Chapter 34 #2
Kai takes a swig from the nearly empty bottle of spring water, expression heated over the rim. “I do want one more thing for Christmas, if we’re in the mood to make dreams come true.”
The expression on his face makes my belly tighten. “What’s that?”
His smile is wide enough to bare teeth. “I want to chase you.”
Iwouldn’t have thought Kai would be the one wanting to go all primal play and hunt me through the woods.
It’s less surprising how eager Noah and Grayson are as soon as Kai says it out loud.
Which is how I find myself tramping through the woods behind Kai’s mansion on Christmas evening, trying to decide how difficult I want to make this for them.
The rules, as established by three very eager alphas, are simple: I get a fifteen-minute head start. Whoever catches me first gets to decide what happens next.
And I can use any means necessary to evade them. If I make it back to the house before being caught, then whatever happens for the rest of the night is up to me.
I’m very much looking forward to demanding a four-way full body massage.
Assuming I don’t let one of them catch me just for the fun of it.
The forest is silent except for the crunch of snow beneath my boots and my lightly exhaled breath.
Twilight has settled over the landscape, painting everything in shades of blue and purple.
I weave between the trees in erratic circles, trying to obscure my footprints to make it harder for them to follow them.
I know Grayson has the best tracking skills and Noah will be the most methodical in his search.
Kai is the wild card—I have no idea what strategy he’ll employ, but I’d be a fool to underestimate him.
When I glanced back during my head start, I saw him heading in the opposite direction from where I was running, which makes no sense unless. ..
Unless he knows these woods better than I thought. Unless he’s setting a trap.
I pause to catch my breath, leaning against a pine tree.
The bark is rough beneath my gloved hands, and the scent of sap fills my nose.
I’ve done too good a job eluding them, I realize with a burst of disappointment.
Their voices have faded into silence, and I can no longer hear their movements through the underbrush.
The whole point was for them to catch me. I’ll be disappointed if I have to deliberately slow down so they can find me.
Maybe I’m getting that massage after all.
A blur of movement up ahead catches me off guard.
For a moment, I think it’s a deer—but then I recognize the silhouette.
Kai is practically flying downhill on his snowboard, weaving between the trees with a grace that would be beautiful if it weren’t so terrifying.
He’s moving so fast that the trees should be a death trap, but he navigates between them like he was born to it.
Shit.
Adrenaline surges through me, and I turn to run. The sound of his snowboard skating over the snow is the only sound apart from my heavy breathing as I sprint through the forest. But my speed is no match for Kai’s athleticism, especially not on this terrain.
I hear him coming up behind me, impossibly fast. Then he slams into me—not hard enough to hurt, but with enough force that I would go flying if he didn’t wrap his arms around me in the same motion.
We’re still moving, still on the snowboard, and I clutch at him reflexively, squeezing my eyes shut as the trees whip past us at a speed that makes my stomach lurch.
“Got you,” he whispers in my ear, his breath warm against my cold skin.
Then we’re stopping, the snowboard skidding sideways in the snow. Before I can get my bearings, Kai has me over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry, striding through the darkness with purpose.
“Where are we going?” I ask, my voice breathless from the run and the proximity to his body. “The house is that way.”
“I want a little more time alone with you before the others find us,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. He’s not even out of breath, despite carrying me through the snow. “Besides, I’ve got somewhere special in mind.”
I crane my neck to see where we’re headed. There’s a small structure ahead that I don’t recognize—a tiny cabin or shed nestled among the trees.
“What is that?”
“Grayson’s hunting blind,” Kai explains. “He built it last summer when he was tracking that mountain lion that kept coming onto the property.”
We reach the cabin, and Kai pushes the door open with his foot, carrying me inside before kicking it closed behind us.
The space is tiny—barely big enough for a couple of people to sit comfortably—but Kai has transformed it.
There’s a pile of blankets on the floor that already smell like me, and a small lantern provides warm, golden light.
“You planned this,” I accuse as he sets me down on the blankets.
“Of course I did.” His smile is unrepentant as he unzips his jacket. “Did you think I was just going to chase you through the snow without a plan for what happens when I catch you?”
“How long would it have taken you to catch me if you’d just followed me directly?”
He pauses, considering. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings by being honest.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Try me.”
“Three minutes, tops.” He shrugs out of his jacket, revealing the tight thermal shirt underneath that clings to every muscle. “But where’s the fun in that?”
I should be offended, but there’s something thrilling about his confidence, about knowing he could have caught me anytime he wanted. Heat pools low in my belly as I watch him remove his gloves, his movements deliberate and unhurried.
“Now,” he says, his voice dropping to a register that makes my skin prickle with anticipation, “I believe the rules state that whoever catches you gets to decide what happens next.”
I swallow hard, suddenly very aware of how small this space is, how alone we are. “And what have you decided?”
Instead of answering, he drops to his knees beside me, his blue eyes dark with intent. “I think you know.”
