Bound to Her

by Michelle Monkou

  With his head cocked to the side, his eyes squinted.

  “No need to commit. Just tossing it out.” She pretended that his lack of an affirmative instead of a speculative response didn’t bother her.

  Bethany stuck out her tongue at his retreat.

  “Is that your California upbringing at work?” He addressed her reflection through the wall mirror, before exiting the room.

  She hurried after him. “For your information, people like me.” Kind of a lie, considering the fake people who surrounded her in the entertainment industry, as one of their publicists. “Here in this room with you, it’s a bit like subzero temperatures,” she accused.

  “Will you need anything else…er?” His hand rested on the front door handle as he spoke.

  “Bethany.” She rolled her eyes. Was he deliberately trying to fuck with her?

  “Well, Bethany, you can rest assured. In Maine, people like you, too.”

  Was that a smile? She couldn’t have mistaken the tiny uplift at the corner of his mouth.

  Her heartbeat pounded. She wanted to ask if the people included him. Considering his candor, the response may not be something she wanted to hear.

  He cleared his throat. “Anything else?”

  “I’m cool for now. But when I do, I’ll come knocking if the need becomes more than a tickle.”

  His exit stalled with him in the doorway. He looked over his shoulder at her. His gaze raked over her body, slowly drifting from her feet upward to her hips, where it lingered at the base of her pussy, and upward to her breasts where it more than lingered before meeting her gaze.

  “You know where to find me,” he said with a distinct drop in his tone.

  “I’m a plain-speak kinda woman—was that an invitation?” Please say yes.

  He let go of the door handle and closed the space between them in seconds. He brushed her cheek with his knuckle before tracing her jaw with his finger. “You are so not good for me.”

  She took the close-up opportunity to admire everything about his face. “Small bites. Don’t make it one massive meal.” Holy fuck, she could drown in the liquid pools of those blue eyes.

  “As you wish.” He grinned, a small dimple popping into view in his right cheek. “Be careful what you ask for.”

  “Don’t worry about me, I can deliver.”

  He laughed as he casually rested his hand on her shoulder. His touch sent an express communication to her pussy.

  “Looking forward to checking out the package.” His hand left her face and brushed an aroused nipple. “All of it.”

  Chapter Three

  Rock headed out of the hotel for no other reason than he needed the frigid temperature to douse the potent sexual energy gunning through his body and straight to his dick. After he’d left Bethany in the room, that overly sentimental room, he could barely think straight. Hell, he probably looked and walked as if drunk. His body’s reaction was too out of control for his liking.

  Just because this intriguing woman from California washed over him like a breath of fresh air, she couldn’t invade his stagnant life to short-circuit his system. She had him under her power, saying and doing stuff he’d never done with any guest.

  Normally, every Friday he enjoyed a good fuck with Annie, a lawyer in Bangor who had no intention of marrying, settling down, or putting anyone in front of her career. That suited him fine. Ever since his wife, Judith, died four years ago buried in a snowdrift—a freak accident—he had no desire to be close to anyone. No one could fill that void. Over time, he plunged himself into his job and sealed his heart within a formidable fortress.

  But this Friday, thanks to the blizzard, he wouldn’t be seeing Annie. Worse, he didn’t miss her. Not even a little. Time with her had become routine, pure physical relief.

  “Rock, here’s a proper coat and gloves before you freeze. I’ll need you to bring in more firewood, please.” His sister fussed over him until he buttoned up.

  He waved as she took refuge from the cold, returning inside the house. Meanwhile, his mind looked forward to the hard labor to burn off his body’s excitement. Rock huddled on the porch watching the sky release the thick snowfall. Familiar parts of the property lost their shapes. Temperatures had nosedived. He blew on his fingers, then pulled up the collar of his inadequate jacket. It was only a matter of time before the eerily ferocious wind turned relentless and whipped up bands of snow to complete whiteout conditions.

