Hael Butcher
Chapter 1
This story begins with Baha Sinclair and her safe ordinary world that is about to change, her world is about to turn exciting and dangerous, a world where there is no Taboo.
Baha smiled at the usual faces she saw around her as she took orders and served up beverages from behind her bar at the club she had opened 4 years ago, King’s Ransom. She had opened this little place with the money her mother had left her. Baha smiled as she remembered how peaceful her mother had been. So ready to be with daddy. She had been a daddy’s girl and missed him the most, she had worked with him so often in his garage he had run in town. It all started when she was 17 and he had hired Dawson King. He was one of the town’s outcast and he had lived on the outskirts of town till daddy went out one day and asked him if he needed a job. Dawson didn’t have any family and daddy had served as a father figure for him. He had been quiet with most everyone, always quietly working in the background, that had just made all the females in town drool when he walked by. She had spoken to Dawson in passing and he was always smiled a heart stopping smile in response but he hardly ever spoke a word. She was taken a break between school and college to decide what she wanted study when she entered college, so she spent a lot of days helping as much as she could around the shop. One day when she was on her way to find her father she saw the town Floozy Olivia standing next to a car that Dawson had been working on and watched to see his reaction as she saw Olivia reach up and run a finger up Dawson arm. Olivia’s mother had been the town beauty queen back in her day, but from her daughter’s actions she was sure her mother. like Olivia, hadn’t been the model of virtue. Olivia had never been the town beauty queen, but that didn’t seem to stop her from acting like the town was her personal play ground.
Baha had seen Dawson pull away from Olivia and keep on working like Olivia hadn’t spoken to him at all. Holding in a secret smile, as Baha had liked Dawson, she decided to use her role as bosses daughter. Baha had gone to school with Olivia , so they were around he same age, but this was her daddy’s garage and she knew he wouldn’t take to Olivia harassing Dawson while he was working, especially since it was unwanted attention. So with thought in mind Baha walked up behind Dawson and cleared her throat to get there attention. When Dawson stood his full height he towered over Baha. Dawson had straightened and was giving Baha a pained look like he had just got caught by the boss himself and was waiting for the shoe to drop. Holding back her smile of reassurance lest Olivia observe it, Baha took a step in front of Dawson so close she could feel the heat from him on her back and faced Olivia.
"Olivia, What are you doing here ? This is a place of business not a bar where you harass the local men, Dawson obviously is busy working as you can see and unless you are paying for him to work on your car, I must ask you to leave him alone before my father catches you here."
Olivia sneered at Baha and you could see she was pissed that Baha had intruded. Baha noticed her father in the next bay working on a car and though he was trying to act as if he was obvious to the confrontation, Baha knew he was all ears.
"Baha, this is not your place and you have no right to tell me what to do. Besides, you have no say over Dawson, if he wanted me to leave he would have said so."
Baha turned at looked up at Dawson and saw his attention was riveted on her, not Olivia. What she saw in his eyes surprised her, she was so use to seeing a hard look in those eyes that to anyone who cared to look warned them away, at that moment his eyes held a look unease and spoke of an uncharacteristic amount of helplessness that she doubted he ever allowed anyone else to see.
So taking a deep breath and praying she was doing the right thing, she reached back and grabbing two of his big fingers, his hand so big it made hers appear tiny, she flashed him a quick smile to get him to play along as she turned back towards Olivia, pulling Dawson’s arm around her, she stepped back against him, she felt Dawson’s body tense but he kept silent as he settled his hand over hers against her lower belly. Baha gave Olivia a smug look and tossed down the challenge. "You are mistaken Olivia, since Dawson has been working here I have grown to know him a little, he wouldn’t show you that kind of attention and furthermore, this is my dad’s garage in which we all work and I do know how things are done. It is run with the strict policy that when there is work to be done, there is no time for socializing unless it‘s a customer." Baha felt Dawson’s body jerk and heard a faint snort he let loose at her words and felt his hand over hers tighten as he pulled her back closer . It was an obvious move and Olivia noticed. Baha smirk bloomed into a full grown smile as Olivia flounced out of the shop, her face so red from anger Baha half expected her to explode. When Baha tried to drop Dawson’s hand and step away, he held her in her position as he bent down and whispered in her ear.
"Thank you, Little one, its nice to know someone cares. I promise I tried to ignore her." With that said he placed a small chaste kiss on her exposed skin where her neck met her shoulder and turned her loose. The contact was brief but it was enough for Baha to know Dawson would be explosive. Dropping her head and loosing her nerve to face him she scurried of towards her father, the shock of that small brush of his mouth still humming thru her body like she had just received an electrical shock. She silently prayed that God would not let that man break her heart because she feared that brief encounter had just sealed her fate as far as Dawson was concerned.
She missed the smirk that spread across her father’s face, and the moment that her father’s eyes met Dawson’s in silent understanding before he quickly resumed working on the car before Baha reached him. After that Dawson had been a little more open with Baha, always calling her "little one" when no one was around to hear. For a short time he seemed to keep try and keep things platonic and light around her then after awhile he seemed to take every opportunity to brush against her in passing or send her one of those heart stopping smiles that left Baha feeling weak in the knees. A year later when daddy had been bedridden as they waited for the end, Dawson refused to stay and watch. He had said his goodbyes to the only father he had known those few years, pulled Baha in a bone melting hug, gently kissed her lips and jumped on his motorcycle and rode out of their lives taking her heart . That had been 6 years ago.
Pulling herself out of the memories were hard, she had fallen in love with Dawson and as much as she had tried no man could even get anything past the chaste kisses she had received the few times she had tried dating. So Baha gave up and resigned herself to being married to her business. She had become a silent owner in most of the business of her father’s garage with Chase Dillon, so she was still making money from that too, with the money the bar brought in she was doing well.