I do know, but something in me wants to make him work for it. I scramble backward, away from his reach, feeling a rush of excitement when his expression sharpens with predatory focus.
“Still running?” he asks, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine.
“You said you like the chase,” I remind him, my back hitting the wall of the blind. There’s nowhere left to go.
He moves toward me with the fluid grace of an athlete, his body caging mine against the wall. “And you like being caught.”
I struggle against his hold, using all my strength because I know he can easily overpower me. It’s a game, but one that makes my pulse race and my breath come faster. His hands capture my wrists, pinning them above my head as he leans in close enough that I can feel his breath on my lips.
“Do you want to keep fighting?” he whispers, his mouth brushing the shell of my ear. “Or do you want me to tie you down?”
The question sends a bolt of heat straight to my core. “It’s your Christmas present,” I manage to say. “You decide.”
His grin is slow and wicked. “Let’s split the difference, then.”
He keeps my wrists pinned above my head with one strong hand while the other works at the fastenings of my snow pants.
I’m wearing too many layers for this to be graceful, but Kai doesn’t seem to mind.
He tugs at my clothes with single-minded determination, using his legs to keep my lower body still when I squirm.
“You’re wearing too many damn clothes,” he mutters, finally managing to push my pants and thermal leggings down to my knees.
“It’s December in Alaska,” I point out breathlessly. “What did you expect?”
“A little less in the way,” he says, his free hand sliding between my legs. His eyes widen slightly when he feels how wet I already am. “Though maybe this is just the right amount.”
I gasp as he slips a finger inside me, then another, his thumb circling my clit with maddening precision. “Kai—“
“Yes?” he asks innocently, curling his fingers in a way that makes me arch against him.
“Please,” I whisper, not even sure what I’m asking for.
He seems to know, though. He withdraws his hand and fumbles with his own pants, freeing himself before positioning between my legs. With one smooth thrust, he’s inside me, filling me so completely that I can’t help the moan that escapes my lips.
“Fuck,” he breathes, his forehead resting against mine. “You feel amazing.”
He begins to move, each thrust driving me higher. I’m already on the edge after just a few strokes, my body responding to him with an intensity that would be embarrassing if I had any capacity for shame left.
“Kai, I’m going to—“
And then he stops. Completely. His body goes still inside mine, and I whimper in frustration.
“You didn’t think I was going to make it that easy, did you?” he asks, his voice strained with the effort of holding back.
“What—“
“I said I wanted to chase you,” he reminds me, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Not that I wanted to catch you.”
He waits until the frantic beat of my heart slows slightly, gently stroking my cheek with his free hand. Only when my breathing has steadied does he resume his thrusts, the pace deliberately measured now.
“Open your mouth,” he commands, pressing his thumb against my lower lip.
I obey, and he slides his thumb into my mouth. “Suck.”
I do as he asks, hollowing my cheeks around the digit, tasting myself on his skin. He watches me with hooded eyes, his rhythm faltering slightly before he regains control.
He withdraws his thumb with a wet pop and moves his hand between us, finding my clit and rubbing it in circles that have me climbing toward release again in seconds.
“Kai, please—“
Just as I’m about to tip over the edge, he pinches my clit—not hard enough to hurt, but enough to interrupt the building pleasure and keep me hovering on the brink.
“What the hell?” I gasp, indignant.
His smile is pure sin. “I told you I wasn’t going to make it easy.”
“It’s Christmas,” I protest, squirming beneath him. “Have mercy.”
“Hmm.” He pretends to consider this, all while maintaining a steady rhythm that keeps me right on the edge without pushing me over. “I suppose I could be persuaded.”
“Please,” I beg, beyond pride now. “Please let me come.”
He settles his weight more firmly on top of me, his hands tightening on my bound wrists. “You’ll come when I decide you can,” he says, his voice a low growl that makes me shiver. Then his expression softens slightly. “Lucky for you, that time is right now.”
He increases his pace, driving into me with renewed intensity while his fingers work my clit with expert precision. This time, when I feel myself approaching the peak, he doesn’t stop. Instead, he leans down to whisper in my ear.
“Come for me, Holly.”
And I do, my body convulsing around him as pleasure crashes through me in waves that seem to go on forever. Kai follows me over the edge with a groan, his body shuddering against mine as he finds his own release.
For a long moment, we stay like that, tangled together on the pile of blankets, our breathing gradually slowing. Kai releases my wrists and gathers me against his chest, pressing soft kisses to my hair.
“Merry Christmas,” he murmurs.
I laugh, the sound slightly shaky. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Best Christmas ever,” he confirms, pulling a blanket over us both. “Though we should probably head back soon before Noah and Grayson tear apart the forest looking for us.”
I snuggle closer to him, enjoying the warmth of his body against mine. “Five more minutes.”
He tightens his arms around me. “Five more minutes,” he agrees.
“If I didn’t mention that I love your way of being an alpha…I’m definitely saying it now.”
Kai just chuckles and pulls me closer into the heat of his body.