Mister Protector Read online

  I pushed back against Dane as he knelt behind me, teasing my pussy with the tip of his cock. He dragged his head against my slit until I pleaded for more.

  Instead, he stroked one finger along my pussy seam. My sex lips tingled with his touch.

  “Your pussy is so wet.” He slowly inserted one thick finger inside me.

  “Please.” I cried in relief. “Give me more.”

  His finger angled deeper. He stroked me, lubricated by my wet pussy. I grabbed at him with my pussy muscles, trying to hold him tight.

  When Dane added a second finger, a low moan escaped me. I wanted more—much more. He was going to bring me to a place I’d never gone before with this pleasure. I could feel his intensity. Something was different now. I didn’t know what it was, but my brain was too fogged with desire to process it now.

  “The only problem with this position is that I can’t suck your pretty tits. I’ll have to come up with something to make up for that.”

  He removed his fingers, and next thing I knew, the head of his cock penetrated me. He slowly advanced until he was seated deep inside me. I could feel his balls nestled against my pussy. I clenched my pussy muscles, trying to hold him tight.

  “Fuck, Baby Girl.” Dane pulled almost all the way out, leaving just his head inside me. Then he thrust back in slowly.

  My knees wobbled from the pleasure.

  Dane’s pace was blissfully agonizing. Each thrust filled me with hope, only to have him pull back.

  His fingers pressed into my hips as he worked me. I could feel my orgasm building like a wave starting to crest. My fingers clawed the sheets in anticipation.

  “I love your pussy.” Dane flexed his hips, driving me forward on the bed.

  “Give it to me. Fuck me.” All my fatigue and anxiety of the day faded into this man, giving me a serious pounding.

  I never told Dane, but I loved it when this detached businessman devolved into grunts and groans. From this angle, his thrusts jostled the whole bed. I lifted my head and leaned on my elbows. It was easier to push back against him when he thrust inside me. The first time I did that, Dane grunted approvingly.

  Fuck, that felt good. I had more control over my pussy muscles from this angle.

  “Your tits jiggling away?” His voice was tight.

  “Yes.” I gasped.

  Dane thrust deep. “This feels really good, but I like seeing you suck them.”

  “You are mine. That pussy, your tits, and your clit. Got it?”

  Usually, I didn’t let a man talk to me as though I was his possession. But right now, while he was buried balls deep inside me, I was all about Dane’s sexist He-Man shit. “I want to come. Please.”

  “Not yet.” Dane pulled me up so that I was one all fours.

  It was hard to move when my shaky body only wanted to clamp down on his cock and wring out the mother of all orgasms. All this teasing was only making me want it more.

  Sensing my hesitancy, he pulled up my torso and placed my hands on the wooden headboard. I wanted his dick back inside me. I didn’t really care what position I was in.

  I gripped the headboard bending forward as he thrust into me so deeply his hips pressed against my ass.

  “Ohhh.”

  “Like that?” he breathed in my ear. One hand returned to my hip; the other fondled my nipples.

  “That feels really good.” I sighed.

  Dane stroked and rolled my nipples while he continued pounding me until I felt my orgasm building again. This time I would not be denied.

  “Don’t tease me, Dane. I need you to let me come.”

  This time, when I felt the pressure building inside me, there was no stopping it. Dane didn’t even finger my clit. From this angle, his balls rubbed it perfectly, driving me wild.

  I gripped the headboard, white-knuckled, while my orgasm shattered me. My entire world was reduced to how amazingly good my body felt. Still bucking, Dane came deep inside me. I felt ream after ream of thick cum pulsing inside my pussy.

  I was dimly aware of him praising me. Words were nothing, though. All that existed was this man deep inside me, claiming me forever.

  When we finally collapsed back onto the bed, our panting made me giggle. It was primal and true.

  “What’s so funny?” Dane asked, pulling me into the crook of his arm.

  “That’s the only thing I’ve found so far that completely removes the ache in my foot.”

  “Make sure to mention it to your doctor when you see her again. Maybe you discovered a cure-all.”

