“So, I was thinking,” he said when he held the car door open, taking his warm body heat away from her. “Tomorrow I am going to go in and see Stuart.”
“Good for you, Eirik. I think it might be just what he needs to hear.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, think about it. You say yourself that you haven’t been too sure of yourself. Worried how the others perceive you. Maybe he picked up on that. Once you show him you are up for the job, maybe he will give you more power.”
“You mean I need to show him I have a backbone?”
“Yes. You need to show him you can do the job. That you want to do the job. Because from what you’ve said, up until now, I don’t think you have known whether you are man enough to do it.”
He put his hand up to rest on the roof of the car, his body almost wrapped around hers. “You are very perceptive. Since my father died, I have felt that I might be weak like he was. That if someone tried, they would be able to persuade me to hand over the deeds to whatever they wanted. I mean my dad did that when Carson showed him a birth certificate that said he was his son. He never tried to check if it was authentic. And that was his job with the Clan. Checking all the papers were in order.”
Now it was her turn to touch him, to stroke his face. Running a finger across his brow, she traced the worry line that was forming there. “Be yourself, Eirik. Don’t be scared of who you are.”
This time he did lean down and press his lips against hers. All her thoughts, all her dreams about what it would feel like, were nothing compared to the real thing. So soft, so warm, his lips moved against hers and she had to grasp his shirt with her hands to keep herself on her feet. Her knees threaten to buckle under her, while her body threatened to give itself to him right here right now.
He moved another step forward, invading her space, pressing his body between her thighs. She slipped her feet further apart and allowed him to press himself against her. The tiny bundle of nerves at the centre of her need throbbed to be touched by him, to be stroked until she came in his arms. That was how close she was to a climax that had been bubbling under the surface of her emotions all day.
Placing his hand behind her, he pressed the small of her back into his body. She moulded to him, her arm shifting to encircle his neck. Still his lips moved, questioning her. Parting them slightly, she gave him her answer. She wanted this as much as he did. If not more. When his tongue pressed for entry, she met him, entwining with his, tasting him, and teasing him.
Then just as suddenly, he pulled away, a heart-rending groan escaping him. “I’m sorry,” he said roughly. “I don’t want you to think I brought you out to dinner expecting something in return.”
“I don’t think that.” Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.
“I should take you home.”
He moved to pull away but she caught his hand and pulled him back. “Eirik, you have done nothing wrong.”
“This shouldn’t be happening. I am not your mate.”
“This is my choice too. Like I said, I do not want to find my mate. So if you are offering me a relationship built on friendship, then I would take it.”
“I want more than friendship.”
She couldn’t resist his honesty. This was no time for brushing him off. Her choice was clear: she either told him her feelings were the same or said goodbye to him. Their mutual attraction was too strong. If only ... she thought. If only he was the one.
“So do I. Eirik. I know it’s sudden. I know it’s not the real thing. But I have feelings for you that I never knew I was capable of.”
He came back to her and kissed her once more, pulling her to him. This time his mouth was fierce, a claiming of sorts. They might not be mated, but there was a spark between them that threatened to turn into a flame. His hand went between her thighs and he rubbed her clit through the fabric of her pants. She gasped against him. Damn, it felt so good, so very, very good.
Feeling like a tramp, she allowed him to kiss her and touch her until she came right there in the parking lot. When her orgasm hit her, she had to bury her face in his shoulder and smother her cries. Her fingers dug into him, kneading his flesh. Wave after wave of pleasure passed over her, through her, and made her want him even more.
When he finally released her, she sagged back against his car, gasping for air. At first, she couldn’t meet his eyes, feeling ashamed that she had let herself go in front of him. But when he lifted her chin and kissed her lips lightly, she looked deep into those soft brown eyes. There was nothing but warmth there. This was a man who would never tease her, never betray her, and always be there for her.
As he helped her into the car, she said to him. “I think the council should know how lucky they are to have a man like you, Eirik.”
“Wow, was it that good?”
She grasped his hand and pressed her lips to it. “You are a good man, Eirik McCormac.”
“Damn it, Drew. I wish we were meant to be together.”
“Stupid fated mates.”
He kissed her quickly. “Stupid fated mates,” he murmured.
Chapter Thirteen - Eirik
He had never tasted anything so good as Drew had on his lips. She was the sweetest thing he had ever known, and he wanted her more than anything before. All he wanted to do was take her home, carry her up the stairs to his bed, and make love to her. But they had to go back to her house to check on their parents.
That made him smile, as if they were the adults and their parents needed supervising. If anyone could read his thoughts right now, they would know it was him that needed supervising. All the things he wanted to do to Drew, starting with kissing every inch of her luscious body. Starting at her toes, he would work his way up until he reached his prize. That heated part of her that would be even sweeter on his tongue than her lips.
“Eirik, you missed the turning,” she said.
“Sorry. Thoughts elsewhere.”
