Sami
Stretching one arm above her head as she arched her back and slowly turned on her side, Samantha Dixon yawned widely, awareness slowly returning as the events from the previous night flooded her mind upon opening her eyes. Almost instantly, she became aware of several things at once. First and foremost, it dawned on her that yesterday hadn’t been a dream at all. One look at the dirty window across the room confirmed that she was still stuck inside the ramshackle cabin where Ben had taken her and based on the weak sunlight streaming through the glass, it was pretty early. Probably just past dawn if she had to guess. The second thing she realized was that in spite of the thin mattress and lumpy pillow she’d had, the bed she’d slept in had been surprisingly comfy. So comfy, in fact, that she was reluctant to leave the relative safety of the warm cocoon of covers still wrapped around her body provided. The problem with that was that no matter how much that good night’s sleep had relaxed her, the pressing need to empty her bladder was now quickly becoming a problem she couldn’t ignore. That led her to her final and most important realization of the morning, she thought to herself as she felt a cold nose press against the back of her neck as a large, hairy body brushed against her naked backside.
Which was, she wasn’t alone in this bed!
Now, that probably shouldn’t have been too surprising of a development considering the fact that she’d allowed herself to fall, vagina first, on top of her ex-fiancé’s (and current abductor’s) dick last night. Disturbing news? Absolutely! Because, honestly, who fucks their own kidnapper even if he is their ex-fiancé and love of their life? It’s bad. Bad, bad, BAD!!! But should it be totally unanticipated to find her ill-advised fuck buddy in bed with her the morning after their sexual free-for-all? Probably not. Sadly, she didn’t have time to dwell on her pesky pussy’s poor choice of playmates. She had real problems to address here. Like the one behind her, she thought as she was bumped again by the other occupant of the bed. Opening her mouth to chastise Ben for disturbing her, her eyes noticed movement outside the window.
Eyes narrowing as she focused her gaze on the streaked glass, her jaw dropped as she saw her shirtless kidnapper-with-benefits chopping wood outside through the window. Which meant he was not behind her in the bed.
Oh, shit!
Turning her head to meet the deep chocolate eyes of what Sami could only describe as a giant wolf, she lurched off the bed. “Oh, my God! Ben! Help!” she shrieked as the sheets tangled around her legs and tripped her. Falling to the floor, Sami hissed as her hip connected with the roughly hewn floorboards, the bare planks abrading her skin as she scrambled to her knees and began scooting her body into the corner. Keeping one eye on the beast as it moved to sprawl across the now vacated bed, Sami held her breath as the canine cocked its head slightly to the side and stared curiously at her. Clenching her thighs together as the urge to pee nearly overwhelmed her, Sami lifted a hand to ward off what she feared would be an imminent attack. “Nice wolfy,” she breathed shakily as the huge animal barked once, showing off its long fangs. “Now, now,” she soothed frantically. “There’s no need to try and convince me you’re a big, bad wolf. I’m already a believer! A big one! Please, do me a favor and put those sharp teeth away,” she begged as her back met the wall, her head bouncing against the plaster. “I can promise I wouldn’t taste very good. I have it on good authority that models taste like Brussels sprouts. A big boy like you wouldn’t wanna waste time snacking on something as nasty as Brussels sprouts, would you? Of course not! Not for a growing boy like you. It’s not like you even need to be on a diet,” she babbled mindlessly, praying that Ben would hurry up and get his ass back inside before she became this big bad wolf’s next meal. “I’m sure we could think of something better than having a model for your next meal,” she continued, chafing her chilled arms as she looked around for something to cover her naked body. Spotting Ben’s discarded shirt from the night before, she snagged it quickly with one hand. “Let’s just think, okay?” she murmured, pulling the soft material over her head as the beast snorted on the bed, watching her every movement. “What would taste better than model a la mode, hmmm?”
The brute on the bed merely continued to eye Sami lazily.
“I’ve got it! You know what you need?” Sami questioned the dog, her shaky voice growing marginally more confident as she looked around the room for something she could use as a weapon if worst came to worst. Coming up empty, she fought a wave of hysteria as she soldiered on with her one-sided conversation. “You need a steak. A great big, juicy T-bone,” she suggested with a decisive nod at the wolf. “And you wanna know what tastes just like a T-bone?” Sami continued as she continued edging toward the door, wisely keeping her back to the wall. “Photographers!” she announced enthusiastically, more than willing to throw Ben under the bus… or the wolf, as the case may be. Feeling slightly more hopeful, she grinned brightly at the canine. “Lucky for you, I know exactly where you can find that particular delicacy. There just so happens to be a delicious specimen right outside that I just know would fill that empty belly of yours right up. You just let me scoot out of here and I’ll drag him in here and serve him up,” she bargained hopefully as she heard a deep chuckle from vicinity of the doorway.
