by J. K Harper
This was his home, even though it was hard sometimes when everyone around knew everything about everyone else. Like everyone here knowing about the guys from his SAR team he'd been unable to save in time to prevent them from lives that would be forever challenging. As Quentin liked to say now and then, which often got him popped by one of his brothers, it was what it was. There wasn't a damn thing Cortez could do about the past. The only thing he could worry about now, he thought, looking at the gorgeous woman pressed close to his side, her eyes shining as she laughed and enjoyed herself, was the future. He was damn well certain that future included Haley Adams.
“Hey, you,” she said, squeezing his hand and running her fingers over his thigh.
Naturally, his dick sat up at attention when she did that. He cleared his throat and squeezed her hand back. “You tryin' to get me to throw you over my shoulder and march out of here so I can have my way with you?” His voice was low, for her ears only, though with all the noise of the happy, excited crowd, no one would have heard him anyway.
She grinned up at him in a positively devilish manner. “Nope,” she said in a flippant tone. “Just touching you because I can.”
Oh, hell yeah. That was something Cortez could live with. “Don't stop,” he suggested. “While you're at it, imagine my tongue on you.” He liked the way her eyes got all soft and unfocused and how her breathing suddenly changed.
She smiled dreamily at him, looking half-drunk just on what he'd said. His bear rumbled with satisfaction. Leaning even closer, he murmured, “How about we cut out of here as soon as the kids run up and grab all their toys?”
“Okay.” She sounded breathless.
There was a commotion up front as the festivities began, but Cortez couldn't focus on them. All he was aware of was Haley next to him, pressed in close against him, the heat of her body causing his own body to stay even hotter than usual. He watched her watch the tree get lit up when the town's mayor gave the signal to the lighting guys. He grinned at her grin of excitement and small gasp of appreciation when the enormous pine tree, which Cortez and Beckett had hauled down off the mountain in December to stay in the town square through the holidays until now, was brilliantly dazzled by the numerous strands of lights strung all over it.
Mostly, he felt a sharp stir of happiness in this moment. With Haley, with Beckett, with the whole damn town. For just this moment, he felt good. Content. His bear calm and quiet, his own sense of self rooted solidly to the ground here.
Even if it lasted for just a moment, he'd take it.
When Pix got called up to the little stage under the tree to drop the race flag that was the signal for all the kids to run up and dive for the presents, Cortez watched as his best friend and his—his Haley, he stumbled in his head, because he wasn't sure how to define her just yet—both hollered and whooped with excitement for Pix’s moment in the town's festivities. Then when the crowds began to disperse, the atmosphere both relaxed and excited at once, he tugged at Haley's hand. She looked at him, her eyes regarding him with a steady gaze over the smile on her lips.
“Think those two can handle it if we leave?” Cortez shrugged a shoulder toward Beckett and Pix up by the tree, Pix cooing over the kids unwrapping their presents and Beckett ogling her ass with a big grin on his face. Haley followed Cortez's gesture and burst out laughing.
“I think they won't even notice we're gone.”
“Then come on, woman. I've got plans for you.”
The look she gave him said she not only liked hearing that, but she probably had similar plans in mind. He took her hand and hustled them out of there, pushing through the crowds until he got to the streets back to the main street and headed for the house. The second he got them both through the doorway and into the living room, Haley surprised him by being the one to make the first move. She just reached for him and started kissing him, before they even took their jackets off. No dummy, he pulled her close to him, pressing her against him while she kissed and nibbled his lips, soft little pecks that quickly had him breathing faster. "I sure hope you're not weirded out this time by being in your parents' house again." Her voice was husky, with a quiver of laughter beneath it.
Cortez shrugged out of his jacket and just barely managed to hang it on the coat hook in the hallway. "Nah, it's actually not that bad. We didn't grow up here. They bought it when we were all out on our own already."
"I thought you grew up in Deep Hollow?"
