It wasn’t that she didn’t want to sleep with Jake, she wanted that a lot, but she didn’t want to screw up what was happening between them. Sex had a way of getting in the way; it became the focus when other things should be. She’d had that happen before and promised herself never again.
There was just too much at stake to let herself get lost in what was happening between she and Jake. But just the thought of them together, of his strong arms wrapped around her, of his lips on hers, made her body erupt with desire and she knew that given the choice she’d make this marriage real tonight.
***Jake***
Jake was just as nervous as Joslin as they said their final goodbyes; unlike Joslin, he knew how he wanted the night to end. He knew that it wasn’t his choice, it was up to Joslin and he would never pressure her into something she wasn’t ready for. But that didn’t mean that he hadn’t stacked the deck in his favor, starting with the carriage that was waiting outside for them right now.
When they walked out the doors and Joslin saw the horse-drawn carriage, she gasped with pleasure. “Oh, it’s lovely.”
“I thought you might like it; it’s been in the family for generations. It’s become a tradition for the bride and groom to leave in it,” Jake said, taking her arm.
The carriage was lit up with little white lights, just enough to add to the romance, and when they got closer, she realized that Annabelle and Justin were sitting on the driver’s bench. “We thought you might like a little company on the way to the cabin,” Justin said, with a huge grin on his face.
Joslin turned to Jake, “Cabin?”
Jake had been keeping his plans for their wedding night and honeymoon a secret, and it had been driving Joslin crazy. Now she’d just gotten a clue, and he knew that she was going to grill him until he told her; he wanted to curse at Justin but looking at Joslin’s expectant face, he gave in.
“There’s a little cabin a few miles from here; we’ll spend the night there. In the morning, we’re going to head into the mountains for a couple weeks. We’ll come down and go straight to New England for the wedding; if we’re lucky, Deacon won’t hear about our marriage until then, and that will give us the advantage we need,” Jake explained, hoping she’d be pleased.
Joslin let him help her into the carriage, thinking about what he’d planned then said, “You know I’m not much of an outdoors person.”
Annabelle snorted from the front of the carriage. “I warned him,” she said.
“She did warn me, but I think we’ll be just fine. You’ll see, you’ll have a good time.”
“What if Deacon finds out where we are and comes after us?” Joslin asked, voicing her worst fear.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen; you put a spell on your parents and brothers, our people would never talk, so I think our secret is safe,” Jake said, then added, “But if that happens, we’ll be ready; we’ve got our team in place here, and they’ll be there if we need them.”
He could tell that Joslin wasn’t quite convinced. “I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me, Joslin, we’ll be fine, and when we come back down, we’ll be ready to fight Deacon,” Jake said, putting his arm around her.
Joslin looked into his eyes. “I trust you Jake,” she said, then opened her mouth to say more, but the cabin appeared as they crested a hill and she closed it.
The cabin was nestled in a stand of towering trees; made of logs, it looked like something out of a fairy tale, and Jake knew that Joslin was pleased just by the look on his face.
“My mother built this cabin a few years ago; she said that there weren’t very many romantic places in the valley,” Jake said, feeling a blush creep up his cheeks, glad that it was dark, and Joslin couldn’t see it.
They hugged Annabelle and Justin and sent them on their way, both nervous about what was to come, neither sure exactly what that was. Jake opened the door, then on impulse picked Joslin up in his arms and carried her inside and set her down.
She grinned up at him then looked around. “Oh, Jake, this is lovely, not what I was expecting at all,” she said, walking around the little cabin. “Today has been full of wonderful surprises.”
“You don’t mind that I made plans without you?” Jake asked, remembering the time he had.
“Not when they’re like this,” she said, standing up on her tip-toes to kiss him.
“And you’re going to be okay up in the mountains?”
“I’ll be fine as long as you’re there,” she said, a teasing smile on her face.
Jake’s heart did a flip-flop in his chest; although it sounded like she was teasing, he could feel the truth in her words, even if she couldn’t yet. A strange feeling began to grow deep inside him, a feeling like joy, but even better, and with some surprise, he realized that it was love.
It was a love very different from any he’d felt before, and as the feeling continued to grow, he knew that no matter the cost, he was going to keep Joslin with him for the rest of his life. She was his to love and protect, the one he would share the joys and sorrows of life with; she would be his best friend and the mother of his children.
Chapter Thirteen
***Joslin***
She wasn’t sure why she’d said that she’d be fine in the mountains; it was the last place she’d have planned for her honeymoon. But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized that they were true, that if she was with him, it didn’t matter where they were. Flustered, she stepped back a few steps, and looked around the room, stalling.
The cabin was small but comfortably furnished, with a small kitchen in one corner, a loveseat in front of the fireplace, and a big bed stuffed into one corner; it looked exactly like a lover’s den. That thought brought a blush to her cheeks, and she almost laughed out loud at the reality of the situation.
