Page 4 of It’s Kind of a Bunny Story (Hey There, Hop Stuff #3)

T hose precious hours of sleep were a much-needed break from the nightmare of my heat.

I cried out as I was roused from the bliss of nothingness by violent spasms that caused my aching muscles to contort all over again.

A large hand moved across my hip to rub my lower back, sending electricity sizzling across my skin.

My heart rate spiked as memories of the night before flashed through my mind. When my eyelids fluttered open and my vision cleared, I’d expected to find Fletcher’s eyes, or those of the wolf who’d coaxed me to sleep. Instead, I found an unfamiliar set of golden eyes watching me.

“Hello, sugar.” A slight southern drawl to his words caused my stomach to wobble like those tall Jello monstrosities that came from a cake mold.

“Hi—” My greeting turned to a hiss as knives stabbed at my internal organs.

Crap! If I didn’t want to experience the full brunt of the heat, I needed to take a quick hop to Pound Town.

“The pain is back.” He made it a statement, not a question.

I nodded in acknowledgement, then stopped as the room spun.

Warmth radiated from his palm as he rubbed my back, seeping into my skin like a hot water bottle. I wished I could tell him how nice it felt, but I was too focused on controlling my breathing to carry on a conversation.

“How can I help?”

A snort escaped before I could swallow it. We both knew the only thing that was going to get me through this hellish experience.

Instead of being offended, the man laughed, tiny lines appearing around his eyes. “Yeah. That was a stupid question.”

I wanted to laugh with him and get lost in his smile, but my inner shifter had no patience for romance.

My temperature spiked, and my heart rattled against my ribs until I could hear nothing over the roar of blood in my ears.

To my absolute horror, my body seemed to take on a life of its own, arching against him as though announcing that fast food wasn’t the only thing that came hot and ready.

“Mmm,” he hummed in appreciation.

His fingers dug into my back, hauling me against him, allowing me to feel his hard length burning my belly. I was left with no doubts about his readiness to serve.

Rather than throwing myself at yet another stranger, I probably should’ve searched for Fletcher or my first wolf mate. But there was a reason my rabbit’s favorite holiday was Christmas… because she was an absolute ho, ho, ho.

The man was willing, and we were able. Apparently, that was all that mattered when you were in heat.

My leg slid over his hip, positioning myself so his erection rested against my slit. It wouldn’t take much to angle my hips and let him slide in…

“A woman who knows what she wants is such a turn-on.” His hand moved from my back to cup my butt.

The blanket slid down to our waists, exposing me to his hungry gaze.

He was right. I knew what I wanted, but the past twenty-four hours had been the most awkward of my life. Nothing about the situation was comfortable or normal.

As though sensing my thoughts, the man switched my position in a move so smooth I thought it must have been magic. My back now pressed against his chest while I faced a sleeping Fletcher.

“You can ask him to breed you. He fell asleep when you did and hasn’t moved a muscle since.”

“Fletcher hasn’t slept much since we escaped. He stayed awake to guard me,” I whispered, noting the dark circles beneath his eyes. “He needs to save his energy.”

Rabbit males weren’t built to breed a female back-to-back. It was why females needed a fluffle to get them through a full heat. With the added stress of getting me to safety, he needed to rest. But the pain wasn’t going to wait, and I bit my lip to keep from screaming and waking him.

“Do you want me?” The wolf shifter’s mouth teased along the curve of my ear.

“Yes.” It was the truth.

Heat or not, I wouldn’t have had the strength to refuse what he was offering.

Who could have blamed me? With his tanned skin, the 5 o’clock shadow on his square jaw, and messy brown hair, he looked as though he spent his days working cattle and riding horses.

He even had the calloused palms and farm-earned muscles to finish the look.

Yep. The man was sexy as sin, and every woman on earth would’ve had lifelong regrets if she turned down an opportunity like that one.

A hand slid over my hip and down to the apex of my thighs. His fingers rested against me, not moving, but still driving me crazy.

“If we mate, I might want to keep you,” he teased.

“Cool, cool.” I gasped as he dipped a single finger inside me.

“Sugar, you are so wet.” He slipped a second finger inside me.

I could do nothing but whimper as he stroked, slowly at first but picking up speed until he found the rhythm that drove me wild. My hips twitched, seeking friction as my release coiled tighter with each pump of his fingers.

“It’s a shame all that sweet cream is being wasted.” His mouth sucked and nipped along my neck. “I can’t wait to spend a night between your legs, savoring your taste.”

