“Stop trying to make me feel better. I'm in the mood to wallow.”
She fluttered her eyelashes at him and grinned. “Sorry, no can do. Abby called earlier and wants to go ice-skating. Allison is taking her kids, and we're going to join them.”
Fear slid through him, and he shook his head. “I don't think I want to be around people today, Rina. What if I hurt them?”
Rina ran her hands up and down his chest then wrapped them around his waist, squeezing hard. “You can't lock yourself away because of one person. Yes, he's dangerous. But, I figured out how to stop him before. We can do it again.”
Yes, she'd told him how she thought of warmth and tried to sever the connection. If it worked that time, he hoped it would work again. Now that he knew that, he would do his best to help next time, if there was a next time. He hoped there wasn't.
“You sure you want to risk it?” Jesus, he sounded like some beta male. “You know what? No, don't answer that. Of course you want to risk it. Because you have a spine, and, apparently, I've lost mine somewhere.” Frustrated with himself, he kissed her again then walked to the front door to put on his boots. “I take it you don't have skates, right? We’ll have to stop by the store and pick some up for you.”
He glanced up as Rina’s body was shaking, holding back laughter. “What?”
“You’re so cute when you're frustrated.”
“I'm not cute; I’m manly.”
“Oh, yes, you are that, but still cute.”
“You know you’ll have to pay for that,” he growled, feeling better already.
She raised a brow and smirked. “There's no time for that. We have to stop by the store, get my skates, and then meet the girls and the kids.”
It all sounded so domestic, and Justin loved it. He was learning more and more about her as the days passed and loved every bit of her. He wanted her in his life for as long as possible, forever if they could. That thought didn't scare him as much as it should have. It seemed the Cooper men were falling one by one, and he was okay with that.
They quickly got bundled up and headed to the store to pick up her skates. The general store in town had everything they could possibly want or need. Luckily, Rina’s feet were small enough that they fit in the average-sized woman skate with thick socks. They purchased her skates and headed down to the outdoor ice rink on the outskirts of town. It was an old lake that, in the summer, was a popular fishing hole and a place where people went to swim. In the winter, the lake iced perfectly to skate on. Justin had come here with his brothers for makeshift games of hockey, skating, or just roughhousing. He loved it. He hadn't told Rina about it, but he figured Abby or Allison had mentioned the fact that all the Cooper men, except maybe Jackson who never really liked anything, loved skating.
As soon as the kids got out of the car, Allison's three children ran up to them. Ally was a widow who worked hard to provide for her kids, but he knew times were tough. If only she and his brother, Brayden, would talk to each other about their feelings, maybe some things would change in her life.
“Justin! You’re here!” Lacy, Allison’s youngest at six, called to him as she threw herself into his arms. He caught her and nuzzled his nose into her neck. She giggled and squirmed and told him to let her down.
He'd always loved children, but seeing these three always made him want to have children of his own. He risked a glance over at Rina, and her rosy cheeks and bright eyes made him want to just lean over and kiss her. Jesus, his brain was moving too fast for him sometimes. He could already picture her round with his child. He quickly shook his head then knelt down in the snow to Lacy's level, her brown pigtails sticking out beneath her hat. Her big green eyes stared up at him with adoration.
“Well, hello there, Miss Malone. I hear we’re going skating today.”
She bounced up and down and bit her lip. “I'm getting much better at it, but will you help me?” She lowered her head but kept her gaze on him, giving him the cutest little expression ever. Oh, this girl was gonna be trouble when she got older. He glanced up at Allison and saw her roll her eyes. Yeah, Ally knew it, too.
“Of course, Lacy, hon.”
“Yay!” She ran back to her mother, and Ally started to laugh.
“She has you wrapped around her finger, you know,” Allison said as she sat down on a nearby bench and started to put on Lacy’s skates.
“It's okay; I don't mind.”
