Sweetwater: The Kihn (The Sweet Series) (32 page)

Around eight, Diane calls. She’s stuck at Jake’s, and her parents aren’t too happy about it. “I don’t know why they’re so upset. I know they don’t want us sliding into a ditch trying to get me home.”

“Well—maybe when the winter weather advisories were warning how bad it would get, you should have gone home then,” I tease. There’s total silence on the line.

“Okay, I’m helping you guys in the morning,” she says, totally ignoring me. There’s sudden laughter and yelling over at the kitchen table when one of the guys wins a sizeable pot. “Are you having a party?”

“Poker and Sawyer’s here,” I tell her. I hear her say something to Jake.

“We’ll be right there,” she says.

“Okay, be careful,” I tell her, laughing.

When Andy hears they’re coming, he has me call to ask if they’ll pick up Emma Rae. Stevie comes in right after that with a couple of bottles of liquor, and the night goes from playing poker to an all-out party. Everyone stays until the wee hours. My family declines Max’s offer to spend the night.

I’m incredibly tired as I pull on my flannels and crawl into bed. I’m starting to relish this comfortable bed in a room that’s always warm and cozy. I do have to admit that it’s not quite as warm and cozy as normal. I’ve tried not to think of Lucas all evening, but in the quiet darkness, I can’t help but wonder where he is. I’m feeling guilty. Did he leave because of me? I remember the names I called him earlier, and I’m ashamed. He certainly can push my buttons like no one else. Evidently, I can push his too.

I’m not sure how much later it is when Lucas lies down beside me. He snuggles up behind me and rests his arm across my waist with his hand against my stomach. “Mmmm, you smell good,” he growls, his deep voice vibrating in my ear.

I wiggle back against him and have to smile when I hear his sharp intake of breath. “Is it still snowing?” I ask in a sleepy voice.

“Yes.” He nuzzles behind my ear.

“I’m sorry I’m still in your bed,” I apologize, my voice scratchy sounding.

“I love that you’re still in my bed.”

“Lucas?”

“Hmmm?”

“I’m sorry for calling you names earlier.”

“Shhh, it’s already forgotten. Go back to sleep, my sweet.”

I relax into his body with a smile, feeling all is right with the world. Well, almost. His arm tightens around me, keeping me safe as I fall back to sleep.

When the alarm goes off, I roll r
ight out of bed. I’m halfway to the bathroom when I remember Lucas waking me sometime during the night. He’s not in the room now, but I see his pillow has an impression in it.

I wash my face and French braid my hair. I dig through my bag and decide it’s a good thing I’m going by my house. I need more clothes. I’ve resigned myself to the fact I’m staying here with Lucas. I can’t place others in danger. I’m just going to have to find a way to avoid sleeping upstairs. I have never understood why sleeping above ground level makes the dreams worse.

Maybe I
should
tell Lucas. There must be a reason why the Kihn haunt my dreams. Then I have a thought that terrifies me. What if the dreams were a premonition? That prospect causes my stomach to hurt.
Okay, this is too intense for this time of morning.

I grab my coat and head to the kitchen. The house is quiet as I make coffee. Searching through the cabinets, I find an insulated mug. No go cups, my ass! I’m a little surprised at Max, fibbing to me. I make a quick sandwich for when my stomach wakes up. As I head for the front door, the door to Lucas’ study opens.

“Leaving so early?” he asks. He stands in the doorway with an easy smile. He’s dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, looking so good I have to close my eyes to calm down. When I open them, he’s still standing in front of me, still outrageously handsome.

“Um... Sawyer is picking me up.” Lucas steps closer and I step back. “I-I’m going to help with the livestock,” I tell him, nervously. “You... told me it would be okay if I went out during the day, as long as I was with someone.”

He smiles. “Max sent some of the Guard to help. Let my men deal with the cattle. It’s cold out there.”

“I want to... go.”

“But you could stay here with me,” he drawls and steps closer.

I back up, but the entryway has limited space. I’m soon backed against the wall with nowhere to go. I place my hand on his chest as if that will keep him at bay. He does stop, and he presses his hand over mine. I feel his heart beating and I look up into his beautiful green eyes. I swallow, my breathing becoming erratic. Taking the coffee cup from my limp fingers, he sets it on a nearby bookcase. He then leans down and brushes his lips over mine in a teasing kiss. His tongue caresses my bottom lip and he sucks on it gently, making my stomach muscles tighten.

