Love at the End of the World

by Christiana Miller

  Caleb did a quick survey of the cabin, making sure no one was inside. The interior of the log cabin was simple, but cozy. Instead of the stereotypical animal heads mounted on the walls that he imagined most bush cabins had, large paintings of Alaskan flora added color to the room. Just above the fireplace rested a giant painting of Mount Denali, the colors of the sunset reflected on the snowy peak, the highest in North America. It was a beautiful painting, but so were the rest in the house. Did she paint them?

  Caleb shook the question off. Getting to know his bounties was off-limits. It was important not to let the mission get personal. Deciding to keep himself busy until the homeowner returned, he checked out the books that lined the bookshelf in the bedroom.

  Taking a closer look at the titles, Caleb realized they were all romance novels save for one or two books of maps and wildlife. Although the drone photographs hadn’t captured any images of men, he’d found it hard to believe she was truly alone out in the wilderness. But the collection of books did indeed seem more like it belonged solely to a woman.

  Unsure of when she would return, Caleb made himself at home. He easily found the coffee in the small kitchen and put some water on to boil. In the meantime, he’d build a fire. Not able to locate any wood by the hearth, he donned his jacket and went outside to find the woodpile. He was surprised to find the stack was abysmal. He wasn’t the expert on living in the Alaskan bush, but he imagined having a healthy woodpile would be important.

  Barking sounded in the distance, drawing Caleb’s attention. Through the thick snow flurries, he saw a dog sled approaching. Just as he sharpened his focus, he noticed the figure fall off the back. The dogs immediately halted. Caleb ran toward the sled on instinct.

  When he arrived, the dogs yelped and whined, more worried about their owner than concerned for his presence. Caleb took in the sight of the crumpled, fur-covered figure on the ground. He knelt beside the body and turned it over. The hood fell back and Caleb was taken aback when he recognized the face. The skin that had looked like porcelain in pictures now looked ice-white. The pink in her cheeks was gone. He hauled her up over his shoulder and stood on the sled. Not waiting for a command, the dogs started to run toward the cabin.

  As soon as they reached the home, Caleb carried the woman inside and laid her on the couch near the hearth. He immediately retrieved the wood from outside, eyeing the dogs still tied to the sled. He thought about untying them, but decided to get the fire going first on the chance that they tried to maul him now that their owner had disappeared.

  Once inside, Caleb lit a fire. He appraised the woman’s unconscious form and was happy to note the rise and fall of her chest. Caleb knelt by the couch and lifted her up just enough to ease off her coat and gloves so that her skin would be warmed by the heat of the fire as it grew.

  The woman stirred, moaning, but not opening her eyes. Caleb moved away, waiting with baited breath to see if he was about to officially meet his target. As he stared at her, he appraised her beauty. Her eyes were closed, but the lashes resting on her cheeks were full and thick, damp from snowflakes melting on her skin. Her lips were slightly chapped and swollen from the wind. For a moment, he contemplated warming them with his lips. He shook his head, hoping to shake some sense into himself. Sometimes seduction was part of his bait, but never on an unconscious woman.

  Her eyelids lifted just enough for him to confirm she had green eyes. “My dogs...”

  “You’re okay.”

  Her eyes closed once more. “My dogs. They need food.” Just like that, her consciousness lapsed, but color was already returning to her cheeks.

  Since her only concern seemed to be about her huskies, Caleb donned his coat to go out and see if he could care for them. He headed back into the cold, and the dogs were still lying in the snow, attached to the sled, their eyes rapt on him. They appeared more concerned than angry.

  “Easy, dogs. I’m going to take you inside and hopefully find your food.” He unclipped the line, and they disregarded him and ran to the front door.

  Caleb climbed the steps to the porch and let them in. Instead of heading to the kitchen, they immediately went to the couch where the woman lie. They both licked her hands. She stirred once more, and he thought he noticed her hands curl against their fur before they went still.