“Actually, Jellybean prefers chicken to human, but it’s good to know you’re willing to make the hard sacrifices when the situation calls for it. It just warms my heart,” Ben’s amused voice surmised dryly as he leaned casually against the doorframe, his wide smile and dancing eyes indicating that he’d been highly entertained by her antics.
Sami’s eyes were the size of saucers as her gaze darted from the huge wolf currently resting on his hind quarters in the center of the bed to where Ben stood just inside the door, looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world. With a fine sheen of perspiration clinging to his muscled chest and an insolent smile on his face, under different circumstances, she would have thought he looked positively edible. At the moment, however, looking positively edible might just get them both ripped limb from limb. “I don’t know who the hell Jellybean is, and right now I don’t care! ” Sami hissed, nodding toward the animal in front of her. “In case you missed it, there’s a wolf IN. THE. CABIN. with us! Don’t just stand there! Do something!” she ordered shrilly.
“I am doing something,” he replied with a still-widening grin. “I’m watching you negotiate with a perfectly harmless teddy bear.”
“You think THAT thing,” Sami hissed, inching even closer to the wall as she waved her manicured hand wildly in the direction of the bed, “can be confused with a teddy bear? That’s a damn freaking wolf, you moron. And wolves EAT people! I know this! I’ve seen Wild Kingdom! I read the Twilight books! Wolves are NOT to be trusted!”
Ben let out a sharp bark of a laugh that only served to send Sami’s blood pressure even higher. “Babe, trust me,” he murmured, pushing off the edge of the doorframe to stride over to the bed, “Jellybean just wanted to say good morning.” He rubbed the animal’s tummy and grinned as it wiggled happily, a pink tongue lolling from the side of its mouth. “You can’t really blame him. After all, you were in his bed this morning.”
“HIS bed?” Sami yelped, eyes narrowing as she tugged at her shirt, trying to pull the fabric down far enough to keep her not-so-secret garden covered. “What do you mean, HIS bed? And why the hell are you allowing that… that creature to mess up my perfectly clean sheets??”
Ben’s lips twitched as he tried to keep a straight face. “This creature has a name, Sami. It’s Jellybean, and he’s not a wolf. According to the local vet in town, this sweet guy is an Alaskan Malamute.”
Frowning, Sami noted the obvious affection Ben had for his pet with a raised eyebrow. “You know, you wouldn’t even consider adopting so much as a goldfish when we were together,” she recalled dryly. “I find it kind of ironic that you and this so-called dog are joined at the hip. So, I’ve gotta believe there’s a story there. And who in their right mind names a dog this size Jellybean?” she asked with a small laugh as she nodded toward the canine in question.
“Jellybean and I crossed paths a couple years back while I was taking some photos of the mountains up in the Pacific Northwest. Not sure what exactly his story was since I never found his owners… or tormenters, if you wanna know the truth about it. All I know is I was lucky enough to be there when this boy stumbled out of the woods,” he explained, sliding his hand over his dog’s shiny coat of hair as he gave the animal a fond look. “Jellybean’s body told the only story I needed to know. Somebody had done a nasty number on him. He was emaciated and covered in fleas when he found me. He had rope burns around his neck from where somebody had tied him up and scars on his back from God knows what. Despite of all that abuse though, he walked right up to me and pressed his snout into my hand. It’s like he could smell the fact that I was a decent human being. As for his name, it’s kind of a stupid story,” he admitted.
“Don’t care,” Sami returned as Ben stroked Jellybean gently on his head. “I wanna know. Please?” she begged eagerly, batting her eyelashes at Ben as she leveled him with her wide, doe-eyed look. He’d never, not once, been able to resist the power of the doe eyes when she’d pulled that trick out of her bag.
