Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ALENA
Eight months later
“What?” I laugh. “They’re cute on him.”
“Yeah, just what every dog wants,” Loch grumbles. “Descended from wolves, apex predators, only to be cute in the snow with little puppy fur boots on.”
Mutt tilts his golden head. His paws in said tan furry boots, stand by the door to my cabin, watching Mom and Dad have a cute fight while he’s patient about it.
“Oh, come on.” I reach for Loch’s tapered waist, tugging my grumpy bear into a hug. “He has to wear snow boots. It’s icy outside, and those are cute. Just like his daddy.”
Loch peers down at me, as thrilled for this as he’d be for a root canal. “The ones I had for him are just fine.”
I beam, “But it’s Valentine’s Day, and I wanted to give our little boy something special.” I nuzzle into Loch, hugging my warm mountain of marble. “I got something for you too.”
He kisses my hair, muttering, “I’m the man. I bought you the Valentine’s gifts, and we’re waiting to celebrate until tonight.”
“Oh, okay, Mr. Man.” I glance around our cabin. “Who’s waiting?”
Outside, snow blankets the mountains. Icicles dangle from pine needles. White flurries meander down the horizon, the remnants of the winter storm that froze the soaring landscape in stillness last night.
The icy brilliance outside contrasts the warmth inside. The white furry blankets on our bed. The electric fire always heating the room. The empty mugs of hot chocolate on our kitchen table.
This morning, I woke up to three dozen red roses decorating our cabin, and Loch holding one.
He teased its velvety petals over my naked body until I roused enough for him to feast between my legs.
Then, he flipped me over and made me grab the headboard while he seized my hips.
It’s my favorite position because it unleashes his beast and my screaming pleasure.
I don’t know where he hid the roses. He’s too good at subterfuge. But it’s not even noon, and it’s been my best Valentine’s Day ever.
Not that there’s any competition, but I believe in gratitude.
“You already spoiled me this morning,” I coo. “Roses everywhere. Two morning orgasms, hot chocolate, pancakes, and cuddles. What more could a girl want?”
He grins. “Four orgasms. You know I always give ’em to you.”
“But I had to pee.”
His grin only grows. Devilish. Deviant. Delicious and hot.
“Oh no.” But I laugh. “That’s never going to be my kink. Yes, we’re exploring, but not that.”
He yanks my waist, tugging me closer. “Just remember: whatever my Babygirl wants, it’s my pleasure to give.”
“Speaking of…” I drag my fingertip down his hunter green sweater. The smell of his cologne and soap from his morning shower—sweet tobacco and vanilla—soaking its cotton threads and my senses. “I have a Valentine’s gift for you.”
“Alena, I told you, I’m the man. It’s my privilege to spoil you.”
Oh, and he does.
I love how Loch has made every holiday magical, just as he makes random days. I know his kink is giving pleasure, but it’s been as if his heart has needed to prove something to me, when all I need is his hand holding mine while we sleep.
But it makes him happy.
All the lust bombs.
And the love bombs.
Every day for months, Loch has been over-the-top with the romance, and I let him because it finds us spilling into our bed every night.
Last Fourth of July. My August birthday. Halloween. Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Year’s. Even the autumn equinox and the winter solstice, and our “fuckaversaries”—the eleventh of every month. When we first… you know.
That’s what Loch calls them.
He makes every day feel special.
Even our little fights over olive oil versus avocado oil. How to fold a bath towel. The remote: Loch wins that one. Or the snow boots for Mutt’s paws today. I won that one as Loch cursed under his breath while our sweet dog let me adorn him in après-ski puppy wear for our afternoon winter hike.
“But I like spoiling you too,” I insist, pulling away from his grasp to turn toward my dresser. It’s not easy hiding stuff from a man when you share a tiny cabin with him, but I have Vale as an accomplice for life.
Loch’s thrilled when we get her monthly shipment of sex toys to our door, but I managed to hide this before he saw it.
“What is it?” He laughs when I hand him a gift box, wrapped in pink cartoon penis paper.
I pucker my lips. “Our plans for tonight. And don’t tell me you’ve already made them because so have I.”
The ribbon and paper don’t stand a chance against his bearpaws. In seconds, he’s mauled the box open, staring at my gift: a red lace bodysuit with a matching mask.
“Don’t think it’ll fit me,” he jokes but knows what it means.
“You’re right.” I tempt him. “I think I’ll look beautiful in it tonight when we finally fuck online.”
His eyes lift from my gift to find my excited stare.
It’s sure, sexy, and so ready for this. It makes the light in his aqua eyes shift from aroused to adoring.
Loch knows it’s taken me months to build up my confidence, and he’s been every brick. Every tender word. Every loving touch. Every sexy caress. Every dirty taunt and intimate step we’ve taken to get to this point.
We explore in bed, privately, before we do a little online for our fans. @LuvPounder and @DirtTGirl have captured the hearts of thousands. Their leather-and-lace romance adds to the kinky things we do for our fans.
It usually involves Loch dominating me with toys and his tongue, our faces hidden behind masks while he makes me come for our audience.
