Climbing the Ladder (15 page)

“I am, too.” She had a thousand questions, but she didn’t know what to say.

“Well, of course you are. Junie, get that bread for her to try?”

“Sure, Granny.” It was weird, how Juniper looked like Mesa, now that she knew they

were related. Juniper was tiny, comparatively. Mesa was a gorilla. The thought made her giggle, just a touch hysterically. A gorilla.

Granny and Juniper gave her odd glances, but then Juniper handed her a piece of crusty

bread with butter on it.

“Thank you.” Her stomach growled audibly. “Sorry. Sorry. It smells so good.”

“Well, eat up!” Granny pottered around. “I imagine Kody hasn’t figured out the kitchen

yet.”

“We all made breakfast, I guess. I…I don’t suppose so. It’s very different from ours.

Mine. My kitchen back home. At the house I’m selling.” The bread was amazing, rich and chewy

and sweet.

“He’ll figure it out.” Juniper munched a piece of bread, too. “He’s so good at it.”

“So will you, honey. Don’t worry.” Minnie smiled at her, and it wasn’t weird; it was

comforting.

“Are you Mesa’s grandmother or Kody’s?” Juniper had called her Granny, so Sammy

assumed that’s where the relationship was.

“Biologically, somewhere, we’re all a little related, I think, but my daughter, Heather, is

Mesa’s mother.” Granny started dishing out stew, handing her a bowl. “Kody’s grandparents

were from the other side of the mountains.”

“Kody never told me about his life before me.” Of course, she hadn’t shared about hers,

either. Not details. They hadn’t cared. They’d been crazy and horny and in love. Besides, Kody knew her.

“Kody lives very much in the now.” Granny’s fingers touched her wrist, calming her

somehow.

“He does. My friends said I was crazy to marry him.”

The soup was so good. Thick and comforting and hot.

“No. No, you were so smart.” Juniper sounded like it all made sense.

Granny nodded. “Kody was brave, so brave, and now you’re home with Kody and

Mesa.” Her hand was patted. “Where are your people from?”

“I don’t know. I was a foster.” The words still hurt. “I was found as a baby on the West

coast.”

The other women glanced at each other, eyes wide, then gave her bright smiles. “Well,

you’re home now.”

She smiled too, then went back to eating. The soup was amazing, filling her up, warming

her.

She might even be able to think now. Amazing what a good meal could do for the soul.

Two huge dogs came in, gray muzzled and slow, both rubbing against Juniper and

Granny’s legs. Juniper jumped up, poured two bowls of soup and fed them. The dogs

immediately set to, licking the soup with lusty slurps.

Wow. The dogs ate as well as the people. Except Juniper was talking to them like they

understood, which meant that those were…Right. Okay. That was…she needed to get going.

She stood, took her bowl to the sink. “Thank you very much for the food. It was

luscious.”

Two women were standing at the kitchen door when she turned around, both of them

staring at her. She almost jumped back, but she held her ground instead, lifting her chin to stare back.

“Is this Mesa’s mate, then?” One was a blonde, her bright green eyes flashing.

“I’m Kody’s wife.”

The other woman flipped a hand, tanned and rough from work. “Kody is Mesa’s Beta.

You’re his mate.”

She arched an eyebrow, something deep inside her growling and animalistic. “I’m

Samantha. And you are?”

The blonde smiled slowly. “Alicia.”

The other woman looked more sincere, kinder somehow. “I’m Angie.”

“Nice to meet you both.”

Alicia had to be Mesa’s ex. Had to. Sammy could smell it.

“Weird. You don’t seem like his type.”

“I get that a lot.” That didn’t bother her. She’d gotten over not being the blonde

California girl years ago.

“I bet.” Alicia sneered, flipping her hair a little. It sort of reminded her of Becky.

“That’s enough!” Granny’s voice snapped out like a bark. “Did I ask you girls in?”

Angie looked at Granny, eyes downcast. “No, ma’am. I have your cornmeal and the

books you ordered. Also, I wanted to meet Mesa’s mate.”

“Well, you can come in.” Granny laughed, the sound merry. “Alicia, you can go unless

you’re going to be nice.”

“What? Do you need protection from Granny?” the girl snarled.

