by Anna Lowe
Tim reached for her, and she slid into his arms. Comfortably, naturally, like she’d been born to occupy that space. He combed back her hair with both hands and rubbed his cheek against hers. Softly at first, then harder, sniffing her the whole time.
“What?” he asked when she giggled.
“It’s ticklish.” The little puffs of his breath stirred her hair and warmed her skin. “But I like it,” she hurried to add, pressing her cheek against his again.
“I like it too,” he whispered in that rock-bottom bass she loved so much.
She tipped her head back, letting him work his way down her neck. He scrubbed every inch of her with his chin and cheeks. When he rubbed in one direction, the motion was soft in spite of his stubble. In the other direction, it was more of a rough scrape, and the contrast made her blood heat.
“Does that work all over?” she asked, mustering the courage to unfilter the thoughts darting around her mind.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
He was at her neck, and she took hold of his shoulders — on the second try, because they were so broad, her hands tended to slide off — and gently pushed him back. “I mean, if I did this…” She ducked, pulling her shirt and sweater off as one layer, and then dropped them to one side. Then she unclasped her bra and tossed that aside, followed by her jeans. “You know, to give you more space.”
Tim made a low, hungry sound like a growl. “More space is good.”
She stopped him just before he went back to nuzzling her collarbone and tugged at the hem of his shirt. “I think I need more space to try this out for myself, too.”
His eyes sparkled in an echo of the starlight they’d absorbed, and he yanked off his shirt, then dropped his pants and boxers.
For an instant, they stood staring at each other like a couple of kids, naked for the first time. His hazel eyes swept over every inch of her body. Her gaze, on the other hand, moved in jerks, because his chest was a work of art. His abs looked like they’d been photoshopped, they were that defined. And below—
She gulped. Yeah, well-built was the term. Well-built and ready to engage.
Then her eyes flicked back up to his face and stayed there for just as long. Tim’s eyes had won her over from the start — so honest and genuine. Lots of guys had good bodies, but how many had eyes like that?
Without saying a word, Tim went back to where he’d left off nuzzling. Up and along her jaw then down to her neck and onto her collarbone. While she fluttered her hands over his body, undecided where to start, he moved in long, purposeful strokes, like a painter intent on covering every inch of his canvas. With slow, barely perceptible steps, he backed her toward the bed, and when her calf bumped the lowest step to the loft, they broke apart.
“After you,” he rumbled, kissing her hand.
Hailey was torn between staying close and lying back across the bed, but when she spotted another reading light, the decision was easy. She had to crawl halfway across the bed to turn it on, and when she did, she rolled and settled onto her back, totally open to his gaze. Tim came right to the edge of the bed, and she stared up at him. Up and up, given his height, her eyes locked on his.
She held out a hand. “Coming?”
She moved one knee, and his gaze jumped, following it.
“Coming,” he rumbled, moving closer.
Hailey lay perfectly still, tingling in anticipation. Her nipples were already standing up, her body aching all over again.
Tim dropped slowly to all fours and inched over her, caging her in without actually making contact. For all she freely offered him — her wide-spread legs, her naked breasts — he didn’t pause until they were face-to-face.
“Hailey,” he whispered, so low and full of yearning, her heart swelled.
She waited, because there was more coming. Some great revelation or sweet words. Something he’d obviously wanted to say for a long time.
But a tree branch scratched over the roof, and Tim closed his eyes. His shoulder sagged the slightest bit, and a look of intense sorrow came over his face.
She touched his jaw and stroked it softly. “Whatever it is, it’s okay.”
He shook his head in a way that could have meant anything from It will never be okay to Sure. Fine. Absolutely okay.
“Tim?” she whispered.
He dropped down, buried his face in what seemed to be his favorite spot — the highest corner of her neck, over by one ear — and started nuzzling her again.
She held him for a moment. Was he truly okay? Should she let the moment pass, or should she try to drag whatever it was out of him?
By the time she got that far in her thoughts, though, Tim had charged ahead, nuzzling her harder than ever, and she couldn’t help but arch into him. Maybe he was communicating whatever he’d wanted to say through body language instead of words. Maybe if she listened really carefully, she would discover the hidden message.
A moment later, she nearly giggled in guilty pleasure. Given the way her body was heating up, she could barely think straight, let alone unravel the secrets of her mystery man. But the more he kissed her, the less it seemed to matter.
She tilted her head back and curled a leg around his, pressing ever closer. Cooing and moaning, because it already felt that good. And when Tim skimmed one big hand over her chest, she arched in a silent cry for more.
A lucky thing Tim was fluent in reading her body language. Within the space of two heartbeats, he ducked and suckled her breasts just as she hoped he would.
“Yes…” she breathed, moving under him.
“Watch,” he whispered, catching her eye.
Her breath caught. Had she heard him right? “Watch?”
He nodded and reached up, pushing a second pillow toward her.
“Please. Watch,” he whispered.
