Moonsong, page 23
Cutter watched her in his bed, fatigue warring with the desire she unconsciously stirred within him. “Yeah, we’re home, darlin’. You rest, I’m gonna get cleaned up a bit before coming to bed,” he smoothed the hair back from her forehead.
“Mmmkay,” Millie agreed, smiling up at him drowsily. Cutter left her to build up the fire to a crackling blaze, to take the chill out of the air and heat up some water for washing. Amelia padded into the living room after a few minutes. “Hey, do you need any help with anything?”
“I thought you were going to rest? You didn’t have to get up.” Cutter set a huge tub of water into the fireplace to start warming.
“I got lonely,” she grinned, coming up to lightly rub the back of his shoulders as he set the tub down. “You don’t have a real bathtub? This could get tricky.”
“I do have a bathtub out back I carry in here, but most days I make do with the smaller washtub. I can carry it in if you want a bath.” Cutter reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
“I’m fine, but don’t you want one to soak in after the day you had? Your poor muscles must be all in knots.” Her hands moved over his shoulders firmly, kneading them carefully and Cutter groaned in appreciation.
“Nah, I’ll be fine,” he waved off her concern; he’d lived through worse before, much worse.
“No… I think you’d better go and get the tub,” Millie insisted stubbornly.
“Amelia…” he tried again, but gave up at seeing the look on her face, with a long suffering sigh. “Alright, alright, I’m going.” Pushing himself up to his feet with a groan, he disappeared out the door to drag the mammoth thing in. “I think I’d rather watch you take a bath instead of me,” he grinned, setting the copper tub in front of the fireplace.
“Maybe we can try that next time, but for now you’re the one who needs a hot soak. While we’re waiting for the water to heat up, is there anything that needs stitching up?” Millie moved to stand in front of him, starting to urge his shirt up to get a better look at his wounds.
“I told you I’m fine, a little worse for wear, but nothing a good night’s sleep won’t cure.” But he did nothing to dissuade her from pulling his shirt off, even helping her get it up and over his head with a groan as muscles ached tiredly. “See, nothing too bad.” A roll of the shoulders was given to work the kinks out and his head lolled from one side to the other.
“You look like you could use a massage.”
“You know of anyplace I could get one?” he gave her another grin but Millie shook her head.
“I’d be afraid I might accidentally press on a bruise or a tender spot and hurt you worse than you already are.”
“I’d be willing to take that chance,” he shrugged, but Amelia was already moving to the coffeepot that was bubbled and steamed merrily on the cookstove. Catching up a hot pad, Millie carried it over to the tub and poured it in where it barely covered the bottom. She must have set it to boil when he was out struggling to bring the tub in. “You’re gonna be all night at filling the tub at that rate,” he chuckled.
“This is only the smallest container, you know that,” she poked him in his midsection as she passed him by on the way to refilling the pot.
“Still, wouldn’t it be much better to just clean up a little and get into bed?” Cutter waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“You think you’re up for something like that?”
“If you think a few scrapes and bruises are enough to keep me from making love to my mate, you’ve gone daft, woman,” he snorted and light laughter bubbled from her lips.
“First let me take care of you and then you can have your way with me.”
“I like the sound of that,” Cutter agreed readily enough, wrapping his arms around her waist, drawing her near.
“I can’t believe it’s really over; you really won and we can be together. No more looking over our shoulders or having to answer to anyone else as to what I do and where I go.”
“Your confidence in me is overwhelming,” he muttered dryly; she sounded surprised as hell he’d come through as the victor.
“That’s not what I meant. It wasn’t that I doubted you would win; I just can’t believe it’s all over and done with. All that preparation and we’re free to do whatever we want now,” she sighed, leaning her head against his chest.
Not quite convinced it was as simple as that, Cutter held his tongue, not wanting to spoil anything for her. Time would tell if Adele harbored any ill feelings over the events of the day. “I’m glad it’s over too. Nothing is ever going to take you away from me again,” the promise was given. “Well, I mean, unless you ever decide…” A flicker of hurt flashed through his eyes as painful memories surfaced.
“That’s not gonna happen, we mate for life, remember?”
“I thought you didn’t believe in that stuff?”
“I believe in my heart we’re meant to be together,” she replied earnestly.
“I feel it too,” Cutter nodded, reaching under her chin to tilt her face up to his lips. God help him, he knew he wouldn’t survive it if she ever left him.
*
Chase stretched out in the hot tub with a groan, feeling like he’d been run over by a Mack truck. It hadn’t stopped him from screwing the two girls that had been glued to his side at the party all night, just to prove he could. But he was paying for it now, his body exhausted and drowsy as it diverted resources to heal itself.
“Be careful, you don’t want to fall asleep in there,” Scarlett cautioned, stepping down from the back porch to the pool area.
“Yes, mother,” Chase snorted, tilting his head back to look at her through his one good eye.
“Can I get you anything?”
“How about a morphine drip?”
“I meant more along the lines of something to drink or eat.”
“I’ll take a bottle of Jack…”
“You need to stay well hydrated; alcohol will only make you feel worse in the long run.”