"I did, but our place was teeny tiny, way out in the woods. Basically a shack, though we always had food and stuff. They took care of us, loved the shit out of us, made sure we had the really important things in life like schooling and attention and good values. We had good cubhoods.” He shrugged. “They didn't have money then, though they saved every dime they could because they had plans to make a better life. After they managed to scrape together enough cash to buy the land up at Silvertip Ridge, we lived there with them in a cabin we all helped build. That's how I learned to do construction. Luckily, by that point we were all almost old enough to get out on our own, so we weren't under their feet for too long. It was a small place."
Haley gave him a curious look, her cheeks still a pretty pink from the walk to the frozen air. "Here all along I thought you were some sort of poor little rich boy. But your parents are self-made and you grew up kind of like me. My parents were wonderful and also made sure I never wanted for anything, but they were nowhere near rich.”
Cortez nodded. "My parents always were extremely hard workers, and they passed that on to all of us. Now then. Enough family talk, woman,” he growled. “Let's get upstairs into your room and see if I can find new ways to make you come, pretty Haley."
Haley's eyes widened and she made a faint noise. He could smell her sweet, sweet arousal. Oh, hell yeah. He liked that.
Just as she removed her jacket and pulled off her boots, the front door abruptly opened and Pix stormed in. Oh, shit. Cortez knew from one quick glance that she was very upset. He immediately glanced past her to see if danger followed, but she shut the door behind her firmly. When she turned to them, he could see the tears swimming in her eyes and streaked down her face. Fucking hell. Beckett. Somehow, he knew his friend had blown his chance with Haley's best friend.
"Pix! What's wrong?" The way Haley rushed to her friend immediately told Cortez that his evening with her was completely off.
Pix shook her head, her lips quivering. Cortez shook his own head. "That dumb ox Beckett did something stupid, didn't he? I know him."
But she shook her head again. "It's my fault," she pushed out in a thick voice. But she didn't elaborate. Instead, she turned and went upstairs, her shoulders rigid.
Haley glanced at Cortez, warring emotions on her face. He instantly shook his head and reached for his jacket. "You take care of your friend," he told her firmly, liking the way she wasn't about to abandon a girlfriend just in favor of having some personal time with him. Haley knew how to stick up for her friends. Growing up in a tight knit bear clan like he had, Cortez instinctively admired her response. "You're a good friend, Haley," he added softly. A smile crossed her face. "We still on for tomorrow? I understand if you feel like you need to take care of her instead."
To his relief, she shook her head, then nodded. "Whatever happened, I know she's a big girl and she'll be fine tomorrow. Tonight maybe not, but she'll be okay in the morning. Besides, she really approves of you and wants me to spend more time with you." Her voice was teasing but firm.
He couldn't hold back his own smile. “Well then, it's a date."
"A date.” A smile bloomed over her face, lighting it up and making his chest squeeze. “I like that, Cortez. I like that a lot."
He answered her with a long, slow kiss goodbye, which had them both panting again. But he finally broke it off, murmuring, "Go take care of your friend. I'll come by in the morning to pick you up."
He could feel Haley's smile warming his back as he turned and left, carefully closing the door behind him.
> As he walked away from the house, leaving Haley behind, he was struck by something that made him pause for a moment. He didn't actually want to leave Haley, ever. He never wanted to walk away from this woman, not for real. He wanted her, he wanted to be around her, he wanted to share his damn life with her. She was his. He knew it, his bear knew it, both of their best friends knew it. If he ever saw her crying the way Pix had just been crying, he would cheerfully kill whoever caused it. He would fight for Haley as long and hard as was ever needed.
His only real fear, the one tucked deep inside him in the form of the bear that was calmer but still uncertain, was that maybe he couldn't actually be the strength and honor that she deserved. That maybe he was still too fucked up by the way in which he had failed his friends on the mountain to be the man that she needed.
Fuck. No. She deserved more, and he would have to find a way to give that to her. He squared his shoulders and threw off the feeling of lack. Fuck that.
