6. Harlan
SIX
HARLAN
We step inside the cabin and I kick the door shut behind us, the heavy wood thudding solidly into place and sealing out the cold night air.
The kiss we started under the stars doesn’t end.
I pull Sunny flush against me right there in the entryway, my mouth claiming hers with every bit of pent up hunger I’ve carried since the moment I hauled her off that spooked horse.
She tastes like sweet honey and the faint trace of the apple cider from dinner, warm and addictive.
Her lips are soft and yielding under mine, parting with a tiny gasp that sends fire racing down my spine.
The scent of her fills my lungs, vanilla and wildflowers mixed with the crisp mountain air still clinging to her hair.
I’ve been wanting her for days. Every bright smile, every quirky little comment, every time her body pressed close during the storm has twisted me tighter until I feel raw with need. She’s sunshine wrapped in soft curves and I want to drown in her.
"Harlan," she breathes against my lips, her voice husky and sweet, fingers curling into my flannel shirt like she needs me to stay right here.
I lift her without breaking the kiss, her legs wrapping around my waist as if they were made to fit there.
She’s warm and light in my arms, her thighs squeezing my hips, the heat of her core pressing against me through our clothes.
I carry her through the cabin to the bedroom, my boots thudding softly on the wooden floor.
The one bed waits in the low glow of the bedside lamp, quilts turned back from earlier.
I lay her down gently, the mattress dipping under our combined weight as I follow her, covering her body with mine.
The feel of her beneath me, soft and willing, makes my cock throb hard against my jeans.
"Been wanting this," I growl against her neck, my voice rough as gravel. I trail open mouthed kisses down the delicate column of her throat, tasting the faint salt of her skin. "Wanting you. So damn bad, Sunny."
She shivers, a full body tremble that I feel everywhere we touch. Her hands roam my back, nails scraping lightly through my shirt. "Then stop waiting, cowboy. I want you too."
My hands move with deliberate slowness, savoring every inch.
I push the heavy coat from her shoulders, then my own, the fabric rustling as it hits the floor.
The borrowed shirt she wears comes next.
I unbutton it one by one, my callused fingertips brushing over the smooth warmth of her skin with each new button.
The firelight from the main room flickers across her body as I reveal her, casting golden shadows over her full breasts and the gentle curve of her stomach.
She’s breathtaking. Soft and flushed and perfect.
I lower my head and close my mouth over one rosy nipple, sucking gently while my tongue swirls around the tight peak.
She arches into me with a breathy moan that goes straight to my groin.
The other breast fills my palm, warm and heavy, her skin like silk under my rough hands.
I knead and tease while my mouth works her, drawing out those sweet, needy sounds that make my blood roar.
"Harlan... oh, that feels so good." Her voice is breathy and full of wonder, that quirky sparkle turning into something deeper and hotter.
I kiss my way lower, my stubble grazing her sensitive skin and leaving faint pink trails.
Her stomach quivers under my lips. I hook my fingers into the waistband of her leggings and slide them down her legs along with her panties, the fabric whispering over her smooth thighs.
She lifts her hips to help me, and when she’s finally bare beneath me I sit back on my heels just to drink her in.
Golden hair spilled across my pillow like sunlight, skin glowing warm and pink, her blue eyes dark with desire as she watches me.
"Perfect," I mutter, voice thick. "You’re so damn perfect, sunshine."
I settle between her spread thighs, the heat of her radiating against my chest. The scent of her arousal is intoxicating, sweet and musky.
I kiss up the inside of one trembling thigh, then the other, my breath hot against her skin.
She squirms, fingers threading through my hair, tugging gently.
When my mouth finally reaches her center I groan at the first taste of her, rich and wet on my tongue.
I lick into her slow and deep, savoring every fold, circling her clit with firm strokes.
Sunny cries out, her hips bucking against my face.
I slide one thick finger inside her, feeling her tight heat clench around me, then add a second.
I pump them steadily while my tongue works her clit, sucking and flicking until her thighs shake around my ears.
The wet sounds of my mouth and fingers fill the quiet cabin, mixing with her gasping moans and the crackle of the distant fire.
"Harlan... yes... right there, please." Her voice breaks on my name, desperate and sweet.
I growl against her, the vibration making her jolt.
I curl my fingers, stroking that spot inside her while I suck harder on her swollen clit.
Her body tightens, thighs clamping around my head, and then she comes undone.
Her back arches off the bed, a long, throaty cry spilling from her lips as her walls pulse rhythmically around my fingers.
I stay with her through every wave, licking and stroking gently until she collapses back against the pillows, breathing hard and trembling.
I kiss my way back up her body, tasting the light sheen of sweat between her breasts, and pull her into my arms. She curls against my chest, still soft and glowing, her hand sliding down my stomach toward my belt with clear intent.
But I catch her wrist gently, bringing it to my lips for a slow kiss. My body aches for her, cock painfully hard and straining, but I hold back. "Not tonight, sunshine."
She looks up at me, cheeks flushed deep pink, eyes hazy with pleasure and confusion. "But I want to make you feel good too."
I shake my head, jaw clenched tight against the roaring need. "You will. Soon. But right now you need your rest. That leg is still healing and the mountain takes everything out of you. I can wait."
She pouts, lips full and tempting, but snuggles closer anyway, her bare skin warm and silky against mine. "You’re too good to me, you big grumpy protector."
I tuck the heavy quilts around us, cocooning her in warmth, and hold her tight. My hand strokes slow circles down her back, feeling the delicate line of her spine. The want still burns hot and deep in my veins, but so does the fierce need to protect her. Even from rushing this. Even from myself.
"Sleep, Sunny. I’ve got you," I murmur into her hair, breathing in her sweet scent.
She sighs happily, already drifting off against my chest. I stay awake longer, listening to her soft breathing, feeling the steady beat of her heart against mine.
This woman has cracked me wide open. And as the cabin settles into quiet around us, I know I’ll guard what we’re building with everything I have. Tomorrow and every day after.