Shelter: A Heroes Of Big Sky Novel

by Kristen Proby

  “On your back.”

  I raise a brow. “Huh?”

  “Get on your back, Seth.”

  Who am I to argue?

  I roll onto my back, and Remi gets to work, mimicking what I just did to her. She rubs me, kisses me, and when she makes her way down to my very hard cock, she settles in to drive me out of my fucking mind.

  Lips and hands and then just a bit of teeth have me writhing and groaning until I come so hard, I’m pretty sure I lost consciousness.

  But when I open my eyes, Remi’s smiling down at me.

  “Hi,” she says.

  “Hello. Am I dead?”

  She snickers. “I don’t think so.” She pinches me.

  “Ow!”

  “Not dead.”

  “Wow, I’m so glad I arranged for this snowstorm.”

  She laughs and pulls her tee over her head. “Me, too.”

  I right myself, leaving my pants unzipped, then get up to walk to a window that I managed to uncover earlier. It’s dark, the wind continues to howl, and it’s snowing so hard, it looks like we should have a Christmas tree in here.

  When I turn back to look at Remi, she’s curled up on the mattress, her dark hair fanned behind her, and she’s sleeping.

  My back aches as I roll over. Damn, did I fall off a horse again?

  I crack my eyes open, and the events of yesterday flood back in: hiking up to find Remi and our night in the chalet.

  When I look around, I see that Remi is gone.

  I sit up and rub my hands over my eyes, then stand, throw on my shirt and shoes, and go off in search of the gorgeous brunette that I’m suddenly completely addicted to.

  I don’t have to go far. I find her standing in the kitchen with a steaming mug of tea.

  “I figured out the gas stove,” she says. “I lit it without blowing us up. Used some bottled water I found in the pantry.”

  “I appreciate you not blowing us up.” I lean into her, the mug trapped between us, and help myself to her lips. They taste sweet. “You put sugar in your tea?”

  “Just a little. I found a sugar packet in the pantry. It’s handy that they haven’t cleared it out yet this year.”

  “Is there any hot water left?”

  “Plenty,” she confirms. “Help yourself. I’m gonna step outside.”

  She kisses my shoulder as she passes, and when she’s no longer in my view, I lean against the counter and take a deep breath.

  I don’t think there’s been a time in my twenty-seven years that a woman has had such an impact on me. Emotionally or physically.

  While my tea steeps, I nose around in the office and find a radio that I can use to talk to the ranger station.

  I turn it on, and after several seconds, I’m talking to Roger, my boss.

  “I’m glad to hear you’re okay,” he says. “What are the conditions? Over.”

  “I haven’t been outside yet, but the wind is gone. I’ll go scout it out in just a few, over.”

  “Let me know what you find out. If you need us to come up and help you down, we can do that. Over.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be in touch. Out.”

  I walk back to the kitchen, grab my tea, and open the back door.

  And when I step outside, I stop dead in my tracks and stare in horror.

  Chapter 4

  ~Remi~

  “It’s okay,” I assure Seth calmly as we stare at the big grizzly sow currently standing about twenty feet away. “She and I have been talking. She’s not aggressive.”

  “I want you inside, now.”

  “Oh, I’m working on it, but I don’t want to startle her.”

  “Look at me.”

  I can’t. I can’t look away from her.

  “Remi, damn it, look at me.” His voice is still low but firm. I risk a quick glance over, relieved to see that the door isn’t as far away as I thought it was when I first panicked and saw the bear. “Ease this way. I’ve got you.”

  I swallow and smile at the bear. “Easy, girl. We’re not going to hurt you. We’re just going back inside, okay?”

  I walk slowly to my right, and when Seth clasps my hand in his, my heart dislodges from my throat. When he pulls me inside and shuts the door, I let out a whoosh of air.

  “That was an experience I don’t plan to have again.”

  “You did so great.” He tugs me into his strong arms and hugs me close. “She could have turned aggressive. They’re eating and getting ready for hibernation. I should have thought of it.”

