Rancher Lion: BBW Lion Shifter Paranormal Romance (Cedar Hill Lions Book 3)

by Zoe Chant

  Sasha blinked, as if she herself was a little surprised; but then, she smiled. “Sure, that’d be fine.” She seemed to check herself. “I mean, I took a look at it myself, but it’s always good to get a second opinion, I suppose.”

  Joe only nodded, not trusting himself not to blurt something else out before he’d thought it through. What’s up with me today? he thought, a little frustrated, as he knelt down on the floor in front of the bed.

  But the second he reached forward to take Sasha’s ankle between his hands, everything became clear. A spark of pure electricity seemed to pass from Sasha’s skin to his, and his lion leapt to its feet, its roar loud enough that Joe wondered that it didn’t shake the cabin down to its foundations.

  Mine. My mate. Mine!

  Oh, was the only dazed thought Joe could come up with in return, as he stared up at Sasha’s beautiful face, his head spinning.

  Chapter Three

  Sasha

  Sasha sat on the bed, her eyes never leaving the tall, broad frame of the man standing by the stove.

  She didn’t know what it was about him, but after the initial surprise of finding him standing in the middle of the cabin looking down at her, she felt… well, she wasn’t even sure she could put it into words. She felt… comforted by him, somehow. When he’d touched her ankle to check it over, his hands had been sure and gentle, the tips of his calloused fingers warm against her skin. Maybe it wasn’t so much that she didn’t know how to put it, but more that it had been so long since she’d felt safe that she couldn’t explain how it felt anymore.

  Clenching her fists where they rested on the bed, Sasha closed her eyes, trying to blink away her bad memories. Instead, she tried to focus on the amazing smells that were drifting through the cabin from the pot Joe was heating over the stove.

  “If that tastes as good as it smells, you’ll never be able to get rid of me,” she said, her mouth watering. It was no exaggeration: another thing she couldn’t remember was the last time she’d had a decent meal, as opposed to whatever scraps Colfax and his followers had thrown to her.

  “Believe me – it definitely does taste that good,” Joe said, as he flashed her a grin.

  Sasha’s heart fluttered a little at the sight. Not only did Joe have the most comforting and gentle manner of any man she’d ever met, he was also completely gorgeous: broad, lean and muscular, with the kind of tanned skin and hardy look that came from being a true outdoorsman. He had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to reveal forearms that were corded with muscle, and she would’ve had to be blind not to have noticed the way his biceps bulged against the material, and the way his broad chest tapered to narrow hips. He looked like something out of a pin-up calendar, if Field & Stream magazine put out a beefcake edition.

  Swallowing, Sasha forced herself to look away. Stop it. You only just met the man. And it was man trouble that got you into this mess in the first place.

  The reminder of why she was here in Joe’s cabin in the first place was sobering. She’d been an idiot to trust Larssen – but he’d told her he loved her. He’d told her he’d protect her. She’d even been willing to stick with him after he’d told her about what he was – about what he could do. In fact, it’d been part of what had attracted her to him in the first place. She couldn’t imagine she’d been the only one – whatever else he was, Larssen was a damn fine looking man, with a damn fine motorbike, and a damn fine way of talking his way into what he wanted. The fact that he could turn into a massive, shaggy wolf… well, that had only added to his air of danger.

  That air of danger should’ve been a warning to her; Sasha could see that now. She should’ve picked up and run the first time he’d shifted in front of her. But hindsight was 20/20, of course.

  A shiver ran down her spine. She didn’t want to think about Larssen right now. She didn’t want to think about him, or any other member of his creepy pack, and definitely not the Blackwood Pack’s alpha, Colfax. For whatever reason, she was safe here. They hadn’t been willing to follow her to the cabin.

  And Joe’s here now, too.

  The thought popped into her head unbidden.

  Stop it, she quickly told herself again.

  Sure, Joe was kind and helpful. But she couldn’t expect him to get roped into this. She didn’t even know him – and besides, from what she’d seen of shifters, they were a lot tougher than ordinary humans. She couldn’t ask Joe to help her. It’d be asking a perfect stranger to put himself at risk to fix a problem she’d created.

