by Tena Stetler
“Son, I’m glad you came back.”
“I’m not back. My home is in Lobster Cove with Pepper at the rehab center. I found peace and belonging there.”
For a fleeting moment, disappointment clouded his father’s eyes before he said, “I’m happy for you. But I didn’t see a ring on your woman’s finger nor sense a claiming bite. What are you waiting for—or is it her?”
“It’s tough to explain. There are problems within her family that need to be straightened out before I can subject her to that kind of claim or commitment. I’m sure you’ve deduced that she is not a werewolf.”
His father nodded slowly.
Lathen paused. “She’s a witch, a white witch, but powerful all the same.” It was happening again like it used too, rambling when his father gave him that sharp, knowing look.
“I see.” Elijah continued to stare at Lathen without saying anything else.
“When the time is right, we’ll discuss it,” he said firmly. “Until then she needs her space and concentration on her family situation.”
There was a long pause before his father spoke.
“Smart man.” The corner of his father’s mouth kicked up in a crooked grin. “The woman and Lobster Cove have been good for you. I wish you’d come back to the pack lands, but I understand why you can’t.”
“I appreciate it. Dad, Pepper would like to see Denali, spend a couple of nights inside the park. Can you recommend a good guide and place to stay? It’s been so long since…”
His dad’s grin widened. “Amy—Amy.”
She pushed open the sliding glass door and stepped out. “What are you bellowing about out here, Eli?”
“How’d you like to spend the next couple days in Denali, with Pepper and Lathen?”
Her brows knitted together, then smoothed out. “Oh, are you going to lead a tour, six days before our wedding?” she asked incredulously as Pepper peeked over her shoulder.
“I was thinking about it. A tour of four, spend a couple nights in the backcountry and stay at the Lodge inside Denali if I can work it out. The plans for the wedding are done. Could be back Wednesday evening, or so.”
“Sound great. When do we leave?” Amy said, wiping her hands on the towel she held.
Elijah turned to Lathen. “Watch the steaks, don’t overcook them. Might want Pepper’s done a bit more than ours,” he chuckled. “I need to make a couple phone calls. Plan on leaving at first light tomorrow.”
Lathen turned the steaks until they were done to perfection. I don’t think I’m the only one that has changed around here. Pepper stepped around Amy and joined him.
“Are we really going to Denali tomorrow morning?” she squeaked. “Really? Just like that?”
“Just like that.” He nodded. “Guess there is no use bringing our stuff in the house. We’ll spend the night at Cantrell and meet them here before dawn.” Lathen’s normal low rumble pitched higher at his excitement. As a boy, the backcountry had always been his favorite place with his dad.
Elijah came into the dining room just as Lathen sat the platter of steaks in the middle of the table. “All set. We’ll take my truck, since I don’t think your rental company would appreciate you taking their new SUV where we’re headed.”
After dinner, clean-up was a joint effort, and then they settled on the couch again to enjoy Amy’s special chocolate cheesecake with graham cracker crust and cherries on top. Elijah threw more logs on the fire to chase away the chill of the late summer night, so he said, but Lathen thought it was more for ambiance.
He glanced over and saw Pepper try to stifle a yawn. But he was unable to stop the jaw-popping yawn that sneaked up on him. The whirlwind trip had caught up with him. “I guess we need to be going. Made reservations at the Lodge in Cantwell.” Standing, he helped Pepper to her feet.
“You’ll do no such thing. Call and cancel” Amy said, Elijah nodding beside her.
“We have a newly remodeled guest room waiting for you. Bring your stuff in, spend the night. At dawn, we’ll be ready to go. Easier all around,” his father declared as there was a knock on the door.
Elijah glanced at this watch. “Shit, who the hell’s coming around here this time of night?” He yanked open the door to a tall, lanky man with jet black hair and muscular body. His face was tense and his lips drawn into a thin line.
“Sorry about this, Eli, but Todd got himself into a terrible mess. Caught in a car he stole from Jason on the road into Cantrell. Three sheets to the wind, he’s threatening to show the deputies who arrested him just how big and bad he is. I got the call about three minutes ago as I was…uhh…driving by on the way home.”
