DEEP CUT (Men of the Woods Book 2) Read online

  I nod. “Yes. We’re good.” The blush that heats my face is impossible to restrain.

  Ginger stands next to me, looking over the two enormous men. I catch Vin’s eyes dancing up and down Ginger and she looks down at the floor then up at me, her cheeks matching mine.

  “Smells good in here and out there. That shocked the hell out of me. Are you sure you didn’t cook?” Vin looks my way.

  “I’m sure. I’m a spaghetti o’s and hot pockets kind of girl. Although, I did make Uncle Cain promise I could make dessert.”

  Cain leans his head back on his neck, then clarifies. “Yes, well, I can cook. I can’t bake. Melody will be preparing the slice and bake cookies all by herself.”

  Vin smiles and Ginger bumps me with her shoulder. “You do slice a mean cookie.” She adds. “We’ve spent a few late nights making them, haven’t we?”

  “Yep. What’s a sleepover without a three am warm chocolate chip cookie?”

  I catch Vin’s eyes on Ginger again and he’s nearly as big as Uncle Cain, but not quite as rugged looking. More like he came out of the forest but found a good barber and a bit more comfort in civilization than Cain ever did.

  The place looks nice. Homey. I set the table and Cain and I went for a walk and gathered up some wildflowers for a centerpiece. All the dishes and silverware are mismatched, but I sort of like how it all looks like it found each other, rather than belonging together.

  Sort of like Uncle Cain and I, in a way. That’s what he said. I was the fine china and sterling and he was the chipped pottery and stainless. He has a way of describing things that always reminds me of the creative and brilliant mind behind that caveman exterior.

  “I’ll go get the meat off the fire. We should be ready then.”

  “Great.” Vin and Ginger say in unison and they both look a little star-struck.

  After dinner, Vin opens a bottle of wine and we all have a small glass. We take a walk into the woods and both Vin and Uncle Cain take their axes and set to a contest on who can fell a tree the fastest.

  Both the men strip their torso’s and go to town, leaving both Ginger and I standing with mouths agape, awestruck at the sight.

  Uncle Cain wins by a couple minutes and he rests his ax on his bare shoulders. The raw masculinity that emanates from him makes my belly flutter with desire.

  After the little contest, we walk back to the cabin and I read Ginger parts of the story Uncle Cain wrote for me, which have her sighing and swooning, surprised a man that looks and talks like a caveman can write such lovely and fantastic prose. I read her the bit about the wishing tree, and how the magic works with the full moon, granting any wish you care to make, whether you’re a princess, a prince, or the lowliest pauper.

  From there, it’s slice and bake cookies, more laughter, a little more wine and some wonderful stories from Vin and Cain about life as a lumberjack.

  Two hours later, we are waving goodbye as Ginger and Vin pull down the driveway, the sky turning dark.

  “That was fun.” I wait until they are around the curve before I grab Uncle Cain around the waist and push up on my tiptoes to get a kiss. “You did that for me, I know.”

  He grunts but lowers his head for a deep, solid kiss. His mouth crushes against mine and the pressure from his hard-on pushes into my belly.

  “It was fun, but I couldn’t wait for them to leave. I have another surprise for you.”

  “Really?” I bounce up and down. Every minute I’m with Cain I feel like I fall farther and farther into this. I’m not even thinking so much about what could be wrong with it anymore, I’m just thinking about all the ways it feels right.

  “Yes, come.”

  Cain takes my hand and leads me down a path in the woods. The sun is almost down and my eyes are adjusting slowly, but Cain seems to have night vision the way he’s marching forward.

  We turn off the path and he pulls me for another five minutes or so, winding through the thick woods and my heart pounds.

  “We’re not going to get lost are we?”

  “No. This is my home. I know every single tree.”

  His grip tightens and I finally realize where we are.

  When my voice next comes out, it’s barely a whisper. “It’s the wishing tree.”

