STORY EXCERPT

“Time to bring you home. Garret says no little humans allowed at the mine for a week.”

“So I’ve heard,” she said begrudgingly. Sam Tanner would be showing up soon, taking her place. It didn’t sit well with her, especially after Garret told her to play dumb about their relationship. It was a huge red flag, in her opinion.

“Ah, ah, ah. No sneaking over either. We’ll be watching you.” He winked at her when she looked up. “I’ll tell the wolves to keep guard.”

She didn’t want to hear anything about wolves after everything she’d been through the past couple of weeks. It was surprising she still had the nerve to stay in Climax after her nightmarish experiences. But, then again, she’d sold everything to move here. It was all she had. And all she wanted.

“Don’t worry. I don’t want to be anywhere near the mine over the next week. I think all the groveling will sour my stomach.”

Patrick looked up to Evan, who’d just pulled his shirt back on. “She’s jealous.”

“Am not!”

“Very,” agreed Evan. “I’ve already told her there’s no need.”

“I like it, though. It’s cute to see her so spirited.”

She clenched her teeth and pulled out of Patrick’s embrace. Cassidy danced into her clothes with as much dignity as possible. “How would you like it?” she said. “What if I were to start spending all my time with Ryder or Corbin?”

“You hate them,” said Patrick.

“That’s not the point.” Cassidy knew she’d lose if she tried to tell them she was staying in her own cabin, so she headed out to the front porch. She needed to breathe, to calm herself before she made herself look like more of a desperado. Jealousy wasn’t an attractive color on her.

Arms snaked around her waist from behind as she stood against the porch rails, looking out into the forest. Evan’s deep voice whispered in her ear. “You can come to the mine for a visit tomorrow. You’ll see for yourself there’s nothing to worry about.” She nodded, not daring to speak and say something rude. He kissed her temple, looking off at the same view.

“I used to love the forest,” she admitted. “Now…not so much.”

“Bad things happen everywhere, Cassidy. But Gregor land is the safest place for you. We own these woods.”

“I don’t think the wolves care about dollars and cents or whose name is on a deed.”

“I wasn’t talking about that kind of ownership.” He kissed her one last time and then hopped off the porch, heading to his truck. Again with the mind games. She had no way of deciphering them and frankly couldn’t be bothered anymore. If she stressed herself out about every off-the-wall thing her men did, she’d be ready for an institution.

Patrick joined her on the porch, closing the door heavily behind him.

She turned long enough to give him a cold stare. It was true she was jealous, but she didn’t want it pointed out for her.

He chuckled, a darkly masculine sound. Before she could react, he had her turned, lifted, and sitting on the porch rail. Patrick took up residence between her legs, both hands on her ass. “You’re angry with me,” he said as he nipped her earlobe.

“Forget it. I’m just stressed.”

“I’ll take care of you tonight when I get home from the mine.” He scooped her up under the arms and held her in the air long enough to kiss her lips before setting her on her feet. His strength astounded her. These were real men, not like the sniveling jerks that worked with her in the call center back in the city.

They made her leave her car at her little house to ensure she couldn’t run off and get into trouble when she was housebound at their place. She rode with Evan, and Patrick followed in another company truck. The familiar bumpy roads calmed her ragged nerves, making her feel alive. The light filtered down through the network of leaves tangled above the roadway, creating an array of images on the dashboard.

“I should really start to fix up my house. I haven’t done anything to it since I arrived besides clean it.”

Evan continued to watch the road as he drove. “Garret wouldn’t approve. There’s no point in fixing it if you’re staying with us.”

She sighed. Garret says. “Yes, but it’s good for a woman to be independent. What if something happened between us? I’d be stranded out here with a worthless shack.”

“Nothing will happen. We mate for life, Cassidy.”

She laughed out loud. He sounded like an animal. “Swans mate for life, right?” She tried to stifle her chuckle when Evan continued to look serious.

“So do wolves.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” she said, trying to recall her high school science lessons.

He briefly turned her way. “Our wolves do.”

“Your wolves?”

His jaw clenched. She watched the small point of stress as he stared straight ahead. “The Wolves of Climax. They’re unlike any others in the world.”

“I would still feel better.”

“You’re upset because of Garret. I’ll have him talk with you and set things straight. Hopefully put an end to this ridiculous waiting period.”

“I don’t think he’ll even hear you. He’s obsessed with this stupid inspection.”

“He doesn’t want to lose the mine, Cassidy. Without a license, it’s just a bunch of useless copper. We won’t be allowed to excavate a handful.”

She did understand. Garret was a relatively young entrepreneur, running a successful mining operation. He was always stressed about production and competition from the Rockfords. She needed to stop being so selfish and think about him for once. When she looked at the situation from his perspective, her anxiety eased. He just didn’t want to lose this legacy. A lot of people counted on the Gregor mine as their only source of income—including her. She had no reason to be jealous. What she needed to do was support the man she loved.

