Hank Read online

  Just like with the dough this morning, Hank is good with his hands. Really good with his hands.

  I’m distracted thinking about how else he could use those hands when he gestures out my window.

  “That’s Denali up ahead.”

  Blinking fast, I turn my head and catch a glimpse of the famed mountain in the distance.

  My breath catches. “It’s gorgeous.”

  “Yeah.” His voice is low and husky. “It is.”

  “So you’re pretty content here in the Alaskan wilderness?”

  He nods. “It’s home.”

  The way he says it is so simple. So easy. But I know there’s nothing simple or easy about it. My brother has told me a little about their time in the military. Hank, he once said, had seen and experienced even worse.

  And, as a foster kid, he’d never really known a home. To have one now—to be somewhere he so clearly belonged—had to mean the world to him.

  My heart aches thinking about the boy he was. At the same time, it’s practically bursting with pride seeing him as a man now—so capable. So strong.

  For the next several minutes, my attention is on the beauty around us. I can see why my brother and Hank fell in love with this country. It’s a far cry from where we all grew up in the Midwest. And it’s totally different from my current home in Southern California.

  A place that, actually, hasn’t felt much like home lately. It’s not that I don’t still love working behind a camera. But years of trying to make it in a boys club and pandering to studios is starting to take its toll.

  I wish I was in a position where I could create something of my own. Watching Jules and Violet start their own business is inspiring.

  If only I had my own business to develop.

  The plane lurches, drawing me out of my thoughts. My gaze darts to Hank, who is frowning.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  “There’s fog pouring in.” He shakes his head. “It wasn’t on the radar before we left.”

  “Can we get past it?”

  He gives me a serious look. “We’re about to lose visibility. And I don’t trust the instruments. Not in the mountains.”

  My stomach hitches. “What are we going to do?”

  “We’ll need to make an emergency landing.” He swears under his breath. “And I’m going to have to do a fuel dump just to be safe.”

  That means he wants to make sure there’s not enough fuel in the plane in case the landing is rockier than expected.

  “Then how will we get back?”

  “We’ll have to radio for help. Bring more fuel.” He shakes his head. “But first, we need to get on the ground.”

  I clamp my mouth shut while he goes to work. Sure enough, the fog surrounds us. I should be terrified. And, I guess I am a little scared.

  But I trust Hank to keep me safe. I know he won’t let anything happen to me. And that’s calming in the face of danger.

  Hank

  We bump to the ground, and I let out a breath as we come to a stop. I turn in my seat to check on Bea. I’m just in time to catch her as she throws her arms around me.

  “You were incredible,” she rushes out. Her arms tighten around my shoulders. “I don’t know how you did it.”

  “I was just doing my job.” I’m not sure what else to say. But my arms come up around her, and I hold her close.

  “You keep staying that, and it doesn’t change the fact.” She pulls back and cups my cheeks between the palms of her hand. “You are freaking good at your jobs.”

  Before I can prepare myself, her mouth is on mine.

  With the adrenaline of the emergency landing already coursing through my veins, my body comes alive. I groan as her soft lifts open to mine, and I get my first taste of her sweet mouth.

  It no longer matters who she is or that she’s my best friend’s sister. All that matters is how good her body feels against mine. We’re alive. We’re safe for now. There’s nothing to hold me back from celebrating that fact with our bodies.

  She moans as our tongues meet. My hand glides up and down the side of her body. The curve of her breasts and her full hips are even better than I dreamed.

  She shifts in my lap so she’s straddling me. She presses her core against my already throbbing dick. I can’t resist pushing myself up against her once. Twice. I clench my eyes shut imagining doing that without the barrier of denim or cotton.

  Our kiss becomes more primal as our hands glide and grope. Bea’s hips move against mine, and my hand instinctively slides between us. I reach under her leggings, feeling until I find her seam.

  She’s already wet for me. I grunt in satisfaction. My index finger slides through her folds. I find her clit and stroke it, gently but firmly. She leans back, moaning.

  “That feels so good,” she says. “Yeah, right there.

  Sliding my free hand under her top, I pull it off. She helps me remove her bra, while my fingers continue to work her slick pussy. She grows more slick, and my dick thickens as I imagine burying myself inside of her.

  Once her breasts are freed, I bury my face in them. She gasps, digging her fingers into my hair. I breathe in deep, savoring the scent of apples and cinnamon.

  I slide my tongue over the smooth skin until I find one of her nipples. I latch on, sucking the nub into my mouth

  She cries out, arching toward me. Inviting me to take more, to take it all. Her thighs quiver against me. Her breaths grow shorter. Her words are less comprehensible. More urgent. As I push her towards the first peak, I know it won’t be enough.

  I won’t be satisfied until I make her come over and over again.

  Even then, I’ll never stop wanting—never stop loving—this woman.

  It’ll cause problems later. But as she screams out as her orgasm takes hold, I don’t care. All that matters is her, and me, and this passion we have for each other.

  Chapter Four

  Bea

  My body is still pulsing from the pleasure Hank has given me as he brings my lips back to his for another searing kiss.

  Tingling, I’m suddenly crazed with a need to feel every inch of him.

