by J. K Harper
That went downhill quick, because Quentin was pissed at him again. Those damn panther shifters from the other day apparently had been going around to every social media site, saying that Tooth 'n Claw Tours was terrible and no one who stayed at the Silvertip Lodge should ever book a trip with them. He and Quentin had an argument that quickly got so loud, it was a good thing they were way out by the back buildings where guests couldn't hear them. Then he still had to spend the next two hours in his brother's terrible company, each of them banging and hammering so hard it was lucky they didn't split the damn wood.
By that point Cortez was pretty fucking pissed off himself. Even the fresh memory of sweet, beautiful Haley kissing him and touching him and looking at him like he hung the damn moon was just barely enough to keep him from completely losing his shit. His next fuckup? He'd forgotten yet again that he asked Beckett to meet him at the cabin that afternoon to do some work, so he was treated to a text that said, Are you fucking kidding me man? Get your head out of your fucking ass before I come find you and kick it farther up there. Don't ask me to waste my time again until you figure shit out. I wanna help you but you have to fucking show up.
Fucking awesome.
By the time Cortez got back to his little place in town, he'd been a tightly wound storm cloud that threatened to explode at the smallest provocation. So right now, still wet from the shower, he was in no damn fucking mood to be nice when someone knocked on his door.
"Fucking hell," he growled. He wrapped a towel tight around his waist and stormed toward the front door, not giving a shit who'd be treated to a sight when he yanked it open. The second he did, the enraged greeting he planned to roar out died on his lips.
Haley. Haley, wearing a green winter hat on her head that made her green eyes seem even brighter, her jacket pulled tight around her, the tentative smile and softness in her gaze as she looked at him from the doorstep. Then her eyes dropped down to his naked chest, which still had water droplets from the shower on it. Then down to the gray towel he'd tied tight around his waist. Then down to somewhere below the spot where the towel snugged against him. Her mouth rounded into the prettiest little oh shape, her eyes widening.
"Uh—come in." The way her eyes were trained on his towel was enough to stir his dick into life. He had to kind of shift his feet and lean back from the hips so he wouldn't tent up the front of the towel. Damn, she was gorgeous. Pretty Haley, such an intriguing woman who wasn't afraid of him.
When she swept her eyes back up to his, he saw something in them that completely stalled out his brain and made his boner even harder. Dark, sweet desire. She swallowed, and his gaze traced the delicate movement of her throat. "I'm sorry. I should've called you first. I just wanted to come over here and see you."
They stared at each other for a long minute. "Come inside," he said again, a dark murmur full of promise and need. He stepped aside to let her slip past him, her pretty scent sweeping through him, threatening to drown him in its intoxicating allure. Whoa, damn.
After she came in and he shut the door, he turned around to see the desire in her eyes tripped toward hesitation and nervousness. "I really should have called. I’m barging in on you. I shouldn't have come—”
He strode toward her, closing the distance between them with the desperation of a drowning man reaching for a life ring. "No should have or could have or would have with me, Haley. Everything you do is good by me. Don't you ever question yourself."
She shyly nodded. “Deal,” she whispered, a smile brushing her lips.
“Oh, wait.” Suddenly remembering the one other good part of his day, he turned and headed for the little kitchen table that served as a catch-all for papers, keys, and other random shit he couldn't find a good place for. “I have something for you.” Wiping his hand on the towel to be sure it was dry, he grabbed up the sole book on the table and turned around to offer it to Haley. “I figured you must like to read, since you're a writer. This book is the history of the Silvertip Lodge as written by a guest years ago. Uh, I thought you might like to read it. It's for you,” he added. “I mean, your own copy. From me.”
He suddenly felt kind of dumb saying that. And just handing it to her like this. He'd seen it in the lodge's gift shop earlier today when he'd stopped in there with his clients, who were looking for gifts to take home with them, and immediately thought of Haley. It wasn't very long, but it had pictures and was a pretty good read. It was probably the only book he'd read in about five years, and he'd only read it because his parents had given a copy of it to each Walker son. Damn, he hadn't even wrapped it.
Before he could apologize for that, Haley reached for it. She gazed at the cover, which was a photo of the lodge on a beautiful summer day, then turned it over to read the information on the back. When she looked up at him, her eyes seemed extra shiny. “You got this for me? A gift? From you?”
He nodded, still feeling somewhat abashed. But it seemed she liked it. “Yeah. I just figured you might be interested.”
Her hand trembled as she put it back on the table, then said quietly, “That's one of the best gifts anyone's ever gotten me, Cortez. You—I—Thank you,” she ended simply, looking at him like he'd just offered her the gift of life itself.
Looking so fucking sweet and sexy at once, so damned kissable, that his dick roared back to life and probably tented the hell out of his towel. He didn't care, because neither did she. With a single stride he went to her, pulled her into his arms, held her hard and close. She made a little sound in her throat, so sexy and needy, and he was undone.
"Cortez," she murmured, reaching for him with just as much need and passion. He crashed his lips over hers, tasting her, sucking her luscious lower lip into his mouth. Damn, she tasted better than anything he'd ever known he wanted. Damn, he wanted this more than anything he'd ever had before. He wanted Haley. All of her.
