Bear This! (A 300 Moons Book) Read online

  He paused to peel off his t-shirt and the rest of his clothes.

  He turned back to her and she ran her hands down his body, her fingers exploring the planes of his chest, molding his abs, but stopping shy of where he needed her touch the most.

  She looked up at him, then lifted her arms as he slid the sweatshirt over her head, then bent to help her slip out of the rest of her clothes.

  Oh, but she was tantalizing.

  He lay down beside her and she rested her head on the pillow. But he could tell by the movement of her chest as she inhaled and exhaled deeply that she was filled with anticipation.

  He placed his hand flat against her chest between her breasts, felt her heartbeat reverberating through his hand. Her nipples pebbled stiff on either side of his hand.

  The picture of discipline, he drew his hand down to stroke her belly and the life within that was still so tiny he couldn’t see the evidence.

  Her whole body trembled and his cock throbbed in sympathy.

  He stroked her again, his hand spread wide now over her stomach, stopping just shy of her curls.

  She closed her eyes.

  He stroked her again, this time his hand followed the curve of the side of her body. He felt the fullness of her breast, her ribcage, the flare of her hip.

  She sighed and he stroked her again, allowing the pad of his thumb to brush her nipple on the way down this time, and caressing the tender inside of her thigh on the way back up.

  She moaned and angled her hips slightly.

  Unable to bear it any longer, Ethan fell on her breasts, licking and suckling the delicate nipples as he grasped her hips and lifted them to him. She felt so good, he clenched his teeth to hold himself together.

  “Ethan,” she moaned, overwhelmed.

  He kissed his way down her belly, parted her thighs and found her warm and fragrant, wet and waiting for him.

  The sounds she made when he ran his tongue across her folds were indescribable. He was hypnotized by her arousal, losing himself as he lavished every satiny millimeter.

  When her hips rose to meet him and she tangled her hands in his hair he lifted his tongue to stroke her swollen clitoris at last. Oh, god, the way she froze and then squealed as he lapped and licked the tiny bundle of nerves, goading her almost over the edge and then slowing down to tease all around the little bud until she was crying out plaintively for more.

  At last he took pity on her and slid a finger just inside to massage her tender interior as he sucked her clit into his mouth and worked it mercilessly with his tongue.

  23

  Evangeline felt her whole body tense and then the pleasure crashed down on her in waves until she was drowning in it.

  Just as it seemed that she was coming down at last, it occurred to her addled mind that it was Ethan’s tongue, Ethan’s hands ravishing her and she came apart again, moaning helplessly and writhing under his touch.

  At last the grip of sensation released her and she opened her eyes to find Ethan gazing up at her with an expression of wonder on his handsome face.

  “Beautiful,” he whispered.

  Overcome, she held her arms out to him.

  His expression darkened and she suddenly realized how long he had gone without satisfaction. Even last night she had found her pleasure and then he had held her, the evidence of his desire for her held fast between them, stiff and throbbing.

  The thought sent her own body into a frenzy of desire all over again and she shivered in anticipation as she watched him crawl up to her - Ethan Chambers, the golden boy, his eyes gone from the blue of a summer sky to midnight sapphire in his need for her.

  “Evangeline,” he said. It was a plea, a warning.

  “Please, I need you,” she whispered back to him.

  He bent his golden head to kiss her and his tongue found a rhythm against hers that sent her hips angling up to his.

  She could feel him, hot and huge against her belly and for a panic stricken moment she feared the pain.

  He froze in her arms, as if he had heard her thoughts.

  “Please,” she whispered again, sliding a hand down between them to touch him.

  He groaned when her hand found him and she began to explore. He throbbed excitedly in her hand, the irresistible skin of his shaft was soft and warm as velvet, the muscle inside hard as iron.

  Emboldened, she stroked him gently and felt him grow even larger.

  Ethan growled and encased her wrist in his large hand.

  “Please stop,” he whispered through a clenched jaw.

  She let go immediately and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  He smiled down at her, his familiar face so lovely up close, his smile so kind, even as his eyes told her he was filled with wild need.

  “Do you want this, Evangeline?”

  She nodded, overwhelmed with emotion and unable to speak.

  “I love you, my angel,” he told her.

  “I love you, Ethan,” she told him.

  He cradled one muscular arm around her head, and she felt him slide his other hand down to guide himself against her.

  She watched the beautiful agony on his face as he found her entrance, then slowly, so slowly pressed himself inside.

  Her body stretched and smarted. She closed her eyes and willed her body to accept him. When he reached a place inside her that pained her she gasped.

  “Look at me, Evangeline,” he said, his voice deeper than usual.

  She opened her eyes and was suddenly brave again.

  “Please, Ethan, I need you,” she asked again.

  “Hold on tight, love,” he whispered.

  She clung to him and he kissed her, plunging his tongue into her mouth, stroking his hand down over her breast, teasing the nipple, until she arched her back.

  Only then did he give her the rest of himself, filling her completely.

  He stilled inside her for a moment.

  The pain was gone almost immediately, replaced by an urgent need for more pleasure.

  She lifted herself against him, sinking her nails into his back.

