Mating Season by Allie Ritch Page A

deny the way she made him feel.
    The grin she returned was nothing short of glorious, followed as it was by a low moan. She was close to coming. He should have been completely spent after his last orgasm, but he found he had more to give. She dragged him up the mountain with her.
    He growled in encouragement. “That's it. Take it. Take me. Work your—"
    A pounding at his door interrupted them.
    Shila froze. “Who could that be?"
    "Ignore it.” Koll grabbed her hips and got her moving again.
    The knocking continued.
    She didn't stop riding him this time, but she didn't ignore the sound. “There is someone at the door."
    And it was very late for visitors. Most people had better sense than to come calling at a wintering couple's house at this time of night. They were bound to interrupt something just like this. After all, there wasn't much to do in the winter.
    Still holding Shila by her hips, Koll thrust up in counterpoint. Their damp flesh made a slapping sound as they came together in pursuit of orgasm.
    "Koll, it's me,” Gilby called from outside.
    "Go away!” He was so close.
    "I can't,” Gilby said. “I've got something important to tell you. Let me in."
    Dammit. His friend wasn't going away, and Koll knew from experience that Gilby could be tenacious. There was no getting rid of him.
    "Just a minute!” Koll shouted.
    He turned his full attention back to his lover. This felt so good he hated to rush it, but he refused to stop and leave her wanting. He needed to bring her off quickly.
    Planting his feet for better leverage, he bucked hard beneath her, giving Shila a wilder ride. Then he reached between them to grab her clit. He lightly pinched the precious bud and worked the pads of his thumb and finger all around it. She cried out and sped up her strokes.
    "Come on,” he coaxed her. “Come for me."
    She was bouncing so fast it was hard to hold on to her clit. His fingers slipped and slid until he lost his grip. He finally just set his thumb to her nubbin and wiggled it as fast as he could.
    With an ecstatic shriek, she broke, arching her back as she bore down on him. Koll didn't hold back. All his stomach muscles curled as he lurched up and spewed his seed. Compared to his last climax, his ejaculations felt sluggish, but that only made his orgasm draw out longer. There was nothing better than coming inside his woman.
    When he finally collapsed, he felt boneless. He never wanted to get out of this bed. Unfortunately, his impatient friend was still waiting.
    "Hurry up, will you?” Gilby hollered. “It's freezing out here."
    Koll released a sigh of resignation. Sitting up, he gave Shila a quick kiss before disengaging from her and pulling on his pants. He waited until she'd dressed before moving to his door and opening up. A blast of frigid air preceded his friend into the room. Gilby got the floor all wet when he dropped his hood and shook off the snow.
    "Hello, Gilby,” Shila said pleasantly as if the man hadn't just shown up at the worst possible moment.
    Koll's greeting was far brusquer. “What do you want?"
    "I came to warn you.” For once, Gilby sounded perfectly serious. “I was over at the tavern sharing a drink with Nessa. As you know, she still hasn't agreed to winter with me, but I think I'm growing on her. When I mentioned next year, she said she'd think about it."
    "Gilby.” Koll invested his friend's name with a note of warning.
    Undaunted, Gilby continued rattling on. “Anyway, while I was there, two outsiders walked in. At this time of night there weren't many people in the tavern, but the pair asked everyone about Shila."
    Koll stilled. “They asked for her by name?"
    "No, but they described her in detail. There's no doubt she's the one they're looking for. They wanted to know if we'd seen her passing through and if we knew where she was."
    "What did these outsiders look like?” Shila asked.
    Her tone was as cool as the snowdrifts, but Koll recognized that she was worried. He snagged her