by T. S. Joyce
“You always get so wet for me,” he murmured against her ear. “Good girl.”
Mmmmmm, she loved when he called her that. It was the nickname he’d given her the first time they’d met. But now, in the bedroom, she liked when he told her she was doing something right.
As he moved into position right between her inner thighs, she spread her knees out wider so she could take him. He was so big and powerful, and her body still needed to get used to his size.
He pushed the head of his cock into her and eased out, then in a little farther and eased back out. When she gasped with pleasure, he gripped her hips and pushed into her deep. “Ooooooh,” she moaned as he filled her just right.
He pulled back slow and then slammed into her again. Ash closed her eyes as he kissed her, flying high on sensation alone. She wanted only to feel what he was doing to her body right now. He pushed into her again and again, faster each thrust.
“Yes, yes, yes.”
He stayed deep and bucking shallow, hitting her clit fast, over and over. He was loud with her now, groaning against her sensitive ears as if he was close, too, and as soon as the tingling pressure between her legs became too much, he shoved into her hard and froze, his dick throbbing as she came with him. Over and over, he pulsed with her, their bodies keeping pace, shattering together. Being with him felt like nothing else in the world. This right here, this connection with the man she loved, was everything.
Grim began to move inside of her slowly, drawing out every remaining vibration of her orgasm until she was sated and could only hold onto him and rub his back.
Eight minutes, her inner animal enlightened her.
Ash giggled. “You did it. Five minutes and you made me come.”
“Woman, I made us both come. I think that’s the fastest I’ve ever gone.”
She laid little kisses all over his beard. “Good dick,” she murmured. “Good boy.”
“Oh, God,” he muttered, laughing. He pulled out of her gently, kissed her once more, thoroughly, and then made his way into the bathroom.
He liked to get moving right after sex, but Ash always laid there like a happy little blob to recover.
Seven minutes.
“Okay, okay,” she muttered under her breath, pushing up on the bed. She got a glimpse of herself in the dresser mirror and nearly toppled over laughing. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was like a rat’s nest piled up on top of her head, and her boobs were still hanging out of the top of her bra. She was definitely going to need the entire seven remaining minutes to make herself presentable again.
She grinned at her reflection.
She had zero regrets.
Chapter Seven
Driving in a blizzard wasn’t Ash’s favorite. And working at the lumberyard to help the boys unload the logs wasn’t the best either. She and Juno and Remi stayed bundled up in the front bench seat of the truck with a blanket over their legs while Grim worked a crane with a claw to put each log they’d cut into the right-sized piles in the yard. Kamp and Rhett were out there, too. Kamp was talking to the owner of the yard, negotiating pay, which went straight back to Vyr’s account, and Rhett was standing beside the crane talking into a walkie-talkie to Grim to guide his work.
It was the day before Christmas eve and almost closing time, so the other workers had already gone home. Ash would never get over how sexy it was that her mate could operate any machine he wanted. He was one of those mechanically-minded men who picked up hard labor quickly. He was really good at his job. God, she hoped she could find one soon, too.
Grim parked the crane on the edge of the loading area and hopped out of the rig. He disappeared for a minute in the blustering snow, but he and the boys came back, waving at the foreman and calling out, “You have a Merry Christmas, too.”
Grim had just wished someone a Merry Christmas. Huh.
Ash waved out the window at him, but he probably couldn’t see her. The snow storm was getting bad. Good thing Meaties was right up the road, not even a mile from here.
Grim and the boys climbed in. There wasn’t much room, so Ash had to stay squished up against Grim’s ribs (she didn’t hate that part at all) and Remi and Juno sat on their mates’ laps. They were all bundled up in winter coats and mittens and beanies and snow boots. The girls had all worn bright colors. Ash thought they looked cute for Crew date night, and apparently so did Juno because she opened her window to get a good angle with her phone and told everyone to smile. And then she took a selfie and showed it to Ash. They were all piled in the cab of the logging truck, grinning ear to ear, except for Grim, who had yellow eyes and was only smiling a little. But it was a smile, and for the Reaper, all smiles counted. And good men deserved to know when they looked handsome, so she told him.
