Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

R idge

The sound of laughter filters through the lodge, breaking the usual morning quiet. My brothers are gathered around the main table, mugs of coffee in their hands and knowing smirks on their faces. Slate catches sight of me as I walk in, his grin widening.

"Look who finally decided to join us," he says, lifting his cup in a mock toast. "The man of the hour."

Zane leans back in his chair, his boots propped up on the table like he owns the place. "You seem... different this morning, Ridge. Got a spring in your step. Something you want to share with the class?"

I scowl, grabbing a mug and pouring myself some coffee. "Nope."

"Come on," Zane presses, his tone dripping with amusement. "We’re all dying to know what happened on your little stargazing trip with Quinn."

My grip tightens on the mug, but I keep my expression neutral. "It was a hike. That’s all."

Slate snorts. "Sure it was."

"Leave it alone," I growl, but my brothers only exchange conspiratorial looks.

"You know," Zane says, swirling his coffee, "I think Quinn might be good for you. Finally someone who can put up with your grouchy ass."

I don’t respond, my jaw tightening. I’m not about to give them the satisfaction of knowing they’re right. Because they are. Quinn Stevens has turned my carefully constructed world upside down, and the worst part? I don’t hate it.

I take my coffee to go, stomping out of the lodge, the sound of my brother’s laughter at my back. The air outside is crisp and cool, the snow glittering under the mid-morning sun. I spot Quinn near the beginner slope, crouched beside a little kid who looks no older than six. She’s adjusting his boots, her voice warm and encouraging as she explains how to balance on the board. The kid nods, his face lighting up with excitement.

I lean against the railing, watching as she guides him to his feet and gives him a gentle push. He wobbles but stays upright, sliding down the gentle incline with a triumphant yell.

Quinn claps her hands, laughing. The sound carries on the breeze, wrapping around me like a damn lasso. She’s wearing a bright blue jacket that stands out against the snow, her hair tucked into a knit hat. She looks... happy. Content. Like she belongs here.

When she turns and catches me staring, her smile falters for a second before she shakes her head and starts walking toward me.

"Enjoying the show?" she asks, her tone teasing.

"Not bad," I admit, crossing my arms. "Didn’t know you were good with kids."

"There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Ridge Warner," she says, her eyes sparkling with challenge.

I smirk. "I’m starting to figure that out."

She steps closer, close enough that I can see the faint flush on her cheeks from the cold—or maybe it’s something else. Her gaze flicks to my mouth, and my blood heats, my restraint slipping as memories from last night wash over me.

"You’re trouble," I murmur, my voice low.

"Is that a complaint?" she shoots back, tilting her head.

"No," I say, my tone rough. "It’s a warning."

Her breath catches, and for a moment, the world narrows to just the two of us. The laughter of kids, the crunch of snow—it all fades. All I can see is her, standing there with a mix of defiance and something softer in her eyes.

I step closer, crowding her space. "You think you can handle me, Quinn?"

She swallows, her bravado faltering just enough for me to see the vulnerability underneath. "I think I can handle a lot more than you give me credit for."

My lips quirk. "Prove it."

A grin slides across her face before she turns, heading for the chair lift, taking my heart with her as she goes. This woman is more than under my skin, she’s in my blood–done the unimaginable and found herself a home in my heart–and I more than like it, I love it.

The walk back to my cabin later is silent, the air between us crackling with chemistry. Quinn keeps sneaking glances at me, her cheeks flushed, but she doesn’t say a word. Neither do I.

By the time we step inside, the air feels heavier, thicker. I close the door behind us and lean against it, watching as she shrugs off her jacket and tosses it onto the couch.

"You’ve been testing my patience all morning," I say, my voice low.

She raises an eyebrow, her hands on her hips. "Oh, I didn’t realize you had any patience to begin with."

I push off the door and stalk toward her, my boots heavy on the wooden floor. She doesn’t back away, even as I stop inches from her, towering over her smaller frame.

"You like pushing me, don’t you?" I ask, my voice rough.

Her lips twitch, but she doesn’t answer. Instead, she looks up at me, her gaze steady. "So what if I do?"

The challenge in her voice snaps the last thread of my control. I grab her by the waist and pull her against me, my mouth crashing down on hers. She gasps, her hands gripping my shirt as I kiss her like I’ve been starving for it—which I have.

Her lips are soft and warm, parting for me without hesitation. I slide my hands up her back, anchoring her to me as I deepen the kiss. She tastes like mint and something sweeter, and I can’t get enough.

"Ridge," she murmurs against my mouth, her voice breathless.

"Say it again," I demand, my lips trailing down her jaw to her neck.

"Ridge," she repeats, her fingers tangling in my hair.

I lift her off her feet and carry her to the couch, laying her down with more care than I thought I was capable of. Her pink hat with a fluffy little ball on top falls off, her hair spilling out in wild waves that I want to bury my hands in.

"You’re playing a dangerous game, Quinn," I murmur, hovering over her.

She looks up at me, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Maybe I like danger."

My lips curve into a dark smile. "Careful what you wish for."

She is pure ecstasy in the form of a woman.

Her body yields to mine, lips opening and taking me in. She welcomes me with breathy sighs that make my cock leak and pound, desperate for her touch. I need her, I’m already completely consumed by her in every way. Her scent embeds itself into my skin, so deep that we are one. She’s entwined with my DNA, she is mine. And for the first time, I know what true possessive desire feels like. Quinn is all that matters now. She’s my whole life, my world. I want her more than air to breathe. To taste, to touch, to devour. All I want is her. Lost in her warmth, her love, her body.