Though he was half afraid he would hurt her with the force of his need, Haley was strong. So much stronger than she thought she was. She wanted him, he could feel it in how eagerly she kissed him back, how she pressed against him, how she rolled her fingers up and down his bare back, slicking them over his skin, racing fire through his body everywhere her fingers touched him.
He growled, gripping the nape of her neck, his fingers digging into her skin as he kissed her deep and strong and wild. Powerful, beautiful little Haley wanted him. She wanted to have him like this, to not be afraid of him. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her. Hell fucking yes. Cortez needed to touch her. To feel her. To see her naked before him, the look on her face full of sharp desire for him. Only him.
Pulling back from her, he growled, "Haley. I need to hold you and love you and fuck you right now. I need to feel your body against mine, while I taste you and touch you all night. All night, woman. That okay with you?"
* * *
Haley thought her heart might explode from the force with which it beat. Cortez was looking at her with such deep intensity, his eyes bright with hunger. Hunger for her. "Yes. Yes, all of it, yes."
He reached forward and kissed her again, so hard it was almost painful, which she wanted. She pulled the pain into herself, gave some back to him, shared it so they could both let it go. He reached down, nibbled his way along her cheek, down her neck. "Mine," she thought she heard him growl there. She moaned in response, her entire body shivering with sweet chills of arousal.
"Clothes. Off. Now." The desire roughened his voice so much that she almost couldn't understand him, but she knew what he was saying. Yes. Yes. A thousand, million times yes. His voice was a command, one she was more than happy to obey. She yanked at her jacket with trembling fingers, managed to get it off. Pulled her sweater over her head, then went for her shirt. Dammit, buttons. She couldn't deal with them. Swept up in the feverish need in Cortez's eyes, she heedlessly ripped her shirt off, throwing it aside and barely hearing as the buttons scattered all over the floor.
This amazing man, setting her body on fire from her toes to her hair. He'd got
ten her a book. The history of the place that was so important to his clan, his family, him. She was awed again by the sweetness of the gift. He thought he couldn't save anyone? He didn't know it, but that's what he was doing by giving her the gift of something that was a piece of his own heart and heritage, in the form of something that was so important to her.
This man, this bear, was a warrior with a huge heart. He might be gravelly and angry and raging at himself under the surface, but that wasn't the real him, the only him, the true him. Deeper inside, in the part of Cortez that was most honest and genuine, he was peaceful and kind and wanted nothing more than to help others. She could see that about him as clearly as anything.
She fumbled with her bra, but he said, "Let me." His voice went quiet, so quiet in the room. He reached forward, put his hands around her back, undid the clasp. Gently slid the powder blue straps of her bra off her arms, letting the whole thing fall to the floor, leaving her bare in front of him. Exposed.
But it wasn't scary, having Cortez look at her. Oh god, no. It was sexier than anything. His gaze was utterly worshipful. "Damn, woman. Damn." It was all he said, and all he needed to. His eyes went back up to hers as he reached down and undid the front of her pants, shimmying them down off her hips. She stepped out of them, kicked them aside, her breath hitching in her throat. He hooked his big thumbs on the other side of her underwear and slid it down as well, kissing her along the way. His lips on her neck, down to her breasts, first one, then the other, his tongue swirling and dragging across her nipples. A ragged gasp exploded out of her as his touch flamed across her body. Down he kept going, his mouth tracing kisses across her rib cage, over her belly, brushing one hip bone, then the other. He was on his knees now, at her feet, grasping one ankle and gently encouraging her to step up so he could slide the underwear off her foot, then off her other one. He tossed them aside, and she was completely naked before him.
"Cortez." Just his name, saying his name, ending it on a rattling gasp that pushed out of her throat as the room seemed to spin around her when he blew a hot breath right against her sex. She cried out from the exquisite pressure.
His hands reached up to hold her hips. "Steady, beautiful," he murmured, the word another sweet breath that tickled across her heated center. "I want to taste you here, Haley. Hold onto me."
Yes, she had to hold onto him, had to grip his shoulders hard with her hands. She would fall over otherwise. He gently breathed against her again, then followed it with his tongue. Haley half gasped, half shrieked as he tasted her, slid his tongue through her wetness, licked the sensitive little nub there, gently explored her and kissed her there as he swirled his tongue around. She never wanted anyone like she wanted Cortez. She was so turned on, every nerve in her body exploding and singing, shaking and unsteady and filled with delirious joy at his touch.
He held tight to her hips, his fingers pressing into the soft roundness of her behind, his face pressed right up into her sex as he licked and tasted and circled his tongue on her. Haley lost it, lost all sense of place and time and self. She only knew right here, right now, Cortez with his tongue buried inside her, stroking her with a strong, steady rhythm that would drive her over the edge. Soon.
"Cortez," she panted, her fingers gripping his shoulders so brutally hard she knew there would be marks later. "Cortez, please." Her voice was a soft rattle in her throat, desperate with need.
"Yes," he murmured, the vibration of the word against her clit threatening to toss her right over the gorgeous edge of ecstasy. "Yes, my sweet beautiful Haley. Yes. Come for me, beautiful."