  “I’m okay.” I pat his back and rub a soothing circle. “We’re okay. But we’ll have to hike down, and she’s around. Maybe we can just live here through the winter. Or until she goes into hibernation.”

  His chest rumbles against my cheek as he laughs. “As fun as that sounds, I think we’ll be heading down later today. However, there’s a pretty big snowdrift covering the trail.”

  “I saw that, too. Before Yogi’s wife came wandering over.”

  “The trek is going to be treacherous for a few miles. I don’t know how far, to be honest. I’ll call down and get a plan going with my boss.”

  “You have cell coverage up here?”

  “No.” He kisses my forehead. “I found a CB radio and called down to the station to check in while you were outside talking to Mrs. Yogi.”

  “Okay. I like that you can talk to other people and that we’re not just left to our own devices.”

  “We would be fine even if we were,” he assures me. “Go enjoy your tea by the fire. I’ll figure out what the hell’s going on.”

  “I don’t usually leave things in the hands of a man,” I admit as I walk away. “But in this particular situation, I’m fine with it. You get us handled, and I’ll be lazy. Until it’s time to hike down. Does this mean I can’t hike up to the glacier?”

  I glance back and see his head whip up to stare at me in horror.

  “You absolutely can not hike to Sperry Glacier. No.”

  “Killjoy,” I mutter and sip my tea as I walk back to the fire.

  The truth is, I’m tired. I don’t know if it was yesterday’s hike, and the ensuing adrenaline rush of running out of the storm that wore me out, or the energetic sexy times with Seth.

  “Probably both,” I mutter into my mug.

  The man may be tall and well-muscled, but he can move. And he’s strong. He just shifts me around like I’m a ragdoll.

  It’s not unpleasant at all.

  I could get used to being touched, kissed, and coaxed to orgasm like it’s his damn job.

  “You’re really deep in thought.”

  Seth sits next to me, resting his elbows on his knees.

  “Just waking up.”

  “I figure coming face-to-face with a grizzly will do that.”

  I chuckle and then shiver at the memory of seeing that huge animal come walking around the building.

  “I’m lucky I didn’t pee my pants,” I reply. “What did you figure out?”

  “My boss is going to send a few guys up to help us down since we don’t know where the snow starts. Or how deep it is in places. They’ll have shovels. Probably take them a couple of hours to get here.”

  “But the bear—” I stop when he grins down at me. “What?”

  “You don’t have to worry. We’re all trained to handle bears.”

  “Right.” I finish my tea and set the mug aside. “We need to clean up our mess in here and put stuff away.”

  “We will. The linens will go in the plastic, and we’ll put them in the laundry. I’ll haul the mattress back up.”

  I nod, and we get to work, righting everything. When we’re done, we sit on the two chairs by the fire.

  “Do you have plans for tonight?” he asks, surprising me.

  “I plan to burn these clothes and find a hotel to take a long, hot shower.”

  He raises a brow. “No shower in your van?”

  “It’s small and not always hot. I want hot.”

  “You don’t need to fin
d a hotel. You can use my shower out at the ranch.”

  I blink at him. “Is this your way of getting me to go home with you?”

  The grin he flashes is quick and confident. “No. I’m offering you my shower. And a meal. That’s all.”

  “That’s all.” I cross my legs and nod. “Okay. I’ll take you up on the offer. Do you cook?”

  “I was raised by two women who cook quite well,” he replies. “They taught me everything I need to know. So, yes. I can cook.”

  “Do you have a favorite dish?”

  “You’ll find out tonight.”

  I grin, very much looking forward to seeing Seth’s house and spending more time with him. And, most of all, a normal, hot shower. I wasn’t lying. These clothes won’t see another hiking day. I can’t get out of them fast enough.

  Even though our cells don’t work well up here, we exchange phone numbers, and I take down his address in my notes. Just as we’re finishing our plans, the door opens, and three men file in.

  “You guys were fast,” Seth says and stands to shake their hands. “How’s the trail?”

