"It's a small world out here," she said.
"Yes, but somehow, I can't stand the thought of leaving it behind," he said.
"It's funny you say that. I left. But sure enough, I came right back. I really hope the snow melts soon so I can get on with that interview. I really want that job. Not that I need an excuse to come back here or anything…I just don't want to leave again."
"I don't want you to leave either."
Chapter 7
They weren’t the only two who had decided that being cooped up inside the home wasn't a good idea. Half of the mountainside community were either making snowmen and snow castles or shoveling snow. Some of the markets were open, mainly just the supermarket and fuel station. The Christmas tree farm was the main attraction as it provided open spaces for the kids to run around with their friends.
Andre stole a glance at Sonia, admiring the way her eyes lit up and how she grinned each time a kid hit one of their friends with a snowball. Her straight blonde hair escaped from her winter cap, framing her delicate, round face. Her lips were plump and painted a glossy tint of red. Her eyelashes were long, fanning out against her checks whenever she looked downward or closed her eyes. She was perfect. After all these years…she was still perfect. And there had been no one else for him. No one else that could prove to be as satisfying as Sonia. He just couldn't believe how much she'd changed. But deep down, he knew that she was still the same person. The same innocent and kind Sonia. Now she was a woman who had matured over the last four years, both physically and mentally.
"So, this is where everyone here gets their Christmas tree from every year?" she asked.
"I think so. Tom doesn't own the only farm near Aspen Valley, but for the mountains, this is it. Cutting season begins soon."
"Looks like he's already got a few customers checking out the product," she said.
"He lets customers pick out their trees while they're still in the ground. Sometimes months before he's actually ready to start chopping."
"Wow, that's different."
"Wanna go take a look? Sounds like you'll be here for the holidays if you get that job."
"If I do, I'll probably get a small apartment. I don't think I'll have room for a real one."
"He's got small trees too. Or we could just pick out a big one for the cabin."
"Let's do that," she said, holding out her hand.
Andre took her hand without hesitation and they walked hand and hand toward the thicket of Christmas trees.
As they were heading between the first row of trees, a young couple was heading out of it. Andre recognized the guy and they exchanged greetings.
"I didn't know you were living out here, Andre," Hogan said.
"It's temporary. I have that job with Remly repairing the dams, so I left Aspen Valley to make my commute a bit easier."
"Cool. I thought I hadn't seen you around town lately," Hogan replied.
Andre turned to Sonia and said, "This is Hogan. He and I went to school together. Hogan, this is Sonia."
"Nice to meet you, Sonia. This is my girlfriend, Trista," Hogan said.
More greetings were exchanged. Sonia reached down for his hand again. He took it right away, rubbing his thumb gently over her palm.
Sonia wasn't the type of person to make small talk with strangers. As far back as Andre could recall, she would try to avoid them. She had always seemed content in her greenhouse with all her plants. He liked going out and making new friends whenever possible. He liked to have fun, even in the most trying situations. They were truly opposites, but everything about her intrigued him down to his very core.
After a while Hogan said, "How long have you two been dating?"
Andre cleared his throat and felt Sonia's palm heat up against his.
"Um, this is ah…we're friends," he said.
Hogan narrowed his gaze which then traveled to their joined hands before saying, "Oh, wait a minute. You do look familiar. Sonia…Bentley. She's your sister. You used to talk about her when you and I were working at the golf course. Your stepsister, right?"
Hogan and his girlfriend looked back and forth between him and Sonia, waiting for the answer. At some point, their expressions took on a different meaning.
"Isn't that…ah, forbidden?" the girlfriend asked.
"Andre's not my stepbrother anymore," Sonia said, surprising him. "His mom and my dad are getting a divorce."
"Oh…" Hogan chuckled. "Yeah…okay."
"We were just getting ready to check out the trees. It was nice seeing you around, Hogan," Andre said.
"Nice seeing you too. When this is all over, maybe we can meet in town for a beer."
They said their parting greetings and went separate ways.
When Sonia and Andre were out of earshot of the prying eyes of the couple, Sonia exclaimed, "Small world indeed."
"Yep," Andre replied.
He should've pretended to care that Hogan disapproved of what he called a forbidden relationship, but he didn't. The more time he spent with Sonia, the more he realized he didn't care what anybody thought. That's how he'd lost her in the first place…caring about what people thought.
Now she was back, claiming a job interview had drawn her here.
Andre knew better. They were way more connected than he wanted to believe. He didn't even need to convince himself of what he already knew. The emotional evidence was there. Evidence that left him tempted to claim what his mind, body, and soul wanted.
Chapter 8
After they arrived home, they were both tried as hell. But getting out and enjoying time in nature was worth it. They put away all the food they bought from the market that day, and made sandwiches again for dinner. They ate in front of the television, watching late night T.V. and news reports until Sonia couldn't hold her eyes open any longer.
When the weather reports predicted a record number of snowfall in the area, she was unbothered by it. Selfish, of course. But she had Andre all to herself with nothing to interrupt their time together. No parental woes. No college applications to fill out. Not even society's views bearing down on the way she felt about Andre. If she had known Andre had left town already, would she have come? She'd asked herself that constantly even though she already knew the answer.
