to keep from stripping off his clothes. I grip the hem of my dress and pull it down. I add, “And so much more.”
He grabs my hands and yanks me up. “Tell me you feel it. That you can’t imagine being without me. Tell me I’m not the only one that thinks you’re what I was searching for without ever knowing.”
I clutch his shirt with my fingers and lean into him. “I do. It’s taking everything I’ve got to not rip this off of you.” My body trembles in his embrace. The scent of him is intoxicating It’s almost too much. “Brady, it’s overwhelming. My reaction to you isn’t normal. It’s as if I want to devour every inch of you, and I’m afraid if I start I’ll never stop.”
“Yes, that’s how it is for me too. But not tonight.” He grabs my hips with hands that make me feel tiny and pushes gently away. “You need to be sure. I meant it when I said once I have you, you’re mine forever. It’s all or nothing with me.”
I nod because I’m afraid to tell him the same thing. Every pore of my being knows he’s the only man that will ever satisfy me. I let out a shaky “Okay.”
He takes my hand. “We should get back downstairs with the others.”
“Wait. I want to look at the stars one more time.” I turn away and close my eyes as I lift my face to the sky. All the nagging fears of coming here are gone, and I know this was meant to be. I pray to the powers that be. Thank you for giving me Brady. Please let love consume me the way my desire has.
As we approach the bottom of the steps, Sierra scrambles up off the couch with a squeak and straightens her clothing. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Keith says, “Annie went to her room. It’s late, and I should probably take the ladies home now.”
Brady says, “Yeah.” His hand is at the small of my back when he asks, “Carly, would you like to see what I do tomorrow?”
“Yes, I would love that.”
We walk toward the garage, and he pulls me back when Sierra and Keith step through the door. He closes it behind them and pushes me up against it to ravage me with a kiss so intense my knees are weak.
His voice is husky. “You have no idea how hard it is to let you leave this house. You belong here, with me. Forever.”
Oh, God. Tears prick my eyes from the intensity of my feelings. I don’t want to leave either. I reach up and put a hand on his face. His skin seems warmer than it should, and I know my fingers will miss it the moment I pull them away. “What time should I come and where?”
“I’ll pick you up at eight. Wear jeans and boots if you have them.”
I step up on my tiptoes and kiss him quickly. “I can’t wait.”
When Sierra and I finally make it to our rooms, she pulls me into hers. As soon as the door closes, she squeals, and I join in. “Oh my God, Carly!” She twirls me around as if we’re dancing. “This is so much better than I could have imagined. I swear to you, this time next year we’ll both be married.”
I chuckle and say, “And maybe pregnant too. Are you okay with that little piece?”
“I think I am.” She rolls her eyes. “Can you believe I just said that?”
“Not really, considering the Sierra I know, but you’re a nurturing soul, and if you want children, you’ll make a great mom.”
She grins. “Thanks. Now get out of here. Keith is picking me up at seven, and I’m going to learn all about the lumber business.”
I imagine her in jeans and work boots. “Hey, do you have any extra Docs with flowers on them?”
She giggles. “Of course I do.”
I float back to my room, thinking about spending the
day with Brady. A smile spreads across my face because I’m going to dream tonight. And I want to. Because anything I imagine us doing is entirely possible.
17
Chapter 4
Carly
Brady shows up at eight, right on the nose. I’m hit with the aroma of coffee. He says, “I brought you a cup but wasn’t sure what to put in it, so there’s cream and sugar packets too.”
My usual habit is to be caffeine-free to avoid the shakes when working, but the sweet gesture makes me throw caution to the wind and go for the java buzz. “How thoughtful, thank you. I’m a cream and sugar girl.”
The plastic of a to-go mug is smooth in my hands when I open it. The faint smell of maple wafts up. “Is this maple coffee?”
Brady’s full lips turn up at the corners. “Good nose. I almost added more to yours but after one drop realized I didn’t know if you liked sugar in your coffee. I hope it’s okay.”