  Caleb searched the cupboards but didn’t find anything that resembled dog food. Next he opened the fridge and found some salmon fillets. “That’ll do.” He took the fish out of the fridge, and in only moments the dogs were at his side. “I guess this is a good way for us to meet. Now you guys will be less inclined to tear my face off.”

  He set the dinner down and watched them feast on the fish. The dogs were stunning creatures. Both were mixes of white and gray fur with icy blue eyes. Possibly siblings?

  Remembering the water on the stove, Caleb turned off the heat and retrieved the french press from a nearby shelf. The scent of strongly brewed coffee wafted into the air. Desire burned in his stomach at the intoxicating scent. If he had one addiction, it was certainly caffeine. Everything else was off-limits.

  “Do I smell coffee?”

  The soft voice nearly made Caleb drop the french press. He looked up. There she was, standing only a foot away at the entrance of the kitchen. She swayed on her feet. Caleb set the coffee down and reached for her, but she steadied herself, grasping the kitchen counter.

  “Don’t be alarmed,” Caleb cautioned, expecting her to either freak out or faint again.

  “My dogs are fed and there’s coffee.” She let go of the counter, seeming to trust herself to stand.

  He waited for the rest of her proclamation, but instead of talking, she just reached for a coffee mug and pushed past him to grab the french press. She poured herself a cup and left the kitchen, leaving Caleb alone and contemplating what just happened.

  He followed her into the living room where she sat on the couch by the fire, clutching the coffee like it was all she needed to survive. “You must be in shock. You passed out in the snow.”

  “Shhh.” She closed her eyes as she took a sip of the liquid.

  Was he just shushed by a woman? Caleb raised a brow at the curious female. “Do you mind if I join you?”

  She nodded, pointing to the cabinet where he’d seen her grab a coffee mug. Caleb fought a grin, realizing he was more than surprised at how the evening was unfolding. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat across from her in a chair by the fire. He watched her intently, curious for her next move, increasingly surprised when she continued drinking her coffee in silence rather than interrogate him about his presence in her cabin in the middle of nowhere.

  Caleb took a long sip of the strong brew and enjoyed the sensation of the fire filling the room with heat. “This is good coffee.”

  The woman met Caleb’s gaze for the first time, and he noticed how bright her green eyes were. Framed by thick, black lashes, they were almost blinding in the dark cabin. She may not have spoken, but he saw sentences swimming in her eyes. They were so damn expressive, he felt unnerved.

  His stomach turned with an unfamiliar sensation. Too much caffeine on an empty stomach? His dick slowly filled out in his jeans, hardening. He broke her gaze and looked at the fire. Fuck! The female had made him hard with just a glance? Oh yeah, his employer would definitely fetch a price for her. Her kids would be fucking perfect.

  “Now,” she broke the silence. “I’ll take a refill, and you can explain what you’re doing in my cabin.”

  * * * *

  The stranger filling up the small space in her cabin was well over six feet tall with shoulders so broad she imagined they barely fit through her front door. His strong jaw was set so that his expression was devoid of emotion. His brown eyes peeked over the coffee mug as he drank, never taking his eyes off her. The intensity should’ve scared her, but instead, Aurora was in awe.

  He was probably the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen, so what the hell was he doing out in the Alaskan bush? He was clean-shaven and w
earing boots that were way too clean, so he had to be from the lower forty-eight, but the man had fed her dogs and brewed a damn good cup of coffee, so he couldn’t be too bad.

  “You get lost from a tour group?” Aurora took a sip from her refill. The hot coffee warmed her from the inside out, and she was feeling better by the moment.

  “I find you passed out in the snow and I’m the lost one?”

  The clipped tone in his voice led Aurora to believe he wasn’t impressed by the fact she assumed he could be lost. She remained silent, drinking her coffee while she waited for him to answer her question. Seconds ticked by in silence, as if they were waging a war of wills as to who would divulge their story first.