She makes me feel weak and powerful at the same time, giving me life. My mind races through the past few days on an infinite loop, blood surging through my veins as I struggle with the wild side of me. She’s unleashed something in me that I’ve never felt before. My chest swells and my cock hardens, longing to be buried deep inside of this woman.

The need to take her, ravage her, until we’re both satiated is overwhelming. I never realized how strong our bond could be until Quinn. Gone are the days of going through the motions. As soon as she stepped into my life, she became my light, my savior. She gave me a reason to breathe, to live again. I spent a dozen years serving my country without question, showing up on battlefields around the world and protecting the vulnerable, but my drive has been aimless these last few years since I retired. Until now.

I take a deep breath and am hit with the scent of her arousal, her need and desperation for me, all mixing together in a frenzy of chemical chaos. "My heart was safer alone," I whisper in her ear, my voice ragged with desire that throbs incessantly, “but now all that matters to me is your safety.”

Every cell in my body screams for her as I inhale her intoxicating aroma. Just the faintest hint of her taste lingers on the edge of my lips from our kiss, driving me wild with desire. I’m a starved man and she is mine and mine alone.

My cock throbs painfully, begging to be inside of her but I want to savor this. Every touch of her skin sends shivers down my spine and makes me ache even more for release. I run my palms over the sweet swell of her lush ass through her leggings, touching her like this is exquisite torture that only fuels my obsession to feel myself buried deep inside of her wet heat. I crave to hear her scream my name as I bring her to new heights of pleasure with my hands, mouth, and body.

Quinn. Is. Mine.

The sharp pricks of desire course through my body as Quinn's gorgeous green eyes plead for my attention. Her small hands caress my throbbing length through my pants, her mouth inviting me in with a desperate hunger. I fight the animalistic urges building within me, clinging to my control like a lifeline.

But I can feel it slipping away, my body on the verge of losing myself to her. With a fierce grip on her silky hair, I take a deep breath, just the soft touch of her hands makes my release imminent. I revel in the pleasure coursing through me that only she can give.

Finally, I push her leggings and panties down, then push her jacket and sweater off her shoulders.

“Fuck,” I mutter, breathless, lifting her off the couch to carry her behind me to the wall. I lean her back against the wall, chasing my hands down her thighs to slip them apart and make way for me. I slide down until her knees are locked around my neck and my lips are firmly planted on her hot, wet heat. I suck long and slow, inhaling her delicate musky scent before primal instinct washes over me.

Planting her hips against the wall, I angle her against it and fuck her with my tongue, swirling and sucking her to life as she moans and swallows my name like a curse–or a prayer–either way, I can't be sure. Maybe it's both.

“What have you done to me?” I growl against her soaking pussy lips. She brings me to my knees, the simple thought of this woman enough to make me give up everything I’ve known and serve at her feet forever. “In the span of a moment you invade my soul.”

My lips twitch at the thought. And then my cock twitches, too, my sense of self succumbing until I haul her over the edge of the couch and seat myself inside of her. Deep and slow, I fuck her like she's fucked my soul, making her mine from the inside out, cementing our bond for eternity.

“Am I hurting you, sweetheart?”

She shakes her head quickly, eyes closed tight. I catch her chin, forcing her to turn her head to meet my gaze. “Hide your eyes from me again and I'll tan your hide.”

“I might like that, Ridge.” Her eyes burn with reckless mischief while my cock pulses deep inside of her.

“You've already stolen the come from me a few times in the last day, but God help me when my name is on your beautiful lips.”

“Ridge…” She husks as I speed up my rhythm, her body humming and quaking beneath me, her release approaching full detonation. I push my index finger between her lush ass cheeks and thrum at the gorgeous bud of her asshole, the need to take it and make it mine throttling through me.

“I-I-I think I’m going to–” And with that, she comes in a violent torrent around my dick, the spasms of her lush, warm cunt around my cock pulling my own release out of me like a vise grip, sending my senses into overdrive as we come undone together.

I twist her body around mine and land on top of her on the couch, spreading her thighs wide as I nuzzle my nose against her juicy core. I lap eagerly, growling with pleasure as I taste us both together. “Fuck, beautiful, you bring out the beast in me. There’s nothing else I’d rather do than fall apart with you.”

Later that night, as the fire crackles and the room settles into a comfortable silence, I watch Quinn from the corner of my eye. She’s curled up on the couch, her legs tucked under her, a blanket draped over her lap. The glow of the fire casts warm light on her skin, and she looks... peaceful.

"Why did you really come here, Quinn?" I ask, breaking the silence.

She glances at me, her expression softening. "I told you. I wanted a fresh start."

"And the mail-order bride ad?"

She bites her lip, hesitating. "It was a mistake. But maybe... maybe not entirely."

I raise an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

She shrugs, looking back at the fire. "It means I didn’t expect to meet someone like you."

Her words hit me harder than I’d like to admit. I’m not used to this—letting someone in, letting someone see me. But with Quinn, it feels... right.

"You’ve got a lot of guts showing up here," I say, my tone softer than before.

She smiles faintly. "I’ve been told I’m stubborn."

"That’s one word for it," I mutter, but my lips twitch into a small smile.

She looks over at me, her eyes shining with something I can’t quite name. "Thanks for letting me stay."

I nod, my throat tight. I think of my grandma’s wedding ring tucked in the safe deposit box in my bedroom closet. I never thought I’d have a use for it. But I’m more sure than ever that it’s hers–it was meant to be on her finger. I just need to find the right time to tell her.