Baha was laughing and cutting up with the local’s working her side of the bar, her Best friend Sheila was tending the other side. Sheila had moved to town a few years ago and had been running from a failed marriage. Baha had just lost one of her bartenders when Sheila had came to town and
she lived in her parents house alone, so she had offered Sheila a job and a place to stay till she got herself set. She had one other girl that helped them out and she did the basic waitressing. Baha saw a few new faces in the crowd, they had a few every now and then in their small Montana town. The small house band played a variety of music from rock to country, they were currently playing one of Baha’s favorite on a busy night like this that spoke of going off the rails on a train. The song put a pep in her step and made her step a little livelier while she worked. There was a newer man that had just moved into town a few months back, Bobby was his name, that Baha tried to avoid as much as possible because he just didn’t know what no meant and seemed hell bent on putting his boots under her bed. Baha couldn’t seem to convince him she had no interest, so usually Sheila
helped her run interference. She noticed Olivia in the back corner of the bar chatting up poor Jed. He only had to be around 36 and he had just signed his divorce papers a few days back, so in short he was an easy target. Many of the towns male population had already gotten Olivia’s number, knew that she never stayed with one man long, she wasn’t the marrying type. For those few that planned on getting out of this town, it suited them fine. She had a few she went around with now and then, but Baha knew she had just set her sites on a new man and that woman could be as relentless as a dog with a bone.
One of the songs that signaled time to do their bar dancing started strumming from the house bands speakers. Baha reached over and popped Sheila with her towel and laughed, Sheila laughed back, shook her head and they both hopped up on the bar. Grinning at each other they started slinking there bodies to the beat and laughed harder as the whoops and catcalls rang thru the bar. Dancing down to one end of the bar only to retreat back to meet in the middle. The men loved it and cheered and hollered for more. Baha threw back her head and let loose a rebel yell, and shimmied down to her knees on the bar in front of a lucky patron. When Baha glanced down to see whom she was dancing in front of she knew she had to have missed a beat as she gulped in much needed air. She knew he saw the surprise in her face as one of those heart stopping smiles grew along that now rugged sexy face.
Dawson King sat looking up at her and she didn’t miss that ever hard look present in his eyes. Regaining her rhythm as much as possible with the shock that reverberated thru her body she pasted on a wicked smile and finished giving him the show she had dropped to deliver. She knew the cutoffs were dangerously short, add in their T-shirts knotted below their breasts that also had a v cut deep down the front to show just a hint a cleavage, topped off with black cowboy boots would make any man stand up and pay attention.
She played it to the teeth, she loved the new glint that seemed to enter Dawson’s eye as she shimmed back up to finish the dance.
When she dropped back down behind the bar turned around and locked eyes with the man who’d owned her heart, she slowly smiled and waited to see what he would say hoping the smile hid her heart that beat her to death as she stood staring at the man she thought gone forever and fear of what him being here in her club meant. It had been 6 years she had no clue what to think.
Dawson saw the hesitation in her eyes and tipped his head to the end of the bar where he could get close enough to talk without having to holler above the music. When he had her close he reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tipped his head to the side and spoke in that deep sexy tone.
"Hi there Little one, you sure have grown up" he said and laughed.
Baha smiled back with a genuinely happy smile. "Dawson, I’m surprised to see you."
Its all she could think to say. Dawson dropped his head a minute as if looking at his feet before looking back into her eyes and flashing her that smile.
"I decided it was time to come back and see how my little one was living."
Baha knew he saw the surprise on her face, but he caught her off guard with that simple statement.
"So how long you staying?"
Dawson shrugged and continued smiling down at her.
"Can I get you a beer, I have to go back to work I’m sorry, Sheila cant handle it alone."
Dawson nodded in response and moved back around the bar to take up a seat that was empty at the front of the bar. He sent her a wink before letting his hard mask fall back in place as he turned to watch the bar letting her know he wasn’t going anywhere. So Baha returned to her patrons and continued the easy conversations that kept flowing. After about four beers, Baha set a cup of coffee in front of Dawson remembering the nights he had drank with her father at home. Dawson smiled and sent her another wink pleased that she remembered.
Around 10:00 Bobby came in and Baha folded her arms on the bar and dropped her head. Tonight was not the night to go through this, she thought. When she picked up her head she realized Dawson had saw her unguarded moment and followed her eyes as Bobby stepped up to the bar, one man away from Dawson, Baha pasted on a smile.
"What can I get you Bobby?" She could tell he had already started before coming tonight and a chill went through her at the look he shot her.
"Well sweet thing you can quit stalling and let me take you out, you know I’m the best catch knocking at your door." Baha rolled her eyes, realizing that she was going to forced to play this game tonight but worse that Dawson was going to witness her embarrassment.
"To drink Bobby, what do you want to drink, I don’t have time to play with you tonight." Baha scolded him without raising her voice. Bobby laughed and grabbed her hand, pulled her across the bar so he could lay a wet messy kiss on her hand. She snatched her hand back and wiped it on her jeans, hearing him let loose a loud arrogant laugh. Getting tired of playing games Baha turned her head called Sheila and walked off to search for the next patron in need. She missed the irritated look
that crossed Dawson’s face at the man that had pawed Baha, she had walked the other direction.
After everyone at the bar was served and there was a lull in the rush, she watched Dawson walk over to the band, whisper to lead singer, then walk back to the bar and held out his hand to her. Dropping her head to hide her smile she walked out from behind the bar and took Dawson’s hand, just as the band started singing a song about being tired of pretending. Baha gave him a surprised look but said nothing and laid her head on his shoulder to enjoy this new experience in her life. Dawson dropped his face into her hair and pulled her scent into himself, that was all the confirmation he needed, Baha was his just as he thought. He felt the beast he kept hidden roar at the scent of his mate. It worried Dawson because he had no idea how she would take to all his secrets he had kept from her, but he knew for sure now he had been right all those years ago and the scent of her was like coming home. He knew Baha had to feel his growing arousal against her stomach and he didn’t even bother to try to hide it. Pulling her closer he murmured in her ear knowing she could hear him.
"Have you made a family for yourself Baha, I don’t see a wedding band on your finger." Baha was to lost in the moment, thoughts of the words to the song he had requested and the feel of being in Dawson’s arms to move so she simply shook her head and snuggled closer brushing her body against his. She felt the vibration in his chest as he seemed to moan his pleasure, but they were both content with this for now, it was new for them both. Baha turned her head towards his neck but left her head on his shoulder.
