JULES

His silhouette appears in the distance, strong and imposing—calling my name with tender reverence.

I woke up alone and afraid, the birds chirping outside as if last night never happened. I searched for Travis and Eli, but there was no sign of them. Frantic in my own company, I was drawn outside to where everything changed.

I’ve been sitting here tracing the muddy paw prints on the wooden boards of the gazebo floor—the only evidence that it wasn’t all just a bad dream.

My pulse begins to race as Travis strides toward me, his gaze fixed on me. I want to run to him, but I’m scared. My body craves him in ways I never thought possible—as if an invisible tether binds us together. I’m afraid of what comes next. Emotions are high after last night, but I know what I want… now more than ever. He stops just shy of the gazebo, keeping a safe distance.

“You could have died last night.” The tremor in his voice betrays his strong exterior. His jaw is tight, still a shadow visible beneath his growing beard.

“I know.”

“Why would you put your life on the line for my son?” I don’t understand the questions. His eyes are searching mine for an answer I thought was obvious.

“I love him. I’d die a thousand times over to keep him safe.” I struggle to keep my voice under control, an errant tear dripping from my lashes. “How many times do I need to tell you I love you? You and Eli are a package deal… a wonderful gift in this world. I don’t just want you, Travis. I want it all. You, Eli, a family. This life, here with you.”

He stands in silence, nervously running his hands through his hair. He’s kept it shorter— messy and so enticing. I can’t tell what’s going through his mind as he stares to the sky above.

“Travis? Please, talk to me.” His eyes find mine, wild with a fire I’ve never seen before. He closes the gap between us, grabbing my face in his warm, calloused hands, his lips crashing down on mine in an earth-shattering kiss. Our tongues writhe in a frenzied fuck, desperate for more.

“You’re mine. Do you hear me?” I find his gaze, my breath labored as my heart pounds out of my chest.

“What?”

“This is it. You and me… forever. You can’t leave me again.”

“I won’t.”

Without another word, he lowers me to the floor, tearing open my shirt sending the buttons scattering to the winds. The air is cold against my breasts as I lay back and let it all go—the shame of past mistakes, the yearning of the last few months, and the paralyzing fear of last night.

Travis pulls his t-shirt over his head throwing it to the ground before recapturing my lips with his. The warmth of his body sends a shiver down my spine. His hands fist my hair as he nibbles and kisses down my neck, finding his way lower, teasing me with his tongue. His beard is tantalizingly rough as he pulls my nipple into his mouth. I can’t contain the moan of sheer bliss that escapes me.

“Oh God, Travis. What if someone hears us?”

He hooks his fingers under the waistband of my pants, finding my gaze as he pulls them down my legs, exposing me—naked and vulnerable.

“I don’t care about anything or anyone but you right now. Let them hear me claim you. Let them watch as you ride my face. I’m going to slide every inch of my cock inside you, loving every moment of your warm, wet pussy.” His commanding tone is sexy as hell—a thrill running through me at the primal nature of his declarations. I’m slick with desire, my inhibitions fading as I revel in the knowledge that his eyes are on me, devouring every inch of naked flesh.

He runs his hand down my chest and over my stomach before dipping between my legs. The bite in the air coupled with the heat of his fingers is a heady cocktail to my senses.

“You’re already wet for me, wildcat. I’ve missed the taste of you.” I part my legs as wide as I can giving him an unrestricted view, and it’s all the encouragement he needs. The fire burning in his eyes intensifies, almost changing the color—a dark blue haze of desire taking over.

He grabs my knees and throws them over his shoulders, pulling me toward his face before burying his mouth between my thighs. There’s no gentle buildup or teasing licks. He gives me what I want with the urgency of a dying man thirsty for water. He laps at my juices groaning like an animal as he feasts on my clit.

“God… Travis!” It’s all I can manage as I climb toward my orgasm. Quick and desperate, explosive and intense, I want him so badly, it’s a tightrope walk of pleasure and pain.

“That’s it, wildcat. Let me hear you come… hard and loud.” I detonate, screaming his name as a tidal wave of sensation crashes over me again and again.

“Travis! I need you inside me… now.” I don’t want to wait the seconds it takes him to unbutton his fly and shrug his jeans off. My body vibrates with anticipation as his cock springs free, hard and ready for me. I want all of him—filling me, stretching me, stroking that sweet spot until it drives me wild.

