Storm Howl

STORM HOWL Vonna Harper

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Storm Howl Vonna Harper This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by Loose Id LLC 870 Market St, Suite 1201 San Francisco CA 94102-2907 www.loose-id.com Copyright © June 2009 by Vonna Harper All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

ISBN 978-1-59632-963-8 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

Printed in the United States of America

Editor: Ann M. Curtis Cover Artist: Croco Designs

Chapter One “You’re still up there? I thought you were going to boogie out before the storm hit.” Straining to hear his brother via cell phone, Jake Schneider gave silent thanks that Brett was still around to make calls. At the same time, he cursed the beyond-his-control delays that had gotten him into this fix. But much as he was tempted to dump on Brett, now wasn’t the time, not with a near whiteout limiting his visibility to a scant twenty feet and making wrapping things up take twice as long as it should. “You know what they say about best-laid plans,” he responded, one-handedly lifting a commercial chain saw into the back of his pickup. “Because the Feds had me twiddling my thumbs for nearly forty-eight hours, I’m still not done. But I have no intention of spending the night on the mountain. I’ve already told them; I’ll be back when the weather clears.” “That isn’t going to be anytime soon,” Brett explained. “I don’t suppose you’ve caught the latest weather report?” “Radio reception’s lousy.” “Then it’s a good thing I called.”

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Feeling as if he were being sucked into the countless flakes trying to bury him, Jake sighed. “Don’t tell me. Wind.” “Yeah.” Brett’s tone turned even more sober. “Wind in spades. Gusts over sixty miles per hour due to start at any time. Get the hell out of there before a tree lands on you, same as it did on me.” “That’s not funny.” “I didn’t say it was. I repeat, get out of there.” There was the section of national forestland in Oregon where he had been hired to fell hazard trees around a small resort. Most of the year, the café, lodge, and cabins near a particularly picturesque section of the Rogue River were a vacationer’s dream, but a few times each winter, snowstorms offered vivid examples of nature’s force. With two plus feet of snow already on the ground and more piling up at an impressive rate, anyone without a death wish had already headed for cover. “It’s a good thing I have studs,” Jake said. He didn’t have to add that his rig was equipped with four-wheel drive. “Now if I can just stay clear of idiot drivers until I get below the snow line. I trust you’ll have a beer waiting for me.” “More than one, big bro. Get your ass home.” Home consisted of the two-bedroom house he’d built on family land in the small town of Prospect. Living there limited his occupational choices; not that he cared, because, like he and his brother agreed, some people simply weren’t bred for cities. As long as he had the necessary strength, skill, and contacts, he’d go on paying his bills as a logging contractor. And if an accident or act of God caught up with him— No time to think about that now, not when the number one priority was getting out before the winds started toppling snow-laden evergreens bowling alley-style. His goal firmly in mind, Jake hoisted the second of his two toolboxes off the snow and sent it sliding against the chain saw.

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All he wanted was to have a cold beer with his brother. They’d maybe do a little joking about working for the government, to say nothing about how the wilderness wasn’t gunning for the Schneider brothers after all, or rather, anymore.

If things could get worse, Sarah Hazelton wasn’t sure how. Leaning over the steering wheel, she rubbed her sweater sleeve over the inside of the windshield. Unfortunately, her effort to remove condensation only smeared the moisture around and decreased her visibility. Not that it wasn’t already lousy. “You should have left earlier,” she muttered. “Hell, maybe you shouldn’t have gone there in the first place.” The next few minutes were spent dividing her attention between the barely moving speedometer and the kaleidoscope of snowflakes that seemed intent on finding their way into her car’s interior. Granted, the snow illuminated by her headlights was rather mesmerizing. Well, it would be, if she weren’t half-terrified she’d drift off the winding road and into the abyss if she stared at it. If she were more familiar with the highway, she might have been able to convince herself that there weren’t any abysses around. But she’d seldom had reason to leave the Rogue Valley and venture into the mountains, and from there to central Oregon. However, suddenly, seldom had turned into now. “Next time you get a job offer, don’t jump,” she chided herself. “Think it through first.” Good as that advice might be, however, a newly divorced woman seriously lacking in a way to support herself in a major downturn economy couldn’t be choosy. “Okay,” she muttered. “The job’s been handed to you. Think positive.” She might have laughed if she hadn’t been so tense. The truth of the matter was, she found herself in a positively shitty position. Not only had the weather gods caught her unawares, she was alone on this miserable stretch of road after dark, her defroster

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was on its last legs, and she’d passed hungry and slid into starving a while ago. And there wasn’t a thing she could do about any of those conditions at the moment. Trying to ignore her growling and knotted stomach, she envisioned herself telling her landlord that, sorry, she couldn’t give thirty days’ notice, and he could keep the deposit. She’d moved from that thought to an image of herself loading her belongings into a small moving van. Suddenly, the steering wheel shook. Yelping, she gripped it. She was only going twenty-five miles per hour. That should be slow enough, right? But maybe twenty was better. Letting up on the gas, she debated touching the brakes. What were the rules for steering one’s way out of a spin? If she lost traction again, was she supposed to relax and let the car do its thing or force the wheel in the opposite direction from where the car was going? Her car slowed of its own accord. Swallowing, she flexed her fingers in an attempt to keep them from cramping. She’d made it this far. Just a few more miles, and she’d start down into the valley and be home free. Home? No, she thought, it wasn’t that anymore.

***** Dinner. That’s what he’d think about. True, with his brother in charge, it’d be frozen pizza thrown in the microwave, but right now, anything would be good. There it was, just ahead, the two-lane state highway that sliced through the mountains. Much as he hated having to admit he was glad to see what passed for civilization around here, at that moment, Jake did. Granted, the cabins he’d spent the day working near weren’t true wilderness, but the highway represented a connection with civilization beyond the mountains. Mountains he’d loved up until two months ago, he reminded himself as he inched toward the asphalt. Hours later, he still couldn’t recall what had snagged his attention at that precise minute, what made him look to his left. Maybe it was knowing he wouldn’t be back up on the mountain until the storm was over and the snow-removal

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equipment had come in and cleared the roads, that he wouldn’t have to travel these treacherous roads again until then. It was now officially night. The threatened winds had arrived and were buffeting his rig. Damn, what was that? His boot left the gas pedal and pressed the brake. Fingers tight around the steering wheel, he stared at what to the left had caught his attention. Three pairs of yellow-gold eyes no more than fifteen feet away and illuminated by his headlights glowed and looked as if they stared back at him. Canines, he told himself. Just dogs. With thick, snow-dusted gray-brown coats; small, alert ears; long and powerful muzzles; and equally powerful teeth? The sudden pressure on his chest distracted him from trying to make sense of things. His heart raced. After taking a moment to concentrate on regulating his breathing, he again looked at the trio. This time, he didn’t try to convince himself that he was looking at strays. Not only didn’t it make any kind of sense for someone’s pets to have gotten lost up here, they weren’t acting like dogs. Instead of racing toward him in hopes of getting in where it was warm and dry, the trio gave no indication that the storm bothered them. Quite the contrary; they looked perfectly at home in their surroundings, as if there was nowhere else they wanted to be. “Wolves,” he whispered. “Wolves.” As his voice echoed, he shivered. The predator in the middle turned its head and licked the muzzle of the wolf to its right, then went back to regarding him, while the other two never took their gazes off him. He barely felt the truck heater warming his feet, barely heard the humming engine or straining wipers. But then how could he, when the wolves had become his world? “What are you doing here?” He couldn’t seem to get his voice above a whisper. “You can’t—there’s no way you can—there haven’t been wolves here for hundreds…” The middle wolf stepped toward him, or rather, toward his rig, and despite the protective steel all around, Jake leaned away from the window. He blinked, then went back to staring. The longer he did, the more alive he felt.

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***** There must be a store or café or something around here, right? With the blowing snow, Sarah had lost track of how many miles she’d traveled and how many more were still ahead of her. Last summer, her ex had brought her up here so they could see what an ancient lava flow had done to the Rogue River in this area. As the volcanic eruption cooled, it had forced the river into a narrow, steep channel. Even now the memory of raging water and spray made her shudder. She also remembered going into a nearby café for pie after hiking along a well-marked and fenced path above the river. If they were serving dinner— No. Even though she was light-headed from hunger, Sarah knew better than to delay. Instead of filling her belly, she’d keep her foot on the gas and strain to make out the road’s twists and turns. At least she’d been going downhill for a while. A few more miles and— An unexpected flash of light ahead and to her right jerked her upright in her seat and caused her to pull the steering wheel to the left. Before she could rectify her foolish impulse to avoid what she’d assumed was another vehicle, her car fairly leaped to the left. Gasping, she yanked right. For a good heartbeat, she thought she’d regained control, only to gasp again because the car kept heading right. Even though some part of her knew she was making things worse, she tried to straighten the out-of-control beast. The car slid right, danced left, rocked right, plowed left. Her body rolling, she jammed on the brakes. Nothing. Still going full bore, free floating, spinning in near circle after near circle. Unable to keep track of which direction she was going at any given second, she nevertheless had no doubt she was getting closer and closer to the lights that had started this whole mess. Time slowed down. She knew with awful and yet calm certainty that she was going to crash. If she was lucky, she’d plow into the snowbank created by the snow-

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removal equipment. If the luck gods were really against her, she’d wrap herself around a tree. Then there was the distinct possibility she’d hit whoever— Crash! Crack! Her head snapped back, then forward. Her world shuddered and shook, and her car kept on making harsh cracking sounds. At the same time, her world continued its slowed pace, allowing her to acknowledge that she’d indeed slammed into the vehicle that had been coming from the opposite direction. She hadn’t been going that fast, had she? Surely not fast enough to have killed the other driver. Praying she was right, she breathed through her relief at realizing her car was no longer moving. Quite the opposite. Her world had become so quiet, she heard snow plopping onto the hood and roof. Interesting. Along with crumpled auto parts that shouldn’t be crumpled, the engine had quit. At first, her fingers wanted nothing to do with getting her out of her seat belt, but she kept at it because the belt was digging into the side of her neck. From what she could tell, she wasn’t injured, although whiplash might rear its head later. Not giving herself time to chicken out, she pulled down on the door handle. The door opened a few inches, then stopped. She put her shoulder into the task. Nothing. Confused, she strained to see what was in the way, but her headlight—there only seemed to be one working—was aimed at the treetops. Belatedly coming up with the brilliant idea to try the passenger’s side, she half slid, half crawled across the seat and opened the other door. She intended to plant her feet on the ground but wound up sinking into snow up to her knees. At least she’d had the sense to put on slacks and exchange her dress-forsuccess heels for insulated boots, but her ankles were already going numb. “Are you all right?” Startled by the masculine voice, she tried to determine where the voice had come from, no easy task with the wind throwing snow shards into her face. “I’m all right,” she yelled above the wind. “What about you?” “Just swell.”

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Her hackles up, she stared at the large form stomping toward her. Between her errant headlight and the two strong ones from the truck she’d hit, she determined that the two vehicles had come to rest side by side. One had been going in one direction while the other had chosen the opposite direction. Their side doors were so close, they seemed to be mating. At least she hadn’t hit some piece of tinfoil masquerading as a sports car. “Why didn’t you stop?” the man demanded as he planted himself in front of her. Darn, but he was tall. She looked up. Way too tall. And equally too broad across the shoulders, although his coat probably had something to do with that impression. “Why didn’t you?” she shot back. “Couldn’t you tell I was sliding?” “By the time I’d figured that out, you’d slammed into me.” Oh. “Where did you come from? You weren’t ahead of me.” “There’s a side road.” Maybe she should have asked if he’d looked to see if the highway was clear before venturing onto it, but something in his tone made her hold her tongue. He sounded, what, confused? Distant? If he’d been drinking, maybe the accident was his fault. Before she could decide whether to try to get close enough to smell his breath, the wind struck the side of her head. Damn. It was cold. Her shoulder-length hair swirled in front of her eyes, and a few strands wound up in her mouth. “We have to get out of here,” she announced. “How would you suggest we do that? I’m guessing you’ve got engine problems”—he nodded at her silent car—“and my front passenger-side bumper is jammed against the tire. Neither of us is going anywhere.” Despite her best efforts, fear crawled into her throat and settled down for what felt like the long haul. “Then…then I’m getting back in my car,” she came up with. “At least that way, I won’t freeze.”

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He—whoever he was—muttered something, but although she should have been alert to him and every word he spoke, the snow had captured her attention. The storm was awesome, and the tops of the surrounding evergreens whipped about, reminding her anew of what it had felt like to be in an out-of-control vehicle. She felt small, worse than insignificant, a little girl needing a blanket, pacifier, and her parents, all at once. And yet the wilderness and nature’s fury mesmerized her. If her feet and ears and nose weren’t freezing, she could stand out here indefinitely. Wondering if the man felt the same way, or at least would understand if she said something, she started to risk more snow on her face by looking up at him, only to be distracted by a blip of something behind him and to his left. Six spots of light. No. That wasn’t right. She blinked. They weren’t lights, at least, not like any she’d ever seen. There were three pairs, though, and looked to be gold as much as yellow. Almost hypnotic. And although it made no sense, heat radiated out from the lights and spread throughout her, warming her. Even her toes. But mostly, she felt the heat/warmth between her legs.

