Delta's Dawn

tomorrow night, seven at the lodge?” He lifts her hand and presses a hot kiss to the palm of her hand. Her lips part, tempting him again and she grins.
“I’d like that.”
Daniel leans in to kiss her goodnight and it’s a soft tempting kiss full of promise. Sasha runs inside and barks at them. Laughing they glance down, and Delta says goodnight and walks back to her house on trembling knees.
Sasha leaps down off the bed and pads downstairs towards the glass doors on the back deck. A dog’s sense of smell is forty times stronger than a human and the scent calling to her has the hair on her back standing on end. A bark startles Delta from her sleep. She sits up, just as Sasha barks again. Wide awake now, she grabs her pistol from the nightstand, heart pounding as Sasha begins growling and barking in earnest. Moving to the door Delta releases the cylinder of the gun and spins it slowly to ensure that it's fully loaded. Closing it slowly, Delta switches on the laser sight before she steps through the door and into the hallway.
Her boys ensured that she was well trained in the use of her pistol and Sasha never barks without cause. The sound of furniture moving on the deck outside tells her where the danger is. Delta reaches Sasha's side and whispers, “Heel.” A crash of metal outside causes her to jump. Sasha growls and barks as Delta looks a small, silver trash can rolls into view. Delta catches a glimpse of what looks like a small furry foot.
“It’s just a raccoon in the trash, Sasha,” she sighs in relief. Grabbing the air horn Daniel left, Delta places her pistol on the counter and flips the light switch for the deck. The black bear raises up on his feet and roars. Delta screams, squeezing the air horn at the same time.
Daniel is in the stall checking on the new foal when hears Delta's scream followed by the air horn. It echoes across the yard like a siren. He races from the barn towards his truck swearing and grabs his shotgun from behind the seat. The shattering of glass and Sasha's wild barking has his blood running cold.
Sasha is growling and barking rapidly when Daniel comes around the corner of the house towards the deck. He raises his shotgun and skids to a stop when the black bear runs off towards the trees. “Delta!” He roars and breaks into a run again. Stepping over tossed furniture and broken glass he notices a red dot tracing across the deck in a slow arc coming to rest in the center of his chest.
“Don’t shoot!” He calls out again. “It’s Daniel.”
Delta steps into view wearing a green satin chemise and holding a .357 revolver. Daniel lowers his shotgun when she points the gun past him to check for the bear. “Stay, Sasha!” The first thing he thinks is that her hands aren't shaking and that she looks hot as hell with that pistol.
“Daniel, it’s all right now. I think it’s gone.” Turning her back on him Delta walks back into the kitchen and rewards her protector. “Good girl, Sasha.”
He shoulders his shotgun and steps through the glass and nudges the trashcan with his boot. Dead fish mixed with trash. Snarling, he turns and stomps inside, “Delta, don’t you know better than to leave food out for animals to find?”
Delta looks at him and flips on the light in the kitchen. Going to the cabinet, she grabs two small glasses and pours red wine. She doesn't answer or shake, she just sips it calmly, waiting for him to finish lecturing her.
“We have special cans with secure lids for food and especially fish. You could have been killed!” She offers him a glass and stares at him. “Don’t you have anything to say?”
“I’m cold,” she walks past him to sink into the couch with Sasha.
Daniel stares at her and grabs the glass of wine before he starts laughing. Delta looks at him and laughs until tears start. Sitting heavily beside her he jerks the blanket off the couch and wraps it around her before pulling her into his side. “You scared me to death, Delta.”
“I thought it was a raccoon, Daniel, not a damn bear!” She laughs softer this time.
“He smelled the food,” he says leaning back with her tucked against him.  Sasha leans against his legs, “Well done, Sasha,” she snorts and pads away to smell the air.
Delta turns to look at him. “I didn’t leave food outside, Daniel. Do you think it will come back?”
He slides a finger under the strap of her chemise and lifts it back onto her shoulder. “I think you scared it good, but we should get to work. The smell of fish is strong outside, and he might try to come back. I will clean it up while you put some clothes on.”
His touch sends her pulse skittering, and her lips curve into a smile. “We keep meeting like this, Daniel.”
“I'm not complaining, Delta. You're so beautiful,” he says as his lips trace across her cheek to nibble on her ear. She leans away to give him access, and goosebumps erupt, sending chills over her entire body.
Delta turns and takes his mouth in a blistering kiss. Daniel reaches for her just as she moves to straddle him on the couch, shocking them both. His hands cup her bottom and run up the back of her silky gown. “Delta, I’m trying to be good here.”
“I can’t seem to help myself around you, Daniel.” Leaning down her breast push into his chest as she chews on his neck, sucking and nibbling her way to his ear and back to his mouth. He fists his hands in her wavy hair and jerks her back, gently.
“Delta, I'm a second from taking