“Or she’s up early and ready to leave. We sit here any longer and my bear is going to go fucking nuts.”
“Cool it, man. Let’s wait and see. Then we strike accordingly.”
“You know we’re not in the military, right.”
“Doesn’t change the fact this is still a mission. If you ask me, the stakes are just as high.” Lorne turned to his friend and watched him curiously.
“There. She just killed the lights. Probably going to catch a cat nap before she slips away from us.”
“Another half hour then we go in?”
“Yep. Just in time for the sun to start its ascent and to have Cherry drowsy enough to not fight us.”
“That came out so damn wrong.”
“You know what I mean, don’t be an ass. The more we stack this in our favor the better. We stick to the plan. Make her fall in love with this place, with us, to trust us with whatever it is that’s bothering her and she won’t want to leave.”
“We can’t claim her.” All the humor Lorne had worked hard to keep in the conversation seeped away, leaving room for Kohl’s words to cut deep.
“We have to. My beast is tearing my insides to shreds.” He turned to look at Kohl. “I honestly don’t know how either of us is actually functioning. Are you backing out?” His fingers tightened around the wheel.
“It’s more complicated than that. Let’s just solve one problem at a time. But the simple answer is no. I can’t. My bear wants her just as bad. I want her just as bad. Only, not yet.”
“I can handle that. But we’re not stopping until she’s ours.”
Lorne didn’t wait to see if Kohl followed. He would. No way he’d miss out on having Cherry as their mate no matter what he said.
Lorne crossed the dimly lit street and let himself into Wylde Fire and took the stairs two at a time. He pulled their key from his pocket and a few seconds later they both stood inside Cherry’s apartment. The delicate scent of lavender filled his nostrils as the rusty, old hinges creaked. He had meant to take care of that last week for her, but work kept them tied up from sunup to sundown with little time for much else.
That would change.
Soft light poured in from the front windows—the frilly white things she had pulled over the large panes did nothing for privacy. A single beam of sunlight caught on the glittery texture of something off to the side of the door.
Kohl tossed his heavy weight into one of the chairs situated between him and Cherry.
“Fuck, man. Adam was right when he called. If this doesn’t work...”
“He can’t put off taking her where she wants to go,” Lorne confirmed, grimly.
Suitcase after suitcase lined the worn wooden floor by the door and told them both they were about to lose the only good thing either of them had. She made him ache like no other woman ever had. An ache only eased when she was close. He knew Kohl felt the same, too.
Damn. Every last thing she owned was packed away, down to her girly toiletry bag she didn’t go anywhere without. “Grab the luggage. I’ll get the girl.”
Anger worked through his veins. But not at Cherry. At themselves for not shutting Blackthorne down before he got worked up. And for not claiming their sweet Southern belle with their combined mark. His teeth ached to punch through his gums. He worked his throat and throttled the groan that wanted to slip past his control from wanting the taste of her skin on his tongue and her body wrapped around him. And therein lay the problem.
He let out a long sigh as he walked through the apartment, every inch as familiar to him as his own home. Plush carpet silenced his heavy steps.
A sound brought him up short. Soft moaning hit his ears as he walked through the small kitchen and hallway that led to Cherry’s bedroom.
Lorne bit back and curse. He twisted the knob and came to a dead stop.
Cherry. Naked, but for a red lacy scrap of something covering her ass and a strappy bra he’d like to see withstand the power of his teeth covered her hardened nipples.
She dreamed. Of them? He dragged in a lungful of air and was instantly, painfully erect. Her arousal touched every red blood cell in his veins, forcing his bear into a frenzy. Claws slashed at the thin barrier and heat fused his human instincts with his beast.
He moved to stalk forward but couldn’t move past the door. Twisting in the sheets were miles of tan legs and silky hair spread over the white cotton of her pillow. His gaze tracked her hands as she cupped her heavy breasts, fingers wrapped around her lace-covered nipples as she teased and tugged. His cock throbbed with need as he watched, fixated, torn between them taking her here and now or wait.
