Quickly, he stored his bow in its case, slung it crosswise across his back, and climbed down the tree, the deep ache in his thigh registering on the last rung. He had to act fast. While there was no one else around for miles this high up in the mountains, the woods were far from abandoned. A pack of wolves called the territory home. The scent of a fresh kill would draw them.
Noah had finished separating a hind quarter when the first growl reached him. He jerked around and faced the alpha female, a gray and black beauty, with predatory eyes colder than winter. The first time they’d met, hadn’t been amicable. He didn’t have his bow then and had to chase her and her pack off with a few well-placed rounds that grazed their fur. She got the message and backed off but remained close. By their thin bodies, they were starving. Hunger did things to an animal, made them desperate, man and beast alike. Noah had taken what he needed and left the rest for the pack. Since then, they’d given each other a wide berth.
“Hey, beautiful. Give me a few more minutes, and you can have the rest,” he said to the stunning creature.
She growled again, but not as deeply, and lowered herself onto the snow. Another wolf pulled up beside her, this one bigger. Her mate. The rest of the pack was hidden, but close. Noah took a few more choice cuts for Mr. Williams, packed the meat away in a spill-proof bag, and walked the few feet to his snowmobile. Quickly, he stored everything as he watched the two alphas approached the kill with the rest cresting the hill. He didn’t stay for the feed.
It was ten miles back to the cabin, back to the place he called home for the last three months. One hundred yards away was another house, much grander and unsold. The cabin had been a guest house until the property was divided. On the outside, the place wasn’t grand. It had a weathered, beaten appearance—done intentionally. The inside was spacious enough for a single guy, with a common room, a small kitchen, two potbelly stoves, a fireplace, and a loft. The bathroom was primitive by modern standards. He only used the generator in the summer to keep his beer and provisions cool. No internet, no TV, no nosy neighbors. Solitude. Plenty of time to think about all his mistakes.
First mistake: he shouldn’t have joined the military. Not that he wasn’t capable because damn it, he was a good soldier. He shouldn’t have joined because his motives weren’t pure. He wanted glory and thought he’d find it in the heat of battle. Idiotic fool. Second mistake: coming to this town. Out of all the small towns to vanish in, he chose to come back home. Talk about misguided intentions!
What were my intentions? he wondered as he prepared the deer meat. The plan was to come home, tell Kensley how Kevin died in his arms, a hero, and leave. Instead, he bought a cabin and made himself comfortable. “Good job, idiot,” he mumbled. He wasn’t sorry about purchasing the cabin. The solitude and serenity quieted the demons clashing in his head.
Scratching sounded at the door to the shed. “Go away, Bear,” he yelled at his dog. Bear switched from scratching to whining.
Third mistake: fucking Kensley though the taste of her lips, the slide of her tongue, her soft body, wet pussy, shit, none of it felt wrong. In fact, it felt damn right. Perfect in the face of all his mistakes. He didn’t come here for her. Didn’t. That didn’t stop the desire to touch, kiss, fuck, damn consume her.
He finished with the meat, packed it away in a cooler as the sun hugged the horizon. A few more minutes, and it would be gone. The meat didn’t need refrigeration in the uninsulated, unheated shed. He cleaned his knives and returned them to the magnetic strip on the backsplash of the worktable before exiting the shed. By the time he closed the door behind him, Bear was racing away from the cabin toward the road.
Noah caught the rumble of an engine. He didn’t have visitors. The cabin wasn’t on any main road and far enough from the turnoff to mean who came calling, did so on purpose. Call it PTSD or plain paranoia, he eyed his rifle case and opted for a subtler approach. His nine-millimeter HK. He retrieved it from a side pocket on the snowmobile and tucked it in the small of his back, under his sweater.
Noah rounded the side of the house and paused. On his hind legs, paws on her chest, Bear had Kensley pinned to her car, licking her face and barking with excitement. So much for him being a guard dog.
He quelled the stab of pleasure at her unexpected appearance. Guarantee, this wasn’t a social call. Guarantee, she wasn’t finished bitching. Still, he couldn’t deny the pleasure of seeing her here, on his property.