"I always knew it could be like this," she spoke so softly, Dawson had to tilt his head closer to her mouth to hear. He growled at her admission and bent to brush his lips across her face and hugged her tighter, feeling a need too primal to speak. The song ended and he knew he had to let her go back to work but he also knew this was only the beginning for them.
Walking back to the bar Baha nor Dawson had noticed out of all the eyes that took note of Baha’s behavior tonight, one set was pissed. When they got closer Dawson’s wolf felt the anger rolling off the man in waves and watched closely as Baha walked in his direction. He would have liked to remove the man from her presence, but knew that wasn’t logical. As she walked by Bobby, he reached out grabbed her arm and roughly yanked her close, as if he had every right in the world.
"What do you think your doing, throwing yourself at a stranger like a common slut?" Baha tried to jerk away from him but his punishing grip on her upper arm wouldn’t relent. Before she could open her mouth to blast him she saw Dawson’s big hand grab Bobby’s wrist and squeeze till the man was near to loosing the battle with the cry of pain she could see threatening to burst free.
"Hey asshole, First of all I’m not a stranger, and second she has already made it clear she your attention isn‘t wanted. Now you let her go and you’ll leave her alone or dealwith me. We clear?" Dawson growled.
He allowed Bobby to pull his wrist out of his grasp. He had to have, she knew Bobby couldn’t have broken free, she’d always sensed a rather impressive strength he seemed to always hold back. He stood between the man and Baha until she had made it safely back behind the bar, then he walked back to his seat in front of the bar. As soon as he was seated Dawson reached across the bar and pulled her wrist to him so he could see if there was any damage and reluctantly released her when, clearly embarrassed, she tried to break his hold.
The night progressed calmly after that, Baha saw that Olivia had noticed Dawson sitting at the bar and was surprised she had kept her distance. One of the guys had ordered a fry basket before it was time to clear out, so Baha went and threw food in the fryer. When she brought the food back out she about dropped the plate in the floor as she saw Olivia clinging to Dawson’s arm that rested on the bar. A quick scan of the bar told her Jed had left, guess he decided against taking her home and she had moved on to try and entice Dawson. The scene made her feel like she was a damn teenager again and she may have helped hem then, but this was now and he could fight his own battles she reminded herself. She got busy with last call and forced herself to ignore Dawson so she had no idea what had transpired between them, all she knew was when the place finally emptied it was her, Sheila, Dawson and Olivia. Gathering the trash behind the bar she continued to act as if Olivia and Dawson wasn’t there and made for the back of the bar to carry it out to the dumpster. Before she got more than a couple steps out the back door, she felt Dawson come up behind her, sweep the trash out of her hand and watched as he threw it in the big dumpster. When he whirled around and saw Baha standing there, leg kicked out, hands on her hip and a none to inviting expression on her face, he knew she was angry. Flashing her that smile he wielded as a weapon obviously as she felt some of her bad temper slip away he put his hands on his hips and waited her out as he took in the woman he had came back for.
She stood maybe a head shorter than him still, blond hair that he knew would be wavy and long if he released her hair clip and turned it loose, her perfect sized breast that was just enough to fill his hands he figured, he could see tightening as his eyes skimmed over them. He took in the tan stomach that laid bare between her clothes and down to those sexy thighs that he had dreamed about having wrapped around him. Smile still in place, now the spark of hunger behind those sexy blue eyes, he returned them to her face, waiting.
She pulled her anger back in place and finally spoke.
"Dawson, why have you come back after all this time? You saw how I was doing now tell me what it is you want with me so you can be on your way."
Dawson’s expression never changed he kept his smile in place and shook his head at her.
"Your not ready for the truth baby, But I told you It was time to come back and see you."
Her face clouded over as she decided maybe a little truth was needed to protect herself.
"Don’t do this. I admit, It killed me to watch you jump on that bike and leave last time while my father lay dying, I can’t do that again Dawson so just leave now." With that she turned to go back into the club. Trying to hide the hurt and confusion she knew probably showed on her face. Dawson moved fast and quiet because she never even heard him till he was suddenly behind her. One hand on the door to keep her from opening it and the other hand splayed across her stomach that pulled her up short and back against his body. Baha sucked in a swift breath at the contact. He dropped his head and ran his tongue over her skin where her neck and shoulder met, then gently bit the same spot before brushing his lips up her neck to her ear. "I told you baby your not ready for the whole truth, but I can promise you one thing for certain, If I leave so do you. You. Are. Mine."
He growled out. She felt the vibrations against her back as he spoke.
She couldn’t help it, he made her whole body weak. She laid her head back against his chest, reached down to grab the sides of his legs and whimpered as she again felt the impressive bulge that pressed against her lower back. Dawson ran his tongue down her ear nipping at her lobe and spoke in a rush of hot air that made her whole body shiver again.
"Yea, you feel that don’t ya baby, That I want you? I had to leave back then Baha. You were too young for my kind of loving and your father was dying, I had to give you time, damn it!" Pushing his hand up her body feeling everything in its path to her chin, he slid his fingers along her jaw so her chin rested in his hand as he pulled her face to the side and kissed her, and that both moaned at the electric pulses that swept thru them when their mouths locked. Baha felt her body melting against his, felt the fire that raged thru her body. After a moment she had to force herself from him, had to pull back, it was so new, so much. Laying her head back against him once again she tried to catch her breath to speak, but it seemed Dawson had read her mind.
"Its ok baby, I know this is new to you, there is no rush we will take it slow. Let’s go get this finished then I’m gonna follow you home so we can talk."
Baha nodded her head and made her body lift away from his ignoring its screaming protests as she forced her legs to carry her back into the bar. Sheila was busy sweeping the floors when she walked in and Baha saw that Olivia still hadn’t left which only served to anger her again. She felt like her emotions were overflowing at that point.
"Olivia, why are you still here? I know you saw everyone leave, You have to know we are closed. "
Olivia pulled on her famous sneer that she loved to throw at Baha when given the chance.
"I was talking to Dawson had you paid attention, you would have noticed Baha. He left me to take out the trash."
