Jensen, page 2
“You should stay,” Isla says as the truck rolls to a stop in front of us. Jensen’s gaze is hidden behind sunglasses, though the direction of said sunglasses suggests he’s staring at us expectantly. Never mind that it’s almost ten at night. The sun is still blaring above the horizon. It feels like seven. “But you should know that Jensen has sworn off women,” Isla adds.
“He’s not into—”
“Oh, he’s attracted to women,” Isla says, laughing a little harder now. “But he’s determined to live a life alone. He doesn’t want to get involved with anyone, and I’ve never seen a man stick to anything with more stubborn determination than him. I don’t want you to get your hopes up for something that won’t happen. He’s not even the fling type, if you know what I mean. He’s a really great guy, just…pick anyone else.”
“Bad breakup?”
“Something like that.” Isla gives me a quick squeeze. “I know Jensen’ll look after you, but stay safe tonight, okay?”
“I will.”
“I’ll meet you in town for breakfast. Keep your phone on. You might not be able to make calls, but texts should still go through if you lean your body out the window—”
“Ha, ha.” Little does she know I already tried that trick earlier to call my bestie Savannah. She’s on an insane mission to lose her virginity to some random hottie staying at her grandma’s lake resort. I’ve been trying to talk her into waiting for someone special but without cell reception, it’s kind of hard to beat my message into her brain.
A screaming child forces Isla to abandon me.
With a deep breath, I descend the stairs. Jensen is out of his truck and at the passenger side with such speed I’m nearly dizzy from it. I wish I could see through his dark lens, get a hint of what he might be feeling. I have to admit, I was shocked that he offered to take me to The Greatview, even as a chaperone. It’s a complete contradiction to Isla’s warning.
“Hey.” Crap, I hope I don’t sound like some meek mouse. “Thanks for the ride.”
Jensen nods. “You’re still set on going to the bar?” That deep voice makes my lady bits tingle. Or maybe it’s his massive size—tall and all muscle—this close up. I suspected he was tall at the restaurant. But standing this close to him, I feel tiny. Me!
“Yes!” The word is practically a squeak. I clear my throat and try again. “I only have a week, and I want to take in all the historic places when they’re most alive.” I probably sound like a total nerd, but any thought of taking the words back are whisked away when he offers me his hand. The contact makes my whole body turn to goo.
My heart races despite the awkward silence that fills the cab on our way down the driveway and back toward the main road into town. Yogi is asleep in the back seat. I wonder where Jensen lives. Does he have a cabin in the middle of nowhere too? What would it be like to be stranded together in the middle of winter, forced to use each other to stay warm? Heat creeps up my neck.
“Lived here long?” I ask, desperate for conversation. Or maybe it’s the need to stay grounded in reality because his woodsy cologne has robbed me of my ability to thinking clearly.
“Moved here a couple months ago.”
I frown at his short answer, but I’m not giving up so easily. Now that Isla has warned me, it’s impossible not to feel the wall he’s fortified. Sensing it firmly in place makes me want to do everything I can to bring it down.
“You and Theron were in the army together, right?” I pieced most of this together at lunch, but I’m hopeful light conversation will help him open up. Maybe it’s the challenge that draws me to him. Though I’d still want to tumble in the sheets with him even if he weren’t so hellbent on hiding behind his ironclad fortress.
“Yeah. Blaine, too. And my buddy Talon.”
“The one that’s coming tonight?” I ask, remembering the name from earlier today.
“Not until tomorrow. He’s traveling with another buddy of ours, too.”
I’m beginning to see the appeal of this little Alaskan town. It’s slowly filling up with hunky military veterans. Maybe I should look into that open historical director position after all. Isla hinted more than once that I’d be perfect for it, and the woman running the place now is waiting for a replacement so she can retire. And I did just get my history degree.... Am I talking myself into staying? Has to be the cologne making me crazy.
“We’re here.” Jensen parks the truck a block away and we walk. Yogi, much more interested in his nap than trying to get into a bar, stays behind with the windows cracked.
