Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

J agger

Bella’s hair glistened in the soft lighting. Her lush skin shimmered in the glow. After almost losing her, being this close felt entirely different. She had to be exhausted, yet the look on her face screamed of need and desire.

The fresh kiss of dawn, as my mother used to call it, wasn’t far away, but neither one of us would sleep. Not with the other in the room.

As I planted one knee onto the bed, she rose onto hers. The look on her face was also different. She was no longer searching, but accepting the broken man I’d become. Maybe I had no right to think of myself in that way any longer.

The memory had almost derailed me. I’d sworn that would never happen again.

Maybe I also needed to stop making promises to myself because I sucked at keeping them. Like not allowing Bella to crawl under my skin. She had done that with the precision of a pro. Then again, I hadn’t fought too hard.

I allowed my gaze to fall way too slowly down her lilac terry robe. It wasn’t sexy on a hanger, but on her, a knapsack would look delicious. She had that way about her. Sexy in every moment.

Including when she had been saving life and limb herself earlier in the day.

“The robe is hot,” I told her.

“It is a little warm in here.” She fanned her face.

“That’s not what I mean, lady.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” I said as I reached for the sash, slowly untying it, “that you look damn hot in it, but you’d look better completely out of it.”

She lifted her arms to the sides, allowing me to completely untie it. The look on her face was one I adored, full of mischief. “You think so, huh?”

“I’m a fortunate man. I know so.”

I also craved seeing her smile and even after everything she’d been through, she managed to provide a bright one. How was this woman so resilient after everything she’d been through? Not just tonight, but during a good portion of her life. I had no idea, but maybe she could teach me a thing or two.

Right now, I planned on doing that for her.

Only as soon as I pushed the material off her shoulders, the robe pooling around her knees, she dropped onto her hands. Very slowly she crawled the few inches forward, using the tips of her fingers in sliding them along the insides of my thighs. “Well, I must admit you look better without clothing as well.”

“Yeah?”

She purred like a kitten, the sound permeating my eardrums. With a single gaze she could turn any man on. But right now, she was mine. Maybe being possessive was in my nature.

My cock was aching, throbbing to the point I could feel it in the pulse on my neck. Yet she took her time, ignoring my shaft as she fingered my muscles. She’d already gathered I didn’t like to wait for anything, but she was tormenting me on purpose.

I sucked in and held my breath, placing one hand on her head.

My other hand curled into a fist, pushing it into my mouth to remain as silent as possible. Damn. It was rough around her with what she was doing.

Bella was concentrating, finally blowing across my cockhead just once.

“You don’t heed warnings very well.”

“What warning?” she asked so innocently.

“To be careful teasing me. I’m a bear when I reach a point.”

“I like your gruff and obnoxious side. And you’ve been a grizzly since I met you.”

The woman also had a way of putting me in my place. The moment she wrapped her hand around my dick, I jerked.

“Did I hurt you?” she asked with heavy concern in her voice as she looked up.

“No, of course not.”

“Then what?”

“Your touch causes burning heat. That’s what. Too much for you?”

“No, just enough.” She lowered her head once more, taking the tip of my cock into her wet mouth.

I’d experienced different and incredible sensations around her, electricity that could light a forest fire, but her mouth was so blazing hot every muscle immediately tensed. She just had something about her that kept me fully aroused even during the times she’d irritated the hell out of me.

I found myself fisting her hair, tangling my fingers in her long strands. My eyes were heavy as she managed to begin seducing me within seconds. Every nuance of her touch, every hot breath that washed over me was more enticing than the one before. I was forced to take scattered breaths, trying to put a heavy control mechanism on my deep longing. If I didn’t, I’d take her like some Neanderthal.

Although that sounded pretty good right about now.

She took more of my shaft into her mouth, using her jaw muscles to clamp around it. I was shocked at her incredible skill, pushing forward and arching my back as a way of taunting her myself.

If she took the hint, I wouldn’t know, although she did cup my balls, rolling them delicately through her fingers. The haze that formed over my eyes was just as fantastic as what she was doing with her mouth. This was just about the best thing in the entire world. A smile broke out across my face even as she squeezed my balls. The friction was exactly what I needed, my thudding heart taking over my pulse as well.

I couldn’t stop my lips from twitching as hers were working to provide far more pleasure than a man like me deserved. But damn if I wasn’t enjoying myself. The smile remained as she pumped up and down with her mouth, swirling that long tongue of hers like she was a fellatio expert.

Maybe she had a second career. No. She wasn’t that kind of woman. She was a true lady with a bleeding heart made of gold. If she wasn’t careful, I’d manage to tarnish it, but not right now. Every moan she issued I matched with a deep growl. My body started to convulse from the building pressure. I wasn’t entirely certain I wouldn’t blow my load without warning.