As he got into his truck and headed across town to his own place, he set his jaw and vowed one thing. He was done letting his old shit rule him. He'd fight to be worthy of Haley's love, and he wouldn't allow himself to get in his own damned way. They were both worth it.
12
Haley watched, wide-eyed, as Cortez whacked the sink pipe one last time with his hand. "Take that, fucker," he muttered, clearly at the end of his rope.
She couldn't help the little burst of laughter. When Cortez turned and gave her a mock glare, she covered her mouth, but laughter spluttered through her fingertips until she was helplessly consumed by it, clutching her stomach and trying to stop it without success.
Cortez sighed and looked back at the sink. "Round two. Sink pipe: one. Cortez: zero. Fuck, you'd think I could figure this out. But I'm better at building the actual house than playing plumber. I should ask Beckett if he'll take a look at it," he added in a grumbling voice. "He knows how to sweet talk stubborn old things."
Haley laughed again from her seat leaning against the hallway across from the upstairs bathroom in the house. Cortez had taken it as a challenge to do battle with the leaking pipe that had acted up again. "I think he's busy sweet talking Pix tonight. Don't think he'll come over here anytime soon." She was so pleased for her friend that things might be working out with Beckett after all. She'd found out from Cortez that he was actually a pretty cool guy.
Cortez looked at her speculatively for another moment. "Why didn't you tell me about her? That she's a dragon shifter." He didn't sound annoyed, just genuinely curious.
Haley shrugged back, still smiling. He looked so good holding the wrench, being all sexy mister fix-it. So hot and rugged, clad in jeans and a white T-shirt, his muscles bulging everywhere. She enjoyed that he liked to work with his hands. The thought made her shiver in anticipation before she answered. "It was her story. She's always asked me not to tell people that she's a dragon, so I never have. Not even my family, not even my ex. I'm glad she and Beckett got things figured out. Pix really loves being her dragon, just not the dragon shifter society part of things. It's so amazing when she flies. I always love watching it."
Cortez sat back on his bare heels, balancing his arms on his knees. "I thought dragon flight was invisible to humans. That's how dragon shifters managed to survive without detection. But you can really see her in that form?"
Haley nodded. "Yes, because certain humans can see them. Pix and I became friends at such a young age that we developed a close bond. She explained to me when she got older and she could understand it herself that the barriers that shield most dragon shifters from human eyes don't exist when there's a special connection between a human and a dragon shifter. So I can see all dragons now." She laughed at a sudden memory. "When we were kids, I always used to ask if she'd turn me into a dragon."
Cortez gave her another speculative look. "What did she say?"
"That dragon shifters are only born. They can't be made, like other shifter types can." Like bears, she thought, looking at the bear she could see somewhere deep in his golden-brown eyes.
"Huh. Never thought much about it. I don't know many dragon shifters. We've got one guy who lives here in town, but he really keeps to himself. And of course some of them come stay at the lodge, but that's about it. They're pretty different than most other shifter types. They have their own rules."
Haley nodded. "Those kind of differences are exactly why Pix distanced herself from the dragon shifter world. She loves being a dragon, but she never liked to live by all their rules." She flicked up an eyebrow at Cortez. "So is it just a fun thing for Beckett, with her? Or is it more?"
Cortez shrugged again, but a smile ticked up his mouth. "Beckett's reputation with women in town is not for being long-term. But when I ran into him at the store earlier today, I have to tell you he's never behaved like that before. Going back in there to buy a girl flowers." Cortez made a tsk-ing sound. "He's gone and lost his damn mind." But he still grinned. Aha. He was messing with her.
Haley grinned back and threw the closest thing she had at him, which happened to be a sock. He held up his hands in defense, ducking. "Don't you pitch your socks at me, woman. That's some dirty pool."
She laughed with him. God, how she loved this. Just a simple, totally unromantic moment. Sitting on the floor and watching a man fix a sink. But they'd just had the best day together. This morning, Beckett had come by, apologized to Pix, and invited her out to dinner. Assured by her strong, level-headed friend that she would be just fine, Haley had gone to spend the day with Cortez as planned. He took her snowshoeing, and they had snowball fights, and he showed her all the cool little trails around the lodge. They had a picnic lunch. And with each moment she spent with him, she fell more head over heels with what an honorable, genuinely decent human being he was. Uh, shifter. Most of all though, she just liked him. A lot. Totally a lot.
