Page 68 of A Curse On Black Lake (Black Lake Gothic Cowboys #1)

Chapter fifty-two

Killian

Bark! Bark! Bark!

I shoot up and immediately check for Eliana.

She’s still there as I quietly roll out of bed, and grab my shotgun next to the wardrobe.

Sure it could be a bunny or a raccoon, but it’s not like Tiny to bark at small animals like that, and it’s a growl I’ve heard only a few times—when he’s trying to protect.

“Killian wha—” Eliana looks at me, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“Stay here. Don’t turn on any lights,” I grunt and leave my bedroom, buck naked.

If it was the bastard who’s after Eliana, time is of the essence. I have to move quickly.

Going down the stairs quietly. Tiny stands at the front door. He’s at attention, and his hackles are up. I look around the room first, but I don’t see anything.

My heart thuds in my chest as I go for the front door.

Tiny looks at me like he’s waiting for the command.

Peeking through the window above the sofa, I look around.

It’s dark, hard to see, and the floodlight further down my driveway doesn’t give me enough light by the house.

If I flip on the porch light, I’ll give myself away.

I have no choice but to open the door and look myself.

Placing my hand on the knob, I take a deep breath, and throw it open. I put my hand back on the stock, I check each of my corners. Nothing is there.

Tiny doesn’t go running, but stays close to my side, alert and observant. And I trust him to alert me since his eyesight is better than mine in the dark. We step off the porch and go around the corner, still not spotting anything.

Turning back around, we go to the other side of the porch that wraps around the house, and I don’t see a figure, or even a ghost.

Wishing I had some pants and boots, I go down the steps and towards the barn.

The only way you can get into that barn is through the two doors, or one of the stalls, and a latch would have to be broken to do that.

Spotting no open doors, I walk around, but it’s quiet.

The animals are relaxed, and Tiny seems to have lost interest, as if the threat is gone.

We go back up the hill to the house, and I scan the area one more time. Quiet.

Tiny pees and follows me back inside.

He circles a spot on the rug and plops down.

I flip the deadbolt and close the blinds before going back upstairs.

“Oh, thank God,” Eliana says and gets off the bed, coming over to me.

Her arms wrap around my waist, and I hug her close, pressing a chaste kiss on her temple. “I’m fine. Tiny heard something, but I didn’t find anything.”

“Do you think it was him?” she asks.

“Maybe, or it was nothing, and Tiny heard an animal. When the sun rises, I'll look again.”

“Should we call the police?” she asks.

“I don’t know what they would come out here for. If it was him, he’s gone for now.”

“Okay.” Eliana grabs my hand. “Can we go back to bed, please?” she asks.

I chuckle, guiding her over to her side and lifting the sheets.

“Give me a second.”

After getting the dirt off my feet, I crawl back into bed and pull her naked body into mine. “The Spirits didn’t wake me up or anything,” she says.

I spread my hand across her stomach. “Maybe they gave you the night off.”

She snorts. “Yeah, let’s go with that.”

We lay there for a while. The adrenaline is still surging through my veins, so I’m wide awake, but I want to hold Eliana until she goes back to sleep.

“Did you seriously go out there buck naked?” she asks.

I chuckle and drag a finger over her supple skin. “Yep, couldn’t waste time looking for pants.”

She huffs a laugh. “I don’t know if I can go back to sleep,” she says.

Glancing at the clock, it’s only one. “We still have a few hours before we have to get up.”

“I don’t know what I would do if he hurt you,” she whispers.

“I’m going to find him before that happens,” I mutter, closing my eyes, and praying I didn’t lie to her. I don’t want it to be a lie.

She hums and shifts in my arms, and I kiss her temple. “Go back to sleep. We can talk about it in the morning.”

“It is morning, but okay,” she says sleepily.

A few hours later, I’m wide awake, but Eliana is sleeping soundly in my arms, and I don’t want to move.

I’ve never been so taken with someone. I dated around a bit when I was a deputy, but nothing ever stuck.

It never crossed my mind to introduce anyone to my parents.

But if they were still living, I’d take Eliana to them today.

She has such a beautiful heart of gold behind her attitude.

Even though I like her sass quite a bit.

But I’ve learned that she had to build those walls around herself to keep people out, including me.

This is a small town, but without Divine intervention, we may have never truly connected with each other.

I stare down at her and tuck her hair behind her ear. It’s a mess all over me and the pillow, but I don’t care.

She hums and shifts in my arms.

“What time is it?” she asks sleepily.

I don’t look at the clock. “Doesn’t matter right now,” I tell her.

