Rocky Mountain Hero (To Love Again Book 3) (3 page)

“We’ll be fine. It’s not that far down, and if we did get stuck here we have enough water, and probably enough food, to hold us for a day or two.” His thumb brushed her lip, which trembled almost imperceptibly, and he felt a surge of desire course through him. Even bundled up, on the edge of tears and afraid, she was the most desirable woman he’d ever met. Spunky, determined, and yet, in a way he couldn’t put his finger on, vulnerable and open. Accepting. Perhaps that was it. She had a way of making everything he did seem all right. More than that, she now had newfound respect for him. He could see it in her eyes. There was a possibility she no longer saw him as a bumbling college kid.

Her tongue slipped quickly over her bottom lip and he could deny himself no longer. He leaned in and was pleased when she met him halfway. Their lips locked and the heat was instant.

He kissed her gently at first, savoring the taste of tea on her lips, playing his tongue over her teeth, teasing her tongue to join his. And when it did, he lost control. He plunged recklessly into her mouth, groaning with deep need. Isabel strained to meet him, clasping a hand behind his neck and pulling him down to her.

He fumbled with buttons and zippers and found a way beneath her clothes, the contact of skin on skin. Isabel gasped with the rush of cool air on her tummy, but the next sound was an aching sigh as he molded his hand over her soft breast. He loved her breasts, just the right size, soft yet firm in his hands. He tweaked and squeezed until Isabel’s need was unmistakable. She writhed and moaned beneath him, each roll of his thumb over her nipples bringing a response.

He pushed the jacket down off her shoulders and she did nothing to cover herself. He loved that about her. There was no shyness, no self-consciousness. Her breasts, perky and firm, lay bare for him to admire. The nipples taut and puckered called to him. As he leaned over her, to kiss her tummy, he caught the first shiver, and, noticing the goose bumps, realized it wasn’t excitement.

“You’re cold.” He jumped up and put more wood on the fire, while barely taking his eyes off her. She smiled up at him and pursed her lips.

“I’m disappointed in you,” she said in a low voice.

His heart sunk. “You are?”

“I’m supposed to be the aggressor. How can I be your Mrs. Robinson if you’re intent on seducing me?” She laughed, a twinkle in her eye.

“Well,” he said, kneeling between her legs and bending to trail his tongue up her belly, “I’m ready for your instructions.” He rained kisses in a line across the bottom of her breasts and looked up into her eyes. “What next?”

“You can kiss my breasts,” she said, cupping them together with her hands.

“Like this?” He trailed his tongue over the curve and circled the aureole, causing Isabel to tremor slightly. “Still cold?” he teased.

“No, not cold,” she gasped, as he closed his mouth around her erect nipple. She moaned and strained against him. Her breasts were so sensitive, so responsive. He thought he might make her come that way with enough practice. He changed positions to suckle the other breast and was rewarded with a deep moan when his hand continued the pressure on the other nipple, tweaking and rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.

“Am I doing all right, teach?” he asked, teasing her. For maybe the first time in his life, he knew he was doing all right. There was no mistaking the effect his actions were having on Isabel’s body. And no denying, at least to himself, the effect she had on him. The strong emotional connection he was feeling for her - with her - was elevating his physical connection in a way he’d never experienced.

“Ummmm.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he laughed, deep in his throat. Isabel’s head was thrown back and he found the length of her neck irresistible. Nibbling, he made his way up her neck, teasing his tongue over first one ear and then the other, until she was rolling her head side to side.

“Is that all right, teach?” he asked again, stopping. He pulled back to look at her face, a mask of pleasure, her mouth a perfect circle.

“Don’t stop,” she pleaded. “Don’t stop, Tray.”

He brought his mouth down hard on hers, claiming her lips for his own. His tongue not waiting for permission, but plunging into the warmth of her. Her moan grew deeper in her throat as her tongue danced with his.

She was his, there was no question. Every movement, every shift of her body to mold with his, let him know she wanted him. That she was his for the taking.

