What You See (Sons of the Survivalist #3) - Cherise Sinclair Page 0,91
right down to bare skin and discovering every dirty thing I could do to you.”
As hoped, she burst out laughing. “You…you’re such a man.”
He grinned, because she was the type of woman who would laugh at her lover saying things like that.
And her lover was exactly what he intended to stay.
A light wind off the lake ruffled her hair and clothes, and she caught the scent of smoke, unsettling her. “Um, Bull. Why are we outside?”
It was relatively warm with the temperature in the high forties. “After battles, it takes a while to settle.” Bull picked up the soft, plush blanket he’d brought out before. After wrapping it around her, he pulled her against his side. “I’ve found that sitting outside or by a fire helps.”
“You’ve fought a lot. I mean, yes, I knew that, but I didn’t know it. That guy tonight had a knife, and you didn’t hesitate.” She frowned and made a tossing gesture. “The way you just threw the other man to Gabe was crazy.”
Bull shrugged. “My brothers and I were fighting as a team even before our teenage years. I learned to toss one or two to whoever was bored.”
“Bored,” she said under her breath. “You seem like such an easy-going guy, but you’re a lot scarier than I realized.”
That sounded half complimentary and half worried. “I’m very easy-going,” he said firmly. “Is that clear?”
“Yes, without a doubt…Skull.” She snickered and wiggled closer until her ultra-soft breasts pressed against his side.
His dick hardened to discomfort. “Now, sit here—stop making me hard—and just breathe. Listen to the sound of the wind. During the quietest nights, you might even hear the stars sing.”
With a sigh, she leaned her head against his shoulder.
Overhead, a few clouds drifted over the brightening sky. The smell of lake water and plants held a touch of the acrid smoke of the fire.
In the forest surrounding the Hermitage, leaves rustled softly, branches squeaking with the gustier breezes.
Farther from the grassy courtyard, a patch of horsetails sighed in the wind. When camping with Mako, they’d eat new horsetail shoots like asparagus—and use the stringy older plants to scrub the tin dishes.
Birds twittered and sang. In the dark lake water, a fish surfaced with a quiet splash.
Frankie’s breathing slowed. Her body grew even softer as the tension drained from her.
Eventually, she stirred. “I better get to bed. Tomorrow will be a mess. Shopping, replace my license and cards, find a place to stay, and—”
“You’ll stay here. With me.”
“For tonight.”
“For the rest of your time in Alaska.” Which he was very much hoping would be longer than a couple of months.
“What? No, I couldn’t.”
“Sure, you could.” He smiled down at her concerned expression. “I’m not being all that selfless, Frankie. Since I’m not sure why you’re here, I can’t know when you might decide to leave.”
Ah, that made her tense up again. Apparently, she didn’t know the date she would leave, either. She was operating on someone else’s timetable—the friend.
For fuck’s sake, he needed to know more. But…loyalty to a friend was something he respected.
“I’ll sleep better if you’re here and protected.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “And I wouldn’t mind spending more time with you. More than we’ve had so far.”
There it was—the same desire in her beautiful eyes.
He took her hand and kissed her palm. “Say you’ll stay here, Frankie. No strings. I’ll help you find a place if it doesn’t work out.”
“Yes.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “I want to stay, too.”
“Let’s call it a night.” He rose, took her inside—and took her upstairs to his bed.
They’d never made love so very slowly before. Oh, Bull usually took his time; in fact, he loved making her come first, sometimes several times, before he finished.
But now, he moved at an incredibly slow, heartrendingly sensuous pace. Even as he kissed her, he’d pressed a palm against her pussy. As he moved down to her neck and his lips started to brush over every inch of her skin, his fingers teased her clit. Slowly. Rousing her even as he licked and suckled her nipples. He nibbled on the undersides of her breasts, her belly, avoiding burns and scrapes, then he moved down her legs and back up.
His fingers never stopped circling her, and as she arched and came so sweetly, he never stopped kissing her. Calves, thighs, belly, breasts, her face.
His fingers found her core again. Began to arouse her. To drive her steadily toward another peak.