Groaning, Ben hung his head. “Fine, just put that wide-eyed look away. You know it kills me,” he grumbled, before continuing. “It’s kind of a dumb story. When the dog found me, I could tell he was hungry, but the only thing I had in my pockets at the time were some jellybeans I’d grabbed as a snack at the gas station. Well, he was whining and nosing at my hands, so I decided to give the candy a try. I held the food out to him and he gobbled ‘em up like it was the best food on earth. He kept bumping against my pockets hoping I’d pull out more for him. From that moment on, he was known as Jellybean. He and I,” Ben continued, patting his dog’s head, “Well, we’ve been mostly inseparable ever since then. Honestly, vixen,” he continued, looking up at her, his eyes open and unguarded, “I think God knew Jellybean and I both needed a friend and he set us on a collision course.”
Hearing the abuse this poor dog had endured was almost enough to make her forgive the animal for making her think she was his next meal. Almost. But hearing the story of how the dog got his name? Yeah, that was enough to melt her heart. Yeah, she was very close to falling under this dog’s spell. And Jellybean sealed the deal for her when he hopped off the bed and trotted past Ben to nuzzle her hand with his head until she began to pet him. And when Jellybean lifted his head to look guilelessly up at her with his melted chocolate eyes, Sami knew she was a goner. Somehow, she’d gone and fallen head over heels for the freaking dog AND his master. Way to go, Samantha. “Okay,” she grumbled to the dog, “I guess I forgive you for making me think I was gonna be your breakfast.” Putting her hand underneath the dog’s chin, she lifted its head until she met those bottomless brown eyes of his. “However, you and I need to discuss the sleeping arrangements. I refuse to share my pillow with a puppy. We’ll have to find you your own… or give you Daddy’s,” she suggested mischievously, winking at Ben.
“Not likely,” Ben returned with a shake of his head. “My dog has a perfectly respectable doggy bed in the corner,” he stated, pointing toward a cozy mound of pillows stacked in the corner on Ben’s side of the bed. “I’m surprised you didn’t spot his pallet last night and start asking questions.”
“We were kind of distracted by other things last night,” Sami mumbled, her face reddening with embarrassment. Looking around as she tried to figure out where Ben had hidden his dog last night, she asked, “Where was Jellybean while we were…were…you know?”
“Getting reacquainted?” Ben supplied with a smirk. Jerking his head toward the window, he explained. “When I came up here last summer to take pictures of the property for my buddy, Axton, I built him a pen out back so he wouldn’t have to stay cooped up in a hot cabin while I was working. When Ax dropped off our stuff last night for us, he put Jellybean in the pen so that he wouldn’t have any accidents. Since we got a bit carried away, I didn’t actually bring him in until after you’d fallen asleep. I’d intended to be in here to introduce the two of you when you woke up, but I’d counted on you sleeping later than dawn.” With a cheeky grin, he shrugged. “I thought I had properly exhausted you. Guess I’ll have to try a little harder next time.”
Swallowing hard at the obvious innuendo in Ben’s deep voice, Sami automatically began shaking her head and backing away from him. “Oh, no! NO, no, no, no, no,” she denied, wagging a finger at him when he began to follow her. “That’s not gonna be happening again. In fact, nothing is going to be happening between us again,” she clarified, looking around desperately for her clothes. “Where the hell are my clothes?” she questioned desperately.
Chucking, Ben had the decency to look slightly ashamed. “We-llllll, that’s a funny story,” he murmured, lifting a hand to rub the back of his neck as he shot his dog a harassed look.
“What do you mean?” Sami asked cautiously, not quite liking the shifty look that had entered Ben’s eyes.
“See, Jellybean here has a penchant for trying to steal pretty things,” he enlightened Sami hesitantly. “Especially pretty, silky things that he finds on the floor.”
Sami’s eyes widened as her face blanched. “Ben…”
“See, in Jellybean’s world, if it’s on the floor, it belongs to him. The floor is his domain,” he expounded with a grimace.
“That silk blouse was Givenchy couture, Benjamin, and those jeans were my favorite pair of Sevens. Please tell me that this is one of your twisted jokes,” Sami breathed as she tried to remain calm.
“I’m afraid not,” Ben replied with a grimace as he slowly reached for a pile of rags Sami hadn’t noticed on the table behind him.
Jaw dropping as she stared at what was left of her outfit, she whimpered as a piece of what was once her fitted blouse fluttered to the floor. Turning to look at the oblivious canine at her feet, Sami held what was left of her shredded clothing in front of the dog’s snout. “Bad dog,’ she chastised him as she shook what was left of her expensive shirt in front of his nose. “Bad, bad dog. We do not defile my designer duds! You confine your snacks to off the rack only!” She rebuked sternly, gaping when Jellybean leapt toward the flapping fabric and pulled it into his mouth, yanking it sharply and nearly pulling Sami off-balance.
