The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  “Mmm,” Jo mumbled, noncommittally. “It has its good points.”

  “Except for your boss?” he quipped.

  “Except for my boss,” Jo confirmed. She knew he saw the uncertainty darken her eyes, and possibly the way her fingers fidgeted uneasily on the wine glass, but she said no more.

  He watched her for a moment longer. “Then why not leave? Quit?”

  A sigh left Jo’s lips as she placed her glass back on the table. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it at least a million times.” Her stomach churned queasily and she realized she didn’t really feel like talking about work or Brian or her self-prescribed mini-vacation. “So have you always been a mechanic?” she asked, changing the subject.

  “For as long as I could hold a wrench. So, yeah, pretty much my entire life,” Nick replied, spearing a piece of chicken as he spoke. “Tom and I…well, our dad taught us the ins and outs of car doctoring and we’d made a plan early on to start a place of our own one day.” He smiled—a real smile that cut wrinkles down the sides of his mouth and sparkles in his eyes. Jo knew he was reminiscing about the past - it was a smile that only a good memory could create. “Our little shop might not look like much, but nothing can take away from the feeling we had when we opened those doors for the first time. It’s our dream come true, come to life.”

  Jo smiled at him. “You and Tom… You two seem very close.”

  Nick snorted, but it didn’t cover the darkness that clouded his eyes. “We’ve been through a lot together. Never really been apart for too long. And when we lost our dad… we were practically joined together at the hip.” He smiled again, but this time it was watered down and a little sad. It made Jo’s heart hurt. “Nothing’s stronger than the bond of family, you know?”

  He took another bite of food, and Jo waited patiently for him to work through his emotions. Finally, he swallowed a bit of fried rice and said, “He’s not just my brother. He’s also my best friend, you know?”

  “That sounds nice,” Jo commented, quietly. The rest of the dinner faded to silence as they ate. She thought about how Nick sounded when he spoke about his life, so sure of his path, so content with his relationships. She wondered what it would feel like to be more like that with her own life, to be truly and honestly happy. She’d once loved her job, but that had long since passed. Her rare days off were spent alone in front of the television as she made her way steadily through a bottle of wine. She thought listlessly of the life that had already passed her by, slow and monotonous and just plain boring… until today.

  Until Nick.

  Cliché as it seemed, Jo felt as if the very dynamic of her life had changed the moment their eyes met. Beginning to feel the tingling after effects of the wine coursing through her system, she allowed herself one small pass over of Nick muscular, toned body. He was tall and wide, giving the seams of his soft t-shirt no quarter. The grey of its fabric matched his eyes, making them glint with a light all their own. Just below the hem of his left sleeve, Jo could barely make out the dark marks of a tattoo on his large tanned bicep. Maybe if she had a moment, she’d ask him what it was. Her eye passed over his throat, and she watched as it convulsed with a particularly rough swallow. It made her heart speed and her breath quicken.

  Maybe just one fun night with him wouldn’t hurt… she thought to herself, already shaking her head slightly. She wasn’t sure if she could handle a fling and go with this man. If she had him for even a moment… he certainly seemed like the type she’d want to hold on to for a long time afterward. Reluctantly, she let the hope in her eyes fade, and stood to clear the dishes.

  Dishes neatly placed in the dishwasher for cleaning, Jo treated herself to another glass of wine. She curled her feet under her up on the couch, one hand swirling her wine while the other one was propped elbow first on the sofa arm. Lazily resting her head on her hand, she stared intently at the flames of the roaring fireplace, and tried her hardest to feign relaxation.

  Truth be told, she was a whirlwind of emotions and excitement. Nick stayed behind to help clean, and after they were finished, he decided to rest a while and let the alcohol work its way through his system before driving the short way back to his shop. He sat in the armchair across from her, resting easily in the fashionably weathered upholstery with a half empty glass of water. Occasionally, Jo would slide here gaze over to where he lounged, only to find him passing a glance right back at her. It ignited a fire deep in her belly that had nothing to do with the chimney.