I didn’t want that to happen.

But I couldn’t stop her, the joy of having her mouth wrapped around my cock like a dream come true. I took over for a short period, pumping into her mouth as the sound of her sucking filtered into my fractured brain. It was like music even though I couldn’t care less about songs or verses.

It was all about the woman she was and how she continually dragged me from my shell. I should hate her for it, but I felt more alive now than I had twenty years ago. Imagine that.

Her soft mews continued and she was still trying to take back control by twisting her hand around the base of my shaft. I was going to lose my mind from the extreme friction. There was no chance I could hold back much longer and lord, I wanted to drive myself inside her sweet pussy. Nothing was going to stop me at this point.

Even my own desire.

I gently but firmly pushed her away, issuing another growl as she licked her lips in appreciation.

“You taste divine,” she told me.

Even those three words were enough to turn me into a bad man, not taking my time with her. “Mmm… You don’t take warnings well at all.”

“Nope.” The way she popped the ‘p’ did me in. So playful. So stunning.

I desperately needed to thrust my cock inside. She didn’t try to stop me as I tossed her onto all fours, immediately dragging my flexed fingers down her back. “I’m going to fuck you like every woman deserves to be fucked. Long and hard.”

Her heavy breathing was her acknowledgment. She kept her head tilted over her shoulder as I kicked her legs apart, still rolling my fingers down to the crack in her ass. I used a single finger to finish, ending up driving it into her glistening channel. God, she was tight. More so than before.

And she wasn’t going anywhere for a very long time.

I continued teasing her as she’d done to me, using a second and third finger as she shifted her hips back and forth. But I couldn’t take it any longer, placing the tip of my cock against her swollen folds. Her long hair was begging to be used so I did, wrapping one hand around the silky strands.

The second I plunged every inch deep into her channel, she let off a ragged moan. Her body was shaking, her fingers clawing at the sheets. Yeah, this was heaven on earth. I started fucking her slow and easy at first, picking up speed as her juice slickened my shaft.

Bella did what she could, meeting every thrust even though I wasn’t providing her with much leeway. But she was making me addicted to every inch of her body. I picked up speed, my fucking heart beating like a son of a bitch. Lights pulsed in front of my eyes. What was the woman doing to me?

The slight beating of the headboard against the wall made her giggle and me slow down. The last thing I wanted was the door to come flying open. I had a feeling the pup wasn’t fast asleep just yet, every sound clear as day.

With a grin on my face, I did what I could to control myself, enjoying the sound of her ragged breathing. I sensed not long afterwards she was about ready to drift into a moment of ecstasy.

“Come for me, lovely lady. Come hard and fast.” My words were clipped, the sound just as husky as hers had been. Her muscles continued to constrict and I gritted my teeth to keep from erupting in her.

Her moans were soft but penetrating, every sound pushing me into a strange haze.

“You are so… amazing,” she whispered as her entire body tensed, a climax rushing in seconds later.

A part of me was relieved because I knew I couldn’t hold back much longer and I wasn’t finished with her yet.

Not by a long shot.

She clawed the bed, gasping for air and half laughing. I had a sense she wanted to scream from the pleasure she was experiencing. When she slumped as much as my hold would allow, I let go of her hair. However, the moment I teased her dark hole with my finger, she threw her head over her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you think?” I grinned at her and she scowled, deciding it was best to torment me all over again. When she undulated her hips, pushing back against me, a wave of her incredible scent rushed into my nostrils.

The woman was going to make me drunk with her fragrance alone. I wasn’t taking the bait, pushing my thumb all the way inside as gently as possible.

I did crave hearing her moans and was rewarded all over again with a series of them.

“You’re so… bad.”

“I thought you said I was amazing,” I told her as I pumped in and out several times.

“I lied.”

“Lying is a sin.”

“So what?”

I shifted my cockhead against her asshole, taking my time pressing it inside just an inch at first. I read her body movements afterwards and paid attention to her soft moans. When I sensed her body had finally relaxed, I pushed two more inches inside.

The lovely doctor wasn’t going to allow me to remain in absolute control. She drove her body against me, forcing my cock almost all the way inside.

“Oh, shit,” she whispered and threw her head back. “That is fabulous.”

“I’m glad you like it. I’d hate to disappoint.” I pulled out, pushing in again. When I did it a third time, she arched her back. Everything about her was far too inviting. We might be stuck in bed for hours.

I used a softer rhythm this time, but I was still fucking her with a roughness to my touch. I was gripping her hips, thrusting mine forward. The warmth was invigorating, the softness of her skin enticing. If I could keep my stamina, I’d do this for hours, but I’d had a tight leash on my level of control for far too long.

