by Anya Nowlan
“Yes!” she breathed, her back arching and pushing her tighter against him as he picked up his pace, finally bottoming out in her and making her wail loudly.
Oh my God, this is so good, her thoughts rambled in her head, probably spilling down her tongue as well considering the way he grinned, his hazel eyes leaving streaks of fire wherever he looked, and bringing her to a boil.
Dash kissed her on the lips, painfully dragging her lower lip between his teeth, before rearing up and balancing on his knees, throwing her legs over his shoulders. When he plunged into her again, she saw stars, his massive cock stretching her even wider and going deeper. Her thighs shuddered in pulsing spasms and her hands fisted in the sheets, desperate to rock back against him, but Dash had taken the reins.
“Dash!” she moaned, lifting her hips off the bed so he could pound into her as hard as he wanted, his hands slipping under her ass and kneading the flesh there.
“That’s it,” he hissed, his muscles tensing as she spoke his name. “Moan for me, sugar,” he said, and it was as much a command as it was a plea.
She couldn’t deny him that much. Her eyes fluttered closed and his thumb suddenly pressed against her clit, spreading her juices around it, pushing on it with just enough force to make her shakes and shivers ten times as intense. The pressure in her core and the fire that wanted to consume her seemed inescapable now, raging through her so hard that she could barely hear Dash’s beautiful growling over the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears.
It was like he was fucking every man who’d ever touched her right out of her. Every time he thrust into her, she felt like she was sinking into him as much as he was filling her, and every place his hands touched her suddenly became his and his alone. It wasn’t like anything she’d known before.
He pushed forward, crushing her legs between his body and hers, and Blair gasped as his lips found her mouth again. She kissed back through her moans, but the growl in his throat traveled through her at lightning speeds, right to her core.
“Cum for me,” he said, more a command than anything else.
“Yes!” she whined in response, not wanting to deny him anything he could have wanted from her.
Dash’s hips rocked into her harder and Blair’s nails scrabbled against his hard triceps, trying to hold onto anything she could because her sanity was obviously slipping along with any self-control. He ground into her slowly, torturously delicious motions driving her forward until the whole house seemed to echo with her screams. Her voice was shrill, the highs and lows in tune with the rolling tidal wave of an orgasm that crashed through her.
Her pussy clenched around his thick cock, milking it hungrily. Her body was twisted and tied beneath him, bucking against him with every muscle on edge, wanting more of him. When she forced herself to open her eyes, she caught sight of his warm, mirthful hazel depths, gazing back at her as if he’d never seen such a wondrous sight. It hung in the air for a moment along with her moans until Dash caught himself and that playboy sparkle returned to his eyes, shading the genuine surprise and affection she could see there for that indeterminable length of time.
Driven by her own desire, she spread her legs a bit wider and concentrated on clenching around him. The first try already produced a long, throaty moan from him and Blair couldn’t help but smile, doing it again, starting a pulse that sucked at his cock with every stroke. He couldn’t last long, and that was exactly what she wanted.
When she saw the first hint of his defenses breaking, Blair moved fast. She put her hands on his chest and rolled along with him, pushing him on his back and getting on top of him. He hissed in a breath as she straddled him, rubbing against him with the tiniest motions until he was spasming under her, his cock caught and used by her.
“You cum for me, now,” she said, teasing.
Dash looked like he wanted to protest, but any words he might have had turned into a gargled groan and his hands locked around her waist, making her bounce up and down on him harder. When he finally gave in, his long, milky ropes of cum filling her, Blair threw her head back and grinned wide, loving the sensation.
Finally, a real man… finally, real enjoyment. She’d almost thought it wasn’t possible anymore.
Dash lay back, gasping, and pulled Blair against his chest without letting her get off of him. She complied easily, eagerly even, snuggling against his strong neck and shoulder.
“I’m going to make you pay for that, you know,” he said, his voice a low rumble.