With each step we take, heat swirls stronger in the gap between us, making me wonder if I’m the only one who feels this powerful connection. If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to kiss this man. Tonight.
Live music pours louder from the entrance the closer we get. The square white building with its hand-painted sign has that old antique quality that makes my inner history nerd go crazy. When we cross the threshold, the slightly musty smell puts me over the edge. Every inch of original wood walls is covered in old metal signs. Damn, this place is cool.
I try to say as much to Jensen, but the loud music drowns out my words.
Jensen pushes me away from the tight dance floor, toward the bar. “What do you want to drink?” Because he leans in and asks against my ear, he doesn’t have to shout. His hot breath sends shivers all over my body.
“A local beer? Something amber?”
He flags the bartender and orders a couple beers, handing me a bottle. Our fingers graze, igniting the fire deep inside me. I fight the urge to flatten my palm against one of his steel pecs, nearly losing the battle. I need to touch him, and never stop.
“Wanna dance?” I ask, shoving my free hand into my back pocket.
He firmly shakes his head no and plops down on a barstool. There’s an empty one beside him, but I don’t take it. I didn’t come to Alaska to watch the world go by on a barstool. That’s definitely not what my mom would’ve done.
Beer bottle in hand, I shimmy my way through the crowd hovered around the bar. The dance floor is a tight, slightly crowded space. But I don’t let that stop the music from sweeping over me. I release all of my worries. Including the one created by reading my mom’s journal. Maybe I have a grandmother, maybe I don’t. I don’t want to think about any of that tonight.
I just want to be. I want to feel.
I dance for what feels like hours, until my calves ache and my beer is long-since drained. I’ve felt Jensen’s watchful gaze on me all night, and it’s only made me more determined to get that kiss.
When a hand touches the small of my back, I instantly freeze. It doesn’t feel right, and it doesn’t take long for my own eyes to confirm this. A very tipsy guy with a shaggy beard, greasy hair, and horrible breath tries to pull me against him. I tug free of his hold, not the least bit interested in dancing with him. But he reaches for me again, his grip firmer.
I yank myself free, about to tell him the hell off, but I don’t get the chance. Jensen appears like a guard dog, his massive presence behind me impossible to miss. I feel the heat of him like a warm blanket. I long to lean into his strength and melt away.
“Back the hell up,” he growls at my unsolicited dance partner.
“Sorry.” The guy holds up his hands in surrender. “Didn’t realize she was with you.”
I wait for Jensen to say that I’m not, but he doesn’t say anything. At all. His intense stare from his much higher vantage point—seriously, the guy has to be like six foot six—causes the greasy-haired guy to slowly slink away. I watch as he heads toward a doorway in the back with the sign Beer Garden overhead.
I’m intrigued. “Do you—”
“It’s time to leave.” Jensen places a strong hand on the small of my back. My reaction this time is entirely different. My body shivers in delight, warmed from the inside out by this one small gesture. One that screams mine, don’t touch! to everyone else in this bar. “It’s getting late. I promised to see you home safe.”
A new wave of tingles washes over me as the fantasy of inviting him inside flashes in my mind. Time to test Isla’s theory.
4
JENSEN
“I’m not tired,” Nova says, her eyes sparkling with life. Never mind that it’s almost one in the morning. The sky is still light, even though the sun has dipped below the horizon. I suspect Nova’s internal clock is thrown off by this anomaly. Except Yogi has also caught his second wind, no doubt intrigued by his new friend’s enthusiasm.
“Your cabin should have blackout curtains.”
She skips a couple of steps ahead on the gravel road and starts to walk backwards, locking eyes with me. Sending me a look that promises any discomfort from earlier is gone. She’s no longer nervous. She’s outright flirting. “Wanna check for me?”
“No.”
She frowns at me. “Why not? Yogi can come too.”
