by Liv Brywood
“The lake’s so beautiful,” Sasha said.
“Yeah,” he murmured, but he wasn’t looking at the lake.
The reflection of moonlight off her hair was enchanting. He couldn’t tear his gaze away. Soft red strands curled around her shoulders. Her wool dress hugged every voluptuous curve. His fingers tingled with the need to touch her. He shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Let’s go that way.” He jerked his head to the left.
“Sounds good.”
She looped her fingers through his arm. Heat seeped through his shirt to warm his flesh and goosebumps popped up where she touched him. Desire swept through him with enough force to awaken his bear. The beast stretched and inhaled her subtle, floral perfume. He released a low growl which rumbled in his chest.
“Your bear’s restless,” she said.
“Do you ever have that problem with yours?” he asked.
“Sometimes. If I don’t feed her, she turns into a little monster.”
“Mine too.” He was hungry all right, but not for food. He quickly changed the subject. “So, how did you get into art?”
“When I was growing up in foster care, I didn’t have a lot of friends. I spent a lot of time alone. Art became the only way I could express myself in a way that made people pay attention. I had some amazing teachers in high school who encouraged me to become an artist.”
“Did you go to college?” he asked.
“No. After I graduated, I was too busy trying to figure out how to survive. I took waitressing jobs and worked at the bank as a cashier for a while, but I never felt truly alive unless I was creating something. I think that’s why I’m so disturbed by my inability to create something right now.”
“You’ll figure it out.” He pulled his hand out of his pocket and wrapped it around her waist. As he pulled her closer, she leaned into him. “When did you quit to be a full-time artist?”
“Five years ago. I guess I was blessed with immediate success. I know artists usually struggle for several years before they’re able to sustain themselves. In a way, I wonder if it spoiled me.”
“Why would you think that?” he asked.
“I never really knew what it was like to fail until now,” she said. “I honestly didn’t think I’d ever run out of ideas.”
“It happens.”
“Not to me.”
“I think you’re stressing yourself out too much,” he said. “If you relax a bit, you’ll come up with something.”
“I’ve tried to calm down. I swear. Yoga. Meditation. I even listened to a few self-help books.” The level of tension in her voice rose. “Nothing’s working.”
“Hey.” He stopped and pulled her into his arms. When she didn’t meet his gaze, he tilted her chin up. “Inspiration will come to you when you least expect it. In the meantime, you need to get out of your head.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?” she asked.
Her pouty bottom lip caught his attention. He knew exactly how he could make her relax, but he hesitated. If he started down this path with her, he’d have to go through the inevitable moment of disappointment when he left her for his next adventure. Her fragile state gave him pause.
“Any ideas?” Her husky voice sent a shiver of need down his spine.
“I can’t,” he said. “At the end of the week, I’m leaving for Bali. I don’t want to start something I have no intention of finishing.”
“What if I’m okay with that?” she asked.
He swallowed and looked away from her sultry gaze. “I don’t want to let you down.”
“I doubt you’ve ever let anyone down,” she said.
“I have.” He pulled back and shoved his hands back into his pockets.
“Who?” When he didn’t respond, she quickly added, “Never mind. You don’t have to tell me if it’s too personal.”
“I let my family down,” he blurted. God, why was he telling her this? He’d never talked to anyone about his past, yet he couldn’t stop revealing little bits of the darkness in his soul to her.
“What happened?” she whispered.
“They blame me for killing my brother,” he said.
“In the plane crash?”
“Yes.” His jaw twitched as he balled his fists up. “Rationally, I know they’re wrong. But that doesn’t matter. They lost all ability to reason after my brother died. I was never enough for them. He was the golden child. He’d landed a full ride to Yale on an academic scholarship. He played every sport at school and had mastered most of them. He could do anything he set his mind to.”
“I’m sure you were just as smart and capable,” she said.
“No.” He shook his head. “Numbers were the only thing I was ever good at. I couldn’t throw a football to save my life. Basketballs refuse to go through a hoop for me. I couldn’t hit a baseball if it was thrown by a six-year-old.”
“There’s more to life than sports prowess,” she said.
“It was my fault that we were on that plane,” he confessed. “I made us late for the flight. I was in bed with the CFO of a company I was interested in investing in. I was using her to get inside information. If I hadn’t been trying to cheat the system, we wouldn’t have missed the flight, and we never would have been on the plane that crashed.”
His stomach churned with acid. A sharp pain zigzagged through his chest. As the weight of his mistake crashed over him, he hung his head.
“It’s not your fault,” she said. “It was a cruel twist of fate that you ended up on that plane.”
“Tell that to my family.”
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. As she rested her cheek on his chest, he fought back a wave of unwanted emotion. He hated thinking about the accident and about his family’s reaction to it. But the more she held him, the less it hurt.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know that it wasn’t my fault.”
