Floor-to-ceiling windows stretch across the front, reflecting the trees. Some of them are cracked open just enough that I swear I catch the scent of something warm and homey drifting out. The glass glitters in the shaft of sunlight like something out of a fairytale.
A wide porch wraps around the front, supported by thick beams of polished wood that look like they’ve been carved from actual tree trunks. A pair of boots sit neatly by the door. Big boots.Massiveboots. Whoever lives here must be huge.
My stomach rumbles loudly, reminding me that I can eat bugs, die of starvation, or brave knocking on the cabin’s front doors.
Bonnie stomps a hoof, trying to tell me something I don’t understand.
“What is it, darling?” I ask in a whisper. “Do we go in?”
It’s moments like this that really make me wish I spoke equine.
2
KIERAN
Working through a final line of code, I stretch my arms up over my head. The midday sun came and went, and my ass is desperate for a swim in the lake. Adrien and Marcus should return soon, and I have maybe an hour or so to burn. A sound reaches my ears, the beast within me growling, and I nearly shift into my brown bear form. Who could that be? I stalk slowly down the hall and peer over the balcony from the second level. The view of the front door sets alarm bells ringing in my head. The door stands open. Sniffing the air, I catch the scent of a female. A human.
The aggressive growl within settles, and curiosity takes over. What in the fuck is a human female doing in our home? Her soft footsteps echo against my ears, and I walk with quiet grace in her direction. Peeking around the doorway that leads to our living room, I finally glimpse the female. Heat burns through my body at the sight of her. She is easily the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Her dress is in tatters, barely covering her long legs. Her blonde hair is amess of leaves and sticks, as if she just ran through the woods. Which, she must have. The cabin is nestled within the forest, and there are only a handful of people we trust to know its location.
The female begins to walk about the room, hugging her arms to her chest and investigating our home. My eyes follow her every move, desire a living flame within me for this female. Not once have I felt this kind of pull to a woman.
She eventually does turn in my direction to find me leaning against the doorframe. A high-pitched yelp escapes her lips, and I grin. “Hello there, sweetness.”
Her eyes go wide with shock, and boy, are they a mesmerizing shade of blue. Staring back at her, it feels like looking up at the clear blue sky on a summer afternoon. Her fair skin is slightly tanned, kissed by the sun, and now flushing with embarrassment. The blush of her cheeks has my dick at half-mast already.
“Oh God. Oh God,” she says, backing away from me.
But I don’t give her room to escape. Taking several quick steps, I stand before her, at least a foot taller, and crowd her against the wall. “Not God. The name’s Kieran,” I chuckle, tilting my head to the side. “Are you lost, ma’am?”
The female wrinkles her little nose. “Ew. I am not a ma’am.”
I watch the cute movement, forcing myself not to lean in further. “What shall I call you then, other than ‘woman who broke into my house’?”
Her big doe eyes stare up at me, assessing. “Goldie.”
I smirk and tug a lock of her hair. “It fits.” I take two steps back, even though I’m tempted to do the opposite. “So, Goldie. Are you lost?”
She rubs her arms over her shoulders, the blush leaving her cheeks. “A little. I’m kind of running away.”
Her response is intriguing. I grab a throw blanket fromthe couch and offer it to her. She takes it and quickly wraps the fabric around her shoulders. “Well, you are more than safe here. My brothers and I don’t give this location to anyone. No one will come looking for you here.”
She lets out a giggle. “That last line sounded a bit more menacing than safe.”
My grin widens, and I can almost feel the heart eyes beaming at her. Boy, I’m in trouble here. It’s like in the cartoons, when the guy sees the girl and instantly falls head over heels. That’s me, I’m the guy.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I guide her to the oversized leather sofa. “Have a seat. I’ll make some tea, and you can tell me about whoever it is you’re running from.”
With my heightened senses, I smell the buzzing adrenaline in her veins subside, and the beast inside me purrs with satisfaction that I put her at ease. It takes me less than five minutes to make us two cups of steaming hot tea. When I return, Goldie is nestling into the couch, her feet tucked beneath her.
“Where are your shoes?” I ask, suddenly realizing the damn girl is barefoot.
She laughs, soft and musical. “Somewhere in the woods. They were hideous and not great for horseback riding.”
My brow furrows, and the realization that she was running from a dangerous situation floods my veins. “Did someone hurt you, Goldie?”
Her head dips down, and she avoids eye contact. “Not today.”
A snarl escapes my lips, and it takes all of my self-control not to crush the mug in my hand. “Who put you in this position? And if not today, when?”