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Chapter Two After having his evening turned on its ears via the crash, Jake sat across a small and well-worn table from the woman responsible for the better part of an hour. She was still shivering and hadn’t said much, except to repeatedly thank him for taking charge. At the moment, her long, slender fingers had a death grip on a cup of coffee. Although she occasionally looked at him, her attention kept straying to the café’s front window. What she saw out there, he couldn’t say. The swirling snow prevented them from seeing anything. The immediate solution to the problem of being stuck with two disabled vehicles had taken but a single phone call. Because he’d stored the county road department’s number in his cell phone, Jake had been able to reach the closest snowplow operator, who’d been happy to give them a lift to the café. Although Jake had been willing to pay the driver to take him and the woman who’d introduced herself as Sarah Hazelton into Prospect, the driver had nixed that idea, saying he’d be in trouble if he didn’t stay on the job. Going by the rate the snow kept coming down, to say nothing of the relentless wind, it wouldn’t be long before the snowplows would be ordered off the roads. Jake

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had called his brother, and they’d debated the pros and cons of Brett driving up. In the end, they’d agreed it wasn’t worth the risk. “Do you think we’ll need to stay the night?” Sarah asked without looking up from her coffee. “Up here?” “Do you have any other suggestions?” While making decisions and riding with the snowplow operator, he’d managed to keep his eyes, mind, and other parts of his anatomy off his dinner partner. But now she sat only a few inches away, looking in need of a white knight and a hot bath. He’d seen her clearly for the first time as they’d waited in his cab with its operating heater, and her profile as she sat hugging the passenger’s side had been a kick to the gonads. In truth, for a few minutes there, he hadn’t been sure he could keep his hands off her. The confining space, coupled with the storm and her sweet vulnerability, had brought out a primitive element that surprised him. Had to have been aftereffects from the accident. No other explanation made any kind of sense. Just like there was no explanation for the wolves. Determined to put thinking distance between himself and the impossible, he told her he had no doubt that most, if not all, of the cabins and lodge rooms that were part of the small resort would most likely be available. As soon as they’d had something to eat, they’d take care of getting a room. She nodded but didn’t say anything. He wasn’t used to a quiet woman. Usually, they chatted his head off a mile a minute. “What is it?” He indicated the window. Because it was a double pane, there was little condensation on the inside. Not that it made any difference. Snow and night claimed their surroundings. “You keep looking—” “Do I? I guess—I’m worried about the storm. They aren’t usually this uh, savage, are they?”

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The word savage resonated within him. He tried to tell himself it was because she’d keyed into the fierce wind, but savage dug too deep into him for that explanation to hold. In too many respects, that was him tonight, a little more uncivilized than usual, sharp edged. He shifted, uncomfortable with why that should be. “You sound as if you don’t often get into the mountains,” he said, struggling against the desire to crouch behind silence, as she was doing. “I don’t. Owning one’s business means being on scene every minute of every day.” Pretending an interest he didn’t feel, he asked what her business was. “A gym. Pete’s Power. Maybe you’ve heard of it?” “It’s one of those weight-lifting places, isn’t it?” To the detriment of his nervous system, she laughed. The sound, laced with sarcasm, slid along his nerves. “Don’t ever let Pete hear you say that. Pete—he’s my ex—takes his business very seriously. Well, all except for the bottom line.” She sipped some coffee. “I’d just as soon not talk about it.” That was fine with him. The last thing he wanted to hear about were the men in her life—other than learning there wasn’t one at present. Fighting the impulse, hell, the need to dig through the layers of clothing to the woman at the core, he asked, “What brings you to the mountain on a fine day like today?” As she sipped some more coffee, some brainless part of him tried to convince himself that he’d turned her on and that was why she kept glancing at him from under those thick lashes of hers. There wasn’t much to her, just a little over a hundred pounds, which seemed at odds with the whole Pete’s Power thing, but for all he knew, she was a black belt who could kick his butt all the way to the next county. Especially if he made the move on her he wanted to.

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“Pete brought the customers to the business,” she said. “He was in professional football for a while. You wouldn’t believe the number of men, mostly young and full of themselves, who think they’ll develop the kind of muscles Pete has, simply from being near him. Anyway, while he led the troops, I managed the business end. I did a damn good job.” She speared him with a look that dared him to say otherwise, something he had no intention of doing. For such a little thing, she didn’t have one of those squeaky voices that struck him like fingernails on a blackboard. Instead, it was low, kind of throaty, and so damn sexy, he could get off just listening to it. Grateful for the table between them that hid his hard-on, he shifted position. He’d let his mind wander some and had to struggle to catch up to what she was saying. “Naturally, with the divorce, I couldn’t go on managing Pete’s Power, not that I wanted to. I thought I wouldn’t have trouble finding another job in business management, but in this economy—” “Tell me about it.” “Anyway, I learned that everyone is trying to ride things out with the staff they have. Even if they need someone with business sense on board, they can’t afford to hire them.” Shadows touched her features and gave her an exotic air. Jake clenched his fingers to keep from touching her. “I cast a wider net, sent my résumé everywhere I could think of. A small Bend resort asked me to come for an interview, which is what I was doing today. For the record, I got the job.” For someone who’d just learned she’d be able to pay her bills, she didn’t look excited. Didn’t sound like it, either. Bend, the hub of central Oregon, was a skier’s paradise. The once-sleepy burg had become the playground of a lot of well-heeled people. As a result, residential and business construction had exploded. Although the down economy had made its impact felt in Bend, as far as he knew, the resorts were doing all right, thanks to a greater-than-normal snowfall this winter. “Congratulations.”

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“Thanks. I think.” Cocking her head so that her dark hair slid over her shoulder in a breath-stealing way, she studied him. Her mouth parted. A moment later, she licked her lips. His cock all but tied itself in a knot. “What?” he asked, staring back. Not dropping her gaze, she let out a long breath. “I, ah, never mind.” She ran her hand along the back of her neck, maybe to cool herself there? “How much longer is the storm supposed to last? I don’t want to have to spend any more time here than necessary.” He could have pointed out that even if the sun broke through at that very moment and melted everything, her vehicle was still worthless, but she already knew that. “What if we don’t have a choice?” Disbelief darkened her eyes. Then she shrugged, and he sensed her resignation. “You’re right. I have to face reality.” Smiling a little, she looked around. “Do you think they’d let us sleep on the tables if we can’t get across the road to the lodge?” Before he could decide whether to ask if one table would suffice, the front door opened and a heavily dressed man hurried in, accompanied by a blast of freezing air. The man shook the snow off himself. “It’s official,” he announced. “Road’s closed.” Recognizing the snowplow operator who’d brought him and Sarah here, Jake leaned back in his seat. In response to the waitress’s question, the operator explained in a voice loud enough for everyone—not that he and Sarah weren’t the only customers— to hear that he’d just received word from his dispatcher that the wind had toppled several trees across the highway. If the wind kept up, more were sure to fall. Fighting the horror he felt rising inside him, horror he had no intention of sharing with anyone, Jake turned his attention back to Sarah. Instead of going all helpless and distraught, though, like he thought she might, she simply nodded. “Guess that’s that.” Her tongue made another journey around her lips. “You never know how a day’s going to turn out, do you?”

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You couldn’t be more right. Just ask my brother—and me. “Is that question specific or general?” “Doesn’t matter.” Leaving him to his thoughts, she went back to studying the wilderness, or rather, the window beyond which the wilderness waited. Now that he’d had an opportunity to study her expression, Jake concluded there was nothing casual about what she was doing. Quite the opposite, she was straining to see something. What if she’d also seen the wolves? Or were they hallucinations, brought on by the howling wind and blinding snow? The moment the question posed itself, he fought to deny it. There were no wolves anywhere in this part of Oregon. In fact, only a handful had been spotted in the state’s far eastern edge. That handful were the offspring of captive wolves set free in remote areas of Idaho years ago as part of a controversial reintroduction program. Whatever he’d seen, or thought he’d seen, hadn’t been wolves. Right? Maybe. Fighting his runaway imagination and ramped-up libido, Jake sought sanity in his surroundings. The café wasn’t officially open, but perhaps because they’d been unable to leave, the cook and waitress had left the door unlocked. As a result, he and Sarah had wrapped themselves around mugs of coffee and the promise of whatever food the cook could rustle up. In the meantime, he’d divided his attention between his dinner mate and what lurked beyond the window as well. What he was looking for or waiting for, he didn’t know. The snowplow operator was flirting with the much younger waitress, who gave as good as she was getting. From what he overheard, Jake understood that the two of them knew each other, quite well, in fact. The operator would be spending the night, but it sounded as if he wouldn’t be spending it alone. “Circumstances make for strange bedfellows, don’t they?” Sarah mused. “Are you talking about them or us?” Looking reluctant to do so, she dragged her attention back to him. “I’m not sure.”

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A white knight would be quick to assure the damsel that her virtue was safe. However, right now, he had no interest in being a white knight. Instead he gave his imagination free rein. Or maybe the better truth was, he lacked the strength to hold his thoughts in check. They’d have dinner. Then they’d bundle themselves back into their coats and trudge across the deserted, snow-packed highway to the small lodge. They’d prevail upon the manager-owner-whoever to open up a room for them. Not needing to say a thing about the night’s activities, they’d step into the small room and dive for each other. He’d smash his mouth against hers, suck in her essence, dig through the layers of clothing that covered her slight form. Giving back in spades, she’d rip off his coat and drop it on the floor. Still engaged in a lip-lock, they’d tumble onto the bed. Arms and legs would tangle, boots occasionally striking shins until, panting and wide-eyed, they’d break apart. She’d reach nudity first. Settling herself cross-legged on an old but clean bedspread, she’d slide her fingers between her legs. Distracted from the task of releasing the knots in his wet shoelaces, he’d lean over her and draw her hand toward him. Sex juices would glisten in the faint light, encouraging him to lick her fingers. Which he’d do. Not bothered by the clothes bunched around his boots, he’d flip her onto her stomach and pull her toward him until her legs dangled over the edge of the bed. He’d kick her legs apart and run his hands under her pelvis to lift her up off the bed. Growling, he’d rock forward and spear her from behind. Take her doggy-style. Doggy? With someone he barely knew? He shook his head, sorry to have the erotic vision gone so soon. Out of the corner of his eye, Jake spotted the waitress coming their way with two plates. The smell of roast beef all but made him drool. At least, he told himself that the smell of the roast beef, and not Sarah, was responsible.

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“Hmm,” the waitress said as she set down the plates filled with the hot sandwiches. “I thought the two of you looked starved.” About to assure her of same, he slid a glance Sarah’s way. She was staring at him, hunger deep in her eyes, the kind of hunger no amount of food would touch. At least, that’s what he told himself. His cell phone rang.

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Chapter Three “I already know,” Jake said to whoever had called him. “Who? The snowplow operator,” he added after a short silence. “That’s the breaks. Look, would you call—no, on second thought, don’t tell them that. After what happened to you, we don’t need the folks worrying about me. Yeah, I’ll take care of that.” More silence was followed by a grunt. “No. I don’t want you doing—yeah, I’m sounding like a big brother. You take care of yourself.” Jake closed his phone and laid it on the table. Fascinated by his big and competent hand, Sarah struggled to remember what she’d been doing, or rather thinking, before it had rung. She’d been swamped by thoughts, ones she couldn’t imagine ever admitting to him. Although if she had an inkling he’d pick up on them and maybe do something about them— “My brother,” he said. “He wanted me to know about the road closure.” “Ah. Why’d you tell him to take care of himself?” Some silences were simply that, a lack of sound. This one, however, had layers to it. Determined to get to the crux of it, she dragged her attention off his very capable hand and looked at his eyes. Granted, the lighting was less than ideal, but she’d swear he looked more somber than before. She ran a nail over his knuckles. His fingers curled,

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the knuckles turned white. How bold she was. Hell, more than bold. Something she didn’t understand was turning her on, and she wasn’t sure she could shake it off. “He broke his leg the better part of two months ago,” Jake replied. “Smashed it, really. He’s supposed to stay off it, but he won’t.” “Smashed? What happened?” “Occupational hazard.” For a moment, she thought he wasn’t going to expand on that brief explanation. The nail she’d touched him with was warmer than the rest of her hand, which made her wonder how much more it would take for it to catch fire. Darn it, this wasn’t her at all! She’d never been like this. In truth, sex had been buried so deep on her wish list for at least the last year that it had ceased to show up on her radar. Right now, sex had just ratcheted to the number one spot and stood front and center on her list. Maybe the only thing on it. She just wished she understood why now, and all of a sudden. With this man, Jake, a stranger. Did all people who got caught unawares in a blizzard suddenly enter some sort of alternate dimension? It seemed like she’d entered one, ever since she’d first spied the wolves. “My brother and I run a small logging operation,” Jake said. His voice rumbled through her and raked nerves she didn’t know she had. “Just the two of us, no employees. There aren’t that many opportunities for making money felling trees these days, and we can’t afford the liability insurance to hire anyone.” “Your brother was hurt on the job?” “Came close to getting killed.” Something new sparked in Jake’s eyes, a depth and darkness that rocked her. She knew without being told that he’d witnessed the accident. Maybe even been a part of whatever had happened. “I read or heard somewhere that logging is the most dangerous job in America.” “Yeah.”