“Reaper,” she whispered as he pulled onto the narrow two-lane mountain road.
“Mmm?” he rumbled.
“I think you are so cute.”
He took his eyes off the road for just a moment, but she saw a flash of something in his expression. Her tiny compliment had touched him. There was softness in the Reaper’s eyes.
Happy as a little clam, she slid her arms around his bicep as he maneuvered the big truck along the winding road in the snowfall. Happy as a little clam. What did that saying even mean? Were clams happier than other animals? She imagined clams had bad days, too. Maybe she should say, “Happy as a little Ash Bear” in her head from now on so it would make more sense. Because she was very, very happy.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket as Grim was parking the truck in a row of empty parking spots right in front of Meaties. When she opened the text from her dad, Bash, she couldn’t help the smile on her face.
Hey Nugget. Juno just sent me this picture.
The selfie of all of them in the truck showed up in the message.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so happy. I’m proud of you.
For what? she typed out. Send.
For going and getting the man and the life you deserve. I love you. Call us on Christmas. I’m showing this to your mom. She will probably cry. But the happy kind. She does that a lot. It’s a little terrifying, but I’m tough about it.
And lately, Ash understood Mom better because she did the same—cried about happy things. Tears weren’t always for sadness, she’d learned. Sometimes they were just little eyeball dewdrops of joy.
I love you too, Dad. Merry the-day-before-Christmas-Eve. Send.
Juno and Remi were leaned all the way over, blatantly ogling her phone, both looking super-mushy when she put it back in her pocket. They didn’t even pretend they hadn’t been reading her texts. Shameless.
“And I love you little snoopers, too,” she whispered, bumping Remi’s shoulder before ducking her gaze so they didn’t see how fiery her cheeks were getting.
When Grim shoved open his door, a gust of snowy wind blew right in. Geez, it was cold! He got out and offered his hand to help her down. And, oh, she’d meant it when she’d told the Reaper he was cute. Tonight, Grim was wearing his nicest work boots, wrangler jeans with no holes at the knees, and a navy-blue sweater that hugged his broad shoulders and tapered at his trim waist. He’d gelled his hair all messy and sexy. At his thick throat, he wore a simple, thin, black leather necklace he told her his grandma had gotten him the last Christmas before the Reaper was born.
She slipped her hand into his and stepped down onto the slick railing before hopping out into the snow drift by the truck like an excited bunny rabbit. He straightened her bright red beanie with the pink pom-pom, swatted her butt to get her going, and then shut the door. Three steps later, his fingertips were resting lightly on her back, like he didn’t like going too long without touching her.
She love loved him.
Everyone was chattering and happy as they made their way to the bar in the back. Up front were nice tables with real lit candles and holly bouquets. This place was small, but clean and homey, and it was all dark wood and lots of windows. Beyond the far wall, she could see
the riverbank, but not much more thanks to the snowfall. This was probably a tourist bar during the warm months, but not tonight. There were a only a few tables full, but she didn’t pay attention to them. Juno was telling the Crew about the Christmas the three of them snuck out of their trailers and met up at midnight to try to catch Santa. Except they all fell asleep in the old treehouse Beaston had made and hadn’t woken up until the next morning. They were eight years old at the time, and their parents had thrown a friggin’ fit when they’d discovered their beds empty at dawn. Ash had been grounded for a whole week for scaring her parents.
She was cracking up as she took a seat between Grim and Remi. Kamp was on Remi’s other side, and beside Grim was Rhett then Juno.
“What can I do you for?” asked a bartender with the name Ralph on his nametag.
“Hey, Layla says that sometimes,” Ash pointed out.
“Whose Layla?” Ralph asked.
“She’s my favorite bartender back in Saratoga. Sorry. Y-you… Oooh.” Ash ducked her head and wrung her hands.
