Since he intended to be the person next to her in that kind sized bed, he’d have to veto the possibility of the dogs in bed right from the start. He’d be firm and explain the pros and cons of allowing the dogs to sleep in the bed with her, but put more emphasis on the cons. Such as ticks and fleas since the dogs would be running around out in her pastures most of the time. Or muddy paws on her clean sheets.
“Don’t even try it,” he growled when she dug into her purse for a credit card. He knew she’d do it too and had his own credit card ready. While he handed the cashier his own card, Arik reached for her, wrapping one of his arms around her so that she couldn’t extend her arms.
He felt her sharp, indrawn breath and suspected that he was in trouble. But when he looked down at her, she was looking at him over her shoulder, that incredible mouth softened and he could see the desire smoldering in her eyes. Arik could feel her tremble. Or shiver? He wasn’t sure which and didn’t know if it mattered. He just felt it. He felt her body soften, leaning against his and just about groaned out loud as his body instantly reacted. He knew that Sage could feel the effects of her impact on his body too. It was pretty obvious, especially since he’d wanted Sage for so damn long! His body wasn’t braced for the impact, even though he’d initiated the connection.
“Sir?”
Arik pulled his eyes away from Sage’s warm, wanting gaze, ready to punch whoever had interrupted their intense moment. But it was only the teenage cashier trying to return the credit card.
Arik accepted the card and stuffed it back into his wallet, shoving the damn thing into his back pocket. All the while, he kept Sage close enough to hide the erection that was painfully pressing against the zipper of his jeans. Never in his life had he experienced sexual frustration of this level. But then again, he’d never met anyone like Sage. She challenged him in so many ways. She was just so damn independent and, on the one hand, that turned him on. He loved a woman who could take care of herself. A woman who didn’t cling or whine that he didn’t pay enough attention to her.
On the other hand, he really loved it when Sage leaned into him with all of those soft, amazing curves. And yet, it still pissed him off that she wouldn’t elaborate on the “scary things” that had been occurring. What the hell was going on? Who would bother someone as sweet as Sage?
Maybe that was the issue, he thought as he loaded the dog food, doggy beds and three bags of toys into the back of his truck. Maybe someone thought she was too sweet and therefore an easy target. That was definitely possible. He knew that rapists didn’t assault women out of desire. It was a need to control and hurt, to overrule a woman in the most basic way.
“Ready for the next stop?” he asked, opening the back doors so that the dogs could jump in. Xena jumped easily into the back seat, then preened as she turned and waited for the others to join her. But the fluff ball couldn’t quite make the jump into the truck.
With a long suffering sigh, Arik bent down and scooped up the ball of fluff, setting him carefully next to Xena.
“I have car harnesses for them,” Sage explained from the other side of the truck. She climbed into the back seat and Arik’s eyes were immediately drawn to the lovely view of her cleavage as she bent over to secure the dogs.
“I’ve never heard of dogs needing seat belts before,” he grumbled. Not because he didn’t believe in them. He did! Hell, he’d seen too many car crashes not to encourage seat belt use. It was just…well, he was really having a hard time not thinking about those soft, pale breasts. She wore a white bra today. He could see the pretty lace across the soft swells. What color were her nipples? Pink? Tan? Dark, light? How sensitive were they? What would she taste like?
“There!” Sage sighed, happily leaning back on her feet and hiding his view of those lovely, enticing breasts. Damn it! “All safe and secure,” she announced, fluffing their fur once more.
The dogs, bless their sweetly loyal hearts, were already in love with Sage. Go figure! Not that he blamed the dogs. They had good taste and…!
What the hell? He didn’t love Sage!
He looked over at her as she levered herself into the passenger side front seat, the sunshine sparkling on her hair and a bounce to her step that hadn’t been there yesterday. Yeah, she’d finally gotten a good night’s sleep. But there was something more to her attitude today. Was it because of the dogs?
She glanced over at him and he felt it. That zing! It was there and she felt it too. He could see it in her eyes and in the way she held her body, as if she were purposely holding herself back from throwing herself into his arms.
Damn, he wanted to pull her close and feel every inch of her!
“Home?” she prompted.
He blinked, then stared at the dogs, who were staring right back at him. Then he realized what she’d just said and shook his head. “Nope. One more stop.”
“But what about Xena and Minx?”
Arik had just pulled himself up into the driver’s seat when she’d said the other name. “Minx?” he repeated, cocking an eyebrow.
Sage smiled with a shrug. “Maybe. I don’t know. I have to try on different names for him.”
Arik turned and looked at the tiny, male dog. “I’m sorry, little buddy.”
“What?” she laughed. “You don’t like the name?”
He turned on the engine. “Buckle your seat belt,” he warned, then waited until she’d done so before backing out of the parking space. “We’re heading to the police station.”
“I told you that I don’t want to involve the police.”
He laughed. “Honey, I am the police. The police are already involved. And when Simon comes back, he’s damn well going to be involved as well.”
“You can’t tell him!” she gasped, putting a hand on his forearm. “Please, Arik! Please don’t tell Simon. He’ll tell Jade and then Jade will nag me until I just give up and move into her place. I really don’t want to move in with them!”