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She heard the hurt in his voice. “Look, if you don’t want to talk about it—” “I don’t.” Silenced by his curt response, Sarah picked up her sandwich and took a bite. It was warm, but other than that, she couldn’t have said what it was she was eating. The bite turned to sawdust in her mouth. She didn’t know why it mattered so much, but she felt hurt. Darn it, she’d dumped about her failed marriage. Couldn’t he at least be civil? Men tended to be the silent ones when it came to emotional issues. She chided herself. Women, most of them anyway, confided—in other women. Just because she hadn’t found anyone she trusted to confide in when it came to her life with Pete— “Look,” he said, “about how you’re going to spend the night.” He cleared his throat. “How both of us are. I’m sure we won’t have any trouble getting one of the lodge rooms.” “One?” she blurted, then could have kicked herself. “All right, two,” he said, but darn it, she was convinced his eyes said something different. This man confused her. If she had the sense she’d been born with, she would be getting to her feet, tucking her partly eaten sandwich under her arm, and trudging off to make her own sleeping arrangements. However, doing that called for a hell of a lot more something than she had. More self-control, she reluctantly amended. The acknowledgment made, she dragged her attention off him. No surprise, she wound up looking outside again. She’d noted a light over the entrance when they’d come into the café, but no illumination reached the nearby window. Not that it would have done any good. It was snowing, or more accurately storming, going by the sound the wind was making. As a result, she wouldn’t have been able to see her hand in front of her face if she’d ventured out. So what had those creatures been doing out there, and why couldn’t she stop thinking about them? Why did it feel as if the wolves, if that’s what they were, had entered her space and showed no sign of giving it back? And what was this weird hold

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they held over her, anyway? Between the wolves and Jake, her mental capabilities were in shreds. But not her responses and reactions to the male sharing the meal with her, the man who might spend the night a wall away from her. If the wall weren’t there, what would happen? Would she give in to the need pounding through her veins and seduce him? Sarah glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Or would he be the aggressor? She took another bite, but although her stomach sighed in gratitude, she set the sandwich down. So the lodge was out there, was it? Just across the road, the waitress had said. Wherever the road was. The blinding snow and descending night made seeing across impossible. Once they finished eating, the two of them would head out into the whiteout, hand in hand—just to make sure they didn’t lose each other. Because he knew the area better, and she trusted him to do such things (where had the trust come from?), he’d unerringly lead her to the lodge door. They’d go inside, where the manager or whoever would assume that they were a couple. Instead of setting the man or woman straight, Jake would take the single key. Her hand still in his, she’d follow in his wake, her heart thudding with every footfall, nerves sparking like some live wire. Actually, she’d float more than walk. He’d unlock the door, then spin toward her, pick her up in his capable arms, and carry her across the threshold. Her burning cheeks brought her back to the here and now. But when she noticed that Jake was staring out the window himself, she again let her fantasy thoughts claim her attention. The moment she did, her fantasy pulled her back in. The threshold behind them, Jake carried her effortlessly to the double bed, a man’s man assuming responsibility for his mate’s weight. He dropped her unceremoniously onto it so that she bounced several times before settling onto her back. He didn’t say anything, because there was no need. They were here for one purpose only: to fuck.

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Dispensing with convention, he unzipped her jacket and rolled her back and forth until he’d worked her out of it. Next went her boots and socks. He took a moment to press her cold feet against his middle while rubbing her ankles, but he was a man in a hurry, and she a woman with too much wet heat between her legs and breathing that refused to slow down. Slacks and panties were discarded followed by her sweater, blouse, and bra, leaving her and her goose bumps to wait for him. Soon, deciding that he was taking too long to get naked, she sat up and reached for his coat. Shaking his head, his teeth showing, he pushed her back down. This time, she stayed where he wanted her, her imagination taking off in yet another direction. She’d seen aggressive dogs loom over more submissive ones with the submissive dogs on their backs, their bellies exposed. That’s what she’d become, the submissive bitch. Slow seconds ticked away as he tested her sanity while drawing off his clothes. He had trouble with his bootlaces, and she thought he might flex his muscles and yank. If he did, she’d applaud his strength. Instead, his impatience barely under control, he forced the wet leather to give way. At last, naked, his cock an exclamation point, he bent a leg and placed his knee on the bed. To hell with being submissive! She knew what she wanted, and she wanted it now! Growling and with a howl building, she raked his leg with her nails until he stopped advancing. My way, she announced. My fucking way. As long as it involves fucking— It does. Not caring what he thought, only that he acted, she scrambled onto her hands and knees and turned so that her rear was closest to him. Reaching behind her, she ran her fingers between her ass cheeks. Her fingers trailed lower, found her hot and wet

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opening. Plunging her forefinger into herself, she arched her back and lifted her head. With her eyes closed, she locked herself within the moment. She was ready and willing. More than that, she was in heat. Fuck me, she demanded. Just the hell fuck me. Get your finger out of yourself. When I’m sure you— I am. The words said, he closed his hand around her wrist and pulled. He sucked on her finger, then released her. With her arm supporting her once more, Sarah looked back at the big, dark stranger who’d become the most important thing in her world. She looked forward and again lifted her head. This time, the howl came first, followed by a long growl as his cock speared and spread her. Her pussy muscles tightened around him. “That good for you?” Jolted by the female voice, Sarah blinked repeatedly. Her world came back into focus. The waitress was standing near her, smiling a patented smile while pointing at her plate. “Fine, fine,” Sarah managed. “Looks like you weren’t as hungry as you thought you were.” “I am. Hungry, that is. I just, well, it’s been a crazy day.” Rather lame, but what could she say? If only she could press her flaming cheeks against the frosted window. “It’s been a long one for me too,” the waitress said. “And since the cook and I can’t get home, it’s a good thing there are a couple of rooms above the café. They come in handy at times like this, or if I need a little privacy, if you know what I mean.” Glancing at the snowplow operator, she winked. “It won’t be the first time I’ve had that particular company. Fortunately, the cook could care less what I do, as long as he has his own room. Look, I don’t want to rush you, but we’re going to close up. The

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electricity’s off, but fortunately, we have generator backup. Otherwise, we’d risk losing what’s in the freezer.” Try as she might, Sarah couldn’t think of anything to say, and Jake wasn’t any help. In fact, the way he was looking at her, she half believed he’d been part and parcel of her fantasy. That was impossible, of course. Otherwise— Otherwise what, he might pick up where her fantasy had left off? And what a fantasy it had been, different from anything she’d ever had. Doggystyle with a stranger. Not in this lifetime!

They paid dutch for their meals and decided the lodge across the road was the best chance they had at a place to sleep tonight. By the time she and Jake reached the lodge, Sarah’s eyelids, nose, and chin felt frozen. And that was even with wearing her jacket hood against her ears and covering her forehead. Damn, it was cold out. Because she hadn’t thought to bring along gloves, she’d rammed her hands deep inside her pockets. Except that wasn’t the only thing that kept them warm. Much of the credit had to go to the masculine arm around her shoulder, protecting her from some of the wind. “That’s intense!” she exclaimed as they stood under the lodge’s overhang. Jake knocked on the door. “Talk about nature’s power.” “Spend as much time out in it as I do, and you get used to it.” “No, thanks,” she said, then stopped to listen for approaching footsteps. The waitress had informed them that the lodge manager, the interim manager, she’d said pointedly and dismissively, had been alerted to their need for a room for the night. Although having to wait for him to unlock the door rankled her, in some respects, she was content to remain where she was. The wind had no trouble reaching them, but thanks to the overhang, at least they were protected from most of the snow. The outside lodge light was aimed so it illuminated the parking area between the building and the highway. If she strained, she could even catch glimpses of the snow-blanketed road.

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What if she spotted paw prints in the snow? Or three pairs of golden eyes? Or even three powerful and primitive predator bodies? Would anyone believe her if she told them what she’d seen? “I said I was coming,” a man in his fifties grumbled as he opened the door. “Didn’t you hear me yell?” “No.” Jake stepped back so she could enter first. The middle-aged man smelled of cigarettes and an unwashed body. Fortunately, the open area she walked into smelled halfway fresh, and she told herself to cut the man some slack. Obviously, he hadn’t expected to be doing any business tonight. They were standing in what appeared to be a recreation room complete with a pool table, TV, and a large unlit fireplace. The man had no interest in what had brought them here tonight, caring only about getting her and Jake’s credit cards so he could check them in. Okay, so not everyone was fascinated by other people’s misadventures, but what was wrong with acknowledging that tonight was out of the ordinary? The man started out assuming that they’d want just one room, but when, after a short silence, Jake informed him that they were in need of two, he frowned. “Gonna cost you more, what with me having to clean two units and all.” Jake shot her a glance that reinforced what she’d already concluded, that the manager wasn’t a people person. His next look in her direction included the hint of a question. Was it possible he was leaving things open for her to agree to a single room? With her nerves jumping and her heart beating at an aerobic rate, she was more than tempted. However, before she could decide whether to take the leap, two keys slid across the dusty counter toward them. “Your rooms are next to each other,” the man said. “Less distance for me to have to haul cleaning supplies.” Because neither of them had an overnight bag, let alone suitcases, as soon as they’d signed what needed to be signed, they headed for the hall off the game/reservation room. The hall, complete with a single, dead bug-filled ceiling light,

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fake wood-paneled walls, and threadbare carpet, took her back in time. Despite its oneof-a-kind setting, this was a cheap throwback to the 1960s. “Charming,” she muttered as she stood before the door to her room. “What were you expecting?” Jake asked. “The Ritz?” “Hardly. This is the wilderness, after all. But there’s nothing wrong with a little pride of ownership, is there? Oh well, as long as the sheets are clean—” Despite her efforts, the doorknob refused to turn, and her key stuck in the slot. After battling his own door for a few seconds, Jake managed to gain entrance. Then he came to her assistance. By pulling the knob toward him while jiggling the key, he managed to get it open. “One thing about a stuck door,” he said. “No one’s going to be able to sneak up on you.” There were a total of seven doors in the hall, leading her to conclude that the lodge was very small and only accommodated seven rooms. Knowing the other five were empty was a little disconcerting, not that she was in a position to be choosy. She should have been prepared for the claustrophobia-inducing room with four darkly paneled walls, a small window with limp, sheer curtains over it, and a chenille spread with several stains. Just the same, if she’d had a choice, she would have cut and run. It looked more like a cheap, sex-by-the-hour hotel room than a lodge in a popular wildlife area. “Welcome home,” she muttered as she turned on a lamp with a low-wattage bulb. “At least it’s warm.” Jake pointed at the dust-coated electric baseboard heater, which clanked as it came on. “I wonder why he kept the heat on, if he didn’t think he was going to have any customers.” “I’m just glad for the heat,” she admitted. “But you’re right; it’s obvious he isn’t the owner. If I were paying the utility bills—I wonder if your room’s any better.” “Do you want to check it out?”

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Shaking her head, she moved over to the window. The echo of her footsteps told her no padding lay beneath the carpet. Because the rooms had been built on the side of the lodge away from the road, no light illuminated this area where the woods were. She wondered how close the trees grew to the building. Was there a danger that one, or more, might come crashing onto the roof from the heavy snow? Irritated for letting her imagination get away from her, Sarah tore her attention off the night and what lay beyond the window. The moment she did, her thoughts zeroed in on Jake. While they were in the restaurant, his strength and self-confidence had all but surrounded her. She should be used to his impact on her senses, shouldn’t she? But now, it was just the two of them. Electricity arced powerfully between them, to say nothing of that fantasy of hers that had gotten hung up on a particular sexual position. In a perfect world, he’d anticipate her every whim and need. She wouldn’t have to tell him that she needed to be taken from behind, because he’d already know. He also wouldn’t question her fuck choice; just fulfill it. Earlier, like some idiot, she’d licked her lips. She cringed. Almost like Lolita. Somehow, she’d manage not to do that, although it was such a sexy move. Neither would she take a chance on getting any closer to the man, magnetic appeal notwithstanding. Casting her lot with the night, she pushed aside the musty-smelling curtains and all but pressed her nose against the windowpane. “You’re still hung up on what’s out there,” he said from behind her. “What are you hoping to find?” Answers. Magic, maybe. “Nothing, really.” “Then—” “The noise from the wind is pretty darn overwhelming,” she muttered. “I guess I keep thinking I’m going to see proof of it.” “Like what? A window blowing out?”

