“I’m here,” Dakota said, then moaned again as Gunnar moved down her back, just above her butt.
And what a fine butt it was. Soft enough to jiggle a little when he moved her with his paws, firm enough to be perfectly shaped.
“What the hell…?” Axel’s head popped into view over the edge of the loft as he climbed the ladder.
“Falke gives great back rubs,” she muttered. “Can I buy him off you?”
“Move,” Axel said to Gunnar, anger in his tone, and shoved him, hard, off the edge of the bed.
Gunnar hissed. What the fuck, Ax?
You just had to wake her up, didn’t you?
No. Shit, she was in pain, and you were outside. I did the best I could with what I’ve got.
Axel was obviously ignoring him. He climbed onto the bed and took over where Gunnar had just been.
“Aww, honey, you’re all twisted up here.”
“Uh-huh. Oh, that’s nice too.” She sighed, and Gunnar sat on his haunches so he could watch her face. Her dark skin and straight, raven hair were magnificent. Her lips were plump, but not filled with collagen like so many of the ski bunnies that came to Leavenworth. He’d bet they were soft and tasted even better than her skin.
“Hey, pretty kitty,” she said as she reached out again and laid her hand on Gunnar’s head. “Thanks for tryin’, but Axel’s…ahhh…yeah…there…”
She sounded like a woman in the throes of sex, and Gunnar was damn tempted to shift and help his brother out. Four hands would be better than two.
But that was against the rules. Rules all of the brothers lived by. No one—absolutely no one outside of the family—knew the truth of their heritage. It was way too risky to their way of life, especially since they’d given up a more nomadic existence. None of them wanted to have to leave the idyllic surroundings of their childhood home.
Gunnar sniffed the air. Dakota was so turned on, if Axel made one move now, he’d have her without a single protest. Hell, as turned on as she was, she’d probably be begging soon. No way Gunnar would let that happen. He had a feeling about this woman, and Axel wasn’t going to get her all to himself. Not if he had any say in it. And he did. He was the one with sharp teeth and claws right now.
Dakota groaned and sighed and moaned. She ached so badly, but on the other hand, she’d never had such an awesome massage. Never in her life had she experienced such talented hands loosening muscles and making her skin so warm. When Axel’s callused hands slid under her pajama top to work her lower back, her thoughts turned to things other than soreness.
The heat he transferred into her body seemed to slide lower and lower, until she wanted to spread her legs and beg him to come on in.
Then his hands moved down to the backs of her thighs, so close to where she was hot and needy. She gripped the pillow with one hand, Falke’s head with the other, and forced herself not to move her hips.
“How you doing?” Axel asked.
His voice was so low and sexy. She’d die to hear that phrase whispered in her ear while he was buried deep inside of her.
“Dakota?”
“Mmm. Good.” She couldn’t say much else. “Don’t stop. I almost feel human again.” The aches she woke up with seemed to fly right out the window. But she didn’t want him to stop. Not ever.
He chuckled. “I’m sorry, honey. Yesterday was too much for you.”
There was that word again. Honey. She liked the way he said it and wondered what he meant by it.
“We’ll take it easy today, sit around the cabin and relax.”
Or stay in bed, she thought. With you. Dakota sighed. Would he?
He worked his magical fingers and palms down the backs of her thighs, her calves, even took some extra time on the soles of her feet.
“Roll over. Let me get your quads.”
She let go of Falke and rolled. Her back still ached a little, but the worst of the pain was gone.
“How are your arms?”
“Arms are fine.” She gasped when his hands touched her inner thigh.
Axel looked up at her face. “Hurt?”
Slowly she shook her head. Do it again. Do it again. Please!
He didn’t though, seeming to be much more careful not to touch her in a too intimate way. Why? If he thought she was injured and couldn’t fight off advances she didn’t want, it was so not true. She wouldn’t fight him, not one little bit.
Testing out her back, careful not to move too fast for fear she only felt good lying on it, she used her arms to lever herself into a sitting position, her face within inches of Axel’s.
“How’s it feel?” he asked.
She glanced down at his crotch, saw the hard outline of his erection pressed against the fly of his jeans, and would’ve liked to ask him the same question. She wasn’t a virgin by any means, but she’d been so busy with school and then landing the job at the advertising firm, she hadn’t had much time for fun.
For men.
Axel looked up into her eyes again, one eyebrow raised in question, probably because she hadn’t answered him. She was so horny she could barely think straight, yet he ignored his erection and worried only about her wellbeing. Damn, that was sweet.
Dakota leaned forward and pressed her mouth against his.
Fireworks and nuclear bombs. His mouth was warm, with just the right amount of moistness. And he was wild. As if he’d been waiting for her to make the first move. His hand left her thigh and buried in her hair. Axel tilted her head just a little and swept his tongue into her mouth. He tasted of a hint of coffee, sweet syrup and hot, hungry man.
Reowwww. The most terrifying sound rent the air, and she jerked away in horror.
Falke jumped up on the bed, over her lap, and growled at Axel. The big cat had his face right up to Axel’s, and Dakota was terrified he’d kill the man. She didn’t know what to do. If she moved, it might startle the cat. If she didn’t do anything and Falke hurt Axel…
They glared at each other. Neither man nor beast moved, but they both seemed to be growling. She felt the vibrations through the bed. Heard the low sounds of anger.
“Please don’t hurt him,” she whispered. “It’s okay.”
She didn’t know what else to do or say. The cat seemed to understand so much. “Falke, I’m okay. He wasn’t hurting me. It’s okay.”
The cat broke eye contact with Axel, turned his head to her and swiped his rough tongue up her cheek.
Then he purred and plopped down over her lap, as if he were guarding her like a living, breathing, fanged chastity belt.
She let out a nervous laugh and looked at Axel.
Though he’d just come face-to-face with a furious wild animal, he didn’t appear frightened. No, he looked mad enough to kill the cat.
Outside, now!
Axel heard and ignored Gunnar’s demand as his brother paced back and forth near the front door in full pissed-off puma form. He set Dakota’s plate of breakfast on the table in front of her.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile for him and a worried glance at the cat. “I think he may need to be let out…to go…you know. Unless you have a supersized litter box around here somewhere.”
Axel smiled, though he couldn’t quite bring himself to laugh. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” Gunnar needed to be let out all right, but Axel didn’t relish the thought of what would happen once he was. He’d been bombarded with dire epitaphs and curses since he’d helped Dakota climb down from the loft.
Here lies Axel, the Asshole. Has a catchy ring to it, don’t ya think? Brother, if you don’t get the fuck over here, I’m not gonna wait for the headstone. I’m gonna carve that into your hide! You’re only delaying the inevitable.