Her hand scooped the lace of her bra beneath her breast and she clutched her fingers around her berry-sized nipple. Her other hand slipped beneath the band of her panties and brushed against the bare, silken flesh between her thighs.
Cherry shuddered.
Kohl groaned next to him. “We have to go before the town wakes. We have to wake her which is a sin in itself.”
He was right. “Not yet.” Lorne’s heart pounded harder in his chest as he looked over his shoulder at Kohl. He shoved the door open the rest of the way and moved to the side of the bed. Gently he took her hand, and Kohl fell in opposite him, his lips brushing her cheeks with light kisses and teasing her wake. Her pretty, black lashes fluttered. “Oh, baby girl. You’re not trying to run away from us, are you?” He ran a finger along the softness of her cheek.
“Mmm.” Without opening her eyes, her lover’s names slipped softly from her lips. Kohl devoured it with his kiss. What the hell was wrong with him? He couldn’t stop himself from wanting her any more than he could stop breathing.
Slowly, blue eyes opened to look up at him and that was when he noticed the puffy redness. His heart stopped beating as he turned ice cold.
All it took was that one look for iron to wrap around his heart and cement their plan of seduction. He spared a glance at Kohl and saw the same determination. As long as Cherry breathed, he never wanted another woman at his side. Hell, or after if fate saw to take her from them. But before either of them could think about that they had to make sure she knew there was truth behind them wanting her as their mate.
“Time to go, baby,” Kohl spoke up from the other side of the bed.
“Where?” Her words were soft, featherlight as though she didn’t have the strength to fight them. Something was wrong, and it had nothing to do with her leaving without saying goodbye. He knew it like he knew her.
“Here, put this on.” Lorne tossed her a pair of shorts and a tank as Kohl collected her sandals from the foot of the bed.
Lorne helped her stand. Sliding the shorts up her warm bare thighs pushed his limits of control. When his fingers grazed the soft slope of her full breasts as he straightened her tank, his bear roared for a taste, a lick. Something to hold him off for the long drive back to their property.
Instead, he ground his teeth and willed his dick to stop trying to bust out of his zipper.
Harsh, jagged breaths tore from him as uncontrolled fire burrowed deep in his chest. Thank God she didn’t say anything. One soft note from her and he’d have her pinned to the wall, his cock buried in her and all their plans gone to hell.
After they’d finally gotten her dressed, he bent, hooked an arm behind her knees and wound the other around her shoulders. He pulled her close.
“Trust us?” She stared up at him with her beautiful wide eyes before she turned to Kohl, lips parted. He looked at her and ignored the questions burning behind her beautiful lashes. Bright blue shifted until her pupils nearly swallowed the last shaft of color. “I... I can’t.”
His acute hearing picked up on the uptick of her heartbeat. A growl unfurled up the back of his throat as she dropped her eyes and moved to lower her legs. Nope. Not gonna happen. The second her pinky toe hit the floor, she wouldn’t stop running. He knew it like he knew there was no other way to get through her stubbornness besides with their plan.
“Sorry, bab
y. Didn’t mean for that to sound like a question. My bad.”
Her eyes widened.
“No going back now.” He winked at her and smiled when she mumbled under her breath.
“Not this time. I have a flight and I’m due at Adam’s plane,” she glanced over his shoulder at the alarm clock by the bed, “now, as a matter of fact. Put me down.”
His little minx was a very bad liar.
“And if I don’t.”
“I’ll scream.”
“Hard to do that when you have your mouth full of me.”
“Lorne, don’t do this to me,” she whispered. “Don’t make this harder.”
He dragged her closer to his chest and tightened his hold. The slight shiver that ran through her echoed off his heightened senses.
“Thought you knew better than to run from a predator. Much less two.”
Her eyes widened with a hint of fear but beneath that he sensed her arousal and it drugged his senses.