“Pay for what?” she asked, biting her lip to keep the smile off her lips.
“For being so damn delicious,” he said with a chuckle, lifting her chin and claiming her lips again.
She couldn’t wait.
CHAPTER SIX
Dash
It had been hell driving Blair back to Aubrey’s and Deacon’s house and saying his goodbyes.
Despite not thinking himself a very sentimental man, Dash found himself quite enamored with the spunky, courageous woman who’d come to find him at the ball. She’d finally admitted that she’d done that, and come hunting for him while he thought he was the big bad wolf in that scenario. Dash had to admit, being the one getting chased down for a change didn’t feel so bad, especially when the predator was sexy as hell.
But all good things had to come to an end. It was two days until New Year’s and she had to go back home, while he had to get back to work. Well, the latter was a stretch—he had plenty of days off still. But when Blair made it clear she had to go, Dash couldn’t fathom the thought of staying in Shifter Grove and killing a few more days without her.
So he’d done the only reasonable thing and called up Nick and the rest of the crew and told them he’d be in the next day. Then, with legs that still didn’t quite listen to him after the very intense romp he’d had all through the night with Blair, he’d ushered her sexy self into the truck and driven her back to Shifter Grove.
He wasn’t ashamed to admit that their goodbyes took about ten times as long as they should have. But he figured Blair wouldn’t mind, seeing as she’d been practically purring as he kissed her in the truck when they were one bend away from reaching the North household.
You shouldn’t have let her go, a voice told him, hammering it in as he drove toward the airport.
Dash snorted to himself. He couldn’t be that silly, could he? Yes, Blair had been a fantastic lay, far better than any he’d ever had, but that didn’t necessarily translate into feelings, right? Or at least it shouldn’t. He was a grown-ass stag after all. And a big part about being a stag was, well… being a stag. Always on the prowl, not settling down until the right woman showed up, having as much fun as he could take.
She might be the one, the voice told him again, making Dash roll his eyes.
He’d tried to stay in the house, he really had, after dropping Blair off. He’d even had dinner and played a round of chess with Vix, but nothing seemed to calm him down. Two glasses of Scotch had finally convinced him that he needed some sleep. But the very next morning, he’d packed his bag and was now well on the way to the airport to take the jet and head back to work.
It was unnerving being so very taken with a woman and so fast. He’d always thought himself as the kind of guy who could withstand a bit of feminine wiles, but Blair? Damn. That girl ticked all the right boxes with him. His mind was still firmly on her when he parked the truck at the airport and grabbed his bag, marching toward the jet.
It was hard to miss considering that the red behemoth covered the entire length and width of the tiny airstrip. The plane and helicopter of the local pilot Slate were tucked away in a far corner, covered with tarps to protect against the elements. The “Big Reds,” as the Frost brothers called their jets, didn’t need that kind of treatment though. Nope, those girls could be covered by ten feet of snow and they’d be fine to lift off, rising straight into the snow.
I should have kept her with me for one night longer, Dash thought sourly, slinging the bag over his shoulder as he
slogged through the high snow and bad visibility toward his ride.
“Dash!” a voice called somewhere behind him.
It cut straight into his thoughts. He whipped around like someone had poked him with a hot prod and he smiled like a fool when he saw Blair running toward him. He just about dropped his bag and ran to meet her like in one of those old Hollywood movies, but caught himself in time. Couldn’t come off too eager, now could he?
She was out of breath and her nose and cheeks were pinched with the cold by the time she reached Dash, and he wanted more than anything to pull her into a big hug and kiss the cold out of her. Instead, he grinned and adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder, enjoying the note of bashfulness that rose to her cheeks when she stopped a few feet from him.
“Hey, Blair. What are you doing here? I thought you’d be halfway to Los Angeles already,” Dash said.