That was all it took. I moaned as a stranger’s touch gave me the most intimate of pleasures. Despite my efforts to be quiet, Fletcher’s eyes opened, locking with mine, and then the wolf behind me.

“What’s going on?” His voice was husky with sleep.

“Kiss her,” the wolf ordered, not bothering with niceties or even simple courtesy.

Fletcher didn’t need to be told twice. Rolling toward me, the men sandwiched me between their bodies.

I nearly whined at the loss of the man’s fingers, but it changed to a moan as he buried himself inside me.

Fletcher’s mouth captured my moans as the wolf’s hips rocked, stretching and stroking every hidden inch of me.

My cheeks burned with feverish need and embarrassment over how turned on I was by the situation.

A stranger’s cock was filling me and his fingers had returned to add delicious friction, while Fletcher, my lifelong crush, sucked my bottom lip as his hand cupped my aching breast. It was dirty and beautiful all at the same time, and I was greedily taking everything they offered me.

When Fletcher’s thumb flicked across my nipple, I arched into him, pushing my butt back against the wolf.

He responded with a groan, his hips grinding against me as he thrust deep.

He trailed kisses along my bare shoulders, and although he tried to be discreet, I caught the swirl of his tongue as he greedily lapped at the sweet aphrodisiac that coated my skin.

I had to hand it to the men. They made a great team, and they were learning how to bring me to climax faster with each coupling. It was a good thing when it came to sating the demands of my heat, but I worried about my long-term stamina when the heat was over.

“I’m going to—” Pleasure erupted, stealing away my breath before I could complete my sentence.

Fletcher caught my chin, drinking in my face. “You’re so beautiful.”

As I fought to keep my heavy-lidded eyes open, I wondered if he’d think the same if I lost the battle to keep my eyes from crossing. Combined with the drool caused by their hot bodies and the crazy bed-hair all around my face, I was sure I looked super attractive.

“Charlee, do you want me to pull out?” The wolf’s words were harsh, and his breathing was coming in ragged pants.

“No. Stay.” I didn’t even need to think about the answer. Sliding my hand down, I interlaced my fingers with his and rested them against my stomach.

The man tightened his arm around me, as though he were trying to merge us into one being. The fragrance of towering oak trees and moss-covered earth enveloped me. His body dwarfed mine, and the muscles in his arms flexed with restrained power, yet he held me with such gentleness.

For a moment, the demands of my shifter nature disappeared, allowing me to experience the comforting warmth of his embrace. “I want all of you.”

“How long?” His words were soft, his voice smooth as whiskey.

“What?” I asked, not understanding his question.

“How long do you plan to keep me?” There was a lonely note in his voice that nearly broke my heart.

He knew I’d be bonded to him for life. Didn’t he? Yet, he was still worried I’d reject him. That I wouldn’t want him.

“Forever,” I whispered. “You’re mine.”

His hot breath tickled my hair as he released the breath he must’ve been holding. “Yours.”

The man’s hips rocked against me once more, burying himself deep and finding his own release. My belly tightened with growing need as he swelled inside me, massaging and rubbing every inch of my tight channel.

Fletcher scooted down until his mouth was level with my breasts. His tongue swirled around my nipple, teasing and sucking until stars sparkled in my vision and my belly was heavy with the need for release. My body quivered with chills that swung wildly between lava hot and polar ice.

I squirmed, trying to escape the terrifying power of the frantic desire demanding release. “It’s too much! I’m going to pass out!”

“Let go.” The wolf’s mouth traveled up my neck toward my ear.

Was he crazy? It was like telling me to sky dive without a parachute.

“I can’t!” What if it tore me apart and I couldn’t put myself back together?

“You can.” Fletcher’s hand caught my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Come for us.”

And for the first time in my life, I obeyed a command.

There, in the safety of my hastily thrown together nest, between two men I’d tied myself to for the rest of my life, I leaped from the precipice into the tumultuous ecstasy, trusting them to catch me.

I’d never felt safer.

“Let her sleep!”

“She needs to eat.”

“If you interrupt her sleep, I’ll turn you into a dog toy!”

“You don’t have a dog!”

“I’ll get one! Now shut up before you wake her!”

“What’s your plan? Wait until the pain wakes her up again and she can’t eat? Our mate can’t live on sex alone.”

I’m willing to give it a try… The corner of my mouth twitched.