He rolled his hips onto hers and started to rock slowly, pushing his erection against her. Grinding in a circular motion against her, as she pushed back in response.

He rolled away and pulled the wind pants down over her thighs, over her ankles and off. He kissed her knees, trailing his tongue up her thigh and over her mound, feeling her moistness through the scarlet panties. He slipped his finger in past the elastic, testing her readiness. She was moist, hot. He pushed the silky fabric aside and tasted her desire.

“Oh, oh Tray,” she moaned, shifting to allow him better access. He slid an arm under her right thigh, and worked his tongue in and out of her warm depth, and then over her pleasure spot, rhythmically, until she rocked and strained against him.

Sliding a finger inside her, he kept up the pressure on her clit while reaching up to cup her breast.

Isabel’s breathing was ragged and he slipped a second finger inside her, rolling his tongue over her.

“Tray, Tray I want you inside me.”

He didn’t need another invitation. He quickly pulled off his pants and dug back into the pack for a condom.

Isabel pushed herself up on her elbows, laughing. “You did think of everything.”

He fumbled with the packet, then rolled the condom onto his sex. He was rock hard and straining for release. He hovered over her, easing the way for himself with his fingers. He bumped his shaft against her and she bucked against him.

“Now Tray, please.”

He slid into her warm center, giving her his full length in one slow motion. Her back arched and a sharp cry escaped her lips.

“Too much?” he asked, concerned he might hurt her.

“Heaven… ” she panted, and he withdrew to plunge in again. He pumped and she rocked to greet him, wrapping her legs tight around his buttocks. They were lost in a sea of arms and sliding warmth and just when he thought he couldn’t possibly hold out any longer, Isabel bucked against him, screaming her release and he shuddered and spilled his life force into her.

Their mingled cries echoed in his ears as they bounced around the cave. Being in the middle of nowhere, their inhibitions had melted and he’d let go in a way he never had before. There was no one to hear them, she was so willing and he’d felt so strong and powerful. The outdoors was a potent aphrodisiac. Or maybe it was Isabel. Her responsiveness was powerful and elicited a primal reaction from him. Or maybe, if he was completely honest with himself, it was because she already had a place in his heart.

He wrapped his arms around her trembling body, and she nuzzled into his neck. He had a feeling that he wasn’t the only one who had gone somewhere he never had before – they’d traveled there together.

CHAPTER FIVE

Isabel shifted against the warmth of Tray, pushing her back into his body for warmth. The cool air licked over her face. She was naked, but Tray had thrown her sweater over her upper body, beneath them was the blanket from the picnic.

Her first thoughts were of her explosive orgasm. She’d never let herself go like that before. It had been exhilarating, and terrifying.

Something had woken her. She shifted slightly to check the fire and, lifting her head, her nostrils were assaulted with that acrid smell again, it seemed to permeat the cave. At the same time, she registered the large shape in the opening, shuffling and scratching at the floor.

As her eyes adjusted to the dimness, she froze with fear. She jabbed her elbow into Tray’s chest, and willed him awake. She was afraid to speak, but wanted to keep Tray quiet. She didn’t know if that would make a difference, she was running on adrenalin and instinct. “Tray,” she whispered. “Tray, wake up. There’s a bear.”

Tray rolled onto his stomach and looked warily across the cave floor. The bear was snuffling around the opening, keeping his distance from the fire pit, where the fire had almost burnt itself out.

Tray stirred the coals, searching for a piece of wood. He put his face nose to nose with Isabel’s. “When I get up, I want you to put a log or two more on the fire. Then stay behind it. No matter what happens. And don’t look in his eyes. Okay?”

She nodded mutely, hoping she’d be able to move. She felt frozen in time. She’d heard about the bear attacks in this region, a neighbor’s cousin had died from a grizzly attack last year. She had no idea if this was a black bear or a grizzly and she couldn’t remember if she was supposed to run or play dead. It didn’t matter. There was no place to run, and she didn’t want to play dead. She didn’t want to
be
dead. She waited for Tray’s lead. She had no idea what he might do, but there was no time to strategize. Only time to act.