“I was supposed to be,” she said, biting her lower lip in that maddening way of hers. “But Slate said that the storm was too bad to go anywhere. Deacon thought that maybe you guys were flying, but by the time we got ahold of the house, you’d already left. Your brother told me that if I hurried, I might catch you here.”
“So you hurried,” Dash noted, not bothering to hide the smile that rose to his lips.
“I did,” Blair admitted, grinning. “But I understand if I’m being a bit presumptuous by thinking that you could maybe give me a ride. Vix thought that LA might not be a problem for you, but I totally understand if it is.”
Dash pursed his lips in mock thoughtfulness. He’d already decided when he’d heard her lovely voice calling his name that he’d fly her to Timbuktu if she asked him to. His fingers ached to peel those layers of clothes off of her again, but he told himself to behave. At least for now.
“Sure, I think I can take you to Los Angeles. But it’ll cost you,” he said, reaching out his hand to take her bag.
“Oh, yeah! No worries, I’ll pay!” she said, looking both relieved and worried at the same time.
Dash snorted, shaking his head as he led the way to the jet, plowing a path through the snow for her. “That’s not what I meant, sugar. I won’t take your money. But I’m sure we can figure out a way in which you can repay me later, hmm?”
He tossed her a wink over his shoulder as the stairs automatically lowered themselves down to meet him and the hatch opened. He loved the way she blushed again, and he had to put serious effort into not throwing the bags in the snow and making love to her right there and then. When she looked like that, all caught off-guard and a little confused, she was even more scrumptious than when she was putting on her calm and confident face. Whichever side of herself she showed him, Dash found himself continuously enthralled by her.
It was… worrying. And oddly satisfying.
They hiked up the steps and the door shut behind them just as easily as it had opened. The lights in the huge jet turned on to reveal internal cargo bays that could have rivaled any major warehouse. Dash was already a few steps down toward the cockpit when he noticed the distinct lack of footsteps behind him. He turned around, catching Blair looking around with a stunned expression.
“Everything okay, sugar?” he asked, walking back at a leisurely pace and taking her hand.
It was the physical contact that seemed to snap her out of her daze, even if they were both wearing gloves. She looked up at him and as always, she took his breath away.
“I am, yes. Sorry. It’s so… big,” she said, her lovely eyes shimmering.
Dash caught himself in time to not reply with the very obvious “you told me that a few nights ago about something else, too.”
“That’s not all that’s big around here,” he said, leading her toward the cockpit.
Goddammit.
Well, he’d at least made an effort to not be… Dash. Blair giggled, trotting behind him, and Dash took a breath of relief, though he chided himself to try and behave. It wasn’t like him to go to lengths to make anyone feel comfortable and at ease, always believing that people would have to like him for who he was if he were to get along with them. But with Blair? He was ready to go to any lengths to have her stay a minute longer.
They made it to the cockpit and Dash stashed their suitcases away. Then, he helped her out of her coat and shrugged off his bomber jacket and scarf, hanging them in a little cubby right outside the cockpit. The airplane was already warming itself up, running through automated checks and coming to life swiftly.
“Wow, this thing’s amazing,” Blair gushed, taking a seat in the co-pilot’s seat when Dash pointed it out to her. “Are you sure it’s okay I’m up here? I’m perfectly fine with sitting somewhere in the back. I don’t want to get in your way.”
“You’d never get in my way,” Dash said easily, sitting down and buckling up. He thought he saw her glancing his way with an indecipherable look in her eyes but when he looked back at her, she had her eyes on the blinking lights and complicated systems that filled Big Red Five.
“How can you fly this thing all on your own? I thought you always had to have a bigger crew for something this size? Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a plane this huge!” she rattled off, her brows furrowing in thought.
Dash grinned, flicking a few switches and letting the engines hum to life.
“Magic,” he said, shrugging. “The less you know, the better.”