Cameron, Allison's middle child, came up to him next and grinned. “I can skate by myself, but I can help you with Lacy if you want.”
Justin ran a hand through Cameron's shaggy brown hair. “Sounds like a deal, but I would put your hat on before your mom notices.”
The little boy blushed and quickly did so. Justin looked over at Allison, who just smiled her thanks.
Aiden, Allison’s oldest, came up to him next but didn't smile. The kid didn't smile often, and Justin thought it was because he felt like he had to be the man of the house. Hopefully, the Coopers would help him with that.
“Thanks for helping out my brother and sister,” Aiden said, and then he grinned, surprising Justin. “You know, if you're going to be busy with them, I can help your lady over there.”
Justin threw his head back and laughed, Abby, Allison, and Rina joining him. “You’re a lady killer, are ya, son?”
Aiden held up his hands but was laughing with them. “Hey, I was just offering my assistance."
“You’re twelve, remember that,” Allison called from the bench as she was tying up her own skates.
“Just trying to be helpful,” Aiden said then walked over to another bench to start putting on his and Cameron's skates.
When they were all ready, Lacy gripped his hand and gripped Rina’s on the other side. Justin met her gaze and smiled. Yeah, this felt right.
Cameron ended up holding Allison's hand while Aiden skated next to Abby. They laughed, skated, and tried to race each other as the morning waned and the temperature started to rise slightly. Rina took Lacy across the ice in slight circles, causing the little girl to giggle with glee. Allison and Abby sat on the side of the ice rink and watched, with Allison taking pictures. The boys skated circles around Justin, trying to one up each other. No one else was at the ice rink at that time, so they enjoyed having the ring all to themselves. They were just starting to get a bit tired and head in when Justin heard a sound like a gunshot.
He pulled Cameron and Aiden into his sides and froze. He looked around but didn't see anything then almost screamed. Another sound like a gunshot ricocheted across the ice, and Allison screamed for them to come in. He looked down and cursed. Cameron clung to the side as Aiden gripped his hand. A huge fracture in the ice developed, splitting the ice down the center. Luckily, they were on the side closest to Allison, and he quickly skated toward them, giving Cameron and Aiden to her. He turned back around to get Rina and cursed again.
The ice started cracking and dividing into small ice floes, the water sloshing up the sides as if something were forcing it.
Fuck.
This had to be Jack.
He looked over the area and tried to remain calm. They were stranded on an ice floe in the center of the ring, water all around them.
“Rina, don’t move!” he called.
“Justin, hurry!” she called back.
He looked around for anything to get to her and cursed. There was nothing.
“Justin, oh, God, Lacy.” Allison clutched his sleeve, but he could tell she was trying not to freak out in front of the kids.
“I'm going to call 911. We have service by the cars,” Abby said as she gripped both boys’ shoulders and took them with her. “I’m taking the boys with me.”
Justin nodded but kept his gaze on Rina. He had to act quickly. A sudden gust caused the ice to crack again, and the small patch that the girls were standing on grew smaller. He watched as Rina picked Lacy up and looked at him. She was gonna jump; it was the only way. Allison gripped his sleeve, and he was stuck. There was no w
ay to get to them, not without risking moving the ice by accident and causing Rina to fall in. He watched as Rina jumped over the crevice, throwing Lacy onto the bigger ice floe. Allison ran to the side and reached over a smaller stream of water. Lacy crawled on her hands and knees, tears running down her face, and finally reached her mom. Allison pulled her over the crevice and sat on the snow, holding Lacy in her arms.
Justin had only seen all of this out of the corner of his eye because, as Rina had thrown Lacy to save her life, she'd fallen into the crevice. Without thinking, Justin jumped over another gap in the ice, twisting his ankle in a skate, but shaking off the pain to get to her.
Please, be okay.
He heard her scream as her head went under the ice water and his heart stopped. No, this couldn't be happening. He heard the shouts of others behind him, but he had eyes for only Rina. With the amount of clothes bundled on her, they would be weighing her down quickly. The ice cracked under his skates, and he froze.