Baha caught the insult she threw at her.
"If he took out the trash, then why is it still littering up my bar?" Baha asked her in totally deadpan. Olivia saw red.
"Ya know Baha, Just because you have never been inclined to take a man to your bed, doesn’t mean we are all so frigid! Most men need a woman with experience and the desire to make them happy." She felt Dawson tense behind her before she could form a reply, when she turned to look at him, he was looking at her and lust if she not mistaken was the source of the hard look he now wore. Staring back and licking her lips, his eyes dropped to the gesture and she felt the heat in the room rise. She heard Sheila snicker off to her side and forced her attention back to their audience. Before she could speak Sheila spoke thru the fog that still clouded her thoughts.
"Don’t worry Honey, I called her Uncle to come get her while you were out back."
Baha snorted a laugh and walked away to finish her cleaning so she could go explore this thing with Dawson and see what he had to say about his return.
Chapter 2
Baha kept glancing behind her in her rearview, checking for that single motorcycle headlight still following her. She was worried it was too good to be true and he would disappear again, pulling into the driveway, she climbed from her Jeep and headed to unlock the door. She left the door open and walked into the kitchen to drop her stuff.
She heard Dawson’s boots on the wood floor, and then heard him close the front door and the click of the lock being thrown. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound; did that mean he meant to stay tonight? Pulling two beers out of the fridge, she waited for him to come into the kitchen and she popped the top and passed it to him as he entered.
“Hungry sweetie?” She asked and leaned against the counter for his reply?
“Why don’t you go shower and get comfy, I’ll cook.”
Shrugging her shoulders that it made no difference to her, she set her beer on the counter and headed for the stairs. She heard him rummaging thru the kitchen as she found a shorts and cami top that she usually ran around the house in. The shower felt wonderful and she was so glad to be clean after such a long night. She usually had quiet nights at the club, unless she had a rowdy newcomer wander in which was rare, but tonight with Dawson coming back had been a rough one. She quickly washed up and got out, leaving her hair hanging loose, throwing her clothes on and heading back for the kitchen to get answer’s.
When she entered back into the kitchen she had entered on silent feet and stood admiring Dawson’s back he had pulled off his black t-shirt and now stood in a wife beater. He still wore his ink black hair long, just past his shoulders, she could just picture him in a breechcloth with moccasins on his feet. His features and hair screamed of Indian blood, she had never asked him about his parents but to her it was plain . He had only grown stronger she could see by the way the muscle rolled under his smooth tan skin. Made a body wonder what happened after he left her all those years ago. Even though they hadn’t had that type of relationship, she had ached for him so strongly. The impact of just how much hadn’t hit her till she stood there watching him here in her kitchen as if he had
never left. The sound of his voice had made her jump, she was so lost in thought.
“How long you gonna stand there and stare Baby, and are you gonna return the favor?” he asked with a laugh in his voice before throwing her a glance and a smirk over his shoulder. She laughed with a hint of embarrassment at being caught.
“Sorry, I was just wondering about what has happened with you since you have been away.”
“Well why don’t you try asking me baby, I’ll tell you what I can.”
She felt the grin that spread across her face and went to sit on the bar stool at the bar that sat in the middle of the kitchen.
“Ok, Dawson, Where have you been these past years?”
“Well, I left here hell bent on driving the memory of the old man out, It was killing me Baha, you know he was the closest thing to a father I ever had . It also killed me to leave you when I worried you might need me but that was hindsight to just running away, I’ll admit.
I ended up in South Dakota and met some guys just out of the Marines. We kicked around town for a couple weeks then deiced to go into business for ourselves. We started up hunting bad guys for bounty, took up some jobs here and there protecting some people with money, and helping them to eliminate any threats they suddenly had fallen under, kind of like a security service, bounty hunter all rolled into one. There isn’t much we haven’t taken on. So I have kicked around with them all this time working myself day and night sleeping when I can, finally last week I told the guys I had some unfinished business here and that I need a vacation. Maybe scope us out some new territory to work in I think we are all getting restless where we are, we have got enough guys to keep the operation going and still open one around here too. Maybe hire on some new guys, I’m sure that wouldn’t be hard in these parts, and I had to come back to you, see if there was a chance we could start over or if I needed to move on..”
Baha was not surprised he had gone on to do good for someone, he had always had good inside him, tough exterior but a big heart, what surprised her was he had come back for her too. She was glad he had delivered all this news with his back to her or he would have seen the surprise on her face at the latter of his story. She quickly schooled her expression so it showed none of the surprise she felt.
“Wow, sounds exciting to say the least, how many broken hearts did you leave behind you, I know there was at least one.” She threw out trying to lighten things back up. She saw him shake his head as he scraped an omelet out of the pan unto a plate.
“If there were broken hearts it wasn’t my fault sweetie, I never made promises to any woman I spent time with, I made sure they knew the score.”
She didn’t want to admit it hurt to know there had been woman when she hadn’t been inclined to the same behavior, but pushed those feelings aside because he had said none of them meant anything serious and here he was in her kitchen cooking her breakfast and telling her he had come back partially for her. He also was letting her know he was thinking of staying, she dared hope he would stay for her. Time would tell. Dawson broke the silence as he set their plates on the bar and joined her, sitting across from her and pinning her in that relentless way that screamed “No hiding!”
“What about you, I gather from Olivia there have been no men for you. Why haven’t you had a family by now Baha? Don’t tell me all the men in town are too stupid to notice you, I won’t believe that.”
She dropped her eyes to her plate and picked up her fork.
“Haven’t met one that has been able to make me want a family.” She replied not wanting to admit there was ever only one man for her.
“So, you gonna stay then, cause I could use some help at the bar some too if you want until you get set up.” She tried changing the subject fast and he noticed. Smiling as he too started to eat and decided he would get the reason later.
“Yea I figured I would stay, you need some security out there, is that what you’re looking for?”
“Well, I was actually thinking you might be interested in handling that department. Hiring, deciding who worked that sort of thing, If you had the time of course.” She smiled sweetly with her request.
Dawson laughed and shook his head, “You looking for a partner baby? All you have to do is say so, I’d invest in your club alongside you and yes I could help out with the security parts too.”