The devil on his shoulder whispered for him to toss her on the bed and convince her of how wrong she was and that she belonged to them. And to make her thighs wetter than even her wet dream. His bear agreed. Kohl’s eyes darkened as he read Lorne’s hesitation. Cherry’s hands shook as she pressed them against his chest. Loren’s lips brushed hers and the throaty moan he lifted from her was pure adrenaline to his heart.
She pulled back. “I know that trick, Lorne Wylde. Don’t even think about it.” She wiggled in his arms and his smile broadened. “You’re not doing much to dissuade me, baby girl.” She tried not to smile but the dimples in her cheeks appeared, shadows playing in the small dips at the corner of her lips.
“Then plan B it is,” Kohl added as he opened the bedroom door wide for them.
Lorne heaved her weight of his shoulder and laughed when she squeaked.
“Shh. You’ll wake Rone across the hall and we all know the bear he can be before coffee.”
With their treasure loaded in his arms, Kohl took over and pointed the truck in the direction of home. “This doesn’t change anything.” She sat between them, arms crossed with the prettiest scowl scrunching her face up in a frown. “I get back into town and Adam has to take me where I want to go.”
Kohl swung his arm over the back and she leaned into his embrace. Consciously or unconsciously she knew she was safe with them. “Clearly, sweetheart. We’ll drive you back to Fairbanks ourselves and see to it you hitch the next ride to Houston if that’s what you really want. But for now give us one day?” Lorne stared at Cherry’s sweet countenance as she considered their request. At least he hoped she was mulling it over. Lately, her face took on a blank expression when faced with a decision, her only tell came from the way she fiddled with the tips of her hair.
A mix of fury worked deep in the set of her shoulders though her eyes gleamed with curiosity and pure stubbornness clutched her mouth in a tight, straight line. He could practically reach out and touch her stubborn streak it stretched so damn wide. A smile pushed to show itself but he worked his composure, not wanting to tease her into demanding they turn the truck around right now.
“Don’t think I’m going to change my mind. One day.” She held up a single digit to drive her point home and then crossed her arms over her breasts, the cotton pulling tight to reveal the dip of her cleavage.
“Everything will work out, baby. You’ll see.”
That was Kohl. Always optimistic. He liked to play the odds, true, but he leaned toward the realistic side of thinking. She could turn them both down. What if she truly didn’t want them? He’d swallow his pride because her happiness meant more to him than his own, but it would hurt like hell. When a shifter claimed a mate and the love was unrequited, the strength of the shifter faded and left the beast in a weakened state. He’d live with that if he had to. But damn it, she was going to have one day with them and no interruptions.
Erratic heartbeats from Cherry told them both she was far from convinced.
Claw Ridge faded in the rearview mirror. The next couple of hours passed in silence and he was content letting her switch between his lap and Kohl’s.
Before long Kohl veered the truck off from the main highway and hit a no-name dirt road for a couple of miles before getting to their house. Switchback turns led them through narrow passages, along trails that didn’t look like much more than half-assed guesstimates they were headed the right way until Kohl finally stopped and threw the truck in park.
The little nook they had in mind was completely off the beaten path. Located on the far reaches of the Wylde property, only the brothers knew about the secret hideaway.
Cherry leaned forward, curiosity lighting a spark in her eyes. “Where are we?” The last thirty minutes of their ride she had stirred from her slumber and sat quietly between them now watching the mountainous countryside pass by. Her eyes taking in everything in the comfortable silence.
He managed to keep his hands to himself—barely. It was hard when he looked down and saw traces of sadness tarnish her beauty. Hopefully, after today they would only see happiness.
Kohl brought the truck to a stop at the edge of the woods where the road came to an abrupt dead end.
Cherry thrust the truck door open and crawled over Lorne, her attention on something the second Kohl cut the engine. “Oh my God. This is beautiful.”
They watched as their girl slowly let her muscles relax. Arms outstretched, she soaked in the rays of morning light. For the first time in his life he grew jealous of the sunshine stroking her face, her raven locks, and delicate shoulders. Before long he would have that braid of hers loose, the long strands wrapped around his hand.