“Yeah,” Ben said apologetically as Sami shot him a look of stunned disbelief, “He really likes to play tug of war,” he informed her with a sigh. “If it helps any, we’re working on our manners,” he shared hopefully. “Watch this,” he invited. Snapping his fingers, he ordered, “Drop it, Jellybean.”
Sami sighed as she silently observed the dog as he dropped the fabric to the floor, laying his head on top of the soggy pool of ruined material. “Awesome,” she praised unenthusiastically. “As amazing as that behavioral feat is, it still doesn’t solve my half-naked problem!” she hissed, gesturing down at her bare legs as she again tugged at Ben’s tee shirt, trying to pull it down so that it covered at least some of her ass. Eyeballing the dog with unconcealed annoyance, Sami silently counted to ten before giving in and patting Jellybean on his head. It wasn’t like he’d destroyed her clothes for spite. He didn’t even know her. He was just doing what dogs did. And after all, she was in his territory. Sinking onto the edge of the bed, she hung her head and closed her eyes, wondering what she was supposed to do about her near naked state of affairs. She couldn’t exactly make a break for it while she was buck-assed naked.
As if he could read her thoughts, Ben spoke. “Since my dog did a number on your outfit, I have a peace offering.”
Jerking her head up at the mention of a peace offering, Sami looked at Ben with eager eyes as she fiddled with the hem of her tee shirt with nervous fingers. “What?” she questioned rapidly.
“Well, as amazing as I think you look wearing my shirt… or nothing at all if I had my way, I know how much you love your girly shit. So, I had Axton pick up a bag of your crap from Vivian yesterday before he brought our supplies up the mountain.”
“You did? You mean I have stuff here?” Sami asked, growing more excited by the prospect of clean clothes.
“Your bag is over there beside the kitchen table,” he shared, indicating the waiting bag with a slght lift of his chin.
Bolting off the bed, Sami rushed over to the scarred wooden table, her bare feet slapping against the dirty planks of the floor. Quickly locating her black leather overnight bag on the floor, she bent to pull the bag into one of the mismatched ladder backed chairs, frowning as she noticed how light it felt. Reaching for the silver zipper, she held her breath as she heard the metallic sound of the zipper’s teeth separating. “Please, God, let there be a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt in here,” she muttered under her breath as she reached inside the satchel, scowling as she pulled out a handful of lacy thongs. “What the…” she huffed as she rapidly unearthed three racy demi-bras and a couple of see-through negligees from the depths of her luggage. Tossing the filmy fabric impatiently to the floor, she turned accusatory eyes on Ben. “These aren’t even my things! I’d never wear a color as obvious as crimson to seduce a man,” she snarled, waving a hand toward the discarded red corset on the ground.
Eyeing the sexy nightwear, Ben’s lips twisted into a smug grin. “Well, that is truly a pity. I’m willing to bet you’d look amazing in red,” he wagered as his eyes traveled up and down Sami’s body.
“You wish!” she sneered, her agitation inching upward. “Where are my clothes, Ben?” she questioned stiffly, her hands fisting at her side as she faced off with him.
“I have no idea. I told Axton to have Vivian pack you a bag,” he informed her easily with a shrug of his shoulders. “My guess? These are the clothes she wanted you to have,’ he theorized smugly, nodding toward the heap of satin and lace littering the floor.
“Of all the traitorous, backstabbing…. I can’t believe Viv would DO this,” she ranted, looking around at the clothes, or lack thereof, that Vivian had packed for her. “I’m going to kill her,” she hissed, bending to snatch a black lace peekaboo nightgown from the floor and shaking the lacy material toward Ben. “How the hell does she expect me to stay warm up here, huh? I’ll freeze to death wearing these scraps.”
Clearing his throat, Ben tilted his head to the side as he considered the frothy fabric swinging in front of his nose. “Perhaps, she’s counting on me to keep things heated up for you.”