“Sofie,” he whispers my name against my lips, his voice moving across my skin like a caress. My hand is still on his chest, over his heart. I grab a handful of his T-shirt, yanking him close and kissing him hungrily. A hoarse moan rumbles in his chest as my tongue strokes his.

Lucas grips my upper arms, lifting me to my tiptoes, and pulls me hard against his body, letting me feel his arousal. He takes over the kiss. It becomes deep and drugging as he claims his possession of me. I continue to grasp the front of his shirt as my other hand moves up around his neck. I grab a handful of hair, moaning faintly as his mouth slowly withdraws from mine.

Lucas looks down into my eyes with an intensity that steals my breath. “Sawyer’s here.” His voice is husky with desire.

Sawyer who?

“Okay,” I breathe as I watch his mouth.

“Sofie—” he says in warning.

We hear Sawyer’s steps clump across the porch. Lucas’ eyes hold me trapped with a passion I know he’s holding in check. This excites me instead of frightening me. Sawyer pounds on the door and makes me flinch. That breaks the spell Lucas holds over me, allowing my head to clear.

“Did you do that on purpose?” I gasp.

A slow, wicked smile pulls at the corners of his mouth. He chuckles. “What?” I narrow my eyes and push against his chest. He doesn’t budge an inch. “You started it,” he insists, blatantly amused.

“Move!” I push against him again. As he steps back, I pick up the sandwich I let fall to the floor. “I did not start it. You did! And I can’t believe you just did that after our conversation yesterday. If you don’t stop trying to—” I look around, searching for a word to describe what I think he’s trying to do to me.

He cocks his head to one side. “Tell me, my sweet, what
am
I trying to do?” He smiles, and that smile is full of no good. He stands with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Hypnotize or... compel or... whatever!”

He laughs. “The word is
—seduce
,” he says wickedly as he leans closer.

Heat rises into my cheeks and my lips part with a small gasp. His eyes move hungrily over me.

“I’m leaving.” My voice trembles. I head for the door, and as I open it, Lucas is right at my back. I tense slightly.

“Since all of your things are in my room and you seem settled there, I think you should continue sleeping in my bed.” My pulse races and I feel my body heat at the implication of his words. “You seem comfortable, and I think you will feel safer where you are more familiar. I can continue using the guest room upstairs.” His voice holds a note of amusement.

I turn to him with such a feeling of relief that my anger toward him falls away. “Thank you.” My voice holds a wealth of gratitude.
Wait.
What?
“Y-You haven’t been staying in another room.”

“Okay, if that’s the way you want it, I’ll move my things back.”

“But—”

“Sawyer’s waiting and I have a conference call.” He actually pushes me out the door!

“Lucas—”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you soon. You stay right with Sawyer,” h
e orders, his voice stern, before he shuts the door.

I just stand there.
What the hell?
I start down the steps, shaking my head, and stop. If Ben finds out I’m sharing a bedroom with Lucas—
oh boy
!

Sawyer is back in his Jeep on his cell. I can tell he’s talking to a woman by the tone of his voice. “Hey Sofe,” he says after ending the call. “You and Lucas get done with your fight?”

I look at him. “We weren’t fighting.”

Sawyer grins and shifts the Jeep into gear. “That’s what it sounded like to me,” he says, grinning.

“Just drive!”

Chapter Nineteen

S
ince so many of the Guard are helping with the chores, they don’t actuall
y need my help. After going by my house to pick up more clothes, Sawyer and I head back to Lucas’. As Sawyer hands off my suitcase to Max, I notice that Lucas’ study door is open and empty.

“Lucas is taking care of some business and will be gone until late afternoon,” Max informs me.

I head into the bedroom to unpack. Lucas has an enormous walk-in closet with built-in shelves and drawers on both sides. I take the empty side, place my underwear and sweaters in the drawers, and hang my other clothes. I even have my own shoe rack. When I finish, I decide I need a cup of coffee. Max is at the kitchen table with a laptop in front of him.

“They’re warning everyone to stay in tonight,” he reports. “The authorities are telling people to stay off the roads unless it’s an emergency.”

I wonder what business required Lucas to be out in this weather. “It was slick driving back over here.” I get a mug down and make a cup of coffee. Or rather, I have the fancy built-in coffee machine fix me a butterscotch latte. I am surely on my way to being spoiled.

“Will a sandwich for lunch suit you when you’re ready to eat?”

“Yes. Please don’t worry about fixing food for just me,” I tell him.

“Lucas and I have a—special diet—with all the training we do,” he explains.