She slipped her hand across to lay it on his thigh, and then she began to inch up higher. He swallowed, trying to concentrate on getting them home. She wasn’t helping. Not one bit.
By the time he turned off and headed to Bear Bluff, her hand was stroking the hardness that his pants hid. Lazily moving up and down, while she looked out of the window into the night. Shifting his body, he thought about pulling over. He desperately needed some kind of release from the pent-up tension in his body.
Gripping the steering wheel harder, he watched the road, moving his hips in time with her hand. When she cupped it over the head of his cock and rubbed it very lightly, it was too much.
“Fuck. I’m going to come,” he said, the whites of his knuckles showing as he fought to keep control.
“Isn’t that the idea?” she asked, her voice so sexy he wanted to throw her in the back of the truck and fuck her right now. Instead, he came in his pants.
Swerving quickly, he pulled the truck over while he let his mind concentrate on exactly what her hand was doing. He thrust up to meet each stroke, and closed his eyes, gasping for air when he finally finished.
Looking across at her, she had a smug look on her face. He leaned across the seats and fisted her hair, groaning while he captured her mouth. His other hand went to her breast, and he caressed the soft flesh hidden from him beneath her clothes.
“I want you, Drew.”
“We have to go home.”
“I know. Meet me tomorrow.”
“Where?” she asked breathlessly.
“Same place as we met today. If nothing else, we can go up to the mountain.”
She didn’t ask him what they would be doing up the mountain; she simply nodded, searching his face for reassurance. But reassurance about what? She knew they weren’t fated to be together. Then he got it. She was worried he was taking advantage of her and was going to screw her and then run.
He leaned forward and tenderly kissed her. “No pressure. If you change your mind at any point, say the word and it will be over, and I will
never bother you again if that is what you want.”
Damn, he hoped it wasn’t.
Chapter Fourteen - Drew
A new day. It felt like a new life. They had arrived home, trying to act normally around their parents. Not that they would have noticed. Their parents had spent the time Eirik and Drew were at dinner, going over old photos. It was amazing how much they had in common. And the great thing was that rather than dragging her dad back down into depression, the photos had made him happy. As though he felt it safe now to remember her mom without sadness.
“So what do you have planned?” her dad asked when she came into the kitchen.
“I have to work.”
“All day? Want to meet after work? I could walk down and meet you.”
“I can’t, not today.” Why did she feel so guilty? Because you are planning to have sex with a man who is not your mate.
“You have to work late?”
He knew she always came straight home after work. But she didn’t want to tell him where she was going, or who with. Instead, she tried to be evasive. “No, I... I just have something else on.”
He came to her and looked her straight in the eye. “He’s a good boy, Drew. You could do worse than Eirik. But he’s not the one, is he?”
She should have known he would guess. It was too obvious. “No. He’s not. How can you tell?”
“There would be something more in your eyes. A light that burns for him. Only for him.” His voice drifted off. “Just be careful.”
“I will, Dad. Like you said, he’s a good person.” She couldn’t call him a boy. He was most definitely all man. “And how about you and his mom?”
“It was nice to talk to someone my own age. She said she would call around later and we might walk over to the library and then the bookstore.”
“Oh?”
“We thought we might start a book club.”
“A book club? That sounds like a great idea.” It meant he would get out and meet new people. Or old people that he no longer mixed with since his breakdown.
“Yes. Even if it’s only the two of us.”
“I could always print you out some flyers at work. I’m sure my boss wouldn’t mind. I can even give them out to clients.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready to socialise with too many people.” He suddenly sounded nervous.
“Look. I’ll print some out. I’ll put my number on them and that way you don’t have to deal with people. If you then change your mind about the whole thing, I’ll take their numbers and tell them it’s cancelled. How does that sound?”
“Scary.”
“You’ll do great. Really. I think it would be wonderful for you to have some kind of outside interest.”
“Well, I’m hoping to find a job.”
“I mean outside of the house and work. Have some fun. Eirik said you knew his mom years ago. And she’s on her own, too...” She stopped short, hoping the reminder of his loss hadn’t upset him.
“That’s what I like about her. She feels the same pain. There are not many in this town who do. She’s a woman filled with questions that will never be answered.”
“You mean about Eirik’s dad?”
“Yes. I think it made me see that we were lucky. We knew exactly what your mom was. No secrets from beyond the grave.”
“Oh, damn. I have to go,” she said, grabbing her purse and then kissing him on the head. “Have fun and think about the flyers.”
“Bye, honey. Be careful.”
“I will. Love you, Dad.” She opened the front door, ready to leave and then came back to him. Kissing him on the cheek, she said, “I am incredibly proud of you.”
He smiled at her. “I want to make the most of what I have left, Drew. You are everything to me now.”
She squeezed his hand, feeling tears pricking her eyes. “Bye,” she said, dashing out and closing the door behind her, not wanting him to see her cry.
Once outside, she gave herself a minute to catch her breath and give some thought as to how the day was going to go. Not that she had thought of much else since Eirik had dropped her home last night. If it went the way she thought it would, she would be making love to Eirik on top of the mountain today.