  Under cover of the barn, he set about the job of chopping the larger log rolls into manageable pieces. His best effort at hard labor didn’t stop his mind from recalling the pair of soft green eyes framed with thick lashes. Her hair made him think of honey and sunshine. The long curtain of thick hair framed either side her face, and if he traced the outline it would be heart-shaped. Every time she spoke, her mouth had an off-kilter slant that he found strangely sexy.

  He chopped more wood pieces. Pretending to be irritated and not give a damn about her didn’t work. Problem with that was that the longer he stayed in her company, listening to her snarky asides, fractures occurred in his wall of separation.

  As quickly as he could, he loaded up his arms with the logs and trudged back indoors. Three more times and they had enough wood to hold them over. Besides, he was frozen.

  “I’ve got hot chocolate in the kitchen.” Mandy stepped onto the porch to help beat off the snow from his back and shoulders.

  He took up the task of brushing off the snow that clung to his legs.

  “Take off the coat, then join us.” Mandy went back into the house.

  Us? Damn, that woman had come down. Now he couldn’t enjoy a hot cup of chocolate without a raging hard-on.

  He walked into the kitchen where his sister and their new guest already acted like best friends.

  “Will you be wearing your uniform while we hunker down?” Bethany teased and he hoped Mandy missed the sparkle of mischief in her guest’s eyes. “I promise not to poach.” She held up her hands in mock surrender.

  “I’m still on call. I wear my uniform in case I have to go out and do a rescue. Or for those who want to take advantage of the situation to commit crimes, I will arrest their ass in a heartbeat.”

  “My brother is so by-the-book,” Mandy could never hide her pride. His neck warmed with the attention of these women. His big sister always had a protective streak, especially after Judith died.

  The other woman looked on with open intensity as she watched him over the rim of her mug. He felt as if she was sizing him for a meal.

  “Well, I’m heading up to the house. Like I said, if you’re worried about the snow, you are welcome to stay there. Not hotel-worthy, but it is home.”

  Rock interjected, “I’m fine. Your six hellions would make me run madly into the blizzard.”

  “That’s why I’m not inviting you.” His sister poked her finger at him. “My invite extended only to Bethany.”

  “Thank you. But I’m kind of looking forward to the solitude.” What she said and the way she looked at him didn’t mesh. Solitude, his ass. That crooked grin of hers spoke volumes.

  “I understand. As our brochure says, this is a great place to rest and relax.” Mandy grabbed her keys off the counter.

  “Well, I’m off. Rock, please take good care of our guest. Dinner is usually at six. If you’d like an earlier time, it’s not a problem.”

  “Six or even seven is fine. I may take a nap. Between the long flight and jet lag, I’m a bit turned around,” Bethany replied. “I’ll take the rest of my hot chocolate up to my room.” She slipped past them and headed for the stairs before he could respond.

  Rock helped his sister to the car. She was also loading up with food for the possibility of being snowbound with the family for a few days. Her husband was a fisherman and tended to go out of the large trawlers during this season.

  When he returned to the house, he looked up the staircase. He was glad Bethany hadn’t lingered. He didn’t want to think about her sleeping. Wondering if she sno
red, or if she talked or moaned in her sleep. Did she sleep in a nightdress, PJ, T-shirt, or nude. Any option had its sexiness, especially to see her bare skin under him. His dick twitched its agreement.

  Taking advantage of the lull, he shoved his hands in his pockets and completed his inspection of the building to insure everything was in place for the storm.

  The wind howled. The freezing rain slapped his face as he walked into the wave. Rock surveyed the area, seeing the ice freeze the tree limbs and overhead wires. With the next wave being wet snow, the chance of a power outage was significant. He opened the storage building and took inventory of what needed to be transferred to the inn.

  His radio crackled. “Hey Rock. You there.”

  “Yeah, Chaz, What’s up?” One of the college kids was checking in.

  “Lights are flickering.”

  “We’ve got the generator. But also make sure we have the hurricane lamps. I’m bringing in more fuel.”

  “Need help?”

  “Nah. I got it. Going to put everything on the dolly and roll it to the back door.”