Even now, she tossed and turned in the bed on the mattress that she deemed uncomfortable. It was too soft. Too hard. Whatever. That wasn't the real issue.
Sonia tossed the covers off of her—covers that weren't doing the job of keeping her warm. She threw on at thick robe and ventured out into the ice-cold hallway. This time, she looked both ways before walking out. As much as Andre's body was a work of art, she didn't know if she could stand it anymore. Looking at something she couldn't touch and someone she couldn't have.
The thermostat was on the other side of the hallway. The last winter she spent here, the controls weren't automatic or on any kind of timer. The temperatures had to be adjusted on colder nights. Based on how chilly it was out in the hallway, it seemed as if the weather had taken a drastic turn for the worse.
"Are you okay?" Andre called out from behind her.
She hadn't even heard him open the door or come out of his room. She turned around. He had on a pair of loose shorts, maybe boxers, and no shirt. Thank Goodness, he wasn't naked, but he seemed to be immune to the cold.
"I heard you walk past my door," he said.
"I'm okay. Just cold as hell and the thermostat is already set to the max," she said.
He walked up to the controls and fidgeted with it a bit. "Seems to be working properly. I'll check your room out for you. Maybe there's a draft or something coming from the windows. Why don't you take my room?"
"No, I'll be fine really. I have some chamomile tea. A cup of that usually helps me get to sleep quicker."
"Maybe that'll help me sleep better too. Let's have some tea."
Chapter 9
After a late-night snack and warm tea, Sonia was finally ready to call it a night. It took some convincing
on Andre's part to persuade her to sleep in his room after discovering that one of her windows needed some extra caulking.
She sat at the foot of his bed and ran her fingers across the thick down comforter. The room was filled with his scent. The warmth along with the aura he left behind surrounded her like a thick blanket. It was a comforting change compared to the constant chill she'd endured a little while ago.
She took her robe, tossed it over the bed rail, and then pulled back the covers. One lone pillow was placed on the left side of the bed—the side where a lamp and alarm clock sat on a nightstand. Did it mean he slept alone nightly? Or did he have someone waiting for him in Aspen Valley? He would have told her if he did. How could she think for one moment that a grown man…a very attractive grown man could keep women away.
Sonia sat down in his spot, swung her legs over on the bed, and pulled the covers all the way up until the comforter covered her nose. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, only to be rattled by a solid knock at the door.
"Sonia," Andre called out from behind the closed door. "You left your cell phone on the table in the room. It's beeping. I thought you might want to check."
She hurried across the room and opened the door. The beeping phone was the least of her worries, but she took the phone anyway.
"Thanks," she said, and then looked down at the screen. "It's my dad. Looks like he called when we were in the kitchen. I'll call him back in the morning."
"Alright then. Good night." He took a few steps back and started to head back down the hall.
"Andre," she said, quietly.
He paused, but didn't immediately turn around. "Yes, Sonia."
"I missed you."
He spun around.
She swallowed, dropping her hands to her sides. "I wanted to tell you. I wanted to call and tell you just how much I missed you."
He came to her, closing the gap between them. His fingers were in her hair. His face was only inches away from hers.
"Why didn't you call me?" he asked.
"Because…well because, I knew it wouldn't be right. I missed you because I wanted you like a woman would want a man. Not because we were good friends and our parents were married. God, sometimes I wished they had never married. It's selfish, I know."
"It's okay," he said. "We can't help the way we feel. It's not wrong. Nothing about the way we feel about each other is wrong."
"Then why does it feel that way?" she asked. "That we have to hide our feelings because of this?"
"We don't ever have to hide anything."
"I don't want to. Not anymore," she said.
"Do you trust me, Sonia?"
"Yes, I do. But I don't want to talk about it anymore. Not about what's right or wrong. Not about what's forbidden or not. I just want you to kiss me. We never got to that point, remember?"
"Sonia, you were a teen. I wanted you so badly. I had never wanted anyone so badly in my life before, but I knew I couldn't take advantage of you like that. I promised myself I wouldn't even touch you because I knew if I did, I couldn't stop myself."
"Then what's stopping you now. What's stopping us?"
A deep moan slipped past Andre's lips, and then he slid his palm around her and lowered his mouth to hers. With her next breath, her body relaxed, her lips parted, and he took full advantage by sliding his tongue between her lips. The moment their bodies met, she felt the presence of his other side. His animal. His wolf. She never felt it stirring before, but now she did. It was further confirmation that he was more than just a complex man kissing her.
Andre pulled back to look at her, but she wasn't ready to let him go yet. She threaded her fingers through the back of his sleek, black curls and pulled his head back down towards her.
"Sonia…" he breathed against her mouth.
He gripped the small of her waist with his big hands and pulled her firmly against him. She couldn't get enough of him. Her hands were all over his body. Grasping at his bare chest. Gripping his thick biceps and luring him until she had him in the room.
