Canyon Wolf Bride Read online

  A wicked smile stretched across his features as he took the knife from her hand, lying it down on the chopping block. Wasting no time, he gathered Paige in his arms. Dropping his head down to hers, he kissed her for the first time.

  “You couldn’t possibly have dreamed of this as long as I have,” he whispered before kissing her again.

  A cozy hum soared through Paige. She thought he tasted of wine and wood smoke and aftershave. When he released her, she touched his face, marveling at the warm, prickly stubble that covered his jaw.

  He smiled, pulling her closer. Her cashmere sweater felt much too hot and itchy.

  Taking her face in his hands, he let her earrings dangle between his fingers. She arched to meet his kiss as he found the back pockets of her jeans, inserting three fingers into each one.

  “God, how I’ve wanted you for so long, Paige.”

  Her gaze met his. She wondered if her eyes were reflecting within his, playing light games. For a split second his brown eyes flashed to icy blue.

  “If you don’t stop, I’ll never get dinner on the table,” she whispered, her voice quivering.

  A low groan escaped his throat as he hugged her tighter, nuzzling her neck like an overgrown teddy bear. “How about I save you the trouble and make you my main course, or better yet, get you on the table.”

  Paige was surprised at his aggressiveness. Exploring this new side to their usual casual friendship was so much fun, she wished she’d given him the green light months ago.

  Sean pulled away to gaze down at her. Paige watched the diamond pendant sparkle in the reflection of his eyes. He kissed her again, reveling in her scent, akin to gardenias, oddly mixed with cinnamon. “Mmm. Did you make cinnamon rolls?”

  “How did you know? I made them early this morning,” she replied gazing up at him, her lips swollen red from his kisses. He swept a golden lock of hair from her cheek as he looked past her heavy lashes, into her sea green eyes.

  “I thought I smelled cinnamon.”

  Paige’s heart hammered as dizziness overwhelmed her. Resting her forehead on Sean’s chest, she took a deep breath.

  “You okay, baby?”

  “I feel a little dizzy. I think the wine made me light headed. It’s really hot in here. You must have made a really good fire.”

  Sean kissed the top of her head, laughing out loud.

  “I think the two of us together made you hotter than any stick of wood and matches.”

  “Maybe I just need to sit down for a minute,” Paige sighed.

  Before Paige could protest, Sean scooped her into his arms and carried her down the hall. Kicking her bedroom door open with a heavy boot, he laid her down on the bed, brushing the hair from her eyes as he kissed her forehead.

  “Feeling better?”

  Paige responded with her eyes closed.

  “Much, thank you.”

  She heard his boots scuffing upon the floor as he walked about, lighting various candles. Soon the bedroom was bathed in a soft, golden glow.

  “I’ll finish dinner while you rest.”

  Paige turned to look at him as he sat on the edge of the bed gazing down at her. Darkness had fallen. Stillness filled the dim room as silent snow fell outside the window. She studied his chiseled face in the candlelight, reaching up, touching his dark whiskers with dainty fingers. Smiling, he took her hand, kissing each finger one by one.

  “Sorry, I didn’t shave,” he said sheepishly.

  “Don’t apologize. You’re incredibly sexy. I’m not hungry. Are you?”

  That was all Sean needed to hear. He leaned over, covering her lips with his, pulling her tongue into his mouth, tasting its sweetness, drinking her desire and feeding his own.

  “I’m hungry for you,” he growled.

  Kicking off his boots, he straddled her on the bed. With practiced hands, he unbuttoned her sweater, his breathing ragged, his hands shaking in anticipation.

  Paige’s chest rose and fell as a slow, tickling heat pulsed through her. She began pushing up on his sweater. He took the hint, raising his arms, throwing it onto the floor. Paige gasped as she saw his chest for the first time, looming over her in the candlelight. She watched his chest heave as his breathing grew heavier. A low growl escaped his throat as he began unbuttoning faster.

  “How many buttons could there be?” he asked, exasperated to no end.

  Paige giggled as she sat up to palm his chest. Her hands seemed tiny on his mass of muscles. His strong arms reached behind her, holding her long hair up in careful fists as he planted tiny kisses along her neck, nibbling at her ears.