“Tell that to my goats,” she mumbles.

I smile, and her eyes finally open. The blues piercing my own. I could dive into her deep depths and never come up for air. Maybe I am a little obsessed.

She gives me a sleepy smile, and I slip my hand to the back of her head, the silky strands bunched between my fingers, and sweep my mouth over hers.

Eliana sighs and grabs my ribs. She pushes in as we delve into each other. Her leg slips between mine, so she’s straddling my thigh, and I nip at her lip and the look in her eyes sends a thrill through me.

“Now?” I ask her.

She nods and rubs against my thigh.

“Is that okay?” she asks.

“Absolutely,” I tell her. Our noses brush, and I pepper kisses all over her face. “I’m surprised you’re not tired.”

She smiles and kisses me. “Does it matter?”

I grab her thigh, pulling her tighter to me. “No, but I’m sure you’re sore. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Well, I need someone to help me work out the kinks,” she says with a sassy grin.

My hand slips to her behind, and I squeeze the flesh. “I think I can help you with that.”

I grab her mouth, controlling the kiss, and wrap her long moonlit hair around my fist, tugging her head back. She gasps, and I nibble and bite up and down her neck, careful not to leave a mark.

Her hips roll against my thigh while her hands grip wherever she can find purchase. Pulling her on top of me, and scoot myself up so I’m leaning against the headboard.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

I grab her neck and drag my lips up the column over her throat.

“I want you to ride me,” I tell her.

She looks down at us, and I reach between her thighs. A whimper pops from her lips, and her hips move against my hand.

“How do I do that?” she asks.

I clasp the back of her neck, tugging her face to mine. “You’re thinking too hard, baby.”

“But I want to make you feel good too,” she says.

I laugh, and her eyes widen.

“What?” she asks.

“Darlin’, you could simply touch me with your pinky finger and I’ll probably embarrass myself in your hand right now.”

“Oh,” she says, avoiding my eyes.

I chuck her chin. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” I tell her.

She shakes her head vigorously. “I do.”

She grips me, and I hiss. Her innocent ocean eyes and pink cheeks throw my heart into a tailspin.

“Those pink cheeks are making me want to keep my promise and dirty you up,” I tell her, nipping her lower lip.

She licks the hurt and raises a brow. “I’m pretty sure you’ve already done that.”

I laugh, and my jaw drops on a sigh as she draws her hand up, tugging a groan from my throat.

“Harder, baby,” I choke.

“Like this?” she whispers, tightening her hand.

I nod, biting my lower lip.

“I like seeing you … unravel,” she rasps.

Our eyes catch.

“Only for you,” I mumble and kiss her again, but have to pull my mouth away, winded. Our foreheads lean together, and I watch her watch me as she moves her hand.

Not sure how much more I can take, I pull her hand off of me and place it on my shoulder.

“I won’t last ten more seconds. I need you,” I growl.

Eliana bites her lower lip and sits up on her knees. She hovers above me, and our eyes lock as she seats herself.

Her head tips back with a moan, and I catch her. Nails dig into skin, and I have to grit my teeth and think about literally anything else so I don’t blow it immediately.

I pull her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her ribs. She locks an arm around my neck, sitting up a little higher, and rocks us. I huff into her chest, and she rolls her hips, picking up the pace.

“Kill—” she says, my name cut off on a cry.

“I can’t hear you, baby,” I mumble into her skin, pressing kisses all over her chest.

Squeezing her ribs tighter, I help her move, and the headboard thwacks behind my back.

“I need…” she gasps, out of breath.

“Tell me,” I grit, in an attempt to ignore the animalistic drive to move faster.

She doesn’t answer, so I do.

“I’ll show you,” I say, flipping us.

Eliana gasps, her white hair cascades over my pillows. She’s gorgeous with a light sheen of sweat over her skin and passion burning in her eyes.

I grab her leg, resting it against my shoulder while I hold the headboard with one hand and her hip with the other.

Eliana grips the sheets as I pound into her. Her hand slaps the headboard to keep me from driving her into it.

“You see, little witch? I know what you need. I know because you’re mine.”

She’s everything. I stare in awe of the beautiful picture beneath me of her arched back and bliss all over her face.

She sighs, and I push again, making her jaw drop, and her cries are music to my ears. Then I stop.

“Look at me,” I command.

Her eyes spring open, and I’m done for. “I want words.”

“Yes!”

“Yes, what?” I ask, deliberately drawing myself out. I want to hear her claim me as I have her.

She growls and grabs the back of my neck. “Yes! You know what I need! Now give it to me,” she grits as her body seeks mine out.