Protecting Rayne

by Emily Bishop

  There is a steep decline, as Lorn described, and the main cabin is noticeably larger than the others, more like a community center. I step gingerly down the path, watching for any slick patches until I reach the bottom and head right for the front entrance. I open the door, which is unlocked, and step inside.

  It’s absolutely boiling in here.

  The building has a large open space. There’s a massive stone fireplace in one corner, surrounded by cozy-looking sofas. Another room has games—pool tables, foosball, a few bar games and decks of cards.

  “Hello?” I call out.

  There is no response. A noise scuffles in another room, so I decide to follow it, even as apprehension tickles the back of my neck. There’s another noise followed by a curse, and I instantly recognize that voice.

  Nothing to fear here.

  I open a back door and reveal a large kitchen. On the floor with a tool in his hand is Lorn, shirtless. I swallow, my throat quite parched. His abs ripple as he leans up to attach what appears to be a broken oven door. I notice across his shoulder a massive tattoo of a melting clock, above which the words Die Standing are inked in black on his skin.

  Die standing? What’s that about?

  My gaze leaves that spot and lands once again on his solid, sturdy abdomen, and I know it now.

  I’m not going to be able to resist this guy.

  Chapter Six

  Lorn

  I twist in the last screw to fix the oven door and slide it up. It moves seamlessly, without a squeak, and I know I’ve got it fixed.

  Only then do I look up at Rayne.

  I know she’s been watching me. I could hear her call out. Part of me hoped that she would get no response and leave.

  Should have known better with this woman.

  Her green eyes are watching me with a heat I recognize. I haven’t seduced a woman in a long time. I don’t plan to now. Still, I can have a little fun with this one. I don’t know why I want to. I shouldn’t. I should know better. But those eyes have captivated me, and I want to play.

  I’ve been alone for too long.

  I sit up and brush my knees before standing, then I face Rayne. Her eyes bore into my chest, and I fight back a knowing grin.

  She wants me. How long has it been?

  A dark thought dances across my mind. Does she want me, or does she want the package I come with? How much does this woman know that she’s not willing to admit? I can’t allow myself to be fooled by another pretty face.

  I can’t fathom going through that again.

  “Can I help you?” I ask.

  That gets her attention. Her gaze shoots up to mine, and I’m tempted to remind her that my eyes are up here, but I restrain myself. I don’t need to throw jokes around. Let her get what she needs and be gone, for all I care.

  “The Wi-Fi doesn’t work,” she says.

  I blink.

  “The Wi-Fi? Why do you need an Internet connection here?”

  She places her fists on her round, perfect hips. Oh my god, I can see my teeth sinking into them before I lick my way a little further south. With her hands like that, her jacket has slid up her arm, revealing a tattoo on the inside of her wrist.

  Cash.

  That’s what she has inked on her skin. Cash. I should have known.

  “Because I still run a business. I might want to get away, but things still have to function.”

  I laugh, and I can tell she’s annoyed by that. Good.

  Desire clouds the mind. Desire leads to bad decisions, bad judgment.

  Desire leads to pleasure, too.

  Somehow, after all this time, I’d forgotten that. My body hasn’t, though. Even as she glares at me, her perfect lips remind me of the kiss we shared, and I crave another.

  I crave so much more.

  “That may be so, but you picked the wrong place to stay connected to the world. We don’t do Wi-Fi here. We market ourselves specifically on being unplugged. If you want to check on things, there’s a landline at the main desk in this building that you’re welcome to use at any time.”

  “A landline?” she says, her voice laced with disdain.

  “Yeah. It’s a phone that doesn’t lose service when you need to make a phone call. A phone call is when you pick up the phone and hold it to your ear instead of looking at it, then speak with the person on the other line like a human being. You might remember such a device from long ago.”

  I can’t help my sarcasm, but this woman is entitlement itself, and I like knocking her down a few pegs. To my surprise, her lip curls into a tiny smile.

  “I’ve heard of such an ancient device, though, of course, it’s been decades since I’ve used one, personally.”

  “You should try it sometime. I should mention that the landline isn’t our main attraction here. You are beneath some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. There is a stunning lake a few minutes’ hike away. Read a book. Go for a hike. Be present in the world you are in. This is a getaway. Get away.”

  She hesitates, as though considering my words carefully. “I suppose I could enjoy the scenery a bit, but I wouldn’t know where to begin. Which direction is the lake?”

  I’m not going to get away from this woman. She’s practically a helpless baby out here, and who am I to not step in and help where help is needed?

  I’m sure I won’t even notice the way her hips move from side to side as she hikes ahead of me. I’m sure I won’t imagine how it would feel to bend her over and slide my dick right into her warm center.

  Nope. Not thinking about it at all.

  “Come on.” I reach for my shirt and slide into it, and I don’t miss the look of disappointment that washes over Rayne’s face as I do. She hides it fast, but I caught it. I’m not the only one in this boat, and I think we might end up getting ourselves into trouble.

  “Where?” she asks.

  I slide my jacket over my shoulders and zip it up. My gloves are in my pocket, and I grasp them and slide them over my fingers.