“I’m serious, man! Wake her up and I’ll kill you in your sleep tonight.”

Fletcher spoke up for the first time. “He’s joking. Right?”

“No,” the wolves answered in unison.

Fletcher laughed nervously, trying to ease the tension. “Do things with you two always escalate this fast?”

He’d always been a peacemaker. His gentle spirit was rare in our burrow, where males seemed to thrive on competition and domination.

“Fine. How about you hold her while I feed her?” my first wolf mate offered in compromise.

The muscles in the arm I was tucked beneath flexed as though preparing to choke whoever came within striking distance. “Wake her and your fate is sealed, buttsniffer.”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing, thankful the blanket partially covered my face.

“Take it outside. There isn’t enough room in here for a dogfight,” Fletcher huffed. “Besides, she’s already awake.”

The wolf lifted the blanket, peering beneath it. His eyes softened. “Well, hello there, sugar.”

“Hi.” Despite the intimacy we’d shared and the fact that my naked body was pressed against his, my heart skipped a beat, and a flush spread across my cheeks.

He is so doggone cute. Or is it wolfgone cute?

Reaching up, I brushed the hair from where it had fallen over one of his eyes. Sun-kissed golden strands wove through his messy brown hair. It wasn’t long enough to tie back, but it was the perfect length to run your fingers through… and grip during sex.

Mind out of the gutter, Charlee ! I mentally scolded myself.

They were supposed to be the canines, but I was the one acting like a horndog.

Catching my hand, he brought it to his mouth and kissed each finger. Every touch of his lips did crazy things to my belly, and I forgot to breathe.

“Oh no you don’t,” the first wolf snapped.

He yanked the blanket away and scooped me into his arms. “I know that look, and our mate is going to eat before you corrupt her any further.”

Glancing back at the golden-eyed wolf, I watched him cross his arms behind his head, not even attempting to hide himself. At his husky laugh, my eyes snapped up to his face. A wicked smirk slid across his face. He’d caught me staring, and we both knew it.

“I can take it all the way off if you want, sugar.” He winked, causing butterflies to take flight in my stomach.

“Have you no shame, Linc?” the wolf holding me grumbled.

“Linc,” I breathed, testing the name.

“I like hearing you say my name.” Linc’s brazen, almost daring expression shifted to something more vulnerable. “Technically, it’s Lincoln, but no one calls me that.”

“Okay. Then Linc it is.” I smiled.

At least now I know what name to scream the next time he brings me to the Big O.

The wolf holding me choked, and Linc barked out a laugh.

Back the truck up! Did I say that out loud?

A quick glance at the wolfish grin on Linc’s face gave me my answer. My cheeks burned, but I couldn’t deny my attraction to him. If I’d been Little Red Riding Hood, I would have purposely taken a detour from grandma’s house and begged this wolf to have his way with me.

The man sat down, pulling me down on his lap. In an effort to distract them from my lack of a filter, I twisted around to look up at him. “And your name is?”

“Just call me yours,” he rumbled, dipping his head to kiss the tip of my nose.

“Okay, Yours.” My nose twitched as I sniffed the air. “What did you bring me to eat? I’m starved!” As if it were a paid actor, my stomach growled loudly.

His eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Thought you were a rabbit shifter? If you ask me, it sounds like you have an inner wolf you’re trying to hide.”

“Maybe you just don’t know how scary rabbits can be,” I teased, enjoying my mate’s laugh.

“I guess you’re right. Honestly, the idea of the Easter Bunny always creeped me out.” He fake shuddered, then smiled. “My name is Copeland. And I wasn’t sure what you liked to eat, so I brought a bit of everything.”

Unable to resist the urge, I leaned forward and touched my lips to his jaw. “I like just about everything.”

“Charlee may be a rabbit, but she doesn’t eat like one,” Fletcher teased.

My gaze slid over him, relieved to find some color had returned to his pale face. While he still cast quick glances between the wolves, most of the tension in his muscles had eased.

As if reading my thoughts, Fletcher leaned forward to squeeze my hand. “We’re safe and we’re together.”

“And most importantly, we have a family.” I blinked away my tears and tried to smile. “I don’t even care if we have a house. I’m pretty fond of this cave.”

Copeland wrapped me in a gentle embrace. “Yes. A family.” He buried his nose in my hair and nuzzled the top of my head.

Linc cleared his throat. “And for the record, we do have a house. Now feed our woman before her inner wolf breaks free and devours us all.”