“Well yea, I guess I would be asking you to invest into it with me, I got someone running Daddy’s shop and I get part of the Profit from it, I split it 60/40 with him seeing as he is doing the actual labor. It’s not really that I need the money as much as I would just like you to help me in some areas, so I figured why not.”
“You have done well for yourself, I’m proud of you. I’d be happy to go in with you and if I am going to help you then yes, I want to invest money too. You sure aren’t gonna pay me out of your own pocket.”
They exchanged a smile and finished their breakfast, he filled most of the silence with stories of jobs he had done over the years and stories of him and the guys he had spent so many years with. Putting their dishes in the dishwasher they moved to the living room where she had lit a fire in the fireplace and they sat on the rug in front of it and talked more about the years they had been apart.
They had pulled the loveseat in front of the fireplace to lean against as they sat side by side talking, her legs drawn in so her knee lay beside his legs that were stretched before him. Dawson decided it was time to discover more about the feelings she was hiding from him. Turning his head to look at her, he brought a finger under her chin and pulled her head around to look at him. Leaning in he kissed her softly, as if asking her if it’s the path she wanted to go. She returned his kiss without a hesitation, as it grew deeper, Baha reached up and laid an arm around his neck. Dawson sunk his hand in the hair at the base of her neck and pulled her under his mouth further. It didn’t take long before the kiss turned passionate and he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her to straddle his lap. Regaining his hold in her hair he pulled her head back to run kisses down her neck.
“Tell me baby…..you’re a virgin… aren’t you? You’ve never let …any man…..touch this sweet little body… have you?” He asked between the kisses he was raining on every inch of bare skin above her breast. Her body was buzzing from the electric that was running thru her from his kisses and dominate touch, it took her a minute to catch her breath to answer him.
“I couldn’t, even if I wanted to…No, no one has touched me.” she rushed out the answer before
she lost her train of thought. She felt his teeth rake the skin where her neck met her shoulder and then travel back down to run along the neckline of her tank top.
“Why, why couldn’t you baby, what held you back?” He asked as he pushed his free hand up under her top, feeling the skin of her belly up further he ran his hand between her breast. She felt her nipples harden and tingle, knew that they were waiting for his touch next. Releasing his hold of her hair he let the other hand join the other running up her back around her ribs brushing the underside of her breast with his thumbs as he discovered her body but ignoring the spot she waited for him to touch. Realizing he was waiting for her answer, she couldn’t lie to him, not when he asked directly.
“The only man I ever wanted took my heart with him when he left town, It was like the woman in me died when you left, and I couldn’t feel that way for anyone else.” With a moan at her words, Dawson took her mouth again this time there was no tenderness in his kiss only possession.
“Wait baby, we have to talk first because I don’t want you going into this blind. There are things you have to know first, because after we make love you will be mine.” He told her and then growled at his reluctance to stop touching her long enough to tell her, but he needed her to understand the step they were about to take and didn’t want anything to take the chance of losing her after what they were about to share. Not that he would let her go, at least not easily. Giving her one more hot passionate kiss, he pulled back and locked eyes with her, brushing her hair back away from her face and neck. Dawson hesitated and then nodded his head, and she knew he had silently come to some decision that only he in his head had been battling with.
“Baha, it’s time for me to tell you things that only my men that are also my best friends know about me. Among other things of course.” She saw him take a deep breath and braced herself for whatever was coming.
“This is hard for me because I have always hid this part of me from you, afraid you’d think I was crazy, or decide to avoid me like a plague because of it. It’s why until your dad knocked on my door all those years ago, I kept to myself and stayed away from people. He saved me all those years ago.” Then he paused as if lost in his memories. She turned her body to the side and buried her face in his chest, just breathing him in, fisting his shirt and anchoring him as well as herself.
“My parents were good people but they also stayed to themselves. We started out up north, near Canada, we never stayed in one place for too long, we moved here when I was about 18 and since we were able to stay outside of town and no one really knew or cared about us up on that mountain, we were able to stay longer. Let me stop and tell you the worst part before I continue, because you won’t understand if I don’t.” Dawson took another deep breath, tensed whether he realized it or not wrapped his arms around her tighter. Holding her to him so she couldn’t rise away from him.
“My parents and I…...We are…..In human terms…Werewolves, Baha.” Then he fell silent waiting for her response. He was worried she was going to laugh and call him crazy, or run screaming and tell him to get out of her house and never come back. So many responses she could have given him and he had no idea which one he was going to receive. He received none she just sat there, Silent.
“Did you hear me Baby? Are you still with me?”
He asked but couldn’t bring himself to look down.
“I can’t breathe your squeezing me so tight Dawson.” Was her only response, and he could hear the hesitation in her voice. When he let her go, she rose up and put her hands on his face turning him so
he had to meet her eyes with his.
“Your serious, you are not human? You have hid this from me all these years. It‘s a little hard to swallow Dawson but you should have trusted my family enough to tell us, we would have still accepted you.”
He nodded his head not breaking eye contact. Baha took a deep breath and lay back down against his chest hearing his heart beating in his chest. This time she ran her hand underneath his shirt and laid her hand against his chest, needing to feel his warm skin. Feeling her need for time to let it all sink in Dawson continued.
“I don’t know if someone found out about us or what, but somehow, someone shot my mother one night while her and my father had been out hunting in the woods for animals.
My father was unable to extract the bullet and within hours, she was dead. Wolves mate for life, so when my mother died it was like someone had killed my father too. He knew there would never be another for him, we only get one true mate for us in our lives, father had no desire for another, I guess. I don’t know, but soon after, we took her out in the woods and burned her body. Then dad came back to the cabin packed his belongings and left. The last thing he said to me was to take care of myself and that he loved me, then he was gone. I was too stunned by the events of those two days to say anything. I stayed shut in my room for a week. Finally after a week I realized he wasn’t coming back, or if he did it wasn’t anytime soon, so I got up, cleaned out everything that was my mother’s that I wasn’t gonna keep and burned the rest. That was back in 1842, Baha…He never returned and I was alone until the day your father showed up at my door.” Dawson stopped and cleared his throat. She knew he was pushing back emotions. Allowing him, a second to compose herself she murmured that she would be right back and went to grab them both a beer. She took her time, letting herself think for a moment also. She couldn’t not believe him, he was too emotional to be lying to her. The Dawson she knew couldn’t be shy of a full deck. He was the smartest and kindest man she knew. He simply had to be telling the truth, but if he was then, that changed her whole outlook on things because that meant there was a whole world out there that she never knew existed. She also thought about the fact that he said his father left him in 1842, how old was he then and how old is he now? That left her with a whole world of questions, popping the tops on the cans of beer she headed back for him.
