Brotherhood Protectors_Winter Flame Read online

  “Tell me a bit more about what you’re doing out here.”

  As she talked, she began the afternoon meal. Her stomach was rumbling and she wanted it satisfied. Curt asked intelligent questions and listened intently to what she told him. As they sat on her couch, bowls of soup on their laps, he asked a question she didn’t want to answer.

  “So who’s Grubler?”

  She ate a spoonful of vegetable caribou soup before rubbing a hand against her eyes. “My ex.”

  “Your ex is trying to kill you?”

  “Like I said, it’s not the first time.”

  “And the police did what exactly?”

  “Nothing. He’s a rich man. Amazing what money can do to have people look the other way in a situation.”

  “I’m not looking the other way.”

  “We used to work together. I was at his company.”

  “You slept with the boss?”

  She flashed a grin. “Did a lot of things with the boss I shouldn’t have. But I digress. Even so, he had a completely different personality than what the public saw. Then again, maybe it wasn’t all that different. He was standoffish and cold. At his place he was violent.”

  Curt became still as the ice outside. “He hit you?”

  “Yes. I got out when he broke two of my ribs by shoving me down the stairs.” A shudder overtook her. “I stayed with Geri for a while, in fact that’s where I met Simon. When he came after her. Anyway, I love the field I’m in so I take these type of assignments to keep myself away from people. I do better on my own. Well, me and Henson.”

  He peeked at her dog who lay away from the fire, watching them both.

  “Is he a husky?”

  “No. Canadian Eskimo Dog. I was up, well down from here, in Canada on work and a family gave him to me. He’s been at my side ever since. This is his kind of weather. And he can pull a sled, and isn’t scared of bears, wolves, or anything else we may encounter up here.”

  He dipped his bread in the soup before eating it. “Good protection to have.”

  After they finished eating, she took his dishes and washed them quickly. “Let’s go. I have to check my wood stash and bring more in for the next few days. There’s a storm coming and it’s not going to be a nice one.”

  He slipped on his coat beside her. “Because there are nice storms up here in the Arctic?”

  “You’d be surprised. There are some that are worse than others. This one isn’t going to be a good one.”

  While she didn’t really want someone else in her place, he didn’t fill up the time with needless chatter. She appreciated that. Then there was the fact he worked hard beside her, carrying in wood. When the wall had been covered and a rope tied to the outhouse she had she closed up the house and shut the window coverings. Within the next few minutes, the wind began howling and rattling the small building.

  αβ

  Curt stretched against the warmth of the bedding covering him. Outside the wind howled and he could hear the ice and snow being whipped around out there, slamming into the wood. This wasn’t his type of place at all.

  As Britt had said the sun had gone. It was dark all the time and he wasn’t sure when it was day anymore. She had light boxes to combat depression that she turned on during the day. Most times, she was in her lab, hunched over a microscope, doing whatever it was she had to find out.

  Swinging out of the bed, he dressed and padded out to the small kitchen. The coffee was already on and he gratefully poured himself a mug.

  “Pretty nice setup for being out in the middle of nowhere in winter.”

  It gnawed at him. He wanted to open a window and look out it, even if it was pitch black out there. He rubbed the back of his neck and strode to one of the windows that had been covered by wood on both sides to keep it safe and help keep the cold out.

  “You doing okay?”

  He whirled around found her leaning against the couch, watching him. Eyes serious.

  “No. I’ve never thought of myself as claustrophobic but not being able to open a window and see out, this is crazy.”

  “So I guess this rules out you being a submariner.”

  Her statement was deadpanned, and he couldn’t help but laugh. Grateful for the distraction.

  Curt quirked an eyebrow. “What gave it away, my height?”

  She’d braided her hair today in two sections and he wanted to tug on them, drawing her closer.

  Her lips twitched. “Yes, that’s exactly what it was.”

  “I figured, I got a lot of crap about being so tall in school.”

  Her laugh was soft and gentle as she neared him. Without stopping, she slipped her arms around him and tipped her head back to ensure eye contact.

  “You know, it happens to all of us. If you need to go outside to feel the air on your face, do. Just don’t be out long.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the tip of her nose. “Are you concerned for me?”

  “I am. You’re my protection, I need you at the top of your game.”

  Instant attitude sprung with her comment, but he bit it back. She wasn’t the kind of person who did things like that. At least he didn’t believe so.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you, Britt.”

  “Between you and Henson, I’m perfectly safe. Right now, I’m worried about you. Why don’t you sit near the lamp.”

  “Do they work?”

  “Yes they do. Go on, I’ll get you some more coffee.”

  She plucked the mug from his hand and stepped away before he could say anything. Taking her advice, he plunked himself in the chair nearest the lamp and reached for a magazine there. As he flipped through, he found a crossword and with a shrug, picked up the pen and got to work. Something to take his mind off this.

  When he glanced around later, he had a new mug of java by him, but she was gone and he recognized exactly where she’d vanished to, her lab. His company was the dog, Henson. He got back to work on the puzzle.