She was blushing, thinking about that bed and Jake in it. It was almost as if she’d become someone different; gone was the brash and playful Joslin, replaced by one who blushed at the thought of having sex with the man she’d just married. Realizing that she’d been staring at the bed for too long, she turned back to Jake, only to find his eyes filled with desire.
Their eyes met across the room, and instantly the atmosphere in the room changed, seemed to become charged with the electricity flowing between them. Jake cleared his throat several times, then said, “I’m going to start the fire; it can get cold up here at night.”
Joslin watched as he bent and struck a match, expertly lighting the fire and igniting a fire deep inside her belly at the same time. When he turned back to her, it was all she could do not to throw herself into his arms, but he seemed nervous, his hands beginning to shake.
“I’m going to go check on the horses; it will only take a few minutes,” he finally managed to croak. Then he pointed to a chest at the foot of the bed. “Annabelle and Penny packed you a bag.”
He was out the door so fast, she didn’t even have time to thank him. She crossed the room and opened the bag that was clearly hers; covered in bright flowers, it was exactly her style. When she opened the bag, she had to smile at what she found inside. Folded up neatly on top of her other clothes there were two nightgowns, and she knew that her sister was trying to send her a message.
She picked the first one up and held it up against her body; it was flannel with sleeves that reached all the way to her fingertips; long and flowing it reached all the way to the floor. She shook her head and threw it to the floor; nothing could make her wear that gown: she’d wear Jake’s shirt first.
The other gown was made of a semi-transparent lace; soft as down, the fabric slithered through her fingers when she held it up. It was just as long, but instead of yards and yards of fabric flowing around her, this gown would hug her curves.
Knowing instantly which one to choose, she slipped out of her wedding dress and slid into the lacey nightgown. It immediately hugged her body, formed itself to her curves, and when she turned and glanced in the mirror, she was more than pleased
with what she saw. The gown was revealing without showing everything, only hints and shadows of what was undeath.
She pulled the pins from her hair and let it flow down her back, then ran for the bed, knowing she didn’t have much time left before Jake got back. But then she saw the flannel on the floor; she jumped up and shoved it under the bed just as Jake opened the door and came in. A little cry of surprise came out of her mouth, but then she saw the look in Jake’s eyes, and a sigh replaced it.
He was standing in the doorway, the lamps on the porch illuminating his face and making him look even bigger and stronger. His blue eyes were glowing slightly, and she couldn’t mistake the look of hunger and desire in his eyes. Her body responded to that hunger, a tight spiral of desire coming to life deep inside her.
While Jake’s eyes never leaving her body, he stepped forward then reached back and slammed the door. He crossed the room in three strides and pulled her roughly into his arms, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as beautiful as you are right now,” he said, then lowered his mouth to hers.
The moment his lips touched hers, she knew that she’d made the right choice; that the flannel nightgown belonged under the bed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his, wondering why she’d fought this for so long. No longer fighting meant that she’d finally get to feel Jake’s naked body pressed against hers, know what it felt like to have his weight on her as he joined his body to hers.
As his tongue explored her mouth, his hands began to roam. Softly stroking her back, then lower to cup her buttocks, a gentle squeeze making her suck in a deep breath. Pleasure throbbing inside her, her body demanding more, she reached for his shirt and pulled it off over his head, unashamed when buttons popped off and flew across the room.
The kiss between them broken, they stared at each other. Then Joslin reached up and ran her hands over the hard muscles of his chest, an involuntary sigh coming from deep inside her.
“Joslin, are you sure about this?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“Surer than I’ve ever been about anything in my life,” she said, reaching for the button on his pants. “This thing between us is meant to happen. Crazy or not, there’s a connection, and I can’t fight it anymore. I want you, Jake; I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”
Jake lifted her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed, his eyes glowing in the dim light of the cabin, making her want him even more. She wanted to know everything about him, wanted to memorize every part of him, wanted to fulfill his every need.
***Jake***
Jake was lost in Joslin’s eyes; the passion he saw there had him captivated, but her words had struck him deeply. He felt the connection too, had felt it for a long time, and the love that had blossomed from that connection. As he carried her to the bed, he knew how lucky he was to have her in his arms, how unlikely their relationship was. But she was here and wanted him as much as he wanted her, and he wasn’t going to let his doubts come between them tonight.
He’d save those worries for later; tonight it was just them and the wonderful bed. He laid her down, then laid down beside her, partly covering her body with his and kissed her until she was breathless. Letting his hands roam over her body, he soon had her purring into his mouth and reaching for his button again. He let her unbutton his pants, then quickly stripped them off, making Joslin smile when she realized he hadn’t had anything on underneath his pants.
“Do you always walk around that way?” she asked, taking him in her hand and making it hard for him to reply.
“Mmm, it’s more comfortable,” he managed to say, then pushed her back on the bed and sucked a silk-covered nipple into his mouth.
Joslin arched her back, moaning when he teased first one and then the other nipple with his teeth. Pleasure shot through him at her reaction, the driving need to make her writhe beneath him heating his blood. He slid one hand down, across her hips, to the juncture of her thighs and then between her legs, groaning when he felt her moisture through the lace of the nightgown.