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“I hope not.” She shuddered and took a backward step while still holding on to the curtain. “This is kind of like what happens when people stare at a car wreck, only I shouldn’t try, because it’s dark, and I can’t see a thing.” “Sight isn’t the only sense.” She didn’t know what he was talking about, but because she didn’t trust herself to turn around, she contented herself with more useless staring at nothing. He was standing a few feet away, his legs probably still widespread, his bulky clothing hiding the male beast beneath the layers. He was a stranger, new to her world, upsetting to her nervous system, and a challenge the likes of which she’d never encountered. At the same time, she sensed a strength in herself she’d never felt before. Insane as it was, she half believed she could walk out into the night, break into a run, and keep up the punishing pace until morning. She’d run, not alone, but as part of a pack of wolves. Without understanding how that was or could be possible, she sensed no kernel of doubt that they’d accept her. Instead of seeing her as a stranger and a threat, they’d guide her through the forest. They’d take her to places maybe no human had ever seen, sharing their heat with her, teaching her their wild wisdom. But why her? What did they see in or want from her? And was she the only one, or were they planning to weave their spell over Jake as well? So many questions, no answers. Sarah shivered. At the same time, the wanting to know nearly made her weep. She should give up on trying to make sense of the night and face Jake, but now that she’d again acknowledged the wolves, that they were there, that they’d connected with her, they refused to release their hold on her. Okay. She needed to dispense with reality, practicality, and logic and let new, even incomprehensible, insights take over. Needed to accept that she’d seen a trio of wolves right after the accident. Wolves that didn’t belong here, in this area of Oregon. Wolves that looked more mystical than real… The one in the middle of the pack had

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been larger than the two flanking him. It had to be a him, and not just a male, but an alpha male. He stood too regal and important not to be. She’d almost convinced herself that the two smaller wolves with him were also males before she’d remembered reading an article about wolves. Unless she remembered wrong, wolves paired up, and the alpha male’s mate became the dominant alpha female in the pack. Then what was the point and purpose of the third wolf? Maybe to remind her that packs might consist of many members? “Sarah,” Jake whispered. “What’s bothering you?” You. And a trio of beasts that can’t possibly be. If only I had the courage to tell you about them. But what if you laugh and call me insane? Gathering herself as well as she could, Sarah turned her back to the window. Lordy, but Jake was everything the word male embodied. A large part of his impact came from the macho way he earned his living, of course. Add that to a rugged setting, a vivid example of nature’s fury, and her turnedon body, and she had all she could do not to launch herself at him. Need stirred deep within, and although she tried to keep her legs where they belonged, she wound up pressing her thighs against each other. At that moment, she split into two women. There was the Sarah she’d always known and relied on, who paid her bills and took pride in being reliable and trustworthy, who had political opinions and cared what happened in her corner of the world. Then there was the new Sarah, who was an entirely different creature. Interested in one thing and one man. “You’re what’s bothering me,” she said.

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Chapter Four Weak light spilled out from the lamp. Otherwise, the room was in shadows. Just the same, Jake had no trouble making out Sarah’s form. His overactive imagination stripped away her bulky clothing. Under the layers awaited a slim woman with smallish breasts and hips designed to drive a man crazy. Her thighs were muscular and slightly padded. She was small waisted, her shoulders wider than he’d expected them to be, and her neck so long and narrow, he could easily cup his hands around it. Once he captured her throat, he’d propel her backward. She’d tumble onto the bed, her arms snaking around him as she fell so that they landed together. He’d remain on top, his knee forcing her legs apart, his weight pinning her. At first, she’d be limp and waiting under him, but as his greater weight and commanding knee made their impact, she’d start struggling. Get off me, she’d say. What kind of oaf do you think you are? The kind who gets what he wants. The threat/promise would make her fight even more. She’d pound her fists against his back, scratch his arms, even try to choke him. Instead of compelling him to let her go, though, her struggles would reach him in deeper places. Primal places. Releasing her throat, he’d capture her wrists and force her arms over her head. Certain

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she couldn’t break free, he’d pin both wrists with a single hand and start in on her clothes. A harsh yank, and he’d render the zipper on her coat useless. Another jerk, and he’d shed her sweater. Ignoring her curses, but not the wildly thrashing body under him, he’d expose her bra. When he lowered his head and lapped at the swollen flesh above her bra, all resistance would flow out of her. Moaning like something wild, she’d stare up at him, mouth open and legs gaping. He had her. She was his to mount. “Jake?” Rocked by the quiet word, he shook his head. Bit by bit, the disturbing image he’d created seeped away to be replaced by the reality of the woman who’d rendered his rig inoperable. The last time someone had stared at him that intently, it had been his brother, his leg anchored under the tree that had twisted unexpectedly as it fell, leaving Brett trapped beneath, in shock and incomprehensible. Damn it, the last thing he needed right now was a reminder of that horrendous time. “I’m sorry,” he managed. “Long day. I keep forgetting what I’m supposed to be doing.” “I didn’t—do you think you’ve suffered a concussion?” It took him a moment to realize she was talking about the crash. “Hardly. There wasn’t enough force. Like I said, it’s been a long day.” “Me too. I’m feeling a little, I don’t know, punchy.” Punchy was as good a word as any. It was certainly easier to face than admitting he wanted nothing more than to fuck her. He said something he hoped sounded intelligent, about her needing to get some sleep, but as the words spilled from him, a different image entirely entered his mind.

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Perhaps she’d sleep in her panties, the rest of her naked between the sheets, the limp cotton linen sliding over her ripe body. Instead of diving straight into sleep, she’d cradle her breasts and play with her nipples until they knotted. She was playing with herself because she couldn’t stop thinking about him, wanting and needing him. Damn it, what was wrong with him? Although maybe, just maybe, everything was right. “Hmm. I guess this will do.” Not having a clue as to what she was talking about, he again pulled himself back to reality. Without his knowing when she’d done so, she’d walked over to the bed and pulled back the cover and was running her hand over the bottom sheet. God, what an erotic gesture. His dick got hard. “It feels clean?” he asked, although he didn’t give a damn. “And smells clean. Unfortunately, the bottom sheet isn’t fitted, which means I’m going to get all twisted up in it while I sleep.” He’d like to see her with the sheet tangled around her arms and legs. Even more, he’d love to pull the fabric off her, his fingers lingering in a million places as he did. Damn it, he couldn’t drag his attention off her. She didn’t have to slide her fingertips over the taut white fabric while leaning over the bed with one hip jutting toward him, either. His libido and mind had already painted enough erotic pictures. The move had to be a come-on, a silent yet undeniable message from one primitive creature to the other. She had no other reason to keep stroking the damn sheet! Something lit a fire in his belly. All but gasping in response to the hard, sudden heat, he dug his nails into his palms. Sweat dampened his temples. More sweat pooled in the small of his back. Most disconcerting, his cock was growing out of control. Putting every bit of concentration he had into not throwing himself at her, Jake willed strength into his strangely numb legs. It seemed to take forever, but finally, he’d managed a backward step. Unfortunately, the heat that had started in his belly now

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raged everywhere. His head pounded, his heart was beating too fast, and he was halfafraid he’d come in his jeans. Even at sixteen, he hadn’t been this horny. By channeling all his strength into the act, he completed another backward step. At the same time, he sucked his lips between his teeth and clamped down. Still, the growl trapped inside him struggled to be let free. Afraid of himself now, he concentrated on one leg and then the other. The distance between the two of them grew, not that it made that much difference. But at least he could no longer reach her in a single leap. Leap? Hell, he wouldn’t really do that, would he? Reaching the doorway, Jack gripped the frame and waited until a rush of weakness left his knees. But feeling somewhat stronger didn’t ease his mind, because the only thing he wanted to do now, and maybe for the foreseeable future, was force himself on her. He didn’t give a damn about the consequences. “Jake?” Surprised to realize he’d been staring at the floor, he lifted his head. She’d turned from the bed and was facing him, her head tilted to the side. Her nostrils flared as she took a deep breath. “What?” he asked. “Nothing,” she said after a silence. “I just—thank you for being a gentleman about things. You could have yelled lawsuit after I hit you, refused to have anything to do with me.” Convinced that she’d pulled the words out of thin air so she’d have something to say, he replied that a lawsuit was the last thing he’d ever consider. Then, maybe because her gaze was so intense, he said something he hadn’t intended to. “I should have stopped when I reached the highway. Instead, I kept on moving.” “Because you didn’t expect to encounter anyone.”

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It hadn’t been that at all. Instead, his attention had been captured by the wolves he couldn’t pretend to deny he’d seen. For a moment, he seriously considered telling her the truth, but that would lead to more talking, something he wasn’t capable of at the moment. Feeling as if he’d left too much unfinished, he spun on his heels and walked out of the room, leaving her to spend the night alone.

Sarah’s fingers tingled, but not from stroking the stupid sheet. She could probably get the sensation under control, if she could figure out a way to stop thinking about Jake, but she’d been staring at the doorway for the better part of a minute and hadn’t made any headway in reaching her self-imposed goal. She wanted him. Wanted him hard and strong, with limbs flailing and body fluids exchanged. There’d be nothing tentative or polite about the coupling. Instead, maybe she’d heave him onto the bed on his back, or trip him and watch as he landed ass-first on the thin carpet. Not bothering with anything except his jeans’ zipper, she’d expose the man’s most important part. She might take a few moments to paw his cock, but maybe she’d simply yank her own slacks and panties down around her knees and impale herself on him. That’d hold him in place all right. A particularly strong blast of wind must have hit her window straight on, because it creaked and groaned. Not only did the ominous sound pull her out of whatever insanity she’d fallen into, something pulled her over to the window again. She pushed aside the curtain. Nose pressed against the icy pane, she stared out. Oh shit! Golden eyes. More than she could count. Several, if not all of them, howling. Whirling away, she stumbled to the doorway. Jake stood in the middle of the hall. Every line of his body screamed tension, but he didn’t speak, and she couldn’t force out a word herself. What would she have said, that she’d come face-to-face with a pack of wolves?

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“Don’t leave,” she said after a long moment. “What do you want?” “Just—don’t leave.” After a short nod, he started toward her. “I don’t usually—I’ve never done this before, but—come into my room, please.” The moment the words were out of her mouth, she cursed her weakness. Damn it, she was a strong and independent woman who’d rid herself of a husband unworthy of her. If she wanted to have sex with a hunky, available man, she had every right to let him know. He’d either run with the invitation or tell her to take a hike. Jake wasn’t interested in either of them taking a hike, as witnessed by the way he brushed past her and walked, not over to the bed, but to the window. Much as she wanted to join him, to touch him, she held back. He was tense, all right. Maybe sexual tension was fully and solely responsible, but going by how his attention was riveted on the night beyond, she didn’t think so. Had he heard the howling? And if he did, would he see the wolves, like she had? Incapable of asking, Sarah busied herself removing her coat. It had felt wonderful while she was outside, but now it just added to the sweat blooming on her flesh. She threw it onto the only chair in the room. Jake was still studying something outside. Because strength and confidence and his presence had replaced the fear that had compelled her to flee the room, she joined him. Nothing but solid night waited beyond the window, not even so much as a hint of falling snow. Certainly no predator eyes. Where did you go? she asked the wolves. “It’s beautiful after all,” he said. “What is?” “The wilderness.” “I can’t see anything.” “Not right now, but earlier…” Not looking at her, he peeled off his coat.

