“Rae, baby wake up.”

My eyes fluttered and adjusted to the low yellow light streaming from an open front door only a few feet away. Peter’s arms surrounded me and lifted as I climbed from the Nova and stumbled. Snug against his chest I let my head fall into his neck as my hand landed on his chest.

“I’ve got you, honey,” he whispered, carrying me inside.

Jake’s motorcycle pulled up and the engine cut, “Coast is clear. Beckett and Shane are gonna take first watch so we can settle the girls.”

Hay rushed into Jake’s arms as he kissed her, holding her close. I didn’t miss the look he exchanged with Pete, “We’ll take the guest bedroom.”

“I’ve got the couch,” R.J. announced as he sank onto it, checking his Glock and placing it on the wooden coffee table, close within his reach. He eyed the front door warily.

“Good, I’ve got Rae.”

Duh.

Peter led us up a flight of stairs as I surveyed the room. A log cabin. Most everything was rustic and made of thickly polished woods in cherry, oak, and mahogany, but it was clean and spacious. R.J. built a fire in the main hearth as we turned a corner on the second floor and headed into the master bedroom.

“I texted your mother. She knows where you are,” Peter informed me as he closed and locked the door, letting my feet slowly rest on the floor.

“That makes one of us.”

“This cabin is one of Mack’s old haunts.”

I frowned. Was this whole mess related to Mack somehow?

Pete walked slowly forward and sank onto the edge of the king size four poster bed. “My feet are killing me. Damn boots.”

He was pretty good at avoidance, I knew this by now.

“When are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I demanded.

“Baby it’s late, and I’m tired. Right now all I want to do is hold you and get a few hours of sleep.”

“How long are we going to be here?”

“I’m not sure.”

“How long?” I asked again, agitated and grinding my teeth to keep from yelling.

“Until I know it’s safe for you to go home.”

“Don’t you think I should have some say in that?” my hands landed on my hips as I stared him down.

“No.”

“Oh really?” I fumed, walking up and pointing a finger at the center of his chest. “You’re not going to order me around or control my life, Peter.”

He sighed, “As much as I think you’re adorable when you’re angry, I’m not ready to discuss everything yet. I need sleep. I’ve had several nights in a row with hardly any rest, protecting you if you remember. So if you want to stand there pissed off and cold instead of warming up beside me then go ahead. Baby, I’m not dictating shit.”

He smirked as he dropped his boots on the floor, then his pants and leather jacket on the edge of the bed. Down to a t-shirt and boxers, he slipped under the covers and rested back against the pillows. Both arms rested behind his head as his muscles flexed.

Ignoring the way he was looking at me I began to pace, becoming angrier with every step. He was brushing me off. Both of us knew I wouldn’t last long. A bitter chill was working its way into my bones, partly from the cooler night air and partially from the adrenaline rush of earlier and my fear. I began to tremble, a little at first and then more until my teeth chattered.

Peter’s eyes never left me, “Come to bed baby.”

I shook my head.

“Please, honey, you’re freezing, and it makes me anxious to see you suffering out of spite.”

I sighed, kicking off my boots and throwing clothes on the floor out of frustration. He held the covers open and I slipped in beside him, immediately engulfed in a warm cocoon of his body heat.

“Damn Rae, you’re freezing.”

He began to rub my arms gently to increase the circulation and warmth, his long, lean fingers massaging in slow firm strokes. Once he was assured of their renewed heat, he moved to my feet and began to massage them under the blankets.

I sighed, finally letting my body relax.

“Feel good?”

“Uh huh,” I murmured.

His hands roamed upward to my calves, massaging gently, “And now?”

“Delightful,” I whispered languidly.

Peter’s hands began to massage my thighs and roamed upward toward my waistline. He lowered his head and began to press tiny kisses to my skin, close to my navel, as my shirt lifted higher. For a moment our eyes locked and the smile that curled the sides of his mouth sent a wave of heat to course through my veins. Even mad and frustrated I didn’t love or want him any less. He tugged the material above my head and tossed it aside, leaving me only in my pale pink satin bra. For a split second I was lost in the hungry look in his eyes, so raw and visceral that I lifted my arms to him, but Pete only grinned wider.