  “You can’t go hiking around here by yourself. You made that perfectly clear when you first got here, and I don’t feel like hunting for you all night in the cold woods.”

  “Did anyone ever tell you you’re a terrible host?”

  “No one has. Ever.”

  “They lied by omission.”

  I clear my throat and prop open the front door then make a grand gesture with my hand toward the exit. “My dear lady, would you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you about the lake, so that I may show you the grand splendor of our beautiful surroundings?”

  My ploy works, and she grins as she walks out the door, her head held high like a queen.

  “It would be my honor, of course. You are ever the gentleman, Lorn.”

  “Now don’t go accusing me of things like that. I’ve got a reputation to protect.”

  “A reputation for being a wild mountain man roaming the woods alone?”

  “Yes.”

  “Your secret is safe with me, hermit.”

  She saunters ahead, and I watch her. I can’t stop myself. My eyes are glued to her ass. I want it. I want it nestled against me. I want to taste her skin and pull her apart and slide in and out and pleasure her until she screams my name.

  “You coming?”

  Oh, dear lord.

  “Yes,” I say. If only she knew the direction of my thoughts, she wouldn’t have asked such a question.

  I’d like to be coming in a different way.

  I shake the lustful thoughts from my mind and join her. She has no idea which way to go, but she walks on as though she does. I point her in another direction, and together we march through the frozen woods, the world still quiet around us. Our boot steps crunch on snow that isn’t as thick as I thought it would be. The storm didn’t do that much damage. Shit, hopefully she doesn’t think bringing her to my cabin was some type of… ploy.

  “I do think this is therapeutic,” she observes.

  “What’s that?” I shake the co
nfused thoughts out of my mind.

  “This,” she says, gesturing to the world around us. “Being in nature, enjoying the silence. The fresh air.”

  “I agree. It is deeply therapeutic.”

  “Do you meditate out here?”

  I consider her question. I’ve never been particularly spiritual one way or another, but nature does have a presence about it that makes one feel more connected to the earth, the way it was meant to be experienced.

  “In a way,” I answer. “I spend my mornings in quiet solitude, often reading, which I consider a form of meditation, depending on the topic of the book.”

  “So, like, when you read Pride and Prejudice, you focus on how Mr. Darcy needs to come to terms with his own snobbery, and that makes you feel at peace with the world?”

  “You’re teasing me.”

  “Well done, you’ve made a correct observation.” She looks up and me and smiles. Her nose and cheeks are a rosy shade of pink from the cold, and she is adorable. My shoulders relax as I start to feel comfortable, then I catch myself.

  Don’t fall for it, Lorn. Don’t.

  “Do you read a lot of fiction?” she asks.

  We stroll on, and I shake my head.

  “Not really. I stay in touch with the outside world by reading biographies and nonfiction, some poetry when I’m feeling esoteric.”

  “And do you often feel esoteric?”

  “I don’t know. I pulled that word out of the air. Sounded deep though, didn’t it? Like a poet.”

  “I don’t think all poets are that deep, if I’m honest.”

  “I don’t either. Sometimes it reminds me of modern art, where someone can paint a square and for reasons I don’t understand, it’s called a masterpiece.”

  She laughs, and the musical sound echoes. I know we’re not far from the lake now. “Right? Every time I go to a modern art gallery, I feel like I’m at an elementary school art show, but people take it so seriously. Makes no sense.”

  “I agree. Bring me to the Louvre to admire the classics, the masterpieces of times past.”

  “Now you really sound like a poet. Maybe if I spend more time out here, I’ll start sounding like you,” she says.

  “Maybe. Until then, you should probably see this.”

  I’m excited to show her the view of the lake. I want her to love this place as much as I do. Why do I want that? Maybe I’m happy to have someone to share this with. It’s been mine alone for a long time.

  I step out into the clearing. Before us, a massive lake stretches to the base of the mountain range. Blue mountains tower above us, reaching up to the sky and capped with white snow. It’s like we’ve stepped into one of the pieces of art we were discussing, and I turn to look at Rayne’s expression.

  Her mossy eyes are wide with wonder. The lake is so clean and clear that the mountains reflect against their surface to create a perfect mirror image.

  “This is unbelievable,” she breathes.

  “It’s not. This is perfectly real, and a big reason why coming here is good for the soul.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” she says, still breathless. “Can we walk around the lake a bit?”

  “Of course,” I say.

  Her face is turned up to the sky. Damn, when was the last time she looked up from her phone to witness the world around her? It was part of the reason I left my own world behind. I wanted to be present in a place that wasn’t connected to seven billion other people.

  And, of course, there were other reasons, far more terrible. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that people can’t be trusted.

  I gaze down at Rayne as she experiences this place for the first time—I might be wrong about that. Might there be a person on this earth that I can trust? Could that person be someone like Rayne?

  She meets my gaze and leans a little closer, as though she is entranced. The world around us is pure magic, and even I can’t resist the spell. I lower my head again and pull her close, capturing her lips with my own.

  They taste even better than I remember.

  Chapter Seven

  Rayne

  Lorn is everything that is right with the world.