A sharp whistle brought Bear racing back to his side, allowing Kensley to catch her breath. Dark jeans covered her legs, along with a pair of knee-high black boots. A wool peacoat and a pink knit scarf wrapped around her head and throat, winterizing her. A nice change from her scrubs.
“Good grief, I can’t get over how big your dog is.”
“He’s still a puppy.” He patted Bear’s head.
“Hard to believe.” She took a tentative step forward along the path he’d cleared earlier.
Bear’s tail beat against his leg. He could barely contain his excitement at meeting a new human. “And he’s too damn friendly.”
Brows corkscrewed, she waved a finger at him. “I take it you went deer hunting or are your neighbors missing?”
He peered at the bloody heavy-duty plastic apron covering his front. Not hard to imagine he had a few bodies in the shed. “I got no neighbors. Not even in the big house.” He pointed to the large house on the left, formerly the property of dearly departed Alfredo Morretti. The mobster was dead and buried courtesy of the federal government even though he supposedly died from natural causes. The news was kind enough to detail all his crimes.
“Please tell me you didn’t kill Bambi,” she said.
“Bambi’s grandfather, if that helps.”
She shook her head. “Not really, but I don’t begrudge you the sport. If you’re not a predator. You’re prey.”
Damn. How many times had Kevin said those exact words? Every single time they climbed into a helicopter, weapons hot.
She approached slowly. Bear twitched, anxious to rush her again. “Stay,” he ordered as she advanced, which was better than letting Bear’s one hundred and twenty pounds drop her into the snow. Hand stretched out, she took off her glove and let him sniff her. Bear took that as a cue to ignore his command. Tail wagging, he circled her, sniffed her butt, went to the front and sniffed her crotch
“Whoa,” she blushed a deep red, tried and failed to swat him away. He must’ve liked what he scented because he tackled her, forepaws on her chest, and licked whatever he could reach. She tipped over and fell into a snow pile with Bear on top, smothering her in kisses. Lucky dog.
“Alright. Get off. You’re smothering her.” Trying not to sound jealous, he shoved Bear off and helped her up.
“Wow!” She laughed. Her smile stretched across her entire face. Ruddy cheeks, sparkling eyes, infectious grin. He wanted to kiss her and had to stop himself from drawing her into his arms.
He made sure she was steady on her feet before releasing her. A brisk wind kicked up the loose snow around them. As she dusted herself off, he studied the clouds hugging the horizon. They’d be here soon.
“Come inside.” He didn’t wait for her answer but led the way to the cabin. Without a chance to say no, she had no choice but to follow.
She took her time, so long that Bear went back to get her. Noah waited inside for her with the door open, forcing her to enter or go back to her car. Two choices. He willed her to pick one, the one he wanted.
She climbed the two steps to the porch and stomped the snow off her boots. Noah moved to the mudroom. He removed the apron and tossed it into the utility sink. The HK went back into the safe he kept under the stairs.
Kensley hadn’t moved from her spot near the front door. “Wow, This is bigger than it looks from outside. You know it was the guesthouse of a mobster, right?”
“Yeah.” He watched her take in his new home and wondered what she thought. The place was tidy, clean, even with Bear running in and out, but not fancy
. He liked things simple.
“It’s so warm in here.” She took off her hat and ran both hands through her flattened hair, fluffing until the reddish-blonde tresses fell in artful disarray around her face.
His cock shot hard, and he was grateful for his well-worn oversized sweater that hid the evidence. “Two potbelly ovens, one for cooking, one for heating, and the fireplace.”
“Holy crap. I haven’t seen one of these stoves since my great grandmother was alive.” She went to the stove in the kitchen. “This cast iron monstrosity could survive a nuclear blast.” She stretched out her fingers and sighed. “Something smells good.”
“Roast in the oven.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “You know how to cook?”
He grunted. “Starving isn’t an option.”
A grin twisted her lips as if to say, touché. He wanted to know why she was here. More importantly, he wanted her again. He wanted to carry her up to the loft, to his bed, and strip her bare. Keep her warm. Make her stay.