  Pulling back, I fumble with the buttons on his shirt. My fingers splay over his hard, muscular chest that’s rising up and down rapidly.

  His clear blue eyes watch me closely as I lean forward to trace my tongue and lips over every muscle. I want to see and feel all of him. I want him to see and feel all of me.

  And that’s not going to be easy in a cockpit.

  I glance over his shoulder. There isn’t much room. I’ll just have to make do with what I have.

  Moving off of his lap, barely noticing the instrument digging into my ass, I reach for the button of his jeans. I cup his hard length through the denim. He hisses.

  God he’s huge. I massage him with my palm. My mouth is watering just thinking about tasting him. I finish undoing his jeans, and his cock springs out. I lick my lips and lean my head forward. Meeting his gaze, I wrap my lips around his tip. He groans as I trace my tongue over the tip, tasting the saltiness of his pre-cum.

  I open my jaw to take more of him in. His hand slides into my hair, holding me against him as he gasps for breaths. His reaction only arouses me more. Makes me want to give and take everything we have to offer.

  My head bobs up against him. And he thrusts against me twice, before pulling my head back with a shout.

  I gape up at him.

  “I don’t want to cum in your mouth this first time.”

  My heart does a somersault as he pulls me back up, while tugging my leggings down with a grace I don’t have. I lower myself back onto his lap. The tip of his cock rubs against my core, sending a fresh shiver of delight through me.

  He freezes. “I don’t have a condom.”

  “We’re covered.” I’m on the pill. Besides, I trust him. This man is careful about everything he does.

  He gives me another nod, silently telling me he trusts me too. I’m practically quivering imagining the feel
of him inside of me, no barrier.

  His fingers dig into my hips as he brings me up and back down over him. I take in every inch of his thick cock. My eyes roll back as I grab hold of his shoulders. He presses his mouth to my breasts again. His whiskers tickle the sensitive skin as my body adjusts to his girth.

  When I’m ready, I ride him as he sucks at my nipple. Another wave of pleasure builds and grows. Our sounds grow louder and more primal. When an orgasm takes hold of me again, I call out for him.

  With my name on his lips, he thrusts into me once more, filling me with his cum.

  I collapse against his chest, our breaths ragged. His hands run up and down my back, soothing me and himself.

  I don’t know how much time has passed when he pulls back with some regret. “We should try to cover a little distance tonight.”

  We dress quickly, though Hank pauses more than once to give me another kiss.

  From the back of the plane, he pulls out a couple of sleeping bags and a canvas bag with tent poles poking out of it. Already saddled down with a supply pack, he slings them over his shoulder like they weigh nothing.

  That’s my mountain man.

  “Do you need me to carry anything?”

  His lips curve up in a half grin. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ve got you.”

  I’m not used to being coddled or cared for. Though, he’s not exactly coddling me now. I’ve always thought of myself as an independent woman. But I have to admit, it’s kind of nice having someone else look out for me.

  “Tell me about your latest show,” he says as we start out down the path.

  “Oh, it’s pretty boring.”

  “I doubt that.” Then his half grin turns into a full one. “Besides, we have a lot of ground to cover before we get back to the lodge. More if no one caught our distress signal and we have to do the whole thing by foot. We might as well tell each other our life stories.”

  That’s maybe the most words I’ve heard out of his mouth in one sitting. It’s practically a monologue.

  But figuring he’s right, I do as he’s asked. And for the next couple of hours we cover a lot of ground—both figuratively and with our stories. By the time he says we should stop to make camp, I know I don’t just want this hunk of a man with every fiber of my being.

  No, I’m already falling for him. And I know nothing will ever be the same again.

  Chapter Five

  Hank

  I’m just dishing up a breakfast I managed to scavenge together when Bea reaches me by the fire I’ve started. She’s wearing my flannel shirt and nothing else.

  I swallow hard and try not to stare.

  She flashes a grin as she takes a seat next to me on the boulder. I busy himself by placing the food on the tin camping plates.

  “What do you have here?” she asks.

  “Scrambled eggs with berries.”

  “Which you just found while I was sleeping?”

  I shrug. “Yeah.”

  As I showed her last night, after we made love a second time, it’s not hard to find food out here if you know where to look.

  “I’m not even going to ask where you found eggs. It’s best if I don’t know.” She holds up the plate like I didn’t just see it. “And somehow, you turned the wilderness into a perfectly plated breakfast.”

  “It’s not perfectly plated.” Though, I didn’t do too bad considering my resources. “It’s nothing like what I’d serve back at the lodge.”

  Where our guests are probably getting a meal served by Ezra. God help them.

  Bea accepted the plate and shook her head. “I’m telling you, you should have your own cooking show. Or at least a blog or website where you show people how it’s done.”

  “It’s all pretty basic stuff.”

  She takes a bite and sighs. “It’s freaking delicious stuff.”

  I shrug and pick up my fork. Damn it, I’m probably blushing. Bea had a way of turning me into a teenager again. A teenager who has it bad for his best friend’s sister. But even a teenager would know better than to scratch that itch.

  There was no way around it. Silas was going to give me an ass kicking.