  Plus, she didn’t even know how she’d begin to explain it: Yeah, so my ex-boyfriend dumped me, but the leader of his creepy cult in the mountains told me I wasn’t allowed to leave. Oh, yeah, and all of them can turn into animals at will. Help me out?

  She’d be lucky if Joe didn’t wheel her to the nearest nuthouse.

  “I guarantee, you’ve never had beans like this before.” Joe’s voice interrupted her thoughts. While she’d been lost in her reverie, he’d served up what he’d been cooking over the stove, and was holding out a steaming bowl to her.

  She took it gratefully, cupping her hands around it a moment to warm them. The fire had died down during the night, and her hands felt a little cold. The smell of the beans was too good, though, and she was just too damn hungry to go on just using them as a hand-warmer for long.

  She lifted the spoon to her lips. Joe was right – the beans were amazing. The rich, buttery taste filled her mouth. There was something slightly sweet and a little tangy about them, every ingredient perfectly balanced. Sasha had eaten beans before – but she felt like she’d never truly tasted them until now.

  “Oh, wow,” she said, when she could bring herself to pause in her eating. “Who cooked this? You?”

  Joe shook his head ruefully. “I wish. No, it’s all my cousin’s wife’s doing.”

  “That’s a pity,” Sasha said, lifting another spoonful to her mouth. “Because I was going to hassle you for your secret recipe.”

  Joe laughed, low and deep. It sent a warm shiver down Sasha’s spine. “No secrets here. I’m sure Charity would be glad to teach you how she does it, when you come back to the main house.” Joe seemed to check himself quickly. “I mean, if you decide that’s what you’d like to do.”

  Sasha looked down into the bowl of delicious beans. In truth, staying with Joe and his family was a tempting offer – but then again, accepting offers of hospitality from handsome men had been what had got her into trouble in the first place. And Larssen had seemed kind at first, too.

  The beans suddenly caught in her throat. What if she was just making the same mistake all over again? She was only just out of Larssen and Colfax’s clutches, but here she was, maybe running headlong into danger again.

  “I’m sorry, that was a little hasty,” Joe said, his voice quiet. “I know you don’t know who I am, or if you can trust me yet. I wasn’t trying to rush you into deciding where you want to go from here.”

  Despite everything, Joe’s words sent a warm feeling through Sasha’s belly. Would she really never be able to trust anyone again, after the way Larssen had treated her? Whatever the case, she’d always known, deep down in her gut, that Larssen had been no good for her. But she’d blocked out her usually infallible good sense in favor of the feeling of wildness and freedom he gave her.

  That feeling of being wild and free had just been an illusion, though. He’d only been after a good time. And then, when he’d been done with her, he’d thrown her away like she was nothing.

  Realizing she’d been silent for some time, Sasha shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I just… I don’t know. I guess I just don’t really know where I want to go from here.”

  She wanted to tell him everything. About Larssen, about Colfax. About why they were chasing her. But she just didn’t feel ready to put it into words yet.

  Wanting to lighten the mood, she flashed Joe a quick grin. “But if there’s more beans like these, then sign me up, I’m there.”

  Joe smiled, but sh
e could tell there was still something on his mind. For all that he was a big, sturdy man with thighs like tree trunks, he looked a little… edgy. Or not edgy, exactly – but like he felt a little nervous around her. She’d seen the way he’d jumped a little when his fingers had touched the skin of her ankle, and while he’d done a thorough examination of it before agreeing she’d only sliced it open and nothing more, he’d stopped touching her as soon as he could and zoomed across the cabin to the stove, saying she’d best get some food into her stomach.

  Hmmmmmm, Sasha thought as she chewed on a mouthful of beans. There were only two explanations for that. One was that he found her so hideous that he couldn’t bear to be near her. The other… well, Sasha had to admit she liked her second theory a lot better. Which was that he found her just as attractive as she found him.