Fuck.
He lowered himself to his belly and tried to shuffle lightly toward her, aware the ice could crack under him at any moment. Her hand stuck out from the icy water again, and she reached out, trying to grab him. Her fingers had barely touched him, but she was too slippery, and she slid back under the water.
“Rina!”
He slid as close as he dared to without causing both of them injury and reached out again.
“Rina! Grab my hand,” he yelled.
Her head came to the surface again, but he could tell she was losing energy. No, he couldn't lose her, not when he'd just found her. His heart beat so fast it echoed in his ears, and his body shook as the ice stabbed at him, cold, unrelenting.
Her hand came out one more time, and he gripped it.
Thank God.
Even though his body slid against the ice, he pulled her as hard as he could, knowing he might hurt her, but it was better than the alternative. She came out of the water, gasping, her face blue.
He pulled her into his arms and held her close. Shit, she was like ice. He looked down at her ears and cursed. She didn't even have enough energy to hold up her glamour. He took off her hat and put his on top of her head, hiding her ears. They had enough to worry about; they didn't need to deal with the fact that the public could find out she was an elf.
“Justin,” Rina said, her teeth chattering, her lips blue.
“Shh, baby, I’ll get you home.”
“No doctors…can’t find out…” Her eyes started to close, and he shook her.
“No doctors, Rina, but you need to keep awake. Baby, please.”
She opened her eyes, and he lifted her in his arms. His ankle throbbed, and it hurt to skate with her in his arms, but he made his way to a break in the ice and was able to take a large step over it, the ice seeming to come together a bit more.
Jack must have been finished terrorizing them for now.
Bastard.
He was going to kill him.
When he got to the edge, Allison was crying and threw her arms around Justin’s shoulders.
“Thank you for saving my babies,” she whispered. She kissed his forehead then did the same to Rina's before going back to her children.
Abby rushed to his side as he fell to the ground, out of energy. She helped him hold Rina, both trying to use all of their body heat to keep her warm. He heard sirens as the paramedics showed up.
“Abby, we can't let them know she's an elf,” he whispered.
Abby nodded. “We'll have them look over the children and at least take a quick look at Rina. But don't worry, the paramedics know us well enough that they know we’ll take good care of her and get her warm.”
Abby sweet-talked their way out of a trip to the hospital, and they bundled up Rina and got her in Justin's car. Tyler pulled up right when they were figuring out how they were going to keep her warm.
“Abigail, can you drive Justin's car?” Tyler said without actually looking at Abby.
She nodded but didn't say anything to him.
“Okay, Justin, you hop in the back with Rina and try to get her warm. Abigail can drive, and I'll follow. Then I'll get Abigail home.”
It sounded as good as an idea as any, and they all got in their cars and drove to Justin's.
“I’m going to start a lukewarm bath. Will you get her out of her clothes?” Abby said as they got into Justin's house.
Justin nodded and walked up the stairs to their bedroom.
“I’m going get some hot cocoa ready for her and then make you guys something to eat,” Tyler called from the kitchen.
Justin didn't say anything as he stripped Rina down. When she stood naked before him, he cursed. Her body wasn't as blue as it was before, and she didn’t look in danger as she had before, but he quickly divested himself of his clothing and cursed.
“Abby, I'm getting in the tub with her, so unless you want to see something that would bring us way too close, I suggest you go to the kitchen with Ty.”
“I'm really okay not seeing that but be careful.”
He heard her move away from the bathroom and walk down the stairs. Carefully, he gathered Rina in his arms and walked into the bathroom.
“Thank you for saving me,” Rina whispered.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He sat her in the front of the bathtub so he could crawl in behind her. The water felt prickly against his skin, and he cursed, thinking of a how it must feel against Rina, who was so much colder.
