by Linzi Basset
Try as she might, she couldn’t drag her eyes from his. He folded his arms over his chest and leveled a sizzling blue flaming look at her.
“Best you remember that, little snip. You’ve been warned. In this house, there will be consequences for sassing me.” His eyes danced over her naked shoulders. “And yes, you blew in here like a snowflake and you looked as frail as one when I carried you from the wreck.”
Riley clamped her thighs together and cursed her nipples tightening into hard little stones that she could feel poking against the duvet. At least he couldn’t see it! Somehow, the smile that crawled over his lips contradicted that thought. She had no idea how, but the expression on Trent Reeves’ face warned her that he was very aware of how aroused she was.
Hot wheels and damnation! Have I landed in hell? Is he the devil incarnate? Am I dead!?
The thought made her panic. She stabbed at a piece of sausage and popped it in her mouth. She hissed as it burned her tongue but was satisfied that it at least proved she wasn’t stuck in purgatory— with him as Hades, ready to ban her to hell where he ruled as the overlord, ready to make her pay for being sassy.
“Don’t believe that being a little under the weather will excuse you.” He tapped his temple. “I store every incident up here and when you’re back to health …”
“Then what? Are you going to spank me?” she said with a cryptic sneer on her lips. Her eyes widened as he smiled indulgently.
“Be careful what you wish for, Snowflake.”
He was already out the door before Riley managed to squeak, “I didn’t wish for anything! Do you hear me, you … you bully! I said I didn’t wish for anything. Least of all a spanking from your big ass hands!”
His deep chuckle was the only response he offered. Riley had a sneaking suspicion his words hadn’t been of cautionary nature, rather a confirmation of intent.
“Spank me? In your dreams, you big ass giant.”
Riley attacked her food with gusto. Whether to keep her mind occupied or from hunger, she couldn’t say. It was rather disconcerting that the vision of her draped over his legs and his large palm connecting with her naked buttocks, just wouldn’t go away. Nor would the pressure that kept building inside her loins allow her to forget how her body reacted to him as a man.
She had never experienced the like. To be instantly attracted to a man had been a foreign concept to Riley and one she’d always scoffed at in the past. Apart from that, he managed to arouse her without even trying. That completely unsettled her.
“Stop! Great balls of fire, if you carry on like this Riley Miller, you’ll climax just thinking of the dratted man. Now that would be a complete disaster!”
She listened to the voice echoing back at her. The reality of it sank in. If Trent Reeves knew just how badly he affected her, he’d walk right over her and twist her like a pretzel with no more than a look from those daunting and seemingly expressionless midnight blue eyes.
“Well, it stops now. I just met the man for heaven's sake! It must be the bump against my head that’s affecting me like this. Yes! That’s it. As soon as I’m back to normal, so will my wayward ovaries and libido start behaving themselves,” she mumbled around a bite of mushrooms.
It better be all it was. Riley didn’t need anyone to tell her that a man like Trent didn’t suffer fools easily. Nor that he was the kind of man, who once his mind was set on something, saw it to fruition.
There had been a glimmer in his eyes when he’d issued the warning. A glint she had no other choice but to interpret was because her sassy attitude had placed her on his radar.
She was woman enough to know the arousal she felt wasn’t one-sided. She frowned as she pondered over the matter. Trent was one of those men who kept his feelings hidden behind a mask of indifference, stoic and untouched. Maybe she was grasping at straws and he had only indulged her because of the accident.
“Maybe,” she said, dragging the word out. “But there was something else … hmm.” She took a sip of her coffee. She couldn’t put her finger on it but she’d seen the change in him, from a friendly, caring man to one of confidence, power and …
“Oh. My. God!” she gasped as flashes of books she’d read from various authors played through her mind like a movie reel. She clasped her head between her hands as a searing pain tore through her brain. She could hear the frightened wail in her mind.
