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I STOOD IN FRONT OF the dresser, frowning. I had exhausted all of my clothing resources since we returned to the shack. Most of the things I had purchased on my shopping spree in Gulf Shores were beachwear and that wouldn’t work here in the cold mountains. Shade’s side of the dresser was equally empty. It was time to make a supply run.
A hand slid over my naked chest and down to cup my breast as a warm body pressed into my back. Shade bent his head down to nip at my neck, causing goosebumps to break out across my skin and a shiver to run down my spine.
“We need to go into the nearest town.” My voice was breathy and wanton. It didn’t matter that we had just cleaned up from an amazing time in bed. Pure instinctual need seemed to take over when he was near.
“Yeah?” His warm breath brushed over my skin.
“We’re out of clothes. Plus, our food supply is low.” Not that it mattered. Neither of us had done much of anything outside of the bed or the tub.
Shade took great pride in getting acquainted with every inch of my body. It was pure bliss. Every moment with him has been out of this world. He was an excellent lover. Even with my non existence experience, I knew that.
“Who needs clothes?” His voice was husky and sexy as hell.
“We can’t just walk around naked,” I laughed.
“Sure we can.”
I turned in his arms and placed a peck on his lips before pulling out of his arms.
“We’re out of condoms too,” I called over my shoulder, peeking back to look at him.
Shade swore under his breath and ran a hand through his hair. It was longer now, hanging past his ears. His beard had also grown out since his trim at the bungalow. He really looked the mountain man part. I found it wildly attractive. I was beginning to think I loved everything about this man.
“All right. I’ll go tomorrow.” He walked passed me and into the kitchen.
“We should go sooner, maybe tonight and instead of buying all new clothes we could just hit the laundromat and do a load.” Most of my clothes were nice. I liked the way they fit. It killed me to have to keep throwing them away. It seemed so wasteful.
“No. I’ll buy us new ones.” His back was to me and he was banging around at the stove.
“You keep saying I, but I’m coming with you.” If he thought he was going to leave without me, he was sorely mistaken.
“No, you’re not.” He turned to face me.
The look he gave me made me want to shoot him. It was the look a parent gave a child when they meant business.
“It's not up to you. I’m going.” And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop me.
“Since I’m the one that will be driving I’ll decide if you come with me and you’re not.”
“Then I’ll drive.”
The knife he was holding clattered to the counter and he gripped the edge. My back straightened. I prepared myself to hold my ground. He didn’t scare me. Not anymore. I held my chin high as he turned to face me.
“You’re not coming.” Each word was bit out.
I could see the anger boiling inside him, threatening to boil over.
“And why not? Am I your prisoner? Gonna tie me up and use me as a sex slave?” I’m not sure where that came from but it sounded good and from the look on his face it pissed him off further.
“You keep that attitude up and you might find yourself tied to the bed.”
I leaned in, poking my finger into his chest.
“You try it. When I get free, I’ll cut your balls off and shove them down you throat.” Pure threat radiated from me. I meant every last word.
Shade bent forward, cupping my ass with his hands and pulled me in.
“Do you know how hot you are when you’re fired up?” Desire replaced the anger in his eyes but I refused to be distracted.
I planted my hand in the center of his chest and pushed him back.
“I’m going, so don’t think distracting me with a good time will change my mind.” Stepping around him I went to the bathroom area and started gathering clothes.
Shades arms wrapped around me from behind and he pressed my back into his front.
“You’re not going even if that means I really do have to tie you up to keep you here.” His words dripped with finality.
I knew I didn’t have a chance in hell. I could shout the sky down but he wouldn’t budge on this.
A growl escaped my lips, and I stomped on his foot, then elbowed him in the ribs.
“You are an asshole!” I shouted and threw the clothes in my hand at him. I stomped toward the dresser, grabbed out his last tee and tugged it over my head.
If he wanted to be like that, then I would just leave without him. He couldn’t go to town if he didn’t have a car to get there. If I left in the middle of the night there wouldn’t be anything he could say or do until I returned. It would serve him right having to sit here and stew until I returned.
Shade still stood beside the tub as I walked passed, grabbing the gun from the table as I went. What I really needed was to let loose a few rounds at a target. Sparing would probably better suit my mood but I had a feeling it would end up with us tangled in bed together and right now I didn’t want to go there.
When we went to bed, I turned my back on him and he didn’t say anything. Maybe he sensed that he’d pissed me off or maybe he didn’t care enough to reconcile with me. Either way, I didn’t care. He couldn’t just tell me what to do. I wouldn’t stand for it. We were a team now. He couldn’t boss me around. If he’s free to come and go as he pleased, then so was I.
When his breathing evened out, I climbed off the bed and headed for the dresser. Shade kept a wad of cash just lying around in the top drawer . I had serious doubts that would be the highlight of his concern.
I took a few big bills and headed for the door, snagging the keys off the counter and shoved my feet into my boots. Once I was outside, I grabbed the trash bag that held our clothes and hefted it over my shoulder, running for the car.
As the shack faded in the distance, I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding. A manic laugh escaped me and gripped the steering wheel tighter. I was actually doing this. I was going into town alone without Shade. He’s going to be pissed when he wakes up to find me gone. At least I knew he might not kill me for it.