  With no more buttons left to conquer, he tossed her furry sweater on top of his own. One handed, he unhooked her pink lace bra, pulling it off as he kissed, nibbled and licked all the way to her full breasts. Taking one swollen breast in his mouth, he sucked as she took in a lung full of air, arching her back. He pulled her onto his lap and undid her jeans, adding them to the growing pile on the floor.

  Rolling over, carrying her beneath him, he laid her on the white down comforter. His thick fingers teased her nipples as he kissed her tender belly, making his way down to her white lace panties. He bit the tiny string that lay on her hip, removing them with his teeth. Paige grabbed a fistful of chocolate hair, writhing beneath him.

  “Lay back. I want you to enjoy this,” he commanded as he sat up, kissing her on the mouth. “Close your eyes.”

  Kissing her eyelids shut, he traced her lips with one finger before working his way back down her body. He never imagined she would taste this good. A myriad of scents attacked him. A medley of cinnamon, sugar, honey, gardenia, milk bath, vanilla, winter wind, and female arousal.

  He flicked his tongue over each nipple as they hardened, turning a bright pink. Holding her breasts in his hands, he reveled at their milky softness as he released one of them, running his hand over her waist, taking a firm hold of her left hip, pulling her to him, claiming her. He had waited so long to take her. The sweetness of the moment was almost unbearable.

  Paige whimpered as Sean touched her mouth. Taking his finger, she softly sucked. He cursed as he continued down her body, man handling her, moving her to the center of the bed. He kissed each hip, then raising one leg, he sucked each toe, one by one as Paige whimpered and cried out. He kissed her ankle and nibbled at her ankle bone. Giggles bubbled out of her.

  “That tickles,” she hissed.

  He responded with a low growl.

  Paige studied his handsome profile as he kissed, licked, and soothed every inch of her calf. With delicious intent, he made his way to the back of her knee, breathing in her warmth.

  “You smell good enough to eat.”

  Sean placed each hand on a creamy thigh, thinking he was near insanity. He didn’t want to rush their love making. He wanted to take his time and savor every inch of his delicacy, but the heat building within him began to steadily pump to his brain until he thought he would go mad from the mere touch of her skin, the sight of her wanton nakedness that he had dreamed of for so long.

  Hopping off the bed, he undid his button flies and in one swift move, kicked off his jeans. Before crawling back into bed, he stopped to drink in her beauty bathed by the wavering candlelight.

  Her green eyes were drunk with lust. Her breath came in waves. Sitting up on her elbows, her knees pointed toward the ceiling, he caught the glint of the tiny heart diamond between her milky breasts. His gaze traveled down her body. She instinctively moved her thighs apart another inch, welcoming him. A blue stone sparkled from her belly button as it caught the candlelight. His maleness hardened at the sight. Crawling to her on all fours, he leaned over her flushed face, kissing her swollen, eager lips, feeding his hunger.

  A voice spoke to him in his head. Don’t bite her. The time will come. He shook his head, forcing the demon out.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

  His tongue teased and explored her lips before diving in, twirling and sucking, tasting the nectar he had craved for s
o long. Paige wrapped her long legs around his middle, begging him inside of her. He forced himself to pull away, looking her square in the eye.

  “Are you sure you want this, baby? I want you to be sure. I can wait if you need more time.”

  Paige shook her head like a mad woman. Pulling his head down for another kiss, her nails dug into his shoulders as he sucked her breast.

  “Please, Sean, please.”

  “Hold on, sugar. There’s more.”

  Sean sat at her feet, spreading her legs out before him. She reached for him. He grabbed her hands, pinning them into the soft down. Her hands disappeared beneath his, surrounded by plush bedding as he began to nibble his delicacy, tasting her sweet juices as they began flowing like hot syrup, teasing his tongue, hardening him further. Her smell was overpowering. The musky sweetness that was only her overtook his senses as he lapped at her center. She rose off the bed, arching into a perfect “U“. He caressed her with his warm mouth, loving her, searching her, finding her at last.

