“You still with me?” Jack asked, shooting me a worried look as he threw his truck in gear and cut through the path that connected our properties.
“Tired,” I admitted, leaning my head back against the seat and closing my eyes. Maybe if I could just take a nap, by the time I woke up I’d be nice and dry.
“No, no, no,” Jack said, his voice sounding funny as the car filled with more of his relaxing scent. “Open those eyes for me, Autumn.”
“Mmm…later,” I said, pulling my knees up onto the bench seat and curling up. Jack had me now, the big scary storm could just say fuck it while I slept.
I felt the truck lurch to a stop a moment later before the door opened next to me, the sound of the storm intensifying and making me curl up tighter.
“Up we go, pumpkin,” Jack said, lifting me against him as he pulled me out into the rain again, the sharp crack of the sky making me whimper. “It’s okay, we’re here, Autumn. Just stay with me, I need you to talk to me please. Tell me how you’re going to kick my ass in the pie competition.”
“No stove,” I grumbled, wiggling in his arms and pressing further into his neck.
“You can use my stove,” he said, his voice still doing that weird pinch. Why couldn’t he just snuggle me and be quiet?
“Shhhh.”
“Hunter!” he yelled, kicking open the door and slamming it behind him.
It was too bright in here and too loud, but I was so tired it didn’t matter.
“What in the—Fuck Jack, what happened?” a familiar voice said, his voice sounding panicked.
He shouldn’t be panicked, he should just keep on smelling delicious. All salty and ocean breeze, I wanted to lick him. Again. I bet he would snuggle me.
“When the storm kicked the power off and the generators turned on, I remembered her saying this afternoon that she was afraid of thunderstorms so I went to check on her. Part of the roof had blown off Hunt, and I found her wet and curled in a corner. I don’t know how long she’s been like that but she’s freezing and I don’t like the way she’s looking or smelling.”
“Smell good,” I mumbled, slightly indignant.
“We need to get you upstairs and warmed up, sweetheart. You’re way too cold and your body is shutting down. Can you tell me how long you were out there?” Hunter asked in a coaxing tone, his scent intensifying just the way I wanted.
I shook my head no. “Sleeping pill. Hate storms.”
Come to think of it, I couldn’t really hear the storm as much in their house. Then again they did have a roof.
I must have drifted off because the next thing I knew I was being carried upstairs and to a bedroom where two sets of hands balanced me when they set me on my feet.
“Open your eyes, Autumn,” Hunter said, the power and bark in his voice making me comply.
I narrowed my eyes at him in a glare, now more awake than I wanted to be. “Not fair.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart but we need to get you out of these wet clothes. Can you do it yourself or do you need help?”
“Help please. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” As loathe as I was to admit it, I wasn’t sure I had the energy. Even keeping my eyes open was a feat and I was swaying as I stood.
“Maybe I should go?” Jack said from behind me.
“Not a chance, brother. Strip and get a towel for her hair,” Hunter said, his hands already tugging my sleep shirt over the top of my head. “I’ll need your help warming her up.”
My body felt lighter once my wet clothes were removed and I watched in a daze as Hunter quickly shed the pants he was wearing, using them to wipe as much water as he could quickly from my body and led me to the bed in the room. He pulled me flush against him, pulling the cover over us as his large frame wrapped around mine and his heat began to sink into me.
Unable to resist, I pressed my toes and nose into him, taking in a deep inhale as I let his scent settle around me. Scents were a funny thing, and more often than not I either passed them along without another thought or was immediately turned off.
As much as I’d loathe to admit it for his big ego, Hunter smelled better than any alpha I’d come across before. I got the feeling that if I could smell Boone too I'd feel the same way though. Maybe something was in the water here in Holiday Hollow.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Hunter said, resting his head on top of mine as his chest shook. “But my mama would have my hide if there was something in the water supply.”
For fucks sake, why did I always seem to express my inner thoughts aloud with him?