“Go on, girl. You’re doing fine,” Grim murmured, squeezing her thigh.
Ash inhaled deep and told the bartender, “You probably didn’t need to know all that.”
“I don’t mind,” Ralph said with a friendly grin. “It’s a slow night. Y’all are the liveliest bunch I’ve had in here.”
“W-what specials do you have?” Ash asked, sitting up straighter. She could see Grim’s cheeks swell with a grin beside her, but if she looked at him, she would get distracted and lose her nerve. Talking to people was good. “We’re sure hungry, and we’ve never been here before.” She swallowed hard and formed the words in her head carefully. “What’s good to eat?”
Ralph was an older gentleman with a receding hairline and glasses and the kindest blue eyes she’d ever seen. He kinda looked like a short-haired, non-bearded Santa. He was even wearing a bright red sweater with little reindeer on it. “Are you those shifters that live up the mountain? The Rogue Pride Crew?”
Ash looked at Grim, but he only nodded in encouragement.
“Yes, sir.”
“Call me Ralph. Please.” He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. “I’m pro-shifter. I was sure happy to hear you all moved to these parts. You are the talk of the town.”
Ash grinned at her lap. She needed to look up and keep better eye contact. Ralph was nice and not intimidating.
“We got fried catfish baskets on special tonight for half off, and the first round of shots is on me, so long as you let me pick the ones I give you.”
Ash looked down the bar both ways at the grinning Crew and then nodded to Ralph. “Deal.”
They all ordered catfish baskets and chatted with Ralph while he made shots that were red and green Christmas colors. He lined them up green, red, green, red, green, red, and then Juno took another selfie of the Crew with Ralph. Ash’s best friend sure liked taking a lot of pictures now. Maybe because Juno was really happy to have a Crew to belong to. The longer Ash spent with Rogue Pride, the more she understood the members, her friends, and that was a big deal because people had always been hard for her to understand. Not Grim, though. Never Grim. He had been a perfectly readable book from the first minute she talked to him.
Grim slid a red shot to her and murmured, “To match your pretty hair.” Then he lifted a green one up, which matched his pretty green eyes, and said, “To us. Mess. Friends. Crew. We are what we are.”
That was about the mushiest Grim got. Rhett made a clicking sound behind his teeth and murmured “awwww” beside Grim.
So Grim punched him in the dick. Rhett hunched in on himself and wheezed. Juno patted his back comfortingly, and the rest of them took their shots like nothing had happened…because Grim was right.
Messy or not, they were what they were.
“Christmas wish time,” Remi said as Ralph and the cook settled the catfish baskets in front of them.
“Pass,” Grim muttered. “Can we get a round of beers?” he asked Ralph. “For them, not me. I’m driving. And also I’m a psychopath, so booze isn’t the best idea.”
Ralph’s bushy gray brows lifted. “Fair enough. I appreciate your honesty. Five beers coming up. What do you guys like?”
“Pen15 Juice,” Rhett said around a bite.
“Well, I’ve heard of it, but haven’t had the pleasure of working out a deal with the brewer quite yet.”
Rhett pointed to Kamp. “Talk to that one before we leave then, and I can deliver what you need after Christmas for a trial run.”
Ralph sure looked happy about that, and as he went to check on the other tables at the front of the bar, Remi said a little louder, “I’m serious. Let’s hear them. What are your Christmas wishes?” She put her phone on the counter. It said 10:09, but changed right then to 10:10. “Better do them quick!” She put her finger on the number and said, “I hope we get to see Raider again soon.”
Kamp put his finger on the number and said, “Same. Now that my cub is in my life, holidays are a little harder without him.” Kamp scooted the phone past Remi to Grim, but he shook his head and passed it right on to Ash. “I hope I get a job soon and Grim’s Grandma Rose can come to Christmas.”
Rhett was next. “I hope I get a blow job tonight.”