Sami tried to ignore how good that actually sounded to her as she began to pace. She was officially trapped, almost naked, in a cabin with a man that she’d loved for more years than she cared to remember… a man she still couldn’t have no matter how much her body tried to convince her otherwise. Her aching pussy and throbbing nipples would have to suffer. She couldn’t let Ben get close to her again. Not when she knew she’d only be hurting them both far more in the long run. Last night had been a beautiful reminder of what they’d once shared, but it could never be anything more than that.
But her feelings for him made her weak, and Sami knew if she stayed up here in this cabin with him much longer, it was only a matter of time before she jumped back on Ben’s dick and rode them both to their ruin.
Which meant she needed to go.
First order of business? Finding some fucking clothes!
Ignoring the way his eyes followed her around the room, she quickly snagged a simple lace bra and matching thong from her meager selection of belongings before she marched toward his suitcase, flipping it open and rifling through the contents. “Something I can help you find?” his deep voice drawled from behind her as her hands busily searched for something viable to wear.
“Nope,” Sami declared tersely, snatching up a black thermal shirt that looked about three sizes too big for her. Throwing it over her arm, she swiftly located a pair of gray sweatpants that still thankfully had the drawstring in them and a pair of thick, wooly socks.
“Then care to share exactly what you’re doing in my stuff?” Ben probed, his smiling voice clearly amused.
Turning her head, Sami rolled her eyes at his stupid question. “Stealing,” she replied succinctly before focusing her attention back on her hunt. Rifling through the contents of his bag for an extra pair of boots, she came up empty. Biting back a curse as her escape plan appeared to hit another snag, Sami wondered where in the name of Gucci she was going to find appropriate footwear for her little sojourn down the side of the mountain. Spotting her slightly battered pair of strappy Jimmy Choo’s in front of the fireplace, she somehow doubted that they’d be a viable option… unless she was planning to skate down the mountain on her ass. Because while elegantly chic, her trusty heels were designed to move men, not mountains. No, for this kind of hike, she needed a nice sturdy pair of boots.
And since the only pair of those she knew about currently resided on Ben’s size fourteen feet, she had a feeling she was shit out of luck.
Unless she improvised, she thought as she caught sight of a pair of bright yellow galoshes out on the porch. She wouldn’t exactly look like a model off the pages of Cosmo, but maybe she could start a fashion forward trend.
Unfortunately, her bladder chose this moment to remind her that her options were limited. Looking around the small cabin for a door to the bathroom, her brows furrowed as she realized there was only a single door in the whole room… and it led outside. “Ben?” she questioned tightly as her spine tingled ominously, warning her of something unpleasant looming in her near future. Clutching her purloined wardrobe to her chest, she swallowed hard as she scanned the tiny room again, hoping she’d somehow overlooked a second door. “Where exactly is the bathroom in this place?”
She knew by Ben’s evil smirk that she would not be pleased by his answer. Before he could open his mouth, she groaned as he lifted a hand and pointed outside toward the lean-to at the edge of the woods. “You have GOT to be kidding me? Is that a freaking outhouse? Like in the movies?”
“Yep, a real, honest to God functioning outhouse,” he agreed insistently, nodding his head as his smile widened maniacally.
“Ben, that’s a contradiction in terms. There’s not a damn thing functioning about an outhouse. And I can NOT believe that a man who was swearing and declaring just last night to love without question would even SUGGEST I go relieve myself in a hole in the ground! Do people out here in the sticks not realize that technology has advanced to the point of indoor plumbing?
“Most of the lodge’s other cabins have been updated, but this one has views that can make a grown man wanna cry. Plus, it has the added benefit of being furthest off the grid. Lots of privacy for us to work out our shit and get us on the road to reconciliation,” he reasoned with a confident lift of his chin, his lips tilting upward slightly as he sidled closer to her. “Although I’m not averse to some more making up like we did last night if you’d rather start with that. I like to think I’m a versatile guy.”
“My ass! A deluded psycho is what you are,” Sami charged huffily, throwing up a hand to halt his forward progression and almost instantly regretting that decision when her palm encountered a wall of hard, chiseled muscle. God, she’d almost forgotten how much she loved touching his chest. The sinewy ropes of muscle. The ridged perfection of his abs. It was enough to make her panties spontaneously combust.
Which was why she needed to FOCUS.
Shoving him back a step, she narrowed her eyes on Ben’s handsome face as she concentrated on all the pain of his parting words three years ago and channeled all the agony she’d experienced since he’d left into her next words. “Get this through your thick skull, Ben! We don’t have any shit to work through because we’re over. I’m not interested in a reconciliation or finding resolution or anything else. Last night I was horny. You were available and I availed myself to your dick. That’s it. It was sex. If I’d had a dildo handy, I would have used it. I didn’t, so your cock was the most handy tool I had to get off. So if you’re building some kind of fantasy off a quick fuck….”