  As the words leave my lips, the glow of the moon brightens, and I look up to see a cloud moving away and the round full moon lighting up the sky.

  “And it’s a full moon.” Cain stops us at the base of the massive tree. The opening in the bottom is clear in the moonlight.

  “It’s all real…” I sigh, the back of my neck tingling with wonder. “So that means we get to make a wish?”

  “We do.” Cain pulls me toward him, his long arms tracing down my back and clutching around me. “Close your eyes, I’ll count to three, then we wish together.”

  I nod and close my eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest and Cain’s breathing.

  “One, two…” His warm breath is next to my ear. “Three.”

  I squint my eyes shut in the effort of my wish as Cain hugs me tight and I listen to the thump thump of his heartbeat under the soft flannel of his shirt.

  After a long moment, his words are again in my ear. “Open your eyes.”

  I do, looking up to see the moonlight streaking across his rough features.

  “I think there’s something for you in there.” He looks down at the opening in the bottom of the tree and takes me by the shoulders, turning me and lowering us both down until I see the glow of something white inside the dark hole in the tree. “Reach in and get it.”

  I look up at him, then ease my hand forward until I feel the smooth texture of satin, like a ribbon. I open my fingers and pull out a square box, wrapped with a white silk ribbon. It’s heavy, about the size of a cinderblock, and excitement centers in my belly. I’ve never thought much about getting gifts, especially from boys or men, but ever since Cain gave me those gifts on my birthday, I feel so special.

  “Open it.”

  I untie the ribbon and lift the top of the black box.

  “Oh my god. Really? Two?”

  My fingers drift inside, the cool metal of the two cameras on my fingertips.

  “Yes, one is new. The best I could find in town at Murphy’s camera shop. The second one is a classic, he said it was the best of its time. Still uses film and all manual controls. I wanted you to have the best of both worlds. The old and the new. Sort of like our two worlds. So different, but they are both beautiful in their own ways.”

  “Daddy.” I wipe the back of my hand over my stinging eyes and it comes away glistening in the moonlight. “You are so kind to me.”

  “I love you, Angel. I think I’ve always loved you.”

  The tears spill over, coming faster, and my heart clutches.

  “Please don’t cry. It hurts me to see you cry.”

  “They are happy tears.”

  “When I say I love you, I don’t wish to see tears. I want your smile. I want your smile everyday for the rest of my life, Melody.”

  “When we wished, I wished for you to love me. To say it again, I mean. So I could be sure. And you just did. In more ways than one.”

  “That is what I wished for as well, Angel. For you to love me forever. As flawed and uncivilized as I am, the only thing that I want in this life is your love. I know that now, I know that is my purpose. To take care of us for the rest of our lives. That was my wish.”

  Chapter Ten

  Cain

  “I will meet you for lunch.” I give her a kiss outside the truck as she looks around to see who’s watching. “Don’t worry about them. You are mine now. I will be sure our lives are as they should be. I will talk to your father tonight when he’s home. You don’t need to worry. He will understand. If he loves you, he will want you to be happy. I have ways of convincing him.”

  “I don’t know. I think he’s going to be mad.”

  “He will come around. Until he does, we will stay strong. You will trust me.”
/>
  I kiss her head and give her a swack on the bottom as a few other students give us the eye.

  “Daddy.” She whispers.

  “Yes, I am. Now go. Get good grades or there are more where that came from. You are not too big to be over my knee.”

  I see the battle raging in her eyes as she watches me, her chest rising and falling with long drawn breaths as the scent of her pussy drifts to my nostrils. “I might like that,” she mutters, fighting the urge to smile.

  “You might,” I agree. “But you will also learn a lesson from it. If you think that playful smack is all I’ve got, think again.”

  “Yes, Daddy. Sorry.”

  “Good girl, now get going.”

  “Bye, Daddy.”

  I watch as she turns, and I’m not sure if she thinks I see the little wiggle of her ass when she’s just out of range, but I do. That’s something we’re going to discuss later.

