by Starr, Maia
Without warning, the man stood up and cleared his throat. “Hey! Everyone in this bar, enough with the staring. You’re annoying Addison here. She isn’t an attraction for you to gawk at, got it?”
To Addison’s surprise, every pair of eyes darted away. Nobody was staring at her anymore, and even as the man turned and sat down, nobody dared to sneak a quick peek.
Stunned, Addison turned back to the man. “How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Get people to listen to you like that?”
“Oh, that?” The man grinned at her. “It’s what happens when people realize I’m the alpha around here.”
“Alpha?”
The man didn’t answer but instead threw out his hand in greeting. “I’m Flint, by the way. I was outside the inn when you arrived with May earlier.”
“Yeah, I remember.” Addison took his hand and shook, making a mental note about how strong his grip was, how small her hand felt in his.
Will popped over a moment later with a short glass filled with whiskey and ice. “On the rocks for you, Flint, just like always.”
Flint tipped an imaginary hat to the bartender and turned his attention back to Addison, whose whole body warmed when his eyes brushed over her.
“So, I’m guessing May told you my name, then?” Addison asked. “Unless you have some mind-reading ability?”
Flint chuckled. She noted that his laugh was strangely adorable—and contagious, as Addison began to giggle along with him. “Sadly, no. I don’t have any cool superpowers like that. Nothing unnatural.”
There was a sharpness to his voice that Addison found so damn hot. If she’d known men like Flint existed, she’d have made time for dating years ago. Addison could picture Lindsay’s reaction to her current situation, and she knew her friend would freak out as soon as Addison told her about it.
Will placed another grapefruit crush in front of Addison, and she slid it toward her, gulping half the contents down in one go and licking her bottom lip. Flint continued to watch her with his unwavering intensity.
“So, what’s a beautiful woman like you doing on an island like this?” he asked.
Addison laughed at the line, almost forgetting about the events of the past week. Flint was just too engrossing, but Addison realized she needed to get a grip. Flint was just a man, after all, and men had always been after her. But… never once had she taken an interest in another man like she had in the one beside her.
“Just getting away… from city life,” Addison said, doing her best to sound as legitimate as possible. “It was getting kind of stuffy back in Seattle. I needed to leave, to come out to a more natural setting.”
“What about your family? Friends?”
Chuckling nervously, Addison took another sip of her drink. “My family still lives in the suburbs, and I didn’t have too many close friends I needed to worry about. Besides, I’m not too far away. I can still go see them, so I’m not too worried about it.”
She couldn’t help but think of her life back home in Seattle, and her mouth turned down in a frown as a lump formed in her throat. Talking about leaving her life behind hurt, and although she didn’t want to turn off Flint, she couldn’t help her reaction. Addison ran the tip of her finger along the rim of her drink, circling it.
“Homesick, huh?” Flint said, taking a sip of his whiskey.
She glanced at Flint. He wore a relaxed expression, but he was focused on her. Addison smiled sheepishly. “So, you noticed.”
“I can help with that, you know…” Flint said, his expression darkening with what she recognized as desire. He leaned toward her so he could whisper in her ear. He spoke so softly only she could hear, and even she had to strain to make out the words. What he proposed set her blood boiling and her heart racing, but when he leaned away for her response, she simply nodded.
Flint smiled wickedly, tossed a few dollars on the counter for Will, and then, grabbing her hand, led her out of the bar.
* * *
Flint shoved open the door to Addison’s room at the Silver Inn with his shoulder and carried her inside, her body pressed to his, her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs locked around his waist. He kicked the door closed behind him, shrouding the room in darkness, and pushed Addison as gently as he could manage up against the wall, his lips locked with hers.
Flint steadied Addison against the wall, trailing his mouth down to nuzzle Addison’s neck, the sting of his rough stubble and the nip of his teeth soothed by the soft kisses he pressed to her skin. His hands were everywhere, running up and down her sides and gripping at her ass. Addison shivered as she let her head fall back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling and trying to catch her breath.
“Don’t tell me,” Addison gasped. “It’s been a while for you, huh?”
Breaking away from her collarbone, where his open-mouthed kisses had dampened her skin, he held her to his body with a firm grip on her hips, turned, and tossed her onto the bed, a move that both startled and turned Addison on as she landed on her back, bouncing a little on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbows to watch Flint saunter over. He yanked off his shirt and threw it on the ground, grinning at her.
He placed one knee on the bed and then climbed between her legs, looming over her as his fingers dug into her thighs. Addison gasped and squirmed at his touch, instinctively gripping his shoulders. Flint pushed her hands away, pressing her wrists to the bed on either side of her head, and then, when he was sure she’d stay put, he worked her jeans down her hips.
“You have no idea,” Flint rasped as he tugged the tight jeans off her legs, running his fingers over her exposed skin as he went. Once they were off, he grasped her shirt and tore it down the middle. Addison would have complained about Flint’s destructive action if she weren’t so turned on by it, but instead, she decided to play his game. She shoved him away from her with a sly smile, making him fight for every inch he sought.
He chuckled at her attempts. “Sorry about the shirt,” he murmured into her neck, pinning her wrists to the bed again.