My dog wags his tail, the traitor. Nova’s testing my patience, in more ways than I’ll ever admit. For years, I’ve stood by my resolve to steer clear of complications of the female variety. But since the moment I saw her sitting next to me, I’ve been fighting all my instincts to give in. The fantasy of her naked body beneath me has plagued me all day. My need to have her is creating cracks in the wall I’ve put up for the better part of a decade. “Need to get you home.”
“I want to see the railroad bridge!” she declares. It’s the light in her crystal blue eyes that does me in. Well hell, it’s probably everything about her. The way she twirls in a circle with her arms outstretched, her long auburn waves dancing in the gentle breeze, and every last curve enticing me to surrender.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been with a woman. I don’t do flings, and I’m not interested in relationships. My decision has put me in a very long drought. One I know Nova could soothe if only I let my guard down long enough. But I don’t need any of my military training to figure out that would be one of the most dangerous things I could do. There’d be no coming back from that.
I blame the handsy asshole in the bar. Ever since he touched her, something inside me has been triggered. I feel protective of her in a way that goes above and beyond looking out for family. The urge is primal and possessive. I wonder if she has any idea that she’s flirting with a grizzly bear.
“Can we go see it?” She flashes me a cheesy grin.
Yogi barks, as if to agree. “I’m outnumbered,” I mutter with a headshake.
“I read all about it. I want to see the place where the three rivers meet. I’m kind of a nerd,” she admits without apology.
Fuck, it’s sexy as hell.
My dick strains against the zipper of my jeans, agreeing.
“Fine. But just a quick trip. Then I’m getting you home.”
“Okay.” I don’t miss the flirtation in those bright eyes. It promises an invitation will be forthcoming. I want to blame the alcohol, but she only had one beer hours ago. One she most likely danced off. God, the sway of her hips nearly drove me mad.
She tugs at my hand, urging me to pick up my sluggish pace. Her soft skin against my rough callused hands does something to me it shouldn’t. Every moment alone with Nova is awakening parts of me I swore never to let see the light of day again. I’ve accepted a solitary life. I want that. At least, I should want that.
“It’s so beautiful!” she gasps when we reach the railroad bridge, the scent of her strawberry shampoo floating to me on the breeze. Damn, it makes me want to pull her against my chest and breathe in deep.
I order Yogi to stay on land and follow Nova, our hands still joined. Fuck if I can bring myself to shake away the contact. I like how it feels too damn much. What the hell is happening to me?
We stop in the middle of the bridge, Yogi watching us with interest. But he knows better than to move unless told. Until today, he’s all I ever thought I needed in companionship. Damn this all to hell. I never should’ve offered to take Nova to the bar. I should’ve kept my fucking mouth shut.
“Isn’t this amazing?” Nova leans over one railing, then hops to the one behind her and leans over it too. Like an excited child who can’t quite decide which toy intrigues her more. Except there is nothing child about this curvaceous woman. Not one single thing. “Three rivers. All merging here.” She rambles on about the history of the town, how it was established because of the rivers meeting. I hear some of the words, but mostly I’m fixated on her moving lips. “Did you know that decades ago you had to fly in? There wasn’t a road off the main highway. The railroad came before the road.”
“Sounds like you’re gunning for that historical director job,” I tease, finally relaxing enough to lean against the railing. A cloudless night gives us a perfect view of mountain peaks in the distance. The urge to stand behind Nova, pulling her back to my chest, is overwhelming. Considering the way she’s been flirting, I don’t think she’d fight me.
It’s why I can’t do it.
I can’t give in, because of how badly we both want this.
She’d only get hurt.
I won’t do that to someone who I now consider to be family. Because that’s what being a brother in arms means. It means we’re family. It means everyone’s family is all part of one bigger one. You don’t go fucking that up over some unsated lust.
“You get to live here!” She spins around, leaning her hips back against the railing. Her back arches, making it impossible not to notice those massive tits on display. I’m only a man. “I never thought I’d be jealous of that. I mean, I fought visiting for so long. I’m a city girl through and through. But then I found—” She stops herself suddenly, a quick flash of panic in her eyes that suggests she almost revealed something too personal to me.