“I’ll be more comfortable if you don’t change your routine for me. I have no problem fixing food for myself.”

He smiles. “You certainly are an agreeable young woman.”
I doubt Lucas would think so.

“Well... I’m going to go watch the snow fall,” I tell him. He looks up again and smiles. I curl up on the couch in the bedroom and stare out the windows toward the snow-covered woods. Huge, fluffy flakes float to the ground, and it’s so relaxing that it’s not long before I’m lying down.

I hear someone calling to me. The sound echoes through the woods, and then I’m running through the snow.

Something brushes against my cheek. “Sofie.”

My eyes flutter open to look into Lucas’ eyes. He’s sitting on the coffee table in front o
f the couch. “Time to wake up, sleeping beauty,” he says, clearly amused with a sensual smile on his lips. “You’ve been asleep for hours, and I thought you might enjoy going to practice with me.”

I sit up, surprised I’ve slept so long. I rake my fingers through my hair, push aside the throw someone was thoughtful enough to cover me with, and stand. Lucas stands too, making my breath catch at the way he moves. I look up into his amused eyes. “Give me a few minutes, please,” I ask.

I hurry into the bathroom to brush my teeth, splash cold water on my face, and brush my hair. Looking into the large mirror above the sink, I’m relieved to see my clothes don’t look as if I’ve slept in them. When I come out of the bathroom, Lucas is standing by the windows looking out at the snow. I join him.

“It’s beautiful,” I state.

“Yes, very beautiful.” I glance over and find him watching me. My face warms with color, and he laughs that deep, sexy laugh that moves over me, making my skin quiver.

“Come, before we have a repeat of this morning.” He holds his hand out and takes me by the wrist, causing my heart to beat erratically by stroking his thumb on my pulse point.

“Tell me, my sweet, did you stop at your uncle’s for more clothes?”

I swallow and glance at him. “Yes.”

“Good.”

“I put them in your closet... I hope that’s okay?”

He smiles down at me. “Perfectly.”

I precede him to the kitchen, conscious of him watching, irritating the hell out of me. As soon as we step out the back door, a blast of cold air and snow engulfs us, bringing tears to my eyes. Lucas grabs my wrist and walks quickly, pulling me along. Near the arena, he lets go, scoops up some snow, and forms a large snowball. I watch him from the corner of my eye. When he tosses it at me, I surprise him by catching it and tossing it back. I turn to run for the arena door. Lucas catches me around the waist before I get even a couple of feet away. He swings me up and around.

“Let me down, you big lug!” I cry out, laughing.

“Big lug?” He swings me around as if I am no more than a child. He lifts me up until my face is level with his.
I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck as his mouth claims mine with hungry abandon. When he raises his head, we’re both breathing heavily. His eyes search mine. “
You
are a witch,” he growls softly.

“That’s not very nice,” I say.

“Oh, I mean it in the best way.” His voice sounds hoarse.

“Well... I guess it’s okay then.” I look at his mouth. He has the most sensual lips.

He gives a low growl, which causes my belly to clench, and he lowers me. He leans in to give me the sweetest kiss. When he raises his lips from mine, I lick my bottom lip, and he repeats the action with his warm tongue. I press my body closer to his in reaction.

The door to the arena opens, making us both look over. “Uh... sorry, Boss. They sent me to get you.” I’ve never seen this young man. He has flaming-red hair, and his face is covered in freckles. He looks a lot younger than most of the other Guard.

Lucas smiles. “Sofie, this is Patrick O’Brian. He’s been with me for several years, but he’s only been here for about a week. Patrick, this is Miss Reece.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Patrick.”

“Thank you, Miss. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.” He smirks as if he finds something amusing. He holds the door open for us, and I smile in thanks. After I walk through the door, I look back over my shoulder. Patrick is making some kind of hand gesture, grinning widely. Lucas is smiling too. When Patrick sees me watching, his face turns as red as his hair. He ducks his head and leaves us to join the other men.

“What was that all about?”

“Patrick thinks you’re hot.” Now it’s my turn to flush. Lucas laughs, and I notice several of his men look in our direction.

This is the second time I’ve been at a training session with just the Guard in attendance. There’s a lot more horseplay, and they have the music system cranking out the tunes nice and loud.

“What do you want to do?” Lucas asks. I look at him, tempted to tell him I want to watch him work out.

Shirtless.

Lucas steps closer. “If you keep looking at me like that, we’re going to have to make a trip back to the office.”