He kissed his way down between her breasts, his lips—and the chilly night air—leaving goosebumps on her skin. His breath tickled as he kissed her ribcage, and she giggled, drawing his attention. Flint surged up to meet her lips with his own, one hand releasing a wrist to tangle in Addison’s long hair.
As her eyes fluttered open after the long, lingering kiss, Flint’s broad, chiseled chest and abs drew Addison’s eyes. She reached up and ran her hand over his skin, finding it hot to the touch. His body arched toward her, but suddenly, Flint pulled back, hooking his fingers in the waistband of her panties and staring at her with dark, desire-filled eyes. Addison half expected him to rip those, too, and she couldn’t help but imagine him as some kind of wild animal spurred on only by his basest instincts.
It’s not like she was complaining; never before had she been interested in letting a man ravage her, but maybe recent events had made her reckless. She’d had to restart her entire life; there wasn’t a better time to try something new. Her heart thumped as she thought of allowing Flint to take her, of submitting to his power.
While she’d been lost in her thoughts, Flint had made quick work of her panties, and she gasped as he ducked his head. He flicked his tongue out to taste her, and the gasp turned into a moan. Without thinking, Addison’s hands flew to clutch at Flint’s short hair, tugging sharply. He growled against her, the unexpected vibration sending a flare of heat through her body. When she jerked against him, Flint gripped her hips and pulled her to him, giving her a few more teasing licks before circling her clit slowly and then slipping down to thrust his tongue inside her. Addison felt the pressure inside her climbing with each thrust and flick, and her grip tightened on Flint’s hair as she squeezed her eyes shut. Just when she thought Flint couldn’t possibly take her higher, he did something with his tongue that made her eyes fly open, the ecstasy flowing through her veins as her whole body spasmed.
As she came down, Addison looked at Flint and found him watching her with a predatory hunger. He crawled back on top of her, leaning down to pull her into another deep kiss. She heard the sound of him unzipping his jeans, and then she felt him at her entrance. Addison gasped into Flint’s mouth, the sound loud in the otherwise silent room, and clutched at his shoulders. He pulled away from their kiss to lock eyes with her, and then, he entered her with one powerful thrust. A long, whimpering moan fell from her lips, and Flint closed his eyes with a soft groan. Addison stared up at him, thinking he seemed to be struggling to control himself. But she didn’t want him control himself, to hold back. She wanted everything he had to give her.
With this in mind, she bucked her hips against him, and his eyes snapped open, a snarl that sent a shiver down Addison’s spine escaping his lips. Flint pulled back and thrust into her hard. He established a quick rhythm: one Addison desperately raised her hips to meet. Her moans grew louder as Flint’s pace increased, and she brought her hand to her mouth to stifle the sound.
Flint pulled her hand away, entwining his fingers with hers as he pushed her hand into the sheets. He dropped his head to her neck. “No,” he said, his voice a low rumble in her ear. “I want to hear you.”
Addison lost track of time after that, her body rising without her mind’s direction to meet Flint’s in their ravenous dance. She felt that familiar pressure building inside her again, and her moans rose in pitch until she screamed as the pleasure flooded through her.
Flint moaned against her neck, and his whole body strained as he found his pleasure. Addison’s legs shook as Flint allowed himself to collapse on top of her, catching most of his weight on his forearms. He lifted his head to look smugly at Addison’s satisfied expression before claiming her mouth with his one final time.
As Flint ended their kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, Addison decided she had definitely made the right choice in coming to Silverwood Island. She just hoped their lovemaking wouldn’t keep up the other guests…
Chapter Six
Mysterious Man
Flint woke the next morning from the best sleep he’d had in a long time. He’d grown to hate waking up to the cold, lonely bed in his cottage, but this morning, Flint felt amazing, invincible, as if his night with Addison had reinvigorated his entire being. Even his inner wolf felt calmer, tamer, but that didn’t last long.
As soon as Flint glanced over at the sleeping woman beside him, his wolf grew restless, urging Flint to join his body with hers again. She faced away from him, but he could still see the graceful curve of her cheek and ear beyond the tangle her hair had become during the night. Her body moved in time to her deep, even breaths, her quiet exhales so sweet Flint couldn’t bring himself to look away from her. Realizing how creepy he looked, staring at her while she slept, Flint smiled at her back and then shook his head to clear his mind. He had another long day ahead, and he’d have time to see Addison later.
But as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and used that motion to vault to his feet, the wolf inside him gnawed at his mind in annoyance. Flint turned to look again at Addison, his eyes skimming along her spine and over her blanket-covered hips. His wolf’s resolve to ravage her once more strengthened, and Flint found himself stepping toward the bed. To stop himself, he pinched his wrist, the slight pain enough to get his mind off rejoining Addison in bed and to get him moving in the right direction.
After dressing in yesterday’s clothes and sitting to pull on his boots, Flint walked to the door, his wolf still growling for more of Addison’s flesh. Flint did his best to ignore it and turned to glance one last time at Addison before opening the door and slipping out into the hall. He shut the door with a soft click, making sure not to wake Addison, and carefully crept away until he reached the stairwell and jogged down, leaping off onto the lobby’s floor.