He was still sitting as she had left him and the hard stone face that she had seen him use to mask his emotions was in place. She knew he was guarding himself against her and the blow he must be waiting for her to deliver. It made her heart ache to think he was that worried about her rejection. She handed him the beer and reclaimed her seat against his body this time spreading his legs and sitting on the floor between them leaning her back against his chest and staring into the fire. She let the silence linger between them for a few more minutes trying to think of how to pose the next question, and having a feeling, she already knew the answer.
“You told me at the bar last night that I wasn’t ready for the truth, you might as well get it all said now. Why did you come back Dawson?”
He didn’t sense anything from her but confusion, if she felt fear or if she thought he was nuts she hid it well. So he took a big swallow from his beer and started the explanation.
“Seven years ago when I came to work for your father, and the first time you came walking into that shop, the scent of you and what it did to me about knocked me on my ass. Every time you were around, I was confused, I have been with woman before over the years but none of them made me feel like you did. When you finally spoke to me, I finally understood the most dominate emotion I had was the pure fact that I wanted you, whatever it took to get you. So it must have been the need to claim you as mine and mate with you. It was strange and so new to me and I was scared of the strength of those emotions because I thought you would be a weakness just like I had seen my mother was for my father. So, one day when we talked at work, you had touched my back and I realized your scent lingered on my shirt,” Again he hesitated afraid to reveal the whole truth, afraid that the truth would scare her. Taking a deep breath, he continued.
“So when I got home, I hung the shirt in my bedroom and left it there letting your scent surround me, and I laid there for days. Learning to control my reaction to you, or that is what was foremost in my mind at the time, I never stopped to examine any other reason for it.”
She felt him take another drink when he paused and knew he was again lost in their past.
“For a while I thought I had you beat, had my reactions to you buried where you couldn’t get to me. Then Olivia came to the shop to pick up her father’s car, she had noticed me in town the day before, and was hoping she could score a new notch on her bedpost. She didn’t know I could still smell the man she had kept company with the day before or that since I was always invisible in town that it allowed me to know more about many people that never even thought to censure themselves when I was nearby. It seemed like no one ever even noticed I was there. Then you came out of the office and took a chunk out of her like I belonged to you, you will never know how that affected me.”
She knew by his voice he was smiling and felt him shake his head and finish of his beer. She heard him set the can down on the floor beside him as he settled his hands loosely around her waist and spoke again.
“The ways you took charge and let her know you didn’t like her presence in the shop and then you took my hand and put it around you.” He paused to release a short soft laugh, so quick she would have missed it if she hadn’t felt it against her back.
“The spike of lust that shot up my spine almost drove me to my knees, the way you silently claimed me in the face of your enemy. Combined with the feel of your body against mine, you were wrapping me in knots at the same time. I knew then that I hadn’t succeeded in pushing you away, I had just gotten good at ignoring it, and your actions that day brought it back full force and then some. I didn’t want to let you go after that, I wanted to pick you up and carry you home and never let you out. I knew I couldn’t though, you were too young, I wasn’t sure you felt the same way. I always smelled a fear of some sort from you when you got close to me. Finally, your dad got sick and we knew he wasn’t going to make it, I figured I didn’t have enough standing in this town to run the shop alone, and with him gone nothing stood in the way of me taking you for my own. I knew I had to leave, I couldn’t stand to watch another father leave me behind and I needed to get away from you.” She felt his shrug. “You know the rest of that part of the story anyway. I told you what happened to me after I left, the past few years, you have haunted me from morning until night. The guys knew the way I never got personal with a woman that there must have been someone else.
No matter how many I took to my bed or went out with, it usually never went past one night. That was all it took for me to know there was no future in it. None of them made me feel like you had, not even close. I finally talked to Shadow about it and he confirmed what I always suspected.
You are my mate, the only true mate for me, and I knew when we finally talked about it and he confirmed it aloud that I would come back soon and claim you. That is unless you had married and had a family.” Dawson stopped and she knew unless she asked questions she’d get no more answers. It was all so much to take in. Picking up his can and taking hers, she went and got another and returned. This time she didn’t sit between his legs as she had, she once again straddled him instead setting herself on his lap. She handed him his beer and watched his face as his eyes locked with hers and he took a big gulp of the beer she had brought him, all without breaking eyes contact. She knew now she wasn’t alone in what she felt with him all those years ago and that warmed her heart.
Drawing a finger down his nose and around his lips, tracing his facial features, she finally spoke.
“I wanted to belong to you from the moment I walked into my dad’s shop and saw you.” She picked up his free hand that was around her and linked their fingers together holding their joined hands up so it appeared she was studying the two wrapped together and rubbed her thumb along the lines of his outer hands and wrist as she spoke .
“I watched you work so hard for my father with these hands, saw the calluses and skinned knuckles and I would lie in bed wondering how they would feel against my skin.” She bent and kissed the back of his hand before returning it to her waist and running her hands through his hair noticing the spark of interest that entered his eyes at her words.
“I am sorry it was so hard for you, but I’m not sorry I fell in love with you, nor can I bring myself to be sorry you came back. I am sorry you left because I have felt like half a person all these years you have been gone. I guess I know now why, this mate thing must run both ways where I feel the loss of you as you have me.” Dawson had closed his eyes in what must have been the sweetest words he had ever heard when she confessed that she had fallen in love with him and he had yet to reopen them. At her observation about the mating going both ways he nodded his head but was unable to speak. He opened his eyes and locked them with hers again waiting to see what she would say next.