  She exploded into a million tiny prisms of soft candlelight as she clawed at his hair, screaming his name the instant he buried himself inside of her. Cradled in velvet, one with her at last, he closed his eyes, riding her deep and slow. She teased his nipples with her fingertips, caressing his broad chest.

  His heart pounded against her palms. Warm sweat drenched her like a heavy rainfall, falling from his forehead, temples, and neck. His chest glistened and shone in the candle-glow as he pulled her to a sitting position to face him. Wet, chocolate hair clung to his jaw and neck. Strong, calloused hands cradled her face while he covered her cheeks with fiery kisses.

  Tasting herself mingled with Sean’s sweat only aroused her more. He pushed her rump into him, needing and wanting to get closer and deeper. Their legs intertwined as they rode a rising wave. Unleashing a growl, he bit into her shoulder, careful not to cut the skin, as he drove into her, intoxicated with desire. Drunk from her taste, he teetered over the edge. Crystalline, glorious rapture engulfed his body as he wrapped his arms fully around her, shielding her from what was yet to come. Begging her to join him, she too careened into ecstasy. With her hands on his face, kissing and gasping, she held on tight, losing her breath and her mind and her soul.

  He buried his face into her long hair, now soaked and clinging to him, wrapped around his shoulders and arms. Resting on his chest, she listened to his heartbeat return as it slowed to normal. As if she were a porcelain baby doll, he gathered her to him, gently rolling her to her side, still inside of her, not wanting to lose one second of closeness with the woman he had loved for so long.

  ****

  The full moon hid behind a cover of snow clouds as Sean walked into Coming Wind’s exhibit. He hoped he wasn’t underdressed in khaki pants and a crisp white shirt with a dinner jacket thrown over his shoulder. He took in the low murmurs and the clinking of wine glasses as waiters in tuxedos passed through the crowd, offering wine and champagne.

  She was at the far end of the room with Coming Wind, laughing and shaking hands with the mayor. His breath caught when he spotted her from across the open gallery. Wearing a black halter dress that dipped just below her knees, she was beyond stunning. Her hair was swept up in a loose chignon, with wispy curls dancing around her face. She drank water out of a wine glass while Coming Wind held a glass of brandy. Sean watched as the Indian artist nodded to the mayor.

  Paige held Sean’s gaze and winked before turning her attention back to the mayor. The crowd grew larger, twining around him as he took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. When the mayor left, he made his way toward them.

  Sean kissed Paige on the cheek before extending his hand to Coming Wind.

  “Sean Wilson. I’m so honored to meet you. I’m quite a fan of your work, Mr. Wind.”

  “Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoy the exhibit. I’m quite a fan of yours, too. I enjoyed watching you win the gold.”

  Sean blushed as he took a sip of champagne. “Thanks. It was quite an experience.”

  “Sean was very good friends with Rob,” Paige explained.

  Taking a long drink of brandy, he raised his eyebrows.

  “I’m sorry for both of your losses. I imagine it’s been particularly difficult for Paige.”

  Sean nodded, squeezing Paige’s hand when she stiffened. Plastering on a smile, she sipped her water as an important art collector strolled up to meet Coming Wind.

  “A pleasure meeting you. I’ll take a look around,” Sean replied, remembering that the exhibit was also about business for Paige.

  Coming Wind nodded. As he began to walk away, Paige touched his shoulder. “Oh, Sean, I meant to tell you to take a look at the painting titled ‘Night Howl.’”

  “Any particular reason?”

  Paige blushed, hesitating as she giggled. She glanced at Coming Wind for a moment and then back at Sean. Puzzled by the exchange, Sean knit his eyebrows together in confusion.

  “Coming Wind said he had a vision last night about that painting,” Paige answered excitedly.

  “Yes, it was very strong. I saw Paige walking in the woods with a wolf. Sometimes a wolf vision symbolizes that someone needs strength or protection. Sometimes the vision is more literal.”

  Sean smiled, an odd expression crossing his face.

  “Are you okay?“ Paige whispered in his ear. She hooked her arm into his. “Excuse us, Mr. Wind.”

  She steered him to the outer hallway. “Is everything all right?”

  “Yeah. My father was a full blooded Indian and he really believed in visions. I’m just worried about you.”

  Paige covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed out loud.