Juno swatted his arm and snorted, but pushed her finger on the number quick. Thirty seconds left. Ash was counting. “I hope this year Rhett and I get to start making a family.”
“Wait!” Rhett said, his eyes going round. “You want a cub with me?”
Juno nodded. Twenty seconds left.
“I take mine back!” Rhett exclaimed. He put his finger back on the number and said, “I hope I knock up Juno with, like, six cubs this year. I want a hockey team.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Kamp pointed out.
“Whatever, Kamp. It’s my Christmas wish. Fuck off.” Rhett shoved the phone to Grim again.
Ten seconds.
Grim looked at the Crew. Eight seconds. He sighed. Seven…Six…
He put his finger on the glowing 10:10 and said, “I hope I can be a better Alpha for all of you.” There was an emotional and joyous pause in the Crew. But then Grim said, “And Rebble wishes my dick and balls were smaller so he wasn’t so squished in my pocket all the time.”
Rhett had been taking a drink of the beer Ralph had just placed in front of him, but choked on the sip and snorted at Grim’s revelation. Juno patted his back as he coughed and laughed and coughed and laughed. Really, they were all laughing.
Ralph put a stack of papers in front of Ash, but she didn’t understand what they were. “What’s this?” she asked.
Ralph pointed to the front window. There was a big sign that said, Now Hiring. “I need help around here. You won’t be a millionaire working here, but there’s benefits and steady hours. And if you’re the shy type, which I’m betting you are, it’ll be good practice talking to people. Fill that out and bring it back here after the holidays if you’re interested. We’ll do an interview.”
“Really?” she whispered, her stomach fluttering with hope.
“Really. You seem like good people. You shifters have never been handed anything. You earn everything you’ve got. I bet you would do just fine here.”
“I used to sell barbecue. At my last job, I mean.”
“Already got food service experience, another bonus.”
“Thank you,” she uttered, folding the application so she could fit it into her purse. “I mean…thank you for even considering me.”
Ralph gave her another really nice smile and patted the bar top. “It was a good wish. A hard worker’s wish. I like it.” And then he headed back through the kitchen door and disappeared from sight.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” she squeaked out, staring in shock at the folded application. She was going to get this job. She had a feeling. She was going to come in here and do soooo good at the interview.
The Crew was gripping her shoulders and congratulating he
r and telling her she would do well. They said they were proud of her, and she could tell they really were. Their shining eyes and the honest notes in their voices said as much. And Grim wore her very favorite smile.
Today was Ash’s new favorite day ever. Her favorites tended to be when the Crew was getting along. Why? Because it was rare. They had to fight for moments like these. That was the nature of a Last Chance Crew. The males in Rogue Pride came with layers and complicated pasts and animals that didn’t stay in control. But they all stuck together, even through the bad times. Even through the days when they loved each other but didn’t like each other.
They fought to stay a Crew because happy moments like this existed. These times tasted sweeter because they were harder to come by.
Ash loved Grim with her whole heart, but he’d given her something he didn’t realize yet. He’d given her a Crew to fall in love with, too. This was the first Christmas of many to come. She bet next year, the day before the day before Christmas, this would be their tradition. Meaties on the River and Christmas wishes at 10:10.
And as she looked over her shoulder at the quiet man she’d felt watching them this whole time, she wondered if he would be a part of the tradition, too. The Rogue Pride Crew was laughing and talking around her, not paying attention, but she gave a little two-fingered wave to the dragon in the darkest corner and mouthed, Merry day-before-Christmas-Eve, Vyr.
Vyr gave her a smile. It was only a little one, and it didn’t reach his eyes. It looked a bit sad even, but it was a smile nonetheless. And for a beast like the Red Dragon, all smiles counted.
Vyr set a wad of money onto the small two-seater table he’d been sitting at and then walked out the side door right next to him.
As she watched him out the window, disappearing into the snowstorm, Grim leaned over and kissed her temple. He whispered, “I’m going to go talk to him.”