An Ill Wind

by Monette Michaels

  Fee was either scared shitless or highly aroused. Then he scented the female musk of her arousal. Noted that her nipples had tightened even more than a few seconds ago. She quivered under his light touch. Her skin flushed a darker pink in response.

  She was definitely aroused, but still she held back. Her higher brain must’ve made the decision to strip off her clothes and indicate an interest in further intimacy. But her more primitive brain, it seemed, hadn’t gotten on board yet. She was still poised for flight, the instinctive reaction of a smaller, weaker female to a larger, aroused male looming over her.

  The trust bond had yet to be fully formed between them, and until it had, Fee would likely face this same struggle the first few times intimacy arose between them.

  Trey wished he’d killed the pecker-headed douchebag Stall when he’d had the chance.

  Slow and steady. Earn that deeper trust bond, dumb shit.

  Using a light stroke, Trey moved his finger from her collar bone, up the column of her throat, then to her chin where he tipped up her face.

  Fee’s breath hitched, and a tiny whimper caught in her throat.

  “Shh, little doc. You’re safe with me.” He placed a gentle, reverent kiss on her lips, a mere brushing of their mouths.

  When she sighed against his mouth and brushed her lips over his in return, he smiled. Emboldened by her response, he licked along the seam of her mouth and placed tiny nibbling kisses along her upper and lower lip. Twining her arms around his neck, Fee leaned into his body and opened to him.

  Trey groaned his satisfaction and swept his tongue inside the silken heat of her mouth. She tasted like the wine they had at dinner and something sweet and uniquely Fee. He forced himself to tighten the reins on the urge to take her mouth in a deep, tongue-thrusting kiss. Instead, he continued to lick and kiss her slightly parted lips, giving her small touches of his tongue, until she responded by chasing his tongue with hers.

  As she tasted him, shyly explored his mouth, his libido howled to be let loose, but he managed to throttle back his lustful urges.

  Slow. Steady.

  Trey continued to follow Fee’s lead and kept his kisses sweet and non-threatening. Still, her kisses had the power to drive him to his knees, begging. He reveled in her slight weight braced against him. Craved the touch of her nipples, even through the sexy bra, against his naked chest. Trembled at the way her fingers played with his ear lobe and the nape of his neck.

  Then Fee sucked his lower lip into her mouth and lightly bit it.

  He growled. She swallowed the sound and leaned even more heavily against him. He groaned and gathered her even closer, until his hard-on probed her bare stomach through his boxer briefs. He fisted his other hand at his side so he wouldn’t scoop her up, one-armed, and hold her still so he could align his cock with her pussy.

  Slow. Steady. Don’t fuck it up now.

  Time passed, slowly, fast—hell, he didn’t know, didn’t fucking care—as they engaged in a duel of tongues and ever-deeper kisses.

  When Fee moaned and rubbed her body against him like a cat begging to be petted and dug her fingers into his shoulders as if she never wanted to let him go, he almost roared in triumph.

  Don’t. Fuck. Up. Now.

  Carefully, he enfolded her with both arms and then lifted her. Still kissing him, she wrapped her legs around his waist and held on. As their kisses turned even more fevered and seeking, he held her trembling body as close to his as he could.

  CHAPTER 15

  Pia’s suggestion about shedding clothes had been right on the mark. It hadn’t taken Trey long to follow Fee’s lead.

  Fee moaned at the sheer pleasure of being held by Trey. His strength awed her, and his body gave off so much heat that even being almost nude she wasn’t cold. His kisses had grown hungrier and held the promise of even more intimacies.

  Smart move on using the hot tub as an excuse to get naked.

  Yeah, she’d been inspired, but the well of inspiration had run dry. What did she do now? Neither she nor Trey were totally naked yet. And while Trey’s kisses were smoking hot, he still held her as if she were a fine piece of porcelain he was afraid to drop. His long, thick cock was a mere pair of sheer silk panties and his boxers away from her pussy, but he hadn’t even rubbed his cock against her very wet slit.

  Fee was more aroused than she could ever remember being. The only other time she’d even come close to being this turned on had been with Trey in the cliff dwelling, and that had been bad timing all around.