  “Oh, come on, Sean. I believe in that vision about as much as I would a fortune teller with a crystal ball. He probably dreamed about it because he’s been preparing for the exhibit with me and it was a painting I particularly liked and commented on.”

  Sean laughed, feeling incredibly stupid. Surely, Coming Wind didn’t know he was half-wolf and that a wolf was indeed thinking of taking a walk in the woods with Paige, Sean thought to himself. He had been toying with certain plans for a while.

  “I’ll call you after the exhibit. I’ve got to get back,” Paige said as she kissed Sean on the cheek and made her way back to Coming Wind.

  Sean raked a shaking hand through his hair. Something about Coming Wind didn’t set right with him and it wasn’t his strange wolf vision either. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but when he spoke to the Indian, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He sensed danger. A bad smell came from Coming Wind. A dark and rancid smell had crept into his wolf brain and stayed there, nagging at the corners of his mind.

  ****

  Exhausted after three hours of standing in heels, Paige grabbed her mink from the closet, jotted down a few ideas she had thought of during the show, grabbed her keys and locked up.

  Paige pulled at her scarf as heavy snow blew around her face.

  “Hey there,” Paige called to Coming Wind. He looked almost ominous, leaning against his truck, smoking a hand-rolled cigarette, his black suede hat tipped toward the ground.

  “I saw your car parked here and decided to wait. I thought I’d follow you home. The snow is coming down pretty good now.”

  “Oh, I’ll be fine. I’m used to it. I drive in this stuff all the time. It’s just a soft powder. We rarely get ice on the mountain.”

  “How about a night cap? Know any good bars around here?”

  “You’d have to drive to town. Can I take a rain check? I’m beat.”

  “I’ll follow you,” Coming Wind insisted. “It’s really blowing hard. It’s the least I could do after you’ve worked so hard on my exhibit.”

  “Okay, then. It’s not far,” Paige replied, pointing toward her home. “Just up the mountain to the east, about five miles.”

  Ducking into her car, she started the engine as Coming Wind hopped into his truck and flipped on the headlights, illuminating the driving s
now.

  He stayed close behind, following her as her car wound up the mountain. When she passed Sean’s house, a smile formed on her lips. He was on the front porch, collecting logs for a fire, stopping for a moment to wave when she honked.

  “What the hell?” Sean said out loud as he noticed a truck following her.

  There was never traffic on the mountain and especially not at this hour. Dropping the logs, he ran inside to fetch his keys. Within seconds, he was behind them. As he drove, he peered up at the night sky, praying the clouds would continue to shroud the full moon from the cold night.

  Sean followed the truck to Paige’s cabin, pulling in behind Coming Wind. He watched as Coming Wind rushed to her car, opening the door for her as she swung her long legs out. She stood up, holding her scarf taut around her face, cupping her hands over her eyes.

  Peering through the blinding snow at the second truck that pulled into her drive, she realized it was Sean as he cut his headlights and slammed his door.

  “Hey, what are you doing here? Do you want to come in for a drink? Mr. Wind was kind enough to follow me up, since the snow’s so hard tonight.”

  Paige walked toward Sean, taking his arm and kissing him on the cheek. The angry heat on his face instantly warmed her frosted lips.

  “Yeah, we’ve never seen snow like this,” Sean replied sarcastically under his breath, but loud enough for Paige to hear.

  “Let’s get in out of the snow. I’ll make some coffee.”

  Sean put a possessive arm around her waist as all three of them headed indoors.

  “Will you make a fire, honey? I’ll make the coffee. Make yourself comfortable, Mr. Wind.”

  Paige crossed to the kitchen, flicking on the light and taking the snow covered scarf from her head.

  “We haven’t had a heavy, heavy snow like this in a month, I bet. Who wants Irish Cream in their coffee?” Paige asked, fetching a big jug of the creamy liqueur from her liquor cabinet.

  “Make mine a double,” Sean replied as he knelt at the hearth, tossing in logs and opening the flue, letting in more frosty wind.

  “Just a swig,” Coming Wind answered as he shrugged his leather jacket off, slinging it over the back of a wooden kitchen chair. He crossed to the back window, peering through the lace curtains.