Feeling a little nervous, OK, a lot nervous, she started to walk to work, hoping that might calm her down and take her mind off Eirik. But all the time images of him kept sneaking into her head. Images of him naked and diving into that deep pool of water. Images of his cock as it bulged in his pants when they were in the restaurant. How big was he?
Her mouth was dry and she stopped at the corner store to pick up some peppermints. While she stood waiting to pay, she felt someone behind her watching her. Turning, she couldn’t believe it when she saw Eirik.
“Are you following me?” she asked.
He grinned. “As a matter of fact, I am. I thought I would walk with you. I’m heading over to see Stuart.”
She paid for her peppermints. “So you are going to go and tell him you are the right man for the job.”
“Yes. How do I look?”
She ran her eyes down over his body, trying to look at his suit rather than imagining him naked. “Very businesslike.”
“Good.” They walked along the street before he asked, “Are you still free this afternoon?”
“No.”
He stopped. “You’ve changed your mind?”
She turned to face him, stepping very close to him and said, in what she hoped was a sexy voice. “No. I haven’t changed my mind, which is why I am not free. I am meeting a smart, sexy guy.”
“Funny.” He sniffed the air, breathing in her scent and then bent and whispered in her ear, “I can smell how much you want me.”
She hit him playfully with her purse. “Stop it.”
“Why?”
“Because I have to go to work.” They were standing outside the office, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see her boss, Arnold, watching. “Please don’t do anything that will give him the wrong idea.”
Eirik smiled mischievously. “If I do anything, such as kissing you or stroking your skin, wouldn’t it be giving him the right idea?”
“You know what I mean. I don’t want to spend the whole day trying to fend off his questions.”
“No. I want you to spending the whole day thinking about me and what I’m going to do to you later.”
He held out his hand as if offering to shake it. She looked up into his face, trying to read what he was thinking. She slipped her hand into his. Instantly, a kind of electricity passed between them. His thumb brushed her skin and then he simply said, “Goodbye, Drew.” He let her hand fall to her side and then walked off, raising his hand to her boss in greeting.
Drew tore herself away, although she wanted to stand there and watch him leave until she could see him no more. Opening the door to the office, she walked in, feeling Arnold’s eyes on her. He was itching to ask what she had been talking to Eirik about, but he was too discreet to ask.
Putting her purse away in her desk drawer, she went to make coffee, throwing out the grounds and making it all fresh. Her boss pretended to work. Or perhaps he was working, but he kept casting glances her way. She would have to tell him something or risk him making up a rumour. He would only have to mention it to his wife and it would be all over Bear Bluff. But what to say?
“There we are. Nice and hot.” She place the mug down onto his desk. “Is there anything special you needed me to do today?”
“No. Just the usual. I have a client to visit at eleven thirty. So you will need to hold the fort.”
“Sure. Oh, I nearly forgot. Can I run a few dozen leaflets off? I’ll pay for the ink and paper.”
“What sort of leaflets?” he asked, his face taking the look of a bloodhound on a scent.
“My dad and Mrs McCormac are planning to start a book club.”
“A book club?” he asked, knowing an imagined titbit of juicy gossip had slipped away.
“Yes. They are both
recently bereaved. You heard about Wayne McCormac?”
“Yes. Sad business.”
“Well, they figured they needed something to keep them busy, so they are going to start a book club.”
“How exciting,” he said returning to his work. “Of course you can use the printer. Don’t worry about the ink.”
She smiled to herself. That had put him off the scent. Drew sat down at her desk, sipping her coffee and trying to get her head back into the office. A hard task, when all it wanted to do was run wild on the mountain with Eirik. But instead she found herself thinking about him and his meeting with Stuart McCormac, chief of the Bear Bluff Clan.
Chapter Fifteen – Eirik
Eirik decided that today was either going to be the best day, or the worst day, of his life. If everything went right, he was going to spend the evening with Drew beneath him, making love under the shadow of the mountain. It was that thought that kept him going when he wanted to turn around and go home. But the need for her propelled him to take a chance and approach Stuart McCormac.
“Eirik,” Stuart said, extending his hand. “How are things going? I didn’t expect to see you for a few days after the council meeting yesterday.”
“I went home and started sifting through the papers we discussed. There are a couple of points that worried me.”
“I see,” Stuart said. He sat down and offered the seat opposite him to Eirik. “Let me see if I can help you. I realise some of the Clan’s affairs can be complicated.”
“It’s more than that, Stuart.” Eirik always felt awkward calling him by his Christian name. He felt as though he should call him “uncle” out of respect, or even Mr. McCormac.
“Tell me.”
Eirik took the papers he had been working on out of his briefcase. “It’s these rents. They haven’t been increased for years. And I know that the price of grain has gone up by 30 percent in the last five years. I don’t think it would cause the tenants any hardship if the rent rose.”
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