  “Good. I’ll be there to help unload. I’m in the attic right now. There was a hole that needed to be patched.” A lot of background noises muffled Chaz’s voice.

  Rock continued with the loading. When the weather seemed contrary, his sister would say that it meant change was coming. Every year since his wife died, he wondered when the change would come. The moment when waking up and actually being able to look forward to the day was natural.

  He’d tried to find it in a bottle. He’d tried to find it in Annie. He looked up at the window of the Wildest Dreams suite. The blind slipped back into place. But he’d seen Bethany looking at him.

  “Oh Bethany, I don’t think any forecast could have predicted you.” Rock finished loading up the dolly and pulled it to the back entrance, out of sight of the suite. Already he felt an excitement alien to his experience. But he also felt unsettled and guilty that another woman was stirring him awake.

  Chapter Four

  “Ouch!” Bethany rubbed her hand while she blinked away the sleep. She’d hit her hand on the side table. Confusion slowed down the waking process. It was dark. This wasn’t her bedroom.

  Oh yeah. Maine—emergency getaway. She leaned forward to read the clock’s face. Eight p.m.

  Her stomach growled. She’d missed dinner. As the only guest for dinner, what did that mean? Was it under plastic wrap waiting to be reheated? Her mouth felt thick and grimy.

  “Time to get up.” She yawned again. The bed was heavenly. The thick curtain at the window blocked out the light and kept the room toasty. Earlier, the drapes also provided sneak peeks at Rock industriously chopping wood.

  Now with the thought of Rock on her mind, she was motivated to get moving. Bethany scooted off the bed and walked over to the window.

  Snow. Lots of it. The sight stunned her. She’d been to ski resorts. This scene was decidedly different. A luxurious comforter of heavy snow covered the area. The wind hadn’t let up, lifting and swirling the loose snow into a foggy opaque curtain. Standing at the window, she listened to the wind whistle and howl, as if communicating its wrath. Remembering Rock’s dire prediction of having to rescue her, she could emphatically deny any urges to face the storm. The outdoor lights made everything visible with an eerie halo over the surrounding area.

  She couldn’t imagine anyone having to go out in this weather to rescue people. Rock must have more than ballsy luck to do his job. He’d need to use brute strength and ingenuity to deal with the rigors of the duties. The combination impressed her. How did anyone drive in this mess? Hopefully, people would stay indoors and not get stuck in the frigid temperature.

  “Shower, then eat.” She reclosed the curtains and headed to the bathroom.

  She opted for the quick shower rather than a long soak in the deep tub. With her hair damp and curling in untamed fashion, her body clean and revived, she picked tonight’s clothing. This time she left the sickly pink sweat suit and opted for blue jeans and a T-shirt that sported a map of Maine. She wanted comfort. Her stomach rumbled its protest.

  She walked into the dining area. One table setting waited for her. A note instructed her to ring the bell, but she snorted at the idea. She’d feel pretentious.

  Instead, she headed down the hallway to find the kitchen. Sounds of cupboards closing, dishes hitting the counter, and delicious smells of food drew her.

  “Oh, ma’am, I would have brought your meal. Guests aren’t really allowed in the kitchen.” The woman who looked college age was flustered by her unexpected appearance. “I’m Jenny, by the way.”

  “It feels so strange being out there alone. I could eat right here.” Bethany pointed at the small table with four chairs in the corner of the large kitchen.”

  Jenny looked doubtful, but Bethany didn’t relent. She might be snowbound for a few days. That should diminish the rules of engagement, somewhat.

  “Okay, I’m boiling potatoes for tomorrow. Making shepherd’s pie, ma’am,” Jenny said, her furrowed brow reflecting her doubt over the new arrangement.

  “Sounds delicious. By the way, call me Bethany.”

  “Sure. I’m the assistant cook, waitress, and dishwasher.” They both laughed. “Tonight it’s lasagna.”

  “Good winter food.” Bethany’s stomach rumbled. “Have you eaten?”

  “I eat later in the evening. I like to get my work done.”