He wraps his hand around the base, his eyes fixed on me as he pumps his fist up and down, his thumb rubbing over the tip. I’m mesmerized as he straddles me, his abs taut and mouthwatering.

“Is this what you want, Juliet? Tell me you want me.”

“I want you, Travis. I need you… always.” The tip of his cock slides down the length of my folds before he positions himself and slams inside me filling me in one long, hard thrust.

“Fuck! You feel so goddamn good. I’ve missed you.” I cup his face, pulling him down in a desperate kiss as he circles his hips eliciting a moan I can’t contain. He ravishes me with his tongue as he fills me to the hilt, each thrust pushing me toward another explosive release. As he rocks in and out, time and time again, our stunning backdrop pales in comparison to the sight of his powerful body looming over me.

The possibility of being discovered outside, naked and spread wide for Travis, is a thrill I’ve never felt before. It’s tantalizingly dangerous, and yet I feel safe in his arms—protected. When I can’t hold back any longer, I wrap my legs around his waist and brace myself for impact.

“Trav, I’m close. I want to hear you come with me.” He drops his head capturing my mouth with his as he quickens his pace, setting a punishing rhythm.

“Juliet!” My name falls from his lips like poetry—more beautiful than a Shakespearian sonnet. As I give myself to him body and soul, I get lost in the intoxicating grind of his hips. He hammers into me chasing his own release. “God, I’m going to come!”

I let go.

A primal roar escapes him as I scream his name in ecstasy. My orgasm rips through me and sends him spiraling into his own release. His cock pulses, warm cum spilling inside me… filling me… all-consuming. We ride out the aftershocks together, my body limp and sated as he pulls out, leaving me bereft.

Travis rains soft kisses down the length of me savoring this sacred moment.

“I love you, Jules.”

“I love you, too.” He scoops me into his arms holding me close.

“Let’s get you inside. It’s freezing out here.” I nestle my head against his chest, our clothes left behind as he strides toward the house, naked, masculine, and animalistic. By the time we get to the house, I’m already aroused and greedy for more.

“Make love to me, Travis.” I don’t have to ask twice. We head straight to the bedroom, but this time is different. He’s in no rush, enjoying the slow seduction, making me ache for him before sinking into me over and over again. We finally collapse in a heap of tangled limbs, the covers pulled over us, wrapping us in our own little cocoon.

I close my eyes and listen to his heartbeat, happy in the warmth of his embrace.

Travis is still asleep, his arm pinning me to the bed. I’m thankful for a moment alone with my thoughts, overwhelmed by what happened earlier. I’ve been waiting so long for this, but a part of me… a big part… is afraid Travis had a kneejerk reaction to last night. Adrenaline can cloud a person’s judgment. If he wakes up and realizes this was a mistake and that what he felt was more gratitude than love, my heart will be obliterated—broken beyond repair.

His hair is sex-mussed and hot as hell. The last time I saw him sleep, it was still long, and his beard was thicker. He looks like a different person now, but still the same. I see the public persona, the athlete who dominated his sport. When I first found out who he was, I saw the resemblance to the star he used to be. Staring at him now, he’s evolved from the mountain man who saved my life—every bit as rugged and untamed, but with a strength of mind and refinement that makes him even more attractive.

I love him with everything I am, and I hope he feels the same when he wakes up. I stroke my fingers down the soft skin of his cheek, over the bristles of his beard, and onto his chest. His muscles are taut even in slumber with a smattering of hair that covers his pecs. His abs are like rock, but his skin feels soft against mine. He’s… perfect.

The sheets wrap loosely around his waist, his happy trail disappearing beneath the covers, teasing me with what lies beneath.

“Are you horny again, wildcat?” The rasp in his voice has me pressing my legs together.

“I didn’t mean to wake you. Sorry.” His eyelids struggle to open as he sleepily rakes his gaze over my naked torso.

“I’m awake now. You are so damn sexy. I look forward to waking up to this every morning.” I flinch as his hand caresses my breast, my nipple tightly budding under his ministrations. “What’s wrong? Why are you pulling away?”

“I just…”

“Fuck!” He jumps from the bed, wringing his hands through his hair, not concerned with covering his body.