  “The first four miles up were fine,” the tallest one says. “Then we hit snow. We’re going to have a hell of a time for about a mile on the way down, then it lightens up.”

  “Thank you,” I say as Seth and I load our packs onto our backs. “And I’m sorry for this.”

  “Just glad you’re safe,” another one says. “We’ll be down in no time.”

  It took us just under two hours to make our way down. I was paranoid of bears, but having four strong men trained in what to do, helped me relax. They were also armed, so that helped.

  My van started without a problem, and now I’m back at my campsite near Cunningham Falls.

  Seth had some work to see to, so we agreed that I’d meet him at his place at around six this evening.

  Which means I have a couple of hours to kill, and I’m hoping that Little Deli is still open so I can grab some baked goods for dessert tonight.

  I quickly change clothes, grab my bike, and set off into town.

  It’s a comfortable sixty degrees today. You’d never know that the mountains are already dealing with winter-like weather. It’s mind-boggling.

  I can see that the deli is still open, so I park my bike and walk inside, noticing the nice woman behind the counter doing a little dance.

  “Hi,” she says with an embarrassed smile. “I’m so glad someone is here. Can you please, please stand here and keep an eye on things for five minutes while I run to the bathroom really quick?”

  “Oh, of course,” I assure her. “Go ahead.”

  “You’re a lifesaver.” She hurries off down the hall to the restroom, and I browse through the baked items in the glass case.

  Someone rushes into the deli and then comes to a halt. “Where’s Annie?”

  I blink, realizing that Annie must be the woman who just went to the bathroom.

  “She stepped away.”

  “I just need a cookie.”

  I eye the cookies, shrug, and walk behind the counter. Using tongs, I put the cookie in a little white sleeve and pass it over.

  “That’s two bucks.”

  He passes me the cash and walks back out, just as Annie returns.

  “A guy just bought a cookie. He didn’t want to wait,” I inform her and hand her the money.

  “Oh, that’s Curt. He always comes at this time of the day for a cookie. Thank you.”

  “I’m Remi,” I reply as I wander back to the customer side of the counter. “And you must be Annie.”

  “I am,” she says with a relieved smile. “I have to tell you, after having four kids, my bladder isn’t what it used to be. You saved my life.”

  “I only ever see you when I come in here,” I reply. “No other employees?”

  “My teenagers help me out in the summer, but now that they’re back at school, I’m shorthanded in the afternoons.” She narrows her eyes at me. “You wouldn’t happen to want a job, would you?”

  I laugh and shake my head, but then I pause. “Well, I really do like it in here.”

  “I guess so. You’ve been in almost every day for a week.” Annie grins. “It’s pretty simple, really. You’d just greet customers and fill orders from the case, and I’d handle making the sandwiches and soups and stuff. I’d only need you from eleven to three when we close. Wednesday through Friday.”

  “So just three days, four hours a day. That’s not bad at all.” I lean on the counter and smile at Annie. “You know what? I’ll give it a go.”

  “Well, you just made my day,” Annie says with a bright smile. “Why don’t you come in tomorrow, and we’ll fill out some paperwork and chat. Then you can start on Wednesday.”

  “That sounds great to me.”

  “Okay. Now, what brought you in to begin with?”

  “I came in for dessert for later. I’m having dinner with a friend. I was thinking about that lemon meringue pie.”

  “Two slices, or the whole thing?”

  “Oh, I think a whole pie is in order.”

  Annie laughs and gets to work boxing it up. “I think we’re going to be friends, Remi.”

  “I think so, too.”

  Once I turn off the highway, the road out to the Lazy K Ranch – as the sign said – is a little twisty, but not nearly as bumpy as I expected. I pass two other houses before I hang a right and find Seth’s little house. It sits in some trees, with smoke coming out of a chimney, and his truck is parked in front of the two-car garage. I like his paint choice of simple white with black trim, and I immediately fall in love with the deep porch that spans the entire front of the house.

  A girl could sit out there with coffee or a glass of wine and just listen to the nature around her all damn day. And probably into the night.