  While Jenny busily prepared her dinner, Bethany took a seat at the table. “Um…Mandy had said the staff lived on the property. In the cabins?” She wanted to work her way toward finding out where Rock kept his residence.

  “Some have cabins. But on days like this, there are rooms on the first floor that the staff can use.”

  “And Rock?”

  “He’s in the owner’s apartment. When the original owners built the property, they added on a place for them to stay. They had one daughter, so it’s a two-bedroom apartment. It’s through that door.”

  Bethany no longer heard Jenny’s historical commentary that picked up momentum, now that the young woman had grown comfortable with her. But Mandy’s attention stayed on the thick wooden door and how to get on the other side.

  “Here’s your dinner. I’m going to skip out. I need to complete some other tasks.”

  “Please, go ahead. When I’m done, I’ll put it in the sink.”

  Jenny nodded and headed out of the kitchen.

  Bethany enjoyed the tasty mix of pasta, cheese, and meat sauce. She took her time with her meal, as she considered her next step. This trip had a surprising detour that not only appealed to her but excited her.

  After popping in the last bite, she took her plate, fork, and glass to the sink. She cocked her head to listen for anyone’s approach. It was all quiet. Slowly she walked toward the door and reached for the doorknob. There was no lock. Still listening for anyone to disrupt this mad idea, she waited a second. Then after a deep inhale, she turned the handle. It wasn’t locked. But with such a light staff and one guest, how many would invade the park ranger’s abode?

  The door didn’t open directly into the apartment. Instead, it was a short hallway and at the end was another door. She’d come this far and didn’t intend to stop. She continued to her target.

  Even though logic tried to caution her, she fisted her hand, but before she knocked, the door snapped open. Holy shit. The words were a sigh in her head. What else to say for the sight before her that outrivaled the statue of David? Despite the familiar glower that made her hot, his bare chest at eye level and a towel wound around his hips made her wet.

  “Bethany...?”

  “Good evening.” She sounded on the verge of an asthma attack.

  “How can I help you?”

  “Wow! This is more than a suite. This is a house.”

  “This is where I live most of the time.”

  “Oh, you saw me coming?” She looked at the now vacant hallway on the TV monitor.

  “We
do provide a safe environment.”

  “And yet you invited me in.” She did her best impression of a vampire seductress.

  “And what danger would I be in?”

  Bethany didn’t miss the bulge forming under the towel. Dinner was far from over. “I’ve volunteered you…”

  “For…”

  “Tonight’s entertainment.” There’s nothing on TV.” Not that she’d checked. She bit her lip. “So I fancied a fuck for dessert.”

  He didn’t say a word and his expression hardly changed. But she detected a subtle shift in his body language. Maybe it was her anticipation, but the air was charged, ready for one tiny spark to ignite. The icy blues had a knack for staying locked on target—her face. Under his scrutiny, she could feel her pulse pick up speed. Her chest couldn’t hide how hard she was breathing. Excitement raced through her body. His wild energy under that brooding veneer could barely stay restrained. That much she did sense.

  Rock turned his back on her. Damn. The muscle definition of his neck, through his shoulders and back were an open invitation to be touched. The towel outlining his ass as he walked was poetry in motion. He paused in front of a door and looked at her.

  “I do like your customer service approach, Mr. Braxton.” Bethany licked her lips for the second helping to satisfy a different hunger.

  Chapter Five

  Bethany didn’t wait for the door to close. She grabbed Rock’s towel to jerk it off his fine body. But he grabbed her wrist, stopping the momentum. Taking control, he pulled her against him.

  “You sure that you want to enter the den?” His eyes flashed with desire.

  She nodded. The wind escaped out of her lungs. Breathing was difficult, face-to-face, eye-to-eye with him. She wanted to drown in the depths of the crisp blue heaven.

  “So you want me?”

  “Just like you want me.” She smirked. “Probably more.” Her hips grinded against his arousal. Damn, his thick cock teased her.

  “You’re like this storm.”