  Tapping the pen on the end of the magazine, he wondered aloud after another hour had passed. “Why did she name you Henson?”

  “She didn’t,” Britt said. “He came that way, from the family who gave him to me.”

  “Did they say why they picked that name?”

  “Said it was because he was the bravest of the litter and was up for anything, much like the explorer Matthew Henson. The elders had met him and spoke very highly of him.”

  “I don’t think your dog likes me.”

  “He doesn’t care one way or the other. He lives to pull a sled or hunt. Don’t take it personally.”

  “What about you?”

  She neared and bent over him to look at the puzzle he’d nearly completed. “That’s cantankerous. What about me what?”

  “Do you like me?”

  She turned her head and kissed his cheek. “More than I should, Curt Blackwell. I’m making supper. More soup and cornbread.”

  “What can I do to help?” He closed the magazine and got to his feet.

  They worked well together in the small area, her dog stayed out of the way and didn’t even move when he placed down the food for Henson.

  “Isn’t he hungry?”

  “He’s trained not to approach until you’ve backed away. I didn’t want to get run over by an overzealous pup.”

  Sure enough, the moment he stepped back, Henson rose and padded to the dish. He sniffed around where Curt had held the dish, he looked to his mistress before beginning to eat the food.

  “Storm’s abating. We can go out tomorrow. We’ll go sledding. Henson could use a good run as well.”

  He wasn’t about to tell her how excited that made him. To be able to get out of the cabin for longer than the short time it took him to freeze his ass off in the outhouse sounded like heaven. And an opportunity he wasn’t going to turn down.

  Their evening meal was nice and soon enough they were snuggled together in the bed, body heat mingling as she curled into him and crashed. Lord help him
it must be nice to drop into the world of Morpheus like that. He was awake for longer, needing to touch her, feel her, caress her skin and go from there. But he restrained himself, allowing her to sleep. He understood she got up at all hours to check on her projects.

  The following morning, he walked outside with her to the sled she’d already hooked Henson up to, rifle in hand. Britt had one on her back.

  “In you get,” she said, gesturing to the sled and the bag.

  “What about you?”

  “I’m driving.”

  Henson began yipping and barking as he shifted from foot to foot, his impatience obvious to all who looked at him. This was a dog who was ready to head out. As if the canine could read his mind, he turned his head back and looked at him, the lantern light gleaming off his eyes.

  Climbing in, he zipped up making sure he still had access to the rifle in his hand.

  “Ready?”

  He wasn’t positive but he was ready to find out if he was or not. So he answered in the affirmative and with a shot they were off.

  Chapter Three

  Britt hugged Henson once she released him from his harness. “Good boy.” He allowed the attention for a while then trotted off while she and Curt secured the sled and headed back in the cabin where there was more light than what came from the lantern.

  She shrugged out of her heavy coat and hung it near the door. “What did you think?”

  “Loved it. You have a hell of a dog there.”

  She let Henson in and watched him go to his water and drink before flopping over and falling asleep. He’d be ready to go if she needed it within five minutes.

  “I know. He’s something else for sure.” She wriggled out of her snow pants, only to look up and see his heated gaze on her.

  “So are you,” he muttered.

  “No need to look at me like that.”

  “Fuck this.” He dropped his coat and reached her in two strides, hauling her up to his mouth and kissed her.

  Her body hummed with awareness as she instantly arched into him. “Curt.”

  “Britt,” he remarked, his fingers going to work on the button on her pants.

  “Boots.”

  “Shit. Get them off.”

  They both bent nearly cracking skulls as they attacked their own footwear, kicking them off before reaching out to one another once more. She purred as his lips covered hers again. Damn she’d missed this.

  They stripped and walked back to the bedroom leaving a trail of clothing behind them. Lips barely apart from each other, she took all of his taste she could, desperate for that feel he’d given her back in Montana.

  Her socks were the last items she had on and as she backed off of his mouth to get them off her feet, he kissed the back of her neck, nipping the highly sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met. She trembled.

  He pressed against her, his hard shaft, against her ass. She wriggled and he slid a hand down her belly until he cupped her pussy. She widened her legs in invitation and moaned in pleasure as he accepted, sinking two fingers into her wetness.

  “Yes,” she whimpered.

  “Still so fucking tight and hot,” he mumbled in her ear. “So fucking wet.”

  She ground on his fingers. “Your fault, you know.”

  “Let’s see if we can’t make you wetter still. And have some orgasms.”

  “Some?”

  “Many.” He sucked on the side of her neck. “So fucking many. To make up for all this time I’ve had to jack off in the shower to memories of what this pussy did to my cock. How it held it, how it felt to fuck, not to mention your mouth.”

  “Keep that up and I’m going to orgasm now.”

  “So that’s one and counting.”

  He scissored his fingers and as she thought, she orgasmed instantly, coming hard enough her legs shook and he had to hold her up. He did then lay her on the bed before joining her and covering them up with the blankets.

  She skimmed her hands up and over his broad shoulders, allowing her nails to rake lightly against his skin. Damn if she didn’t want to mark him. Make it so any woman had no doubts he was hers. An issue for another time as she prided herself on not being possessive. Sex was to be enjoyed and it didn’t matter with whom so long as you weren’t breaking any commitment promises.

