“It is.” I opened the fridge and removed a bottle of champagne.

  “What’s that?” she asked, with a curious smile.

  That was what I called “closure,” but I wasn’t about to tell her that.

  “It’s time to celebrate your casts.”

  “I don’t have them on any longer.”

  I grabbed two flutes for the champagne from a cupboard and lowered my mouth to hers, sealing a promising kiss.

  “Exactly. Let me rephrase it, then. It’s time to celebrate the fact that your casts are gone.”

  She chuckled. “You’ve got this evening all figured out, haven’t you?”

  “I sure hope so.”

  “Okay. I’m game, but I have to say that I’m tired.”

  “Well, then…” I placed the flashlight between my teeth, lowered myself, and holding the champagne in one hand and the glasses in the other, I scooped her into my arms. She let out a high-pitched squee of delight and removed the flashlight from my mouth. “I guess I need to carry you upstairs.”

  Her laughter echoed through the cabin. It was one of the best sounds I’d heard in a while.

  By the time we came up, the tub was full. Kate lit a few more candles and double-checked the lock on the bathroom window just as a stray twig snapped against the glass from outside. She jumped back with a fearful gasp.

  “I’m going to chop that birch tree first thing in the morning,” I said.

  “That scared the shit out of me.”

  “I should have cut it down last year, but my father got sick, and plans changed.”

  She walked over to the side of the tub. She tugged at the button on her jeans, and my gaze dropped to her fingers. I followed the downward path as she unfastened her zipper.

  “You mean the ones after I blew up the Mafia’s warehouse and you were blamed?”

  “What?” She brought my attention temporarily back to her eyes because now that she was shimmying her ass out of her jeans, wiggling that behind like a pro and slowly exposing her thighs, I couldn’t help but look down again. Her checkered shirt draped over her legs. My mouth watered and my dick hardened.

  She waved her hand. “Never mind.” Her voice was sultry and full of lust.

  “Sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

  How did she expect me to give her a coherent answer when she was now in the middle of removing her bra from underneath the button-up shirt? One hand snaked inside her sleeve, caught the strap, and pulled it through; then she repeated the motion with the other strap until she could remove the bra through her collar.

  That was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen in my life. Two naturally standing breasts curved underneath the shirt, and I wondered whether I could get any harder. As she stood there with nothing on but that shirt, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. One day, once she healed and was ready, it would be my honor to give her the child and family she’d always wanted.

  “It’s just that you’re making it a little difficult to concentrate. The past follows us, Kate, and we can’t escape it; but I can assure you that the only part of my past I love, is you.”

  She bit her lip and then licked it.

  “Kate, what are you doing?”

  “I thought my intentions were clear when I took my pants off, but I guess they weren’t clear enough,” she teased, and hooked her fingers into her panties. She removed them in slow motion, and when they were at her ankles, flicked them away with the tip of her toe. They flew onto the counter by the sink, but Kate lost her balance and I caught her just before she fell back into the tub full of suds.

  “Got ya.” I held her in my arms. One of her free breasts pressed against my chest and the other one against my arm, and I was sure I didn’t have enough patience to control the situation much longer. “And what may your intentions be?”

  “To take a bubble bath?”

  “You don’t seem to be sure about that.”

  “Shut up and kiss me.”

  I lowered my mouth to hers at the request. She was soft and tasted like the best fucking thing that had ever touched my lips. I cupped her face between my hands and pressed harder against her, savoring all the tiny noises and pleas that came out of her mouth. She not only tasted delicious but also smelled like a fond memory. It did something crazy in my head, something I couldn’t understand. I swept my tongue against hers, back and forth, all the while feeling my dick grow in my pants. The confinement of my clothes was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute. I clasped my lips around her upper one, sucking on it.

  I was ready to lift her into my arms and sit her on the bath counter so we could take this further when something crashed downstairs. We both jumped, our attention flying toward the door. Kate grasped my arm, squeezing it. Her heart was beating so fast that I could see its rhythm underneath her shirt.

  The wind howled outside, and heavy drops of rain assaulted the roof.

  “You stay here,” I whispered. “Do not move, Kate.”

  “What if it’s him?” Her eyes were wide and full of fear.

  “Impossible.”

  I knew I wasn’t convincing anyone with that tone of voice, but there was no way Cortez could have found us. I touched my finger to my lips and tiptoed toward the door, grabbing the first thing that was on the counter near the edge.

  I crept down the stairs through the darkness, listening for any kind of sound. With the amount of rain we were getting, it was almost impossible to hear myself think. Bracing my back against the wall, I closed my eyes and dug deep inside, trusting my instincts, and then opened them again. As soon as my foot touched one of Kate’s crutches at the bottom of the staircase, I realized I’d found the culprit of our scare. Both canes were on the floor.

  “What were you going to do with that?” Kate asked from the staircase, pointing to my raised hand – which was holding a box of condoms.

  “You can’t go wrong when you shield your dong?”

  She burst out in laughter. Well, at least one of us was laughing.

  “I thought I asked you to stay upstairs,” I said.

  “And I’m never leaving you to fight my battles.”

