Arctic Winds (11 page)

Warm pleasure rushed through Samantha at the words “family gatherings”. Samantha knew Laurie didn’t intend to include her in the comment, but it still gave her a happy feeling. She allowed herself to pretend, if only for a moment, she was a part of Jason’s family.

“I’m glad you’re safe.” Jason snuggled closer to her in the backseat and bit her shoulder hard enough for a small yelp to escape.

“Hey, no hanky-panky in the backseat of my car unless it involves me and a hunky blond!” Laurie cautioned from the front seat.

“Laurie, I don’t want to hear this,” Jason groaned, causing Samantha to giggle again. It felt nice to be sheltered in Jason’s arms in the company of friends. Snuggling more securely in Jason’s embrace, Samantha let his scent surround her and her worries drifted away.

* * * *

Jason looked at the sleeping woman in his arms. She appeared to have slept no better than him last night. As selfish as it seemed, Jason felt a surge of joy thinking she had fared no better being away from him than he had. Laurie pulled into Jason’s driveway and glanced back.

“I’ll let you inside. Tell her not to worry about work, I’ve got her covered,” Laurie said before opening the doors and allowing him to carry his precious bundle inside. Laurie quietly shut the door behind him and left without another word. She really was a great sister. He’d have to think of some way to thank her in the near future.

True to his word, as soon as he laid Samantha on his bed, he removed the offending clothes.

Once she was completely naked, he gently pulled back the covers and tucked her inside. He was tired. Not only had he not slept, his soul was weary from the scare he’d received this morning. He knew it couldn’t have been any less traumatizing for Samantha, being caught in a strange shifter town in her animal form. Jason remembered her abject terror a few weeks ago when discovering she’d stumbled into a wolf den. It was no wonder she passed out in the car.

Pulling off his own clothes, Jason crawled into bed in his boxers and pulled Samantha into his embrace. Comforted by the feel of her curling into him, her hand resting over his heart, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t forgotten about Cody or his private farewell to Samantha, but there was plenty of time to get to the bottom of that mystery later. Right now, there was nowhere else he wanted to be but next to his little fox.

Chapter 11

Jason wasn’t sure if it was the lack of Samantha’s warm body pressed against him or his own internal clock that woke him after only an hour and a half of rest. Whatever woke him, he was furious to discover Samantha was not only not in his bed, but not in his house at all.

Jason stormed out of his house and jumped into his car. His anger grew the closer he drew to the bookstore. He rushed inside, determined to find Samantha. How dare she leave him after the scare he’d had this morning? A scare
she
had put him through. He stopped short when he saw Laurie making coffee behind the bar. Panic started to set in after he realized Samantha wasn’t there.

Where could she have gone? He didn’t think she would take off again. Even in his anger, Jason hadn’t forgotten how happy she’d been to see him earlier, or how she had clung to him almost desperately. Samantha had had a scare today, too, and he couldn’t picture her taking off on her own again anytime soon.

“Laurie, have you seen Samantha?” Jason bit out, walking to the counter. He resented having to admit he’d lost his mate for the second time in twenty-four hours. It was his job to make sure Samantha was safe and cared for.

“No, but I thought I heard the shower running upstairs a few minutes ago,” Laurie responded.

“Thanks,” Jason choked out. Why hadn’t she showered at his house? Jason was fed up with all the uncertainty he was feeling. It was time to lay his cards on the table and tell her that he wanted her as his mate. That he never wanted to spend another night without her. That he wanted her to move in with him and be his partner for life.

Tonight
, he decided. He’d cook her dinner, set a romantic scene and ask her to spend her life with him. He would spend every moment of his life thanking whatever force had brought her to him…if she said yes.

Jason turned around, intent on planning his seduction, when a tall woman barreled into him, almost tackling him to the ground. He grunted at the impact, his arms automatically closing around the woman and preventing them from falling over.

“You’re losing your touch, old man, we almost fell over,” the woman said as he righted them. He looked into familiar hazel eyes. He couldn’t help but return her smile as he pulled her into his arms for a tight hug.