* * *
THE NEAREST TOWN WAS an hour and a half from the shack. By the time I hit the outskirts, the adrenaline had worn off and my eyes felt like lead weights. I quickly located the nearest twenty-four-hour convenience store and parked. I was going to need detergent and a laundry basket, plus I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of a laundromat.
Once inside, I navigated the store locating what I needed with ease. At the checkout, the young man gave me detailed instructions to the nearest laundromat. Luckily, it was only a few blocks away on the main road. It seemed easy enough to locate.
I was happy to find it wasn’t very busy this late at night. Not that I really expected it to be. It was pretty late. I chose a machine away from the other patrons not wanting to give them any reason to try to talk to me.
Really, I just wanted to be alone to brood over Shade and how much of a controlling jerk he could be. Not to mention how he hadn’t even tried to talk to me.
Wait. I was supposed to not care about that.
“You must be new around here,” said an unfamiliar voice.
Great. So much for trying to be alone.
Looking up, I found a man about my age looking down on me. He had a boyish look about him. If I wasn’t mistaken, he was probably still in college. Sometimes it sucked not being able to have a normal life. What would college have been like?
“Not that I’m here enough to know for sure. I’m only here once a week. It’s usually earlier than this. This week has been hectic with finals. This is the only free time I’ve had all week.” He gave me an embarrassed smile as the tips of his ears turned pink. It really was adorable. “Sorry, sometimes I ramble when I’m nervous.”
“It’s fine,” I smiled. “You’re right, I’m not from around here.”
“Oh. Are you transferring to the college?” His eyes looked hopeful.
Oh buddy, if you knew who my father was you wouldn’t be looking at me with those puppy dog eyes.
“Just passing through,” I shrugged. “I ran out of clean clothes.” I motioned toward Shade’s white t-shirt that I wore.
“Gotcha. Well, it’s a shame you’re not going to stick around. We could hang out or something.”
So this is what it felt like to be hit on by a normal person? It was weird. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. But I knew there was no way this pretty boy had a chance. Not with a brooding mountain man waiting for me back at the shack.
“That’s sweet but...” I was cut off when the front glass of the laundromat shattered and pretty boy let out a blood curdling scream, falling to the floor, clutching his leg. Blood poured from a bullet wound just above his knee.
My head whipped around to find Shade stepping through the window.
“You can’t just shoot innocent people!” I shouted at him. “Have you lost your fucking mind?!”
“You stole my car and ran off to do laundry?” He sounded outraged.
“Technically, the car isn’t yours and yes, I did. You can’t just tell me what to do. I’m not a dog. I will not sit, stay, or roll over when you say but that’s not the most pressing situation right now. Let’s get back to you shooting a perfectly innocent person.”
Pretty boy was still screaming on the floor, but was no longer looking at me like he might want to hang out later. Instead, he was giving me the ‘you’re a psycho’ look.
So much for being normal.
“He was standing too close,” Shade growled, glaring at the man.
“He was just being friendly,” I snapped at Shade, taking a step in front of pretty boy to shield him from further attacks.
“Probably just trying to get in your pants. Is that it? You trying to get a random hook up to get back at me?”
I saw red.
I stomped toward Shade, my arm pulled back. I punched him as hard as I could in the stomach. The blow caused him to double over.
“How dare you talk to me like that! After everything do you really think so little of me? You piece of shit!” I reared my knee back ready to hit him in the face but he blocked it, then jerked me toward him in one swift movement.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured as I struggled to get free.
“I don’t care! Let me go.” His other hand wrapped around me. It was like pushing against a steel cage.
“No, I don’t think that about you. I just lost it when I saw him standing so close. You were smiling at him. You rarely smile at me.” Oh God! Was he jealous?
I stopped struggling.
“I smile at you,” I said, looking up at him.
“Not nearly enough. I’m going to fix that.” I smiled up at him.
It was a toothy, brilliant smile. And the smile I got in return was everything.
“You two are fucking crazy,” pretty boy wailed behind me.
A heard a gun cock, and I shook my head, looking up at Shade.
“Stop. You shouldn’t have shot him in the first place,” I scolded him.
“Now he will know better than to talk to someone else’s girl.” Shade let me go, stepping back. “We really oughta go, darlin’. I’m sure the police have been called.”
“But my clothes.” I gave the machine a longing look. It was still going, my clothes only half way through the wash cycle. I would have to leave them.
“I’ll buy you new clothes,” Shade said, pulling on my hand. “We need warmer one’s anyway.”
“Fine,” I sighed, letting him pull me through the broken window. “How did you get down the mountain?”
Shade didn’t answer, instead he led the way to a snazzy, black motorcycle parked at the curb.
“You really think I wouldn’t have a back-up plan if something were to happen to my vehicle while I was at the shack?” Well that made sense.
“Where was it hidden? I’ve never seen it.”
“About fifty yards behind the shack there is a hidden shed. It houses a few different things including this bike.” He sounded smug. I wanted to smack that smirk off his face. “Speaking of, we’ll talk about you leaving when we get back home.”