Defending Raven (Mountain Mercenaries #7)(92)

Their house was a collaboration of both his and Raven’s visions. Glass windows lined one side of the house, letting them see the beauty of the land at any time of day or night. They’d built an extra-large deck, and even had a small gazebo built out on the bluff.

The entire Mountain Mercenaries crew and their women had chipped in to help move their furniture, and they’d had an impromptu barbecue afterward, and Dave couldn’t remember a time when he’d been this happy and content.

David had fallen asleep almost the second his head hit the pillow. He was excited to be sleeping in his room, and although Dave knew Raven was a little sad that he seemed to be growing so independent, she was pleased that he didn’t seem scared in the least to be in a new room in a new house.

Raven had gone upstairs about ten minutes earlier while Dave finished putting the last of the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. Now he headed up the stairs toward their room, eager to hold his wife and to spend the first night in their new house with her in his arms.

He opened the door to the beautiful, huge master bedroom he’d designed with his wife in mind—and froze at the sight that greeted him.

Raven was standing next to their bed wearing a skimpy, white negligee.

When she saw him, she smiled. “It’s about time you got up here,” she teased. “I thought you were never going to finish up down there.”

Dave didn’t know what to say. He’d always found his wife attractive, but what he loved most about her was who she was as a person. Though he couldn’t deny, seeing her standing there in nothing more than a scrap of lace turned him on.

“Raven?” he said hesitatingly, not wanting to misinterpret her intentions.

“It’s time. I’m ready,” she told him.

Dave walked slowly toward her and stopped two feet away, giving her space. “Ready for what?” he asked, wanting her to tell him exactly what her expectations were.

“Ready to make love to my husband. Ready to put my past behind me once and for all.”

“Are you sure?” Dave whispered.

“One hundred percent. I’m not saying that this is going to be easy, or that I won’t have any bad moments, but I have no doubts whatsoever that you’ll be careful with me and won’t push for more than I can give.”

“Fuck no, I won’t,” Dave muttered. Then he slowly reached for the hem of his shirt and raised it over his head. He loved the lustful look in Raven’s eyes. He’d dreamed about this moment, and it was so much more than he could’ve imagined. He stripped off his pants and socks, leaving his boxer briefs on for the moment. With how turned on he was, they didn’t leave anything to the imagination, but Raven didn’t even hesitate. She closed the distance between them and plastered herself against him.



Mags was nervous, but not about what her husband might do. She was unsure about her own reactions. She wanted this. Needed to make love with her husband. But even though she was one hundred percent in, she wasn’t sure how her body might unconsciously react.

As she wrapped her arms around Dave and felt his erection against her belly, she wasn’t the least bit repulsed. She inhaled deeply, and the scent of her husband filled her nostrils. He didn’t smell anything like the others. Didn’t feel anything like them either. He was big. Surrounding her and making her feel safe.

“Are you sure?” Dave whispered in her ear.

In response, Mags pulled back, slipped her hands under his boxer briefs, and palmed his ass. The muscles there clenched, and she smiled as she playfully dug her fingernails into the sensitive skin of his backside. “I’m sure,” she told him, then moved her hands to his hips and slowly eased his underwear down until he was standing in front of her as naked as the day he was born.

She stepped back, keeping one hand on his biceps as she examined him. Good Lord, he was gorgeous. He might be in his late forties, but he looked better than she ever remembered him looking a decade ago. His thighs bulged with muscles, and while he didn’t have a six-pack stomach, he certainly wasn’t fat. He had a smattering of chest hair that she loved running her fingers through when they lay in bed together.

But it was his cock that she couldn’t take her eyes off now.

He was a big man, all over. That hadn’t changed in the last decade. It had been a long time since she’d enjoyed sex, but seeing him standing before her in all his naked glory reminded her of how he’d always made sure she came first. How gentle he’d always been. How she’d loved it when she could make him lose control. They’d enjoyed experimenting in bed and had made love in just about every conceivable position. She wanted that back. Needed it.

“Look at me, sweetheart,” Dave said.

Realizing she’d been staring at his cock, she lifted her chin and met his gaze.

He was smiling down at her in amusement. “As much as I’m glad you aren’t freaking out at seeing me naked, if we’re going to do this, I’m going to need you to talk to me. I need to know where your head is every step of the way. If I touch you in a way that you can’t handle, you have to tell me. Don’t be a martyr. I can’t do this if I think for one second you’re uncomfortable but don’t want to tell me.”

“I will.”

“I mean it, Raven. I already know you’re a fucking warrior. You don’t have to be one when you’re in bed with me. You don’t like something, you tell me. All right?”