“It’s more than okay, I’m beginning to wonder how I lived my life before discovering real maple syrup.” Yes, I’m totally buttering him up. But the smile I get for it is so worth the effort.
“Are you flirting with me, Carly Cutler?”
“I sure am, Brady Le Roux.”
He reaches over and takes my hand. Still amazed at the sheer size of him, I squeal a little on the inside at how small he makes me feel. I sip the hot liquid, and it warms my insides on the way down.
Brady says, “The plan today is to show you what I do in the morning and then take you and Sierra on a hike to a wonderful spot Keith is setting up for a picnic. How does that sound?”
“That sounds fantastic.” The sun is shining, and tiny buds of green and red are peeking out on the hardwood trees. We bounce along a dirt road, and I wonder how it is I’m supposed to be drinking coffee. I decide I’ll wait until we stop before taking another sip.
Brady lets go of my hand and cracks our windows open. “Can you smell it?”
I inhale deeply, and the odor of musty, rotting plant life comes to mind. “I’m smelling something.”
The baritone laugh that erupts from Brady goes straight to my core and starts me twitching. Really, body? Can’t you just enjoy the man without wanting to screw him?
He says, “I suppose if you aren’t used to it, it’s not very pleasant. But to me it means things are starting to grow.”
“And more trees means more money?”
He nods. “Yes. The tree business is in my blood.” Brady throws a sideways glance at me. “Someday I hope you love this smell too.”
I flash to my dreams and the musky animalistic odor I was drawn to. I think that must have been a sign. “I think someday I will.”
We arrive at a plain-shingled building. It’s not very big, and I’m surprised by that. I had expected something a little more elaborate, with mirrored glass and metal. I envisioned high-powered deals going down within the walls. Gravel crunches under the tires as Brady pulls up near the front door. Three other SUV-type vehicles are in the lot, but there is room for at least ten more.
Brady hops out, and before I can climb down, he’s taking my hand to help. I gasp when he pulls me tight against him. He says, “I’m not sure I can go on without a kiss.”
I happily oblige, and just at the point I’m ready to rip his shirt off, he pulls away.
“Damn, it’s getting harder to stop.” Brady’s lips are flushed ruby red, and I lick mine, thinking about what I want to do with his mouth. A low noise comes from the back of his throat.
I take a deep breath, and my voice lowers an octave when I say, “Yeah, I know what you mean.”
“C’mon, I’ll take you to the CFO first. That’s bound to put a damper on things.”
I laugh and then ask, “So numbers aren’t your friend?”
He grins. “Oh, they’re my friend as long as I let someone else crunch them.”
We enter though a glass door and take a few more steps to another one. A counter is straight ahead, and an older woman is behind it.
“Marjorie, this is Carly.”
Dressed smartly in a wool suit, she pops up from her chair and comes around to greet me. I’m a bit taken aback to see she’s almost as tall as I am. Is she a relative? Or is something in the water here? She says, “It’s so nice to meet you. It’s about time Brady found a nice girl.”
I guess she spied us making out in the parking lot. “Thank you, it’s nice to meet you too.”
Brady says, “Marjorie is my right-hand woman. She arranges my calendar and takes care of all my details. She keeps the rest of us in line too.”
She smiles warmly at him, and he leads me down a hall. The decor is quite functional, but the warm wood and brown carpet make it cozy. Forest paintings line the walls in a tasteful display. At the end he leads me into a large office. A desk that would dwarf a normal person dominates the space with its shiny dark wood.
Behind the desk is a huge picture window overlooking a valley. I walk over toward it and notice a large bird flying in the cloudless sky. “Wow, how do you get any work done?”
The heat of Brady lets me know he’s behind me before his scent does. He leans down to whisper in my ear. “That doesn’t distract me.” He kisses my neck, and I lean back against him. “But you sure do.”
He turns me around and pushes me into a large leather chair that is turned away from the desk. I land with a whoosh and chuckle. Getting down on his knees, he rolls the chair closer and positions himself between my legs. Pulling gently, he perches me on the edge and presses himself against my crotch.
With a growl he says, “The things I could do to you in this chair.”