Dammit, I need to know. Either she keeps talking or we’ll end up lip-locked. “You were saying?”
“Nothing.”
I pin her with my gaze, fighting the urge to trap her between my arms. My eyes pinball from her luscious lips to those tits begging for a squeeze. A wicked flash of me lifting her around my waist and sinking her onto my cock on this bridge catches me off guard. It grabs me by the damn balls and doesn’t let go.
What happens next is automatic.
I lean forward, setting both hands on either side of Nova.
She fists both hands in my shirt and yanks me the rest of the way to her lips. The kiss is explosive. It makes me fucking dizzy, and if I had an ounce of sense left, I’d break it apart now before things get carried away. But it’s all-consuming, devouring me mind, body, and soul. Fuck, it’s powerful. I’ve traveled around the world and never experienced anything like it.
I slide a hand down her side until it cups her ass. I yank her hips against me, pushing my thigh between her legs. She moans at the contact, parting her lips and allowing my tongue to explore her mouth as she rocks against my leg.
I grab a handful of tit and squeeze. This shirt isn’t going to last much longer—
Yogi barks. Once, twice, three times. “Fuck,” I mutter, staggering back and searching the area. Either someone’s coming, or he saw a wild animal. I hope it’s not the black bear that’s been getting into everyone’s garbage.
Light female laughter echoes from a tree-covered trail seconds before a trio of girls emerge.
“Time to get you home.”
Nova’s eyes are hooded, her chest heavily rising and falling as if we’d outrun a grizzly. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
“I’m not staying,” I say firmly. But I’m no longer sure who I’m trying to convince: Nova or myself.
5
NOVA
I wake the next morning with a massive smile spread across my lips. Slickness between my legs reminds me of the very naughty dreams I had all night long. No amount of flirting could get Jensen to spend the night, or even give me another one of those breath-stealing kisses.
But today is a new day.
Reaching beneath the sheet, I caress my fingers down my torso. Imagining that Jensen’s strong hand is the one touching me. When I reach the waistband of my panties, I let my hand slip beneath the silky fabric.
I moan instantly at the contact, because I’m incredibly horny after that sultry kiss on the bridge last night. I spread my pussy lips apart and push three fingers through my folds, mercilessly teasing my swollen bud as I relive last night. Jensen’s protectiveness at the bar, the way he pinned me with a heated gaze on the bridge, and that kiss. That kiss!
“Jensen!” I chant his name in a breathy whisper as pleasure builds in my core. Maybe it’s the drought, or how much of a challenge this man’s still going to be, but it doesn’t take long to bring myself over the edge.
My climax hits hard, and my whole body convulses beneath the sheets.
“Damn,” I mumble, laughing as my breath returns. If this is what I can do to myself, imagining his hands on me, what could Jensen do to me? I quiver at the thought of his cock sliding into my slit and filling me. I’m on the verge of needing another release when my phone chimes.
I reluctantly push the covers aside, hoping the interruption is Savannah. I need someone to tell all about Jensen and our hot make-out session on the railroad bridge. But it’s not bestie, just my sister.
Isla: Brandon has a fever and is super fussy.
Isla: Won’t be able to make breakfast :(
That my first emotion is relief makes me feel a tinge of guilt. But the time alone is exactly what I need to find the woman in the photo from my mom’s journal. I avoided all thoughts of it yesterday. But today, I really should focus. I need answers. I need to know if our grandmother is alive and still living in Three Rivers. I wonder if she even knows she has grandkids.
Nova: No worries. Take care of my precious nephew.
Nova: Poor guy. Hope he feels better soon.
Isla: Breakfast tomorrow. On me.
Nova: Deal.