  Once she’s inside the doors of the school, I put the car in drive and pull away, heading toward work. I know it’s unnecessary, but as much as I want this time off, it’s tough to stay away. A lifetime of being the reliable worker has my mind set to office mode all the time, and that’s something I need to work on. Because Melody is my life now. Sure, I’m going to provide for her, and that means showing up at work every day, but where I used to show up early and go home late I’m now going to be working my shift and giving my leisure time to her. Work used to be my life, but now it’s just a means to an end.

  When I pull up outside the small office cabin, I can see that there’s an argument going on inside. Vin is shouting at Harry, the owner, and it looks heated. I’ve known Harry for years and so has Vin. In a lot of ways he’s been like a father to us both, so if they’re arguing I know it’s something serious.

  I head inside, hoping my presence might calm things down, but it’s pretty clear that’s not going to happen.

  “Tell him!” Vin points my way. “Tell him what you just told me, Harry.”

  I look at Harry expectantly, but he lowers his eyes. I’ve never seen him this sheepish and it’s worrying.

  “What’s up, Harry?”

  “I’d rather talk to you in private, Cain, just like I did for Vin.”

  I shrug. “May as well tell me here. Come on, whatever it is I’m sure I can handle it.”

  Harry nods and takes a breath. “I’m going to have to sell the business. Maggie’s family up in Canada need her up there. Could be a month, could be a year, but I need the money from this place to help her mom out. You boys understand, right? Family’s family, and you do whatever you have to.”

  I turn a dark gaze on Vin, but his eyes are wide. “What the fuck, Harry? You didn’t tell me all that.”

  “Well I would have if you hadn’t bitten my head off before I could finish!”

  “Shit, man, I’m sorry. What’s up with her mom?”

  Harry breathes a sigh. “Bad debts. Some scumbag took her for a ride, cleared out her savings and left her with less than nothing. The family farm is about to go to the bank.”

  I feel my back straightening. Maggie’s in her sixties, so her mom must be in her eighties. What sort of person takes money from an old lady like that? “You need us, you know where we are,” I say, and make it very clear both Vin and I are ready to provide a little muscle if it’s needed.

  Harry nods. “Thanks, boys. I know it’s sudden, but you’re good workers and I’ll put in a word with the new owners. I’m sure they’ll keep you on.”

  “Unacceptable.” I shake my head.

  “What do you mean, unacceptable? I can’t do anything else, Cain, I’m sorry.”

  “Yes, you can. I’m not going to let you lose this place. I’ve got money. How much do you need?”

  “We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars, Cain, no way you have that much on what I’m paying you.”

  “I’ve got money,” I say again, squaring my shoulders. “It’s not a loan, it’s not a gift. I’ll buy half of this place from you. I’ve got ideas too, ways to make it pay more. In five years, I’ll make your half worth as much as the whole thing is now.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” There are tears in Harry’s eyes. “Thank you.”

  I nod and glance over at Vin. “Of course, I don’t know if I’m keeping you on, you fucking slacker. Why are you here, not out there chopping wood?”

  Vin smiles and shakes his head. “A word? In private?”

  “Sure.”

  I clap Harry on the shoulder as we pass him, heading towards the office. And I meant what I said about being here if he needs us. Vin and I both owe him, and there’s no way we’ll let him face that alone.

  In the office, Vin takes a deep breath, then starts talking. “I can’t get my mind off her, man.”

  It takes me a moment to realize what he means, then I feel the grin spread over my face. “Ginger.”

  He nods. “Ginger. Fuck. The thought of any other swinging dick even looking at her is driving me crazy. Only reason I didn’t tear your fucking head off last night was because you were so into Melody it was obvious you only had eyes for her.”

  I snort a laugh. “Like you could tear my head off if you wanted to.”

  “I’d give it a fucking go if I thought you had designs on her, dude. That’s how I feel.”