"Sonia, I fucking want you so badly," he groaned out.
She didn't know if she was doing this right, but he let her kiss him anyway. He tasted of fine wine and grapes and she drank it all in, letting her tongue dance with his as they lost themselves in the moment.
Andre's erection pressed against her belly and she felt her sex began to clench and tighten in urgent need.
"If we don't stop…" he mumbled against her lips.
"Don't stop," she demanded.
He kissed her ravenously, leading her backward until the back of her knees hit the bed. She slid her hands down between them, slipping her fingers down into this boxer shorts and wrapped them around his shaft.
He broke from the kiss, groaning out loud. When she met his gaze again, there was something else there. The look he gazed upon her with was animalistic. His amber eyes enchanted her. The hardness in her palm and the way he stared at her confirmed it for her. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him.
"Beautiful…" she mumbled.
He tore his gaze away and then lifted her hand from out of his boxers. Before she could protest, he led her to turn around and then proceeded to kiss the back of her neck and along her shoulders. His gentle touches against her skin ignited her core. As he kissed away all the tension in her body, he pushed the straps of her top down until they rested in the bend of her arms.
"You're like a gift to me waiting to be unwrapped," he said.
Sonia's breath came in short pants. Her mind raced with the things she wanted him to do to her. His fingers traced up and down her spine, causing her to arch in anticipation. She bit her lips as his thumbs spread across the small of her back and then down to test the plumpness of her ass.
"I knew one day, I'd come find you. And I'd take you…" He gripped the fleshy parts of her hips pulling her back until her ass was flush against his cock.
She gasped.
"What I didn't anticipate was that you'd come back to me," he said. "And here we are again." He kissed her back.
"Here we are again," she breathed.
She couldn't stand not being able to see him or the animal he was content on concealing, so she spun around.
Sonia's thoughts went dark the moment Andre crushed his mouth to hers once more. The fire raging in her belly was mixed with built up passion and longing for Andre. No one had ever touched her this way. There had been times she thought she could move on, but she was wrong. There was no one else for her. Only Andre.
She had wanted him when he was her stepbrother and she wanted him now. It didn't matter who he was or what he'd done. Nothing would change the way she felt about him. The more Andre's mouth plundered hers, the more her pussy heated and throbbed, ready for something more.
Sonia let the long nightgown fall to the floor, standing before him in nothing but a pair of silk panties. She traced the endless cords of muscles on his chest until the pads of her fingers reached the birthmark. An intricate circular pattern with spirals that went six levels deep.
"This is unique," she said.
"Just like you," he said, lifting her hand from his chest and bringing it to his lips. "Beautiful…perfect. And sexy."
His attention dropped to her breasts and he slid his hands under the weight of them, using his calloused fingers to skim her nipples. He examined every inch of flesh as if recording every detail to memory. Then his lips were on her, sucking and pulling at her sensitive flesh. He lapped and licked until she was weak in the knees and holding herself steady by gripping him by the biceps.
He hooked his thumbs into her panties and then looked to her for permission. She placed her hand over his and guided him until her panties were far enough down her thighs where they fell to the floor on their own.
With his full attention on her, Sonia sat on the bed. "You don't have to wait anymore," she told him. "I know what you want. I knew you wanted this from day one."
His tongue flicked out between his lips, sliding ac
ross them. He looked ravenous, hungry as a wolf.
"Spread your legs for me," he demanded.
Sonia opened herself for him, watching his expression change from hungry to lustful.
"You're wet and pretty," he said, reaching out and stroking her mound, purposely leaving her most sensitive center untouched.
The bed dipped a bit when he places his knee on it. Sonia thought he'd join her, spread her legs, and instantly give her what she wanted the most. Instead he slid his fingers through her wet folds and up to circle around her clit. He worked her clit until her hips were writhing. She was so aroused that she could hear the wet friction of him pumping in and out of her. Without warning, Sonia shuddered and her orgasm rocked through her core. She had never come so quick in her life. The suddenness of it surprised her, but this was Andre here. He was skilled, older, and knew exactly how to please a woman—probably better than she knew how to please herself. For years, it had always just been her, her fingers, and the occasional dildo. This was the real thing. This was what she'd wanted all along.
Even as her climax faded, she wanted to have another.
When Andre brought his fingers to his lips, slipping them inside his mouth and licking them clean. She almost came undone again.
"Mmmm," he groaned. "You're sweet. I want to take you so badly but there's no going back after I do. Claiming you now would mean claiming you forever. Is that what you want?"
"Yes. I want you…" Her fingers trailed downward and she slipped them inside her pussy, rubbing her swollen clit.
He moaned. "You like teasing me. You've always liked teasing me."
A wolf howled loudly right outside the bedroom window, scaring the bejesus out of her. She jumped, startled. Her heart thudded violently.
"What was that? He's close," she said.
Andre remained calm, even when the wolf howl turned into a chorus of howls close by.
"Not natural wolves," he answered.
"Shifters. Okay fine. I wasn't afraid."
Aspen Valley Wolf Pack (The Complete Series) Page 65
