Mine to Take (2 page)

I check the clock.

It says it's after eight PM. I try to do some math, but my brain’s too fried from being up in the air so long. Not enough oxygen. My internal clock tells me it’s much later than eight.

I yawn and blink bleary eyes. Yeah, I’d say it’s at least midnight Mila Time.

A soft, warm bed sounds really good right now. If my soon-to-be husband can’t be bothered to come and meet me at the airport and marry me like we’d planned, he can wait to meet me in the morning. I’m pooped.

I drag one of my bags down the hall and into the first bedroom I find. A huge king size bed is situated to take full advantage of the view out the wide window on the opposite wall. I take a moment to admire the breathtaking landscape. I have to say, it is gorgeous out here. I’ve never been to such a wild and untamed place before. I feel a little nervous. There must be bears out there. And other animals that might be looking for a yummy snack. But that doesn’t deter me from shucking my travel clothes and donning a pair of comfy leggings and a t-shirt. After I take care of a necessity or two in the attached bathroom, I climb into the enormous bed and close my eyes.

Welcome to Alaska
, I tell myself.

But then, just as I’ve drifted off to dreamland, my welcome gets a whole lot less welcoming.

I hear the terrifying, unmistakable, unwelcoming sound of a revolver being cocked.

Jace

Who the hell is in my house…my bed?

I level the gun at the intruder’s head and say, “Move fast and you’ll have more holes in your head than you need.”

The head lifts, slowly, turns…

A woman?

That
woman!

What the hell?

Quickly, I un-cock my pistol and switch on the safety.

Mila sits up and blinks at me, her main of glossy, golden waves mussed, eyes, the shade of a summer’s sky, sleepy. “That wasn’t exactly the welcome I was expecting.”

Yeah, well I hadn’t expected
her
. I’d told Moose to contact Mila a couple of days ago and cancel her flight. Obviously he hadn’t done it.

Now I have an unwanted—no, an unneeded-- mail order bride in my bed. A bride who is not just as beautiful as I’d thought but more, much more.

Her skin is smooth ivory, dotted with golden freckles, her precious little nose upturned, her eyes wide and doe-like, her little mouth a kissable pink bow.

Behind me, I hear footsteps. I swing around.

“Boss, I need to tell you something,” Moose says.

It’s too late for explanations. I let him know that without saying a word.

She’s here now. Expecting to get married. To me.

What the hell am I going to do?

Moose stops just outside the door and stares like he’d just caught sight of the biggest fucking bull in all of Alaska.

Suddenly I’m not just frustrated, I am
mad
. Furious.

What the hell is he doing looking at Mila like
that
?

She’s too beautiful, too innocent to be ogled like a whore.

I shove him away from the door. “Have some respect, you asshole.”

“Yeah, sure. Sorry,” Moose blusters. “I…forgot to tell you earlier. This is Mila. I picked her up at the airport this afternoon.”

“Yeah, you forgot to tell me,” I spit out the words, swinging back around to check my terrified, confused, gorgeous would-be bride. I’ve got to fix this. I have to make it all right. For her sake. I lift a hand, holding it palm out. “I apologize for waking you, miss. I wasn’t…expecting your arrival tonight. Please, get some rest. We can talk about everything tomorrow.”

“What ‘everything?’ What do you mean?” I’ve heard her voice before, during our video calls. But the sound had obviously been altered by the microphone, flattened. In real life, her voice has a sexy, breathy quality that makes my dick stand up and take notice. It probably makes Moose’s do the same.

It doesn’t help that she’s looking like she’s just been fucked…and fucked well.

“Tomorrow. Get some sleep. I’m sure you need it, after your travels,” I tell her.

Looking worried, and scared, she reclines back, her hair splaying on my pillow.

Damn, she looks good there.

I don’t need a wife
, I remind myself.
It isn’t fair, asking any woman to live this life. It’s too hard. Too lonely.

Backing out my bedroom, I pull the door shut before charging after that asshole, Moose, now standing in my kitchen, helping himself to my coffee.

He’d fucked up this time. In a big way.

“What the hell is that woman doing here?”

“Sleeping?” he says over the rim of his cup.

“Obviously. But she shouldn’t be here. I told you to email her and cancel.”

“Yeah. About that…” He sets his empty cup in the sink. “I…sort of forgot. By the time I remembered it was too late.”

Forgot?

Forgot.

Shit! Why does this surprise me? It shouldn’t.

Moose is a good man. As good as they come. Loyal. Trustworthy. A hard worker. But the asshole would forget his head if it wasn’t attached to his neck.

I jam my fingers through my hair. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have left it to Moose.

Why did I do that anyway? Why hadn’t I taken care of it myself?

Maybe because I didn’t want to cancel the wedding?

Maybe because I wanted a wife after all, despite the shitty life I can offer her?

If that’s it then I’m one selfish bastard.

Now what?

I hear a sound. It’s a little sound. A feminine sound.

I look.

She’s there, at the mouth of the hallway, still looking as sexy as ever, her hair tumbling over her shoulders in gleaming waves, her little mouth pursed. “I take it there’s been some kind of misunderstanding?”

She’s little. Very petite. Sure, I’d read her measurements. But I hadn’t realized how tiny and delicate she would be.

Still, there is a strength in the way she holds her head, the gleam in her eyes, the tip of her chin.

She’s a fiery little thing. A fiery little thing that makes my dick hard.

Moose clears his throat. “I’m gonna get going. I’ll see ya tomorrow, boss.” He tips his head to Mila. “Miss, it was nice meeting you.”

“It was nice meeting you, Moose.” She lifts a hand, gesturing him to hold off. “Can I ask for a favor before you go?”

Moose slides me a glance.

I tell him to get the hell out with my eyes.