Sliding the gown up her body, he finally abandoned her breasts to leave a trail of kisses up her throat. When the gown was lying on the floor, he turned his attention back to Joslin’s wonderful body, wondering just how far he could take her before she exploded in his arms.
She opened her legs for him as he slid his hand back down her stomach and between them, a cry of pleasure escaping her when he found her swollen and slick button with his finger and began to stroke her. With each stroke of his finger, she cried out, clutching his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin until with one last cry, she came apart in his arms.
Her body convulsing with pleasure thrilled him like nothing before ever had, and he wanted more, but he was so close to losing it that he knew he couldn’t wait to feel her body wrapped around him. Sliding between her legs, he felt her heat and wetness and thrust his hips, burying himself deeply inside her.
At that moment, something happened: something wonderful and unexplainable. He felt their souls combine; he could feel what Joslin felt, knew her thoughts as if they were his own. She gasped and looked into his eyes. “Oh, Jake, I feel…” she trailed off unable to explain.
“I know, sweetheart, I feel it too,” he said, then kissed her.
When she began to shift restlessly under him, he pulled his hips back and thrust into her again. Feeling both their pleasure, he drove them both to the brink and over the edge into oblivion, Joslin clutching his shoulders and calling out his name. As their bodies began to still, he rolled onto his back and pulled her into his arms, his body flooded with a feeling so intense it took his breath away.
As they lay in the big bed together, there were so many things he wanted to tell her, but they were so mixed up in his mind he couldn’t seem to collect his thoughts. He wanted to tell her that she’d changed his life, that she’d shown him what love meant, that he’d felt her soul, knew her like he’d never known anyone else.
But he was afraid that he’d scare her, that she hadn’t felt what he’d felt. “I’ve never felt anything like that before. I could feel you, feel what you were feeling,” she said, looking up at him. “What does that mean?”
“I think it means that we’re connected,” he said, kissing her tenderly on the forehead.
She looked up at him, her eyes big. “How did that happen?”
“I’m not sure; maybe it was always meant to happen,” Jake said, shrugging his shoulders.
Joslin was silent for a long time, then she said, “You don’t seem very concerned.”
Jake grinned down at her. “Why should I be? I’ve got the most beautiful woman in the world in my bed, we just had Earth-shattering sex, and best of all, she’s my wife. What man would be worried about that?”
“Yeah, but in case you’ve forgotten, she’s a witch with a nasty man after her,” Joslin said, only half teasing.
“Well, that’s true. But she’s an incredibly strong and resourceful woman; I have no doubts that she’ll take care of that man, with a little help of course,” Jake said, wanting to make sure that Joslin saw herself for what she really was.
“I hope you’re right because now both our lives depend on that,” she said, then sat up in bed. “You could still walk away from this; it’s not too late.”
“It was too late the moment I met you, Joslin. I’m not going anywhere,” he said, then grabbed her and pulled her back into his arms. “You’re stuck with me for as long as you’ll have me.”
Joslin snuggled down into his arms deeper. “I think that will be for a long time.”
“That’s fine with me; shifters live a long time, you know,” Jake teased.
“Well then I better start looking for a youth spell, because I’m not going to look old when you’re young,” Joslin said, wrinkling her nose at him.
“Young or old, you’ll always look beautiful to me,” Jake said, wishing he could add, “I love you.”
Chapter Fourteen
&nb
sp; ***Joslin***
Joslin approached her horse warily, still not sure that it was a good idea to ride off into the mountains on one. She’d been riding several times that summer including that terrible night when they’d had to ride through the darkness to face the wolf-shifters, but still didn’t feel that confident.
When she got close enough, the horse whinnied and stuck its nose in her hand, and she was glad that she’d tucked a carrot inside. The horse took the carrot in its velvety lips then pulled it into its mouth with a long tongue; two bites later the carrot was gone, and the horse was searching for more. She laughed, and reached into her pocket for the other piece, watching as the horse chewed happily on the larger piece.
“She likes you,” Jake said, coming up behind her. “Do you need a lift?”
“No, but you can do it anyway,” she said, holding her arms out to him.
He pulled her to him and kissed her, then turned her around and lifted her up into the saddle. She took a deep breath and picked up the reigns. “Okay, I’m ready,” she said, squaring her shoulders.
Jake swung up into the saddle as if it was nothing. “Just relax and let the horse do the work. She knows what’s expected of her; if you relax, she will too.”
For the first few miles, Joslin repeated that to her self over and over, and soon she discovered that it had worked; both she and the horse had found a kind of harmony. Her steps not so jarring, the path she took much surer than when Joslin had been in control. For the first time, she was able to relax and enjoy the beauty around her.
Taking a deep breath, she realized that it wasn’t so bad up here. The air was clear, the scent of pine and earth tangy in her nostrils, and the occasional bird or small creature they encountered only added to her enjoyment. The hours flew by, now that she’d figured out the trick to riding, she decided that it was fun.
Jake (Fairplay Shifters Series Book 2) Page 8