  “It certainly works for me, but I do not want your services outsourced.”

  “I’m happy to oblige anytime.” Dane yawned.

  Dane drifted off to sleep while I lay awake, listening to the wind howl. Being with Dane was cozy and comforting. We were in our own cocoon, safe from the world. Hopefully, we’d be snowbound for a day or so. A girl could get used to this.

  This whole month had happened so fast with Dane’s unexpected return. I felt like I was still trying to catch my breath from the passionate emotions coursing through me. I was used to life in Snow Ridge being routine.

  Suddenly I felt wide awake. There was no hope in me falling back to sleep now. I slid out of bed, pulled on a sweater, and left the bedroom. I entered Meg’s room, flicked the overhead light on, and carefully sifted through the boxes of medical supplies she had stored against one wall. I found the small box I was looking for, replaced the other boxes, and slipped out of her room.

  I spent the next ten minutes locked in the bathroom, staring at my positive pregnancy test. I leaned over and checked the results again, comparing the stick with the box directions. Yep, I was still pregnant.

  I sat down on the edge of the bathtub. Well, this certainly explained my fatigue. I tried to order my mind. So many thoughts flooded me at once.

  I wanted to shout, “I’m pregnant with Dane’s baby!” but I had enough common sense to know this wasn’t a great plan.

  I also knew he would not greet the news so happily. Dane hated anything that tied him to Snow Ridge. He even resented his own twin for that. There was no way I wanted that feeling to spill over to our baby.

  Our relationship was going to change for sure when he found out about the pregnancy, but that didn’t need to happen right now. I could have some more time with him yet still. After all, it wasn’t like I could get more pregnant. I stifled a giggle. It was time to crawl back in bed and savor my time with Dane.

  I woke up late the next morning, thanks to my lack of sleep the night before. I found Dane in the kitchen, hard at work.

  “Good morning, Sleepyhead.” Dane greeted me, showered, and fully dressed. He was filling my plate with ham, eggs, and toast.

  He leaned over and kissed me hard. “Did you have trouble sleeping last night?”

  I glanced up at him from under my lashes. Could he tell? Surely he could tell I was pregnant.

  Don’t be such a dummy, you couldn’t tell, and you’re the one who’s knocked up, I chided myself.

  “Just a lot on my mind,” I answered, moving the food around on my plate but not feeling hungry.

  “Maybe we need a repeat performance if last night wasn’t effective.” He came up behind me, brushing my hair back from my neck.

  Strangely enough, I felt suddenly shy with him.

  “You’re blushing. That must be a yes.”

  “I’ve got to go over the outlets’ placement with Gary and Max this morning.” I’d never lied to Dane before, and it didn’t feel good. In the night, I was sure I could blithely balance this secret baby news and our relationship until I started showing at least.

  Now I had my doubts. I didn’t like keeping secrets from him, but I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him either.

  We were both quiet on the ride back to town. Dane assumed I was tired from last night, and I left it at that. He dropped me off at the inn before he went running his own errands.

  That meant no time like the present for me to question Gary and M
ax again. “Hey, guys, how’s it going?” I greeted them, shucking off my mittens. I flexed my fingers, the Inn was a nice temperature this am. I was glad the heat was working.

  The guys were studying blueprints in the lodge’s great room. Max wore skintight jeans with a button-down shirt and a mohair vest. His crotch bulged, which I found not the least bit arousing. Apparently, Max was reliving a 1970s disco fantasy. Whatever. That guy was a major weirdo.

  Gary gave me a lopsided smile. His brown hair was shaggy. As soon as Snow Ridge got a decent population, we were going to need a barbershop/salon. And a good coffee place. Come to think of it, someplace to buy clothes beside the general store would be awesome.

  But if that Trapper had her way, we’d get nothing.

  The guys murmured their greetings. Max inched closer to me while Gary smoothed down his cowlick.

  My inner detective was done with small talk.