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“What about earlier?” “Never mind.” Darn it, don’t close up like that. You were about to say something important. If it’s about the wolves, I have a right to know, don’t I? “I think I need to spend more time in the wilderness,” she said, the words rolling out of her without her knowing they would. “That way, I’d feel more comfortable.” “You aren’t comfortable?” His question nearly made her laugh; surely he’d picked up on her mood. “No. Hardly.” Her admission had the desired effect, because he was now giving her his full attention. Maybe she should have been able to relax a little, but that was impossible with him standing so close and neither of them wearing their coats. Granted, they hadn’t been bundled up when they were in the café, but then, there’d been a table between them and other people around. “You know why I came back in here, don’t you?” he asked. Caught off guard, she nodded her head. After a moment, he continued. “I’m asking because I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings between us.” His gaze slid down her body to linger at her crotch. Suddenly heavy there, she fixed her attention on the bulge under his jeans. “No misunderstandings,” she told him. “Good.” Reaching for her bulky sweater, he lifted it off her hips. Then he used it to pull her against him. He wore a turtleneck shirt with a blue-and-white-checked flannel shirt over that, which added to the logger image. But the practical layers also kept too much hidden. She started on the buttons. Before her marriage, she’d slept with a total of three men. With one of them, she’d only known him long enough to feel comfortable around him. They’d merely had sex,

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not a relationship. They’d both been college students and not particularly interested in finding life partners. Maybe that’s why sex with Will had been so much fun. They’d scratched each other’s itches. Tonight she wanted to do a lot more than scratch an itch. She was determined and nearly desperate to turn her fantasy of straddling a prone Jake, followed by sucking his cock deep inside her pussy, into reality. Whether that’s what he wanted didn’t matter; she was determined to have her way with him. Opening all the shirt’s buttons with him roping her body with her sweater called for a fair amount of concentration and dexterity. As a result, she’d finished her task before a thought invaded her mind. If Jake had heard the same thing she had, why hadn’t he said anything? And if he hadn’t picked up on the howls, why had he gone straight to the window? Wolves were out there! There was no doubt in her mind. No question. Jake had spoken of mountains and wilderness, which was where wolves had roamed for thousands of years, until man in his stupidity had tried to eliminate them. Well, the joke was on man, because the wolves had returned. Unless they were something other than flesh-and-blood predators. A shudder began deep inside, then changed into something else. Dealing with wolves and their place in the greater scheme of what she wanted to have happen tonight would have to wait. A fire burned bright in her belly. Feeding it would keep her alive and give her a reason to live. “Let go,” she ordered, jerking her head at his fingers buried in her sweater. “What if I don’t want—” “Let go, now!” Smiling a bit, he did as she’d commanded. The way he stood, with his legs spread and leaning toward her, she had no illusion that she’d be able to make a run for freedom. Not that she was interested in freedom. “That’s better. Now, to get to the crux of things…” She yanked on his sleeve, indicating she wanted him to slip out of the flannel. He complied, and although his

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smile said he was humoring her, she didn’t mind. When the soft, warm shirt joined the pile on the chair, she snagged the turtleneck’s hem and pulled up, not stopping until the fabric was bunched under his armpits. “Lift your arms,” she commanded. “Just like that? No maidenly modesty?” He had a point, damn him. This was, without a doubt, the first time she’d been so eager to jump a man’s bones that she’d do whatever it took to get him naked. “You want maidenly modesty, whatever that is?” “Hell no. I’m just surprised, that’s all.” You aren’t the only one, she came close to telling him, but she wasn’t about to come clean about how damnably horny she was. Her actions fueled by the inner blaze, she tightened her grip. Fortunately, for the sake of the garment’s future usefulness, he lifted his arms and bent forward so she could drag it off him. Instead of naked male flesh, however, she found herself staring at a white, body-hugging undershirt tucked into his jeans. “I believe in dressing in layers during a storm,” he explained, even though she hadn’t asked. He’d barely finished speaking when he pulled the cotton out of his waistband and drew the final barrier over his head. There he stood, naked from the waist up, his hair sticking up from the static electricity he’d created. She could see the delineation of muscles just below the skin and a flat belly waiting for her to press her lips against. Her thigh and calf muscles threatened to melt, prompting her to lock her knees. Weights that had suddenly attached themselves to her arms kept them at her sides. “Your turn,” he said. “Unless you want me to—” “What I want is for you to keep your hands off me.” “Why?” He gave her another one of his head-cocked-to-the-side looks that nearly stripped away what little strength remained in her legs.

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“Because I do. I don’t owe you an explanation. And in case you haven’t noticed, you haven’t finished what we started.” “Which is?” Darn the man! He had to know how hard talking was becoming. “Getting naked.” “You first.” Two words, hardly enough to swing the balance of power from one to the other. Just the same, she stared down at her waist and the bulky sweater clinging to it. As she sank her nails into the loose fabric, something heavy settled around her. Giving only scant thought to what she was doing, she freed herself from what had helped keep her warm in the accident’s aftermath. With it off and her professional pale blue blouse on display, she felt both free and even more trapped by Jake’s power and command. She’d never approached sex with so little understanding of what she was doing or why. Even that first time, when she’d given her virginity to a self-confident man five years her senior, she’d spent the weeks before the act knowing what was going to happen. She hadn’t loved him, but she’d trusted him, knew he’d accept the gift of her virginity. Granted, she’d been so nervous that she’d twice put off the inevitable, but instead of berating her for being a cock-tease, he’d held her while whispering that he’d be there when she was ready. As a result, a seventeen-year-old with little making-out experience had surrendered her cherry without tears or regret. There wouldn’t be any tears or regret tonight. Neither, however, could she begin to explain why fucking Jake had become the most important thing she’d done in her life. She was light-headed. A couple of glasses of wine couldn’t have made her any more dizzy. Yet, even as she paused and asked herself how she could have removed her blouse and bra without remembering the task, she was ready to chug down that third dangerous glass. Every time she looked at Jake reinforced her conviction. “You’re getting behind,” he said. “Second thoughts?”

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The last time she’d noticed, he’d been sitting on the side of the bed unlacing his boots. Now they and his socks were off, he was on his feet again, and his unzipped jeans sagged on his hips. “I’m not sure I have any thoughts.” She started to shrug, only to stop. The gesture made her head spin. Settling her ass on the bed where his had been, she leaned forward so she could grab the heel of her left boot. Her breasts hung, and her view of the carpet blurred. She half believed she was going to throw up. “Easy there.” Take charge hands set her upright again. “I don’t need you passing out on me. You’re sure you’re all right?” All right, in reference to what? And how could she possibly have anything under control as long as his fingers pressed into her upper arms and her newly freed breasts were within scant inches of him? The last thing she wanted was to give him a hint of her ricocheting emotions. That foremost in mind, she shrugged free of his grasp, breasts now shaking with the effort. He gave her another of his semismiles, prompting her to fist his jeans’ waistband and pull down. The mound that was at the root of everything sprang from its prison. Granted, his briefs still hid it from view but did nothing to protect it from her. Letting go of his jeans, she ran a hand under the warm weight. “What about you?” she teased. “You all right?” Although he said nothing, his now-frozen smile left no doubt that she, or rather her hand, had his full attention. Men were so damn protective of their cocks. Not that she blamed them. Most of them had size and strength going for them when it came to the battle of the sexes. If the average man wanted to, he could overpower the average woman—unless she had a solid grasp on his cock. “You aren’t sweating, are you?” she asked. “Wondering what I have in mind?” “Maybe.” Bringing her other hand into play, she cupped him above and underneath, with his briefs between. Then, after giving an experimental tug to assure herself that yes, she

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had that unbreakable hold on him, she dragged her gaze upward. The lighting right here sucked. She had him, held him. He couldn’t break free without risking damage to the family jewels, which meant that whenever and however she wanted, he’d be forced to have sex with her. In the back of her mind, she knew she was spouting nonsense. Nevertheless, she needed this particular brand of nonsense. Needed to see herself as the one in charge, the alpha female putting her brand on the alpha male. He’d relaxed maybe a fraction when a deep, faint sound distracted her. The howl was long and low, lonely, maybe the most hollow cry she’d ever heard. “Shit,” Jake muttered. “Shit.” “You heard—” “Yes.” “What—” “I don’t know.” “I don’t believe you.” “Is this what you want to talk about?” he asked. Knowing they both deserved an answer, she strained but couldn’t hear anything more outside. “No,” she said. “I don’t, at least not right now.” “Neither do I.” Thankful for his words, she released his cock, but only long enough to tangle his jeans around his knees. She did the same to his briefs, slowing a little so she could relish the act of stripping him. Then he, or rather his engorged cock, was within her reach. Free and fierce, dark and heavy, it jutted out from his lean workman’s form. She stared, her mouth and pussy filling while her fingers tingled and her toes curled into the carpet. A few moments ago, she’d been absolutely certain they couldn’t come together until they’d faced the reality of the sound they both now acknowledged. But that had

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been before they’d agreed that something else, specifically sex, came first, and he’d stood before her a fully erect stud. Stud. Yes, that fit. But then, not as much as alpha male did. Her head spinning again, she slowly extended a finger toward him. He sucked in a breath and rocked back, but remained within reach. In his clenched fingers she sensed how much he was risking. He clearly wanted her, but he didn’t trust her; or maybe it was tonight he didn’t trust. “I feel the same way,” she muttered with her fingers an inch from his cockhead. “About what?” “The night, everything that’s happening.” “Nothing you expected?” “How could I?”

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Chapter Five Sarah deserved some kind of response, but Jake couldn’t concentrate enough to answer. Somewhere, somehow was a rational explanation for the wolves they’d both seen. He just hadn’t come anywhere close to it and doubted he would tonight. Staring at the scant distance between her fingers and his cock threatened to strip him of the ability to think. At the same time, he was being pulled back to that wretched day when his brother had nearly lost his life. From the moment the tree had twisted and come down where it shouldn’t have, his world had spun tighter and tighter until nothing mattered except trying to save Brett. Risking his own neck, he’d catapulted himself at Brett and knocked him backward. Granted, the tree had still crushed Brett’s leg, but it hadn’t killed him. Then everything had happened at once, Brett grunting and then yelling, Jake snatching up his own chain saw and frantically isolating the section that had landed on his brother’s leg, heaving the log off him, calling 911, and cradling his brother, who was in shock, for what seemed like forever until help arrived. The woods he’d for all intents and purposes been born into had become his enemy during that interminable wait, and as Brett sweated and moaned, Jake had cursed every tree, rock, and slope.

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That day, he’d hated the wilderness as he’d never hated anything. His fear had been so all-encompassing that he’d barely heard—oh, shit! Tonight wasn’t the first time the wolves had howled. “Jake? What’s wrong?” A female voice, soft and throaty at the same time, yanked him from his private hell. Clenching his teeth, he focused on her and silently thanked her for saving him from himself. “Nothing’s wrong.” The lie chilled him. “Just trying to wrap my mind around what’s happening.” “I’m not sure thinking’s what either of us wants to do.” She looked up at him from beneath her thick lashes.

Perhaps she’d read his need, because, not taking her attention off his face, she slid the tip of her forefinger over the end of his cock. His entire body froze, then shook. Not daring to look down at himself, he struggled to regain the equilibrium she’d stripped from him. Having a woman touch him there when he was aroused had always made him wonder if that’s what being struck by lightning would feel like. Yet if he was forced to draw comparisons tonight, he’d have to admit that two bolts and not just one had reached him. Suddenly afraid of himself, he started to step back, only to stop because his jeans and briefs remained tangled around his legs. Tension snaked through him, compelling him to focus on her. She’d better not touch him again, not now, not until— A solitary howl slid through the walls to coat the air he and Sarah shared. Dragging his reluctant gaze upward again, he lost himself in her wide eyes. “I don’t have an explanation,” he admitted. “Neither do I. Are you afraid?” “Of the wolves, or whatever they are? No.”

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“But something…” “Something,” he muttered. Not that long ago, he’d faced the most frightening experience of his life when it had been just him and his brother alone in the wilderness, Brett’s existence hanging in the balance. Thank God, his brother had survived, in part because Brett had kept his wits about him all through that interminable day. He’d do the same tonight. Somehow. Determined to meet his goal, he took her hand and slowly drew it toward his cock. He couldn’t breathe, and his heart pounded so hard, he wondered if he was having a panic attack. Not waiting for him to finish the task, she again extended her fingers. Even before she made contact, he knew it was going to be different this time. Instead of the electric blast that could bring him to his knees, he calmly absorbed her heat. After filling his lungs, Jake released her hand and rested both of his on her shoulders. Her flesh reminded him of silk and satin. In contrast, he was all male strength. Going by her gentle and—what he told himself—tentative exploration, he half believed she saw his cock as something to worship. He, who’d always defined his worth by the strength in his body, accepted that there was more to strength than muscles. Masculinity was deep, basic, primal. Fed by that belief, he eased forward, spreading her legs as he did and settling into the space he’d created for himself. A quick squeeze of his cock told him a great deal about her tumbling emotions, but where in the past the squeeze would have rendered him stupid, he now fed off the contact. After sliding a hand from her shoulders down to and over her breast, he flattened his palm against her midsection and pushed, knocking her back onto the bed. Despite that, her hold on him tightened, pulling him toward her. “What—” she started. “What’s this about? If you don’t know—”

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“I do. It’s all about control, domination.” He hadn’t seen his action as anything except a prelude to sex, but she was right. Looking down at her sprawled on the bed, with her legs wide and her cunt exposed, fed his growing image of himself as a male animal. Nostrils flaring, he clamped onto her wrist in preparation for prying her hand off him. Instead of heeding his silent command, her grip increased. “Control swings both directions, Jake,” she said. “I’m not playing the submissive woman.” “I didn’t say—” “Then what’s with the throw-me-onto-the-bed act?” Good question, one he would have tried to answer if he’d been able to think of anything except his trapped cock. He didn’t know this woman, had no idea what she expected from sex, whether she harbored kinky fantasies. Her grip hinted at a woman who liked being in control, something he had no intention of allowing. Careful not to increase the distance between them, he put full effort into prying her fingers off him. She resisted, and when he turned to the side to keep her free hand off his cock, she dug her nails into his arm. Teeth clenched against the pain she inflicted, he squeezed until she stopped scratching him. After pressing that hand against her belly, he pried her fingers off his cock and secured it as he had the first. She thrashed about on the bed. Her legs tightened against his. “What the hell is this?” he demanded, his voice made rough by the heat pounding through him. “What are we fighting about?” “You—you’re doing it!” All he was doing was feeding off her straining body. And, he admitted, relishing the battle more and more with every second. It took several tries, but he finally managed to imprison both of her wrists with a single hand. When he was certain she couldn’t break free, he ran his other hand between their bodies. His knuckles slid over hot, wet flesh.