Ben’s mouth tightened and his eyes blazed as he lifted a hand to encircle the wrist Sami still held up between them, yanking her body closer. “Enough, Samantha. Do yourself a favor and don’t spew any more bullshit in my direction. Otherwise I’m gonna be tempted to fill your mouth with something a whole lot more substantial than your venom. We both know last night meant something. Now, go trot your shapely ass out to the outhouse and do your business. Then we’ll talk. Or I’ll talk and you’ll listen,” he clarified firmly, his tone brooking no argument. “You got me?” he asked, pressing his hard body against hers.
Sami stifled a moan as his solid body collided with hers, her hills fitting against his valleys as if they were two parts of the same whole. She could feel the sexual tension radiating off him, bathing her in a heady mist of sensual want and blistering need. In that moment, she felt like whatever higher power that existed was mocking her, dangling the man she wanted most in the world just beyond her reach. Fate was truly a vicious bitch. Forcing herself to jerk from his embrace, she took a faltering step backward as she wiveled toward the door. “The only thing I’ve got at the moment is a pressing need to use the bathroom, Ben,” she made herself bluster as she stomped. “So take your threats and shove ‘em up your ass,” she sassed before hustling outside, never more grateful for the crisp, cold air of the mountains than she was at that moment. Hopefully it would blow those carnal cobwebs right out of her mind and free it up to contemplate more important things.
Like getting down off this mountain top.
Holding her “borrowed” belongings clutched to her chest, she paused only long enough to snatch the rubber rain boots off the corner of the porch before she sprinted toward the primitive port-a-potty at the edge of the clearing, Jellybean following at her heels. Pausing just outside the worn door, she momentarily debated carrying her loot inside with her, but promptly decided that changing clothes outside would be the immensely more preferable way to go – especially based on the horrible odor wafting from the tiny wooden structure.
“No eating these,” she ordered sternly, glaring threateningly at Ben’s dog before dropping her clothes into the grass. Watching as the animal merely snorted in response, collapsing onto his side as he stared back at her, Sami sighed. She was probably safe. Ben’s clothes weren’t exactly silk or satin. Wrinkling her nose, she swung open the wooden door with a two fingered grip and held her breath as she entered the gloomy darkness, praying that she survived this barbaric experience. A single small window streaked with what she valiantly hoped was mud provided a few weak rays of sunlight to light her way to the hole in the ground that was supposed to be a toilet. Squeezing her eyes shut, she bent over and rapidly performed her business, quickly using the crude facilities with a minimum of fuss before lurching out the door again.
Breathing in a deep lungful of fresh air as she stumbled from the outhouse, Sami glared toward the porch where Ben stood watching her with steady eyes, lazily leaning one shoulder against the doorframe. “Thought you mighta fallen in there for a minute,” he called out with an arrogant grin. “Did the princess not find the amenities to her liking?”
Flipping him the middle finger before snatching up the clean clothes on the ground, she scooted behind the outhouse and out of Ben’s line of sight, making sure to put an extra bounce in her step. Not for long enough to qualify as giving the bastard a free show, but just enough to make him remember what he wouldn’t be getting from her again. Was it wrong? Sure. But if he was going to tease her, she was going to make sure to give as good as she got… and one of the biggest weapons in her arsenal would always be her body. Not that she’d let him sample that particular delicacy again. She’d had a slip last night, but that was it. No more nookie for the kidnapper. “Not happening. No friggin’ way,” she grumbled to herself as she peeled off his shirt and held it out to Jellybean. “Bon appetite,” she simpered sweetly as she waved the cotton fabric at the dog playfully, grinning widely as his large canine teeth sank into the material. Letting it go, she grinned as she quickly donned her panties and bra then reached for the jogging pants she’d stolen from Ben. She made short work of dressing, chuckling every so often as Jellybean growled and tore at the tee shirt. “Good boy,” she praised the dog when she was fully dressed again.