Standing up, mock defensively kicking her sock back at her, Cortez washed his hands at the sink, dried them carefully on a towel, and looked at her. "Well, woman. We spent all day today together. Then you made me a damn good dinner. Then I fixed this damn sink. Again. Got anything in your bedroom that needs fixing?" Slowly, with purpose, he padded toward her.
All her laughter left as quickly as it had arrived. Haley stared, her breath caught in her throat and delicious tingles spreading through her, as her sexy mountain man came toward her. He reached a hand down to her, which she grabbed. He hauled her up so easily, like she was lighter than a feather. So damn big, so damn strong, so damn productive and gentle. She felt safer than anything with him. "There might be," she whispered, watching as his eyes brightened. "This way."
Her fingers still wrapped in his, she turned and led him down the hallway to her room. The second they entered it, he turned back around and pulled her into his arms, and abruptly hoisted her up just like he had that day on the bridge. She squealed like a girl, not even caring since it felt so dang good because suddenly her pelvis was pressed right into his. He had a huge rock-hard erection. Her breathing immediately hitched and got uneven as he strode toward her bed. Then he stopped, looking into her eyes as a devilish little grin came onto his face.
"What are you planning?" she asked, as all the blood in her body seemed to rush to her clit. It got deliciously heavy just from his hungry expression.
"Then I need to slide my dick into that sweet, soft pussy of yours right this second, Haley. That I want to see you come hard and fast for me.”
Holy. Shit. Now mute, her voice strangling in her throat, chest heaving as her breath gasped, she just nodded. He turned and walked them right over to the wall, pressing her back against it and reaching down to urgently unsnap her jeans. He set her down for bare seconds so her could push them and her panties off her, then hoisted her back up again, totally naked from her waist down.
Her fingers shaking, she reached down to pull up the back of his shirt, trying to push down his own jeans.
"Undo them first, woman," he muttered, his hands going to his jeans to undo th
em and pull them down also. He kicked them aside. Carefully, he slipped a finger down into her. She gasped in a hard slice as his fingers found the slick wetness that had begun the second he looked at her in the hall and she knew what he was planning. "Ah, babe." His own voice sounded half strangled too.
Without warning, without preamble, he slid into her, his mouth urgently seeking and finding hers at the same time. She gasped against his lips as he slid in, then back out, then a few more inches in. Back out, and back in all the way, stretching her and filling her.
"Hard and fast," she gasped against him. She'd been aching for him since they'd been interrupted last night and had felt turned on all day. Clearly, so had he. He nodded against her, slamming into her. She grabbed for the back of his neck, his shoulders, and held on, her entire body sizzling with wild heat at their frantic, wild movements. Deep and long, he thrust into her, bringing her already primed body closer to the edge. She grabbed on to the back of his hair, digging her fingernails in, her legs wrapped tight around him as he bucked into her again and again.
Harder and faster, her head even smacked the wall behind her but she didn't care, their tongues tangling and teeth scraping as he fucked her with a savage intensity she matched stroke for stroke. The denial of the night before, the all day long foreplay of simply being in one another's presence, tipped her right at the edge of the sweet abyss in just a few moments. She trembled as he slid into her again, then orgasm exploded around her, even taking her by surprise as it roared in with blistering hot white heat. Her mouth opened in a soundless cry as the waves shattered through her over and over, in time with Cortez pounding against her and the sound of his own guttural moan beginning to break out of his throat. He slammed into her again, so deep, so hard, then cried out with her as he released deep inside her, his hard shaft throbbing and spurting wet heat into her. So good, so good, she couldn't think. Didn't want to. Just enjoyed the blaze of sensation, knowing that he shared it with her at the same time. Together.
