Chapter Five

Jean

The distant sounds of a loud howl jolts me awake. My heart drums in my chest as I try to make sense of where I am.

"Shaw," his name is out of my lips before my mind can catch up. I look around the small bedroom, taking in the unfamiliar space that looks nothing like my bedroom back in the city. The only light in the room comes from the two windows with curtains drawn to allow moonlight to filter in.

I hug the blankets close to me when a rush of cold brushes against my skin. It's way too cold up here and the bedding does little to beat the chill chewing at my bones.

"Shaw," I call out again, my voice coming out a little husky. I wrap the covers around my body and climb out of the bed, heading to the door, but it swings open before I can reach it. I find myself standing face to face with a huge man dressed only in boxers. God, he's so big the top of my head barely makes it to his shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong Angel?" he whispers, cupping my cheeks and I shudder at the warmth of his touch. My eyes lock with his gray ones, and unlike me, he doesn't look like he just woke up. Did he even go to sleep? Guilt at the thought of taking this man's space and leaving him to cramp himself on the small couch overwhelms me.

"I'm sorry you had to sleep on the couch because of me," I whisper. "You can take the bed–"

"Stop," he orders, forcing my gaze back to his. "I don't mind sleeping on the couch as long as you're comfortable. Now tell me what's wrong. Something woke you up. Bad dream?"

I shake my head. "I heard something. I think it was a wolf, did you hear it?"

He nods, his hands dropping to my shoulders and rubbing the chill away. "It's okay, they can't get in here."

"Are you sure? It sounded so scary."

"I'm sure," he assures me. "Now go back to bed, we're a long way from dawn. You should get some sleep."

I look back at the bed and the thought of climbing back in alone doesn't sit well with me. For one, I feel sorry that this giant of a man has to sleep on such a small couch, but selfishly, I also crave a warmth the blankets don't offer. His skin feels like a hot furnace and I need that heat against my frozen skin.

"Can you join me?" I ask, thankful for the minimal lighting that hides the blush that climbs up my throat.

"Angel…"

"Please, it's so cold. I'm not used to this mountain weather and this room is freezing."

"Okay," he sighs, wrapping a massive arm over my shoulder and guiding me back to bed. He climbs in first and extends his arms for me to follow and I don't hesitate before climbing in and letting him draw me into his arms.

"Oh," I whimper, letting his warm body heat up mine. Christ, it feels so good to be hugged by his massive, warm body. We lie in silence, listening to the distance sound of the howling and other noises of the great outdoors I would find scary if I wasn't lying in the arms of the largest man I have ever met. "Shaw, can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Why do you live in the mountains alone? Don't you ever miss having company?"

Shaw doesn't immediately respond and when I try to push back from the embrace to study his face, he doesn't let me. I almost think he's not going to respond when he finally whispers his answer. "People don't like me."

We remain silent as I mull over his words but curiosity finally wins over. "Did you do something terrible? Why do you think that they don't like you?"

"It's not what I did, but how I look. When they look at me, they see a monster. I am a clearly large man, but it's the scars on my face that terrify them. There was this one kid…Tommy. He used to always try to rile me up, calling me names and whatnot. One day I fought back and the whole town started to believe I was dangerous to be around."

What! Surely, I must have heard him wrong. No way anyone would be that dumb to hate someone for their appearance, right?

I would think Shaw was lying to me if I didn't catch the faint hint of sadness in his voice, almost as if he's trying not to care but a part of him still holds resentment over the fact that others would judge him for his scars.

This time when I push back to stare at him, he doesn't stop me. In the dim lighting, I can make out the jagged scars that cover most of the left side of his face as if he fell on something hot. Of course, I noticed the scars when I first saw him, but they didn't register as anything odd or something to judge him by.

Shaw's charms run deeper than his skin.

They're in his dark, expressive eyes. In his voice and in the way he's been treating me. It angers me so much that someone would judge him for his appearance, and I want to find everyone that made him hide from civilization and give them a harsh tongue-lashing. Oh, I have a few select words I would throw their way because they are absolutely wrong about him.

Shaw is perfect, scars and all, and it bothers me that he would believe otherwise.

I bring my fingers to his face, tracing the jagged scars with my fingertips. "I don't see anything wrong with you," I whisper, tracing a hand down to his jaw where the scars disappears into his thick beard. I should stop there… but I don't.

I gnaw my lips as I trail my fingers down his throat and to his hard chest. His muscles still when I start tracing them with my trembling fingers. I know I'm poking the bear when earlier this evening I was adamant about not doing anything with him, but I can't help myself.

He's so warm and his body is a rock. And a part of me wants to show him that my rejection earlier had nothing to do with his appearance and more with wanting something, and someone special for my first time. But what's more special than cuddling a mountain man so far away from civilization, with only the sounds of the nature filling up the night air?

It can't get more special than that.

"Angel, you need to stop unless you want a repeat of what happened by the river," he says, his voice deep and raspy, sending a shiver wracking my body and this time, it has nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the man.

I have my warning.

From the tone of his voice, I can tell that is all the warning I'll get tonight, but I don't heed it. My fingers stay on his body, tracing small circles over his hairy chest and reveling in the warmth of his solid muscles.