He and Kohl leaned on the hood of the truck as they watched Cherry run into the large field of wildflowers that swayed in the mountain breeze. Fireweed with a splash of yarrow here and there. Lupin mostly.
“First stage complete.” Lorne turned to Kohl, who raised a brow in question. “We’re a third of the way there.”
“Let’s hope she likes the rest of our plan.”
Lorne snagged the blanket, the basket of food they prepared, and towels from the back of the truck.
Kohl lowered his voice so Cherry wouldn’t overhear as she approached, her hands full of a massive bouquet. “Keep your eyes peeled. After what happened with Everett and Pepper the other day we know there are ice bears in this area.”
Kohl nodded, his attention on Cherry.
“I should be mad at both of you for your macho bull crap.” She pulled up short of them, just out of their reach. The last time she did that, he understood. But out here, no prying eyes. He would have to stop her from robbing them of her delicious heat.
Anger tinted her cheeks a pretty pink and reached into her eyes until they shone like sapphire jewels. Rosy lips pursed in contemplation. Lorne fought the grin that worked his own lips into a smile.
Every cell in his body told him to push her patience and get her riled up enough to tell them why she thought leaving without saying goodbye was a good idea. But logic pulled back his tendencies and slowed him to a walk. He’d get his answers later when she was weak and pinned between him and Kohl.
“I should have known you two would be up to something. Aurora said as much and Pepper warned me to bolt my door the second she got off the phone with Adam.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Cherry took a step back and turned to walk down the path carved between tall pines and oaks on either side. “Good question, Blackthorne. Good question indeed.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Good questions her ass. The nerve of those two. Worse, the lack of her nerve. She sighed, heavy frustration pouring out. The second Kohl hit park, she bounded out and plucked every flower she could hold to keep her hands busy. Otherwise, they’d both be nursing a good old-fashioned knuckle sandwich right in the perfect lines of those perfect chiseled jaws.
Damn her weakness for cleft chins and amber eyes. She knew exactly why she didn’t nail her door shut. It had everything to do with a f
ast exit and nothing to do with her desire for them to stop her.
Cherry’s head spun and her stomach bubbled with unease. She pressed a hand to squelch the queasiness.
“Something wrong, sweetheart?” Kohl tangled his fingers with hers and gave a light squeeze. The path broadened just ahead and he helped her over a felled tree from one side while Lorne balanced what looked like a picnic on the other. Beneath their feet small pine needles and twigs snapped as gnarled roots lay ready to trip her up. Birds hopped from branch to branch overhead, chirping their morning serenade. A sudden peace settled over her despite wanting to be mad as hell.
“Would it matter?”
“Ah, come on. Don’t be like that.” Lorne spoke up beside her.
“I’m sorry, I don’t feel so well.” And it was the truth. The last few days the room tended to spin a little too fast when she stood abruptly and coffee didn’t seem to have the same appeal as it usually did.
Shadows combed through the low hanging branches as though clinging to the early morning for a bit longer. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a flash of light. No not light, Lorne’s mark. It shined with a power he once tried to describe as magickal. Sunlight danced along the raised edges here and there. Kohl, on her other side just as handsome. He didn’t have a den mark. The scars on his right side and arm told a different story, but the rough edges snagged light just the same. One night when she found enough courage to ask about them, he’d told her his father believed in the old ways. That beating a child into submission was the only way to raise a good leader and leaving scars was only a reminder. She had a hard time with anyone beating a child. Her mother had her faults, but raising a hand to her and her sister wasn’t one of them.
Cherry had spent the rest of the night making sure Kohl had new memories.
As her eyes trailed over Kohl and Lorne she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of fathers they would be. Patient, caring and loving for sure.
Smooth, corded bodies she tried not to notice glided with a masculine grace. Since they had their sunglasses slid in place, she could only go by the easy way they walked that both men enjoyed her company. Low-slung cargo shorts hugged their hips, the material outlining every impressive inch south of the treasure trails that led below the belt line.
Bear Their Secret: Wylde Den Three (Alaskan Den Men Book 12) Page 5
