Chapter Twenty-Two
“A re you kidding me?” Maverick spun Lee around and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe.
He hadn’t shaved since yesterday, and the bristles tickled.
Laughing, she threw her arms around his neck. “I hate bullies.” She stepped away and held out her hands, still shaking.
Deirdre raised her arms. “My turn.” A quick hug and she grinned. “That was so beautifully passive-aggressive, it brought a tear to my eye.”
“Killing them with kindness and medical documentation.” Lee batted her eyes.
Maverick stared at Lee. “I can’t believe you did that. All of it.”
“I was in the right place at the right time with the right skill set. Besides, I couldn’t sit around and let them steal your family’s place.”
“You’re amazing.” His blue gaze locked on to hers.
Her neck warmed up. “Welp.”
Another few seconds passed.
Deirdre broke the awkward silence. “ Welp is right.” She pointed with both thumbs toward the front of the house, where slams of car doors and tones of low voices filtered over. With a thoughtful expression and raised brows, his sister studied Lee and Maverick until Lee started to squirm. “Hmm. So. All righty, then. I’m heading out. See you two later this week?”
“Yes!” they both said.
She pulled on boots, grabbed her coat, and swept out the door, whistling a happy tune.
Maverick cupped Lee’s face as he leaned in for another kiss that went on and on until her toes tingled. She inhaled the fresh air and spruce scent that was uniquely his. He kept kissing her.
Until the sound of tromping boots and crutches across the great room floor behind them broke the moment.
Maverick growled, tucked Lee in to his side, and turned. “Need help with luggage?” he asked.
Randy and Nick grunted. The front door slammed shut.
Maverick shot her a sideways grin. “Guessing that’s a no .”
A few seconds later, Lee started to shake in earnest.
“Are you okay?” He pulled out two dining table chairs to face each other and helped her sit in one of them.
She scrubbed her palms over her face. “Shoo wee. I’m not the confrontational type. That was nerve-racking.”
“That was remarkable.”
Dropping her hands, she laughed nervously. “I can’t believe how everything went down.”
He pressed her cold hands between his warm ones. His flannel button-down shirtsleeves were rolled up, showing his corded forearms, dusted in light brown hair. “Thank you. I mean it. You took a professional risk to help.”
For a minute there, nothing had mattered to Lee other than doing the right thing here in Yukon Valley. Blinking hard, Lee said, “All’s well that ends well.”
“Well, partly.” His brows pulled together. “Randy better not poke his head into our business again. But what’s to stop someone else doing the same thing? The issue is payments to the bank. We have to meet our obligations with revenue.”
“How?”
“Bookings. Word of mouth. Good reviews.” He kissed her fingertips and studied their joined hands. “Which we won’t get from this last crew.”
The brush of his lips sent a frisson of pleasure into her chest. “How do you know?”
“Know what?”
“Whether you have a booking?”
“Huh? Well, the website is linked to our reservations software. There was nothing scheduled as of yesterday night.”
“Check again. You never know.” She prayed Tuli had worked his magic as quickly as he’d promised.
“Lee. Come on, now. We won this battle with Randy. Everything else is wishful thinking.” With a shake of his head, he pulled out his phone and opened an app. “Okay.” He tapped. Frowned. Scrolled up and down. Rubbed his chin. “What the hell?”
“What?”
“We set our available dates a year in advance, based on my schedule and Dee’s. Between the two of us, we can free up nine or ten days a month.” He stared at the screen. “I don’t understand. We’re fifty percent booked through June.” He scrolled again. “Wait. Fall hunting season already has reservations.”
“That’s good.”
“Hell yes, that’s good. That’s income we can plan on.” He put the phone on the table. “How? You did this, too?”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “Tuli.” Craving the contact, she pulled his hand to her cheek. “He’s a social media influencer who runs the popular The Real Alaska account, apparently. Lots of connections. And he’s your friend.”
“Why?”
“Why is he your friend or why did he do this?”
Maverick’s stunned expression resembled someone who’d been hit by a two-by-four upside the head. “The second one.”
“I mentioned to him that some exposure might help counteract the incoming jerk reviews.”
“That’s it?”