“Out.” Juniper stepped up, lips pressed tight together. “Just get out, Leecy.”

The woman made this sound, and Sammy stepped forward, put herself between tiny

Juniper and Alicia. “I don’t think so, lady.”

Those green eyes flashed with something ugly, and Alicia raised a hand, smacking

Sammy across the face. Something inside Sammy snapped, and she stepped forward, sight going

red. In one breath she was standing in Minnie’s kitchen, in the next she was throwing Alicia

across the ground outside, snarling deeply.

“Don’t touch me.”

Alicia rolled to her feet, and suddenly there were five or six more women about. Between

them.

“Alicia is going home,” Granny said from the porch.

“You don’t deserve him, bitch,” Alicia spat.

Sammy’s answer was another growl, this one a straight-forward threat. Alicia’s fists

clenched, but she stepped back, her face twisted into an ugly grimace.

Sammy didn’t look away, eyes fastened on Alicia’s. She was not taking this shit.

Finally, when it seemed like the silence might break right down the middle, Alicia turned

away and left.

Sammy looked at the others, one at a time, and one at a time, they looked away,

satisfying something deep inside her. Mesa’s deep chuckle hit her ears just about the time she was about to storm off.

“Nice show, honey.” His hand slid around her waist, and he pulled her up against his

chest before spinning her around. He kissed her. Right there in front of everyone. Like he had a right to. He was hard as a rock, cock pressed against her as he lifted her, held them together, and her rage turned to a wild jealousy. Someone trying to take what was hers? Fuck that.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she wanted to bite him, to show them all who he

belonged to.

He got her legs around his waist, growls growing between them.

A soft laugh filled the air. “Take your mate home, Alpha. Every male in scenting distance

is going to spend.”

“Mmm. Mine.” Mesa nodded to whoever it was talking and started out the door, carrying

her toward the Alpha house.

“What the fuck is all this?” She was still grinding against him like a whore, like she

needed him, which she didn’t damn it.

“You’re my mate. You and Kody are mine, honey.” He bent to bite her neck just as they

reached his porch.

Electricity flooded her, and she almost came, just from the bite. “Am not! What have you

done to me? I hit that woman; I’ve never hit anyone before!”

“It’s your home now, Sammy.” He pulled back to stare at her, his gold eyes all but

glowing, so bright. “Mine.”

“No.” Her growl came from deep in her belly, her pussy aching. “I’m taking Kody back

to LA. This place is doing something to me.”

“It is.” He laughed out loud, throwing his head back, his hips slamming against her

pelvis. “Your wolf knows.”

“I’m not playing!” No more games. She leaned in, teeth biting into Mesa’s throat. Hers.

Mesa bucked, low growls coming up from under her teeth. He pushed through the front

door and took her right to the couch in the living room, pressing down on top of her. His

shoulders nearly blocked out the light, he was so damned big.

“Let me up!” She was biting, fighting, as turned on as she’d ever been, body desperate

for it. For him. For Mesa.

“No.” He barked it at her, and she writhed under him, finally moving his big body with

one hard push. They rolled onto the floor, Mesa landing beneath her.

“Don’t you bark at me!” She tangled her fingers in his hair, going for his throat again.

He grunted, his hips rocking, his cock like a brand beneath his jeans. He smacked her ass,

hard, the sting making her gasp. His hand was big enough to cover a lot of ground.

“Bastard!” Oh, fuck. She bit the curve of his shoulder, hard, shaking him a little.

Mesa was on fire, his skin so hot he felt feverish against her lips. He squeezed her bottom

with his huge hands, then smacked her again, making her clench her legs together around his

hips.

She grabbed his shirt, tore it open, buttons flying off as the fabric snarled apart. God, he

smelled good. His hand landed again as she got her mouth on one of his tiny nipples, her teeth punishing him.

He worked at her clothes, too, and suddenly there was nothing between her skin and his

hands. When he slapped her this time, it stung so much that she howled.

“Mesa! Please!” She was soaking wet, need wild inside her, and the rasp of his jeans

against her cunt burned so good.

“Tell me. You’re mine. Tell me, Mate.”

“Fuck you, bastard.” Oh, God, he tasted so good.