* * * *

Samantha rushed out of her apartment after taking a hurried shower and changing out of the clothes Cody had loaned her. She had hated leaving Jason’s bed after she woke up safe and secure in his embrace, but she knew she had to get to work. She felt bad enough about getting lost this morning. Missing more work wasn’t an option.

Samantha wasn’t exactly a morning person, but she could easily see it becoming her favorite time of day if she got to wake up in Jason’s arms every morning. She had such a sense of comfort there; she felt cherished for the first time in her life. Briefly worrying she might be projecting her wants and desires onto the situation, Samantha decided there was no harm in a little fantasy. She was already in love with the man. If her heart was going to be broken in the end anyway, she might as well throw her hopes into the mix, too.

Simply allowing herself to hope lifted Samantha’s spirits. She hadn’t hoped for anything since she was a little girl. She’d almost forgotten how hope’s warm glow felt like a blanket wrapping her in its embrace and telling her everything was going to be all right. The world seemed to have taken on new life.

Feeling even lighter of heart than she had when she’d left Cody’s house with Jason, Samantha walked through the door of Books and Crannies, only to feel her heart shatter and fall to her feet in pieces. The scene before her had the same effect as a bucket of cold water.

So this is what heartbreak feels like
, Samantha thought as she watched Jason smile down at the brunette in his arms. She knew what was between them couldn’t have lasted forever, but it was a blow so soon after waking up feeling loved.

It hurt to admit it, but she had begun to think he was in love with her. But looking at Jason’s face as he gazed at the woman in his arms, Samantha knew she saw true love in his features. He looked so pleasantly surprised.

The woman was stunningly beautiful in a soft, feminine way. Judging by her scent, she was full human. She was tall, her head coming up to Jason’s chin, causing her to fit perfectly in his arms.

Her reddish brown hair fell down her back in a gentle wave, and delicately arched eyebrows framed her smiling hazel eyes. She smiled up at Jason and he smiled back at her. Samantha watched as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture she knew meant affection. A gesture she had thought Jason reserved only for her. The woman was gorgeous in a way Samantha could never be.

Swallowing a sob, Samantha backpedaled out of the store. She heard Jason call her name as the doors closed behind her, and she ran to her apartment, refusing to stop. All she could think about was leaving. Staying in town, being forced to watch Jason with his new lover, was more pain than she could withstand.

Jason closed a hand on her shoulder as she was fumbling with her keys, and she almost collapsed as Jason turned her to face him. Tears trailed down her cheeks, and she bit her lip to hold in the scream threatening to break free.

“Oh, honey.” Jason’s rough voice held sympathy and pain as he looked down at her tenderly.

“It isn’t what you think, little heart. That was Julie, my—” Samantha didn’t let him finish as she sobbed out her reply. “It’s okay. Honestly. I knew you’d find your mate eventually.” She couldn’t finish as her knees gave out under the weight of her despair. She felt the beautiful world of this morning crashing down around her.

* * * *

Jason caught Samantha before she hit the ground and carried her into the apartment. He felt her hot wet tears against his neck and his heart broke for her. He had wanted to woo her and romance her when he finally took her as his mate, but waiting to tell her his intentions wasn’t an option anymore. Seeing her grief and knowing he had caused it, even unintentionally, was like a knife in his chest.

Jason gently set her on the bed and crouched down, looking up at her.

“Little heart, please stop crying. You’re killing me. You are my heart, my soul, my life. You are everything to me, my entire world.”

Samantha stopped crying as his words sank past her grief, and she stared at him in wide-eyed amazement. Tear tracks ran down her face, and every now and then a small sob would escape.

“The woman I saw you with downstairs?”

“That was Julie, my baby sister.”

“I’m not stupid, Jason. That woman down there is human, not wolf.”

“My father is human. Most of us are wolves like my mother, but my sister didn’t get the shifter gene. She is full human, but she’s still my sister.” Jason tenderly cupped Samantha’s cheek with one hand and wiped at the tears with his thumb. “I love you, little heart. You are the one I want to wake up to every morning until my dying day. I can’t even begin to imagine my life without you. Samantha, I wanted to set a romantic scene tonight, but I don’t want to wait another minute before asking you to join your life to mine. To be mate to my wolf and wife to my man. You would make me the happiest man on the planet if you say yes.”