  Sasha had no illusions about the impression her curves could make. She’d always been able to fill out a shirt very impressively, and she could shake her hips with the best of them. And it seemed like Joe was a man who could appreciate these qualities in a woman.

  Don’t think like that, Sasha told herself quickly. Joe was just a kind and helpful stranger. She didn’t need to be thinking of him that way. Not when she was sure he would’ve done the same for anyone else he’d found here in his cabin in need of a good meal. But still, the spark was there, and Sasha couldn’t bring herself to extinguish it completely.

  I must be crazy, she thought as she licked her lips, savoring the taste of the beans. Like she needed another man in her life. Now or ever.

  Soon, they were scraping the bottoms of their bowls. Sasha sat back a little on the bed, totally satiated. Her stomach was no longer growling, and she even felt a little warmer.

  “That was amazing,” she said. “Thank you. I hope you didn’t mind having to share your lunch.”

  “Mind?” Joe was looking at her as if she’d just suggested he liked to go swimming on Mars. “Never.” As if realizing he’d said something a little odd, Joe coughed slightly and turned away, crouching down and reaching into his pack. “I mean, I have more here, if you’re still hungry. I got some meatloaf, a Thermos of coffee, some pie…”

  Sasha burst out laughing. “My goodness, this sounds fit to feed a lion! You must have quite the appetite.”

  Joe seemed to stare at her for a second, looking for all the world like a deer in the headlights, before he joined in the laughter. “Well, you know – hunting can be hungry work. A man’s gotta make sure he’s well-fed.”

  “That’s for sure,” Sasha agreed. “And now that you mention it, I’m pretty sure I could manage to eat a little more. I mean, as long as you’re offering.”

  Joe smiled. “Of course,” he said, his voice low, his dark brown eyes soft.

  The meatloaf, pie and coffee all disappeared just as quickly as the beans had. When she’d offered to heat the meatloaf, Joe hadn’t let her stand up, even for a second. “Your ankle’s hurt,” he’d said. “You stay right where you are.”

  Finally, Sasha had to admit that she was stuffed full. Everything had been delicious, from the hearty, spicy meatloaf, to the perfect huckleberry pie. And, Sasha had to admit, the company hadn’t been bad either. It was clear that Joe wasn’t much of a talker, but his calm, solid presence was a comfort. It was something she admired in a man – the ability to be comfortable with silence. He didn’t see the need to fill the air with words, words, words. He let his presence speak for itself.

  And silence was something Sasha was used to, and felt comfortable with. When her uncle had taken her hunting as a kid, she’d learned to go long stretches in total silence. Eventually, she’d even learned to love it – nothing but the sounds of nature all around her.

  “Do you feel like you might be up to walking on that ankle?” Joe asked her after they’d both sat back in satisfied silence for a while. “It’ll be getting dark soon, and it’s a way back to the main house. If you’d like to come, the offer still stands.” He paused, looking at her, his dark eyes seeming to search hers. “Or… of course, you can stay here, if that’s what you’d prefer. But I guess I do worry about you out here by yourself.” He paused again. “Or I can drop you at a motel, though honestly the closest one isn’t for miles around.”

  Sasha found herself catching her breath. What did she want to do? Luck hadn’t exactly been on her side recently, and in her experience, things that seemed too good to be true usually turned out to be exactly that.

  But at the same time, some little voice in her head – her heart – was telling her that she could trust this man. Their eyes were still locked together as if they were joined by some invisible line that ran between them, straight from his heart to hers.

  And somehow, she knew that he would never hurt her.

  She made up her mind.

  Experimentally, Sasha put her feet down on the floor, before standing, trying to rest her full weight on her feet. Pain shot up her right leg immediately, and she grimaced. She hadn’t noticed it last night – she supposed the adrenaline had stopped her from feeling the pain. But after she was warm and fed, the pain had come on with a vengeance.

  “It doesn’t feel that great,” she said. “But I could probably make it a little way.”

  Joe smiled. “And I could always carry you, if you find it’s not as strong as you thought.”

