Nate pulled her back down, pinning her to the bed. He needed to make a few things clear. He could handle it if she wanted to walk away because he had nothing to offer her, but this wasn’t a fling. Not even close. He covered her with his body, spreading her legs wide with his knees. His cock immediately responded. He was hard as hell and seeking relief. There was no place for Callie to go, and she looked up at him with a sheen of tears in her eyes.

Nate stared down at her. She was so lovely. “How do you think this is supposed to work, baby?”

She tried to shrug, but he held her arms high over her head. His chest lay against her bare breasts. “I have breakfast and go home. I see you at work, and we behave professionally.”

“Not going to happen.” He couldn’t help himself. She was close, and she was wet. God, she was so wet. What had she been dreaming about? Nate let go of her hands. He got on his knees and grabbed a condom, rolling it on with precision. “This isn’t a fling. This is your future. Get used to us, Callie.”

He fitted himself to that warm pussy and thrust home. Even after all the sex of the night before, she was still tight around him. He had to strain to get his cock in. He pushed in balls deep and held himself there. Callie’s brown eyes weren’t dead anymore. They were alive with heat.

“Nate, I don’t know about this.”

“I do. Just trust me. You aren’t going home. You’re staying with us for the foreseeable future. And I have no intention of behaving professionally.”

He pulled out and flexed back in. Her pussy clung to his cock, sucking at him. Last night had been fast and furious. This morning was different. This morning he wanted to take his time and make it last. He wanted to fuck her for hours. He could spend the morning just like this, pumping in and out of her pussy. He sighed at the connection humming through his blood. This was where he wanted to be.

“What did you expect?” Nate asked as he twisted his hips a little on the down stroke. “That I would pretend we aren’t lovers?”

Callie’s legs wound around his waist. She pressed back against him. He knew she had to be sore, but she accepted him anyway. “I guess I didn’t think we would be. You won’t stay here for too long. You only promised Stef you would work out Rye’s term. That’s up in less than a year. You don’t like it here.”

Nate wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything. “I like you, Callie. That’s what matters. I’m crazy about you.”  He twisted his hips slowly, grinding against her pelvis. He loved the way her eyes closed, and she groaned. He could see the pulse in her throat leap. “I am so crazy about you.”

He kissed her and stopped talking. He just showed her how he felt, worshipping her body with his. He thrust in and out, in and out. He lost himself in the scent, sight, and feel of her. Callie clutched at his shoulders. Her legs tightened, and she sighed as she came. The sweetest smile lit her face. Nate had enjoyed the hot sex of the night before, but he loved this, too. After Callie came twice, Nate let himself go. He thrust as deep as he could go and let the cum flow from his body.

He collapsed on top of Callie and cuddled against her. Zane could bring them breakfast. He wasn’t leaving the bed. Maybe never again.

There was the sound of glass breaking, and Zane shouted. Nate was on his feet in an instant. His heart was racing, but he had trained long enough that he knew it wouldn’t show on his face. His face would be stone cold, and every movement would be precise.

“What did he break?” Callie asked, wincing at the sound.

It wasn’t Zane. Nate knew it instinctively. His entire being had gone into protective cop mode. Two windows. Small, but of the proper height for a headshot. He stood clear. Callie was in a good place. The cabin walls were actual logs, built in the thirties. As a barrier to bullets went, they were about as good as it got.

The bedroom door burst open, and Zane plowed through. He had on a pair of jeans, and his hair was wet. “We have to go.” Zane tossed a T-shirt toward Callie along with her purse and pulled his Sig Sauer out of the nightstand.

Callie’s eyes were wide as Nate found his Glock and quickly checked it for bullets and flicked off the safety. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and reached for Callie’s hand. He was proud of the calm way she was handling the whole thing.

“Barbarians?” Nate asked.

Zane’s entire body was a study in concentration. His breathing steady, his hands curled around the gun. “Probably. Someone tossed a Moltov cocktail in the window. It caught the curtains on fire. I couldn’t get it out. The living room is going slowly, but it’s going.”

Callie was reaching for her cell.

“No, baby, we have to go.” They would have to leave everything behind. The cabin was solidly built, but the carpet was old and the curtains thin. They would catch quickly and burn hard.