  “They’re not your battles.”

  “Ours?”

  “Yes, ours.”

  I lowered my hand and watched her saunter down the last few steps. The shirt’s hem shifted to the left and right as she walked toward my guiding flashlight, offering me a glimpse of her crotch, and my gaze focused on those tempting thighs. She didn’t stop until she was standing right in front of me. I felt her deep breaths on my face and against my chest.

  “Kate.”

  “Cameron.”

  Our voices were barely audible, partly because of the howling wind outside and partly because all I could do was concentrate on the touch of her body.

  “The water’s getting cold.” She turned around and blindly headed back upstairs. I followed her with the flashlight and caught a piece of her ass in the light as she made her way up. By the time I recovered from the daze of watching her tempting curves move higher and higher, she was gone.

  “Kate!” I called after her. “I still need to check the house.”

  “Then check it!” she replied from upstairs.

  “Fuck!”

  I must have tripped over every piece of furniture, going from window to window and door to door. I examined all the locks, turned on the alarm, and ran up the stairs taking every second step. When I pushed the door open and saw her checkered shirt on the floor, I felt my knees buckle. I set the box of condoms I was still holding back on the counter by the sink and rested against it, watching her. Kate’s legs were stretched out in the bathtub. Bubbles were floating up to the rim, covering her just above the breast line, and she was holding the two glass flutes filled with champagne. More candles had been lit, their vanilla scent wafting in the air.

  How long have I been downstairs?

  “You’re a temptress,” I said.

  “Thank you.”

  “Now get out of that tub.” I grasped the hem of my sweater and pulled it over my head. The shirt came off next.

  “Nah-ah.” She shook her head. “I’m actually enjoying this. Why don’t you get in? The water’s gonna get cold.”

  “Fuck the water.”

  I hurried with my zipper and pants, regretting that I was wearing so many undergarments, but I guessed socks and underwear were sometimes necessary to appear civilized.

  “I thought you wanted to fuck something else.” She pulled her tongue across her lips, and I sprang up and out of my boxer briefs, which were coming off next.

  “I would have if you didn’t go back up.”

  “I didn’t want the water to get cold or go to waste. Now, come and celebrate. We have all night.”

  That we certainly did. I finally managed to get Kate to shut up when I completely removed my boxer briefs. With my dick standing up high, I lowered myself in at the other end of the tub, bringing the water level up to the rim and the suds up to Kate’s chin.

  “You were saying?”

  “I think we may need a bigger boat.” She passed me my glass of champagne.

  “Jaws fan? I didn’t know that.”

  “There’s lots you don’t know about me.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like I’m a very determined woman.”

  “That I knew.”

  “And when I set my mind on something, I usually get it.”

  “Undoubtedly.”

  As soon as I wondered where she was going with this, I knew what she wanted, and I knew that I was the only one standing in the way of her happiness. She wouldn’t give up on this until she had her way.

  “Did you enjoy the day today?” I tried anyway to distract her thoughts.

  “More than any day recently. Thank you.”

  “Well, the day is not over yet. Cheers!” I reached forward, clanging our glasses together, and took a sip.

  “Cheers!” Kate mimicked me without missing a beat. I thought I had it in the bag. I thought I’d steered her in a different direction. I was wrong.

  “I loved the baby deer today. They were my favorite. And I loved meeting Mrs. Lockheart’s grandson. He’s a cutie, isn’t he?”

  “Are you trying to bring up the subject of a baby on purpose?” I asked.

  Instead of replying, her foot slid up my leg until it reached my dick, and I stilled. I lowered my gaze to where her big toe rested near my balls, and then slid higher and higher up the hard shaft.

  That’s when I realized that Kate was more than a temptress. She was a wicked witch who knew exactly what to do to control me, and she didn’t need any magic tricks. All she needed were her toes. She was my witch.

  “Kate?”

  “Cameron?”

  My gaze flew to the pack of condoms. “Are you going to seduce me until I give in?”

  “I don’t want you to give in. I want you to want this as much as I do.”

  “Then what are we still doing here?”

  She just stared at me as a hint of uncertainty floated in the air. Of course I wanted a baby as much as she did. Combining the best parts of her and me – maybe more of her would be nice – it would make me the happiest man alive, but I needed to be sure that she was okay. I had to be sure that Kate could go through her pregnancy without any fears. I wanted to take away all that fear she had of Cortez, but I didn’t know how to do so. I wanted to convince her that our future was bright. She didn’t seem disturbed when she was with me, so perhaps there was a way we could make this work. If I could only ensure that she’d remain at my side all the time, I could keep her comfortable here. And the cabin was the safest place for her. With each passing thought, I became more certain than ever that I could make her happy; and there was only one way to do so. If I could get her to fall in love with the cabin and agree to stay here forever, we could all be safe.

  “What do you say we don’t use those?” I asked, when I saw her focus on the rubbers as well.

  “What?” Her gaze flew right back to me.

  “I mean, if it happens, it happens. What if we let fate decide?”

  “Do you mean it?”

  “I wouldn’t say it unless I did.”