  “Let’s talk about the Trapper.” I unwrapped my scarf and unzipped my parka. Gary’s smell was making me nauseated, and being all wrapped up wasn’t helping. “I saw her last night, so don’t play dumb.”

  Gary frowned. “Are you sure it was the Trapper?”

  “What do you know about this?” I asked Max.

  He shrugged. “Nothing comes to mind.”

  For fuck’s sake. This whole detective thing was much harder than it looked.

  “I’m curious: did you meet this person alone?” Max’s eyes wandered over my body.

  “I was with Dane. Why?”

  “Ahh.” Max returned to studying the blueprints.

  “Quit fucking around, Max. Tell me what you know.”

  “What’s it to you?” Max asked.

  “The Trapper said she’s been setting the traps. I could’ve lost my foot to one of them. And that was a best-case scenario. I almost died. So if you know anything at all, I want to hear it.”

  “Why don’t you ask your boyfriend?” Max stared at my tits. I was wearing another bulky sweatshirt, so I didn’t know what he thought he saw.

  “Leave her alone,” Gary said.

  “Dane is investigating other lines of inquiry,” I said, hoping that these guys didn’t read the same detective novels I did. I was rapidly spending my whole vocabulary.

  “From what I hear, he’s pretty well informed already.” Max cocked his head. “Gary, get your friend something to drink. She looks unwell.”

  A wave of nausea so strong rose up that it threatened to topple me over. I didn’t like what Max was implying, especially since I believed Dane was hiding something about the Trapper from me.

  I felt flushed, then chilled. My head spun.

  Max moved me to a chair. “Are you sure you want to know Trudy?” He guided my head between my knees. I was surprised by his kindness as my dizziness passed.

  “Tell me,” I whispered with my head still between my knees.

  “Your boyfriend is a friend of the Trapper.”

  The way Max said ‘friend,’ it was clear he didn’t mean a harmless friendship.

  “No. It can’t be,” I murmured. “Dane’s only been here for a few weeks.”

  “They had been lovers way before this visit.”

  I fixed on Max’s blue suede boots. His choice of footwear was ridiculous for this climate. He must never wear them outside. It was easier to focus on something like that then the pit of betrayal that opened up beneath me.

  “Did you hear me?” He repeated.

  I wanted to stop listening. I wanted him to be wrong. I wanted to protest on Dane’s behalf.

  But inside me, the image of Dane’s actions with that Trapper made perfect sense. It wasn’t Ash she was looking for, but Dane.

  “Why would he?” I managed.

  “Did you really think all that money was his? Or was that what you wanted to believe?”

  I leaned closer to his boots, focusing on the shade of blue as they drew nearer to me.

  Then I pitched forward, and everything went black.

  I was in a warm dark place when Gary’s voice jarred me.

  “Trudy! Trudy!” He sounded far away as if he was calling me underwater.

  My heavy eyelids didn’t want to open. I wanted to lie here, floating in this dark place. Fainting was the best thing I’d done recently.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Dane’s voice cut across Gary’s wailing. “I told you to stay away from her!” The air moved around me, and Dane swept me up in his arms. “Both of you get out of here.”

  I struggled to open my eyes. I was lying on the couch in Dane’s office.

  He crouched next to me, smoothing my hair away from my face.

  When I did, his dark eyes met mine.

  “What happened?” he asked. “If he hurt you, I’ll kill him.”

  Dane’s handsome face blurred before me. I could feel his ferocity rolling off him like a furnace. Tears trickled down my face. He tenderly wiped them away with his thumbs.

  “Don’t cry, Trudy. It’s ok. Whatever it is, I can fix it.”

  I shoved his hands away, struggling to sit up. The nausea was still there, but now I had a headache.

  “Don’t you have someone else to be with?” I sat up but laid my head on the back of the couch.

  “I was out trying to find some information; you know that.” His brows drew together in puzzlement.

  I held up one hand. “Stop lying.”

  Dane pulled back as though I’d hit him. If I’d had the energy, I would have.

  “You and the Trapper. Tell me,” I said tiredly.