“Basically.” She paused. “He started mumbling about cross-promoting and calling in favors with influencer friends and ran with it, I guess.”
“Huh.” His brows furrowed. “Should’ve thought of asking him a long time ago.”
“You were busy with an entire business plus running Yukon Valley’s EMS department. No time to refine marketing strategy.”
He looked back down at the phone. “Wow.”
“Also…” She hesitated. It hurt to say the words. “I do understand what it feels like to have a bully take things away. To stand on shaky financial ground and wonder what the future holds. I get it.” With a whisper, she confessed aloud her embarrassment. “I’m there right now. With nothing.”
“Lee.” He drew her hand up to brush his lips across her wrist. “After what you’ve done for my sister and for me, I want to help with your situation.”
For several seconds longer than she cared to say, Lee considered it. Thought about a future in Yukon Valley and out of the financial hole she’d landed in. Thought about what gold and other ore could mean in terms of money. Then she studied Maverick’s handsome, open expression. “I can’t accept the help. It’s tempting, but I need to do this myself. For myself.”
His blue gaze held hers. “I get it. You will get back on your feet, I bet sooner than you think.”
Inwardly, she flinched. He was way too close to the truth. “Sure hope so. For both of us.”
With the pads of his thumbs, he lightly rubbed the backs of her hands. Little sparks of heat zipped up her arms at the simple touch. He closed the short distance between them and dropped a gentle kiss on her mouth as he slid his hands into her hair.
“Mm, feels so good to touch you.” His voice had dropped an octave.
At the sensual tone, heat coiled low in her pelvis. “What now?” she said after another kiss.
He pulled her straight onto his lap, holding her loosely at the hips as he kissed her again. When he curled two corded arms around her back and pressed her into his chest, all of her nerve endings lit up like a Christmas tree. Lee looped her arms around his neck and relaxed into him.
“What now?” he repeated the question in between brushes of his mouth over hers. “No guests.”
“Hang out with the babies?” Her heart scampered as he traced the tip of his tongue over her lips.
“I love the babies, but they’re not you,” he murmured against her mouth. “Hate to miss out on a window of opportunity where both of our schedules line up.”
“Do tell.”
He pulled back, his breath feathering the hair around her face. “I want to continue what we started yesterday. This time without distractions. Any distractions. I want to give you my complete attention.” The way he said the word complete made it sound like a promise and a sensual challenge.
“Oh?” Oh yes , more like it.
“If that’s what you’d like.” His pupils had dilated to the point where only a rim of blue remained.
She shifted on his lap, trying and failing to douse the heat building in her core. Now wasn’t the time for career decisions or an existential evaluation. Now was the time for more kisses. “I’d love that.” He rolled his hips against her, and she gasped. “I’d love all of that.”
His steady gaze met hers as he stood with her in his arms, grasping under her thighs. Lee wrapped her legs around his waist and tightened the grip of her hands behind his neck. Muscles bunched as he carried her across the room. He toed open the door to the master bedroom and gently sat her on the bed.
Like she was as delicate as a snowflake.
She was not. Lee was as tough as one of those icicles hanging from the eaves, formed in harsh conditions over time.
This icicle deserved to melt a little.
Lee licked her lips and grabbed the front of his flannel shirt, throwing him off-balance. They tumbled back onto the bed.
He landed on top of her and scooted her up the mattress, kissing her neck. His fingers spearing into her hair felt like heaven on her scalp.
Their harsh breaths filled the quiet room. Rasps of her fingertips on his unshaved jaw punctuated the wet slide of their mouths together. She loved his growling hunger and the cords of his arms flexing as he leaned over her.
More. Lee wanted more.
She wanted to feel cherished and valued.
She needed to trust this moment and trust her heart.
She deserved pleasure and passion, given by a rugged Alaskan man who was as breathtaking as the wild landscape he lived in.
Above everything else, right this minute, she wanted more of the hot, sexy sensations waking up nerve endings that had slept for years, maybe longer.
Lee wanted Maverick. She fumbled at the buttons on his shirt.
With a big grin, he sat up, unbuttoned the top two buttons, and pulled off the flannel and T-shirt beneath in one delicious motion that flexed muscles of his chest and arms. Light brown hair dusted his skin.
