“Mmm?” he asked, pressing his hips against hers and lifting them both.
“Not a fucking chance.”
“Never hurts to ask.”
“Story,” she demanded.
Resigned, Chase set his stare on the ceiling and let his thoughts drift back. A picture of a five-year-old Tak, hands balled into fists and tears streaming down his face, took root in his mind. “About a year after we met, Mutt took us to spend the summer at his camp. The log cabin where we spent the first night—remember?”
She nodded, and he continued. “For two months, it was the three of us and a thousand acres of forest.” He shrugged a shoulder. “We did all the normal things boys our age like to do, fishing, swimming, catching frogs, eating marshmallows. We also started learning how to track and shoot.” Not sure if she had fallen asleep, he paused. “Are you listening?”
“Mmmhmm.”
“We didn’t know it at the time, but that summer was the start of something bigger.”
The sun low and the light in the room nearly gone, she shivered. Grabbing the rumpled sheet at the end of the bed between his toes, Chase made a production out of trying to get it within reach. When he finally got a hand on it, no thanks to Gray, he covered them over.
“You’re not much help,” he said as the white cotton settled.
“I’m tired.”
He laughed and hooked his arms around her waist. “Go to sleep then.”
“Story.”
“Later.”
“Uh-uh, now.” He would have argued, but the sound of a barking dog had her pushing herself up against his chest. “Wait.” Wide awake now, she turned her head to the window, her long hair falling against his face and tickling his cheek. “Did you hear that?”
Scrambling off the bed, she left the sheet dangling over the side, and in three strides, she stood in front of the dormer window, naked as a newborn.
“Jesus Christ, Gray.” He jumped up, grabbed the sheet, and wrapped it and his arms around her.
“Look.” She hitched her chin to indicate the group gathered around the beat-up Chevy Cheyenne in the parking lot below. “It’s Mutt and Jeff.”
“Yep. And Z, and Doc, and Davis. Mind stepping away from the window, baby?”
She leaned into him, pressing her ass against his dick. “Don’t be ridiculous. They can’t see us.”
He raised his hand and waved. Mutt lifted his head and waved back, causing the rest of the crowd to look their way. Gray squealed and pulled the sheet tighter around her. Laughing, Chase dropped the blind.
“When did you find Mutt?”
“Earlier this morning.” Locating Mutt had taken some time, and telling him Tak was missing had been one of the hardest things Chase ever had to do.
Sitting on a log, back straight and hands on his knees, Tak’s uncle had stared at his campfire until the dying embers had disintegrated into a layer of white ash. When he stood, Jeff had too. And just like that, they’d left for Montana to help keep Gray safe.
“Come back to bed,” he said, nudging his woman in the direction he wanted her to go.
She resisted. “But I want to go see Mutt and Jeff.”
Not ready to share her yet, he pointed out the obvious. “Well, you can’t go like that.” He waved a hand to take in her toga and the state of her had-a-rough-ride hair. “Come back to bed, and I’ll finish my story, then we’ll get dressed and go down. Okay?”
“Okay.” Dropping the sheet, she headed in the opposite direction of his intended target. He piled the pillows and put his back against the headboard as she strode across the room.
And hello, spectacular ass.
At the sight of her smooth skin and round butt, Chase’s mind had no problem heading in the direction his schlong wanted him to go.“Bed’s this way, Gray.” She looked at him over her shoulder, and he patted the mattress and wagged his brows.