She hit a single button. “You have your weapons, and I have mine. Hello, Marie. I’m out at Marnie’s old place. Someone’s attacking us. Yeah. Okay.” She let the phone fall into her purse. “Marie’ll take care of it.”

Nate wasn’t sure what the fifty-plus-year-old owner of the Trading Post was going to do against an outlaw biker gang. He’d met Marie and her “life partner” Teeny. While Marie was solidly built, Teeny was a little bird of a woman. Nate peeked behind the curtain, making damn sure Callie was behind him. He couldn’t see anyone waiting, but he knew they were out there. The fire was a way of getting them to flee. They would be walking right into a trap. God, he should have killed Ellis when he had the chance. The leader of the Barbarians was still a thorn in his side from his cushy prison cell.

“I’m going out first. I’m the one they want.” Zane shoved back the curtains, and Nate pulled Callie out of the way.

Callie tried to get to Zane. “You can’t go out there!”

Zane gave her a sad smile and pushed her hair back. She’d managed to get her glasses on, and Zane kissed the bridge of her nose. “I have to. They’ll be looking for me. If I can distract them, Nate can get you to the car and get you out of here. Don’t even think about disobeying me right now.”

“I’ll get her to the car and then come back for you.” Nate had no intention of leaving Zane to the wolves. Callie could drive to the station house, lock herself in, and call for help.

“What the hell?” Zane breathed the question. His eyes widened as he looked out the window.

Nate joined him and was shocked by what he saw. There were fifteen small cabins in this part of the valley. Every door was open, and their neighbors were coming out. Each man and a couple of women had a shotgun in their hands. In the distance, Nate could hear a siren wailing. Logan was on his way, somehow. He sighed. Logan was Marie’s…sort of son. Apparently Marie hadn’t made her boy quit after his foray into biker bars.

Nate heard the sound of shouting and then the unmistakable roar of a bike coming to life. The citizens of Bliss–1. Barbarians–0. Nate might have to rethink his attitude about this town.

* * *

Three hours later, Zane watched Callie thank Stella as she placed a much-needed cup of coffee in front of her. He nodded from across the booth but kept his eyes down until Stella left to wait on another table. Callie reached her hand out to cover Zane’s. He gave her a half-hearted smile that she seemed satisfied with. She was dressed in a flowing skirt and blouse. Everything about her was calm, but Zane couldn’t forget that just a little while ago, her life had been in danger. Again.

“What’s good here?” He picked up the menu and started to study it. He had no appetite whatsoever, but it would worry Callie if he didn’t eat. His brain worked overtime. He could still smell the carpet burning, feel the heat and the panic when he realized what was happening. Because of the neighbors’ quick thinking, the cabin had been mostly saved, though it would take a lot of money to make it livable again. A lot of money neither he nor Nate had. It was something he needed to think about. Callie would need someone who could provide for her. He wasn’t sure exactly how he fit into that scenario.

“I would stick to standard diner fare. Pancakes, bacon, burgers, and such. Hal is a fantastic fry cook. Unfortunately, he considers himself an artist. Stella gives him complete artistic control over the daily specials.” Callie turned a little green as she spoke.

Zane looked up at the chalkboard over the counter. It proudly claimed that Ceviche de Hongos with black beans and lemon was the special of the day. “What is that?”

Callie shrugged. “I have no idea. It doesn’t sell really well in small-town Colorado. Although the people around here are free-spirited, their spirits still tend to like burgers and fries and ice box pie. Except for Henry and Nell. They’re vegans. They protest here regularly.”

Despite feeling sorry for himself, Zane felt his lips curl at the thought of people protesting at a hole-in-the-wall diner. The brunette from last night walked up to the table. She was dressed in jeans and a shirt with the diner’s name across the chest. Her eyes were red and puffy. The night before had not been kind to her. Zane looked out the window as she talked to Callie, sensing she wouldn’t want his pity.

He knew that feeling. He watched as people strolled down Main Street. Just down the road was the sheriff’s office where he’d left Nate to deal with the reports required from last night and this morning. He knew what Nate intended to do. He was calling their old boss at the DEA. He was hoping to get some sort of backup. Zane was on Callie duty, and he couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do.