Hailey plumped the pillow behind her head and managed a curt nod. And, whoa. Just watching Tim lick his lips half an inch away from her nipple nearly made her groan. When he caught it, she really did groan, feeling dirty-minded about watching, yet feeling incredibly turned on. He worked his lips, letting her nipple pop in and out of view, and the sight mixed with the sensation nearly made her come. Then he slid down her body, spread her legs, and—
“Watch,” he said in a voice that said she wasn’t the only one barely holding it together. Then he ducked between her legs and flicked his tongue.
She arched right off the mattress, crying out loud. So loud, she was glad no one else lived nearby. She’d never had a man do that before, and much as she loved watching, her eyes kept shutting from the sensory overload. The quick flick of his tongue. The soft push of his fingers. The rough scrape of his chin. Every move of his tongue, every slide of his fingers made her clutch the sheets tighter. Tim knew exactly what combination to use and when, pushing her to her limits, then letting her back down, only to make her cry with ecstasy again.
Unexpected sex on a starry mountaintop had been amazing, but this was something completely different. This was being absolutely, totally possessed. And if it had been anyone else, she would have gone running for the hills. But with Tim — it was scary, how right it felt. How much she wanted to be his.
He broke off abruptly, leaving her gasping. Before she could so much as open her eyes in surprise, he’d crawled back up her body and kissed her hard. With a quick, sweeping tongue, he spread the taste of sex around her mouth and finally broke away, staring down at her. His eyes glowed, and she swore she heard his voice in her head.
You are mine.
“Yes,” she whispered, reaching for him.
A vein at the side of his brow pumped, and his chest heaved as he moved into place. She wrapped her legs around his waist, holding her breath.
Mine, she swore he whispered as he thrust in.
She howled, and when he withdrew and powered back in, she cried out again. The sweet burn, the achy stretch, the feeling of being filled made her head roll from side to side. Tim moved faster and faster, losing then regaining his rhythm
as he fought to maintain self-control. She imagined two Tims, one more dirty-minded than the other, battling inside. One insisting he take his time, while the other howled to be set free. Which did she want?
Easy answer.
“Tim,” she whispered, catching his gaze.
He paused, staying deep inside her, quivering with need.
“Anything you want, I want too,” she said. “Please.”
It was hard to find the words, because screaming Fuck me as hard as your hottest fantasies wasn’t exactly her style. She did picture it, though, forming a wild scene in her mind. The details were fuzzy, but in the vision, Tim’s movements were sharp and hard. His voice was low and gritty, like an animal’s, and his eyes were wild.
That’s what I want, she let her eyes say.
“Please,” she whispered. “Anything you want.”
For the next breathless seconds, she worried that he’d say something sweet and tame like, I want whatever you want. But then his eyes shifted color, going more green than brown, and his face went hard all over.
“Anything,” she whispered.
It was one of those Be careful what you wish for moments, because a second later, he reared up to his knees, holding her hips high above the mattress. Then he started thrusting with an untamed expression that matched his flashing eyes. The angle intensified the pressure, pushing the limits of where pain ended and pleasure started. The blood rushed to her head, and she clutched the sheets.
“So good,” she moaned again and again.
Tim’s hands clamped over her hips, holding her up. Sweat gleamed over his face and chest. He pumped faster, filling her with indescribable emotions and a sense of her own power.
See what you do to me, woman? his wild eyes said. See how good you make me feel?
She clamped down with her inner muscles, making him groan. The gritty sound of his voice pushed her over the edge.
Now, she wanted to scream. Now.
Tim make a harsh, roaring sound as he exploded inside her, and a heat wave ripped through her body.
Hailey threw her head back and opened her mouth to shout, but no sound came out. Not even a pant, because she held her breath through the shudders that racked her body. Tim closed his eyes, concentrating on the moment. Every vein near the surface of his body stood out, and every muscle clenched hard.
“Yes…” she whispered, finally taking a breath. Then an aftershock swept through her body, making her writhe all over again.
When Tim lowered her back to the mattress, it was like floating through a cloud. And when he lay down over her, spent, it felt like coming home.
“Hailey.” He panted into the sheets next to her head.
She clutched at his shoulders, never wanting the sensation to end. The heat. The emotion. The passion. Surely there had to be some way of holding on to all that joy?
But it was closer to dawn than to midnight, and when Tim rolled and held her close, she peacefully, blissfully drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Twenty
Hailey woke at dawn, smiling at nothing in particular. Every limb felt loose and satisfied, like she’d squeezed a week of yoga into the previous day — and night.
She grinned. She was in Maui, so loose and satisfied was fitting, and the bear of a man slumbering beside her provided all the warmth and protection she could ask for.
They were spooned closely, her back to Tim’s chest, and all she could see were his thick arms curled around her. For a long, quiet minute, she took in that view, replaying everything that had happened the previous night. Her cheeks heated, and she planted a tiny thank-you kiss on his arm.
Slowly, she slipped out of bed, trying not to disturb Tim. God knew the poor man needed his sleep. He’d been up at some point in the night, but she’d fallen right back to sleep. Now it was the other way around, and she couldn’t lie still for another minute, not with so many thoughts bouncing around her head.
Standing quietly, she padded to the door. She needed some fresh air to clear her head and figure out what to say to Tim when he woke. If he didn’t want another day of her, she’d catch the first plane out of Maui and never bother him again. But if he said yes…
Her chest swelled with hope she barely dared entertain.