“Why not? It would be safer than being alone.” Not that he would allow her to be alone. Hell, he was already making plans.
Sage pulled her hand away and looked adorably pouty. “Because it is nauseating to watch those two. I couldn’t take it full time.”
He laughed, nodding his head. “Yeah, I know what you mean. But still, the police are involved. And more will be involved once you finish the police report.”
Sage huffed a bit. “Are you always this dictatorial?”
He barely glanced at her, keeping his attention on the road and traffic as he made his way through the center of the town towards the police headquarters. “When someone’s life is involved? Absolutely.”
“Aren’t you being just a little bit dramatic?”
“Why do you think that?” he asked, pulling into the police station parking lot. He badged through to the private parking area where only police officers are allowed, then found a space about midway down the first row.
“Because whoever is doing this is only trying to scare me.”
He stepped out and snapped the leash on Xena while Sage helped “Minx” out on the other side.
“Can the dogs come inside with us? Or I can stay outside. I don’t want their feelings to be hurt.”
Arik stopped himself from laughing. “First of all, the dogs won’t get hurt if they are left outside for a few minutes. Although, I wouldn’t recommend leaving dogs outside of a store and definitely not in a car. We get a lot of calls when people steal dogs left outside of shops and stores or leave them in hot cars.” He led Xena around to the other side. “But yes, you can bring these two inside.” He eyed “Minx”, then traded leashes. “But I’ll take Xena. You have to take…that one inside.” He shook his head. “I can handle a pink leash. I don’t think that my masculinity would survive leading that thing into the station house.”
Sage frowned, then bent down to pet Minx’s fluff. “He didn’t mean it, honey,” she soothed the small dog. “He’s just grouchy.”
Arik could tell her why he was so
grouchy, but suspected that she wouldn’t want to hear it. Not yet. Although, her responses over the past twenty-four hours gave him hope that they were making progress.
“Oh my gosh, where did you get that dog?!” a female voice called out.
Sage turned, beaming at the female officer approaching.
“I just got him this morning from a friend of Arik’s,” she explained.
The female officer looked around, noticed Arik and…was this tough-looking female officer blushing? Yep! So Arik had this effect on other females too! Sage shouldn’t be surprised. He was an extraordinarily handsome man.
“Sage needs to file a report about a stalker,” Arik explained.
The woman’s hand froze on Minx’s head and she looked up at Sage. “A stalker?” She stood up, looking official now. “How long has this been going on?”
Sage shook her head. “I don’t know exactly. And I’m not even sure if it actually is a stalker. I just…” she looked helplessly at Arik and sighed. “I feel ridiculous.”
“Better than feeling dead,” he pointed out immediately.
Chapter 5
“What have I done?” she whispered, groaning as she rolled over yet again. Sage had barely fallen to sleep when the desperate whining started again. A moment later, Sage heard Xena’s exhausted sigh from the corner of the bedroom. But this time, she rolled over onto a warm, hard chest instead of her mattress.
Arik sighed. “I’ll let him out,” he groaned. A moment later, the comforting warmth vanished. “Come on you little brat,” he said to Minx who toddled out of the bedroom, heading towards the now familiar back door to do his business.
Sage sighed with relief that she didn’t have to get up again. Thankfully, tomorrow was Sunday and she could sleep in. Well, maybe she could get back in bed once she’d let the dogs out. Smiling at the thought, she rolled over and snuggled deeper under the blankets. It definitely got cold here in Wyoming at night! She loved it! She loved the cool nights and the dryer air, the lack of mosquitoes and…okay, the black flies last May had been awful. But they didn’t last all summer long. In fact, black fly season only lasted maybe five or six weeks, versus the six-month long nightmare of mosquitoes back on the East Coast. Yeah, the black fly bites were worse. But Sage was allergic to mosquito bites and the bites would swell up. Plus, she’d get twenty or thirty bites that turned into welts if she ventured out during the summer months.
Yes, this was much nicer, she thought, pressing her face into the pillow. Good grief, her pillow smelled good! When she sniffed again, Sage realized that the pillow smelled like Arik! Yeah, she could grow addicted to his scent.
A moment later, the sheets and blanket pulled back, letting in a draft of cold air. Then Arik was back, pulling her into his arms.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, startled that he was in her bed. And yet, he’d just left it! When had he started sleeping in her bed versus the bed in the guest room? No wonder her pillows smelled like him! He was here!
“I’m going back to sleep,” he muttered. “Unless you’re going to ask more questions, that is.”
Sage blinked into the darkness, not sure what to say. “When did you come to my bed?”
“When Xena stole mine,” he muttered, even sleepier now.
“How long is that?”
He sighed heavily, then shifted so that his hand was in her hair, sifting through the tangled locks. “Do you really want to talk right now? Wouldn’t you rather get some sleep? I had no idea Minx’s bladder was so small. They’re used to living in a barn, able to relieve themselves whenever they need to. Tomorrow, I’m installing a dog door.” He shifted again, so that he could bury his face in her neck.