It wasn’t a lie.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dash
The truth was, every airport in the world had a protocol for dealing with the Big Reds. They were in and out of them like ghosts most of the time, never seen because of the massive cloaking systems the planes housed. And when Dash said there was a tiny bit of magic involved, well, he wasn’t lying. If good old Nick Frost and his crew could figure out ways to save Christmas every year, then handling a fleet of football field-sized jumbo jets was peanuts in comparison.
“Whoa!” Blair yelped, her nails digging into the upholstery as the plane suddenly took off, Dash’s hands easing the big beast off the ground and straight up without needing an inch of runway space to speed up. “How are you doing that?!”
“Magic,” he said again, laughing as the behemoth gained altitude and rose straight upward until the raging blizzard was a footnote in the past and they broke through the clouds to witness the bright rays of midday sun.
“Don’t say that! I’ll start believing you,” Blair smiled.
“I would never lie to you,” Dash commented, but when he realized that he was telling the truth, his smile faltered a little. That was new. Stumbling for a topic, he grabbed hold of the first thing he could think of. “So what’s in Los Angeles that’s so urgent?”
“A family function,” Blair said, sighing as she sunk into the seat, giving Dash a glimpse of her long legs stretched out. Mouthwatering. “I don’t really want to go, but I missed Christmas and I think I need to show my face.”
“Why don’t you want to go? Difficult family?” he asked, more than ready to launch into a tirade about his impossible brothers and uncle, whom he loved to death and occasionally seemed to hate just as much.
“Yes. Well, no. I… um. Well, my boyfriend of five years left me not too long ago, and I haven’t confronted my parents about it yet. I know my mom will blow a fuse. She’s been nagging me for years to get pregnant and tie him down and all that.”
Dash frowned, a note of jealousy crawling through him again at the thought of Blair with any man that wasn’t him. And at the same time, he felt a strong urge to turn the plane around and head to Hawaii instead of Los Angeles and give her the kind of New Year’s he thought she deserved. The pure intensity of those thoughts caught him off-guard and he felt his hands tightening around the controls.
“Was the breakup bad?” he asked, trying to make his voice sound as neutral as he could.
He could see that blush of hers a mile away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be talking about my ex after we… you know.”
“Hey, heartache comes with the territor
y. I don’t mind being used a bit,” he said, smirking as he threw her a look.
A second later, he reached his hand out and squeezed hers on the arm rest, though. Last thing he wanted was for her to think he was being callous about their night. It had, in a word, been amazing.
After a moment of hesitation, she continued on. “The breakup was sort of bad, yes. But I think what was painful was that it happened and it wasn’t on my terms. We hadn’t been good together for years, but I guess I felt like I invested so much of myself in the relationship that getting out of it would be a cop-out, you know? Like I’d given up. And when he chose to do it for me, I felt betrayed. It’s childish.”
“It’s not. But look at it this way—you now have a chance to find something that actually lasts. That’s right for you.”
Like me.
He bit down on his tongue not to say it out loud, but the words seemed to hang between them in the air regardless. Dash had slowed the plane down from its usual lightning-fast speed by a lot, but even then the flight between Idaho and Los Angeles wasn’t long in the Big Red. He dreaded the moment they’d land and he’d have to say goodbye to her again, this time perhaps for good.
“So what about you? I hope you don’t have a girlfriend hidden away somewhere or I’ll feel really awkward, but what are you passionate about?” Blair asked, tucking a long lock of hair behind her ear.
“No, no girlfriend,” Dash laughed, shaking his head. “But what am I passionate about? Well, if you ask my brothers, they’ll tell you it’s being a nuisance. But they’re all liars, so don’t believe them,” he quipped, getting a chuckle out of Blair. “Honestly, though, I’m a bit of a workaholic. We all are. This is a family business and it has been that way for centuries and we all feel connected to it in a big way. I live to work, most of the time. Other than that? Skydiving is sort of fun.”
“A pilot who likes to jump out of airplanes? That’s kind of an oxymoron,” Blair said, the laughter reaching her eyes and making her positively glow.