  She moaned as Trey sucked on her tongue. In response, she tilted her hips and undulated against his erection in an attempt to lure him to rip away her panties and take her right where they stood. While his foreplay was nice—the naughty kind of nice—she was so close to coming and wanted him inside her when she fell over the edge into climax.

  Trey’s response was to break their kiss and to begin kissing and nibbling along her jaw line to her ear where he sweetly tortured the lobe with his teeth and lips.

  The man had too much damn control.

  Then make him lose it.

  How? She was no femme fatale. Being a late bloomer, she’d lost her virginity in college, a totally lackluster experience. During med school, she’d been too tired to play the dating game. The sexual fiascos during her residency were, well … fiascos. And every blessed one of her past sex partners had made all the initial moves to get her into bed.

  Speak up, maybe? Tell him what you want.

  Moving one of her hands from clutching at his shoulders, she cupped his face and halted his sensual attack on her neck and ears. “Trey…”

  Then … nothing. She’d meant to suggest they move to the next stage, but nada. Not a whimper. Not a moan. Not a sigh. Not a single fucking word. Zilch.

  Chicken.

  His sharp cheek bones flushed with arousal, Trey looked into her eyes. The longer she didn’t speak, the more worried he looked. Finally, he whispered, “Fee?”

  Shit. She didn’t want him concerned. She wanted him horny … needed him to take control and fuck her senseless.

  Fee looked him in the eye and tried again. “Um…” She licked her kiss-swollen lips and tried to swallow past what seemed to be a huge boulder lodged in her throat. “Hot tub?” finally came out on a croak.

  Her inner self head-desked.

  Trey moved one of his supporting hands and let her slide down his front.

  He was letting her go?

  For the first time since Fee had taken off her outer clothing, she felt horribly exposed. She struggled not to cry.

  “Sweetheart.” Trey held her face with both hands and swiped away a tear she hadn’t even realized had slid out. He stared at her for several agonizingly long seconds as if she were a puzzle he was trying to solve.

  Fee sure as hell hoped he’d figure her out, because damned if she could.

  Finally, he nodded. “Get in the hot tub, little doc. You want a glass of wine or something else?”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t giving up on her. There was still a chance she’d finally realize what real passion was all about. Her past sexual encounters had been more about her curiosity and her partners wanting to scratch an itch. All she’d gotten was disillusioned.

  There’d be no disappointment if Trey made love to her. God knew, she was more attracted to him than any man she’d ever seen or fantasized about, and that included the Hemsworth brothers and Chris Pratt post-Parks and Recreation.

  “Wine. White, if you have it. Thank you.”

  When Trey moved away, she shivered at the loss of heat radiating off his big body. The early spring night air was colder at this elevation and latitude than even in the New Mexico high desert.

  Fee moved quickly out of the great room, across the deck, and down the steps to the hot tub. She folded back the top and hit the button to start the jets.

  Stripping off her bra and panties, she dropped them on a nearby lounge chair and then eased into the hot, bubbling water.


  “God, that feels good.” She rested her head against the smooth lip of the tub and closed her eyes. Maybe now that she was totally nude, Trey would make all the future moves.

  It’s called communication. Just ask him for what you want.

  No, she couldn’t. Just couldn’t. She’d used up all the audaciousness she possessed in her when she’d first stripped to her undies.

  Besides, asking a man for anything sexual hadn’t worked that well in the past. The first time she’d asked a man for more clitoral stimulation, her bed partner, a fellow medical resident, had lost his erection and called her a ball-breaking bitch. He’d left her naked and humiliated in her bed.

  Thinking the situation might’ve been more about his issues, she’d attempted to be more subtle with her next lover, also a fellow medical resident. He’d ignored her hints and had taken what he wanted, leaving her in pain. Then the selfish asshole had talked about her behind her back at the hospital where they both worked, said sex with her had been like fucking a cadaver. She soon acquired the reputation of a frigid bitch.

  Needless to say, she’d stopped dating guys on the medical staff. Hell, she’d stopped dating period.

  So, no … opening her mouth and asking for what she wanted sexually hadn’t worked for her.

  Trey is not those metrosexual, narcissistic douchebags.