But so far, we’ve kept our most intimate acts between us. I know he’s protecting me. Cherishing me. It’s how he fucks me, too, with so much passion, it makes us cry. I’ve wanted us to go faster, but Loch wanted to worship me. It’s like he’s worried I’m leaving him when I’m forever his.
“Until you feel like a queen,” he’s said, and I finally do.
I feel like Loch’s queen.
Holding the gift in hand, he cups my cheek, searching my eyes. “You know it now, don’t you, Alena? That you’re so goddamn beautiful and breathtaking.”
“Because of you.” Emotion wells in my eyes. “Because I’m yours, Loch Waring.”
Tossing my gift on the bed, he kisses me like he doesn’t care if we fulfill a kinky fantasy tonight. All he cares about is that I feel beautiful enough to do it with him.
And god, do I ever.
Gone are the cruel words written across my body. Loch’s touch has erased them, leaving an empty canvas for me to color my world with love and passion and power.
It makes me moan into his kiss, assuring him it’s what I want. More than want, my desire demands it. Reaching down, I stroke his swelling erection under his insulated pants. We’re dressed for snow but sweating, anticipating.
“Fuck, Babygirl, you make me ache in the best way.” He cups his hand over mine, his hot lips teasing, “But we need to save the rest, so I can cover you in it tonight.”
Sherwin-Williams paint, step aside.
I love it when Loch marks me as his.
And so do our fans.
Lust sparks through my veins. Erotic visions of what we’ll do. Me in red lace. Him in black leather. Our desire, dripping in white. It makes my sex instantly wet, my breath excited—just like his.
But Mutt whines by the door, insisting now is not the time for afternoon delight. I let Loch take us on a hike instead.
Before we leave, I have to check my voicemails. Patiently, Loch waits at the open door, knowing why.
We’ve had two more rescues in the park since I rescued Sasha last year, but they were lost hikers, not a young, naked woman who haunts my waking thoughts.
Loch feels the same. We scour the park for leads, and I check my voicemail twice a day, hoping for an update from the Feds. But like today: nothing.
You’d think the silence would give us peace. But it’s the opposite. It’s like stepping on a landmine. It’s safe until you move.
So I won’t. Sasha knows where we met, and I’m not leaving this park until we’re reunited—me, her, and my mom’s bracelet.
An hour later, Loch and I have the park to ourselves. Because of the ice, roads are closed. Campgrounds are empty. No one but staff is permitted in the forest. With snow chains on our truck, he parks at the bottom of the mountain for our short hike on the empty road, up to the falls.
“Goddamn, he looks ridiculous.” Loch shakes his head at the sight of Mutt, prancing up the hill in trendy puppy boots. “His doggy dick is shriveling up,” he mutters. “So help us God if you ever put a fucking bow on his head.”
But I’m laughing so hard, doubling over. It’s hilarious how cute Mutt looks, and how pissed Loch is about it.
“Oh no!” I grab my crotch.
Loch turns to me, grinning, suddenly on board for this ridiculousness. “You’re gonna pee, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not.”
Yes, I am. I dash into the woods, crunching over snow, cursing my winter layers and making a thousand deals with God and my bladder until I can drop trou.
“It’s our little secret, Allen!” Loch shouts over my splatter. “Does this mean you’re officially mine?”
“I’m making yellow snow for you, so yes! You have to love me!”
His laughter booms through the frozen forest, mixing with the tinkling sound of ice. He’s still laughing after I clean my fingers with snow before shoving them back into my gloves.
“Come on.” He reaches for my hand to warm it. “Let’s go see the frozen falls. That’ll really make you piss yourself.”
“Loch!” I fuss.
“Oh, come on, Babygirl.” He leads us down the snowy steps. “You know I love you and your hamster bladder.”
“Whatever, Waring. You better check the sheets for snakes tonight,” I joke, but we’re suddenly silenced by the sight of the falls, its usual roar captured, frozen in columns of ice.
The river, stilled and covered in white.
The rocks, dripping with mammoth icicles.
The trees, draped in crystals. It’s a horizon of diamonds, sparkling in the sun.
I stare, marveling, always stunned silent by nature. As is Loch.
“God.” I sigh. “It’s so beautiful.”
“She sure is.”
I turn to find Loch on his knee beside me, red rose petals, he must’ve hidden in his jacket pocket, tossed on the snow beneath us. In his massive fingertips, a gleaming ring. Its gem, capturing the winter light, green and brilliant, making me blink back sudden tears.
Because they’re in his aqua eyes too.
“I’m tethered to you, Alena Allen. You have my body, heart, soul, and love.” His gloveless hand shakes, not cold, only reverent with his question. “Will you please marry me, so I can give you forever too?”
My tears spill, threatening to freeze on my cheeks. “I… I…”
I never thought this would happen to me.
I’d lie on the beach, dreaming of this. That a man, as beautiful as Loch, would see me. Want me. Love me.
He’s holding a vow and my heart in his hand, his smile beaming with his gentle command.
“Take off your glove, Babygirl, and say yes, so I can put my ring on your finger.”
“Yes,” I whisper.
Thank you, Fate.
Mom, you’d really love him.