Tray rose quietly, grasping a burning piece of log from the fire. The bear stopped snuffling and looked in their direction.

Isabel didn’t move. She couldn’t take her eyes off the bear, but she kept her gaze on his enormous shoulders and away from his face.

“The fire,” Tray hissed and she was propelled into motion. Unthinking, she rose to a crouch and moved wood onto the fire.

She watched in shock as the bear swung his head slowly back and forth, and opened his jaws wide.

Tray stood waiting, stock still. He seemed to be judging the bear and its next move. He started speaking in a low, deep voice. “Go away bear, time to leave.”

Isabel gasped as the huge animal pushed itself onto it’s hind legs. It was six, maybe seven feet tall, towering over Tray. The bear bellowed, the sound split her resolve and she screamed. Her heart pounded as Tray suddenly lunged toward the bear. Waving his arms wildly and yelling, he advanced holding the burning stick between them. Isabel found herself yelling also. “Go away, bear, go away!”

The animal thumped down, front paws hitting the ground and let out another roar. Then it looked at Tray for several seconds before it turned and shuffled out of the cave, back into the snow.

Isabel’s legs gave way to jelly and she slumped to the ground in tears.

CHAPTER SIX

Isabel gave a final wave and watched as Tray pulled away from the curb, her stomach in knots. She closed the door and looked slowly around her living room, grasping for something familiar. She’d only been gone a couple of nights, but she felt like she’d been away in a foreign country. The entire experience, from the time she left the safe confines of her home, had stretched and tested her.

It had been a long, quiet drive home. Tray hadn’t seemed to want to speak any more than she had. She knew he was feeling guilty about the way things had turned out, and had tried to reassure him, but her words had sounded hollow.

After the scare with the bear, they’d passed the rest of the night miserably, huddled together close to the fire. She’d been unable to sleep and they talked about common psych courses they’d taken and current news stories.

At first light, they’d packed up and headed out, trudging through snow that was knee-deep. It was a long cold trip that took them several hours, the going difficult through the deep snow. The trail was barely discernible and their descent was slowed by deadfall they couldn’t see until they were stumbling over it.

Back at the cabin, Isabel had taken a long, hot shower to erase the chill that was bone deep and seemed it might never leave. Then they’d hurriedly packed and tumbled exhausted into the Jeep for the drive home.

Isabel hadn’t wanted things to end this way. She couldn’t seem to convince Tray that she didn’t hold him responsible for what had happened. Just like a man. He thought he could control the weather? But he wouldn’t hear it, and she knew he felt miserable.

In spite of her exhaustion, there was an undercurrent of exhilaration. She was looking at the world with new eyes. This experience had freed her somehow, cracked her open to experience life.

Life had arrived, unannounced, and grabbed her by the throat. She alternated between excitement and terror. Excitement that she had found a key that she could use with her clients. Terror that her life would never be the same.

She’d spent the last three years creating a safe haven, where things were structured and there could be no surprises. Her neat orderly life had been a source of pride. She’d wrenched order from the chaos when Chet left. The routines, the schedules, had all helped the girls stay focused. Had given her a goal, so she didn’t dissolve in shatters. But that was three years ago. Did she still need that order or was it a camouflage for an empty life? How high a price should she be willing to pay for safety?

In spite of her best efforts, her safety, her insulation from the world, hadn’t helped her practice. In fact, it had damaged it. She had the opportunity to fix it now, but what else had it cost her?

She still had her good friends, like Jenny, but she’d met other interesting people - both men and women over the years - and hadn’t taken the chance to get to know them. While making her world safe, she’d unintentionally made it smaller. And now it seemed as if the walls would close in on her completely. She knew she had the tools to bring them down, but did she have the nerve?