  Dane got to his feet. He paced on the carpet before me.

  “Just tell me the truth this time,” I said.

  He paused for so long I wondered if he’d flat-out refuse to answer me.

  I closed my eyes to block out his prowling. Even after he’d betrayed me, I wanted him. I was drawn to this bad boy like a moth to a flame. He was the father of my baby, but now he’d never know that. He didn’t deserve to know.

  “It’s a long story,” he said finally.

  “With you, it always is,” I said, wearily.

  6

  Dane

  How did I begin to explain the worst decision I ever made to my best friend? Sure, Trudy was a best friend with benefits now, but she’d always been there for me, even back when we were kids. Now what I had to tell her was so vile that I feared losing her forever.

  With Trudy lying on the couch, shaken and pale, now wasn’t the best time to explain. She clearly wasn’t feeling well. And those fuckers Max and Gary had upset her with gossip. But there was never going to be a good time. I didn’t want her to think that I would hurt her or anyone else in Snow Ridge purposely.

  “Last night wasn’t the first time I met the Trapper. Back in high school, I met her in the mountains one day.”

  I paused, looking over at Trudy. Her eyes were closed, with the back of her hand resting over her eyes. She might have been asleep, but I knew she wasn’t. It pained me to think she couldn’t bear the sight of me.

  “You know how badly I wanted to get out of Snow Ridge for college. I didn’t have the money for a college in California; even with a scholarship, that place is crazy-expensive.” I paused. What I was about to say couldn’t be taken back.

  I glanced at Trudy but she kept her eyes closed. I wanted to know she understood what I’d done. That she’d forgive me.

  “The Trapper loaned me the money I needed. She said she was hiding out from her ex who was abusive, powerful, and wealthy.”

  No one in Snow Ridge had known she was here until it was too late.

  “I’m going hate the answer,” Trudy said, “but how did you know where she lived?

  I swallowed. My mouth was dry. “For a while, I met her there.”

  “You fucked her back then while you were fucking me?” Trudy’s voice wavered, but she didn’t look at me.

  “I swear to you that she and I were over before you and I began.”

  “Fucking,” Trudy said. “It’s called fucking. Don’t
try to shine it up now.”

  “If I could go back, I’d do things differently.”

  “That’s a relief.” She pulled her hand away from her face. “You knew she was planning to burn the town down?”

  “Of course not. I only found out when Ash told me after I left. I felt terrible.”

  “But not terrible enough to tell anyone the truth or give the money back?” Trudy stood up, a bit unsteady on her feet, but she didn’t fall over. She warned me off with a shake of her head.

  “That’s why I’m here to pay her back.”

  “I almost died in that trap. The blood loss could’ve killed me. It was lucky Tristan found me, and Meg treated me.” She stood now, gazing at the snow falling outside the window. It was still snowing. So much snow. It covered everything up.

  “I would’ve done things differently.”

  “You lied last night. You lied about why you came to town. So many lies. I don’t know if there’s any truth left to you.”

  Trudy pulled herself to her feet. She waved away my attempts to help her. She headed out of my office, placing a hand on the walls to steady herself as she walked.

  “Let’s talk about this.” I followed her, darting around to step in front of the main lodge door while she shrugged into her coat.

  “Move,” she said.

  “You’re upset. Let me take you home.”

  “Don’t bother,” she sneered through her tears. The door slammed behind her.

  Chapter Trudy

  My impulsivity was biting me in the ass—literally. I had no transportation since I’d come into town with Dane. But I sure as hell wasn’t getting a ride home from him. Frostbite would settle into the tips of my fingers and toes before I shared a vehicle with that fucker. I soldiered on, too proud to turn back.

  But not too proud to admit I wished Dane would come after me. I was totally in the mood for some grand romantic gesture with lots of groveling followed by hot alpha initiated sex. Had I mentioned I was pregnant too?

  So when I heard a snow machine approaching, relief and embarrassment washed over me. Dane might be a selfish rat bastard, but it was awfully hard to talk yourself out of loving someone.