Four more savage thrusts and I couldn’t take it any longer, erupting deep inside.

Time would tell if this meant anything or if she’d bother staying, but after saving her life, something had changed inside of me. Not just wanting her or needing her touch.

I wanted her to remain.

“You snowed in with that doctor of yours?” Shephard asked.

“She’s not mine, Shep. Besides, I doubt she’s staying in town for too long.”

“I wouldn’t be too certain of that. I saw the way she was looking at you.”

“Only cause I saved her daughter.” I’d returned to the front porch under the guise of taking out the dog, but I’d needed a little space. Not from her. I could have easily remained in bed with Bella if circumstances had allowed, but there was still work to be done.

Plus, my mind was creating an entirely new set of demons.

We’d arrived back at the house in the pitch black to find her Mercedes had been brought back safely. Folks from the department of transportation had also cleared the debris on the road leading to town.

One of the things I did like about Danger Falls was that everyone in town knew the tourist industry was the reason they were thriving. Every business had taken a huge leap into the black the moment the resort and winery had become fully operational after our parents had spent millions renovating it.

No one wanted to go back to the days of worrying about foreclosure, so things were done quickly. I’d been told that’s why every holiday was celebrated with such ferocity.

“Bullshit. She has a thing for you.”

Shephard knew how to tease me better than Hunter did. Or maybe I just allowed him to get me more.

“She’s been through a lot, Shep. I can’t think about anything at this point.”

“I never knew you to shy away from something.”

I wasn’t about to acknowledge his statement. Sometimes the things we craved the most were the ones we should stay away from.

His sigh was the usual one he gave me indicating he was certain I’d back out, not following through with allowing my guard to fall. I’d yet to share with him that I admired the fact he’d fought his demons and won, but I couldn’t. That would get into a long conversation about the ones I carried around like a steel anchor.

“I’ll be late getting to the resort today. Need to get some dogfood.” My voice was gruffer than before.

“So you’re keeping the pup then?”

“I don’t know what Bella has planned, but the dog needs to eat while we got it. Plus, there’s a good chance it belongs to somebody.”

“I don’t think so. I’ll have the staff ask around and maybe if you go into town, you can talk to Poppy about it. She knows all the animals in the area.”

“Poppy. Yeah, not a bad idea. Cally will like the diner.” Poppy’s Diner served good food in a pleasant atmosphere that allowed pets. She even cooked up homemade dinners for them and offered incredible treats not available in any commercial outlet. But it was also the place to find out every little dirty secret one of the locals tried to keep.

That’s why I very rarely frequented the place no matter if I did enjoy a home-cooked meal. I had enough issues with the sheriff breathing down my neck.

“See? A family man already.”

“Shut the fuck up. Okay? Not on my agenda.” That single thought had come to me in the middle of the night regarding a possible future. I could actually see myself with someone. However, I wasn’t ready to admit that to anyone. Not at this point.

Including the man inside.

“Why the hell did you call me?”

“To tell you not to come into the damn office. You were the town hero last night. Hell, everyone in the resort is already talking about the lives you saved.”

“Don’t you dare call me a damn hero, Shep. You better than anyone know I hate that shit.”

“Jesus, bud. You need to chill out.”

Why did I have a feeling there was something going on he wasn’t telling me about? “Just talk. I know you too damn well. Spill it or I’m hanging up.”

He laughed. “You do know me far too well. Here’s the deal. You didn’t check the computer when you took the cabin for your gal.”

“She’s not my damn gal. Okay?”

“Whatever you say. Anyway, I have a group coming in late tonight. It’s been booked for over two months. With the roads clear, they can get in. I know it’s shit news, but they requested the Wyoming cabin in particular.”

Well, fuck.

“Fine, what about another cabin?”

“They’re all booked as is every room in the resort itself. I’m sorry, buddy. You’re going to need to figure something else out.”

“Fuck. I doubt the damn inn or bed and breakfast has any rooms either.”

“I took the liberty of checking for you,” Shephard told me.

“Don’t say it. None are available because of the freaking holiday. Goddamn it. What am I supposed to tell her? I don’t have any suggestions.”

Shephard cleared his throat. “Well, I do, but you’re not going to like it.”

“What?”

“Your place. You have plenty of room and you know it.”

I had to really think about what he’d just suggested before I issued a retort that neither one of us would appreciate. Certainly not this early in the morning. “That’s not possible.”

“Not possible or you just can’t get your head out of your ass long enough to grasp you like this girl and want her to stay?”

Hissing, I pulled the phone away, whistling for the dog. The gorgeous but way too thin pup popped out from a section of pine trees, bounding in my direction. Her tail was wagging and my heart ached for the girl. “It’s not a good idea.”