“S-sure?” Moose says, despite my warning.

“Will you please drive me to the nearest hotel? I can’t stay here. Not when I’m not wanted.”

Dammit, now I’ve really screwed up!

“You’re wanted,” I assure her. And I’m not lying. She is wanted. Mightily.

More than she probably wishes.

“I don’t believe you.” She spins on her heel faster than a startled hare and scuttles back to my bedroom.

Of course I follow her. I can’t have her feeling like she doesn’t belong here with me. But before I do that, I point Moose to the door. I don’t need him here. Don’t need the distraction. Or the interference.

I can’t screw this up. I’ve spent the last two months chatting with this woman, emailing her…falling in love with her.

Now that she’s here, there’s no way she’s leaving. None.

She is
mine.

All mine.

When I enter the bedroom, I find her standing with a garbage bag in her arms. What the hell is she doing with garbage?

“Excuse me.” Her cheeks are flushed. Her little body wound so tight she’s trembling.

I’ve really fucked this up.

“Please.” I catch her arm in my hand. She tries to jerk it free but I tighten my hold, just enough so she won’t get away. “There was a misunderstanding, yes. But that doesn’t mean I’m not happy you’re here now.”

She stops tugging and blinks big, watery eyes at me.

Oh shit.

I practically melt.

If there’s one thing that gets me every time, it’s a woman crying.

I gather her shaking little body into my arms, gently pulling the heavy bag out of her grasp. She bawls, tears wetting my shirt, and I hold her, telling myself I’m not the world’s biggest asshole. When she finally stops, I’m almost convinced.
Almost.

“Better?” I ask as I smooth my hand down her back. I inhale. She smells
so
good. It’s been a long time since I’ve smelled a woman.

Way too long.

She nods and sniffles and blinks, a delicate hand dragging across her pink face, smearing her tears. “Sorry. I’m not usually such a baby. I’m just really tired, I guess. From the flight.”

“It’s okay.” I steer her toward the bed. My dick thinks it’s time to go
to bed
. But my other head tells it to quit being such a dick. Now isn’t the time for that.

Though I can’t help noticing how soft her body is, and how well it fits against my big, hard bulk. I want to crawl in bed with her, climb on top of her, and kiss her until she forgets why she’s been crying.

My dick thinks that’s a great plan.

But what does my dick know?

She crawls on all fours toward the head of the bed, and I watch, trying not to lick my chops like a hungry wolf. Her ass sways as she moves. I haven’t seen an ass that fine in years. Does she realize what she’s doing to me, here?

Holy shit, look at that sweet, sweet ass.

That’s it.

This woman is going to be my wife.

I’m going to take care of that ASAP.

Maybe I’m being a bigger prick for making this poor girl live out here in the middle of nowhere than I would be if I screwed her until her eyes popped out of her head and then sent her back to the lower forty-eight. But I can’t do it. I can’t be the good guy and let her leave.

Mine.

Settled in bed, she pulls the covers up.

Yes. That’s where she belongs. My house. My bed.

“Where will you sleep?” she asks.

I hook my thumb. “Couch.” I go to my closet and find a spare blanket. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” Her little voice is so soft and husky and sexy.

I can’t help smiling as I trundle out to the living room. I grab a quick sandwich for dinner first, jump in the shower and wash off the day’s grime and then sit down to watch some TV before turning in. Every time I hear a little noise, my ears prick up.

The house is too quiet. I find myself wishing she would wake up, come talk to me. I want to hear her voice again.

There’s an empty seat right here, next to me, on the couch. I want her sitting nearby, where I can reach her, stroke her thigh, cuddle her close and smell that sweet, tangy scent in her hair.

An hour passes. Two. Three. She doesn’t wake, and I get tired of the bullshit on TV. After snapping off the lights and shucking the sweatpants and t-shirt I’d put on after my shower, I flop back on the couch, close my eyes and try not to think about the lush, perfect woman sleeping on my bed.

Gradually, my thoughts slow. Images drift. My heartbeat grows sluggish.

“Jace.”

She’s calling my name in my dreams. I like that.

“Jace!”

I am dreaming, right?

“Wake up!”

I jerk upright, blinking in the darkness. My heart’s racing.

“There’s something outside the window.”

Mila?

Mila!

She’s standing next to the couch, arms locked around herself. “Something’s trying to get in.”

“Probably a bear. Don’t worry,” I reassure her. “It can’t get inside.”

“Are you sure?”

She doesn’t believe me.

My dick sees this as an opportunity. I could escort her back to bed and join her, to keep her safe. She’d probably wrap that sweet little body around mine. But I decide to take the high road. “I’m sure,” I promise. “I’ve had bear on my property pretty much every night since I bought this place. None of them have gotten in yet. It’ll leave once it realizes there’s no food.”

She’s still squeezing herself. “
Yet
?”

“Would you feel better if I scared it away?” I offer.

“How will you do that? Isn’t it dangerous?” She shivers.

She’s cold.

“You’re shivering. Come here.” I sit upright and open the blanket, offering to warm her.

Her gaze smacks my chest then slowly slides south. By the time it reaches my groin, I realize I’m buck-naked. And my dick’s hard.

I snap the blanket around myself.

She blinks. “Um…I’m…”

“Sorry. I forgot. I’m so used to sleeping in the nude, I didn’t think about it.”

It’s pretty damn dark in here, but I swear her face is the shade of a raspberry. “Maybe you’re right. The bear will leave on its own.” She backs away from the couch, trying to hide the glimmer of interest in her eyes.

“They always do.” I say with a smile. She likes what she saw, and I’m glad. She’s going to see a whole lot more once we’re man and wife.

“O-okay.” She whirls around and disappears into the yawning maw of the hallway.