  He withdrew from her slowly then entered her again.

  She closed her eyes and saw fireworks.

  Slowly he thrust again. And then again.

  When she whimpered and jogged herself up to meet him, begging him wordlessly to give her the pace they both needed, he groaned.

  And then he gave her what she wanted, deep, punishing strokes, faster and faster. She cried out and he slipped a hand between them to toy with her and she began to beg.

  Her pleas seemed to break down his resistance and at last he thrust into her furiously, as if he had finally forgotten to be gentle and was chasing his own pleasure.

  His surrender was so sexy Evangeline came apart immediately.

  And then he was climaxing with her, calling her name as he swelled impossibly larger inside her, filling her even as she helplessly convulsed around him.

  At last he collapsed on her chest, panting.

  He was so heavy she could hardly breathe, but she didn’t care. They were both sticky and sweating, hands tangled in each other’s hair. And there was no place in the world she would rather be. No possible way to be happier.

  24

  Evangeline woke with the sun, her limbs tangled with Ethan’s. She stretched like a kitten and smiled when he wrapped his arms around her more tightly in his sleep.

  “I’m just going to take a shower,” she whispered in his ear.

  “A likely story. I remember what happened yesterday morning,” he whispered back.

  Oh shoot.

  But he was smiling and yawning. His jaw was scruffy and irresistible. She leaned down to rub her cheek against his.

  “Are you flirting with me, woman?” he growled. “Don’t toy with me.”

  She giggled and dashed to the bathroom, freshened up, brushed her teeth and turned on the shower.

  When the steam filled the room she stepped inside.

  The warm water felt like he
aven soaking into her bones. She began to hum the Elvis Christmas tune that had been on the radio last night. Then she began to sing.

  She had just gotten into it for real when she heard Ethan’s voice join hers.

  She had company.

  There was a tap on the shower door a moment later.

  “Can I join you?” he asked politely.

  She giggled and opened the door.

  Oh sweet god. He was just so hot.

  He stepped into the shower and she watched as rivulets of water streamed down his chest, into the contours of his abs, and down, down.

  Oh my.

  “Sorry,” he said. But he didn’t look sorry. “You’re just so beautiful, I can’t help it.”

  Evangeline laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. The warm water poured over and around them. She leaned in to kiss his chest, then lowered herself to her knees before him.

  “Oh, baby, you don’t have to…” he trailed off.

  She had already taken him in her hand, extended her tongue to explore the plushy head of his pulsing cock.

  “Oh, god,” he let his head fall back against the tiled wall of the shower.

  Evangeline smiled and took him into her mouth, swirling her tongue around him. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was supposed to do, but she followed his sounds, making sure to return to the places that made him sigh, sliding him in and out of her mouth, taking him as deep as she could, before easing off and then beginning again.

  Soon he was so hard she was sure it could only be a moment before he climaxed. Thrilled, she began to move faster. Ethan had brought her pleasure this way so many times, she was proud to be able to return the favor.

  The ache between her legs was pounding, but she did her best to ignore it.

  Then suddenly he was ripping her off him, lifting her in his arms.

  She wrapped her legs around his narrow waist and he slammed her into the tiles, held her by the hips, and locked her in his blue gaze.

  “Are you ready?” he asked her.

  She nodded.

  Then he was inside her. She gasped at the stretching sensation and he leaned forward to bite her lower lip.

  She tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, closer. He could never be close enough.

  And then the pleasure was spiraling and they were coming apart again. Her whole body was shot through with ecstasy and Ethan’s cries blended with hers, echoing against the tiles.

  They managed the rest of the shower without any more funny business. Barely.

  “I’m not going to be able to walk if we don’t stop,” she warned him as she dressed.

  Ethan had finally thought to get her clothes out of the dryer, so she was back in her jeans and t-shirt.

  “Lucky for you, we have to get ready for the fundraiser,” he told her.

  “The fundraiser,” she breathed.

  “Yeah, we may have somewhat less chili than I planned,” he told her.

  “Not a problem, we’ll work all day, it’ll be ready for tonight,” Evangeline promised.

  “Now that we found the gold, the chili is… less important,” Ethan reminded her.

  “No,” she said thoughtfully. “I mean, yes, but also no. The fundraiser isn’t just about the money, is it?”

  He studied her a moment, then nodded slowly.

  “You’re right,” he said. “It’s tradition. A way for the community to come together. We serve them all year, and this is their time to help us. They appreciate that opportunity. And it’s fun.”

  She smiled back at him.

  “So I guess we have some chili to make,” she ventured.

  He put the radio on again and they chopped vegetables at the big table.

  Although Evangeline would have sworn it wasn’t possible, the lounge of the fire station began to feel a lot like the kitchen at Harkness Farms. It wasn’t the layout of the island or the butcher block top that made the house feel like home. It was the laughter and quiet conversation of people who knew each other well that gave Evangeline the feeling of being at Kate’s house. And between Ethan’s funny stories and the holiday music on the radio, and the twinkling lights of the little Christmas tree, and the lazy white snowflakes that had begun to drift past the windows, she fell into a dreamlike sense of peace and happiness where hours passed like minutes.