“Yes, it is hard for me to believe that you are a wolf because of course I never knew they existed, but I can’t help but to believe you because I know you’re not crazy and I can’t imagine any off your story was a lie. So, how old are you really?” She asked with a cocky smirk on her face.
“I am really 149 years old baby, I age slower than most and usually can’t stay in one place long because wolves don’t age like humans. I will have a very long life before I die.” He answered. Baha nodded her head as if that made sense.
“That’s not all baby, the whole point of me telling you this tonight. You need to know before we make love, when we make love, It is going to be me claiming my mate and there will be no turning back after. I need to make you aware of that before we go any further, so you know the step your taking.”
He waited to see her response, running his hands up and down her back as she let it all sink in.
Locking her eyes with him to see what emotion she could see, if there was any showing. She only saw want and need. She felt that the best way was to do what he had done to her tonight. Leaning forward she scrapped her teeth over the skin where his neck met his shoulder and the sound of that primal growl he let loose as he dropped his head back caused chills to cover her body and her body to weep at the sound. She felt the fire that he had started earlier rekindle and roar back to life at that sexy sound. Dawson grabbed handfuls of her hair and pulled her mouth to his this time none too gently. “That makes me so fucking hot! I want to mark you baby, mark you as mine do you hear me?” All she could do was nod, closing the distance to his mouth; they shared a hot passionate kiss that was more aggressive.
Grabbing the hem of her top, he pulled it off her body and sucked in a breath at the site of her naked skin he had bared for his eyes to feast on. Starting again to slowly run his hands from her waist back up she whimpered when he again skimmed her flesh around her breast without actually touching them. He moaned back in response as he leaned forward and lightly licked one red nipple. She threw her head back and gasped at the jolt that snaked thru her body at the simple act. He drew back and watched her breast again as he resumed his stroking of her body before slowly bending down and licking the other nipple in the same manner. Teasing, drawing it out and making her burn.
“Why do you think I never had a serious relationship while I was away baby, I couldn’t get this body out of my head, I knew you would be this sexy under those clothes.”
With that confession, he finally reached up and cupped her small perfect breast, loving the sounds she couldn’t hold back at her pleasure. Messaging her breast then working his way to the tips, applying more pressure as he pinched her nipples only to let go and start at her ribs again.
“You are so sexy baby, I could eat you alive, I can’t lie, I’m happy you waited for me. I’m sorry I left you, but I knew If I stayed I would only want to posses you like now and I wanted to give you time to grow up before I laid claim to you. You had your chance to live, to experiment with other men, because I’ll be damned if I will let you go again!”
He claimed her mouth with another scorching kiss and Baha buried her hands in his hair this time anchoring herself as much as possible with the havoc he was wreaking on her body. She felt the part of him that separated them as man and woman harden beneath her and slowly moved her hips, rubbing herself against him loving the groan that seemed torn from him against her lips.
She bent her head, licked, and kissed his neck up to his ear, running her hands over the hard plains of his chest, letting her hands run across his hard body.
She felt his hands come away from her as he again took root in her hair, pulling her off him as he again arched her back so he could have access to her breast. There was no teasing this time as he wrapped his mouth around her nipple and sucked it in his mouth, quickly lashing it with his tongue, then biting down with enough pressure that she couldn’t suppress the moans that were rolling freely. She could feel the moisture that dampened her shorts and for a brief moment feared that he would feel it too. She quickly forgot that thought as his mouth switched to her other breast and she again started moving against his body rubbing herself against his zipper, before long he had taken a free hand and filled it with a cheek as he helped her to rub herself over him. Working her hips higher and making her body grind into his. He was growling around her breast as he kept up his assault. Running her hands down his stomach, she found the wet tip of him rising above the waistband of his jeans. She had no more than unsnapped his jeans and run her small hand up the long hard length that she had uncovered before she heard him growl. Before she knew it, she was on her back on the rug, with him breathing heavily over her. “Baby, I love the feel of those sexy hands on me, but right now I will lose all control if you continue and I won’t lose control your first time.”
By the time he had finished his sentence her shorts were tossed on the loveseat to join her top. He lowered his body back to the floor as he caged her body in and rained kisses, licks and nips down her belly, over her hips and down the tops of her thighs. Pulling her legs apart he stopped at the top of her knee and reversed his path back up the inside of her thighs, looking down she watched him and he reached the top of her legs and looked his fill of the delicate lips that he had bared. He looked up and speared her with his gaze.
“You shave this too? Were you hoping to find someone eager to strip you of what you have protected for so long?” He knew he sounded like a jealous ass but the punch in the gut he felt as he looked at her took him off guard.
“No Dawson, I just like it… It feels better that way and… I always thought if you could see it… you might like it better that way.” She whispered, she was burning up here and he wanted her to think right now. Dawson accepted her answer for truth; she had never lied to him.
“I like it Sweetheart, I’m sorry, but the thought of someone else touching what has always been mine, drives me crazy. You know that don’t you baby, that you were mine years ago before I ever left here?” He asked as he slowly and lightly ran his fingers over her folds, teasing them both to the heat and pleasure that awaited them. She breathed out a quick yes as her head rolled back and forth so lost in his touch. Dawson rewarded her honesty with a small kiss to her outer lips before pulling back and setting his sights back on the prize he had uncovered.
Baha grabbed the wrists that rested on the tops of her thighs where he had wrapped his arms around her legs and tried to keep herself grounded at the new sensations he was introducing her too. She never imagined it could be like this, never imagined she could burn like this for him and knew there was no going back from the moment he touched her tonight even before he had revealed so much to her about the mating.