“Spanking me! He’s a Dominant. A freaking Dom and he … he … oh devil’s pimples no! If he thinks I’m going to submit to him, he’s … he’s …”
Her words dwindled. She loved reading about Domination and submission, about the BDSM lifestyle and gobbled every romance book she could find about it. She even fantasized about it, but not once had she admitted to herself it was something she’d like to embark on. Not even experimentally.
“Hell no. And if I ever did, it wouldn’t be with a Dom as visually powerful as Trent Reeves. Definitely not!”
“Definitely not what?”
Riley started as his gruff voice sounded from the door. She didn’t dare look at him but elected to hide her blushing face behind the large mug of coffee.
“Now you eavesdrop on me as well? What kind of host does that?” she muttered irritably.
He laughed. He outright laughed at her. She shot an annoyed glare at him and then she could only stare. Even expressionless, he was drop dead gorgeous, in a rough way, but when he laughed, he transformed into a Greek god. His eyes gleamed with pleasure and his face relaxed completely, giving him a look she could only describe as a mixture between that of a naughty schoolboy and a wicked man.
Her stupid ovaries erupted in a frizz of Chattanooga dance steps that caused a delicious shiver of arousal to trickle all over her skin.
“My apologies, Miss Miller. I’ll be sure to warn you in the future, so that you and your imaginary friend can stop chatting,” he said as he wiped his eyes dry.
“I don’t have an imaginary … Gmphf!” she ended in an undignified snort.
“I’m glad to see you have a healthy appetite.”
Riley was startled to notice she’d cleaned the plate and only left one piece of toast. She pressed her lips together. She had no intention of explaining to him she usually had a healthy appetite and although thick and delicious, she had enough of soup—especially not since her head had started pounding painfully again.
“Here, this will help.”
He sat down next to her. She took the glass of water as he dropped two tablets in her palm.
“I can see you’re still suffering, so these are strong pain medication. If you need to use the bathroom, I suggest you do so now because they will knock you out in a matter of minutes.”
“Yes, please.” Riley dropped her legs over the side of the bed. She grabbed the duvet as it slipped to her waist. She glanced at him. “Did you perhaps bring my luggage?”
“I did.”
Riley narrowed her eyes at him as he sat watching her, unmoving at her unspoken request for her clothes.
“Well? Could you perhaps fetch it so I can at least get dressed in my pajamas?”
His eyes moved over her naked shoulders, her disheveled hair to salivate over her rosy lips pursed into an enticing pout.
“Sleeping naked is much healthier. Clothes restrict the body to—”
“Thank you, Doctor Reeves. I don’t need a medical lecture. All I want is my clothes.”
An elaborate sigh drifted to the high rafters. “Very well, but first, let me assist you to the bathroom.”
“I’m much better and quite capable of— hey! No, you can’t … put me down … give me that duvet!”
“Stop wriggling, Snowflake, unless it’s an invitation to touch, in which case, I accept. Your injury be damned.”
Riley had never swallowed her words as quickly as that. Her body glimmered with a rosy hue all over by the time he lowered her feet to the floor next to the toilet.
She gasped as she took in the huge and breathtaking bathroom. She was enthralle
d by the gleaming granite countertops, large walnut-framed mirrors, a walk-in shower that was big enough for four people. Large fluffy towels were neatly arranged beneath the counter and the heat under the soles of her feet told her the tile floor had under-floor heating. She drooled over the large oval-shaped jacuzzi tub.
“Two minutes to pee and then I’ll be back. No, you’re not taking a shower. I bathed you last night, so—”
Riley raised horrified eyes at him, her arms and hands covering all her womanly bits as effectively as she could. “You did what!?”
“Bathed you. You know, like they do in hospitals. With a cloth, soap and a bowl of water.”
“Out! Get out of here,” she croaked and plunked down on the toilet when her legs gave in. Just the thought of his large hands stroking over every inch of her body sparked every nerve ending in her body to life. It felt like she sizzled all over.
“Are you sure you’re not going to need help with the toilet paper? I’m quite willing to—”
“Trent Reeves, turn those giant boots in the other direction and march them out of this freaking bathroom. I do not need your help wiping … just get out!” she all but sneered as he began to chuckle.
