Page 115 of Rough and Rugged

“Since you asked so nicely, how can I refuse?” He found his jeans and grabbed a condom from the pocket. Once he’d sheathed himself, I guided him inside me and let out a rush of air. Not only had I gone for a year without sex, but I’d never been with anyone of his size.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes,” I gasped. “You’re just… um… bigger than I expected.”

His eyes gleamed with amusement. “That’s what happens when you fuck a bear. I promise I’ll be gentle.”

Even if I’d only known him for two weeks, I trusted him completely. As he moved inside me, my body opened up for him. I clasped my arms around his shoulders and closed my eyes, but he growled at me. “Look at me, Maggie. I want to see your face when you come.”

I’d never felt this exposed, but I did as he said. Every thrust brought me deeper pleasure until I hit my peak again, and I was crying out his name, my voice ringing through the trees. I dug my nails into his back, wrapped my legs around him, and urged him on until he shuddered and gave out a lusty groan.

And when he held me in his arms afterward, I was sure I’d found my forever home.

Chapter Five

SamandIspentthe next week alternating between his place and mine. Though his bed was more luxurious—a giant king with a skylight above it—he loved the cozy vibe of my cabin. We’d gotten into a routine of making dinner for each other, followed by a game of cards or backgammon. The stakes were mostly sexual, which was more fun than I could have imagined. There were times when Iwantedhim to win, knowing what he had in store for me.

I’d never felt this way with anyone—talking for hours, having passionate sex outdoors, and sharing my artwork without fear of being ridiculed. I’d only been back to Fresno once, to pick up more clothes and art supplies. Unfortunately, I’d been greeted by a harsh dose of reality. Waiting in my mailbox was a hefty credit card bill that included Farley’s last visit to the vet, a new set of brake pads, and my annual subscription to Photoshop. The total amount was almost two thousand dollars.

Worse yet, I’d made the mistake of telling my mother I was in town. She’d offered to treat me to lunch, only to berate me for living like a hermit. Her reaction had been so negative that I lost the nerve to tell her I’d decided to move into the cabin permanently. Though I owed her nothing, her disapproval always stung.

When I woke this morning in Sam’s arms, I wasn’t thinking about family obligations. We were in my bed, lying beneath one of Grandma’s quilts. I snuggled closer to Sam, hoping I could persuade him to linger. He had a few pieces due for a show, and he’d vowed to spend the day in his studio.

With a rumble of laughter, he kissed the top of my head. “Are you trying to tempt me into staying?”

“Maybe?” I peppered his burly chest with kisses. “Am I succeeding?”

“Don’t you have work to do? Yesterday, you said you wanted to go through all the boxes in the bedroom closet.”

I groaned. “There’s so much there—old clothes, antique jewelry, faded romance novels. I thought Grandma gave up most of her stuff when she moved here, but I was wrong.” I’d probably end up donating the bulk of it, but I wanted to see if there was anything worth keeping.

“Maybe you’ll find more bear shifter romances,” he teased.

“The only bear I want is right here.” I reached down and stroked him, gratified at the feel of his hard length in my hand.

“Mmm. Such a naughty girl.” He pulled me closer until I was flush against him.

Before I could grab a condom from my nightstand, Farley started barking. Odd. Usually, he just scratched at my bedroom door when he wanted to go out.

At the sound of vehicles pulling onto the gravel drive, I bolted up in bed. “Someone’s here.”

“Were you expecting anyone?” Sam asked.

“My friend Julia said she was going to visit, but not until next week.” I hopped out of bed, grabbed my shirt from the floor, and pulled on a pair of shorts. When I got to the kitchen, I peeked out the window. A giant SUV and a black BMW with the license plate W1NNER were parked next to the cabin.

My asshole cousin was here.

Facing Brayden first thing in the morning wasn’t a pleasant prospect, but I wanted to get it over with. I opened the door and stepped onto the porch. Farley followed me, tail wagging in excitement, and headed for the creek.

Brayden was dressed in a polo and khakis like he was ready to hit the links. At the sight of me, he threw back his head and laughed. “Wow, Maggie. Three weeks here and you’ve already let yourself go. You look like shit.”

I ran my hand through my hair, which was a tangled mess, thanks to last night’s hijinks with Sam. But I had nothing to be ashamed of. “I just woke up. So if you can spare me the bullshit, is there something you need?”

Eden emerged from the car and joined her brother. Like him, she was tall and whippet-thin, with striking cheekbones and jet-black hair. “Brayden came to check out the property. I’m just along for the ride.”

“I’ve got a buyer who’s interested in snapping up the entire twenty-five acres,” Brayden said. “He wants to build a retreat center up here. We brought our pal Jean-Louis to take pictures.”

The door to the SUV opened to reveal a guy our age, clad in black and carrying a huge camera bag.

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