  Training her eyes dutifully back onto the fire, she willed her fluttering heart to slow down and her breathing to calm. As she slowly regained control of her emotions, she saw Nick shake his head slightly in her peripheral vision. Her heart sank as he rose from the chair. Despite her internal battle, she couldn’t help but feel sad for missed opportunities as he stood to take his leave. It took a bit of mental fortitude, but she managed to move her lips into a smile to give him a proper goodbye. When she turned from the fire to send him off, she bit back a yelp of surprise. He was standing right beside her, easing down onto the couch close enough to brush bodies.

  Her heart began to pound in full force, and that fire within her blazed back to life. She looked up at him with an excitement she couldn’t hide. “Nick?”

  Chapter Seven

  Nick’s mouth was on Jo’s before she could say another word. She gasped against his lips, feeling the rumble of a soft growl and moaning in response. Wrapped in an eternal euphoria, she could only cling to him as he slowly pushed her backward onto the sofa. This has been all she wanted tonight, all she needed, but now that it was finally happening, Jo was stunned to helplessness, afraid that even the slightest movement would break whatever spell had been casted over them in that moment.

  Passion roared to life as his lips slipped over her cheek and nibbled down her neck, nuzzling into the little hollow at the base of her throat. He nipped the sensitive skin in the bend, groaning with a raw need as Jo reacted to him.

  Jo noticed she was trembling with desire—with need. It rampaged through her like white water rapids, her arousal almost too strong to keep tame. It was dizzying in its power, washing over and under her in wave after wave of pleasure in time with Nick’s hungry kisses. She called out his name as his bared teeth scraped against her skin in an act of raw lust, and he growled deep and reverberating against the soft flesh of her throat, holding her prone body close to him in a tight, almost superhuman grip.

  Quick breaths turned to gasps; Jo nearly drove herself insane with her need for Nick. She didn’t know what was happening to her, the fire in her abdomen was growing, working her into and inferno. Her entire body felt like it would burn away to ash. Nick’s touch scalded as he tore at her clothes, clawing them away from her skin with an almost feral vigor. The taut flesh of his torso was feverish under the thin fabric of the shirt, and he responded to her touch by ripping the shirt off, tearing it away violently at the collar. His eyes were bright like burning coals, scorching Jo wherever he looked and burning his uncontrollable hunger for her into her memory for the rest of eternity. It drove her insane and she wanted more. She usually wasn’t one to like it rough, but for Nick… she’d definitely make an exception.

  Jo felt Nick abruptly shudder violently against her, as if he was struggling to make his body move the way he wanted it to. His breath was coming fast and hard, filled with a searing desire that matched hers in perfect tempo. “I can’t stop,” he breathed, his hands tugging roughly upward on her long john top. He lowered his body, and Jo’s flesh felt charred where the naked skin of his muscled torso touched hers.

  “I don’t want you to,” Jo moaned. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop, Nick.” Her panting was manic, breath coming quick and fast as his hands burned heat down her body. Her hands gripped his hair, tugging reflexively as the pleasure surged uncontrollably within her.

  A basal growl tricked out of his lips as he shook violently against her body, and it only excited her more. “Please,” Jo whimper
ed, her nails scratching over his strong shoulders and back before plunging her hands downward. She felt him hard and ready, pressed against her inner thigh with a dark promise of things to come, and it almost sent her over the verge with the sheer ecstasy of knowing just how much he wanted her. Her fingers clawed eagerly to the button of his pants. “Please, Ni—”

  “No!” Nick tore himself from Jo, jumping to his feet and running two hands roughly through his hair. Something like pain and anger passed through his eyes, amplified by the heat of his blazing need. He took deep breaths, almost gasping as he visibly fought to regain control of his body and mind. His eyes fluttered shut, and with one final deep breath, he said, “I have to go. I shouldn’t be doing this.”

  Without another word, he turned and left out into the night, not even bothering to salvage the shirt he’d torn to tatters.