“Not if I keep drinking it,” he smirked.
“Your face looks awful,” Scarlett frowned, examining the damage.
“Thanks, you really know how to kick a guy when he’s down. You want to criticize my table manners too? My driving skills?”
“Oh stop… none of it looks permanent, he didn’t knock out any teeth; you’ll just be sporting some interesting bruises for a while.”
“You should see the rest of me, more colorful than a Christmas tree.”
“But how are you really? Are you alright?”
“Is that a trick question?” he pointed to his face.
“I meant you lost everything you fought for all these years, and Amelia, did you love her?” her voice dropped sympathetically.
“I feel… less bad than I would have thought; almost relieved in a way.”
“Really?” she blinked in surprise.
“For the first time in as long as I can remember, I don’t have any expectations laid on me, I can do… whatever. I can take off and see the world, I can get a job or go to school, I don’t have to be Adele’s ‘bastion of strength’ for chrissakes, I’m… free,” he sighed, sinking lower into the hot water.
“What about Millie?”
“Millie…” Oddly enough it stung his pride, but less than he would’ve thought to lose out on her too. “She’s better off where she is. There was a spark there, I’m sure of it; maybe if things had gone differently… but did you see the way she was with him tonight? I never had a chance there, not really.”
“Then you weren’t in love with her?”
“Love? Who the hell knows? I wanted her, sure, but love?” As numb as he was at the moment, Chase wasn’t sure he was even capable of love. And that was probably for the best, love made people do crazy things. Better to stick to emotions he knew more about, like lust.
“Good then, it’ll be easier for you,” Scarlett gave him a sad smile.
“Yep, easy peasey lemon squeezy,” he grinned; his head lolling back to look up at the night sky.
“Have you talked to Gran since we got back? I’m surprised she didn’t join the feast.”
“I haven’t seen her. I’m not really looking forward to facing her, you know?” The grim look returned to his face.
“You don’t think she’ll be angry with you, do you? You tried your best after all, that’s all anyone can ask of you.”
“What do you think? You know how she gets.” Chase did his best not to dwell on what couldn’t be changed. Adele might as well learn to accept it gracefully and move on.
“Yeah… I do,” Scarlett frowned.
*
Cutter leaned back into the copper tub, the steaming water sloshing with the movement, a long, drawn out sigh escaping him. For all the fussing and complaining during the heating process, he had to admit, it did feel good. Millie knelt beside him, lazily swirling a soapy washcloth over his chest.
“I could get used to this,” he groaned.
“What, taking baths?”
“Being attended to by a beautiful woman.”
“Just so long as it’s this woman,” Amelia countered, her voice light and teasing.
“I wasn’t planning on starting a harem.”
“Good, there are some things I don’t like to share.”
“Me neither, just so we’re clear.” He’d never thought himself to be a particularly jealous man. With Celia he’d never even suspected she didn’t love him and was stepping out behind his back. The thought of another man even looking at Amelia in a covetous way was enough to make his blood boil.
“Baby, you don’t have a thing to worry about,” she promised, washcloth swirling lower.
“Mmm, who says I’m worried?” he made a different kind of groan, eyes sliding shut at her touch.
“Good, you’ve earned some rest and relaxation I’d say.”
“Too bad it’s so cold outside, there are these hot springs not too far from here; you could join me in a hot soak.”
“You know, they do have these new fangled tubs that are big enough for two,” Millie grinned.
“Who says you need something new? Sometimes the old ways work just fine.” Without bothering to open his eyes, his arm snaked around her waist and drew her into the tub across his lap.
Letting out a squeal of surprise, Amelia squirmed for a moment before resting against his chest. “You rat!” she punched him lightly on the shoulder.
An unrepentant grin was on his face as his hands settled over her hips possessively. “What? I thought you wanted to wash me, I’m giving you better access.”
“Ah, I can actually reach less of you at the moment,” Millie pointed out, hands skimming over his chest and stopping where her behind sat over his midsection.
“Hmm, you do have a point there,” he admitted, eyes snapping open. “We’ll have to try something else then.” Sitting up a little, he shifted her until she lay atop him, pressed against him intimately along the length of his body with a slosh of water.
“We’ll make a mess,” Millie laughed, peeking over the sides where the spilled water pooled on the old wood floor. Hands already hiking up the white skirt of her dress that lay plastered to her body like a second skin, he skimmed over her bare flesh, raising goosebumps everywhere he touched.
“I don’t care,” he growled, suddenly seized with the need to possess her. Not enough room to straddle him in the copper tub, she made a little sound of frustration, hands sliding between their bodies to reach lower. Cutter gave a sharp intake of breath at that touch. More than anything he wanted to slide into her velvet heat, lose himself in her again and again. Fingers delved deep, shoving the scrap of lace aside to make her ready for him.
“Want you…” she gasped at the touch, chasing after his mouth with hers.
Meeting her kiss with growing passion, he wanted to devour her; consume her, body and soul. “Need you…” his voice rough with desire, Cutter withdrew his hands long enough to grasp her hips. “Turn over,” he ordered, already starting to turn her body before she caught on to what he wanted and assisted him in changing position.
