Sassy Shifter Brides: Complete Series - BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Mail-Order Romance (10 page)

She was already taking up the slack in the cinch strap when Rake finally addressed her, putting out his smoke. The enticing masculine smell she remembered on him, musky and strong, was now smothered under the smoke.

“Are you good to go?” he asked, tying the gray mare’s lead to the saddle of his stallion. She nodded mutely, keeping her eyes off of him. She didn’t trust herself to look at him. Tears threatened to burn her almond eyes, stinging far more painfully than she’d expected.

“Yeah, I am,” she said, untying the lead and mounting with the trained ease of a woman who’d spent most of her youth on horseback. Before she’d drifted into the land of nonconformity and artistic freedom, she’d been a kept and pampered ranch daughter. This had to be one of the few times where being an expert horseback rider came in handy. If for no other reason than to deprive Rake of the satisfaction of getting to help her with something.

“Her name’s Tempo, by the way,” Rake said, his voice oddly subdued as he got into the saddle and pulled the stallion around to face the gate Deacon had just driven out through. “And he is Titan. The gray mare is Penny.” More mute nods from Liza as she settled in behind him. Rake urged the stallion into an easy trot, and Liza followed suit. This was going to be a
long
trip.
 

CHAPTER FOUR

They’d set out at just past dawn, and the day had been excruciatingly uneventful. Liza had spent most of the day trying not to stare at Rake’s wide, muscled back and failing at it miserably. Try as she might, she couldn’t get the mental images from their little tryst in the woods out of her mind. The way his hands had trailed up her sides and gently cupper her breasts through the flowing silk of her dress. The way he’d kissed her, hungry for her mouth, and she’d kissed him back with equal passion. The way he had thrust his leg between her knees and made her straddle it, rubbing against his powerful thigh and moaning like a cat in heat. Every now and then, she caught herself gripping the reigns so hard that her knuckles were turning white. And it went without mention that she’d been wet for most of the day, which made for
extremely
uncomfortable riding.

He hadn’t said a word to her other than a few pleasantries when they were having lunch and letting the horses rest. It was torture. She wanted badly to just yell at him. Demand answers. Pummel his wide chest until he paid attention to her and told her what his damn problem was. But she didn’t. Something kept her tongue-tied and restless, choosing the safety of not knowing over the danger of having to deal with whatever he told her.

There could be a hundred reasons. The first and foremost being that he was just an ass who doesn’t deserve a second of your heartbreak.

The silence between them was deafening. Here was this man who she thought she knew pretty damn well. While they hadn’t devolved into the usual hopes and dreams bit of their past and future, they’d discussed just about everything else under the sun. Rake was reluctant to talk about his family, and she understood – she didn’t like talking about hers either. Something about being the daughter of stupendously wealthy oil tycoons didn’t sit right with her, and the more time she spent apart from them, the more obvious her distaste for her cushioned but soulless childhood became. So, meeting someone else with equal measures discomfort and confusion about their feelings towards their family was refreshing, if not all out relieving.

He was building his ranch, glad to finally be doing something for himself and with his own two hands. She was living the life of an artist, making enough bank to stay self-sufficient and happy, and that was all she needed. They clicked immediately, and it wasn’t just physical. Liza had been deathly afraid that the moment they started exchanging messages she’d find out that he was just a brainless jock who happened to be a good kisser. But no. He was smart, resourceful, had a dry wit and the kind of survival instinct that came with years of making do. She liked that about him. He’d seen things and learned from them. It had left him a bit guarded, but underneath that tough shell was a real cuddly big cat.

So it was incredibly annoying that now she only found the shell of a man she’d got strong enough feelings for to travel across the country for. She sighed and pulled a hand through her hair, the curls frizzing and fraying after the long day of riding. The sun was starting to tick lower on the horizon, and Tempo had not been living up to her name for the past hour or so. They had just reached the edge of a small patch of forest when Rake slowed down his horse and the gray mare and tossed a look over his shoulder at Liza. His green eyes made her want to slosh into a puddle at his feet, but she gritted her teeth and stayed strong.