“Dave. Come on, you were sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the increased traffic past my house because there is a strange car parked outside.” He gave a bark of laughter and sobered. “Have them release him into your custody. Lock him down in the community center and let him sober up. Get Clara to fix him three meals a day, and we’ll deal with him when I get back. Tell her we’ll work compensation out later.”
“When he gets—well, you know like he does.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “Where are you going? Isn’t Saturday the big day?”
“Yes, that’s why you as my second in charge should be handling this, not bothering me.”
Dave winced. “They won’t release him to me, only you.”
Resigned, Elijah huffed. “Okay. Go on out to the truck. I’ll be there in a minute.” When he closed the door, he turned to the group. “Gotta handle this—might be gone a while. We still leave at dawn. Only, Lathen, you may need to drive while I get a little shut eye.” He blew out a breath. “Todd’s gonna wish he’d never been born, when I’m through with him,” Elijah fumed as he strode out the door.
Lathen’s lips twitched and then turned up in a wicked grin. “Boy, I don’t envy Todd. Seen that expression way too many times.” Pulling the door open, he peered outside and chuckled. “I’m going to go get our stuff out of the SUV. Dad and Dave are gone, and I don’t see any more vehicles in the immediate area.”
He gathered their luggage while Pepper called The Lodge in Cantwell and canceled the reservations. When he returned, she was still on the phone.
“He just walked back in. Put Dad on the phone.” Pepper covered the phone with her hand. “Dad said there’s been some trouble with the back-ordered supplies. Supposedly someone canceled the order?” She shrugged and handed her phone to Lathen.
“Duncan, what’s going on?” Lathen listened intently. “Okay, there’s been some kind of mix-up. The order form, back order, and shipping status notice are together lying on Pepper’s desk in the pending box. Pull ’em out and call the distributor in the morning. Find out who canceled the order, then tell them to get the pipe coming immediately.”
He paused a couple beats. “We’ll haggle over the freight when I get back. If they give you any static, talk to Desmond, he’s my super on the project. Have him order from an alternate source and just get it here.”
Lathen listened another minute or two. “Yeah, don’t worry about the cost of shipping. I’ll handle that later. Oh, we’ll be out of touch until Wednesday evening, going into the backcountry in Denali.”
He nodded and listened for a moment. “If I have cell service, I’ll call. Otherwise, I’d appreciate it if you and Desmond could handle it. Gotta get that pipe.”
He handed the phone back to Pepper. “Your mom wants to talk to you.” Pacing to the door and back several times, he paused beside Pepper.
After Pepper got off the phone, she glanced at him and caught his arm. Standing on tiptoe, she whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry. Dad has a way of making things happen, even if it’s not…” She waggled her hand back and forth. “—exactly how—uh—mortals would do it…if you get my drift.”
Lathen grinned. “Got it.” He kicked off his shoes and picked them up. “Breakfast at five a.m., so we are on the road by dawn about six? Ready to head to bed?”
“
Sure. Good night, Amy.” Pepper gave her a hug.
“Night, Amy.” Lathen wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. “The guest room, top of the stairs to the left? My old room?”
“Yes, so your father told me.”
A couple of hours before dawn, after a restless night, Lathen was relieved to hear the rumble of his father’s truck as it pulled into the driveway. He considered getting up for a moment, instead rolled over and gathered Pepper to him and fell into a deep sleep.
He opened one eye when Pepper’s warm, moist lips pressed against his. When he opened the other eye, Pepper was standing over him fully dressed. The sunlight filtered through the white lace curtains, and the birds chirped to greet the morning. Bolting upright, his nostrils flared at the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee along with the sizzle of bacon coming from downstairs.
“We’re late.” Lathen checked his watch.
“Relax, breakfast is ready. Amy and I decided to let you and your dad sleep while we prepared the food. Neither of you had a very restful night. Besides, she said road construction on Highway 3 will slow things down anyway.”
“Okay. Highway 3 is the only road in and out of Denali. Dad won’t be happy.”