She opened her mouth. He took the opportunity to yank his sweater over his head. “Can you watch the roast and Bear while I take a shower. I smell like deer.” Again, he didn’t wait for her agreement. While she sputtered, he spun and headed to the bathroom by the stairs.
“Wait!”
He froze and peered over his shoulder at her stunned expression. “What?” What the hell was wrong now?
“Your tattoo.”
Aw fuck! He’d forgotten about the back piece, which was easy since he had it so long. The addition of the names, those were three months new.
Her footsteps were soft, muffled with the click of Bear’s claws on the wooden floor. He stiffened at her touch though her fingertips glided over his skin. “It’s…”
Beautiful. Done in black, the bald eagle perched on the flag, its wings spread, was stunning. That’s why he spent eight, painstaking months, getting it done when he was stationed at Camp Lejeune right after boot camp.
Her gasp told him the moment she saw the names woven into the flag. Her sob told him the moment she saw Kevin’s. Soft lips pressed to that name caused a shudder to race down his spine and land in his balls.
It took everything he had to break the connection and continue to the bathroom, toeing off his boots as he went. At the threshold of the door, he shoved his jeans down his legs. She inhaled sharply and mumbled something that got drowned out by Bear’s bark, which was better than her crying. Only then did he close the door.
Noah took his time, letting the water warm instead of jumping in for a frigid dousing. It was a risk. She could be gone by the time he finished. But if she stayed, she stayed because she wanted to be here whether she admitted it or not. Out of the shower, he rubbed the excess water out of his hair and wrapped the too-small towel around his waist.
The sound of her laughter came through the bathroom door, and the knot he’d ignored unfurled inside his chest. “You’re so fluffy. Yes, you are.” He opened the door and stepped out.
Sitting on the floor with Bear, who believed he was a lap dog, she giggled as he licked her face. Kensley was barely visible under all that fur, and both couldn’t be happier. The merriment ended when both spotted him in the doorway. She’d taken off her winter gear and even her boots. Jeans, a sweater, and checkered wool socks. She’d made herself at home, which made him happy.
Bear barked, and Kensley’s gaze took a slow stroll down his body. Her cheeks pinkened, and her breath hitched at the bulge tenting the towel. He felt it, her gaze stroking his hunger as a tangible caress he didn’t want to end. If he went to her now, she wouldn’t stop him. He could taste her, take her, cleave to her, keep her. Her gaze snapped up and collided with his like a caught animal.
He turned and went upstairs, to the loft, to drag on some clothes. Sweats and a thermal fit the bill. She rummaged in the kitchen, for what, he wondered until he heard the dog food hitting Bear’s bowl. He snickered. That’s not what his dog wanted.
“Not hungry, boy?” She sank to her haunches and petted him.
“He’s waiting for the roast.” He joined them in the kitchen. Bear ignored him, favoring her. He didn’t blame him. He favored her too.
“Is it almost done?” She didn’t wait for his answer to peer into the oven. “Looks good.” She snatched up a few dishtowels to protect her hands and placed the dish on the stove.
“Sit, Bear,” he commanded before his dog knocked her over in his eagerness.
She took a deep whiff and frowned. “This isn’t Bambi, right?”
“It shouldn’t matter when you’re hungry.” He saw her hesitation in her eyes and laughed. “It’s cow. Bought from a grocery store. Nicely packaged.”
She licked her lips and said, “Don’t be mean.”
He held up his hands in mock surrender, then reached behind her head for the plates stacked on a shelf. She followed him to the tiny two-seater dining table with a pair of glasses. “There’s a cooler in the mudroom with drinks. I’ll have a beer.” He tipped his head toward the closed door. By the time he returned to the table with the roast and silverware, she’d returned with two beers.
Noah held out a chair. She paused, beers in her hands, her hands on her hips, a scowl on her face. She had no idea the adorable picture she presented.
“I didn’t come here for dinner.”
He shrugged. “I figured. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat.” Rain pelted the windows. “Plus, you may as well wait out the storm.”