No googly eyes at the scorching hot cowboy,
she reminded herself, making her expression as neutral as she could possible manage.

“I think it’s time to make camp.” Another cigarette was dangling from the corner of his mouth, and her lips pursed, a mild look of disapproval crossing over her face. He seemed to catch it, plucking the smoke from his mouth as he talked to her. “This seems like a good enough spot to spend the night.”

Liza nodded and hopped off the horse with a thankful groan. As smooth as a ride as Tempo was, Liza hadn’t been riding for far too long to be uniquely prepared for a whole day’s journey.

“Whoa there. Sore already? We’re only starting,” Rake said, a hint of amusement in his tone. She tossed him a withering look, and he raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just making conversation, Liza. Don’t shoot the guide. Especially if the guide’s your only way of getting out of the wilderness.”

Liza snorted, turning her back to him to unsaddle the horse. She could feel his eyes rowing over her figure – those bountiful curves and the generous swell of her ass that he’d been so fond of and remembered with kind words after every few letters he wrote. Despite better judgment, she blushed a little. He made her core pulse and twist with anticipation, even though her head told her to straighten up and get over it. But a little voice in her still demanded to know what had changed so quickly. How could he be sending her scorching hot messages one moment, telling her all the things he was going to do to her when they were alone, and then ignore her completely the next? They were both grown-ups, not teenagers anymore. There was no excuse. And she wanted to know, dammit!

She kept her mouth shut as they unsaddled the horses and built the camp. Rake hadn’t even brought a tent with him, apparently considering the starry skies and a sleeping bag as enough cover. Liza was still fumbling with her tent when he returned with an armful of branches and kindling to make a fire. She kept her eyes on the task at hand, which was the painstaking bending of one of those silly plastic sticks that hooked up in a half-circle across the top of the tent. A few more minutes of trying to bend it to her will and a choice of curse words later, Liza felt herself freezing in place.

Rake’s arms reached around her and took hold of her foe, snapping it into place easily. His breath was hot on her neck, and she had to fight hard to keep from falling right back against him, letting her body meld against his. Her breath caught in her chest as he stepped further, sliding the other pole into place and hooking the tent to the top. Rake winked at her from across the tent, pulling the covering over and fastening it in place. She felt the familiar excitement pool between her legs, and she hated herself for being so easily swayed. But damn, the man was hot. She might have been angry at him, but her body responded easily to the presence of a strong Alpha whose touch she knew to be a step closer to bliss.

He strode to the small fire pit he had made and built a fire while Liza threw her things into the tent and slipped out of her boots. She let out a small groan when her feet touched the floor of the tent, her toes wiggling. The best part of any traveling – stopping for the evening. Liza heard Rake’s low chuckle and then the crackling of a fire, yellow and red flames casting shadows on her tent just as the sun was beginning to set.

“What’s so funny?” she demanded, pulling her jacket off and putting a soft cardigan on instead.

“Oh, nothing. I’d just forgot that little sound you make when something gets to you,” he said, looking at her when she climbed out of the tent and sat down on her sleeping bag next to the fire. This time, he didn’t bother hiding the look of pure lust he let roam down her body, stopping on her breasts and her hips. She cocked a brow at him, looking less than amused even though her core was burning up.

“Oh no you don’t, Rake. You can’t treat me like I’m some crazed fan girl and then look at me like that,” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. He shrugged nonchalantly, but a look crossed his face that told Liza there was more to everything than he’d been letting on so far. She frowned.

“Alright, I hear you,” he said, sitting on his haunches. He set a can of beans to cook near the fire, poking at it at times to turn it more towards the fire.

He was gorgeous. That strong chin of his and determined nose, the tuck of his upper lips and those gorgeous, soulful eyes – she could stare at his profile all night. Colors danced in her thoughts, and she wished she had a canvas and paints with her right then and there. The sun was fading in the background, letting the moon and stars shine with their rightful power. The fire was warm and comforting, and the silence of the wilderness clutched them in its embrace, distant and safe from any prying eyes or curious ears.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Liza,” Rake finally said, his tone quiet and controlled. He glanced at her, and she felt something tug at her heart. A glimpse of the man she had got to know finally shone through. Strong but vulnerable, brash but gentle.