  I park next to his truck, gather the bag I packed full of a change of clothes and my toiletries—along with the pink box full of pie—and climb the steps onto the gorgeous porch.

  Before I can ring the bell, Seth opens the door, and a big black Labrador sits at his side, vibrating with excitement.

  “Good boy,” Seth says to the dog. “He’s still a puppy and learning his manners.”

  Seth takes the box and lets me inside, and I immediately set my bag down and look up at Seth. “Can I pet him?”

  “Go ahead.”

  I grin and kneel beside the big, happy dog. “Oh, you’re a good boy, aren’t you? So handsome and sweet. Yes, you are.”

  He licks my face and wiggles his whole body in happiness.

  “What’s his name?”

  “Captain. Cap for short. He’s only about a year old.”

  “Oh, you’re just a baby. Yes, you are.” I indulge in a few more puppy kisses and then stand, taking a deep breath. “It smells so good in here.”

  Seth smiles. “Shower or food first?”

  “Shower. Definitely shower.”

  “Bathroom’s this way.” He leads me down the hallway to the master bedroom. “I have a guest bathroom, but this shower is better,” he explains. “And if you only get an awesome shower every few weeks, you should take advantage.”

  His bedroom is a good size, with masculine linens and a big dog bed in the corner. The furniture is made of light wood, and the accents are in dark metal. It’s quintessential farmhouse style, and I love it.

  But the master bathroom is stunning.

  “You have a soaking tub. A copper soaking tub.”

  The beautiful bathtub gleams invitingly in the light, and it makes me long for a lazy soak.

  He nods. “Yeah, well. If you fall off a horse, sitting in a salt bath for a while helps with the aches and pains. You’re welcome to use that, too, if you want.”

  “The shower is fine.” But, man, I’ll be dreaming of that deep, copper tub.

  “Help yourself to anything you might need. I’ll be in the kitchen making a salad.”

  He turns to walk away, but I stop him. “Seth.”

  He turns back
with a raised brow. “Yeah?”

  “I was going to kiss you first, you know, before the dog. But I need a shower. Then you’ll get all of my attention.”

  His mouth quirks up in a sexy smile, and he nods. “Fair enough. Take your time.”

  I take him at his word and move at a glacial pace. I’ve been traveling in the van for long enough that a real shower feels indulgent. It’s a total treat. And while I don’t mind the van at all, there are moments, like today, when I need the real deal.

  So, I stand and let the hot water just pour over me. I wash my hair three times, and then while the conditioner sits, I shave my legs and wash my face and then stand under the hot spray some more.

  This is just Heaven.

  I briefly wonder if Seth would think I’m weird if I take another shower before leaving for the night, then shake my head at my ridiculousness.

  When I finally emerge from the steamy bathroom, I’m wearing leggings and a T-shirt, my wet hair pulled back in a ponytail.

  “If you’ll show me where the laundry is, I’ll put this towel in—”

  I stop short at the scene before me in the kitchen.

  A short, dark-haired woman has her arms wrapped around Seth’s middle, and he’s hugging her tightly.

  “Uh, sorry.”

  The woman pulls back and smiles over at me.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. Obviously, you’re busy. I’ll just grab my stuff and go.”

  “Whoa,” the woman says with a laugh. “I’m Seth’s mama. I came over because he asked me to grab some garlic bread when I went to the store, and I forgot to drop it by earlier.”

  Embarrassment quickly replaces the anger and indignation, and I feel my cheeks flush when Seth laughs out loud.

  But he quickly hurries over to me and kisses my cheek.

  “Remi, I’d like you to meet my mom, Jillian King. She likely forgot to drop by earlier on purpose.”

  “Is it a crime to want to see the woman my son was trapped with last night?” she demands and crosses to me to shake my hand. Upon closer inspection, I see that she has a little gray threaded through her dark hair and a couple of lines around her eyes, but she does not look old enough to have a son Seth’s age. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m glad that you are safe and sound. Now, I’ll see myself out.”