I look down so he won’t see my eyes and my reaction to his words. When I look back up, he’s watching me closely. “I-I think I want to go up to the tree house.” My voice sounds a little shaky, even to me.

Lucas looks up at the suspended platform. “The tree house?” He grins. “Haven’t you been up there?”

“Once.”

“Once.” He smirks.

“For about a minute,” I add. He looks at me with something in his eyes I don’t recognize. “What?”

“Let’s go,” he says.

And that’s just what we do. When we reach the platform, I’m out of breath. My arms and legs are shaking from trying to beat Lucas to the top, which I should have known was impossible. He toyed with me, letting me get ahead of him on the rigging. Then with a burst of speed, he’d flash past me. After I crawl onto the platform, I lie on my back. I need to train harder.

Lucas surprises me when he tells me to look up. I see a trap door in the ceiling. He lets me catch my breath, and then we go up to the roof. It’s freezing, but I enjoy looking out over the blanketed land as snow continues to fall around us. When I can no longer tolerate the cold, we head back down.

I sit with my feet hanging over the edge of the platform. A few of his men look up, but most of them continue with their training. “Are those broadswords Cal and the other guy are using down there?” I ask.

“That’s Brighton, and how do you know about broadswords?” he asks.

I look up at him. He’s leaning against one of the massive ropes the platform hangs from. His arms are crossed over his chest, and his—beauty—causes a yearning to well up in my heart. I have to shake my head to clear it. “Um… movies, books, the Internet.” I have to stop looking at him, so I return my attention to the floor below. “Aren’t they kind of heavy?”

“We mostly use them for training.” I feel his gaze on me, and I look back at him. He rakes his hand through his hair as if he’s unsure. He hasn’t shaved today, and the stubble adds to his masculinity, making my stomach hurt from just looking at him. I chew my lip, looking away.

His sudden movement startles me. He pulls me to my feet, jerking me into his arms up close against his hard body. His kiss starts out rough and passionate, causing me to melt into his embrace and wind my arms around his neck, and then the kiss turns gentle. The sweetness of it tugs at my heartstrings.

The sudden whistling, whoops, and hollers make me pull my lips from his but Lucas won’t release me from his arms. I see his mouth quirk in a half smile as he presses his lips to my forehead, inhaling deeply. “I can’t seem to keep my hands off you even in front of my men, Miss Reece,” he murmurs.

After we leave the tree house and my feet touch the floor, I turn to see all the men watching. They clap, and I feel my face heat profusely.

Practice continues into the evening. I’m exhausted and hungry by the time we finish. As we head back to the house, I notice the lights along the pathway glowing under the snow, causing the walkway and yard to look enchanted.

Before entering the house, we stomp our feet free of snow. The kitchen is warm and inviting, with mouthwatering aromas. Max is on the phone, and I hear him say, “He’s here now.” He hands Lucas the phone.

I go on to the bedroom and gather up fresh clothes. The shower feels wonderful beating down on my shoulders and working out some of the soreness. I pinned my hair up to keep it dry, so dressing doesn’t take long. When I come out of the bathroom, Lucas is standing by the fireplace. He has showered too. His hair is still damp and a nearly uncontrollable urge to run my fingers through the wet, silken strands rages through me.

“Are you ready to eat?” He gestures toward the windows where a small table is set with a white tablecloth and covered dishes. A Spanish guitar plays softly over the sound system. He steps over to the table and crooks his finger at me. I join him and a slow smile pulls at his lips. “Max has fixed an array of tapas for our dinner.” He lifts lids off the dishes, and the most delectable aromas fill the room.

My mouth waters. “Mmmm, it looks delicious.”

Lucas smiles, picks up a plate, and dishes food onto it. He sets the plate back on the table. “Sit.” He pulls my chair out for me.

“You are one of the bossiest people I know,” I say as I sit down.

He looks more amused than ever as he pours wine into two crystal wine glasses. “Yes. And furthermore, I expect to be obeyed,” he divulges. “In all things.”

“What?” I frown.
Is he serious?
“I’m not one of your men, Lucas.”

He smirks. “I’m well aware of that, Sofie.” He hands me one of the glasses, and I take a small sip, licking my lips as I set the glass down. I peek at him, meeting his dark gaze.

“You expect people to obey you?” I ask.

He smiles enigmatically. “Most do.”

“And if they don’t?” I ask softly as I search his face for any indication he’s teasing.

“Then I give them reason to.” He picks up a large Spanish olive and pops it into his mouth, keeping his eyes on me.