“As you wish, but only because you’re ill. Next time … I will take the pleasure of assisting you.”
Riley waited until the door closed behind him before she snapped, loud enough for him to hear, “Over my dead body, Reeves.” Then in a softer voice. “The day you assist me, is the day I … I … oh lord, woman, get your head out of the man’s pants!”
Riley finished and quickly wrapped a towel around her before she gingerly walked toward the door, using the wall as a pillar. She couldn’t believe how weak she felt. He was there when she opened the door, grumbling about an obstinate female as he picked her up and carried her to the bed.
“My clothes! Thank you,” she gushed as she noticed her bright purple suitcases on a luggage rack in one corner of the room.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said darkly as he rummaged through one until he found her favorite pair of pink flannel pajamas. “Good lord, I haven’t seen the like of this since my grandmother wore something similar,” he said holding them up as he approached the bed.
“Panties. I need some—”
“No, you don’t.”
“But I … hey! Freaking hell, Reeves, will you stop manhandling me? I can pffdresff myself,” she spluttered as he unceremoniously yanked off the towel and pulled the top over her head. Before she could blink, she had on the pants and he gingerly tucked her back into bed.
“There. Now, snip, go to sleep. I’ll check in again later.”
Riley’s lips wouldn’t stop tingling, long after Trent was gone, courtesy of the hard kiss he’d planted on her lips before he left.
Chapter Four
“Raptor. Come in. Dispatch calling Raptor.”
“Go for Raptor,” Trent said as he punched the speak button on the top of the range Bluetooth system he used to communicate with the special rescue unit in Pigeon Forge. He’d thrown out the walkie talkie system long ago. Modern technology made distant communication so much easier.
“Checking in on your patient. Do you need us to send a chopper? The mountain roads are completely snowed under and the snow sweepers are clearing the town streets first. I’m afraid you’re not going anywhere for a couple of days.”
“She’s fine, just a headache due to a minor concussion but other than that, I believe she’ll be up and about by tomorrow.”
“I’m afraid I have some more bad news.”
“It’s almost Christmas, Sally. Shouldn’t you be aiming for good news?” Trent teased. She was one of the few people who knew him for the man he was and who he liked. Mainly because she refused to let him raise a barrier between them. Over the years she broke down every barricade he’d tried to erect to keep her at a distance. At sixty-five years of age, she reminded him of his mother, which was why it was easy to open up to let her in. He smiled to himself. She didn’t think twice to rap others over the knuckles if they referred to him as the Scrooge of Pigeon Forge because of his closed demeanor when he was around people.
“Am I supposed to guess?” he prodded when she kept quiet. He already knew what she was going to say. He always kept an eye on the weather conditions.
“Well, if the storm system doesn’t let up, at least you’ll have some company this Christmas— apart from your two furry ones, that is.”
“Hmm … let’s hope not.” He shifted in the chair, somewhat surprised that the prospect of having Riley Miller underfoot for two weeks didn’t fill him with the usual disgruntlement of having his privacy invaded.
“You better be prepared, Trent. The warning for the next blizzard says it’s going to be a big one and it should hit us by tonight.”
“Thanks for letting me know, Sally. Don’t worry about us. We’re nice and cozy up here.”
“Stay safe. Dispatch out.”
Trent got up and moved to stand in front of the window. It had been one stipulation he’d made for the architect who had designed the two-story cabin. Large ceiling to floor windows in every room. The view was spectacular and would always be appreciated.
He pondered over his reaction at the thought that Riley might be underfoot for longer than anticipated. She was a beautiful woman but that wasn’t what sparked his interest in her.
The Dom in him was excited by her sassy nature. If she was a novice as far as BDSM was concerned, he’d love to be the one to tap into her natural submissiveness. It would offer him the greatest of pleasure to teach her the fulfillment that giving free rein to that side of her would bring.