“We’ll let Amy handle that. She’s getting Elijah up as we speak. She thought we’d all enjoy what he has planned for this evening more if the two of you got a bit more sleep. Tomorrow morning will be good for the dawn tour of wildlife in the park.” Pepper stepped away from him as he reached for her, paused in the doorway, smiled, and blew him a kiss. “Get dressed. Food’s getting cold.”
After breakfast, Elijah tossed the keys to Lathen. “You drive. Still remember the way?”
“Of course. There were times when the memories of our trips to Denali were all that kept me going.” He paused for a couple beats. “We’re staying in the cabins at Back Country Lodge?”
“Yep. Tonight we’ll go on a twilight tour in the truck. Pepper will love it. Tomorrow at dawn we’ll hike to an area known for wildlife sightings. Afterward, we’ll catch lunch and join a bus tour up Park Road with a good friend. First time I’ve been a tourist rather than the guide. Kinda looking forward to it.” His dad climbed in the back seat of the truck beside Amy and rested his head on her shoulder, his eyes blinked slowly as he scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed.
Arriving about midmorning, Elijah went to pick up the keys to the cedar cabins, while Lathen carried the bags to the cabin doors and waited.
Lathen unlocked the door and dropped the bags, watching Pepper rush through the room out to the deck of their cabin and stared into the pristine Alaskan outdoors. “This is a dream come true,” she said in awe.
He stepped behind her and slid his hands slowly along her shoulders, feathering his fingertips at the sides of her breasts, then wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her against him. His lips brushed the side of her neck and breathed a kiss there. When his lips touched the shell of her ear, he whispered, “Tonight, we’ll be alone, and I’ll have my way with you.”
She shivered in his arms and twisted on tiptoe to nibble at his neck while gently caressing her fingers over his chest. “Promises, promises.” She turned around and leaned against him staring out into the Alaskan wilderness.
A light knock broke the spell. “You two ready for lunch and a hike?” Elijah’s deep baritone voice resounded on the other side of the wooden door.
“Sure, we’ll be right there,” Lathen called out and brushed a gentle kiss at her neck, inhaling her luscious scent. “Until tonight.” Pepper slipped on a hoodie, and they joined his dad and Amy on the front deck.
Elijah led them along less traveled trails, where wildlife was abundant. A young golden eagle screamed and swooped after a bald eagle who’d crossed into its territory. As they walked along a ridge, down below a grizzly lumbered across the meadow. The bear stopped for a beat, nose in the air. Pepper stood mesmerized, then grabbed her camera, taking a shot before the bear disappeared into the trees.
She blew out a breath. “Such a majestic animal.”
“True, but dangerous if confronted,” Elijah said quietly leading them further into the backcountry. The occasional rustle of leaves or cracking of a twig were the only sounds. He held out his hand and stopped, pointing at a huge bull moose several yards ahead to his left. Pepper raised her camera and Elijah held up one finger as the animal’s head swung around to look in their direction. After a couple minutes, the moose returned to eating. Elijah nodded for Pepper to snap the picture, and they retreated to a trail leading to higher ground.
By late afternoon, the group headed back to the cabins. Returning from the hike, Lathen said, “I think we’ll have dinner in our cabin, kick back, and enjoy a little alone time, if that’s all right with you two.”
A sly smile crossed his father’s lips as his hand slid from Amy’s waist to her hip. “I was thinking the same thing. How about we postpone the twilight tour drive until tomorrow night?”
“Sounds good. See ya tomorrow morning. At dawn?” Lathen verified.
“Yep.” his dad confirmed.
****
As Pepper waited, Lathen pushed the door to their cabin open and swept her up in his arms as they entered the room, pushing the door closed with his foot. He let her down on her feet inside the small kitchenette. He walked to the blinds pulled to one side of the sliding glass doors at the end of the room beside the bed and closed them.
She picked up a room service menu and waved it toward him. “Do you want order off this menu?”
When he turned around to gaze at Pepper, a slow seductive smile curved the corners of his lips. “Not what I’m hungry for.” He took off his flannel shirt, tossed it on the bed, and stalked toward her. Her eyes grew round as she watched his approach. In one smooth action, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.