  He dipped his head and flicked his tongue along a nipple. She shivered.

  “Oh god, yes. This, more of this.”

  He did it a few more times until she teetered on the precipice of another orgasm. Her breasts had always been a highly erogenous zone.

  She sank a hand into the back of his hair, gripping it as he continued tormenting her with those light teasing flicks of his tongue, fluttering grazes of his teeth. Belly in a tangled mess, she closed her eyes and rode out the waves of pleasure coursing through her. He removed his fingers from inside her but continued to tease her core.

  “Fuck me,” she panted, trying to get the head of his cock to line up and push inside her.

  “I plan on it, Britt. Trust me. I’ve focused on nothing but since you left me in Montana.”

  He flicked his fingers over her clit, heightening her arousal. “I didn’t leave you. The party was over. I merely went on with my life.”

  “And left me with memories of you in my bed.”

  “Is that why you came? To get sex?”

  “I can get sex anywhere, Britt. I came for you because what we had went beyond sex beneath the stars.”

  “What…oh shit, yes…” He’d pushed the broad head of his cock into her and held still. “Fill me, god, please. Fill me.”

  His lips by her ear he tugged on the lobe, sending a spike of pain-arousal mix through her, even while he flexed and pushed his dick fully into her. She arched, euphoria splintering around her as her body adjusted for his girth.

  “Yes,” she hissed, allowing her eyes to flutter shut.

  “Watch me.”

  Two words delivered on a low commanding thread. She had no desire not to listen to him and forced her lids up. He waited for her and locked onto her gaze with lasering intensity.

  He withdrew only to slide forward with a push of the same torturing speed. Back and forth he moved, almost lazily. And she would have believed it had she not been staring in his eyes and seen the hunger burning in them. His control was fraying.

  She tightened her internal muscles and smiled as his eyes darkened with passion.

  “Britt,” he warned.

  “I’m not fragile, you should know that from before. And I want to be fucked. We can discuss going slow later. Right now, I want this bed to move as you drive deep and hard into me. Christ, Curt. I need this.”

  The flames erupted and she purred with the knowledge that leash of control had snapped. She didn’t care. Anything he could dish out, she wanted. She needed.

  Seconds later, he had one of her legs over his shoulder, outside of the blankets as his began thrusting hard and fast into her.

  Her scream left her lips only to be swallowed up by his as he kissed her.

  Dear sweet Lord in heaven, this was what she needed. And the only way to get it was from this man with her.

  In this time and space, it didn’t matter someone wanted to kill her. It didn’t matter she was in the middle of the arctic where it was dark all hours of the day. No, right now all that did was the man in bed with her fucking her.

  Digging her nails into his shoulders, she undulated and moved with him, determined to get him as deep as she could manage. He drove forward hard, and she had no doubt that if it wasn’t attached to the wall itself he would be slamming the bed frame into the wall behind them.

  αβ

  Curt snapped his head up at the low growl from Henson. They’d gone to gotten up a few hours ago and Britt worked diligently in her lab. Last night they’d gone for some more samples and so she was in there busy cataloging what they’d brought back.

  He’d been going out with her, even if she told him it wasn’t necessary. At night they talked of t
heir childhoods and school. He told her about his time in the Army and she’d told him about her bohemian parents who encouraged her to follow her heart, wherever it led her.

  He shared about how he met Simon and she regaled him with stories of Geri and her other two best friends. Honestly, he wasn’t sure he’d ever laughed so hard as he did while she was telling him her tales.

  He may have traveled the world with the military, but she’d traveled and got to experience the people of the lands she visited. On some level he could admit he was jealous of that. Typically when he headed off somewhere, he had the mindset of a mission. She lived with an open mind and the willingness to just enjoy. He wasn’t able to turn off the mission.

  After that, they made their way to bed and enjoyed each other’s bodies. His cock stirred as he recalled the way she’d screamed his name this morning as he took her bent over the bed. In the rigged shower she had, where they shared, she gave him a blow job he’d never forget. Woman was fucking talented with her hands and mouth.

  Right now, however, his focus was on her dog and the danger he heard out there.

  “What is it, boy?”

  Henson positioned himself before the door, the growl never ceasing or increasing. Bending to grab the rifle, he made his way down the short hall to where her lab was. He kicked the door frame with his foot to grab her attention.

  “Britt.”

  “Hang on.”

  “Nope. Now. Let’s go.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Not sure.”

  “Then why the fuck are you bothering me? I have two more samples to log.”

  “Because your dog is growling at the door.”

  “Well shit.”

  Seconds later she was beside him, a folder in hand from which dangled a hard metal case.

  “Stay close and behind me. I don’t know who or what is out there.”

  “Don’t you think it would be best if I checked. They may not know you are here and that’s something we could use to our advantage.”

  “Men coming to kill you aren’t necessarily going to want tea before they do so, Britt. We do this my way.”

  “You don’t even know they have bad intentions.”