She moved a little, for the first time letting uncertainty cross her beautiful features. To him, she was perfect. “My whole life my brain has been at the forefront. Even with my cool new calling, I use my brain and skills to help people, just like I would’ve as a shrink.”
He filled his hands with her curvy ass, content to talk so long as he could play at the same time.
She gasped and then smiled, flattening her palms on his abs. At least they were on the same page here.
“Go on,” he said, his erection aiming right for her.
She looked down, and her chuckle was needy. “When I get married or mated or whatever, I want it to be all feelings. All consuming, wild. Not because it’s the smart thing to do, or because I’m in danger, or because I know what’s right. I want to be so consumed that I can’t live without you. You know?”
“You don’t feel that now?” He was two seconds from making her feel a whole lot more than that.
She frowned, and even that was cute. Man, he had it bad. “I don’t know. I feel a lot for you, more than I can even wrap my head around. I just haven’t figured it all out.”
He laughed out loud, happier than he’d ever been. “Let me get this straight. You want overwhelming passion and consuming love, but you need to analyze those feelings first so they line up and you can make a rational conclusion?”
She bit her lip. “I guess that doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
“No, but it’s you, so take the time you need.” He kissed her again, ready to take the time he needed. He’d rather have her smart and cautious than dumb and ready to jump in. He’d get her there. “Enough thinking. How about we feel now?”
She chuckled. “That’s one rational conclusion I like. A lot.” She rose on her toes to kiss him.
An explosion rocked through the storm outside.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Honor gasped. In a microsecond, Sam went from teasing to cold.
He lunged for the kitchen and secured a gun from a drawer, while tossing her behind him at the same time. His body was one long line of menacing threat. “Stay behind me.” He edged toward the front window, peering out at the storm.
She could only hear rain and wind. Thunder roared loud enough to rattle the windows, and she jumped, gasping. Her head reeled as adrenaline swarmed through her. “What’s happening?”
He nudged a curtain to the side just as another explosion bellowed louder than the thunder. “Two fires, small bombs—both aimed at the front of the cabin. The deck is on fire.” He angled and got a better look outside. “They wanted to flush us out rather than hurt us.”
Who would set bombs in the middle of Grizzly Club territory? She’d gotten to know the bears enough to understand that was unheard of…and crazy. “Is this a joke? Some sort of prank?” Her voice was so hopeful she wanted to wince.
“Doubtful.” The lights flickered and then went out. From the storm or an attack?
Honor looked around the kitchen, her lungs feeling as if they were convulsing in her body. “Is there another gun?”
“Cupboard next to the stove. Keep your head down,” Sam said, his body still as he studied the stormy world outside. He kept talking as she ducked down and crawled to the cupboard. “The front is a diversion, but we don’t have a back door. They’ll be coming in the bedroom window.”
The words chilled her to her sock-covered feet. The socks he’d bought for her. She secured a weapon and scrambled up behind him, putting her back to his butt and pointing at the back bedroom. The only bedroom.
“I’ve got that. Get ready to run,” he ordered.
She did so, calming slightly at his stone-cold tone. No panic, no worry. Just a hard-core command, and one she’d happily follow. “What now?”
“We go out and immediately right. There’s a trail that can’t be seen unless you know it’s there. Follow me, and if you see anything move around us, go down. Fast. You can shoot even while lying on your belly.” He looked at her, his eyes nearly black and completely glacial. “Do not jump in front of a bullet. Understand?”
Numbly, she nodded. That had been a one-time thing. Her hand shook around the weapon, so she held the metal with both hands. “I’m ready.”
“If you see movement, shoot immediately,” he ordered, his large hand moving for the doorknob. “It’ll be the enemy.”
“What if it isn’t?” she whispered.
He slowly opened the door. “Anything out there is immortal. Just shoot.”
Glass shattered in the bedroom. She yelped.
He dodged into the storm, his head ducked, already sending laser fire into the trees. She followed him, aiming for several blazing pine trees, where the flames were fighting a losing battle with the rain. Sam moved quickly, gracefully, across the deck to the right, keeping his body between the forest and her. She aimed to the side, hitting several trees and spraying bits of bark.
They reached the end of the deck, and he jumped down, continuing to shoot with one hand while lifting her by the arm with the other. His strength took her off guard.
Her feet hit the wet and muddy ground. A bullet flew past her and hit his shoulder.
He grunted, grabbed her, and started running. She ran as fast as she could next to him, while the rain pelted them. Her brain tried to dissociate and deny. This couldn’t be happening. They were safe in bear territory. This wasn’t happening.
She shook her mind into reality. This was happening. Time to act.
He dragged her through the trees onto a rough trail she hadn’t noticed before. He scouted the area, trying to protect her with his body.
A Kurjan soldier dropped from a tree.
She jumped back, her socks sliding in the mud. Windmilling, trying to regain her balance, she fell flat on her butt. Pain ricocheted up her spine to her neck. Mud sprayed all around her.
Sam pivoted, nailing the soldier in the gut with a roundhouse kick. He advanced rapidly, shooting into the guy’s face. The Kurjan hissed, his purple eyes wide, blood dribbling from his neck. Sam punched him in the eye, put him against a tree, and slammed his head so hard, the sound echoed like a watermelon bursting.
Without missing a beat, Sam turned and hauled Honor to her feet. “Run.” He then turned, gun sweeping both sides of the forest.
Another Kurjan soldier, this one with red eyes, darted around a tree. Where had he come from? He kicked Sam in the knee.
Sam went down, spun, and came back up with a kick to the Kurjan’s jaw. It shattered and the soldier howled in pain. Sam followed up with a punch to the solar plexus that pushed his entire hand into the Kurjan’s gut. Sam pulled out what looked like a kidney, threw the guy to the ground, and smashed his already damaged skull with his bare foot.