“You’re right. I’ll behave.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her but didn’t comment. As they approached the secluded cabin in the woods, she felt that sense of belonging. She wanted this to be her forever home, however rustic. Cassidy didn’t need a fancy house, jewelry, and other material goods to make her happy. She wanted what she’d always sought but never attained—a family, roots. Surely she’d survive one week of isolation.

ADULT EXCERPT

“It’s just you and me, little human.” He lowered himself into a push-up, his muscles bulging. Evan nipped her jawline and then suckled her earlobe. “Say yes.”

She could scarcely breathe, her eyes closed as a heavy lust settled over them. His thick lips and tongue were magic. With her recent bout of insecurity, she needed him, needed to feel connected to one of her men.

“Yes,” she said.

Evan growled, immediately removing her shirt. He was untamed, sparing no time in stripping her and then himself. With his cock ramrod hard, she was glad she’d spread out a blanket before he showed up. If not, she had no doubt he would have fucked her on the cold wooden floor.

“I love your body,” he said, tending her breasts and trailing kisses down her stomach. She savored the scruff on his face as he descended toward her pussy. Cassidy was already burning from the inside out, ready to take Evan without any playing. But her men were always thorough.

“I’m not coming with you,” she managed to say.

He didn’t even look up, now trailing his tongue along her inner thigh. “I’m taking you home where you belong. As soon as we’re finished.”

“I’ll be bored to tears trapped in that cabin for a week.”

Evan delved in, suckling her sensitive clit. Her words faded into a low gasp, and she thrust up her hips, seeking more of his wicked mouth. “We won’t leave you unattended.” He worked his magic, licking, sucking, and fucking her with his tongue. She began to spiral in a haze of heat and waves of raw torment. It was beautiful, but she needed to peak, needed the pressure to ease.

“Evan…” She was so close. Cassidy savored every second as she floated above the floor. She could stay in the unadulterated blissful state for the rest of her life. But she also craved the orgasm that would follow.

He rolled her over, pulling up her waist until she was on her knees and elbows. Her ass was fully exposed, and she hoped he planned to fuck her. “Such a cute little ass, Cassidy.” He kissed her flesh. One palm kept her back pinned, and the other smoothed over one cheek. She could feel the moisture trickling down her inner thigh. Should she beg?

She wiggled her rear, but it only earned her a smack on the ass.

“I’ll teach you about devotion.” He kissed her again, inching closer to her pussy. It was an odd angle, and she was tempted to roll over to her back to give him better access. When his tongue tickled her asshole, her breath hitched. He had her exactly where he wanted her.

“What’re you doing?” Cassidy felt embarrassed with the new intimacy. She feared the fact that his tongue on her ass felt like heaven, like being hit with undiluted erotic pleasure in its rawest form.

“Loving you. Every part, every inch.” He kept her ass suspended in the air, his big hands supporting her weight. He used his tongue to rim her ass in quick strokes. She loved when her men would double-team her, but this was different. It was electric, and her cells in the forbidden area were sinfully responsive.

Cassidy let out a moan, her eyes lolling back in her head.

“Relax, baby. You’re too tense.”

“But—”

“This ain’t the city. Men from Climax aren’t afraid to give their woman every kind of pleasure. Don’t you like it?”

“Y–Yes, but…”

“Relax.” He delved back in and sucked on her clit with those thick lips before returning to her ass. He kissed and licked, using his tongue as an instrument of sexual torture. She wanted to come, but never wanted him to stop.

Before she could finally leap over the edge, he pulled his head back and flipped her over. It was as if he knew the moment she’d come and purposely left her hanging. He licked his lips, his eyes narrowed. When she tried to touch herself, he grabbed her wrist. The slightest pressure would bring her relief now, unleashing the orgasm desperate to be freed. But Evan seemed intent on torturing her, showing her these new and delicious acts just to leave her unsettled.

“I was almost there. Why’d you stop?” She’d told the men several times about not liking to be rushed when they went down on her. They never had a problem with it. She wondered if it was true, if all her men would be comfortable playing with her ass. Patrick could live between her legs and never complain but hadn’t attempted anything like this. It was naughty, dirty, and she couldn’t get enough. But now Evan stopped short of her getting the satisfaction she yearned for?

“That was just to get you primed. What I want is to feel your pussy squeezing my cock. I want to look into your pretty blue eyes while I fuck you.”

She nodded, too focused on the deep tone of his voice and hypnotic flecks in his eyes. He moved away from her, sitting on the floor with his back to the nearest wall. The man was hung like a horse, and with her pussy still molten lava, it spelled sweet relief.

“Come here.”