  ***

  “How much is there to fix?” Nick asked, shouldering his way roughly into the back shop where Tom was still working. The door banged loudly against the wall, the sound making both brothers cringe. Nick could hardly muster the capacity to care. He wasn’t really in the mood for finesse.

  Tom grimaced, looking down at the half-fixed car. “Mostly the cosmetic stuff, if I’m recalling correctly. And the part we ordered, of course. The lights still need a bit of wor—Nick, what the hell, man? Where’s your shirt?” Tom asked, the incredulity in his eyes beginning to bleed into anger.

  Nick shrugged. The last thing he wanted was an ‘I told you so’ lecture from his baby brother. “Spilled some wine on it. Waited until I left and ditched the shirt because the smell was giving me a headache. What of it?”

  Tom glared at his brother, thoroughly unconvinced. “Uh huh. Funny how I don’t smell even the slightest hint of wine on you. And you don’t look like you’re damp, so you didn’t take the time to wash up.” Tom’s eyes narrowed further. “In fact, you smell an awful lot like a particular human we both just met today, so why don’t you cut the bull—”

  “Don’t. Start,” Nick warned. “We just talked.”

  “Bullshit,” Tom spat.

  “I don’t want to hear it, Tom,” Nick growled dangerously. “I’m not in the mood for your nagging.”

  “So then tell me what happened!”

  “It’s none of your goddamned business!”

  “Uh huh, so you just ate and talked, and then you left?” Tom asked, voice dripping in skepticism.

  “Yes.”

  “Without a shirt on?” Tom asked through gritted teeth.

  “Tom—”

  “I’m not stupid, Nick!” Tom bit out. “Do you honestly think I haven’t seen you today? How you’ve been practically salivating over her since the moment you laid eyes on her? Stop trying to play the fool!”

  A rattle bubbled from deep within Nick’s throat, giving his brother one final warning off. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Just shut up and get the work done. For our customer that we’re helping. That’s all. Nothing more.” Even as he said the words, he knew there was so much more. That was too close a call, he thought to himself. I can’t go near her again. Not like that.

  Tom looked at his brother with an expression of mild disgust on his face. “You’re normally the smart one, Nick. But when it comes to her…” He shrugged, his arms falling defeated at his sides. “Your brain’s not right, man. All this chaos, and for a human no less.” His nose wrinkled, as if the word left a foul stench in the air.

  Nick had heard enough. The rattle that shook inside changed to a full-on growl, his whole body tensing. His spine cracked as the bones in his body began to lengthen, shorten, and change. The violence of the change tore a feral scream from his throat, the muscles morphing and turning the cry into a vicious roar. Fur spurted in rippling waves over his skin, his body already wound into a deadly coil in anticipation for the attack to come.

  If Tom wanted a fight, he was damn sure about to get one.

  Chapter Eight

  When Jo woke up the next morning, there was a fleeting moment where she could barely remember what had happened with Nick. Unfortunately, as she took in the spilled glass of red wine and the torn clothing that had been perfectly wearable before last night, it all came flooding back at once.

  Last night held some of the most mortifying moments of Jo’s life. The way she’d been lying there, almost on the verge of release simply from the touch and feel of him, the way he tore hungrily at her clothes, the way she had him right where she’d wanted him almost from the time they’d first met—and then he left. Ran, practically. Right out the door without even turning around to say goodbye. Her eyes flitted over the litter on the floor, gaze finally falling on the ruined tatters of Nick’s shirt. Frowning, she picked it up. He’d run away, out into the freezing cold of the night, and he hadn’t even bothered to grab his shirt first.

  All in an effort to get away from her as quickly as humanly possible.

  Great. Just great…

  She noticed the way the shirt had been destroyed, torn jaggedly at the neck and all the way downward. Heat rushed involuntarily up her neck and into her cheeks. Her heart beat began to speed as she thought of him and what they’d shared last night, the way he tore at her and growled for her body like he couldn’t control himself. It had been rough in a way she’d never experienced before… in a way she liked. But even in its intensity, she’d still felt safe. She smiled. It may have ended all too soon, but not everything last night was a total embarrassment.