My heart lurches when he suddenly sits up, and gathers me onto his lap, his fingers digging into my waist possessively a second before his mouth is on mine. That single move seems to wipe all thoughts from my mind as I focus on him… on my first kiss.

I've always pictured it would be gentle, teasing, playful but there is none of that with my mountain man. The kiss is wet and wild, very much obscene.

The way Shaw twists his lips over mine is so primal and desperate, like a starved animal finally getting a taste of something he's longed for. As if he is terrified that I will somehow disappear and he's making the most of it. His mouth is powerful and demanding as he guides me to open my mouth for him and when he sinks his hungry tongue into my mouth, rubbing it against mine erotically, it turns my pussy hot and slick.

I whimper into the kiss, rubbing my pulsing pussy over his erection, no doubt staining his boxers with my arousal, but I can't help myself. I rock on his massive bulge, my breathing growing labored as pleasure shoots up my stomach and… I want more.

As if he heard my silent pleas, Shaw breaks the kiss to trail his lips over my cheek, his breathing harsh against my skin with every caress. I tilt my head back to allow him access, whimpering out in need when he rolls his hips beneath me, his erection brushing against my clit.

"Goddamn, Angel, you're so pussyy. Every last inch of you is so fucking perfect." I comb my fingers through his hair as he drags his tongue down the column of my neck. He tugs hard at my shirt and that sends buttons flying everywhere, but neither of us pays attention as he leaves a trail of kisses down my chest. My lips part in a loud moan when he dips his mouth to my nipple, sucking the beaded bud into his mouth in a kiss so hungry it leaves me dripping in response.

"Shaw, oh God!" I cry out, digging my fingers into his hair as he rolls his tongue over my aching nipple and drives me to the point of insanity.

Is it supposed to feel this way? This good?

Deep down, I know it will never feel this way with anyone else but… I don't have to think about that now. I don't need to think about anything… in fact, I don't need to think at all. I just need to let this magical moment happen.

Shaw releases my nipple with a wet pop and lifts his head to look at me, his dark eyes flashing with lust. "I need to be inside of you, Angel. I need you now," he growls, shoving the shirt completely off me and leaving me completely nude. I flush at how exposed I am, but Shaw doesn't let me focus too much on that. Instead, he tightens his arm around me and lowers us back on the bed.

"Want you too… oh!"

My lips part in a gasp and my head falls back when he dips his hand between my legs and grazes my clit with his middle finger. A wave of pleasure rolls up my abdomen and I whimper, leaning into his touch, urging him to do it again.

"Fuck, you're so wet for me, Angel," he rasps deeply as he rubs circles over my clit, and I cry out from the pleasure that builds in my core. I've never had anyone touch me there before and every time I thought of doing it myself, I always felt awkward but now… it's all I want.

The only time I've been close to this feeling is earlier this afternoon when he rubbed his cock all over my pussy and sent small shock waves through my system. This moment feels a hundred times better than what I felt at the river, and even though I am scared of the uncertain edge he's bringing me towards, I can't help but crave it.

I crave everything about this man. His touch, his voice, and the strong, earthy, masculine scent on his skin. And now, I crave the edge he's slowly bringing me toward. My hips rock forward, chasing his finger as he rubs circles over my clit faster and harder until I am practically shaking in his arms.

"Yes, yes!" I sob as I begin to burst, and when I do, it takes me by surprise. I bury my face in his neck as my body shakes from the intensity of the climax. My pussy clenches rapidly as he continues to rub his middle finger over my tight bud, staying there until the tremors in my body begin to die down.

"So hot," Shaw says ruggedly, drawing his hand from between my legs and I watch under lust-rimmed eyes as he lifts his hand to his mouth and licks off my arousal sticking to his fingers. "Fucking delicious too, Angel. I would get down there and taste for myself, but I'll explode if I don't get in your pussy now."

I watch under lidded eyes as he slides his boxers down to release his cock, and I don't need to look down to see the monster between his legs. No, I already got a full view of it by the river, and… I have doubts. How that massive thing is going to fit inside of me worries me a bit.

Shaw settles between my legs and I whimper when I feel the hard press of his stiff cock against my pussy. My mountain man is practically shaking with need, and I close my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the pain that comes with pussy, but it doesn't come.

"Look at me!" he orders and my eyes snap open to find his dark eyes locked on me. His expression softens and when he traces the back of his hand on my cheek, his touch is tender, and it sends my heart strings tugging needily. "Relax for me, Angel," he rasps, brushing my hair from my face.

I want to but knowing that it's going to hurt doesn't exactly help my case. I have to tell him.

"Shaw… I'm a virgin," I finally get it out, and his face immediately softens.

"Oh, Angel," he replies, "I don't mind, in fact, I'm honored I will be your first," he adds. He places kisses on both my cheeks before cupping them, forcing my eyes to meet his.

"I will be gentle, we can go as slow as you want. I already know that we both want this, so let me lead the way to make your first time well worth the wait," he says.

I slowly nod, and before I can even form a reply, the heat returns to his gaze. I know this is the right choice, my mountain man will take good care of me.