That did it, his lips vibrating against her, his tongue thrusting back in to stroke and taste. Her orgasm swept over her like a roaring firestorm as her voice screamed out into the room, a wordless cry as he buried his tongue into her again and again. She held his shoulders and he gripped her hips, holding her up while she shook and shook from the sweet, delirious force of it. The spasms spread out to every inch of her body, splintering through her with the ecstatic rush. Her ears banged, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and everything was light and stunning and good.
Slowly, slowly, the spasms ebbed away, leaving her to fall limp against him, still gasping. Cortez held her, gently caught her in his powerful arms. Then he swung her up into them, accompanied by her small exclamation. Turning, he strode across the room toward a partially open door, which he kicked open to reveal a bedroom. “Need you now,” he growled into her ear, his teeth nibbling it after he said that, drawing another small moan from her. He went straight to the bed, gently set her down on it. Yanking his towel off, barely giving her time to widen her eyes at the sight of his hard body and that thick, long cock he'd been hiding under the towel, he pushed her back, slid his large hand between her legs, pushed them open. She spread herself open for him, willing, wanting. He pressed against her, his hips pushing into hers, his erection against her still slightly pulsing lips.
Then he slid himself in, sweet glorious inch by inch, and she was in heaven again. “Hard,” she demanded, panting. “I can take you, Cortez,” she whispered as he paused, looking at her. “You won't hurt me.”
To prove her point, she reached forward and nipped his neck, catching flesh with her teeth, gently tugging. Biting down, harder. Hers.
He groaned, pulled back, then slammed into her with a guttural cry that she matched as he took her with all the strength she knew he possessed. In, back out, slamming back in. She was so wet he slid in easily, but he was still so big that she gasped from the pleasurable pain of having him fill her so deep. She slid her hand up behind his neck, holding tight. He found her other hand, laced his fingers into hers, held her tight back. Stroking in, he held her gaze as well. His eyes were wild, tender, craving. Bright with his bear, bright with his fierce desire. He held her down, pushed onto her and into her, guided this sexy ancient dance. Controlling with strength and protectiveness in a way she adored.
Wild in his embrace, she arched against him, meeting him as he pushed himself into her again, the sound of their joining a rhythmic beat in the room. He would protect her and open doors for her and give her precious gifts, but here, now, he commanded, he ruled. He was in charge of her, dominating her with his entire glorious body.
And she loved it so damned much. His control gave her a sweet, magnificent freedom to safely lose herself in this moment.
Slamming into her, bucking them both against the bed so hard the headboard started smacking into the wall in time with his thrusts, his breathing intensified, getting more ragged. He was heavy, heavy and hard against her, holding her, riding her to his own explosion. She saw it coming, saw the feral look ripple across his face, felt it as he swelled inside her even more. Suddenly, he reached down and lightly bit one of her nipples, then harder as she gasped her encouragement. He moved his head up, licked and bit her neck, her ear, her cheek, her lips. Locking his eyes on hers, holding her with him. Sexy, sexy man, with her all the way.
He never stopped sliding back and forth, in and out of her, and she was coming again. He was making her come again, the white-hot freight train of it slamming over her as she shattered again. Her second cry echoed through the room. His dick suddenly throbbed inside her, huge, and he spurted into her, his roar joining hers, their cries slamming around the room as Haley's head about came apart from the frenzied ecstasy of it all, the wildness of it all.
Cortez pumped into her again, again, his movements eventually slowing as his orgasm faded off, each of them gasping so hard she thought their hearts might up and gallop out of both their chests. Finally, his pace completely stopped, and he laid his head against her still heaving chest, his fingers squeezing her hard and his breath hot against her breast. Even while his breath still came fast, he became gentle with her again, his touch tender, holding her as if she was precious. As if she was the most amazing thing he'd ever been near.
She reached out her free hand to stroke his cheek, to feel that stubble against her palm. He still held her other one, their fi
ngers still entwined, slick with sweat like the rest of their bodies. He made a deep “Mmm” sound of satisfaction as her fingers touched his face, smiled against her hand. His eyes were soft now, half unfocused, but present. He was with her. Right here.
Carefully, he slid out of her, making her protest, but he immediately turned her, gently, so that he was spooning her, pulling her tight into his chest. Holding her close, his arms big and strong around her, his legs tangled in hers, his sheltering body molded into hers like they belonged that way.
Inside, she knew. She smiled hard, so hard, even as an emotional sweetness prickled at her eyes. They did belong together. Both of them hurting, messed up or not, Cortez was hers, and she was his. That was something she knew without a doubt was the pure truth.
They belonged to one another.
11
Cortez grunted as he heaved heavy bags of sand, lumber, and a smaller assortment of random supplies he'd picked up earlier at the do-it-yourself shop in town. Setting them down beside the bare framework of his cabin, he gave everything a once over, then nodded. He'd managed to pick up everything he needed. These were the items he had to have to keep working on the cabin. Not only had he blown off Beckett earlier this week, but even if his friend had shown up to help his lame ass, they wouldn't have been able to do much because Cortez also had forgotten to get new supplies. But he had them now, and he was ready to get working again.