“So what happened?” she asked, forcing her voice to remain calm, even though she was trembling all over.

“It’s a long story,” he said, the corners of his mouth turning downwards a bit as he busied himself with settling the can, which was already letting out hot steam.

“I’ve got nothing but time.”

He chuckled and the rumble reverberated through her, lighting her up. He was so close and yet so far, just within reach but seemingly further than he had been when they were just chatting. She hadn’t been prepared for this. When he turned to face her, her breath went shallow, and she had to struggle to keep from drowning in those green eyes of his. 

“I don’t think you can possibly know how badly I want you right now.” The rumble turned into a growl, and her skin pimpled with goose bumps.

“So why haven’t you done anything about it?” she asked breathlessly, the distance between them shrinking with reckless speed.

“You know how family is complicated?” he asked, receiving a nod in reply. “Well, mine’s even worse. They think I have some responsibilities towards them that I don’t agree with. And while I may object, well, it doesn’t carry much sway with them.”

Pain twisted across his expression, so sudden that she sat up on her knees and put her palm against his cheek. He leaned in to the touch and heat spread through her body from where their skin met.

“What I’m saying is, being with you could put you in danger. Real danger. Angry werelionesses on a rampage kind of danger,” he said, taking her hand and laying a kiss in her palm with his trademark smirk playing across his lips. Liza whimpered a little, her body screaming to touch more of him, to be closer to him. “And I wouldn’t forgive myself if anything happened to you, Liza.” The last words were almost a whisper.

“I talked to Deacon so I could do this drive on my own, so I would be away from you for the week. I knew that if I stayed so close, close enough to just drive to you whenever I wanted, I couldn’t keep away. Fuck, I’d break down the door if I had to. I’ve wanted you since that night. Badly. You’re all I’ve been thinking about. And it killed me to have to pretend like I’d suddenly turned into some gigantic fucking prick who had strung you along the whole time.”

“And then I came on the drive,” she noted flatly, reveling in the feeling that took over her when she touched him. He nodded mutely, and she smiled slightly, leaning closer. Her heart sang. It had been so hard to believe that this wonderful man was the careless cat he had portrayed himself to be to everyone around him, and she was glad beyond belief to know that there was a real reason behind it. That he had wanted to protect her, not hurt her. Well, he didn’t know one thing – Liza could handle any self-centered bitches with claws far too well for their own good. “Well, you know what? I don’t care. I can take care of myself, and we will figure it out. It’s not fair to either of us to let fear and what-ifs control our lives. I think we have something here, and I want to find out more. Don’t you?”

Her lips were just inches from his now, willing him to kiss her. Her tongue slipped across her plush upper lip, and her breathing quickened, the beating of her heart pounding in her ears. He smirked, and she couldn’t suppress a little moan. Damn, the man was hot. Even more so now that he had shown his vulnerable side. The wait was excruciating, her hazel eyes studying his green orbs for a reaction. His hands slowly slipped across her hips and ass and then linked on her lower back, pulling her against him. She gasped, her heavy breasts pressing against his chest.

“Fine. We’ll not give a damn together,” he purred, that familiar rumble stuttering through and lighting her on fire. Their lips met, and she was gone. The world came crashing down around her, and she didn’t care. All she knew was that she wanted more, and she had to get it right now.

CHAPTER FIVE

The kisses held all the anguish and passion of time spent apart. Her tongue assaulted his, twisting against it, drinking hungrily from his mouth. Liza’s nails scraped against his rough skin, and he pulled her upwards, grabbing her ass with the confidence of an Alpha and a man who has taken what he deserves. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she pawed at his jacket, pushing it down his shoulder. The night air was getting colder and colder, but the heat between them was only beginning to flame. She wasn’t going to be cold, not when she was next to the intense werelion.