Moisture pools between my legs as I stare into his mossy-green eyes. “I was thinking about what we could do on that desk.”
He smirks. “I like how you think.” He gives me a quick kiss and stands. Pulling the legs of his jeans down, he says, “So this is where I work.”
After a few hours of him explaining the details of his job, how the entire business operates, and meeting so many people I’m not sure I’ll remember their names, it’s finally time for our hike.
We meet up with Sierra and Keith at the lumber mill where Keith spends most of his days. The hum of saws is loud, and a shout rises above the din as we walk toward Keith’s Jeep Cherokee. Sierra is leaning against it while Keith hovers over her. I’ll bet he has a big desk too, and the thought puts an evil smile on my face.
When we get to them, Keith steps away from Sierra. Brady says, “Ready?”
Keith nods. “Yup. I’ll meet you up there.” He bites his lip for a second, and I wonder what’s making him nervous. Sierra has fallen hard for him already. He has to know that. After a quick kiss for her he climbs in his car and drives off.
Brady says, “Ladies, you ready for your adventure?”
Sierra snorts. “If walking through the woods is an adventure, you clearly need to get out more.”
Brady smiles and winks at me. “We’ll see what you say about that when we’re done.”
He walks toward the woods, and we trail behind him. I wonder just what surprise the guys have up their sleeve.
18
Chapter 5
Carly
The ground on the path is muddy, and I happily squish through, while Sierra picks her steps carefully. As we get deeper into the woods the air is colder, but moving along at a brisk speed is heating me up. We don’t talk much, enjoying the forest instead. It’s peaceful, and when we step over rocks designed to create a footpath through a stream, I’m tempted to take a drink.
As if he’s read my mind, Brady stops and pulls three water bottles out of an inside pocket of his open jacket. “Water break?” I catch a glimpse of the largest handgun I’ve ever seen in a holster at his waist and assume he must have put that on just before our walk. I also wonder if there are things in these woods I should be afraid of. Familiar with guns and knowing how to use the Glock my dad and Ray always kept under the counter at the shop, I’m not concerned.
Sierra g
ives him an enthusiastic yes, and I take the plastic container to greedily drink some down. She asks, “How much further?”
Brady answers, “About another mile.”
I notice a large rock that looks familiar. I walk over to it. The pale green lichen growing on it is almost in a pattern, and it’s rough under my fingers when I touch it. Oh, right, my dream. I frown. “This rock was in my dream.” I remember something was behind it, and I move to see.
Just as I do, a large black bear crashes toward us, and I gasp. My heart jumps into my throat, and ice floods my veins. My instinct is screaming for me to run, but my brain is telling me the right thing to do is hold still. Brady’s hand touches my shoulder as if to keep me in place. The stench of the animal is strong and familiar. It’s bigger than I thought a bear would be.
Sierra lets out a small gasp when she sees it too, and she stops behind us. The bear has noticed us, and adrenaline is racing through me. As the bear walks toward us, the need to act is overpowering. I’m holding my breath waiting for Brady to do something. C’mon, shoot him. He doesn’t, and I look over at him. He’s relaxed as if he’s watching TV. Is he paralyzed with fear? I grab the gun from his waist. Flicking off the safety as I raise the heavy thing with both hands, I shoot in the sky to scare the bear away.
I stumble from the kickback as a thud sounds nearby. Did I just kill a bird? Before I can ponder more, the bear starts to move quickly in our direction. Shit, he’s going to attack. I lower the gun to shoot.
Brady yells, “No!” His hand grabs the gun and lowers it while his strong arm yanks me back.
I’m about to yell too when the bear begins to shrink. What the hell? A sound like bones cracking carries over to us while fur begins to disappear, revealing skin. Is that human skin? The bear-thing is still coming our way and becoming more like a person as he stands on two feet.
Oh my God, it’s Keith. He’s staring at something behind me, and I remember the thud. I turn to find Sierra slumped on the ground. “Did I shoot her?” But I know I haven’t when I realize there isn’t any blood.
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