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“What’s this?” he asked as he made another pass. She shivered. “You know what it is.” “Tell me.” He pushed down on her wrists to make his point. “Fuck you.” The words seemed to expand inside his brain, taking over. Once more he had to work at getting enough oxygen in his lungs, and it was too hot in here. Yes, winter was seeping in through the windows, but the cold had no chance of surviving his inner fire. Determined to press his body against hers, he pulled her arms over her head and again immobilized both her wrists. He leaned forward, drawing out the moment of cock sliding over wet pussy. Resistance flowed out of her, leaving her limp. “Not so interested in fighting after all?” he asked. “Are you?” “I never was,” he told her, even though he wasn’t sure. Playful resistance had its part in foreplay. The only problem was, he hadn’t identified what they were doing as foreplay. When she didn’t say anything, he rocked toward her. For the second time in a matter of moments, his cock glided over her. It was a kiss of sorts, a coming together of man and woman, question and answer at the same time. “Wait,” she muttered, sounding drunk. “What?” “Protection.” Cursing himself for forgetting something so vital, he hauled himself off her and fumbled for his jeans. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and extracted a foilwrapped package that had been there for a long time. Feeling awkward, he nevertheless managed to do what needed to be done. Then he climbed back on top of her. He again slid his cock over her pussy. “Let me…”

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Using her legs to lever herself, she pushed toward him. Her ass barely clung to the side of the bed now, increasing his access to her. She twisted her body a little and lifted her head, staring, but he knew she couldn’t see what she wanted to of herself. Feeding off his control, he rocked back and then forward. If she lifted herself just a little, he’d be inside her. Home. Flexing his knees, he stepped back a little before coming at her again, but the alignment was still off. Impatience drove him, and he released her hands so he could wrap his hands around the backs of her knees and draw her even closer. “No!” she ordered. “Not yet, not that way.” Using her elbows for leverage, she lifted her back off the bed. Her attention zeroed in on his cock. “You keep that up, and I’m going to slide right off.” Her legs remained splayed, and even with the weak lighting from the lamp, he could see her glistening labia and the shadowy entrance to her sex. Her breasts with their hard-as-hell nipples had spread out, and a vein jumped at the base of her throat. Her hair was tangled. He’d never seen anything more appealing. A surge of power rocked him. His muscles seemed to be growing, his cock hardening and heating even more. When he sucked in a breath, her woman scent entered him. If he’d been a dog, the hair at the back of his neck would have stood up, and if there’d been another male dog in the room, he would have fought him for the female in heat. “The way you’re looking at me,” she said, “are you sure you aren’t thinking of attacking me?” Attack? As he stood there with sweat blooming on his chest, he carried her question to the next level. In most dogfights, one of the fighters proved to be more aggressive than the other. Taking advantage of his dominance, he’d bite and snarl until the submissive exposed his or her belly in surrender. Sarah, maybe, was presenting herself as the submissive, because wasn’t she on her back with her belly open to attack? She wasn’t trying to close her legs. Between her engorged breasts and the juices coating

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her sex, she was proclaiming her willingness, not to surrender to the alpha male, but to mate with him. “I asked you a question,” she said and again tried to sit up. Closing his mouth, he knocked her arms out from under her and watched as she bounced onto the bed. Her eyes burned, but instead of fighting him, she pressed her hands over her breasts. “Answer your own question,” he told her. “Does this feel like an attack?” “No, damn it, no.” Neither of them was doing a serviceable job of talking, but then he didn’t care and didn’t believe she did either. Still holding her breasts, she bent her knees and planted her feet on the bed, pushing herself more securely onto it at the same time. Her head was near the far side. If she let it hang, would the blood rush increase her responses? Although he didn’t see her assuming such a vulnerable position, still, he could dream. That’s what he’d do. He’d position her so her shoulders were at the edge and her hair dangled. She’d grip the spread to keep from sliding off, and he’d run his hands under her buttocks and lift her, align her, drive into her. His own head throbbing, he pressed against her inner thighs. Her knuckles turning white from gripping her breasts, she gave way before his greater strength. Then, smelling both of them, he positioned his thighs against the side of the bed to assure his balance. She again rolled her head to the side. Her mouth sagged open, and if it weren’t for her almost desperate hold on her breasts, he’d believe she’d surrendered. But that couldn’t be, because her leg and arm muscles were so taut, they looked as if they might snap. She was trying to keep a grip on something, maybe herself. “Last chance, Sarah. What’s it going to be, yes or no?” “Yes, damn you, yes!” Back arched, arms cupping her knees and lifting her at the same time, he buried himself in her. Her cunt gave way beneath his sleek bulk, a heated receptacle for what

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he had no control over. His whole body seemed to be rippling, putting him in mind of a wind against a lake’s surface. He was becoming that wind, mindless movement with only one goal. Her warmth swept over him, caressing and testing his cock at the same time. She’d welcomed him, and now he was deep inside her, lost and helpless, but needing to dive yet deeper. He continued his assault until his balls flattened against her, and she reared up and gripped his wrists to brace herself. Like the rest of his limited world, her features blurred, the air close and hot. He wanted to lift his head and howl. Instead, he withdrew a little only to drive forward again. Her liquid heat fairly scraped his cock while the feminine fingers on his wrists bore down, threatening to shut off the circulation there. Caught between pleasure and pain, he hung on to the moment while one chill after another ran down his spine. His world consisted of reds and blacks. He’d forgotten where he was, maybe even who he was. A low scream penetrated what passed for his consciousness. When she heaved her back off the bed, her legs shaking from the effort, he comprehended that she’d been responsible for the sound. The strain of what she was doing hummed throughout her, but although he wanted to tell her to relax and let him do the work, on some level, he understood that she needed to test herself. Gasping now, she rose even higher off the bed, her back arched. Then, giving him no warning, she collapsed, bringing his trapped cock down with her. Surrounded by her tensed sex muscles, he went in search of the parts of him that had just shattered. After a length of time he couldn’t gauge, he found enough shards to feed off. His strength renewed, he pulled back until only his tip remained inside her. It would take so little to slide free. Once he had, he’d be able to piece himself back together, except that didn’t matter, not now, not until— “Oh God, God!”

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Taken aback by her voice, he shook his head and forced himself to focus. She lay gaping up at him, legs and more open, pinned to the bed by him, fury and fierce need contorting her features. “You wanted it fast and hard,” he ground out. “That’s what you’re getting.” “I never said—” “The hell you didn’t! Tearing off my clothes the way you did—” He finished by deeply skewering her. “Oh God, God!” she bleated. Her fingers ground against his wrists. Then just when he didn’t think he could take it anymore, she released him, only to stroke what she’d just punished. “I’m sorry, so sorry.” He was fucking her, imprinting both of them with the primitive act. Talking would have to wait. Pulling something indefinable from the air, he filled his lungs with it. Over and over again, he thrust so her body jumped and bounced and bedsprings squealed. Sweat bled down his temples. His heart slammed against his chest, and now there wasn’t enough air in the too-small room. But because he’d stepped over the edge, he kept after her. Even as he wondered if he might pass out before he found release, he gathered his strength around him. Charged up the mountain of his own making. Reached for the top. The woman beneath him made endless harsh sounds. Soft as her pussy was, her inner muscles repeatedly clamped around him, punishing and rewarding at the same time. The mattress threatened to swallow her, forcing him to lean more and more. His head, his temple, felt about to explode. Explode. Damnation, that’s what he needed! Now. Followed by relief and oblivion. His climax came fast and wild, slamming into him without warning. He started to crack; then he was breaking apart, grunting and growling, climbing onto the bed with her with his head thrown back and muscles straining. Cum sprayed from him, hot and

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out of control, and when it was done, he collapsed on top of the creature he’d fucked. Not caring, he buried her under his weight.

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Chapter Six Sarah could barely breathe, not that she cared. Right now, she couldn’t whip half her weight in butterflies. Strength continued to seep out of her, making her mildly interested in how much longer it would be before she turned into a deflated balloon. At the same time, she felt as if she’d been wrapped in a plush blanket with the ends all tucked in and someone rocked her while humming a mindless tune. She contemplated comparing tonight’s sex with previous rolls in the hay, but that called for far greater intellect than she possessed at the moment. Besides, her nerve endings had already supplied the only answer she needed. Nothing she’d ever experienced had come close. On the cusp of a contented sigh, reality finally made its impact. Not only couldn’t she fully extend her lungs, her bent legs were twisted to the side and fast losing feeling. “Get off me.” She tried and failed to roll out from under his weight to make her point. “Now.” The man she’d just fucked sighed and grumbled, prompting her to wrench her right arm out from under him and slap his side. “Now,” she repeated. “Get off me.” He grumbled some more, at least, that’s what she thought the sound was, but it didn’t matter, because he was lifting himself off her. Instead of standing up, however,

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he pulled off the spent condom and settled himself on his side next to her, his longer body curled so his legs wouldn’t dangle off the side of the bed. He’d rested his head on his bent arm. Although his face was only a few inches away, she couldn’t make out his features. It was coming back to her, not everything all at once, but enough that she remembered the crazy way they’d met, the meal they’d eaten, the rooms they’d rented, the storm. The wolves. “Are we going to talk about it?” she asked and closed her eyes, because trying to bring him into focus was giving her a headache. That, or her question was responsible. God knew; she couldn’t make heads or tails out of the beasts she’d seen. “About what just happened?” “No. The wolves.” “What about them?” Prompted by his slow response, she opened her eyes. “You tell me. You’re the one who knows the woods, not me. All right, all right,” she hurried. “I have enough interest in them that I know they aren’t around here anymore, which means…” “Which means what?” He punctuated his question by running something, his fingernail probably, over the breast closest to him. Jerking away, she gasped. “You’re distracting me.” “Am I?” “Don’t.” In the past, climaxing always left her pretty much numb for an hour or more, and yet with him, she was already coming back to life. “Don’t what?” “Dance around what needs to be discussed. We have to admit, there’s an elephant in the living room.” “What?”

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Darn the man’s voice. It wasn’t a baritone. Just the same, it resonated throughout her, a deep hum capable of touching all kinds of nerves. “It’s a phrase my folks used whenever my sister and I tried to avoid something we shouldn’t have done. Only now, it’s wolves, not an elephant. Do you have—is there any explanation?” For what seemed like a long time, Jake regarded her while her nerves continued to tauten. No matter how much she tried to accept that she’d jumped into the sack with a man she’d just met, nothing computed. Bottom line, this wasn’t her. On the tail of a low sigh, he sat up and leaned over the side of the bed with his forearms resting on his knees. She stared at his back. “I’m going to tell you something,” he said. “Not because it answers your questions. Hell, it doesn’t answer mine. But I think you need to know this.” Confused, she repositioned herself so she could touch his back if she felt the need. At the moment, however, she didn’t want to distract him. The storm kept battering the old window. Along with creaks and groans, cold waves swept over her. “Just shy of two months ago, my brother and I were working about a half dozen miles from here,” he said. “There’s a campground off the highway, the jumping-off place to some trails that provide spectacular views of the river. As you know already, Brett and I own our own logging company. The majority of what we do involves bidding on federal timber sales.” Alerted by his somber tone, Sarah remained silent. She wished she had more control over her reaction to his presence. Second by second, her lethargy was fading. “Governmental bureaucracy complicates things so much that if we had a choice, we wouldn’t work for them. However, the Feds own most of the forests, which is why things got delayed before we were given the green light to thin the timber around the campground. Our operating hours were curtailed because of fire danger, which meant we were pushing ourselves, rushing when we knew better.”