Trent hadn’t been ignorant to her reaction to him; indeed, he’d been flattered, which was why he couldn’t resist kissing her earlier. The touch of her soft lips and the way they had unconsciously clung to his had fed the hungry beast inside him. He clawed at Trent’s insides, the prospect of feeding its desire to dominate her, grew stronger just thinking about her.
“Warf! Warf! Yeaoo.”
Trent glanced at Storm who sat next to him, copying his stance as he stared out of the window.
“Yeah, there’s another storm brewing. Come, we better get the truck inside. I don’t want to have to scrape ice off it once the blizzard is over.”
Storm jumped up and ran in an excited circle around Trent. He loved to frolic in the snow.
“Where’s Sheila? Or has she abandoned you again for the patient upstairs?”
“Grurf!” Storm yapped in a disgruntled half-bark. Probably because Sheila wouldn’t allow Storm anywhere near Riley. It was as though she had decided the brunette was her human and he had to keep his distance.
“Hm, don’t worry, buddy. She’ll be gone in a while, then everything will be back to normal.”
Storm followed him outside and jumped on the back of the truck as Trent opened the door. He shook his head.
“You’re a weird dog.”
Sheila always sat inside the cab but Storm preferred to feel the wind through his fur. It gave him the freedom to indulge in his antics of catching snowflakes and howling in the breeze as Trent drove.
Once the truck was safely parked inside the large shed doubling as a garage, Trent secured the doors and stomped through the snow back toward the cottage. He glanced up and his steps slowed. The house at the top of the mountain stood proud and majestic, designed to withstand the forces of nature.
The house that was supposed to be Adrienne’s surprise. A last token to try and save their marriage. It had been in the beginning stages of construction at the time she died. Trent immediately had the architect amend the plans to the kind of house he preferred over the ostentatious style his wife did. At the same time, the cabin had been built, where he preferred to live. The big house stood empty, waiting to be filled with love and warmth. Eventually … maybe children.
“I’d probably be better off selling the damn place,” he muttered to himself as he walked inside the cabin with Storm at his heels. He he
aded to his study where he punched in a code on the communication panel. “Joe, come in, Joe.”
“What’s up, Boss?”
“There’s another blizzard heading this way, worse than the previous one. Please board up the windows, just in case.”
“On it.”
Joe wasn’t a big talker. He was a loner and had grasped the job of caretaker of Trent’s properties with eager hands.
“Warf! Yeooo,” Storm yapped and shook his body. He sniffed the air and barked again.
“You really act like this is a hotel and I’m your butler, you know that?” Trent mumbled but stroked Storm’s ears as he walked to the kitchen to feed him. “Go fetch Sheila. No, don't give me that look. I know you. If she’s not here, you’ll gobble up her food as well.”
“What the devil are you doing?”
“Get out! Damn you, Trent. You can’t just barge in here,” Riley screeched as she scrambled to cover as much of her nakedness from his scorching gaze as she could. She blinked the water from her eyes. She did her best to maintain the appearance of indignance as she stared at him through the falling water of the shower.
“You’re a patient under my care, woman. You don’t just get up and jump in the shower. What if you fell and hit your head while I was outside? Don’t you have any sense? You have a concussion and another bump could be fatal.”
“I’m fine and I’m not a child. Besides, I slept right through the night after the meds you gave me. The headache is gone,” she snipped as she crossed one foot over the other in an attempt to curb the lust that sparked to life under his roving eyes.
“You’re not fine,” he barked. He moved to one side and pointed at the door. “Get out of the shower and march your cute little behind back to bed.”
Riley released a belabored sigh. “Trent, I’m old enough to know my limitations. I promise you the headache is gone. I don’t feel dizzy or have rubbery legs. I can even stand on one foot. Look.” She bravely demonstrated but, in the process, her arms lifted to balance herself. “See … oh shit,” she moaned as she realized he was looking … with a wide smile but not at her wobbly one leg stance. Oh, no, his blue gaze seared over her exposed girlie bits.
