“And how much is this costing the clinic?”
“Nada. I couldn’t even get the man to show me the invoice.”
“Why are the Wests doing this? They already gave the clinic a huge donation.”
“They’re good people.” That’s what everyone had told him, and it had turned out to be true. “I think they feel partly responsible for your being injured.”
“That’s nuts.”
The nurse walked in with papers and a smile. “Let’s get you out of here.”
She went over the discharge instructions with both of them. No baths, but showers were okay provided she kept the incisions dry. Leave the dressing on the incisions for another week. No weight on her injured leg until she was given the okay. A prescription for pain meds. Call her doctor immediately if she got a fever higher than 101 or if her leg became more painful or swollen or there was redness.
“I’ve got it all printed out for you. You can pick up your prescription at the pharmacy downstairs. And here’s your ride now.”
An aide pushed a wheelchair up to the door. “It’s not a limo, but it will do.”
Jason helped Winona into the wheelchair and set her belongings and the discharge papers on her lap. “I’ve got your crutches.”
Fifteen minutes later, Jason was helping Win into the passenger seat of his truck. “Watch your leg.”
He stowed her crutches behind the seat, covertly sending a text message to Chaska telling him they were on their way. Then he climbed into the driver’s seat. “Next stop, Scarlet Springs.”
“Oh, thank goodness!”
They talked for the entire hour-long drive, Jason more at home in her presence than he’d felt with a woman before.
A promise is a sacred thing. So is the love of one’s half-side.
Soon they left the city behind, drove through Boulder and up into the canyon, passing the spot where Hank drove off the highway and getting closer to town.
Jason tried not to give anything away, but he couldn’t get the smile off his face.
Then, there it was—the town limit sign for Scarlet.
He slowed, gave her every chance to spot it on her own.
“It looks like most of the snow has melt… What?! Oh! Do you see that?”
Scarlet Springs Town Limit, Pop. 1,469, Elevation 8,936
Home of Wolf Whisperer Winona Belcourt
“I do.” He chuckled, slowing even more.
It was only a temporary change written on paper and taped to the sign, but it was the thought that counted. And the thought was sincere.
They left the canyon behind and headed into town, Winona’s head turning this way and that, taking in all the balloons and cardboard and paper signs stuck in the windows of homes and businesses and at the ends of driveways.
We love you, Winona!
Winona is our hero!
Heal well, Winona!
“I don’t understand. All I did was step in a stupid trap and hurt myself.”
“You were almost killed while trying to save an innocent animal.”
She looked over at him, tears spilling down her cheeks. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“Of course, but I couldn’t spoil the surprise.” He drove through the roundabout, waving to Bear as they passed.
“Jason Chiago. Winona Belcourt! My friend Winona is home!”
Then Jason turned the corner and parked in front of Winona’s house, where her family and a few Team members stood, waiting for her—Chaska, Naomi with the baby, Old Man, Megs, Ahearn, and Sasha.
Jason got out, opened her door, and carefully lifted her into his arms. “Welcome home, angel.”
Chapter 23
On the brink, Winona’s fingers clenched in Jason’s hair, his head between her thighs, his lips and tongue driving her crazy, his fingers thrusting deep inside her. “Jason!”
It felt so good, so unbelievably good.
She hovered on the edge of an orgasm, savoring every second of it, the intensity of the pleasure overwhelming. “Yes. Oh, God!”
Then she shattered, climax washing through her in a shimmering rush, making her cry out. He was relentless, staying with her until the tremors had passed, his clever mouth and fingers coaxing every bit of pleasure from her that they could. Then he kissed his way up her body, tasting her nipples, her throat, her lips, bringing her back.
She opened her eyes, drew his mouth to hers, kissed him. “Help me turn over.”
They’d practiced over the past two days and had gotten pretty good at managing sex despite her injured leg. It was all a matter of positioning and persistence, and Jason was very creative.
She lifted her injured leg off the stack of pillows, Jason supporting her ankle as she rolled onto her right side. He moved the pillow stack and helped her gently lower her leg once more. When she was comfortable again, he slid into bed behind her, his palms cupping and caressing her bare buttocks.
“I love your ass.” He slipped his fingers between her thighs, stroked her clit, reviving the lust he’d just slaked. “You are so wet.”
Then he rolled a condom onto his erection and nudged himself inside her, the thick, hard feel of him making her moan.
He thrust slowly, his lips and teeth on her bare shoulder, one hand reaching around to fondle her breasts, his fingers teasing and plucking her puckered nipples, sending jolts of pleasure to her womb.
In this position, she could do nothing but surrender. The helplessness of it turned her on, but only because she trusted Jason entirely. She’d never been able to give herself so completely to a man before, and, oh, the reward was sweet.
In… Out...
Each achingly slow thrust sent a surge of pleasure through her belly, heightening her arousal, driving her need for him. And she did need him. She needed him to put out the fire he’d started, to satisfy the growing ache inside her.
In… Out...
She reached back, rested one hand on his hip, her other hand curled into a fist against her pillow. His powerful body moved against hers, his hands still busy with her breasts. She whimpered in frustration, wondering why he hadn’t touched her clit. He knew she couldn’t come like this. Oh, but it felt so good.
In… Out...
Slowly, slowly the tension inside her grew, thrust upon thrust, pleasure drawing tighter in her belly, her need for release becoming desperate, his cock stretching her, filling her, stroking that sensitive place inside her.
Climax snuck up on her like the slow rising of a tide, the intensity of it growing as it moved through her, making her cry out, the torrent lifting her higher and higher, until she thought she might drown in bliss.
Then his control snapped, and he pounded into her from behind, the hand that had teased her nipples now caressing her clit. She found herself rushing headlong to an amazing third climax. This time, he came with her, groaning against her nape, finishing with three hard thrusts, his body shaking.
For a time, they lay there breathless, Winona’s mind blissfully empty, Jason’s heart thrumming against her back, one big hand caressing her thigh.
Gradually, the world around them returned.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.” He sat up. “I’ll make breakfast.”
Winona made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth and comb the tangles from her hair. She slipped into her bathrobe and went to the kitchen, where Jason was busy at the stove.