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Touch him, she prompted herself when he fell silent. But before she’d done more than start to extend her hand, she stopped; flesh against flesh, no matter how casual, was dangerous. “There are several spectacular waterfalls near the campground, with steep trails real close to the falls. Forest Service personnel was concerned that some of the trees there would come down, either during a storm or, more dangerously, as a result of loosened soil around the roots.” “Why would that be more dangerous?” “Because visitors might be around, particularly in spring when the falls are raging due to snow runoff. The ground’s waterlogged then, increasing the danger of a slide.” “Like what sometimes happens to hillside homes?” “Exactly. I hate logging on steep hillsides, because there’s no determining exactly how a tree’s going to land.” Someone who hadn’t caught the beginning of what Jake was saying might not notice the change in his tone, but she sensed his ramped-up emotion. Again she came close to touching him, only to chicken out. “That’s what happened to my brother. The tree he’d been working on hit the ground at an angle and bounced, twisting as it did. Brett didn’t stand a chance.” If she’d known Jake better, she might have prompted him to continue. Instead, she stared at his back while currents of chilled air ran over her. Despite that, she was warm and getting warmer. She’d nearly reconciled herself to not learning any more than the little she’d just found out when he stood and walked over to the window. Watching his body in motion, she saw the logger, the blue-collar worker in him. This was a physical man, designed for the out-of-doors, even if the wilderness had nearly taken his brother’s life. “That was the longest day of my life,” Jake said, his nudity calling to her, his tension frightening her. “Seeing my brother trapped under a damned tree. I had to be so

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careful, because I didn’t want to hurt him more than he was, which was why it took so long to cut away the section on his leg.” He laughed, the sound void of mirth. “I hurt him anyway. And it took forever to get search and rescue up there.” “You didn’t try carrying him out?” Not looking at her, he shook his head. “His back was hurting. I wasn’t about to risk paralysis.” “Is—he isn’t, is he?” “No,” Jake muttered. “Thank God, he isn’t.” Dread washed out of her with the explanation. “Jake, what does this have to do with the wolves?” “I did a lot of cursing that day.” Lifting his arms, he pressed his palms against the windowpane. “I can now admit that fear and helplessness were behind everything I said and felt, but back then, everything was aimed at our surroundings.” “Describe those surroundings for me.” As she slid off the bed, her toes pressed against the miserable excuse for a carpet. “What did you see?” “Shadows. Damnable shadows. Trees blocking out the sun. The wind shaking the treetops.” He sighed. “I’ve always loved that sound, but I hated it that day.” “Why?” He shrugged shoulders that had seen years of physical labor and one awful burden. “It was lonely, mocking, like the wind didn’t give a damn what happened to the two humans who were where they had no business being.” “What was there beside the wind?” “A hillside so steep, I could barely stand up. Having to crawl sometimes because I couldn’t get a decent footing. Rigging a rope under Brett’s arms and around his chest to keep him in place, and looking all over hell for something to stabilize his leg with. It was late summer, so everything was dry. That made the pine needles slippery. It hadn’t

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rained for months, and the trees were stressed. The underbrush looked dead. Hell, everything looked dead.” If it had been her, the isolation would have made the greatest impact, but Jake and his brother were used to working in those conditions. “What about animals, deer, chipmunks? I don’t know, bears maybe.” Still not looking at her, he shook his head. He hadn’t moved for several minutes now, and she wondered how he could stand having his hands on the cold glass. The longer she studied him, the more she found to fascinate her. His ass had probably never seen sunlight or a gym’s machines, and yet it was absolutely and completely perfect, tight and functional—that’s it, functional. And then there were his legs, specifically his thighs, which looked as if they’d hold up for a walk all the way across the country. “No bears.” His quick chuckle drew her attention off his backside. “At least, we didn’t see any. No cougars, either. And you’re not going to see deer in that area in late summer, unless they have nowhere else to go for water, because there isn’t enough for them to feed on.” “What? It’s the mountains. I thought—” “Like I said, the underbrush was pretty much dead from lack of moisture. Besides, the deer were already heading for lower elevations. Campers and hikers weren’t interested in the trails that late in the season, because the falls were little more than trickles. It was just my brother and me. That, and my anger.” Or fear masquerading as anger. “What about him? Was he—” “Hurting too much to care about anything else. I had to do the cursing for both of us.” He’d said the last with an ironic note, making her wonder if he might laugh. Instead, he remained tense and somber. Maybe she should be afraid of the person he’d become. Instead, he fascinated her. If she could remember how to move her muscles, she’d join him at the window.

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“What are you looking at?” she asked. “Are they out there?” “No, but I sense…something.” A shudder ran through her. A little light-headed, she back-stepped until her calves pressed against the bed. “It’s the same sensation I had that damnable day with Brett.” She shivered again. Then, although she wasn’t sure her legs would hold her, she erased the distance between them. The moment his body heat seeped into her, she knew she wouldn’t be content not touching him. Positioning herself behind him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. It would take so little to reach lower, to satisfy her curiosity about the state of his cock. Fighting the desire to do just that, she peered over his shoulder. The storm continued to rattle the beleaguered window, and she could make out pale swirls of snow, but nothing else. As to whether she was disappointed or relieved not to see burning eyes, if she weren’t so close to Jake, maybe she could answer her question. “Are you saying the wolves were with you and your brother?” she asked. “I don’t know.” He spoke slowly. “I was so full of emotion that I’m not sure anything else made much of an impact. The longer we had to wait, with Brett in so much pain and me feeling helpless, the more I questioned what I was doing with my life, and why the hell I’d talked my brother into joining me logging. Why hadn’t I taken a sane job? What was this thing I had about challenging myself, playing macho man in an environment that can kick macho in any way, shape, or form it wants to? The wilderness didn’t want us there. Hell, if it could find a way to kill us, it would.” “You really believe that?” He sighed. “I did that day. I just wanted out. I vowed that if I got my brother and myself out alive, I’d never go into the woods again. The creatures were welcome to it.” Jake was throwing so many things at her at once, she couldn’t get a handle on what she was feeling. Tonight was surreal. She wouldn’t be surprised to wake up

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tomorrow and discover that none of it had happened. Her car would be intact and drivable, as would Jake’s rig, except she wouldn’t know about his, because they wouldn’t have met. In the real world, there’d be no snow or wind or wolves or whatever they were. “Sarah, what are you doing?” “Huh? Nothing.” “Then why are you poking your nails into my belly?” “I am?” Even as she spoke, she forced herself to relax her fingers. Her arms, however, remained tight, as did everything about her except, maybe, the bottoms of her feet. “I’m sorry.” “That’s all right.” “I know this is going to sound cliché,” she finally thought to say, “but at least your brother is alive and healing. Maybe—do you think your emotion had an impact on him? Could he have fed off your intensity? That maybe it gave him whatever he needed to hang on?” “His life wasn’t in danger. We just didn’t know it then. As for how he reacted to my ranting, I haven’t asked, and he hasn’t said.” That didn’t seem right, but then she didn’t know anything about the brothers’ relationship. “I haven’t,” Jake said as if reading her mind, “because once I got started cursing my surroundings, I couldn’t stop. I was out of control.” “That’s understandable.” His every word vibrated through her, and she couldn’t have let go of him if her life depended on it. Although she dreaded what she’d see if they continued to stare out the window, she couldn’t drop her gaze. “Maybe,” he said. “All I know is, at the time, I just wanted everything to end, to get my brother to a hospital and me back to civilization. But I couldn’t make that

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happen. Watching as the day got later and later, thinking that we might have to spend the night on the side of the mountain, in that precarious position, scared me.” Maybe he needed her to remind him that the accident had happened weeks ago, whereas he and she were in the here and now. Here, their world was defined by the storm. More to the point, the wolves dominated her thinking. Or did they? Maybe it wasn’t them. Maybe Jake was everything. The spirit-wolves—if that’s what they were—had had a message for Jake the day of his brother’s accident, and now they’d revealed themselves to both her and Jake. He was the common denominator. “I don’t know what to say,” she managed. “I’m not expecting anything.” Suddenly weary, she rested her head against his back. If asked, she couldn’t have said whether the room was hot or cold. What she did know was that Jake’s body was warm, maybe warmer than any male form she’d ever embraced. She might have been satiated a little while ago, but the past didn’t matter. There was only now. Him. What did she care how long it took for the highway department to clear the road once it stopped snowing? As long as the lodge manager left them alone, and the café didn’t run out of food, she and Jake would stay in this room. Making love. Having sex. Fucking. Maybe getting to know each other. Half convinced she’d started to float, she increased her hold on him. He sighed and shivered a little. Then: “Sarah.” “What?” she muttered with her cheek still against his back. “They’re here.”

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Chapter Seven Sarah stood by Jake’s side, but he didn’t take his eyes off what was beyond the window. He couldn’t. It was as if he was hypnotized. Two pairs of predatory eyes stood outside the window, so close to each other that the wolves might have been mirror images of him and Sarah. For the first time, the glowing orbs didn’t unnerve him. Instead, a strange peace rolled over him, replaced by something else. Something alive. “A pair?” Sarah whispered. “Maybe.” “Why can’t we see the rest of their bodies?” “The question is, why is it so easy to see their eyes?” She didn’t have an answer for him, not that he expected she would. Any other woman would probably have been deeply shaken by the unexplainable. In truth, he too should be denying the undeniable, shouldn’t he? Instead, he accepted. Why, he didn’t know. He just did. “Jake, they’re magnificent. Whatever else they might be, real or…” Her voice trailed off. “They’re incredible,” she whispered.

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She swayed toward him, drew away, straightened, then ended the small distance between them by pressing her hip against his. Something hot and heavy rolled up from his core to press against his lips. His mind seemed to be closing down, rendering him incapable of thinking about anything except Sarah. His need for her. Sarah was his. Whether she still would be tomorrow didn’t matter. She was ripe, ready to be filled with the same heat that fed his muscles. Spinning toward her, he wrapped his arms around her, pinning hers against her sides. She turned into him, widening her stance so his right leg slid between hers. He tried to pull back, but she imprisoned him with the strength in her thighs. His lips afire, he bent his head and ran his teeth over her neck. She shuddered, prompting him to do it again. If he broke her flesh, so be it. He’d taste her blood and feed off it. Instead of trying to pull free, she remained motionless in his grip while breathing in short gasps. When he glanced at the window, he clearly saw two large wolf bodies surrounded by snow, the wind riffling their thick coats. He had no doubt the pair knew what was happening inside. “Look,” he got out. “Tell me what you see now.” Doing as he’d ordered, she drew in a slow breath and then another. He wasn’t the only one who was shaking. She turned toward the window to look. “Their bodies,” she whispered. “My God, I can see them.” “Describe them.” “I can’t tell what color their coats are; there’s too much snow. Their muzzles, their teeth, those muscles—my God, they’re incredible. Otherworldly.” Everything about the wolves held him spellbound, especially their ability to remain so still. It was if they were frozen. He couldn’t tell whether they were larger or smaller than wolves he’d seen on TV or at a regional wildlife preserve. Either way, their presence here and now made a lie of everything he’d always believed about his world. Whatever they were, they were more than simple flesh and blood. Spirits perhaps.

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Watch. Learn. Understand. On the brink of asking Sarah if she’d heard the same command, he remained silent. She might think him insane. Even more important, something warned him to simply study the creatures. Otherwise, he’d never comprehend. Holding on to Sarah as if his life depended on her presence, he willed his heartbeat to slow. As its cadence settled, he relaxed a little. At the same time, the part of his body that had gone into hibernation after their bout of sex began stirring. The woman capable of satisfying his baser needs was beside him, locked in this room, experiencing this with him. Watch. Comprehend. The larger of the two wolves turned toward the other one with its jaws open and lips curled back, exposing its fangs. It seemed to be growing taller, making him wonder if it had lifted itself onto its toes. The beast’s neck thickened; either that, or its coat was standing on end. The small ears flattened. More and more of its deadly teeth came into view, and its attention was entirely focused on the other wolf. Instead of being frightened by the larger wolf’s aggressive stance, the smaller one opened its mouth in a canine grin. At the same time, its front quarters sank lower to the ground, leaving its hindquarters lifted. A faint scent touched Jake’s nostrils. Beside him, Sarah shivered. “What?” he whispered. “That smell—my folks raised German shepherds. The smell reminds me of when the bitches were in heat.” The two wolves moved in slow motion, and everything they did was beyond graceful. They weren’t dancing, not really. He marveled at the way their muscles meshed. One wolf would back away, only to stop and then advance, causing the other to slide backward. Their gazes remained intent on each other, as if they’d lost all interest in the watching humans. First one wolf would rise up on its rear legs and either paw the other or rest its front legs on its companion’s back. A few seconds later, it was the other’s turn to mount.

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Marveling at the pace and cadence, he concluded that the larger wolf was the male, the other the female. Excited yips accompanied their exotic dance. The male’s tail was up, the female’s pulled to the side. Every time the male attempted to move to the female’s rear, however, she’d leap out of reach, only to return and nip and nuzzle the male’s muzzle. “They’re getting ready to mate,” Sarah muttered. “And letting us watch.” This wasn’t the time of year for mating, was it? Hell, what did he know about wolves? Obviously, not enough. The heavy scent intensified, but even as his nostrils burned, the rest of him seemed to be absorbing the smell. His muscles heated and became heavier. His thought processes closed down even more, until he was aware of nothing else but the pure need for sex. His cock was on the move, growing and becoming so sensitive, he didn’t trust himself to touch it. Next to him, Sarah shifted and then shifted again. Her breathing turned ragged. He caught her unique fragrance, knew she grew excited. Despite the distraction, he brought his attention back to the wolves. The female was no longer trying to keep her rear end away from the male. Instead, she spun around, again drew her tail aside, and lifted her backside as high as she could. The male pushed his muzzle between her hind legs. For the first time, Jake saw the male’s sex organ. Impressively long and solid, it swung from side to side and then arched forward, as if seeking a home. “Do it,” Sarah whispered. “Fuck her.” Maybe the male heard; maybe the timing was a matter of luck. Whichever it was, the male stepped back a little. Then, with a grace that took Jake’s breath away, he rose onto his hind legs and settled his front legs along the female’s sides. His rear end curled inward, his leg and back muscles straining. His cock disappeared inside the female. “Yes!” Sarah continued. “Mate, you two, mate.” The female stood with her legs braced and head low. The male’s front legs pressed against her, holding her in place while he repeatedly pumped. Far from feeling like a

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voyeur, Sarah sensed a oneness with the mating pair. Granted, she wasn’t having sex, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t imagine, anticipate. Yet even as she stared at the scene, her interest in the wolves slid away. They were outside, two primitive predators responding to an ancient message buried deep in instinct. Instinct, yes, that’s what was filling her, heating her blood and causing her breasts to swell, her pussy to flood. Trusting what was primal about her to guide her moves, she turned from the window and stared up at Jake. “You know why they’re doing it, don’t you?” “Why don’t you tell me.” “Because that’s what we’re supposed to be doing.” Hearing her words should have shaken her out of whatever mood she’d fallen into, shouldn’t it? Sane women didn’t get off on a couple of animals going at it; but then tonight, sane and she didn’t live in the same world. “I’m going to tell you something I might regret,” she started, “but from the moment I first saw you, at least near the beginning, I wanted us to have sex.” “Even when I was cursing your driving?” “Yeah, even then.” His hands had slid off her. They remained at his side, which in a strange way, made her feel stronger than when she’d been in his arms. The wolves were still going at it. Under the male’s harsh assault, the female now struggled to keep her legs from collapsing. Oblivious to her discomfort, the male kept pounding. “Not just any kind of sex,” Sarah said, not looking into Jake’s eyes. “That.” She indicated the wolves. “Doggy-style?” “Call it what you want.” She spoke to his chest. “You don’t have another condom, do you?”