  “I know.” I nod. “I feel the same way about Melody. It doesn’t get any easier once she’s yours, believe me.”

  “She’s fucking young, man.” Vin meets my eyes, and I can see the wariness there. But there’s also something else, something I recognize because I’ve seen it in the mirror. Obsession. Protectiveness. A need to possess.

  I shrug. “She is, but not too young to know her own mind. If she’s yours, you need to claim her, dude, otherwise someone else will.”

  Vin nods silently.

  “Good talk?”

  “Good talk. How are you going to afford to buy half of this place?”

  “Just because I live in a cabin in the woods, doesn’t mean I didn’t have the same parents as my brother. I don’t spend a lot. And I’ll need someone to help me run it the way I want. You ready to move up in the world?”

  He nods. “Sure.”

  With that, we end it there and I let Harry know again that he doesn’t need to worry. I’ll have money for him by the end of the day and I’ll get papers drawn up too, make it all legal and above board. I know he wouldn’t want it any other way.

  On the drive back to the school, all the business with the logging company goes out of my head. My sole focus is on her—Melody—and on building our life together. But first I need to be with her. I need to touch her, to smell her, to taste her. I’m going out of my mind thanks to this obsession, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  I get back there ten minutes before lunch and sit glaring at the school doors. I can see the lady in the office, staring at me out of the window, but I don’t care. She has no say over what Melody does, and there’s fuck all she can do about what’s mine, so I stare right back.

  When I hear the alarm bell ring, and she’s not the first one out the doors, I nearly jump right out of my seat and go in there to get her. Who the fuck is keeping her back this long? I want to rip them a new one for keeping her from me. One thing’s for sure, I’m going to have to put a stop to it. I’ll find out from her who her teachers are and explain the situation to them my own way. They’ll never keep her from me again after I’m done.

  Finally, I see her face appear at the door, and when she sees me a big grin spreads over her lips. I’m out and running around to her side, pulling the car door open for her before she can get to me.

  “I can open a car door, you know.” She grumbles, rolling her eyes, but I shut that down before she can take her next thought.

  “Sure you can. But you’re not going to. It’s my job to look after you, Melody, and that means doing things for you, so you’re going to have to get used to that. I know your dad is more focused on his own life than yours, but that’s
not going to be the way with me. You come first, in every meaning of that phrase.”

  She looks at me with a strange expression on her face, but I can see there’s pride there too. She’s being treated like a princess, and she’ll always be my princess if she lives to be a hundred.

  “It feels strange, that’s all,” she says as she climbs in, letting me help her with a hand.

  “Get used to it.”

  I close the car door and scoot around to my own side, then climb in and shift into drive.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Somewhere more private. I need you, Melody, I’m going out of my mind.”

  She giggles, and I nearly lose my load right there. “I drive you wild, huh?”

  “You have no fucking idea. I nearly stormed right in there when you weren’t out here right after the bell rang.”

  I put my hand on her bare thigh and she shivers, putting her own hand over mine. I can sense the need dripping off her, the urge to orgasm just from that touch. She’s holding it back, but I’m going to draw it out of her.

  “I don’t think Mr. Norton would be very pleased about you bursting in on the end of his pop quiz, especially not to drag me away and give me more orgasms.”

  “What does he teach?” I growl the words, shifting my hand higher on her thigh until I can feel the heat radiating from that secret spot.

  She mewls and squirms in her seat. “Math.”

  “Well, math is important, baby. But so am I. I’m going to have words with Mr. Norton and make sure he understands his lessons finish on time in future.”

  “No, you can’t—”

  I squeeze her leg, digging my fingers into her flesh, and she falls silent as she glances my way. The look on my face must say it all, because her eyes drop and she takes a deep, shuddering breath.

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Good girl.”

  Once we’re out of town and surrounded by woods, I find a place to pull in at the side of the road, put the car in park and cut the engine.

  “I can’t wait any longer,” I tell her, and I see from the look in her eyes that she feels the same.