He gives them reason to.
What does that mean? I swallow with difficulty. “Do you expect me to?”

His eyes flare slightly as if he’s surprised I’ve asked him this. “Would it matter if I did?” His voice is deadly quiet. He tilts his head.
Crap!
Does he expect an answer? My mind is in complete confusion. What exactly does his “obey” entail? His smile is sardonic. “Just as I suspected. Eat. Your food is getting cold.”

He is totally at ease while my stomach is in knots. I take another sip of wine and look out the window. With the lights dimmed low inside and the moon full outside, the snow is illuminated, enabling us to see the beauty of the winter’s night.

“It’s so pretty and peaceful,” I remark, trying to lighten the conversation. I poke at something on my plate that looks like a chunk of chicken. I close my eyes to savor the taste. The chicken is crunchy on the outside, moist and garlicky on the inside. Delicious.

When I open my eyes, Lucas’ dark, brooding eyes are on me. He smiles as he uncovers a dish and places a spoonful on a small plate. “Try this.” He hands me the plate.

“Salad? Mmmm, asparagus.” The dish includes leeks, garlic, and capers in a light dressing. He’s also loaded my plate with steak in garlic and sherry sauce, olives and marinated mushrooms, and some type of shrimp paté. “Wow, Max has gone all out. This is amazing. He’s a true culinarian.” I notice a dish by Lucas’ plate, and I see him fork a piece from it. “Is that your special dish, and you’re not sharing?” I teasingly ask.

He forks another piece and offers it to me with a smirk. “The sauce is almond saffron,” he says. I hesitate before leaning in and taking the bite off his fork. “Max has made this dish for me for years.”

All it takes is two good chews, and I’m on my way to spit it out in the bathroom. I hear Lucas laugh as I rinse my mouth out. As soon as I’m back at the table, I take a healthy drink of the wine.

“Lucas, that truly... is disgusting!”

He chuckles. “I’m sure you don’t want to know what’s in it.”

I give him a look that makes him laugh again. I shudder and take another drink of wine, swishing it around my mouth.

He refills our wine glasses. “Did you bring your swimsuit?”

I look at him as if he’s speaking a foreign language. “What?”

“I thought you’d enjoy the hot tub tonight,” he says, his lips lifting a little at the corners.

“Outside? It’s freezing!”

“The water’s heated. You’ll enjoy it.”

“Since I didn’t bring a swimsuit in the middle of the winter, I guess I won’t,” I say a little sassily. The thought of being in a swimsuit, in a hot tub, with Lucas… makes my stomach hurt.

“You can wear your underwear.”

I choke on my sip of wine. “Uh... I don’t think so.”

“Sofie, I’m sure your bra and panties will cover you sufficiently.” He glances at me from under his eyelashes. My breath catches and I have to remind myself to breathe. “You will enjoy it,” he repeats, with a sly grin. He raises his glass to his lips, watching me over the rim.

“I-I’m not stripping to my underwear for you,” I tell him.

He raises his eyebrows. “Why not?” His voice is soft and deep. I do a long blink. “You don’t trust me?” He pauses, his eyes taking on a knowing gleam. “Perhaps it’s yourself, you don’t trust.”

“Excuse me?”
He is so full of himself!

He stands. “Sofie, I’m not suggesting we have sex in the hot tub.” He gives me a long, hot look before striding to the closet. “Wear a T-shirt over your underwear if it will make you feel more comfortable.” He comes back with a couple of white spa robes. He lays one of them on the bed. “I’ll go change in the sauna. Here’s a robe for you.” He strides toward the door. “Max will take care of the cleanup.”

After he leaves, I sit for a moment. My bra and panties do cover as much as my bikini, more actually, and I do want to get into the hot tub with him. After I admit this to myself, I leap up and grab the robe he’s laid out for me. I go into the closet to get one of my cami sets. I stand in the middle of the closet, biting my lip. I’m smart enough to know where playing around in a hot tub with Lucas Santiago could lead. Am I ready for that?

I gather my hair up in a high ponytail and head to the bathroom to change. After donning the robe, I step out and see that the door to the outside is ajar. I quickly notice Lucas’ tracks in the snow and I follow his steps to the hot tub. It isn’t far from the lap pool, but it sits closer to the house under a covered gazebo with a string of patio lights along the eaves. There’s a trellis along one end of the porch providing privacy if someone should venture around the end of the house. The soulful Spanish guitar fills the air out here as well, and steam rises from the water.