“Other than that you’re a slob, tell me why.”

He knew I didn’t have a good answer. My cabin was huge, even larger than this one, which made me feel uncomfortable as hell. Living there had reminded me how alone I was. A part of me hated my hesitation, but I wasn’t good company and knew that. “I gotta get off the phone so I can tell her.”

“Buddy. When are you going to learn it’s okay to want a different life? You deserve one. Just reach out and take it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, but I’m not you. I’m incapable of letting the past go. I’ll stop by later.”

“No, you won’t. Take a damn day off. Please.” He laughed and my gut told me he was still holding something back.

“What else? What the hell aren’t you telling me?” I growled this time, irritated he was dragging this out.

The exasperated sound he made was a clear indication he was hiding something. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but you need to know.”

“Know what?”

“After last night and how Bella handled the tragedy, I was curious about your guest.”

Instantly, my hackles were raised. “You were checking up on her? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Hey, you’re my brother and she saved our butts, but both of us are required to care about anyone who steps foot into our operation. You know, insurance? Lawsuits?”

“I get it, Shep. I’m not a fucking idiot.”

“No, you’re not, but I saw your face too. I checked on her credentials. There’s a buddy of mine who can look up anyone on this planet. He owed me a favor.”

“And?” I felt every muscle in my body tensing.

“And there is no one by the name of Bella Winters who graduated from college let alone medical school.”

While the news hit me hard, I knew there was more to the story. “Did you check to see if that was a maiden name?”

“It should have popped up if that’s what she was formally known as. I don’t know what it means. Maybe there’s a real explanation for the lack of information, but like I said, you needed to be told.”

A new flash of anger hit me straight in the gut. I’d known she was hiding something from me and it hadn’t been my place to pry. “Who doesn’t have a secret, bro? Tell me that.”

“Yeah, but the difference is that if anyone learns she isn’t a real doctor, we could be sued every six ways from Sunday. She’s already a goddamn local hero. You know how people are in this town. They’re going to ask questions. Is Bella prepared to answer them?”

I had no answer to that. “Let me handle my business.”

“Not just your business,” Shep reminded me. His tone reflected his concern and increasing agitation. He had no idea just how irritated I was.

“I got it. I’ll deal with it.”

The call ending was my choice. I held the phone to my head. What the hell was I supposed to do?

“Tell me what?” Bella asked from behind me.

“Nothing important.” How long did I think I was going to keep the news from her? And how long was she going to keep lying to me? As I looked into her beautiful violet eyes, I not only noticed continued pain and sadness, but a solid conviction to keep herself protected.

Including from me.

“Don’t do that. I overheard some of what you were saying. This place is rented, isn’t it?” she asked. She was searching my eyes.

Exhaling, I was momentarily distracted by the dog hopping onto the porch, happily shaking snow off before running inside the open front door. “Yeah, it is. There’s nothing else available.”

She studied me, maybe waiting for me to say something else. “Well, then. Fate has decided I need to move on.” Her look forlorn, she turned and headed inside.

“Wait. Don’t do that,” I told her.

“What? Now I’ll be out of your hair, which is obviously what you want.”

“No, that’s not true, Bella. I just… I’m not used to this. Okay? But you’re not leaving yet. I have a huge place and plenty of room. You’re coming to stay with me.”

“Why?”

“Why? You know why.” Well, fuck me. This was a damn good time to distance myself from her, but for the life of me, I couldn’t do it. Maybe she’d somehow already put a leash on my balls.

“Not good enough, Jagger. Why should I bother coming to stay with you if you don’t want me there?”

In two strides I was directly behind her, turning her around by the shoulders. At least she allowed me to do so without running off. She needed an answer and deserved a decent one. “Because I don’t want you to go. I like your company and I’m not sure if you leave that I won’t hunt you down. I don’t think you’ll like the cage I’ll put you into when I find you and I think you know by now, I will find you.”

Her frown slipped, a slight smile forming. She wrapped her arms around me for a hug, lifting her head seconds later. “I’d like to stay.” Her whisper was sultry like the night before.

“Good.” I lifted her chin with a single finger.

“Mama. I know what to name her. Xena. She is a princess warrior. Right?”

Cally’s little voice brought smiles to both our faces. “I guess you have a dog.”

“You mean we have a dog,” Bella said. “As long as no one claims her.”

As she turned around, crouching down and having a discussion with her daughter, I realized that I’d just placed myself in a predicament I wasn’t certain I could get out of.

But even stranger than allowing myself to do that was that I suddenly felt happy.

I only hoped it all didn’t come crashing down when she realized I really was a bad guy.

Then she would run and I’d let her.