  Aurora could play this game forever; she loved the quiet. She used the moment to appraise more of his appearance. He leaned against the wall of the cabin, his arms folded over his chest. The black turtleneck hugged muscles that she figured were built in a gym rather than working the land as she did. He wore cargo pants, but she imagined the pockets were empty. In Alaska, those pockets would carry a Leatherman, bear spray, and a gun would be holstered or tucked into the back.

  If he wasn’t going to tell her what he was doing out in the Alaskan bush, there were other ways she could survey his intentions. Hermit or not, I’ve read about this in enough romance novels to play the part of the seductress.

  Aurora set her coffee mug on the floor and stood, capturing the man’s focus, but he kept his arms folded across his chest, still clutching his coffee mug. Channeling her inner seductress, she closed the distance between them and took the drink from him, placing it on the nearby mantel.

  Aurora kept her gaze rapt on his, placing both of her hands on his biceps. The heat of his skin branded her fingertips, but she maintained a steady hand. Her fingers fanned out over the muscular mass, surveying his strength. She found approval lurking in his dark eyes and realized that she was more excited than nervous. And she should be nervous. Very nervous.

  Using him as leverage, she lifted onto her tiptoes and found his lips. The softness of the kiss caught her off guard and she nearly lost herself in the moment. He didn’t pull back from the kiss, so she deepened it, noticing that their lips fit together perfectly.

  She opened her mouth to explore the handsome stranger more intimately. Her tongue slipped inside, welcomed by his own. He stroked her tongue slowly, an expert in the art of the kiss. Aurora’s hands moved down his arms, finding his hard torso, but continuing south. She explored lower, feeling his pockets to search out any familiar contents. No knife. No cellphone.

  The stranger deepened the kiss, but she tried to focus despite the dizzying effects of his lips. She reached around his back to check his waistband for a gun. But just before she made it, the stranger scooped her up with one hand and turned her so that her back hit the wall with a thud. The air escaped her lungs in a moan just as he deepened the kiss. Now she was lost.

  Her hands forgot about the search, and instead, her fingers threaded through his dark hair. The hand he used to lift her, gripped her ass, causing a very primal reaction in Aurora. With her legs wrapped around him, she felt his hard erection pressing against her core, and it both terrified and excited her. Although she had meant to be in control and distract the man while she searched him, she was prey to his touch. Heat surged between her legs, and she wondered briefly if he could feel it since her legs were wrapped tightly around him.

  As if to answer her question, he deepened the kiss, causing her head to tilt back against the wall. A pleasured moan escaped her, and the sound snapped her back to reality. What the hell am I doing? She never brought men home and now she was practically begging for this complete stranger to have his way with her.

  Deciding to do what she could to remain in control, she bit his lower lip hard enough that she thought it would draw blood. He groaned, but didn’t release her lips. Instead, he dug his fingers into her ass, making her melt once more, a captive of her own lust.

  The stranger halted the kiss, but loosened his grip on her. “If you thought that would deter me, you’re wrong. I can handle a little pain.” His gaze bore into hers, the brown color cast with flecks of amber that made them appear to be on fire.

  “Is that a challenge?” she asked.

  Aurora acted, reaching for where a gun would’ve been tucked into the back of his pants. Her fingertips found the metal she suspected would be there, and she pulled the gun out and pointed it at him. She cocked the forty-five to show him she meant business.

  “Now, I’ll ask you again, what are you doing in my cabin?”

  Chapter 3

  Caleb contemplated taking the gun back from her, which would have been like taking candy from a baby, but then he’d have to take his hands off her ass—which he really didn’t want to do. The round curves filled the palms of his hands nicely and he was quite content to leave them where they were, even if the woman did have his gun in her hand.

  “I don’t think you’re going to shoot me. I think you want to finish what we’ve started.” Caleb didn’t blink, challenging her to assert otherwise.

  He knew she’d been trying to search him in the beginning, but the way her body responded to his couldn’t be faked. Her nipples were as hard as pebbles beneath her shirt, and heat practically melted from between her legs. The soft moans that had escaped her during the kiss sounded real enough.