“I love you, Rae.”

“I love you too, Pete.”

“I know you do baby,” he whispered confidently. His cocky grin split his cheeks as he rose above me and then lowered, pressing his lips to mine. The weight of his body pressed against my chest but he didn’t crush me. Instead, I felt covered in warmth and safety, knowing he would always protect and keep me from harm. My fingers rose to his chest and trickled along the strong defined muscle all the way up and around the nape of his neck. I played with the texture of his thick dark hair and released an involuntary moan, but it was swallowed up by his passionate kiss.

Peter’s tongue slipped inside my mouth, dancing with expertise and arousing a hunger inside me that matched his own. His hips began to grind into mine as I gasped and my head fell back against the pillow. The whisper-light touch of his lips trailed from my jawline and slowly down the column of my throat peppering tender kisses to my shoulder and then lower to the top of my breasts that peeked above the lacy edges of my bra.

These were new sensations to me. I’ve never made out with a boy like this before. In fact, I never wanted to fall into the trap, so many high school girls did, giving over their virginity to some guy who didn’t care about them at all but only his own need to get laid. Tonight for some reason, I let Peter do whatever he wanted. Was it love? Lust? Need? Desire?

Maybe I wanted to get lost in each other and have a perfect night together without fear of discovery and to forget the danger from this afternoon. Maybe I loved him more than I previously admitted or acknowledged, even to myself. Perhaps I wanted to find out if the passion that ignited between us was real. All I knew was that his touch was perfect, his lips owned my body, and I enjoyed every single second that he awakened the deepest longings of my soul. I wanted Peter, in that way, and I think he knew it.

Too well.

“Tell me what you want Rae,” he whispered seductively, “tell me I’m not mistaking the look in your eyes.”

I was breathing hard, panting at yearnings that I didn’t know could resonate so deep within me, “Pete, don’t mess with me right now.” I moaned again as he began to suck on the mounded top of my left breast. “I’ve never wanted anything like this before.”

His lips curved into a sultry knowing grin, “I want you, Rae. Whenever. Wherever. The moment you’re ready.”

“Peter,” I gasped as he pushed the material of the bra aside, “Oh God.”

He began to grind harder, his hips rolling into mine and revealing a hardness I didn’t quite realize existed before now. I mean, I knew that happened with boys, but I never cared. Until now.

“Rae,” he rasped, “I have to stop now or keep going all the way. I’ve got no willpower left.”

“Pete,” I moaned as coherent thought left me. I wasn’t sure how to answer him.

He lifted his head and pressed his lips so tenderly against mine that I closed my eyes and breathed him in, his love so overpowering that I wanted to stay in this moment with him forever.

“I want to go all the way tonight Rae, but I don’t think you’re quite ready. There’s no rush baby. We’ve got our whole lives for this.”

But what if we didn’t? What if tonight only proved that life was unpredictable? Shouldn’t we take our happiness when and where we knew we could get it? What if tomorrow never came?

My hand rose to Peter’s cheek, “I’m afraid we’ll never get another chance.”

His eyes softened as they met mine, “I refuse to believe that. There’s lots of time for us Rae. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Are you making another sworn promise?” I asked, searching his eyes, only half teasing.

“Yes baby, like the others I won’t ever break. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you, so I’m not rushing one of the most amazing moments we’ll ever have. It’s got to be right and perfect. You deserve the best.”

I frowned as his finger brushed across my face, “I don’t need perfect. I just need you, Pete.”

The breath caught in his throat as he rolled over and held me tight, my head cradled right over his frantic beating pulse, “I’m not willing to trade tonight and give up on our entire future so stay with me, Rae. Stay and never leave me, baby. You’re all I need.”

“You’re all I need too.”

“Trust me, Rae. Please, let me take care of you.”

“I do trust you, Peter,” I whispered, yawning, “I trust you with my life.”

His body trembled with my words and I felt his arms tighten their hold as I drifted off to sleep.

I thought I heard him whisper as I faded away . . .

“I won’t let you down.”