“I'm so sorry. I never thought about you guys being worried about me.”
“We keep tabs on you most of the time; you just don’t realize it. The longest you have ever been in those woods is two hours and forty-five minutes. When Luke looked up and it was close to seven, I think we both panicked.” Ryan sat at my kitchen table and dropped his hands to his lap.
“I had no idea,” she said apologetically.
“There are too many things out there that could kill you. I've seen bears, bobcats, cougars, mountain lions, and the occasional big mule deer, all of which could be a big problem if you’re alone,” Ryan said.
“I don’t know why my phone didn't work, but thank you for worrying about me.” She hugged Ryan from behind. He stood and turned on her shaking her back and forth.
“Don't. You. Ever. Do. That. Again.” He said as she laughed. I could feel the adrenaline crash, and I was suddenly exhausted and my head was pounding.
“Do you have any ibuprofen?” I stood.
“Yes.” I watched as she disappeared up the stairs.
“You good?” Ryan asked.
“My head is pounding, and I think we may have overreacted.”
“There is never an overreaction when you are dealing with people being alone in these woods.” Ryan pointed out the window.
“I guess you're right.”
When Emmy reappeared, she was carrying several bottles in her hands. “I wasn't sure which one you would want.” She sat them on the table, and I reached and grabbed the middle one. I was having trouble getting the arrows lined up, so Emmy grabbed the bottle from me, opened it, and poured four caplets in my hand. I watched as she poured some water into a glass before handing it to me. I tossed them in my mouth and swallowed them down with the water. I reached for her and pulled her down and into my lap. I just wanted my hands on her.
“Okay, well that's my cue.” Ryan stood and walked toward her front door. “I'll see y’all tomorrow.” He waved and then disappeared out of the house.
I ran my hands up her sides and nuzzled into her neck.
“Luke, I'm fine. I'm sorry I scared you.” She twisted so we were face to face. Her hands reached up and cupped my cheeks, turning me so I was looking into her eyes. “I will continue to be careful in the woods, I promise.” She pulled my mouth to hers and brushed her lips against mine. The kiss deepened and I gathered her hair in my hand and pressed my mouth closer to hers. I needed to be as close to her as possible, so I stood lifting her in my arms and started up the stairs to her room. Her fingers tangled in my hair, and she gave it a tug as we crossed the threshold into her room. My mouth was on hers when my knees connected with her bed. I sat her gently on the bed and settled myself on top of her.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Emerson
I watched Luke as he walked around my room, water dripping from his skin. His hair had droplets of water that were catching the first rays of sun, and it almost looked like he had tiny diamonds in his hair. He smiled when he caught me watching him.
“You like what you see?” He wiggled his eyebrows at me in a playful manner.
“Ehhh... it’s okay.” I shrugged. He narrowed his eyes at me then pounced on the bed, shaking his wet hair in my face. When the cold water hit, I tried to pull the sheet up and over me, but his knees held it in place.
“Not so fast.” He covered my body with his. His hands enclosed my face, and his eyes grew melty.
He lowered his mouth to mine but didn't kiss me. He said softly against my lips, “If I had known then what I know now, I would have worked a lot harder to have you.”
“You mean my stunning good looks didn't draw you in on day one?” I rolled my eyes, and he grew serious.
“There is not a part of you that isn't amazing, even your tendency to yell at me.” I pressed my lips to the corner of his mouth. I kept my eyes open and watched his pupils dilate. He moved over me, and I adjusted, searching for the right pressure. He settled between my thighs, and I pushed up against him as he kissed my jawline before covering my mouth. His tongue swept inside, and the kiss deepened.
He pulled away from me and softly said, “We can't.”
I pulled the back of his neck. “Can’t never could,” I grinned at him. “I want you inside of me.”
The words were soft, and my voice sounded foreign so thick with arousal. He pushed up, shoved his boxer briefs over his hips, and laid back down between my thighs. His fingers traveled down and dipped inside, spreading me open. I felt his tip against my wetness, and I arched my hips to encourage him. He slowly started to push inside of me. I pushed back trying to get him deeper, but he was taking his time. He lowered himself down on top of me, his weight resting on his forearms. He dropped his mouth toward mine, but our lips simply touched, and our eyes met. He watched me, his eyes focusing from one of my eyes to the other. As he mo
ved his hips, he never looked away from me, our lips never disconnecting. Each stroke was a promise, each movement solidifying our relationship. It wasn’t just sex. It was so much more than that. I had never experienced anything like it. I had never felt the intimacy that we shared at that moment with anyone else.
He said softly against my lips, “I think I might love you.” I pushed my lips up and against his, but he pulled back and just kept staring into my eyes. I felt the familiar burning deep in my belly and tried my best to find the oncoming orgasm, but Luke held steady. As the building intensified, I felt him waver in his movements, each one becoming a little more forceful. I clamped around him, and the world spun. I pulled him against me, our lips mashed together, and I fell down the rabbit hole. I heard him grunt, and then my name floated across his lips as he buried himself deeper inside of me. I felt him swell with each thrust forward. When he released, my body clamped down around him, he jerked and cursed, then slowly slide out of me. I felt every inch as he slid out and then a wetness followed. He laid back over me and kissed me deeply, forcing my head back into the pillow.