  Fee knew that. Trey was … an alpha-male. From what she’d gleaned listening to her female friends who associated with that particular subset of the male species, dominant males liked to take control. Even Pia had said Fee getting naked would send a clear message she was ready, because Trey was more masculine than most.

  Fee was naked. Message sent.

  Picture me shaking my head.

  “Fee?” Trey’s deep rumbling voice was close. He hadn’t made a sound on his approach. The man moved like a huge, stealthy cat. “Here’s your wine.”

  She opened her eyes. She’d been so lost in her depressing sexual past that he’d also managed to enter the hot tub without alerting her. He now sat across from her.

  Leaning forward, she reached for the glass. She frowned when she noticed Trey still had on his boxers.

  Fee looked up and found his glittering gaze fixed on her breasts as they gently bobbed on the waves caused by the water jets.

  “Th-thank you.” Feeling very alone and self-conscious in her nakedness, she took the glass, sat back, and slouched further down on the seat until her breasts were submerged.

  “Don’t be shy now, little doc.” The corners of his eyes creased as an affectionate smile settled on his lips. “You’re beautiful. Perfect. Your sexy undies really didn’t hide a thing from me.” He winked. “By the way, I like your choice of lingerie.”

  Fee wasn’t sure how to respond to his gentle, sexual teasing. So she took a sip of her wine and concentrated on watching the hot tub lights flicker with the movement of the water.

  God, she was a loser. First, she sucked at sex. Second, she couldn’t ask for what she needed. Now, even light sexual repartee was outside her skill set. Strike three, she was out, right?

  “Fee…” Trey’s warm breath whispered across her left ear. While she’d been worrying about how to respond, he’d moved next to her.

  “Relax, Fee. We have all night. It’s not a race, sweetheart.” He placed his arm around her shoulders and eased her even closer to his body. “Lean on me. Drink your wine—and just be.”

  Letting out a tremulous sigh, Fee did as he suggested. It was so much easier when he just told her what he wanted her to do. She could make life-and-death decisions, but when it came to sexual decisions, she needed some damn direction.

  Fee sipped the potent wine and let the warm, bubbling water and Trey’s scent and touch lull her into a drowsing dream-state. Time had no meaning. She moved from floating on warm damp waves to drifting in a world filled with a cool mist. Shivering slightly, she whimpered, “Cold.”

  “Shh, sweetheart.” A deep male voice—Trey’s voice—soothed her. “You’ll be warm soon, I promise.”

  Trey would warm her up. He’d cover her with his hot body and—

  The next sensation was her body sinking into a pillowy cloud that smelled of lemons and musk and something she’d scented before but in her lethargy couldn’t quite name now.

  Warm and feeling safer than she’d ever felt in her life, she succumbed to the lure of the night and dreamt of a mountain god with a panty-melting baritone who enfolded her within his muscled strength.

  ****

  April 16th, early morning

  Fee woke slowly. She arched and stretched like a contented cat. Yawning widely, she turned onto her side and snuggled her face into the downy pillow which smelled like musk, citrus, and—Trey.

  Trey!

  She sat up and looked around. This wasn’t her assigned guest room in the Lodge. This wasn’t even a room she’d seen before. The bedroom’s colors were all grays and golds, with two stone walls and two gold-plastered ones. The floor was stamped concrete and covered with animal hide area rugs. A masculine room.

  For a terrifying split-second, she thought she was back in Madera. But no, she’d been rescued. She was in Idaho, and this must be Trey’s bedroom.

  Last night was a myriad of disjointed images floating in a pea-soup fog in her head. Dinner. Two glasses of wine. Movie. Trey’s house. First saw hot tub. She got naked. Hot, hungry kissing. Entered hot tub. More wine. Trey hugging her. Then—nada.

  Well, not exactly nothing, because here she was. Her dreams of floating and a mountain god had obviously been Trey carrying her to bed and tucking her in like a child.

  Rubbing fingers over her aching-from-too-much-wine forehead, she moaned. “I’m such a dweeb.” She scraped her hair off her face and tugged it. “He slept next to me. All night. Nothing happened.”