  At least, when his lips sweep across mine, he is.

  In the back of my mind, there’s a little voice that reminds me that no one is worth putting myself at risk, but my body doesn’t care. All around us, the world is frosty and cool, but I’ve never felt hotter. Lorn is a furnace, and I press my body against him as I seek his warmth.

  The voice in my head gets louder.

  This is dangerous. I don’t know enough about this man to trust him in any capacity. My father’s killer could have hired him to seduce me, for all I know.

  Am I being overcautious? Can you be, when you know there’s a man out for your blood?

  My cautious mind wins out, and I gently push against Lorn’s chest. He steps back, puffs of steam coming from his nose as he works to calm down. I can’t blame him. My own heart is tap dancing in my chest, but I have to be stronger than this.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that again,” I say.

  He runs his thumb along his lip, and I’m tempted to throw myself right on top of him. The ground may be snow covered, by my need for him tells me that I don’t care if my ass goes numb. I would love for him to lay me down right here and spread my legs.

  It’s a curious thought. I’m not exactly the most adventurous person in bed. I’m no virgin. I’ve had boyfriends. I’ve had sex. It was never really… mind blowing. It was pleasant. Something that was part of a relationship, so I participated.

  I might be a bit of a greenhorn in that realm, too. I’d hate to embarrass myself more in front of Lorn. I’ve thrown myself at him twice in twelve hours already.

  He must think I’m so desperate.

  He lifts one perfect eyebrow at me. “I believe it was me who kissed you this time.”

  A blush heats my skin, but my cheeks have to be rosy already from the cold. Maybe he won’t be able to tell.

  “I guess you did, yeah.”

  “Would you like to see some waterfalls?”

  I’m grateful for the distraction. More than that, I’m grateful to Lorn for seeing my embarrassment and gliding right past it.

  “I would love that,” I say.

  He turns and walks along the edge of the lake. Snow, and then another noise. The slip of my boots on shale – tiny river stones peek through the snow, a rainbow of pastel colors. I scoop up a teal one, free it of snow, and slip it into my pocket.

  A little keepsake from my first day on the lake.

  I fall into step with Lorn, and we stroll in comfortable silence, enjoying the peace and quiet. I’m not sure I like it, entirely. It’s making me think. I haven’t divulged any information about why I’m here, and Lorn might suspect something fishy. If he does, he doesn’t seem to mind kissing me, at least.

  Larry Corker’s face swims along my vision. Maybe he did get out on good behavior, and he’s off living a dull, normal life.

  Maybe unicorns exist.

  “This way,” Lorn says, and I jump. His voice breaks my reverie and slices through the silence, and when he looks down at me, his gaze is confused.

  I must seem like a complete crazy person to this guy. Then again, he spends his time wandering the woods alone, so maybe I’m not the only one with a little bit of crazy going on. I wait for him to comment on my jumpy behavior, but he doesn’t.

  I kind of love that about him. Lorn doesn’t comment on my quirks. Rather, he seems to accept them in stride then simply moves on. We were kissing moments before, and you would never know. He sank right back into casual conversation, because he could tell it was what I wanted.

  Huh.

  I follow behind him as the path narrows, and I’m treated to the lovely sight of his broad back wrapped in that forest green plaid. I want to see his tattoos again, examine them. My gaze travels lower until it lands unapologetically on his perfectly sculpted ass. His legs are clearly muscul
ar beneath his hiking pants. God, I’m undressing the man with my eyes while he’s not watching.

  How sleazy am I?

  I force my gaze of him and focus on our surroundings. The sound of trickling water reaches my ears, and before I know it, we’re walking alongside a little stream. Lorn leads the way, and the stream widens through the woods until we reach a small clearing. Before us, a waterfall cascades over slate-gray stones. Clean, clear water trickles into a small pond that feeds into the stream.

  I release a breath. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful things in my time. I’ve been a socialite my whole life, and with wealth comes a lot of beauty in many capacities, but this is a whole other level. We’re tucked away, viewing a hidden gem I imagine not many people will ever see.

  This is luxury at its finest.

  “I love it,” I breathe. I pull out my phone to take a picture, but Lorn places a hand on mine, stopping me.

  “Don’t capture it. Just experience it.”

  I don’t want to, but I obey. I place my phone back into my pocket and focus on my surroundings. I absorb the world around me and try to memorize it all. Maybe if I can do that, images of Larry will fade, and in their place, all I will see is the tumbling droplets of water plummeting from stones as old as time.

  “You like it?” Lorn asks.

  I grin up at him. “It’s OK,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Not the best waterfall I’ve seen, but maybe in the top fifty.”

  He frowns, as though I’ve presented him with a challenge. “Come on then. I’ll see if we can crack your top ten.”

  The rest of the day is spent literally chasing waterfalls. Lorn treks through the woods, and by the time we reach the third waterfall, I am completely at a loss as to where we are. It’s also ten times more stunning than the first. Water drops from fifty feet high into a little alcove, behind which appears to be a series of small caves.

  “This place is amazing in the summer. I swim here a lot.”

  “It’s magnificent,” I breathe.