I rinse off in the shower and head out in search of coffee from the place with the moose pun name. The cabin I rented is a block from Main Street. But it might as well be in the middle of nowhere. The only paved road in the whole town, other than the one into it, is Main Street. Every other street is dirt and tree covered. At first I was horrified, but I have to admit, it’s growing on me at an alarming rate.
“He’s not into—”
“Oh, he’s attracted to women,” Isla says, laughing a little harder now. “But he’s determined to live a life alone. He doesn’t want to get involved with anyone, and I’ve never seen a man stick to anything with more stubborn determination than him. I don’t want you to get your hopes up for something that won’t happen. He’s not even the fling type, if you know what I mean. He’s a really great guy, just…pick anyone else.”
“Bad breakup?”
“Something like that.” Isla gives me a quick squeeze. “I know Jensen’ll look after you, but stay safe tonight, okay?”
“I will.”
“I’ll meet you in town for breakfast. Keep your phone on. You might not be able to make calls, but texts should still go through if you lean your body out the window—”
“Ha, ha.” Little does she know I already tried that trick earlier to call my bestie Savannah. She’s on an insane mission to lose her virginity to some random hottie staying at her grandma’s lake resort. I’ve been trying to talk her into waiting for someone special but without cell reception, it’s kind of hard to beat my message into her brain.
A screaming child forces Isla to abandon me.
With a deep breath, I descend the stairs. Jensen is out of his truck and at the passenger side with such speed I’m nearly dizzy from it. I wish I could see through his dark lens, get a hint of what he might be feeling. I have to admit, I was shocked that he offered to take me to The Greatview, even as a chaperone. It’s a complete contradiction to Isla’s warning.
“Hey.” Crap, I hope I don’t sound like some meek mouse. “Thanks for the ride.”
Jensen nods. “You’re still set on going to the bar?” That deep voice makes my lady bits tingle. Or maybe it’s his massive size—tall and all muscle—this close up. I suspected he was tall at the restaurant. But standing this close to him, I feel tiny. Me!
“Yes!” The word is practically a squeak. I clear my throat and try again. “I only have a week, and I want to take in all the historic places when they’re most alive.” I probably sound like a total nerd, but any thought of taking the words back are whisked away when he offers me his hand. The contact makes my whole body turn to goo.
My heart races despite the awkward silence that fills the cab on our way down the driveway and back toward the main road into town. Yogi is asleep in the back seat. I wonder where Jensen lives. Does he have a cabin in the middle of nowhere too? What would it be like to be stranded together in the middle of winter, forced to use each other to stay warm? Heat creeps up my neck.
“Lived here long?” I ask, desperate for conversation. Or maybe it’s the need to stay grounded in reality because his woodsy cologne has robbed me of my ability to thinking clearly.
“Moved here a couple months ago.”
I frown at his short answer, but I’m not giving up so easily. Now that Isla has warned me, it’s impossible not to feel the wall he’s fortified. Sensing it firmly in place makes me want to do everything I can to bring it down.
“You and Theron were in the army together, right?” I pieced most of this together at lunch, but I’m hopeful light conversation will help him open up. Maybe it’s the challenge that draws me to him. Though I’d still want to tumble in the sheets with him even if he weren’t so hellbent on hiding behind his ironclad fortress.
“Yeah. Blaine, too. And my buddy Talon.”
“The one that’s coming tonight?” I ask, remembering the name from earlier today.
“Not until tomorrow. He’s traveling with another buddy of ours, too.”
I’m beginning to see the appeal of this little Alaskan town. It’s slowly filling up with hunky military veterans. Maybe I should look into that open historical director position after all. Isla hinted more than once that I’d be perfect for it, and the woman running the place now is waiting for a replacement so she can retire. And I did just get my history degree.... Am I talking myself into staying? Has to be the cologne making me crazy.
“We’re here.” Jensen parks the truck a block away and we walk. Yogi, much more interested in his nap than trying to get into a bar, stays behind with the windows cracked.
With each step we take, heat swirls stronger in the gap between us, making me wonder if I’m the only one who feels this powerful connection. If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to kiss this man. Tonight.