“Mine. Damn it, woman. Say it!” He slapped her ass again and again, his handprints

overlapping until every inch of her skin tingled unbearably.

She threw her head back, howling as she rocked against him, trying to get off. One of his

huge hands settled on her hip, stilling her, and she sobbed, desperate. “I need. Oh, fuck. Let me come.”

“Not yet. Tell me.” He rolled her on her back, rising up to tear at his jeans, his cock

springing out to push at her, just outside her entrance. “Tell me.”

She groaned, body demanding, everything in her needing his touch, his prick. Their eyes

locked, and all she could hear was his heartbeat, joined with hers, pounding in her ears. “Mesa.

Mate.”

Her chin lifted, her spine arching as she offered him her belly, her throat. “Yours.

Please…”

“Fuck. Fuck, yes.” He bit down, his touch bruising and perfect, and he pushed inside her,

his cock spreading her wide. She burned, her entire body lit up for him. His hand was on her hip, dragging her up into him, onto him.

He pushed her higher and higher, her body clenching around him, her well-spanked butt

rubbing against the floor. It was maddening.

His jeans burned her inner thighs, his strength slamming against her.

His hands….they moved on her, one holding her hip, the other finding her breasts. He

pulled at her nipples, the sting adding to her mounting pleasure.

“Yes…” Her legs wrapped around him, pulled him in deeper, her eyes rolling as the shaft

of his cock rubbed her clit. “Mesa.”

“My mate. My lady. Finally.” He was fierce, his grin wild, his whole body straining for

her.

“Yes. Yes. Yours. I need. I need.”

“Now.” Mesa bent to her throat and bit hard, his cock pushing in so deep she would feel

him for days.

Her orgasm rolled through her, just like he’d demanded, one wave after another, and all

Sammy could do was hold on.

Mesa cried out, the sound distant with the roaring in her ears, and came inside her, filling

her deep with every thrust of his hips.

She was soaring, heart fluttering in her chest, the rushing in her mind quiet now. Settled.

Mesa lay quiet atop her save for his harsh breathing. His lips pressed to the bruise at her

throat, the one he’d left biting at her.

She didn’t tense; she just moaned softly, stretched happily. Hers.

“Yes.” That was Kody, standing at the doorway, beaming at them. “Yes.”

She was going to hell or something. She’d just had sex with a man who was not her

husband and he approved. Everything in her rebelled at that.

Mesa rumbled softly, and the thought dissolved with a gentle pop.

“Help me out, baby.” Mesa levered up, lifting her, letting Kody come and touch them

both.

Kody nuzzled them. “Bed. Napping. Then I’ll make something sweet before we have a

long bath together.”

“Mmm. Yes, please.” She kissed Kody’s lips, then Mesa scooped her off her feet. Mesa

carried her to the big bedroom this time. Kody lay down with them, his front to her back. She

stretched, yawned, and Mesa’s hand circled her, landed on Kody.

All of them together. It was the perfect time for a nap.

The roast smelled perfect, and Kody frosted the cake while he waited for the rolls to

finish. The coffee was going, the house was warm and solid, and Kody thought the snows would

come soon. Not tonight, maybe not even this week, but soon.

Mesa was out, dealing with Clan business, something with another clan bringing danger

and poor, poor Ben, and Kody thought Sammy was upstairs, going through the clothes Mesa had

sent for. His California girl was freezing, all the time.

Something had clicked between Mesa and Sammy, and suddenly Mesa was bringing

home a cappuccino machine, DVDs, novels. Kody thought the awkward wooing was delightful,

and Sammy was responding beautifully, sleeping between them, curling close to Mesa on the

sofa at night, taking long walks with Junie.

She’d even changed once, deep in the night, all on her own.

Oh, she still complained about the lack of Internet and the need for shoes, but Sammy

was settling in.

“What smells so good?” She came down wearing one of Mesa’s flannel shirts, hair up in

a ponytail, and smelling fresh and right.

“Roast. I made that casserole you like with the squash. Rolls.”

“Yum.” She smiled. “Talked to Becky on the phone. She’s still being a bitch, but the

service has the house packed up to ship to Missoula.”

“Excellent. I told you I’d make that work. Mesa will love the raclette.” He held his arms