“You said every morning, and I’m just worried…”

“You’ve had second thoughts?” He starts pacing the floor like he does when he’s nervous. “I finally let my guard down with you. I thought you had changed, that I could trust you.”

“You can. I haven’t changed my mind. I want you and Eli, and everything I told you this morning. I’m worried that you’ll change your mind. Last night was emotional, to say the least. We literally stared death in the face. I helped with Eli…”

“You didn’t help, Jules, you saved his life. You risked dying for him. Who does that?”

I move to the edge of the bed grabbing his hands in mine. Holding his gaze, I take a deep breath and open my heart.

“A woman who wants to be a mother to him. A woman who wants to be your wife one day. And, a woman who loves you more than anything else in this world.”

His gaze snaps up to meet mine, astonishment clear in his eyes.

“Don’t say stuff like that if you don’t mean it.”

“When have I seemed unsure? I made a mistake. One big mistake. But, I’ve been trying to make it up to you and prove I’m trustworthy. If you don’t trust me, why am I still here?”

“Because, I’m madly in love with you, Juliet. Always have been. I trust you now. I’m scared of having my heart broken. It’s more fragile than I’d care to admit.” My insides melt at his words.

“You have nothing to fear, Travis. You’re my soulmate. I’m the one who should be scared. You’ve already loved and lost your soulmate. I’m always going to be a less-than- perfect substitute. I could never live up to what you had with her, and I… it terrifies me. You are my one great love, Travis Thorburn.” I lunge at him claiming his lips with mine, my heart thundering in my chest. As his arms envelop me in a tight embrace, I let myself love him without fear or trepidation.

“Juliet… I don’t compare you to Angela. She was my wife and the mother of my child. I’m not going to lie and play down how deeply I loved her, or how broken I felt when I lost her. Until I met you, I thought we only got one shot in this life. One great love… one soulmate. Then, you came along and turned my world upside down. From the moment I lifted you into my arms out on the mountain, I wanted you. It was as if I’d found a piece of myself I’d been missing for so long.”

“Travis…”

“Let me finish. Jules, you’re not a substitute, and you won’t ever be second-best. What we have is different… new. You’ve taught me that life isn’t as clear-cut or cruel as I’d come to believe. Everything changed when Angela died. I changed. I’m not the same man I was, and the man I am now is head over heels in love with you. You’re my soulmate, Jules. I realized last night that I’ve been fighting the wrong battle all this time. Fighting my feelings for you instead of fighting tooth and nail to hold onto what we have. Life is short, and tomorrow is never a guarantee, but I want all of the tomorrows that God sees fit to give me to be with you.”

“Really?” My eyes well with tears. I am so overwhelmed with love and joy.

“I lost my North Star, and it broke me. I was adrift up in those mountains until I found you, Juliet. You’re my True North… the compass that’s shown me the way back to life, love, and the endless possibilities our future holds. I want you to stay here with me, not to make up for a mistake, but to build a life together. You, Eli, and me.”

He renders me speechless. There are no words to express the love I feel for this man, and as his eyes find mine, he understands. We’ve said everything we need to. Taking me by the hand, he leads me out into the living room wrapping a warm blanket around my shoulders as he puts logs in the fireplace. I watch, transfixed as sparks turn to flames, and flames become a roaring fire.

We make love by the warmth of the hearth, exploring, enjoying, and healing each other’s wounds. And, as I scream out his name, he reciprocates time and time again with a single word. Guttural, raw and true in every sense.

“Mine.”

My phone rings persistently in the distance, and I can’t ignore it any longer.

“Don’t answer it. The rest of the world can wait a day.” Travis presses a gentle kiss to my lips as the water cascades over us. He distracts me by dropping to his knees, running his hands up my thighs, kissing the trail as he goes. When he reaches the apex, he flicks his tongue out, lapping at my folds. I can’t think straight.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

I pull his hair forcing him back. “It could be important.”

Ring! Ring! Ring!

“As important as this?” He ravishes me with his tongue, unrelenting as my legs begin to shake. I can barely hold myself up as he takes what he wants, ripping an intense orgasm from my core and eradicating anything else around us.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

“Fuck! Answer it already.” His frustration is compounded, both mentally and physically. His erection strains against me as he stands to help me out of the shower, but I close the glass door sealing us in our oasis.

“I’ll call them back.” I’m rewarded with a sensual, knowing grin.

I drop to my knees and repay his… affections.