Live music pours louder from the entrance the closer we get. The square white building with its hand-painted sign has that old antique quality that makes my inner history nerd go crazy. When we cross the threshold, the slightly musty smell puts me over the edge. Every inch of original wood walls is covered in old metal signs. Damn, this place is cool.
I try to say as much to Jensen, but the loud music drowns out my words.
Jensen pushes me away from the tight dance floor, toward the bar. “What do you want to drink?” Because he leans in and asks against my ear, he doesn’t have to shout. His hot breath sends shivers all over my body.
“A local beer? Something amber?”
He flags the bartender and orders a couple beers, handing me a bottle. Our fingers graze, igniting the fire deep inside me. I fight the urge to flatten my palm against one of his steel pecs, nearly losing the battle. I need to touch him, and never stop.
“Wanna dance?” I ask, shoving my free hand into my back pocket.
He firmly shakes his head no and plops down on a barstool. There’s an empty one beside him, but I don’t take it. I didn’t come to Alaska to watch the world go by on a barstool. That’s definitely not what my mom would’ve done.
Beer bottle in hand, I shimmy my way through the crowd hovered around the bar. The dance floor is a tight, slightly crowded space. But I don’t let that stop the music from sweeping over me. I release all of my worries. Including the one created by reading my mom’s journal. Maybe I have a grandmother, maybe I don’t. I don’t want to think about any of that tonight.
I just want to be. I want to feel.
I dance for what feels like hours, until my calves ache and my beer is long-since drained. I’ve felt Jensen’s watchful gaze on me all night, and it’s only made me more determined to get that kiss.
When a hand touches the small of my back, I instantly freeze. It doesn’t feel right, and it doesn’t take long for my own eyes to confirm this. A very tipsy guy with a shaggy beard, greasy hair, and horrible breath tries to pull me against him. I tug free of his hold, not the least bit interested in dancing with him. But he reaches for me again, his grip firmer.
I yank myself free, about to tell him the hell off, but I don’t get the chance. Jensen appears like a guard dog, his massive presence behind me impossible to miss. I feel the heat of him like a warm blanket. I long to lean into his strength and melt away.
“Back the hell up,” he growls at my unsolicited dance partner.
“Sorry.” The guy holds up his hands in surrender. “Didn’t realize she was with you.”
I wait for Jensen to say that I’m not, but he doesn’t say anything. At all. His intense stare from his much higher vantage point—seriously, the guy has to be like six foot six—causes the greasy-haired guy to slowly slink away. I watch as he heads toward a doorway in the back with the sign Beer Garden overhead.
I’m intrigued. “Do you—”
“It’s time to leave.” Jensen places a strong hand on the small of my back. My reaction this time is entirely different. My body shivers in delight, warmed from the inside out by this one small gesture. One that screams mine, don’t touch! to everyone else in this bar. “It’s getting late. I promised to see you home safe.”
A new wave of tingles washes over me as the fantasy of inviting him inside flashes in my mind. Time to test Isla’s theory.
4
JENSEN
“I’m not tired,” Nova says, her eyes sparkling with life. Never mind that it’s almost one in the morning. The sky is still light, even though the sun has dipped below the horizon. I suspect Nova’s internal clock is thrown off by this anomaly. Except Yogi has also caught his second wind, no doubt intrigued by his new friend’s enthusiasm.
“Your cabin should have blackout curtains.”
She skips a couple of steps ahead on the gravel road and starts to walk backwards, locking eyes with me. Sending me a look that promises any discomfort from earlier is gone. She’s no longer nervous. She’s outright flirting. “Wanna check for me?”
“No.”
She frowns at me. “Why not? Yogi can come too.”
My dog wags his tail, the traitor. Nova’s testing my patience, in more ways than I’ll ever admit. For years, I’ve stood by my resolve to steer clear of complications of the female variety. But since the moment I saw her sitting next to me, I’ve been fighting all my instincts to give in. The fantasy of her naked body beneath me has plagued me all day. My need to have her is creating cracks in the wall I’ve put up for the better part of a decade. “Need to get you home.”