  All the same, last night had been worth it. Even if it crushes my heart when she inevitably gets on the next plane.

  “You know—” But she cuts herself off, clamping her mouth shut.

  That’s a first. And, damn it all, now I’m curious. “What?”

  She shakes her head and picks up her fork. “It’s nothing.”

  “Are you going to make me beg?”

  “You? Beg?” She arches an eyebrow. I feel a sudden urge to kiss her.

  So I do. Because I can while we’re still in this bubble. I slide my hand into her hair, cupping the back of her hair, pulling her close. I brush my lips against hers once. I feel her shiver with anticipation against me. So I do it again. And again. I urge her mouth open and I taste Bea and fresh berries.

  My cock grows thicker and harder. I’d like nothing more than to unzip my jeans. Pull her onto my lap, and rip my shirt off her as I sink into her over and over again. But then our eggs will get cold.

  And I won’t get the answer.

  Pulling back, I press my forehead against hers. “What were you going to say?”

  She sighs. “I was going to say you could have your own cooking show. People would eat it up—literally.”

  I lean back to stare down at her.

  “Why the hell would anyone watch that?”

  “You have no idea how appealing you are.”

  I don’t know about that. Though, the way she’s looking at me right now like I’m the last slice of pie on the buffet table gives me ideas.

  And, damn it all, I’m blushing again. I clear my throat. “The eggs are getting cold.”

  Grinning, she goes back to her breakfast and I to mine. By the time we’ve scraped our plates clean, I’m tempted to drag her back to our makeshift shelter.

  But we need to get as far as we can while we have sunlight. Much as I want her—will always want her—I need her to be safe more.

  We make quick work of cleaning up the site. It’s with some regret that I take my shirt back and she slips into her own clothes. I like the way she looks good in my shirt. The flannel hugging her curves and showing off her shapely legs. But I also like the way she looks out of it too.

  Hell. I’m making this harder than it should be.

  We make our way back down the path I know will lead us back to the lodge in another day or so. Back to reality. Back to her job and mine. Jobs that will ultimately keep us apart.

  Almost like it’s on her mind too, she tells me about her work while we hike through the wilderness. You can hear how much she loves it. She says she’s looking for a new challenge. I’m not going to be the one to keep her from finding it.

  It’s nearly mid-day, and I’m about to suggest we take a break. But I hear voices shouting.

  She grabs the back of my shirt. “What’s that?”

  “I can’t quite hear what they’re saying.” I lean forward, and with the next shouts it’s more clear. I face Bea. “They’re calling for us.”

  “They must have caught your distress call.” Her face lights up. She reaches for my face and plants a kiss on my lips. “You got us home. Or at least close enough!”

  Gripping her hand in mine, we move toward the voices. We step through a break in the trees and find Noah, Silas, and their girls. Jules exclaims in excitement and races toward us. Throwing her arms around the both of us.

  “Oh thank God. When we heard your distress call . . .” She shivers. “I’m so glad we found you.”

  “It’s okay.” Bea meets my gaze over Jules’s head. “I was in excellent hands.”

  “You couldn’t find a better guide than Hank.” Silas gives me a nod before stepping in to pull his sister into a hug.

  At the emotion on his face, I take a step back. What Bea and I had is over.

  We ride in separate ATVs on the way back to the lodge. During the cou
ple of hours it takes to get back I stew in silence. It’s not going to be easy saying good-bye to Bea. But the sooner the better.

  There’s no point stretching it out. It’ll only make it harder.

  Once we’re back at the lodge, Bea pulls herself away from Jules and Violet.

  “I need to talk to Hank.” I overhear her say.

  Silas hears it too. Clearing his throat, he cuffs me on the shoulder. “Thanks for looking after my sister.”

  But he stares at me sternly. Like he’s trying to figure out what happened between us. I lift a shoulder, hoping I look ambivalent.

  When we’re alone, the air still sizzles. I need to turn that off and fast. I clear my throat. “I should probably get dinner started.”

  She frowns at me. “Is that all you have to say?”

  “What do you want me to say.”

  Her eyes widen. “Shouldn’t we figure out what happens next?”

  “We already know what happens next.” I swallow against a lump in my throat. “You’re going back to L.A. And I’m going to make dinner.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “You know what your problem is?” She throws her hands up in the air. “Maybe you don’t know how to be happy.”

  “You might be right.” I shove my hands in my pockets. “But I know what’s right and what’s wrong.”

  “So you’re saying I’m wrong?”

  I don’t answer, because I can’t tell her the truth. No, she isn’t wrong. Not for me. I’m the one who’s wrong for her. She might not realize it yet. But she’d have to give up everything to be with me. Because she will leave, eventually. Everyone always does. It’s better if I make her go now, before I let myself hope for more.

  Even if it breaks my heart.

  I nod toward the lodge. “We should probably get in there.”

  She doesn’t move. She just stares at me. I see the hint of a tear in her eye, and my jaw hardens. More than ever, I want to reach out and pull her into my arms. But I can’t waver now. Better to have a little heartbreak now than later. When we’re more invested. Right?

  I clear my throat. “I’d better get dinner started.”