“Oh, my. Just like a writer to have a descriptive name. Does it describe the location?”
“Yes, it’s deep in a dark hollow.”
“What’s a hollow?”
“A small, tight valley in the forest.”
“So, what’s new in Dark Hollow?”
He chuckled, “Bella is expecting.”
Molly looked at him, also laughing, “You’re going to have a litter of baby lynx?”
“Yes, it’s the most exciting thing happening in Dark Hollow.”
“Do you know the father?”
“I see him from a distance. They’re living together in a shelter I built for her not far from the cabin. She still comes for food and visits, but she’s more independent now, and I like that. I don’t want her to be domesticated. She needs to be able to survive in the wild.”
“You won’t be helping with the delivery.”
“No, they’ll do it together, but our whole family is excited for Bella.”
That humored Molly. She started laughing, high from the Scotch and wine, the beautiful evening, and being with her man. She liked Bart to have a family in the wild. It made her laugh. She could see the title of the book.
The Adventures of Dark Hollow.
Chapter 15
They slipped into bed naked, starting side to side. The kissing started slowly and affectionately. Light, playful, warm kisses as they studied the other in the light of the moon through the windows. Bart’s revelations about his writing career and Dark Hollow had been important steps. He was telling her they were in a relationship. She wanted to be in a relationship with him, even though seeing him twice a month was not her idea of a relationship.
She’d been surprised at her arousal in the shower that afternoon. She’d practically attacked him against the tile wall. The combination of riding Rebel, not having seen Bart for a month, and her biological needs had come together in a perfect storm. And even after aggressive sex, she’d been aroused all evening. During happy hour, she’d wanted to just drop her pants and sit in his lap, especially after he’d shared his secrets. But she knew about those fishermen on the lake with their binoculars. They probably had cameras, too. She didn’t need that showing up on YouTube.
Given her arousal all evening, she was surprised to be content with a slow and intimate pace. The afternoon session had taken the edge off. She was drunk, happy, and hot. Thetender side to side kissing felt good. His hands were where they belonged. They were rarely not on her breasts; in the shower, in the kitchen, in the bed. That’s where they belonged. She loved that he wanted to touch her. She caught him looking often. Several times, he’d moved the back of his hand gently against them while they sat side by side in the Adirondacks. He wanted to touch her. She wanted him to touch her. He was touching her now, and it felt so good. He was gentle and respectful, always studying her face to ensure he was welcomed. He was. The ends of her breasts had hardened, and he was softly massaging them, sending erotic jolts through her groin.
The kissing started getting more serious, but still no rush. Mouths now softly open, more moisture, lips pressing, long, deep, beautiful kisses. Molly’s head was spinning. This was so beautiful. She felt the heat rising in her neck and face, her breaths coming in light pants, her body preparing for what was about to happen. This was heavenly. Kissing and touching, intense eye contact, warm smiles, an intimacy that felt like a relationship. A serious relationship.
The kissing deepened, hot, open-mouthed, passionate. Molly could feel his arousal between her legs. She reached down and found him hard and ready. But he was being patient. He was waiting for her. Well, she was ready. She rolled over, took a condom from the bed stand and opened it. Pulling back the sheet, she admired his proud creation. She liked looking at it and touching it. She liked carefully installing the protection, making sure it was properly secure. Satisfied, she moved back under the sheet and into his arms, his hands moving immediately back to where they belonged. Still side to side, she placed her knee on top of his and reached down again, this time pulling him inside with a gentle moan. Nothing ever felt so right. She wanted him right there.
She left it in place, about half in, the shaft firmly against her place. Starting gentle back and forth motions, she worked him against her most sensitive tissue, now moist and slick, each short stroke producing a long, purring moan that worked rhythmically with the length of the stroke. He kissed her, a soft, beautiful kiss. It didn’t get better than this. They continued, warm, soft kisses, light stroking, gentle caressing, Molly in a trance, purring.
She’d been doing the work, but she felt his need to move, his strokes becoming longer and deeper. She rolled them so she was on her back and he was above, the connection deep and strong. Relying on his knees and arms, he kept the weight off her body so she was free to move. His strokes were now penetrating. She synchronized her body with his so stroking was a mutual project, two lovers deeply connected, working together in a perfect, beautiful dance, his eyes locked on hers. His eyes questioned if she was comfortable, if what he was doing was good for her. She smiled back and summoned him for a kiss. He leaned down for a long, warm, deep kiss, never missing a stroke. She wrapped her legs around his waist, positioning her body for the most intimate possible connection. He responded with a firm thrust that took him to her deepest place. Completely in, he held steady, rocking gently sideways, his pelvis massaging her place.
Molly was in a suspended state of bliss for the final minutes, letting her man take the lead. When the orgasm arrived, it came slowly and lasted a long time, wave after wave, his releases and her contractions working together. They were one, connected, pulsing, purring. She pulled his body down on her. She wanted to feel all his weight, his heart beating, the warmth of the blood pulsing through his veins, his lungs expanding and collapsing. She wrapped her arms around his back and held tight, consumed and happy.
Molly awoke in the night to distant whimpers. She got up and went to the pantry, turning on the softest bulb. Shadow was coaxing the first pup out of her body. A dark, tiny ball of fur was half out. Shadow was licking her first born as it was fighting its way to freedom, Bear sitting on guard next to Shadow. Molly stayed back, watching the miracle happen. Satisfied that Shadow had it under control, she moved quickly to wake Bart.
They dressed and moved to the pantry, settling themselves on the floor to watch. Molly switched the heating pad under the whelping pen to low and turned on a soft heat lamp above. Bear was attentive, letting Shadow do the work.
“You better tell me what’s happening.”
“The first one is just out. Shadow will lick each newborn clean like she’s doing now. You can see the cord has been broken. If it’s not, Shadow will cut it with her teeth. If she doesn’t do a good job, Dr. Molly is standing by with surgical scissors to make sure it’s done right, and I have an antiseptic to apply to the cut. Vivian set me up with a full medical kit. But as you can see, the first cord has been severed tight to the pup. The pup is breathing and moving. Shadow will groom it until the next one arrives.”
“Male or female?”
“I can’t tell yet and I don’t want to touch the pup right away. This is Shadow’s show. I’ll check Pup one after Shadow’s attention turns to Pup two. I’m only here for emergencies. Even though it’s her first litter, there’s a powerful maternal instinct at work. She knows exactly what to do.”
“When will the pup nurse?”