With her back to him now, a shift of the hips and he was buried to the hilt within her. Hands on her waist, he kept her there for a long moment, binding her to him, savoring the sweet torment of her honeyed walls.
She ground her backside into him, that little movement making him lose the veneer of restraint, and he took control, with long, deep strokes that sloshed the water out of the tub with each movement. Head falling back against him, there was little for her to do but lay back and enjoy the ride as he slowly stoked the fire between them. Millie arched and ground back against him, urging him to move faster.
She was driving him insane when he was trying his damnedest to take things slow and last a little longer, instead of pounding into her like an animal, the way every instinct was telling him to. Every little twitch of her hips sent a new jolt of pleasure through him that was getting difficult to ignore. Her little breathy pants and the way she moved drove him closer and closer and Cutter gritted his teeth, determined to have her find her release before he let himself lose control. Unable to hold out any longer, he spilled into her with a guttural cry, teeth scraping against her shoulder.
Millie tumbled after him, leaving no doubt she’d found her own release from the sound of her cries. “Good thing we don’t have neighbors nearby,” she gasped weakly, collapsing against him.
Cutter could care less if anyone heard the sounds of him pleasuring his woman, but his chest rumbled with amusement at her concern. “Does that mean you want to stay out here and not move into town?”
“Move into town?”
“Well yeah, I assumed you’d want something a little bigger, not to mention a place with the little luxuries like electricity and indoor plumbing.” He kissed her temple and then lolled his head back, not wanting to move yet, enjoying the feel of her body against his.
“Really? You wouldn’t mind finding a little place in town? I know you love it out here, and there’s your work to consider.”
“I loved my peace and quiet, but with you here… it sort of defeats the purpose of a place out in the middle of nowhere,” he chuckled. “A bigger place will give me a little solitude when I want it, and give you space to stretch out as well. And the house has a shop out back I can use for workspace, so you don’t have to worry about wood shavings everywhere.” Though he wouldn’t mind a little scolding from time to time, he realized with a grin.
“Then you already have a place in mind?”
“I still have the old homestead. It’s been sitting vacant for a while and could probably use some updating, but it’s a lot more modern than this place and it’s plenty big for a family. That is, if you like it.” Cutter hadn’t been back there since he’d shut the place up years ago, but as far as he knew the place was still standing. He assumed someone would’ve come to tell him if it had burnt down or been damaged by storm.
“That’s where you lived when you were first married before?”
“Mmmhmm. Would that bother you, living there?” It hadn’t occurred to him she might not like the house for that reason until just then.
“I… don’t know,” Millie answered honestly. “I don’t think so, but I guess we’ll have to check it out and see. Is all her stuff still there?”
“A lot of it is. She didn’t take all that much with her when she left.”
“And your son’s things?” she asked softly, hand seeking out his.
It was harder to think about being around the constant reminders of his son’s disappearance, but at the same time, he was tired of running from them. Maybe it was time to finally lay those memories to rest. “Yes, Ian’s room is just how he left it that day,” he replied, squeezing her hand back.
Leaning back to kiss the underside of his jaw, Amelia feathered her thumb over the back of his hand. “We can keep it that way, if that’s what you want.”
“We’ll see, no sense in planning too far ahead before we take a look at the space and see if it’s a place you can see yourself living at.”
“As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we live,” she smiled up at him, delivering another soft kiss to his neck. “But right this moment, I think we’d better dry off and relocate to the bed before the water cools off any more or we’re gonna regret it.”
“Ever practical,” Cutter kissed her cheek and obliged by lifting her gently to assist her out of the tub to drip onto the water soaked floor.
“Your poor floor,” Amelia’s sigh turned into a shiver as the wet dress rapidly cooled, clinging to her skin in an unpleasant way and she struggled to peel out of it.
“It’s only water; it’s been through worse over the years,” Cutter shrugged away her concern, stepping out beside her to drip dry in front of the fire. “Come here, darlin’, you look pretty cold.” Stretching out his arms he enfolded her into his embrace, rubbing his hands over her cooling arms.
“Don’t you have any towels?”
“I have a towel somewhere,” he frowned, regretting not planning more carefully. He didn’t care for himself, but Cutter worried as her teeth chattered. “Here…” letting go of her long enough, he found the discarded extra quilt and wrapped it around her body, drawing her close again. “Better?”
A nod, Millie closed her eyes. “Let’s get into bed, okay? I feel like I could sleep for a week. You must be exhausted too; I thought your body shut down when you were healing?”
“It does, but I didn’t lose nearly as much blood today as when I fought that mountain lion and you followed me home.”
“Helped you home you mean.”
“Pushed your way into my life,” he smirked, unable to resist goading her a little bit. “Most of the damage today is painful but superficial; plus, not downing a third of a bottle of bourbon helps keep me on my feet.”
“Still, it’s late,” Amelia yawned. “Come on, let’s get you into bed.”
“No arguments from me,” Cutter reached down and cupped her ass, drawing her tight against his body.