Samantha opened her mouth but no sound came out. She took a moment, swallowed and tried again. “You…you love me?” She looked like she couldn’t quite believe she’d heard him correctly.

“More than anything.” Jason expected at least a smile and was shocked when instead Samantha burst into renewed tears. “Oh no, please don’t cry, Samantha. If this is too much, I’ll wait. Whatever you want, just please, stop crying.”

Samantha laughed through her tears and launched herself off the bed at Jason, causing him to topple over with her on top. She straddled him and ran kisses all over his face and neck. Her lips were wet with her tears, which continued to run down her cheeks. Jason closed his eyes, savoring the feel of Samantha. His love swelled in his chest making his heart beat faster.

“I love you so much. I thought—” Samantha’s breath hitched as she rubbed her face against his neck. “I thought we were just fooling around. I didn’t think you’d want me forever.” Jason stroked her from thighs to waist.

“You are perfect for me. Why would I not want you forever?” Samantha rose and looked him in the eye. The naked vulnerability on her face called on every protective instinct inside him. “No one ever has. I couldn’t understand why you would be different.”

“Oh, little heart.” Jason’s soul cried for the woman who’d had no one but herself for so long.

He rolled them, together, his body covering hers, and gently swept her white blond tresses off of her face. “You will never be alone again. I’m going to spend the rest of our lives making sure you get the love you deserve. That is if you say yes. You still haven’t answered my proposal.”

“Yes! Yes, yes and yes!” Samantha laughed right before rearing up and clasping her lips to his in a passionate kiss.

Samantha had wanted to claim him as her mate right there, but Jason wouldn’t let her. He sent her down to work and gathered her things from the apartment. She might not know it yet but she was moving into his house immediately. He had a lot of work to get done before tonight, and although his proposal could no longer be included in the romantic evening he had planned, he still had seduction in mind.

* * * *

Samantha rang the doorbell to Jason’s house nervously. She didn’t want to walk in like she owned the place, but she felt strange ringing the doorbell. Jason opened the door and looked at her with a frown.

“Why are you ringing the doorbell? This is your house now, too.”

“I didn’t want to assume and just walk in,” Samantha explained as he held the door open wide for her to enter. Candles cast the room in a hazy glow and white roses decorated the coffee table where a romantic dinner sat. Jason closed the door and stepped behind her. His breath fell on her neck as he steered her inside.

They barely got the door closed when Jason tore Samantha’s clothes from her body.

Samantha turned around and participated, tearing at Jason’s clothes in turn until they were both naked and panting for breath. Jason pulled her to the floor, turned her around, and thrust into her from behind. The feel of his naked cock inside made her even hotter as she pushed her backside against him in time with his thrusts.

Jason swept her hair to one side, exposing her neck. Samantha knew what was coming and shivered in anticipation. After this moment, she would be linked with him forever. After this moment, she would never have to worry about being alone again. Jason would be hers and no one could tear him away.

As his body covered hers, she arched into his heat. His breath caressed the sensitive part of her shoulder where it sloped into her neck. As his teeth sank into her, breaking the skin and releasing the mating activator, he continued to thrust into her from behind. Samantha jerked, feeling him possessing her completely, and then she exploded in a multitude of colors. She’d never felt anything like it as her world frayed around the edges. Jason howled as he came inside her, the power of her release causing his.

They collapsed on the floor, panting and sweaty, as Jason leisurely stroked her side.

Samantha struggled to get her wits back, but Jason seemed in no hurry to get up as he kissed her sensitive shoulder and rubbed his lips against the bite mark. It continued to bleed for a moment before closing up. Two small scars were the only sign it had been there at all.

“I love you, my mate,” Jason whispered against her ear.

Samantha smiled, turning in his embrace. “I love you, too,” she whispered against his mouth before crushing her lips against his. She kissed him with every ounce of emotion she felt, and when she finally pulled away, they were both breathless with desire.