Plopping down on the soft ground, she quickly reached for one of the canary yellow rubber galoshes, holding it steady as she shoved her socked foot into the shoe. The fit wasn’t perfect; in fact, it felt like her foot was swimming around the interior, but it would have to do in a pinch. Her options were limited. It was the rain boots or bare feet, she told herself as she slid on the other rain boot. Stretching her legs out in front of her, she tilted her head as she considered her new footwear. She certainly wouldn’t win any style points, but hopefully, they’d carry her down the mountain. “Whatcha think, Jellybean?” she asked the pacing canine without looking at him. “You wanna take a chance and make a break for it with me?”
His deep, answering growl had her head jerking toward him in a millisecond. Her gaze quickly found him, his massive body facing the wood line with hackles raised as he snarled at something rustling in the trees.
“Samantha!” she heard Ben shout, his tone unusually tense as his footsteps echoed against the ground as she listened to him rush toward her. “Sami, I mean it, woman; get in the damn cabin! Now!” Ben’s slightly panicked voice demanded urgently as he rounded the outhouse, his long legs eating the distance between them as he bent down and grabbed her hand.
Gasping as he pulled her to her feet, Sami shot him a murderous glare. “Excuse me?” she replied icily as she tried to yank her hand away from his, her eyes shooting daggers at him as his dog continued yapping maniacally. “Last I checked, I was a free woman, well over the age of consent. I don’t take orders from anyone. Especially someone that thinks yelling them at me like some kind of army captain is okay. ”
“Sami, we don’t have time to argue about this. Get your ass to the cabin! Now!” Ben ordered harshly, keeping one eye on the woods as he released her arm to give her a small shove in the direction of their cabin while Jellybean began to run circles around them almost as if he was trying to herd them toward the door.
Stumbling slightly, Sami eyes turned slightly murderous as they focused on Ben’s distracted face. “Hey, how about you look at me when I tell you off,” she suggested snottily, waiting until he gave her the courtesy of a cursory glance. “You know what, Ben? Screw you!” she hissed, righting herself. “I’ve had it up to here with all your bossy bullshit,” she snarled, slicing her hand above her head. “This abduction is officially over, you ass! I’m leaving!” she announced, marching toward the gravel path that passed for a road in these parts. She’d only made it a few feet when a small bear cub broke through the tree line and clamored to a stop in front of her, his big brown eyes staring at her curiously.
Freezing in place, Sami’s jaw dropped as her eyes collided with the cub’s. The baby bear was, without a doubt, the most adorable animal she’d ever seen in her life, and he was parked only a few feet away. “Aren’t you just precious?” she breathed, involuntarily holding out a hand as she heard Ben curse behind her while Jellybean’s barks became frantic.
“Jellybean, be quiet!” he ordered his pet, his sharp voice like a cracking whip. “Vixen, don’t you dare touch that bear!” Ben commanded forcefully in a voice that brooked no argument as his steps hurried toward her.
There he went ordering her around again, Sami thought irritably as the cub began to lumber toward her on unsteady feet. He couldn’t be very old. Maybe just a few days, Sami thought, watching the cub worriedly. And who the hell did Ben think he was, anyway? Even when they’d been together, she’d never let him tell her what to do and she wasn’t going to start now. Shooting Ben a haughty look of disdain over her shoulder, she ignored his warning and leaned forward, intending to rub the small bear’s head. “It’s just a baby, Ben,” she declared nonchalantly, wiggling her fingers at the animal.
Unfortunately for her, Ben was faster than he looked. Putting on a burst of speed, his arm slipped around her waist to pull her back against his chest just as her fingertips grazed the soft hair on top of the cub’s head. “It’s a baby bear, Sami,” Ben growled, breathing hard against her ear as his heart thundered against where it pressed to her back.
“Damn it, Ben,” she complained as she smacked a hand against the arm holding her. “Let me go! That sweet little cub isn’t going to hurt me, you big bully! Can’t you see he’s lost his mommy? He’s scared!”
Ben shot her a look that clearly said he was questioning her sanity. “Sami, we are not adopting a bear cub,” he stated firmly. “Now, c’mon before we both end up as the main course on the lunch menu.”
“Oh, please. Do me a favor and pull your panties out of your ass, fussy britches, and quit being such an alarmist. There is no way this precious little one would chow down on someone like me. You, on the other hand? Maybe,” she acknowledged carelessly, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Besides, I don’t wanna adopt him. Maybe we could just find him a nice foster home until his mother’s been located,” she suggested testily, struggling against his restraining hold as she shot the forlorn looking animal a compassionate look as several feet away the tree line rustled again, the sound of breaking limbs echoing through the wilderness.