She trailed fingers across a pectoralis and then drifted lower over his abdominals, drawing out a shudder.
Maverick grabbed her wrists. “You’re going to make me lose my mind.”
“That’s the idea.”
“I want that job.”
“You already have two jobs.”
“Yeah, but this makes for a hell of a side gig.” He smoothed his hands under her thermal top until a soft hiss came from her lips. “May I?”
“Does a sled dog like snow?”
Laughing, he helped her sit up long enough to slip the thermal shirt off and remove her bra. The air cooled her hot skin.
Then his hands were everywhere. On her neck, her face, in her hair, drifting down her side, palming her breasts. He rocked his pants-clad hardness into her pelvis and laced her fingers in his above her head.
Then he dipped down to suck one nipple into his mouth, laving the tip with his rough tongue. He gave a gentle bite, and her hips bucked under him. Still sucking her nipple, he lifted up and released her with a wet pop. With a broad smile, he turned his attention to the other breast.
His knees tightened around her hips, holding her thighs together, adding pressure to her core.
“Off,” she said.
He frowned and stopped what he was doing. “You want me off of you?”
“No. Pants. Off.” She gasped.
“Well, if it’s doctor’s orders…” He unbuckled the belt, undid a button, and pulled the zipper down, each metallic tick ricocheting a new shiver down her spine. Then he stopped and shot her a sly smile. “However. Fair’s fair.”
“What? Ohhh.”
In a flurry of movement, he lifted her hips and slid the rest of her clothes off, until all she had on were her wool socks.
“It’s cool in here,” he said. “Want to keep the socks on?”
She sat up and smoothed her hands over his tight glutes that were exposed by the loose waistband. “Do you care?” Tugging his pants down, she reached inside the garment.
His gaze swept over her body. “Not one bit. I was think—”
He bit off the word as she wrapped her fingers around his hard erection. In a split second, Maverick was completely naked, with a condom in his hand and a grin on his face.
He set the condom on the mattress next to her, like a promise about to be fulfilled. Her heart rate sped up. Leaning down, he kissed his way across her abdomen, over her thighs, and back up, stopping short of the heated area that ached for him. Goosebumps followed the trail of his mouth. Restless, unable to find relief, she moved her hips.
His mouth was so close.
A tiny moan slipped out between her lips.
“Would you like to make a suggestion?” He chuckled, watching her from half-mast eyelids as he knelt between her knees.
“More. Please.” She gasped, fisting the bedding near her hip.
Time slowed down as he watched her from where he rested, poised at the juncture of her thighs.
He reached up to meet her hand and laced their fingers together once more.
Then he ducked his head and swept his tongue over her hot flesh.
“Oh my God.” Her lower back arched off the bed with the first lick.
Maverick squeezed her hand and continued to slide his mouth over her, dipping into her core, sliding along the sensitive area between her labia, then back up to stroke her clitoris with the flat of his tongue. She flew along with hisses of air through her pursed lips, bliss dimming the edges of her vision.
He lifted his head and made eye contact. Moisture glistened on his mouth.
Placing two fingers in his mouth, he watched her.
Lee didn’t look away.
His neck and jaw muscles rippled.
Her core pulsed, hips rocking toward him, needing to feel him inside of her, needing… Maverick.
He pulled his fingers out and slid them home in her vagina.
A shower of sparks cascaded through her. “Maverick, I—Please. I need—”
He didn’t move his hand.
Lee pressed her hips up, craving more, wanting to feel movement. He released their clasped fingers and palmed her thigh. Then he gave a sucking lick over her sensitive flesh at the same time as he drew his fingers in and out, the rhythm slowly speeding up, driving her higher and higher.
Lee grabbed the blanket and rode the sensations coiling deep inside of her. He curled his fingers with a strong, sure movement as he flicked his tongue over her clitoris.
Her world exploded in blissful sound and light and sensation as she tightened over and against his fingers for what seemed like hours. Were those her wild cries? Every nerve ending buzzed to life, and she floated on wave after wave of aftershocks until she finally relaxed.
“Oh my God, Maverick.”
“Lee, you are amazing.”