  “It was just an act to disarm you.” Her viridian eyes challenged. “Which worked.”

  In an easy move, Caleb drew the other gun he had hidden on his person. He offered the barrel to her. “Trust me now?”

  She took the weapon, but he didn’t miss the blush that crept into her cheeks. Apparently, the woman wasn’t used to being caught off guard. She cocked the gun he’d just handed over, and Caleb had two revolvers aimed at his face.

  He almost smiled. “I’ll take that as a no.” His draw hand returned to her bottom so that he could hold her once more with both hands.

  “Put me down…gently.”

  “Of course. You don’t think I would be gentle with you?” As if he had something to prove, he eased her down so softly that her feet didn’t make a sound when they touched the floor.

  “I don’t know you.”

  “We can change that,” Caleb proposed. His dick hardened at the thought. Never before had he been so intrigued by a woman. “Let me show you how gentle I can be. I promise, I’ll put those romance novels you read to shame.”

  Her cheeks flamed red. “You asshole! You stalked my bookshelf while I was unconscious?”

  This time Caleb did grin. “I say we do page thirty-nine from The Pirate’s Captive Lover.”

  Her brows furrowed, but as she glared at him, her lips turned up ever so slightly. She looked away in a failed attempt to hide her smile. Finally, she looked at him with a raised brow. “You think you’re cute, huh?”

  “I think my appearance doesn’t matter. What I know is that I can make you come more times than you can count. And judging by the way you kissed me, you want to take me up on that challenge.”

  “What I want is for you to tell me your name and why you’re out here in the middle of nowhere at my cabin.”

  “I could ask you the same question. Why is a beautiful woman like you living alone out in the Alaskan bush with only two huskies to keep you company for over sixty miles?”

  Her gaze narrowed at him. “How did you know the nearest village is sixty miles away?”

  Fuck. This woman had indeed disarmed him. He’d never accidentally revealed his intel. He lied, “I was flying when I saw a storm approach, so I put the Cub down in a valley nearby. I’d already flown past the village. I saw your cabin from the air and thought the owner wouldn’t mind offering me refuge from the storm. I wasn’t expecting to find a single, beautiful female.”

  “How do you know my husband isn’t out hunting and could return at any moment?”

  “You’ve got quite the collection of romance novels in your bedroom. That means that no matter how deva
stating my looks are, you probably wouldn’t be kissing a stranger if you had a man. You’re too much of a romantic.”

  Just like that, her gaze softened. “Well, since you know so much about me, I might as well introduce myself. My name is Aurora.” She nodded toward the dog beds. “And that’s Belle and Beast.”

  So he was right, she was definitely a romantic. This mission might be even easier than he thought. “My name is Caleb. I’m visiting from California. I’m a hobby pilot, thought I’d get out and see Alaska from the air.”

  “You know, fancy-pants hobby pilots die out in the bush here all the time. Their planes are scattered throughout these mountains.”

  “And yet the closest I’ve come to death today was a pretty woman holding two pistols in my face. I’m a lucky man.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll put these someplace safe until you’re gone.”

  She didn’t wait for his answer, instead, she turned away from him and disappeared around the corner to the bedroom. He wished like hell he could follow her in there and finish what they’d started, but he had the feeling she was the type of woman who preferred to do things on her terms. He needed her to trust him, so he’d hang back and wait for her to come to him.

  Aurora returned wearing a fresh change of clothes. Although the white turtleneck and black leggings covered her skin, the tight fabric left little to the imagination. He’d already held her ass in his hands, but now he noticed the full breasts that had escaped his touch. He remembered how hard her erect nipples had been when she’d been turned on by his kiss. God, he wanted to feel that again. Give it time. Caleb had never failed to seduce a woman.

  “Are you hungry?” Aurora grabbed her hair and began braiding it. The blonde plaits came together and she tied it at the bottom.

  “I could eat.” Although if they had things his way, his dinner would be served between her legs. If she’d gotten so excited just kissing him, he could only imagine the pleasure she’d experience if he went down on her.