“It’s easy to let your emotions take over. I do it all the time and logic goes right out the window,” she said.
“I still have nightmares.”
“About the accident?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said.
“It’s not yours either.”
She tilted her head back to look up at him. His gaze fell to her lips. In that moment, a rush of exquisite longing coursed through his body. He wanted her, needed her. But he couldn’t kiss her without considering the consequences. She was too sweet, too gentle to ruin. He’d left a trail of shattered relationships in his wake and he knew she wouldn’t be any different.
“I’ll never stop in one place long enough to settle down,” he whispered. “That’s why I can’t—I just can’t do this with you. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Are you still running from your past?” she asked. “Is that why you can’t stop?”
“I’m not running,” he said with more force than he’d intended. “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life. Before the accident, I languished in a dead-end job. I had no goals and no future mapped out.”
“What are your goals now? What future do you have mapped out?” she asked. “It seems like you’re still drifting.”
He pulled back and stared at her. “I have goals.”
“Really? Like what?”
“You don’t get out of an accident like that unless God has a grand plan for you,” he said.
“Okay. So what’s your grand purpose?”
“I don’t know yet. That’s why I’m still searching.” His patience waned. Why was she challenging him like this? She’d gone from soft and sweet to a challenging interrogator.
“Have you ever considered that maybe your purpose in life is just to enjoy it?” she asked softly. “Maybe you’re supposed to find a place to put down roots. Maybe your destiny is to live a simple life with a family who loves you.”
“My family doesn’t love me anymore,” he snapped.
“I d
on’t mean them. They obviously have their own issues,” she said.
“It’s not in my nature to settle down. Besides, if getting married and having kids is so great, why haven’t you done it?” The minute the words left his mouth he knew he’d crossed a line. He regretted his hasty attack, but she’d backed him into a corner. She should have known better than to do that to another shifter.
“I dated,” she muttered.
The hurt in her tone cut through his gut. God, he was such an idiot.
“I was in a serious relationship for a while too,” she said. “But it didn’t work out.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t...I’m being an ass.”
“Do you always get like this when you talk about your family?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he admitted. “I hate talking about them, about the accident. I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this anyway.”
“Maybe you need to talk to someone.”
“Like a shrink?” he asked.
“No. A friend.”
“I don’t have any,” he said.
“Yes you do.” She reached for his hand.
“Why would you want to talk to me after tonight? This conversation definitely didn’t go the way I had planned.”
“Really?” She cocked her head to one side and flashed a smile. “And what was your plan?”
“I was going to sweet talk you until you couldn’t resist my charms and carry you off to my bed.”
“Really?” She arched a brow.
“No.” He chuckled. “But a guy can dream.”
“Yes, he can. It’s good to have dreams.” She held an innocent smile for a moment before she burst into laughter.
“You’re terrible,” he said with a grin.
“So are you. I’d say we make a good team.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“What?” she asked.
“What happened with that long-term relationship you mentioned?”
“There wasn’t enough passion,” she said.
“Ah, you have to have more than just a spark to keep the fire going.”
“It sounds like you know a bit about this.”
“If I ever were to settle down,” he said, “my mate would have to be a very passionate woman.”
“I want a man who can kiss me until I melt into a puddle,” she said.
As she tilted her head to one side, the last thread of restraint snapped. He captured her cheeks between his palms. And in a moment of pure insanity, he lowered his lips until they met hers in a kiss hot enough to start a wildfire.
Chapter 4
Sasha moaned as his fingers tangled in her hair. The emotional rollercoaster of their conversation had left her wrung out and needy. She craved this complicated man’s touch in a way that made her question her sanity. But as his lips moved across hers in a soul-scorching kiss, she pushed aside any doubts she had about him. So what if he was completely messed up. Maybe she needed chaos right now. Maybe a passionate night in his arms was exactly what she needed to regain her creative spark.
When his hands slid down her neck, the feral passion in his touch awakened every inch of her body. Heat pooled in her liquid center. She sighed as he traced hungry kisses down her throat. His fingers glided down her back, leaving a trail of quivering flesh in their wake.
As he scraped his palms over her hips, her knees went weak. She leaned against the solid wall of muscle on his chest. Her hands slipped into the waistband of his jeans. He groaned and pressed his forehead against her collarbone for a moment before rising up to nip at her earlobe.
She shuddered with lust as his teeth closed over her sensitive skin. He’d found one of her hot buttons, and boy did he know how to press it.
Swirling, languid swipes of his tongue descended toward her neck. She arched, giving him access to the most vulnerable part of her body. He didn’t waste a second. Instead, he unzipped her jacket and slid his hands inside.
“Tell me if you get cold,” he whispered against her neck.
“Impossible,” she murmured.
“Even if I stripped you down and laid you in the snow?”
She smiled at the teasing tone in his voice.
“And here I was thinking that you’re a gentleman,” she joked.