Dawson watched her body weep for him as he slowly put his hands on her and pulled her open further for his touch. He smelled her scent and fought the overwhelming need to bite her, he knew he wouldn’t be able to fight it long, he would have to taste her, pull her into him and mark her as his before the night was through. Focusing back on his task, he licked his lips and leaned in to swipe her little bundle lightly with his tongue. The taste of her exploded in his mouth and made his gums ache, made the beast inside him howl to be free to claim his woman in wolf form, but he took a deep breath and fought it, as he tasted her again. He reveled in the shocked little sounds she was making, as he tasted her. He picked up the speed with the flicks of his tongue, but still left her waiting for the next one, keeping her off balance. Dropping his head when he knew she expected another lick, he pulled her apart and impaled her on his tongue instead, moaning at the taste of her as he rotated his tongue inside her pushing deeper drawing out the sweet taste her body continually fed him. He heard he cry out, felt her nails digging into his arms as she tried to hold herself together. He moaned against her, between the taste of her exploding thru his body and the feel of her nails biting into his skin he felt his body break out in chills. He had to get a tighter grip on himself as the urge to take her and loose himself in her almost over took him. Wrapping his mouth around her and sucking her in as he removed his tongue from her body, he released her flesh with a smack of his lips.
“Baby, you taste so sweet, you melt on my tongue, and I don’t think I have tasted anything so good. I could never get enough of your taste in my mouth, the feel of you riding my tongue.” He growled out and went back to flicking the little bundle that he knew would drive her higher. He heard her repeated cries of ecstasy as he teased and tormented her only to return to swallow every drop her body offered up to him. Finally unable to fight his hunger for her that beat at him relentlessly, he slowly slipped a finger into her body and sucked her clit into his mouth. He flicked her clit again with his tongue, slowly building speed as he added a second finger, hearing her cry out at the added stimulation. Stretching her body so it was at least accustom to some intrusion before he completely took her. He was careful not to break the skin he felt blocking him, not yet anyway, as he worked harder at throwing her over the edge he knew she fought to cling to.
“Come on baby, let go, I know you feel it rising inside you, let it go baby and fly to heaven.” Then dropped his head and continued his assault on her with his mouth. It wasn’t long before he felt the tell tale tighten on his fingers and knew she was close, he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked hard and at the same time broke thru the barrier that held him back from her. The added bite of pain streaked thru her and threw her higher into that black void filled with bright lights. Using his other hand to take over the friction on her clit, as his fingers continued their assault inside her body, Dawson leaned over and sunk his teeth into the place where her body met her leg, knowing his bite would spike her orgasm, with a few pulls, he forced himself back, it was enough, she was now his mate. He moaned at the sweet taste of her that he had taken inside himself but his desire heightened as he felt her blood rush thru his veins and he now could feel what she felt, felt the connection his bite had made between them, he felt her slowly coming back from the heaven he had thrown her into. Licking over the bite to heal it he slowed his strokes and pulled free of her body. Rising above her he took in the sexy glow she now wore, the way she wore the look of a woman loved and his heart fell deeper, he hadn’t thought that possible but he knew it to be true.
Baha raised her heavy lids and looked up at the man that had torn her apart and smiled as she reached her hand up and run it slowly down his body. He smiled a soft smile and leaned down to lick her nipple as he pushed back to stand over her. Watching her with heavy lids as he stripped his jeans and let her look her fill of him before lowering himself and licking his way back up her body. Reaching her eye level, she blushed at the way he looked at her as if he could see everything thru her eyes. She loved this man, always had but she wasn’t ready for him to see that yet, it was all too new for her, too surreal. When she had her emotions back in place, she reached up, laid a gentle kiss on his parted lips, and lay back. She did reach up and run her hands up his back, only to lightly drag her nails back down. She giggled at the way he closed his eyes and shivered in reaction. As if that simple act had broke the last of his control, Dawson dropped his body down to lay on top of hers, buried his hands again in her hair and took her mouth in a passionate kiss. It wasn’t soft and tender but hard and demanding. She felt the tip of him press against her body sliding thru her wet lips before pressing slowly into her body. Dawson stopped before moaning the words in her ear. “You are so wet and tight baby, we have to take this slow or I will explode before I make love to you properly.” Baha moaned and sunk her fingers into his muscled back as he slowly forged on. “If you take this slow I will die before you are fully inside me Dawson, please! I am burning up here, I don’t want slow.”
Dawson growled in her ear and pushed himself up and in until he was buried inside her, letting out a loud sound of pleasure at the feel of her squeezing him as if her body never meant to release him. Baha cried out at the small bite of pain as he pushed into her, glad he gave her a minute to allow the burning to subside. He was breathing heavy from the effort to give her time and she knew the restraint it must take to be able to stop for her. Taking a deep breath of courage, she wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned up to the chest that was above her, licking and biting his chest until he groaned and started moving.
Pulling back and grabbing her legs from around him, Dawson pulled her legs up so he could watch as he sunk inside her body at a steady pace. She felt him hit something that spiked thru her as he kept an odd pace and slammed harder inside her every few strokes, which kept her off balance. Driving her higher, bringing her the pleasure she had never before experienced but kept her from flying like she felt from moments before. Laying one leg over his arm, he reached up and grabbed a nipple between his fingers, pinching it enough to give her pleasure and pain and letting the force of his thrust bounce her breast, this brought her more pleasure from the grip he held. Baha let loose a cry at the added stimulation and in return ran her nails down his chest to his stomach. It was his turn to let loose a growl at the feel of her nails and he sped up the pace, driving in her harder and faster. “Reach your hand down here baby,” he growled, “Spread your fingers around yourself and feel my body joining with yours.” Baha did as he asked and moaned at the feel of it. “Now take those fingers and rub that little clit while I make love to this sexy body baby. Make yourself come around me, so I can feel your body milking mine.” Baha had done that enough nights when she had lay in bed thinking of him over the years. She smiled at his answering growl when she repeated the thought aloud, knowing it would excite him. The force in which he was pounding in to her now had her breast bouncing harder and Dawson loved the view. It didn’t take long for her body to start rippling in the first signs of her approaching orgasm and Dawson had to grit his teeth to hold out. The sound of her scream of release was fuel to the fire and with an inhuman roar he erupted along with her, dropping her legs to pull her to him he growled, “MINE” as he continued the hard rhythm, drawing it out to the last second. With a rush of air, he dropped beside her and pulled her limp body beside his. When he had finally came back to himself he had realized that she had passed out at some point, wrapping himself around her he enjoyed the feel of her body against his as he tucked her into him and followed her into sleep.