  I removed the half-empty glass from Kate’s hand and set it on the ground before stepping out of the tub and reaching for her hand. Once she was standing on the tiles, I wrapped her in a towel and carried her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. It took every last ounce of my strength not to turn her around, brace her against the tub, and take her from the back, but I wanted this to be special.

  I set her on the bed and yanked the corner of the towel open. Outside, the rain abused the windows, pattering like it wanted to break through.

  “Don’t move,” I said, lighting the few candles we had in the room.

  “Wait – you’re not dripping the wax on me, are you?”

  “No, I just want to see you. I want to see all of you.”

  As soon as the last candle was lit, I saw that she was biting her lip, waiting for me with a smile on her face. An orange glow covered her body, shading one side of her breasts.

  “You know, it’s been so long, I’m not sure I remember what to do.”

  “Let me remind you, then.”

  I lowered myself to her side and circled my finger around her nipple, enjoying the sight of every new goosebump that appeared on her skin. I pressed my mouth to the other, savoring its warmth and hardness. She tasted even more delicious than she had before, or maybe I’d just forgotten how good she tasted. I promised myself that I would never forget again.

  She moaned when I nipped her, and her hips shifted to the side. As much as I wanted to take my time with her, I was afraid that I couldn’t. I grasped her chin and brought her mouth to mine. My tongue darted inside her mouth and my arms snaked around her, bringing her closer to my body, and I was lost. I was lost in her, and I could feel that she was lost in me as well. She pushed her sex into my thigh, and I gently lifted her leg over my hip. As soon as she was open, my dick prodded her entrance. Kate didn’t wait to move forward. She pushed her hips up and gasped as I drove inside her, filling her as deep as I could.

  Feeling her squeeze around me, I groaned before withdrawing and plunging back in. Somewhere between my thrusts, she flipped her body on top of mine and began riding me. In the dim candlelight, I watched her breasts bounce above me, the faint orange glow illuminating one side of her body. She looked beautiful, and for the first time since she’d been kidnapped, I believed that maybe Kate would be all right. Maybe moving forward was the best remedy for us both.

  With each roll of her hips, she rubbed herself against me. I reached up to feel the weight of her breasts before one of my hands instinctively lowered to her pussy, and I flicked her clit with my thumb. When I felt it grow, I rubbed it with my index and middle finger. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open, and her hair that had earlier been tied in a bun now decided to do its own dance, flowing over her shoulders. Sweat beat down my chest as I tightened my ass with each thrust.

  Knowing that Kate was still recovering and shouldn’t remain in the same position for too long, I quickened my strokes and thrusts. As soon as I felt her first tremble of pleasure, I shut my eyes and lost it, emptying myself inside her. She sat on top of me with her knees bent, shaking as I rubbed my finger harder and faster over her nub, drawing out her orgasm for as long as I could. When she finally settled, I withdrew, and Kate lowered herself to the bed.

  “Well, I’m pretty sure I’ve reached my physical therapy quota for the day.” She stretched her arms above her head, smiling. She had that beautiful after-sex glow on her face that made her look like the happiest woman in the world.

  “Charlie didn’t mention anything about the night, and the night is still not over.”

  “No, he didn’t, but I feel spent.” As tired as she was, Kate still managed to twist her body around and lift her legs, resting them against the headboard.

  “Are you trying to keep my sperm inside you?”

  “Yes.”

  “There’s plenty more where that came from.”

  She chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m planning on using you for much more than your sperm.”

  “Good. I was beginning to worry a little. Here.” I maneuvered to join her and covered us both with a duvet. Kate snuggled to my side, shivering at the sound of rolling thunder.

  “Cameron?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m pretty sure fate has decided for us to have a baby.”

  I heard a smile in her voice that made me happy. That was all I wanted.

  “You promise to not be disappointed if it doesn’t happen?”

  “I promise.”

  From the look of the glowing smile on her face and the way she was smoothing her hand over her flat tummy, I was afraid that Kate was setting herself up for failure. Hopefully my swimmers were strong enough to score on their first try, but if not on the first one, maybe I could give them a little help in the morning as well.

  Unfortunately for us, the night would be over sooner than we thought.

  Chapter 6

  Kate

  The earth shook underneath me, and an ear-crushing bang rattled through the bedroom. It was that day all over again, except it was real. It wasn’t a nightmare. I was still at the cabin, in our bed, and the crunching noise wouldn’t end. It reminded me of when my bones were breaking; crack, crack, crack, and I wanted to throw up.

  This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening, I repeated in my mind, and I heard something else crash nearby. I gripped the sheets, screaming. “Cameron!”

  “Kate!”

  He grabbed me from the side and put his arms around me, shielding me as debris fell somewhere in the room.

  “What the hell was that? What’s going on?” As soon as I asked the question, I felt a chilling breeze stream into the room and I shivered. Outside, the dawn was just making its appearance, and the wind was blowing even harder than when we’d fallen asleep.

  “I don’t know. Here, put this on.” He reached for his sweatshirt from a drawer by the bedside and pulled it over my naked body. There was a cut on his forehead and his arm.

  “What’s going on?”

 

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