“I want to see the railroad bridge!” she declares. It’s the light in her crystal blue eyes that does me in. Well hell, it’s probably everything about her. The way she twirls in a circle with her arms outstretched, her long auburn waves dancing in the gentle breeze, and every last curve enticing me to surrender.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been with a woman. I don’t do flings, and I’m not interested in relationships. My decision has put me in a very long drought. One I know Nova could soothe if only I let my guard down long enough. But I don’t need any of my military training to figure out that would be one of the most dangerous things I could do. There’d be no coming back from that.
I blame the handsy asshole in the bar. Ever since he touched her, something inside me has been triggered. I feel protective of her in a way that goes above and beyond looking out for family. The urge is primal and possessive. I wonder if she has any idea that she’s flirting with a grizzly bear.
“Can we go see it?” She flashes me a cheesy grin.
Yogi barks, as if to agree. “I’m outnumbered,” I mutter with a headshake.
“I read all about it. I want to see the place where the three rivers meet. I’m kind of a nerd,” she admits without apology.
Fuck, it’s sexy as hell.
My dick strains against the zipper of my jeans, agreeing.
“Fine. But just a quick trip. Then I’m getting you home.”
“Okay.” I don’t miss the flirtation in those bright eyes. It promises an invitation will be forthcoming. I want to blame the alcohol, but she only had one beer hours ago. One she most likely danced off. God, the sway of her hips nearly drove me mad.
She tugs at my hand, urging me to pick up my sluggish pace. Her soft skin against my rough callused hands does something to me it shouldn’t. Every moment alone with Nova is awakening parts of me I swore never to let see the light of day again. I’ve accepted a solitary life. I want that. At least, I should want that.
“It’s so beautiful!” she gasps when we reach the railroad bridge, the scent of her strawberry shampoo floating to me on the breeze. Damn, it makes me want to pull her against my chest and breathe in deep.
I order Yogi to stay on land and follow Nova, our hands still joined. Fuck if I can bring myself to shake away the contact. I like how it feels too damn much. What the hell is happening to me?
We stop in the middle of the bridge, Yogi watching us with interest. But he knows better than to move unless told. Until today, he’s all I ever thought I needed in companionship. Damn this all to hell. I never should’ve offered to take Nova to the bar. I should’ve kept my fucking mouth shut.
“Isn’t this amazing?” Nova leans over one railing, then hops to the one behind her and leans over it too. Like an excited child who can’t quite decide which toy intrigues her more. Except there is nothing child about this curvaceous woman. Not one single thing. “Three rivers. All merging here.” She rambles on about the history of the town, how it was established because of the rivers meeting. I hear some of the words, but mostly I’m fixated on her moving lips. “Did you know that decades ago you had to fly in? There wasn’t a road off the main highway. The railroad came before the road.”
“Sounds like you’re gunning for that historical director job,” I tease, finally relaxing enough to lean against the railing. A cloudless night gives us a perfect view of mountain peaks in the distance. The urge to stand behind Nova, pulling her back to my chest, is overwhelming. Considering the way she’s been flirting, I don’t think she’d fight me.
It’s why I can’t do it.
I can’t give in, because of how badly we both want this.
She’d only get hurt.
I won’t do that to someone who I now consider to be family. Because that’s what being a brother in arms means. It means we’re family. It means everyone’s family is all part of one bigger one. You don’t go fucking that up over some unsated lust.
“You get to live here!” She spins around, leaning her hips back against the railing. Her back arches, making it impossible not to notice those massive tits on display. I’m only a man. “I never thought I’d be jealous of that. I mean, I fought visiting for so long. I’m a city girl through and through. But then I found—” She stops herself suddenly, a quick flash of panic in her eyes that suggests she almost revealed something too personal to me.