Air whooshed out as she squealed. “What are you doing?”
“Having my way with you, as promised.” He picked her up, sat her on the counter, positioned himself between her legs.
She watched the growing ridge beneath the zipper of his jeans. Desire shot to her intimate parts, even as she tried to wiggle away.
He feathered his fingers down her sides, across her belly, settling at the waistband of her jeans, unbuttoned and slid them over her hips as she continued to shift from hip to hip.
Lathen brought his mouth down on hers hungrily. Parted her lips with his tongue, exploring the recesses of her mouth, her tongue joined his touching, tasting, enjoying the sensation. The caress of his lips on her mouth and down her neck sent shivers through her. Pepper leaned her head back as he nudged aside her purple scooped-neck sweater and slid his tongue between her breasts. His hand slid under her sweater and released the clasp of her bra. Fingers curled in the bottom of her sweater, and he tugged it over her head, leaving her firm mounds bare to his gaze. The sweater dropped to the floor while his hands caressed her breasts, his mouth licked, and teeth scraped lightly over her nipples, then sucked the rosy peaks.
When his mouth moved to her belly, she moaned and arched up to him. Hand on his chest, she pushed against him reaching for his zipper, drawing it down and flicking her thumb under the button of his pants, releasing it. In one quick swipe, she pulled his jeans and underwear below his hips. Her foot slipped between his legs and shoved the denim below his knees. The jeans pooled on the floor, and he stepped forward out of them, his erection brushing between her legs where she was already hot, already wet. In her entire life, no man had made her feel like this, enveloped in a sexual haze, willing to allow…anything. Even on the kitchen counter.
His nostrils flared at the scent of her arousal. “Ready for me, are you?” Lathen asked seductively.
In answer, she arched her hips toward him, spreading her legs wider, an invitation. His eyes met hers and held for second. She felt the heat as his gaze wandered over her naked body, pausing between her legs for a beat. He lowered his head and growled, vibration teasing her breast as his tongue flick
ed over the nipple. The tip of his tongue circled her belly button, then licked further down until he trailed wet kisses along the soft flesh where her hip connected to her thigh. He bent lower and rested his hands on the inside of her upper thighs.
Pepper scooted to the edge of the counter trying to get closer as his thumbs stroked her. She squirmed, moaned, and leaned back on her elbows, pulling her knees out to her sides, feet resting on the counter’s edge, then on his broad shoulders.
Pausing, he studied her and brought his gaze back to hers. “You are absolutely beautiful,” he whispered, his warm breath caressing her center.
Never a screamer during sex, she couldn’t help the scream that ripped from her lungs when the first climax crashed through her. Wave after wave pulsed as he held on to her hips until she stilled. Her chest heaving, he pulled away with a soft kiss..
“Now that’s pleasure,” he said with satisfaction. “Ready for round two?”
She shook her head, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks as his gaze blatantly swept over her naked body splayed on the counter before him.
Chuckling, he said, “Sure you are.” He got to his feet and took a nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue as he pressed against her opening. Slowly, he slid inside, then pulled out, only to repeat the action deeper each time.
She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of him sliding inside her as her muscles clenched around him.
“Like that, don’t ya.” When he lifted her off the counter and buried himself to the hilt inside her, he shivered.
“Nearly lost it, huh?” she snickered, wrapping her legs around him, leaning back as he carried her to the bed. He pulled out and tossed her in the middle of the bed.
“Not even close.” He crawled between her spread legs on the bed, trailed kisses from her hip and thigh across her belly. Finally took her mouth with his, positioning himself at her opening, teasing her entrance.
With a quick thrust of hips, she knocked him off balance, pushed him to his back, and straddled him. Pepper held his gaze, pressing his arms into the bed above his head, and grabbed a condom from the nightstand. She grinned wickedly and hovered her wet center over his erection. “My turn,” she chirped, caressing him. His eyes closed, a low rumble came from his throat. He arched up. She slithered along his body, biting lightly on his nipples, soothed them with her tongue, and pressed her breasts against his wide muscular chest. She loved the feel, the scent of him.