  For the time being, Jo decided to distract herself, trying not to worry about Nick and how awkward their next meeting was sure to be. She poured herself a mug of warm coffee that had brewed on timer while she woke, and wandered over to the snug book nook. She found a few that sounded mildly interesting before stuffing herself into a cozy armchair. Throwing a thick blanket around her shoulders, she opened the first book and began to read.

  ***

  Noise nearby woke Jo with a start. She looked around from where she sat, but there was little view from the corner and she didn’t find much to allay her confusion. Writing it off as some random wildlife ambience, she stretched lazily in the chair. Her book had been mildly interesting, but the blanket had been warm and the little reading area quite cozy. Despite pouring herself a cup of coffee sitting, she’d only taken a few sips before her comfort allowed her to drift back off into slumber. The night with Nick, though woefully short as it was, must have taken more out of her than she’d originally realized. Not that she was complaining.

  Her eyes fluttered sleepily, and she made an effort to wake up more. The blanket slipped, and a chill hit the bare skin of her torso. She’d forgotten that her shirt had also been a casualty in the erupting volcano that had been last night. With a shiver, she tugged the warm cover back over her shoulders, snuggling herself back into the chair. She was finally awake, but she didn’t want to leave her lovely warm den just yet. Looking around lazily for a clock, she realized with a grin that there was no reason to search. She had no schedule to keep, no phone calls to make, no boss to annoy her. She didn’t care, and out here, she didn’t have to care. “Yep. This is definitely shaping up to be a dream vacation,” she murmured contentedly.

  A sudden ruckus made Jo jolt upright, again, her eyes widening as she recognized the sound. It resonated with her, deep into her mind, jogging a particular memory from the night before. It had been while she and Nick her practically coiled around her, but she ignored the heat that tried to kindle, bypassing that memory for one that felt most similar to the sound she’d heard just now. A growl or a groan as it vibrated and shivered through her entire body as it came from…

  Nick.

  Whatever had made that noise was growling, but scarier and louder, more like a roar. She remembered the bears that destroyed her car and a shiver ran through her. That terrifying noise wasn’t too far away.

  The roar sounded again, and Jo leapt out of the chair, her book flopped lifelessly to the floor from where it had been sitting on her lap only mo
ments before. She crept as silently as she possibly could across the hardwood, fear tingling down her arms and numbing her fingertips. The second howl sounded dangerous, terrifying, and made her want to run for the hills. How had she ever assumed this monster held any resemblance to the growls of passion Nick shared with her last night, she’d never know, but that was another problem for another day.

  “Did you lock the door? Did you lock the door?” she chanted to herself as she tiptoed towards the front door. She slowly peeked her head around the corner, gazing across the small foyer to where the front door was. With a sigh of relief, it appeared at some point in her drunken stupor, she’d managed to lock the door behind Nick after he ran away. Knowing all of the windows would still be locked, she was as safe as she could make herself right now. Small victories.

  As her breathing calmed, a third roar sounded—then another… and then another. “Oh, God, there’s more than one,” she whispered to herself. And they were getting closer.

  She carefully peeked out of a nearby window, but couldn’t see much more than forestry and a small patch of the dawn-lit lawn. Suddenly, there was a blur in between the trees—something big and dark. “There!” she exclaimed, her voice squeaking with more than a little bit of fear. It was a bear. It had to be. Her heart began to pound before she could talk some sense into herself.

  “It’s okay. It’s okay. There’s no reason for bears to come near the cabin,” she told herself just as another large body blurred between trees. “Just don’t worry and they’ll pass this little old cabin by,” she consoled, her breath quickening despite her words.

  The first thing she wanted to do immediately was call Nick, awkward failed one-night-stands be damned. Back tracking to when she’d last had her phone, she found it tossed haphazardly on the bed she’d chosen to sleep in, dead as a doornail. Grumbling at her obvious lack of luck, she decided that it was best to busy herself with the mundane until either her phone had battery or it was safe to go outside.