She glanced at the window, and the rain sheeting the panes, sighed, and turned back to him. Slowly, she approached, stopped within range, and eased into the wooden chair. Her scent, crisp as the first bite of winter mixed with something floral, teased his senses. She didn’t smell like this that night he had her. That night, a hint of heaven teased her scent.
She scooted in then waited for him to take his seat. He served her. So tender, the roast fell apart from the pressure of his fork. He filled her plate with meat, potatoes and carrots until she said stop, then watched her take the first mouthful.
Taste exploded on her tongue, herbs, spices, there was even a hint of wine in the sauce. “This is good, and I’m not saying that ’cause I’m hungry.” She filled her mouth again.
Call it primal, it pleased him to feed her and have her enjoy it. In silence, they ate, neither feeling the need for conversation. They took turns feeding Bear, whose big ass was squeezed under the table. Kensley didn’t pick at her food. She dove in with a hearty appetite most females hid until well after the first date.
Could he call this a first date? The first time they officially met, definitely wasn’t a date. Neither would the night he fixed her window and got called away by Yvette. The accidental meeting at the bar wouldn’t qualify as a date. So, yeah this was it—
“How long have you and Meghan been dating?”
His fork stopped midway to his mouth. “Huh?”
Her head tilted to the side and blinked innocently. “Meghan, the female you were with at the Watering Hole.”
Oh, her. “What makes you think we’re dating?”
Her head tilted to the other side. “Well…you arrived together, and you helped her out of your truck.” She speared a carrot and popped it in her mouth.
The jealousy on her face had Noah sitting back in his chair, smiling. How should I play this? Tease her and let her think something happened? No. He shucked that idea. She wouldn’t find it funny. “I found her walking on the side of the road. Turned out, we were both heading to the Watering Hole.” He could’ve stopped there but remembered the state of his clothes when he exited the truck. “She made a pass at me. I wasn’t interested.”
“You weren’t interested?” she scoffed. “You hugged her. She kissed you. That’s not uninterested.”
Where the fuck was she to see all that, and how had he missed being under someone’s radar? Kensley wasn’t gonna let this go. Hell, if he saw her kissing another guy, neither would he. Which summed up how he felt about her.
&nbs
p; Noah propped his elbows on the table and leaned in. “She shoved her hand down my pants and grabbed my dick. I could’ve screwed her except she wasn’t the woman I wanted.” He let that sink in, then continued. “So, I removed her hand and wasn’t an ass to her afterward. I could’ve made her feel like shit. I didn’t.”
Her lips twisted, and her eyes narrowed. He could almost see her brain working overtime. “That was gentlemanly of you. However, shouldn’t you have stopped her before her hand was wrapped around your penis.”
She had a point. “I’m human, not a saint.”
Kensley dropped her fork and sat back in her chair. But she didn’t leave.
His turn. “Who was the guy grabbing on you at the bar?” Air went out of her sail, and she kind of wilted. Noah waited. He had no idea why the mention of one asshole would make her deflate and wondered if he needed to track the asshole down and continue rearranging his face.
She took a sip of her beer and muttered, “My ex.”
That was a shock. “Your ex-husband?”
Her hair went flying as she shook her head. “No. No. No. Ex-fiancé,” said adamantly.
Interesting. “How long ago was the engagement?”
She grabbed her beer, and this time took a long swallow. “Full disclosure, since we’re doing that now.” She rolled her eyes. “I was engaged six weeks ago. I found Eric fucking Meghan, your roadside pick-up, in her car at my engagement party. He had her in the backseat, his pants around his ankles, her dress around her waist.” Her gaze dipped to her plate. “I must’ve stood there for five minutes listening to him call her name, tell her how good her pussy was, watch his ass flex as he fucked her.”
“Why did you stay and watch?” he asked, confused. “If I’d seen my fiancée fucking someone else, they’d better hope I was unarmed.” Though unarmed wouldn’t have stopped him from killing the bastard.
She took another gulp of beer and carefully wiped her mouth on a napkin. “Because it wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real…” she whispered. “Until he pulled out and came all over her. That’s when I screamed, and everyone came running to witness my humiliation.”
If I Love You Page 15