She took a deep breath, trying to organize her mind. First, she’d take a little walk. Then, she’d return and wait until Tim woke. The second he did, she’d brew him a fresh cup of coffee. And once he was really awake…
What then?
She forced herself not to think of the outcome, only how to best express what she felt.
I love you, Tim. It’s crazy, but I love you. And I’d really like to give us the chance to…
She paused. Would that scare him off? Maybe she should be a little more subtle.
Hey, Tim. Last night was great, and so were the past days—
She frowned, because having to face her mother, Jonathan, and a terrifying werewolf had been hell. Only the moments with Tim were good.
The more time I spend with you, the more I think we might have something special. Do you feel that too?
She pushed the front door open but stopped there and looked back. A ray of pink light stretched across the cabin floor, illuminating tiny particles in the air and making the cabinets glow. Beyond the point reached by the dawn light, Tim slept, looking more peaceful than ever.
Hailey nearly sighed, looking around. Maybe her stay on Maui didn’t have to be temporary. Maybe she didn’t have to pretend about having a quiet life with a good man.
She stepped outside, closing the door behind her. And, wow — the entire plantation glowed, taking on the colors of dawn. The dark green of the abandoned coffee grove had a golden tint, and the long, grassy slope that led to the ocean was a warm, yellowish-orange. Birds sang, and the quiet rush of surf carried from far below.
The beach was as good a place as any to start her walk, so she set off, breathing deeply. The air was as clean and fresh as the color of the sky — nothing like LA, which only got her thinking more. The long, low structure behind Tim’s house appeared to be an abandoned coffee drying shed. That would be a fun project — getting a couple of acres of coffee up and thriving again. She could harvest her own beans… Make Tim the best coffee ever… Watch him breathe in the aroma…
She walked on, following a gurgling stream. Dreaming was one thing. Figuring out what to say to Tim was another, and steeling herself for rejection yet another. It was one of those days that could change her life, and she knew it, because it could end in several different ways.
Well, whatever happened, she’d never forget her time on Maui, that was for sure.
The slope folded more sharply as she approached the beach, creating a crease where the stream flowed faster. Something moved on the patch of sand ahead, and she stopped, watching.
Hi, Dell, she nearly called when she saw who it was. But he was doing yoga, and it felt wrong to disturb his peace. She nearly turned away to continue her walk, but he was just easing into a one-armed handstand, forming a diamond with his legs. It was amazing, that combination of sheer strength and delicate balance. He didn’t wobble the slightest bit, and she tried to figure out how he did it. Why he did it, because Dell seemed more the type for a rough round of football than an introspective morning of yoga. Was there some trauma in his past he was trying to shake?
He eased out of the pose, going to two hands and then a plank. Resting on his knees, he tossed his shirt aside and went into a downward dog move that made Hailey think about finding her own quiet spot to do a little yoga, too. He held the pose for a long time, making her think cat more than dog for some reason. And finally—
Hailey frowned. The stretch went too far, as if he’d thrown out his back. But Dell kept right on pushing with his arms while his knees bent backward in a way that shouldn’t have been possible. His fingers clawed the ground the way a cat might knead a blanket, and his shoulder blades stood out on his back.
Something was wrong. Something had to be wrong,
because human bodies didn’t bend like that. Was he having a seizure?
Hailey ran two steps forward then froze.
Hair broke out all over Dell’s back in the reverse of what she’d witnessed Lamar do that awful evening on the beach. The blond scruff on Dell’s chin extended all over his neck. His backbone stuck out, and every joint twisted the wrong way.
She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Dell the human was gone, and a lion stood in his place. An honest-to-God, full-grown lion with a long, tufted tail and a thick mane. The beast clawed the ground, digging deep furrows in the sand, then gave itself a mighty shake.
Hailey inched back, barely breathing.
Oh God. Dell was a shifter. A lion shifter that looked about to set off on a hunt. And since Maui wasn’t exactly teeming with gazelles…
Hailey turned and ran, hoping he wouldn’t hear her over the sound of the sea. The wind was at her back, which meant the beast couldn’t catch her scent — hopefully. She sprinted for her life, straight for Tim’s house, already planning to fling open the door and scream for help.
It wasn’t possible. Not another shifter. Not here, where Tim said she’d be safe.
A myna bird — black with a yellow mask around the eyes — pecked at a dip in the ground beside the water pump by Tim’s house. The bird fluttered away, and Hailey screeched to a stop, staring at the spot, wondering why that seemed important.
Then it hit her. That wasn’t a dip in the ground. It was an animal track — one of several left in the soft earth around the pump. Big tracks — bigger than her foot — showing a triangular pad and five round toes.
Bear tracks.
Her knees shook. Lions and bears? She wanted to scream to alert Tim, but if she did, the beasts would hear and—
All the blood drained out of her face as it hit her. Tim had stepped out at some point in the wee hours of the night, and she’d been so sleepy, she’d barely registered it at the time. But now…
Be right back, he’d whispered, kissing her on the shoulder. Just going to check on things.