Oh boy! That felt really good! The sensation of his breath against her neck sent tingles rippling across her skin. His body was literally wrapped around hers. His leg was over hers and one of his arms hugged her waist. It was nirvana!
And he wanted her to go to sleep? Seriously?
“Arik?” she whispered, worried about waking him up. But also worried about letting him continue to sleep here in her bed.
“What?” he mumbled, nuzzling closer still.
“You can’t sleep here.”
“Not with you waking me up every few seconds,” he replied.
He had a good point there. Maybe she should just let him stay. What was the harm? Besides, how many times had she dreamed of sleeping in his arms? Of course, most of those fantasies were preceded by incredible sex! Since that obviously wasn’t about to happen, he was pretty sound asleep, she should just…let him.
His hand around her waist drifted lower, then slid under her cami top, moving higher and higher. Sage held her breath, wondering if he was going to…surely he wouldn’t! When his hand stopped, his fingers spreading out over her soft stomach, only then did she let herself breathe.
“You’re not sleeping,” he whispered in her ear. She felt him gently nip her earlobe.
Sage gasped, her body tightening with awareness and sudden need! He was in her bed and…!
“Sage?” he groaned.
His hand slid higher. His fingers slowly, carefully cupped her bare breast, his thumb skimming over the hard peak. Sage moaned and arched against his hand as bolts of heat surged through her to pool in her groin. She couldn’t stifle the sound and his fingers trailed gently along her skin, regularly returning to tease her nipple. She loved it! Never had a touch felt so absolutely perfect!
“More!” she whispered, then bit her lip, afraid that he’d stop. That he’d take his heat and warmth away, then laugh at her.
Thankfully, he did neither. Instead, he pinched that taut peak, making her writhe. Trying to bite her lip, to suppress the urge to turn to him, to beg him to make love to her, she slapped her hand over her mouth.
“Why are you doing that?” Arik asked, pulling her hand away as he came over her. His legs, already spread out over her thighs, slid between her knees so that her hips cradled his. And that impressive erection was there. Right there! It was so perfectly placed, Sage couldn’t stop herself from rolling her hips, feeling that erection against her core.
“Because I…” she closed her eyes, turning her head away. Sage couldn’t let him see what she was feeling. She couldn’t let him know. She didn’t know how to handle sensations like these, but she knew that he’d make fun of her if he realized how turned on she was.
“Sage, look at me,” he ordered, his hands pausing in their exploration underneath her camisole.
This was it, she thought with resignation. This was where he’d look into her eyes and snicker, then roll over to his side of the bed and go back to sleep, leaving her frustrated and lonely. Cold. Humiliated! It had happened all too often in the past, hence her desire to avoid this kind of a situation.
“Do you want this?” he asked, his hips pressing against her heat to make his point clear. The rhythm felt so perfect, so incredibly wonderful that she couldn’t stop her hips from lifting, matching his thrusts with her own. He wasn’t even inside of her and she was already on the edge of a climax.
“Do I want…” she started to ask, but he pressed against her again and she whimpered. When she had herself somewhat back under control, she turned her head away, closing her eyes. “Do I want what?” she finally finished asking. She knew the game. She knew how to play it. At least, she used to. Okay, so she’d never been very good at it. She’d have to…well, figure Arik out.
“Do you want to make love with me?” he asked, bending his head and nipping at her neck.
“Only if you are interested,” she finally managed to strangle out, not allowing herself to moan with ecstasy when he nibbled at her neck.
Arik lifted his head, staring down at her. “Sage, I want you so badly, I think I might just explode into a million pieces if you don’t give me the green light. I want to kiss you, taste you, and feel every single inch of your incredible body. I want to hear you scream my name when you climax from my mouth the first time,” he bent to kiss her, his tongu
e moving into her mouth, showing her just what that magical tongue could do. “The next time you scream my name, I want to be so deep inside of you that you can’t tell where I end and you begin.” He kissed her again, thrusting against her. The barrier of his boxers and her panties was nothing compared to the heat of their bodies. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fantasized about being inside of you, feeling your muscles clench around me!”
She whimpered again, a single tear escaping from the edge of her lashes. He saw it. Because Arik noticed everything! He stopped that wonderful thrusting and captured the tear with his thumb. “But only if you want that too, Sage. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
Sage bit her lip and stared up at him. “You won’t…” she paused, afraid of even voicing her question. But she had to know. She had to know now before he tormented her further. “You won’t stop…or…or leave, until…the end?”
Arik blinked at her, his body so tight he worried he might shatter as he tried to make sense of her words. Leave her? Why the hell would he leave her? Hell, he’d been trying to get into her bed, into her body, for months now! It was going to take a crow bar to get him away from her! Maybe two!
“I’m not going anywhere,” he vowed, wondering what the hell she was talking about. Wasn’t he here with her right now?
In the back of his mind, he made a mental note to ask her about that. Later. Much later. Right now, he wanted to know more about her, about her body, and what turned her on.
Summer Heat (Wyoming Fever Book 2) Page 5