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“No. I’m sorry. The thing is, there hasn’t been a woman in my life for over a year, and that was more miss than hit, something she couldn’t handle. I don’t blame her. The hours I work, the majority of them in the woods, mean that personal relationships have had to come in second.” “Thank you for telling me that. For the record, the only man I’ve slept with for a long, long time was my husband.”

His strong, smooth palms rested on her shoulders and then slid down to her wrists, where he laced his fingers through hers and lifted her arms. After kissing the back of each hand, he placed one on each of her shoulders. “I wanted the same thing, right from the beginning.” A wave of weakness went through her, compelling her to cling to him. Not giving a damn about anything except the two of them and the mating wolves, she leaned into him so that her breasts grazed his chest. “Did you?” she whispered. “That surprised me, though.” Wrapping his arms around her waist, he held her against his erection. “The doggy-style approach, I mean. I’ve never considered that with a woman I’ve just met.” “In other words, it’s usually missionary-style?” “Yeah, pretty much.” Closing her eyes, Sarah went deep inside herself where the flames burned the hottest. There wasn’t an inch of her body that didn’t respond to him. Her nipples were so tight and hard they throbbed, and she swore she was having a hot flash. At the same time, her pussy tightened and relaxed, tightened and relaxed. Her legs had turned to rubber. “The lady doesn’t want missionary,” she told him. The yipping had faded away, making her wonder if the wolves had finished, but it was easier to keep her eyes closed

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and her focus on what she needed to say and wanted to do. “She wants what the wolves had.” “Because?” “How should I know? Maybe because I’m under their spell.” “You’re not the only one,” he said and picked her up in his arms. Resting her head against his chest, she tried to relax as he walked over to the bed and deposited her on it. She lay on her back with her knees bent, her body turned toward him. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, trailing a finger over a breast. “No, I’m not. I’m fierce. At least, that’s what I want to be.” He didn’t respond, and with his finger slowly circling her breast, she couldn’t think how to put any more words together. She remembered only that she’d told him she wanted to mimic the wolves, or whatever they truly were. Sighing, she rolled onto her side and then onto her belly. As she did, strength seeped into her. By the time she’d positioned herself on her hands and knees, she half believed she was going to lift her head and howl into the wind and snow. Muscles, bones, nerves, and skin afire, she looked over her shoulder at the man standing above her. She still couldn’t get her tongue to work. Maybe he couldn’t either, because his mouth remained closed. As he stroked her spine and buttocks, she arched her back and then bowed it. When he ran a finger between her ass cheeks, she widened her stance and dropped her head. His finger found the valley between her ass cheeks, pressed against her puckered opening, dipped deep to tease her swollen labia. Her mouth sagged, and she started panting. Her breath hissed. The springs squeaked when he took hold of her waist and pulled her back toward him. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, refused to accept responsibility for anything except the ticking seconds. She was a body, nothing but body, mindless and thoughtless, relishing his every touch, anticipating, waiting, impatient. Something hot crawled up her throat. She let it

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free, the moaning howl low and long and naked. Her breasts hung, their weight and heat increasing her awareness of what, in part, made her female. She’d become all woman, all creature in heat, her flesh so sensitive, she jumped with his every touch. Her muscles were hard and ruined at the same time, and she didn’t trust them. With her head down, her world didn’t exist beyond the cheap spread, but that’s how she wanted it, because this way, her body commanded. His erratic touches to ass, spine, thighs, breasts, hair, sides, even her feet kept her off balance and swirling in dark fire. She couldn’t stop making animallike sounds. And when he worked both hands between her ass cheeks, she spread her legs even farther, stopping only when her thighs threatened to cramp. “Fuck me,” she commanded. “Now.” Fisting the spread, she lifted her head only to let it drop. Something was pressing against her pussy, not his fingers this time, but— A man’s cock. Jake’s, smooth and strong, with enough heat to match hers, sliding about as if taking its measure of her. She imagined her juices coating his tip and leaving indelible proof of her body’s readiness to accept his. Anxious and impatient at the same time, she rocked back toward him. He knew what she wanted, and how she wanted it, even why it had come to this. The pressure against her sex increased, thick meat pushing aside her slippery labia and finding where it belonged. There was nothing tentative or gentle about his entrance. Rather, the moment he found her opening, he slammed into her. If she hadn’t still been gripping the bedspread, she would have fallen forward. Bracing herself as best she could, she lifted her head and buttocks, hollowed her back. The change shifted his alignment so that his cock slid along the back of her vagina. Nearly done in by the new pressure, she curved her back once more, hissing. Everything felt good. Everything was overwhelming. Memories of the way the female wolf had stood on braced legs while her mate went at her swept through her. The wolf might have been content to present herself as a

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passive receptacle for sperm, but she wasn’t an animal, at least, not as much of one as she’d previously thought. Pushing back, she anchored herself against her mate. Jake pushed, paused, pushed even more. His breathing was loud and quick, beautiful and ugly at the same time. Teeth clenched, she held her ground, reveled in fullness, mated. Her alpha male clamped his hands around where her hips and legs joined. Anchored anew, he pulled back, his cock sliding and nearing freedom. Determined not to let him go, she rocked toward him, only to stop when he slapped her buttocks. Hating and loving him in the same heartbeat, she waited. Her muscles trembled; her head roared. She couldn’t see, could barely hear. But feel, yes! Yes, she could feel. Him. In her. Filling her once more and gifting her with his urgent bulk. Her temples pulsed, and now she was so hot, she panted. Her breasts shook and shuddered with each spearing, and his fingers dug into her, imprinting her with how completely he held her. She didn’t care. They were doing whatever the wolves had done. Joining, sweating, and trying to breathe. He was so damnably strong, all male muscles united in smooth movement. Even as she cracked and started to splinter, a part of her stood to the side admiring the masterful male. He could do one thing, fuck her. Fuck her strong and fast and hot and loud. Something snapped inside her, pieces and shards flying apart, causing her to bleat and hiss and cry. A dim part of her knew he’d reached his summit, but her own climax turned her self-centered and greedy. This moment and the ones that came after it were for her, about her, swirling around her and sucking her down into a red-tinted world.

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Chapter Eight Sarah woke to the sound of Jake’s voice. At first, nothing mattered except for the deep notes. Then, because she noted his animation, she opened her eyes and rolled toward him. He sat on the side of the bed closest to the window. It was morning. Snow was still falling, adding to the white mountain already burying the ground. But the wind had died, and the flakes drifted about playfully. There was no sign of the wolves. She wondered if she’d find their prints. “Twenty-four hours,” Jake said. “At least. No, I’m not surprised.” He glanced at her, then again concentrated on his cell connection. “I know they’re doing the best they can. I didn’t say they weren’t.” He was quiet, his silence allowing her to concentrate on his back. If her memory was to be believed, after they’d finished, he’d climbed onto the bed, and they’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms, as much to keep from falling off the double bed as a need for the embrace. She’d stirred several times during the night to reposition herself. Then she’d sunk into postsex oblivion. Maybe it had been the same for him. “No, I’m not in any hurry,” Jake said. “It’s beautiful, and the lodge’s generator works. What? No, I haven’t tried to start it.”

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Guessing that he was talking to his brother, she debated going somewhere so the two could talk in private, but strictly speaking, this was her room. If he didn’t want her to hear, he could have gone to his own room. Now that she was fully awake, her bladder was talking to her, prompting her to climb out of bed and walk naked into the bathroom. At least there was enough toilet paper, but the towels must have been cleaned in a washing machine without a decent rinse cycle. She returned to the room where everything had taken place. Jake was no longer on the phone. Unabashedly naked, he stood at the window looking out at a white-on-white world. After pulling the spread off the bed and wrapping it around her shoulders, she joined him. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. “The wolves again?” “Yeah.” “I should have asked first. That way, the burden wouldn’t have fallen on you to bring them up.” “Is that how you see them, a burden?” “No,” she admitted. “I just need to say I don’t understand what happened and don’t think I ever will. What we saw—it defies explanation. And yet…” “And yet what?” Slipping her arm around his waist, she snuggled against him. The world beyond the window was an almost harsh white punctuated by dark tree trunks. The branches sagged under the weight of the snow on them, and watching flakes fall made her a little dizzy. She mourned the creatures’ loss. “I’m going to say what’s on my mind,” she said. “It probably isn’t going to make sense, but it’s the best I can do. When your brother was hurt, you raged against the wilderness, right?” “Yeah.”

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“But your brother’s broken leg wasn’t the woods’ fault.” Standing beside her with her warmth seeping into him and her voice mesmerizing, Jake couldn’t remember ever doing anything else or being with another woman. He’d barely been coming back to life when his brother had called to let him know it would be at least another day before the road could be cleared of the fallen trees. Brett had needed reassurance that Jake wouldn’t be climbing the walls before that happened. If Sarah hadn’t come into his world, his answer would have been quite different. Now, however, he didn’t care whether it ever stopped snowing. If the wind kicked up again and toppled more trees, so be it. “What?” he said, belatedly remembering that Sarah had said something. “I was saying you shouldn’t blame this area for what happened to your brother. It was an accident. Accept it for what it was.” “What does this have to do with the wolves?” “Maybe everything.” With her arm still around him, she turned toward him. Her eyes were so damnably dark and deep. “Will you agree that they weren’t real wolves?” “Yeah.” He took a long time saying the word. “They weren’t.” “But they had a message for you, maybe for both of us.” “What kind of message?” he asked, although he suspected he already knew. “That the wilderness is what it is. It wants you to accept it for what it is, make your peace with it.” Even with a morning hard-on, he felt more peaceful than he had in a long time. “You’ve made your living in the woods for a long time, haven’t you?” she continued. “Darn near all my life. My father and uncle were loggers, as were both of my grandfathers. I live in a one-horse town in the forest because I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else.”

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She was studying him with an intensity he felt all the way to the soles of his feet, but most of all between his legs. She had to be aware of his erection, but she wasn’t letting it get in the way of what she believed needed to be said. “I’m trying to understand what that’s like,” she said. “My father was in the military, so we moved around a lot. My ex had grown up in the valley, which is why we lived there, but it didn’t make that much difference to me. Then…” “Then what?” “When my marriage blew up, I was ready to pack my bags and get out of Dodge. The only problem was, I didn’t know where I wanted to go.” “You do now. Bend.” Which isn’t that far away. “You have a job waiting for you.” Twisting away from him, she turned her attention to the view, what there was of one. The snow painting limited boundaries. “I don’t want it.” He’d just met her. They’d only spent one night together, albeit the most incredible night of his life, yet he was unbelievably relieved to hear her say that. “I want to stay here.” “Here?” She chuckled, and the sound warmed his nooks and crannies. “Not in this room, at least, not all the time. But I can accomplish what this lodge needs. I can turn things around, so it operates in the black, which I’d bet it isn’t.” “You’d want to do that?” “Yeah. Because that way, I’ll be where the wolves showed themselves to us.” Even with her hair a mess, a pillow crease on her cheek, and sans makeup, she was utterly beautiful, her body beyond ripe. “You aren’t afraid of them?” he had to ask. “No. Are you?” On the day of his brother’s accident, Jake had more than hated their surroundings. The isolation and helplessness had terrified him, something he’d struggled for hours to keep from Brett. But that was a long time ago, in another lifetime.

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“No,” he told the woman the wolves had revealed themselves to. “How can I, after what they’ve done for me, for us?” “Which is?” “Brought us together.”

Vonna Harper Mild-mannered, mostly harmless, with out-of-control imagination. Loves mountains, early morning walks, her grandchildren, and “hot” books. Has no marketable skills beyond writing which is no problem because there's nothing else she'd rather do. The product of the ultimate in a rural upbringing, Vonna has no interest in cities or panty-hose, but is passionate about plant nurseries and baseball. She's had over fifty books published, all but one fiction. Visit Vonna on the Web at http://www.vonnaharper.com.