He drew back and regarded her with a serious expression. “You must think I’m an animal.”
“You are an animal,” she whispered. “Positively beastly.”
“You have no idea,” he growled.
“Then show me,” she challenged. “Inspire me.”
She wasn’t prepared to be scooped up into his arms. “Oh!”
“I can’t show you how creative I can be right here,” he said.
“No?”
“No. But I can show you in my bedroom.”
“A civilized beast,” she said.
“No. I just don’t want to get pine needles in my ass.”
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his chest. For the first time in months, joy filled her heart. To be playful again felt amazing. But as they approached the B&B, she tensed up.
“What if someone sees us?” she asked.
“Then they’ll be jealous.”
“You’re so bad,” she whispered as she bent to kiss him.
As he hurried through the patio door, she glanced to see if anyone was around. Everyone seemed to be in bed already. How long had they been outside talking?
When they reached the second floor landing, he put her down. He fumbled with the key, causing enough of a ruckus that the door to one of the other rooms cracked open just as they slipped into his room. She quickly closed the door behind them and put a finger to her lips. She couldn’t hold back a giggle.
“You naughty woman,” he whispered. “What will they think of you, sneaking into my room at night to take advantage of me?”
“Me?” she asked. “You’re the one with the come-and-get-it eyes.”
He backed into the room and clicked on one of the lamps.
“Well?” he asked.
“Well what?”
“Are you going to come and get it?”
Silvery laughter bubbled up from a place inside her that had lain dormant for too long. She prowled across the room. When she reached him, she slid her hands up his chiseled chest.
“Maybe I should be sculpting this in marble,” she said as she slipped her fingers under his shirt.
“I’d be more than happy to pose for you.”
“Really?”
“Oh yes.” He backed up a step and began to unbutton his shirt. “I’m more than willing to sit on a pedestal for an artist of your caliber.”
“You don’t even know my work,” she said breathlessly.
“I Googled you.”
The moment his shirt opened to reveal his golden skin, she shivered with desire. The marble sculptures of ancient gods paled in comparison to his perfection. A sparse wash of coarse hair formed a tantalizing line down his belly. His rock-hard abs fluttered with every breath. But the most intriguing part of him lay hidden just beyond the zipper on his jeans.
As she glided toward him, she reached behind her back to unzip her dress. His sharp intake of breath filled her with erotic power. Her bear pranced around in her chest, celebrating the fact that she was just about to roll around with the hottest man she’d ever encountered. She almost stopped to question how she’d gotten so lucky, but there would be time for doubts later—there always was. But for now, she wasn’t willing to think too hard about what any of this meant. She only cared about the thud of her heart against her ribcage and the molten heat pooling between her thighs.
“Come here,” he whispered in a ragged tone.
When she reached him, she pushed the straps on her dress over her shoulders. They slid down with a sensual caress. She held the garment in place while he reached for her upper arms.
“Let me.”
The rough scrape of his palms against her skin thrilled her racing pulse. She sucked in a shaky breath as he pu
shed the fabric down. The dress rippled over the tops of her breasts before fluttering down her thighs. She trembled before him. Naked. Vulnerable. But filled with a craving so intense, it threatened to overwhelm her.
Clad in only a bra and panties, she stepped into his arms. He splayed his palms across her back and pulled her close. When his lips captured hers, she moaned.
“I want to taste every inch of you,” he murmured. “I want to see every inch of you.”
He deftly unhooked her bra and slid it down her arms. It dropped to the floor, leaving her taut nipples exposed to the chilly air. When his hands closed over her breasts, she whimpered.
“You’re so beautiful,” he sighed.
“Kiss me.”
As his mouth covered hers, she sank her fingers into his thick hair. She pulled him in to deepen the kiss. He didn’t need any encouragement. The determined sweep of his tongue parted her lips. Electric sparks of yearning ignited a fire in her belly. She couldn’t stand not being able to touch every inch of him, so she unclasped the button on his jeans, then yanked the zipper down.
He didn’t protest as she pushed his jeans down. They puddled on the floor. After he stepped out of them, he kicked them away. Her hands found his boxers. She reached inside to wrap her hand around the length of him. He shivered against her as she stroked his hard cock. It was as soft as silk, and as rigid as steel. She stepped back, desperate to see all of him.
“Oh,” she gasped.
He was huge. At least ten inches of potent, virile masculinity swept up to greet her. She swallowed and looked up to meet his smoldering gaze. As he brushed his hands over her hips, she trembled. He pulled her panties down past her thighs, but didn’t stop until he was kneeling before her.
As if worshiping her, he pressed soft, sensual kisses across her thighs. He cupped the backs of her knees and held her in place. When his lips traveled up toward her slick folds, she whimpered. The first graze of his mouth against her soft mound ratcheted up the tension in her body. Already on the verge of bursting, she could only groan as his tongue darted out to trace spirals of wet heat.