Dammit, I need to know. Either she keeps talking or we’ll end up lip-locked. “You were saying?”
“Nothing.”
I pin her with my gaze, fighting the urge to trap her between my arms. My eyes pinball from her luscious lips to those tits begging for a squeeze. A wicked flash of me lifting her around my waist and sinking her onto my cock on this bridge catches me off guard. It grabs me by the damn balls and doesn’t let go.
What happens next is automatic.
I lean forward, setting both hands on either side of Nova.
She fists both hands in my shirt and yanks me the rest of the way to her lips. The kiss is explosive. It makes me fucking dizzy, and if I had an ounce of sense left, I’d break it apart now before things get carried away. But it’s all-consuming, devouring me mind, body, and soul. Fuck, it’s powerful. I’ve traveled around the world and never experienced anything like it.
I slide a hand down her side until it cups her ass. I yank her hips against me, pushing my thigh between her legs. She moans at the contact, parting her lips and allowing my tongue to explore her mouth as she rocks against my leg.
I grab a handful of tit and squeeze. This shirt isn’t going to last much longer—
Yogi barks. Once, twice, three times. “Fuck,” I mutter, staggering back and searching the area. Either someone’s coming, or he saw a wild animal. I hope it’s not the black bear that’s been getting into everyone’s garbage.
Light female laughter echoes from a tree-covered trail seconds before a trio of girls emerge.
“Time to get you home.”
Nova’s eyes are hooded, her chest heavily rising and falling as if we’d outrun a grizzly. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
“I’m not staying,” I say firmly. But I’m no longer sure who I’m trying to convince: Nova or myself.
5
NOVA
I wake the next morning with a massive smile spread across my lips. Slickness between my legs reminds me of the very naughty dreams I had all night long. No amount of flirting could get Jensen to spend the night, or even give me another one of those breath-stealing kisses.
But today is a new day.
Reaching beneath the sheet, I caress my fingers down my torso. Imagining that Jensen’s strong hand is the one touching me. When I reach the waistband of my panties, I let my hand slip beneath the silky fabric.
I moan instantly at the contact, because I’m incredibly horny after that sultry kiss on the bridge last night. I spread my pussy lips apart and push three fingers through my folds, mercilessly teasing my swollen bud as I relive last night. Jensen’s protectiveness at the bar, the way he pinned me with a heated gaze on the bridge, and that kiss. That kiss!
“Jensen!” I chant his name in a breathy whisper as pleasure builds in my core. Maybe it’s the drought, or how much of a challenge this man’s still going to be, but it doesn’t take long to bring myself over the edge.
My climax hits hard, and my whole body convulses beneath the sheets.
“Damn,” I mumble, laughing as my breath returns. If this is what I can do to myself, imagining his hands on me, what could Jensen do to me? I quiver at the thought of his cock sliding into my slit and filling me. I’m on the verge of needing another release when my phone chimes.
I reluctantly push the covers aside, hoping the interruption is Savannah. I need someone to tell all about Jensen and our hot make-out session on the railroad bridge. But it’s not bestie, just my sister.
Isla: Brandon has a fever and is super fussy.
Isla: Won’t be able to make breakfast :(
That my first emotion is relief makes me feel a tinge of guilt. But the time alone is exactly what I need to find the woman in the photo from my mom’s journal. I avoided all thoughts of it yesterday. But today, I really should focus. I need answers. I need to know if our grandmother is alive and still living in Three Rivers. I wonder if she even knows she has grandkids.
Nova: No worries. Take care of my precious nephew.
Nova: Poor guy. Hope he feels better soon.
Isla: Breakfast tomorrow. On me.
Nova: Deal.
I rinse off in the shower and head out in search of coffee from the place with the moose pun name. The cabin I rented is a block from Main Street. But it might as well be in the middle of nowhere. The only paved road in the whole town, other than the one into it, is Main Street. Every other street is dirt and tree covered. At first I was horrified, but I have to admit, it’s growing on me at an alarming rate.