  Sasha’s imagination was suddenly flooded with the intoxicating idea of wrapping her arms around Joe’s strong shoulders, his hands on the backs of her thighs as he carried her on his back through the snow. She was overwhelmed with the feel of his neck against her cheek, his scent, the feeling of his breath on her skin as she held herself tightly against him, squeezing his hips between her knees…

  Sasha coughed, and felt her cheeks growing red. “No! No, I think… I mean, I… I wouldn’t want you to think you had to do that,” she said quickly, her words falling from her lips in a jumble.

  Wow. Smooth. Sasha almost shook her head at herself. She wasn’t usually this flustered around men. Why couldn’t she keep her head with Joe?

  Joe didn’t seem in the least bit concerned, however. “Well, sure. But it’s not a bother. You just let me know if you –”

  As he spoke, he began opening the door. And as he did, a small avalanche of snow fell through the doorway, reaching halfway up to Joe’s knee.

  They both looked down at it for a second, before peering out at the scene beyond.

  The whole world outside the cabin was blanketed in white. Sasha couldn’t see five feet in front of her face. Snowflakes whirled and eddied in the air in front of her, sticking to her hair and eyelashes.

  “Well,” Joe said. “The snow seems to have arrived.”

  “That’s an understatement.”

  They remained where they were a moment longer, before Joe closed the door again.

  “Hmm. Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m not keen to go tramping around in that – at least, not with your ankle the way it is,” Joe said. “I mean, I could go out there by myself and come back with the car, if you wouldn’t mind waiting –”

  “Are you crazy?” Sasha asked him, laughing incredulously. “You saw what it’s like out there. I couldn’t ask you to walk around in that – or drive, for that matter, either. It’d be suicide. No way.”

  For a moment, Joe hesitated. It seemed like he was on the verge of saying something to her, or trying to argue. But then, he relented.

  “Maybe you’re right,” he said.

  “We have the fire,” Sasha pointed out, hoping that he wouldn’t see the situation as something to be concerned about. “And blankets. And honestly, I’m full of food, so I think I’ll be all right as far as that goes.”

  Joe nodded. “You’re right. And I’ve spent the night out here dozens, probably hundreds of times before. My grandfather built this cabin, and he made it cozy and warm. If you’ll be comfortable here, then that’s all I care about.”

  Again, Sasha felt warmth spreading in her belly. The way Joe said it… she could tell he reall
y meant it. He really was concerned for her safety and comfort. He barely knew her, but still he was thinking of her, making sure she was okay.

  It felt good to feel looked after. Cared about.

  Even before Larssen had turned out to be such a bastard, he’d been forever taking off for days at a time, without telling her where he was going or when he’d be back. And then, when he did return, he expected her to cover him in kisses and treat him like he was God’s gift.

  Sasha couldn’t explain it to herself now. Why had she been so wrapped up in him? It seemed stupid now. Especially now that she was looking at a genuinely good man in Joe. A kind, quiet, sturdy man, who was clearly comfortable with himself, and had nothing to prove to anybody.

  Why couldn’t I have met a man like Joe years ago? Sasha couldn’t stop the thought from drifting into her mind. How differently things might have gone for her then.

  Sasha gave herself a mental shake. There was nothing to be gained by regrets. Things were as they were. It was useless to wish for anything different.

  “Your family won’t be expecting you back?” Sasha asked Joe as they made their way back across the cabin, to where the fire was still burning. It was getting a little low, and Joe opened the door, feeding it a couple of small logs.

  “Nope,” he said. “We’re pretty used to each other’s habits by now. They know not to worry if I’m back late.”

  Sasha licked her lips. “Your girlfriend won’t miss you?”

  Joe paused, stoking the fire. “I don’t have one. So no, that won’t be a problem.”

  Sasha didn’t say anything to that. She realized it’d been quite an intrusive question – but she’d felt compelled to ask it. To know just how guilty she should be feeling about the growing excitement in her belly at the thought of spending the night in the cabin with Joe.