Both Sami and the cub stilled and looked toward the sound as Ben tensed behind her. “Believe me, city girl, that cub’s mommy is not lost. In the wild, wherever baby wanders, Momma follows,” he bit out against her ear as he began to drag her backward, holding her securely against his chest as he whistled for Jellybean to follow them. They only made it a few steps when a gigantic black bear ambled from the woods, her dark eyes sharp as they searched the surrounding area for her offspring.
“Oh, fuck, Ben,” Sami breathed, her shocked eyes rounding with fright as Ben’s arm tightened around her waist. “That’s a b-b- b…”
“That’s right; say hello to Momma Bear, Goldilocks,” Ben offered curtly while he continued edging them toward the cabin. “Next time maybe you’ll listen to me,” he hissed as he dragged her toward the porch steps, suddenly yanking her behind him when the huge animal seemed to narrow her focus on them, snorting into the air as she stomped the ground with one massive paw. “Sami, no bullshit, baby. I want you to count to three and then sprint for the door. Jellybean will follow you. Wave your arms and make as much noise as you can when you go. Try to make your body seem as big as possible,” Ben directed softly, pressing a palm to her abdomen and pushing her back another step.
“What?” Staring at the back of his head in horror, Sami automatically began shaking her head. She wasn’t leaving him out here to face a friggin’ bear on his own. No way! “You’ve lost your mind. I’m not leaving you out here to fight a bear alone. We’ll all make a break for the house. It’s only like twenty yards away. We can make it together. Jellybean, me, and you,” she whispered violently as she looked over her shoulder and mentally calculated the distance.
“I’ll be right behind you, but I need you safe now,” Ben replied evenly, his gaze never moving from the momma bear as she reared up on her back legs. Reaching back to squeeze her hand, he turned to give her a quick, pleading look. “Babe, you gotta do this for me. Take Jellybean and get inside. I’ll be right on your heels.”
She wanted to scream as a rush of cold, bone deep fear flooded her veins, visions of Ben being ripped limb from limb by the monster bear in front of them clouding her mind. How had she gone from plotting her escape from him to clinging to his hand, begging him to come inside with her? “Ben, please!” Sami implored, her nails digging into his hand, unwilling to let him go. “I don’t wanna go without you. We go together or not at all,” she insisted.
“Christ, you’re still stubborn as a mule! Why the hell won’t you ever just let me protect you?” Ben grumbled as he turned to look at her again.
“Because as much of a turn-on as your gallantry is, being alive and whole is even sexier,” Sami returned impatiently. “Now, we can either stand here and get mauled to death by a pissed off momma bear or we make a break for it and hunker down in the cabin until these two animals get bored and go on their way. Either way, we’re doing it together, Ben. Which one do you think makes more sense?” she asked sarcastically, as she lifted up on her toes to go nose to nose with him. “There’s a thin line between stubborn and stupid, honey, and you’re fixin’ to cross it,” she warned. Pressing his lips together, Sami could see Ben turning over her statement in his mind. “Please, He-man? I love your protectiveness, but I kinda want you around to keep me safe for longer than the length of a bear attack.”
“Fine, we’ll do this your way. On the count of three, we make a run for it. Remember, move like you’re runnin’ from the Devil and scream like the hounds of hell are tryin’ to bite that luscious ass of yours. You with me?”
“With you,” Sami agreed with a decisive nod as she watched the cub’s mother fall back to all four legs. At this point, she’d agree to French kiss a cow if it meant getting Ben not to risk his life for hers with one of his impressive, albeit stupid shows of masculine chivalry. She didn’t want or need that kind of gesture from him. Deep down, she already knew he still loved her. This only proved it.
“Okay, three! Two! One!” Ben counted down calmly, keeping his voice calm and level as they both eyed the door.
“Go!” Sami screamed as she held onto Ben’s hand and began running toward the door, her yell mingling with Ben’s deeper shout as they ran toward the wooden porch, their feet pounding against the ground as Jellybean kept pace beside them. With every step, clips from her life with Ben played on a loop in her mind. The good. The bad. The ugly. The beautiful. All of it, cycling through her consciousness on repeat. And as he slammed the door behind them less than thirty seconds later and turned to stare at her with wild, turbulent eyes, she knew that while her body might now be safe from harm, the risk to her heart was only just beginning.