  Her face flushed hotly as she recalled how difficult it had been to strip off her clothing in front of Trey. But for a few precious seconds, Pia’s advice had seemed to work. There’d been sexual interest in his eyes. So much so, he’d taken off some of his clothes, too. God, she prayed her jaw hadn’t dropped at the sight of his long, muscled body. Even though he’d still worn his boxers, she’d seen the outline of the very impressive erection she’d previously caught glimpses of in the cliff dwelling.

  Kissing had definitely happened, and it had been superb. But then she’d fallen asleep like a cheap drunk. He’d put her to bed to sleep it off … where she’d woken up alone.

  How could she ever face him again?

  By staying put … naked in his bed.

  Fee bitch-slapped her inner self. She couldn’t stay here. Hell, she’d been sketchy on how she might’ve handled the morning-after even if they’d had a night before.

  One thing she was sure of—she damn well couldn’t handle this particular morning-after. Trey was probably disgusted, maybe even mad. After all, she’d led him on and then left him hanging. She’d also learned from her previous disappointing sexual encounters that men didn’t like to be left high-and-dry when it came to sex.

  Fee swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat as the world swirled around her aching head. Her shoulders slumped as dejection settled on them. She had to get out of here.

  Listening carefully, she heard no evidence of anyone in the house. She winced. He hadn’t even stuck around. Something akin to grief stabbed her in the heart and churned her stomach.

  Chalk up another epic fail in the intimacy arena. This time, she’d managed to disappoint her sexual partner even before they’d gotten to the sex part of the program.

  Moving off the bed, she spied her clothing neatly folded on a chair. Well, all of it but her undies. Where in the hell had they gone? Then she vaguely recalled dropping her outer clothes in the great room and her bra and panties on the chair by the hot tub. No, she couldn’t revisit the site of her failure to lure Trey into having sex. Plus, what if he returned while she was hunting down her underwear?

  Fee couldn’t face him this soon after the debacle o
f the previous night. She’d go commando until she reached her guest suite in the Lodge.

  That’s the coward’s way out.

  She’d rather think of it as a strategic retreat until she could regroup—and talk to Pia about where she’d gone wrong.

  Yellow belly.

  Whatever.

  It was half past seven. Pia and the others had planned to leave Sanctuary at eight to go outlet mall shopping—a perfect way to avoid Trey for the rest of the day.

  Fee dressed, breaking her own personal best record for speed, and left Trey’s house by the side door off the laundry area. She saw no one as she sneaked into the Lodge through the kitchen door. She grabbed a bagel and a can of Diet Pepsi to settle her stomach and went up the back stairs to the third floor where her assigned room was located.

  Less than twenty minutes after waking in Trey’s bed, she was in the back seat of the Hummer that Keely had pulled around for the shopping trip. Fee hadn’t seen Trey anywhere, and she wasn’t going to ask if anyone knew where he was. No use tempting Fate. Someone might call and tell him where she was.

  Pia climbed into the back seat with her. “What happened?”

  “Nothing.” Which was the complete truth. No wild hot tub sex. No night of any kind of sex. No morning nookie. Nothing. Fee blinked the tears away.

  “Fee?” Pia said. “Look at me. What the fuck happened? Do I need to kick some Maddox ass?”

  Fee noticed the other women walking toward the Hummer. “Nothing happened. I’ll explain later. Please … I can’t talk about it now. Can we just enjoy the outing with the gals?”

  Pia’s lips thinned. “Sí, but later I want details.”

  “Later.” Fee turned and managed a smile for Pia’s mother. “Carmela, are you excited about shopping for your new diner?”

  The change of topic worked, and when Keely, DJ, and Elana joined them, a lively discussion ensued of color schemes and how many plates, glasses, and flatware would be needed.

  ****

  8:30 a.m., Trey’s house

  Trey returned to his house much later than he’d planned. He hadn’t wanted to leave Fee at all, but Ren had called him to help check out a perimeter breech along their eastern border with the national forest. He’d hoped to be gone for no more than an hour, but they’d found evidence of illegal bear hunting on their land. Following the intruders’ trail onto the national forest lands, they found an empty squatters’ camp and evidence of drugs. They’d called in the park rangers and turned the case over to them.