  Too soon the doors downstairs opened and voices were in the stairwell.

  “Ethan,” a male voice boomed. “How was your private Christmas getaway?”

  “Hey, Andrew,” Ethan replied. “It was great, though not as private as I expected. How was yours?”

  The big man who appeared in the doorway did a double take when he saw Evangeline.

  “Whoa, who’s this?” he asked.

  “Oh, I pulled her out of a burning building,” Ethan shrugged.

  “What?” Andrew asked.

  “I’m kidding, man,” Ethan laughed. “This is Evangeline. Evangeline, this is Andrew.”

  But before they could properly shake hands there were more voices and people to meet. And the sounds of the voices, new and familiar, and the smells of the casseroles and brownies and other foods the volunteers had brought filled the lounge.

  Evangeline might have been nervous, except that Ethan stayed by her side the whole time, holding her hand in his and squeezing gently as if to reassure her that all was well.

  Dot arrived, with a pale but happy Ed Walker, and Evangeline saw that they were indeed the Walkers who had run the old candy shop in town. She had just sat by Ed to talk with him about the old shop when the chief came in. Ethan squeezed her hand and nodded toward the older man.

  It was time.

  She nodded back and watched Ethan disappear up to the bunk room with the chief, presumably to show him the gold they had locked up in one of the cubbies.

  She felt tingles down her spine as she imagined the joy the men would feel knowing that the firehouse would have the maintenance it needed for years to come.

  25

  Ethan stood at the center table, ladling out steaming bowls of Cresson’s Gold Chili as Evangeline handed out napkins and spoons by his side. She was laughing at something the man at the front of the line was saying, and Ethan felt a pang in his heart so sweet it almost hurt.

  The crowd in the firehouse was animated. The trucks had been removed and the sale was set up in the huge garage. Folding tables were decorated with pretty tablecloths and someone had strung up fairy lights all over the place.

  Will and Tess were in the corner at the pie table, Tess counted out change, the little diamond on her finger sparkling brightly, as Will handed over the signature white Harkness Farms boxes to smiling customers. Kate was chatting with an elderly lady from town, Sadie Epstein-Walker. Sadie’s ever-present little dog rested in her arms, looking around casually as if to ask where the dog treats were.

  The sound of the old station bell got everyone’s attention and a hush fell over the firehouse.

  “Hey there, everyone,” Chief Ben Anderson said in his deep voice. He was young to be chief, but he’d been volunteering for the station since he was a teenager, just like Ethan.

  “Hey, Ben,” a couple of people yelled.

  Ben gave a perfunctory nod.

  “I think I speak for the whole company when I say we love this town,” he said. “And we’re grateful for the chance to serve you. Your support today means everything to us and we wouldn’t trade this holiday supper with you for the world.”

  “Hear, hear,” Sadie hollered.

  “But we have news tonight, astonishing news that means good things for this station and for the town,” Ben went on. “Cresson’s gold has been found.”

  “You can say that again,” someone called from the back, holding up a bowl to scattered laughter from the crowd.

  The chief smiled and continued.

  “The chili is a treasure, to be sure, but I’m talking about Arthur Cresson’s actual gold. Turns out it was more than a legend, after all.”

  A
hush fell over the space, and then the whispers began.

  Ben cleared his throat.

  “It was found thanks to the efforts of Ethan Chambers and the young woman beside him, Evangeline. She’s Kate Harkness’s daughter.”

  Ethan held his breath as the room turned to face them.

  Evangeline turned pink, but she stood proudly next to him, her shining eyes meeting Kate’s across the room as a tear slipped down her cheek.

  “The gold they located will be sufficient to replace the roof on this building with enough left over to go into trust for future repairs,” Ben continued. “The Tarker’s Hollow Fire Department isn’t completely future proofed, but we’ll have easier nights from now on thanks to these two.”

  There were impressed noises everywhere.

  “And we want to spread our good fortune around a little. So the proceeds from tonight’s fundraiser will go toward something else for this village of ours,” he continued. “We want it to go toward something the town wants but hasn’t been able to fund. Something special. We don’t know what yet - but we’re asking each of you to stop by the bowl at the end of the last table tonight and take a card from the stack, then write down your wish for Tarker’s Hollow. We’ll consider them all and then do the most good we can with the kindness you’ve done us tonight. Thank you again for coming.”

  The crowd began to applaud, and then one by one the other firefighters headed for Ethan and Evangeline, offering their congratulations on finding the gold, asking where it had been hidden and how they had found it.

  Ethan told the story a dozen times - all about Evangeline’s car trouble, the tree crashing through the upstairs window in the storm, the picture getting knocked loose, and deciphering the clue on the back.

  He kept a few parts for himself.

  When the sky went from rosy dusk to deep blue, the townsfolk finally began to dissipate.

  It was then that Kate Harkness approached them. She was smiling so hard her blue eyes crinkled.

  Evangeline dragged Ethan out from behind the table.

  “You told him I was your daughter,” she said softly.

  “You are my daughter,” Kate laughed. “And you didn’t need to find any gold for that. You’ve always been my treasure.”