He pulled her back against him, and she sighed. “I never want to see you in that situation again,” he said as he kissed the top of her head.
She gave a dry laugh and sank into his hold. “I never want to be in that situation again.”
“That sounds good to me.”
“Are the kids okay?”
“Yes, Allison said they didn’t have a scratch on them. You saved Lacy’s life.”
“I was so scared, Justin. Why would Jack do this?”
“I don’t know, baby, but I’m going to find out.”
“I hope so.”
They sat in the tub for twenty or so minutes until Tyler called from the other side of the door, telling them that he was going to take Abigail home and that their dinner was warming in the oven on low so they could take their time. When Justin heard the front door shut, he gathered up Rina in his arms and dried them off then dressed them each in some of his old sweats.
“I’m tired.”
“I know, baby, but let’s get some fuel in you.”
They ate a tuna casserole that Tyler had made and left the dishes in the sink, not caring about the mess. When he got them back to the bedroom, Rina turned into his arms and gave him a heated kiss.
“Make love to me, Justin.”
His cock pressed against her stomach, and he groaned. “I thought you were tired.”
“I’ll sleep later. I need you now.”
He nodded, and then he took her mouth with his. He needed her more than his next breath, needed to know she was his, alive, whole, and warm. They stripped off their clothes, and he lowered her to the bed, their tongues tangling, their bodies touching in every intimate way.
He reached between them and found her wet, needy for him. He traced her clit with his thumb, and she shuddered. He entered two fingers into her core, and she clamped down on him. Still kissing her, he thrust his fingers in and out, rubbing her clit at the same time. He pulled his lips away and watched her as she came around his hand, her body flushing, her lips puffy and pouting.
Justin needed to be inside her, deeper than before. He licked her sweet taste off his fingers and groaned. Perfect. He got off her and stood at the edge of the bed, and she squirmed.
“Justin, where are you going?”
“Nowhere, baby, but I want to take you deeper.”
“Okay,” she said as she bit her lip.
He grinned and pulled her to the edge of the bed where he flipped her onto her stomach.
“I like
this dominant side of you,” she teased and wiggled her butt.
He gave her a slight slap, and she hissed out a moan. “Good to know.” He kneaded the globes of her ass, spreading her cheeks. He could see her pussy, wet and pink, ready for his cock.
Thank God he didn’t need to use a condom anymore. Using her juices, he covered the tiny little hole that he knew had never been breached for.
“What are you doing?” she said as she tensed.
“I told you; I want to feel every part of you. Don't worry. I'm not gonna take you here, not tonight. But we can play.”
“Okay, I trust you.”
Slowly, he inserted a finger all the way to the knuckle, and she tensed. “Breathe out, baby, feel me.” She nodded and relaxed, and he slowly worked until he had two fingers inside. When she was panting with need, he finally thrust his cock inside her pussy, slamming to the hilt.
They both moaned, and she called out his name. Alternating between fucking her ass with his fingers and fucking her pussy with his cock, he set a pace that would drive them both to insanity. Their breaths quickened until he could feel her begin to tighten.
“Come for me, Rina.”
She came then, her body bowing, milking his cock. He followed right behind her then moved his hands slowly until he could grip her hips. He pushed forward so they were pressed as close as they could be together as his dick finally stopped twitching.
Jesus, he’d been so deep he couldn't even breathe.
When he couldn't stand any more, he pulled out of her slowly. She was still melting at the edge of the bed, her body lax. He smiled. Oh, yes, he loved this woman.
With the last of his energy, he pulled her into his arms then got into the bed with her, wrapping himself around her.
“We need to do that again,” she whispered, her naked breasts pressed against his chest.
“Definitely.” He kissed her forehead as he felt her fall asleep in his arms. But, he couldn't fall asleep so quickly. Jack had almost killed her and his friends today, again. There was no way Justin could just sit back and let that happen. He would do what he could to protect the woman he loved and the family he wanted them to be, no matter what.
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