“Flint!” a familiar voice called.
Flint sighed as May Silver stepped in front of him, blocking his exit.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. “I thought you lived out at that old, ragged cottage of yours.”
“May, my home is neither ragged nor old,” Flint growled. “I was just here visiting our newest citizen.”
May raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Visiting, you say? Did this visiting involve bumping the headboard of her bed all night long?”
“May…”
The old woman chuckled, slapping him on the shoulder. “Oh, lighten up, Flint. I’m not judging you, just making sure you haven’t devoured the poor girl yet.”
A small grin appeared on Flint’s face. “Not devoured, no. I don’t plan on scaring her away, either. I have control over myself.”
“Do you?”
May stared him down, a look that would have made any other shifter nervous. But Flint, as both the Alpha and the stubbornest man on the island, just stared back. May finally clicked her tongue and looked away. “Alright, fine. Just go easy on her, okay? I’d rather she remain ignorant of us for as long as possible.”
Flint scoffed. “I’ll do my best on that front… but tell her something for me when she comes down, will you?”
May put her hands on her hips. “And what exactly would that be?”
“Tell her I’ll see her again soon.”
* * *
By the time Addison’s eyes fluttered open, sunlight had already flooded her room. It wasn’t until the light shone directly onto her face that she even considered dragging herself out of bed.
Blocking the sunlight with her hand, Addison sat up, groaning as her back popped. She took a moment to wipe the sleep from her eyes, then stretched her arms high above her head as she yawned. The sunlight warmed her bare skin, and Addison, suddenly realizing she was still naked, gathered the blankets to her chest.
It was silly; Flint already knew what her body looked (and felt and tasted) like, but despite opening her body to Flint the night before, Addison still didn’t know him very well. She didn’t want to parade around naked in front of him, anyway.
When she glanced to her left, expecting to see Flint’s sleeping form, she saw only empty sheets. No Flint.
Addison frowned. Had she dreamed it all up? She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, thinking back on the night before. She had slept with Flint, hadn’t she? As memories of the previous night at the bar flooded her mind, Addison relaxed.
Of course she hadn’t dreamed it all up, and of course she’d slept with Flint. She hadn’t had that much to drink, and her memory definitely wasn’t that fuzzy. After their flirtation at the bar and Flint’s scandalous proposal, Addison had led Flint back here. Or… Flint had led her back here. That part was a bit of a blur, but she remembered every detail of the sex, how intense Flint had been, how alive he’d made her feel. Addison wasn’t one to sleep around, but she already wanted Flint again, wanted his leanly muscled body pressed against hers while their tongues entangled. But… he wasn’t even here.
With a wry smile, Addison pulled her knees up to her chest and pictured the way Flint had looked at her the night before like a starving animal. She’d thought there’d been something between them, some connection… but she guessed he was just after her body, nothing more. When she had jokingly asked him if it had been a while for him, he’d responded…
“You have no idea,” Addison whispered to herself, letting out a sigh. Oh, well. Flint was handsome, hot, charming, but there was something off about him… some part of him he held back from her. What, and for what reason, Addison couldn’t say. Honestly, it just made her want to spend more time with him, to get to know him better—if not as lovers, then at least as friends.
But she didn’t even know how to contact him now that he had left without saying a word. Was he being polite by letting her sleep? Or did he just not care enough to wake her? Shaking her head and willing herself to stop thinking about Flint, Addison tossed off the sheets and slid out of bed.
Today was the day the construction workers would begin on her new home, and she wanted to mee
t the people building the foundation of her new life on Silverwood Island.
Shivering against the chill morning air, Addison rushed to the bathroom for a quick shower, grateful for the hot water as it warmed her and soothed the slight ache in her muscles. When she had finished, she dressed simply in jeans and a sweater, tied her hair back into a ponytail, and did her makeup in the mirror over her bathroom sink. Checking her phone, she realized it was a quarter to twelve; nearly half the day had passed already. Addison had never slept this late before—unless she counted the few times she’d had the flu—and it made her feel strange.
After gathering the few things she needed, she stepped out into the hall, pulled the door shut, locked it, and then walked to the stairs, taking them down to the lobby.
The spacious lobby of the Silver Inn had a large fireplace to the left of the stairwell surrounded by sofas and loveseats. Further back was an open door that led to a breakfast area, from which the sweet smell of pancakes and maple syrup emanated. To the right stood the front counter, behind which May Silver currently sat on a stool, leafing through a magazine.
When she spotted Addison coming toward her, May tossed the magazine down and jumped off her stool, rounding the counter and rushing over to her with unnatural speed for someone her age. “Addison! How was your first night in a Silver Inn bed? Hopefully, you slept like an angel. I pride myself on our beds here.”
Addison flushed. “Um, the bed? Yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed my sleep last night…”
May raised both her brows, a knowing smile forming on her face. “Did ya now? Flint came down earlier this morning and said you two slept like rabbits in breeding season.”
Addison’s mouth dropped open in shock and embarrassment.
May guffawed loudly, nearly choking on her laughter. “Sorry! It’s too easy to tease new people. Forgive me, will ya?”
