Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
“ F uck it.” His palms are rough as he cups my cheeks, tilting my head up to his. He drops his head to hover a fraction of an inch from my lips. “Last chance to back out, Everly.”
“No thank you,” I whisper against his lips, closing the tiny gap to press my lips to his. It’s everything I never knew I wanted. Or maybe I always knew. That he was the perfect fit.
We move against each other in a way that almost feels familiar. Even though this is new. It’s like we’re so familiar with each other’s minds that this comes easy. His tongue runs along my lower lip, and his hand reaches up to cup the back of my head, fingers flexing as he pulls me in closer.
I slip up under his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. It’s perfection. His muscles ripple under heated skin reacting to my touch. Another groan vibrates against my lips, but then he tears himself away long enough to lift my borrowed shirt over my head.
“It’s really fucking hot to see you in my shirt, but I think I prefer you without it.” His eyes are locked on my breasts. The old white cotton bra is my least sexy one, but it doesn’t deter him. He studies me like he wants to memorize every inch of m skin.
“No fair.”
His hands still mine as I’m fumbling with the hem of his shirt again. He takes over, ripping the tight shirt off in one swift movement.
I go for his belt, trying to undo the clasp without looking away from him as the muscles flex up his sides and across his abs. He leans in to snatch a few more kisses, nipping at my lips and reaching behind me to unclasp my bra. The boring piece of fabric is tossed aside and his hands close around my rib cage, thumbs inches from my breasts.
His small circles inch up toward them until he hits the sensitive skin and a ripple of pleasure rolls through me. I slide my hands up and down his back, slipping down the waistband of his jeans to get to his ass.
The fire goes wild when the rough pads of his thumbs hit my hardened nipples. I jerk under the touch, moaning. “That feels amazing.”
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.” There’s an almost wistful ache in his tone. “You’re a million times more beautiful than anything I’ve ever imagined.”
He dips down to capture one nipple between his teeth, sucking and licking while he rolls the other one between his fingers. I arch into his touch.
“Sawyer.”
Our hands slide over each other’s bodies, exploring every inch of skin before we reveal more. He’s got a few new tattoos, but one in particular catches my eye. On the left side of his chest over his heart is a cluster of pale blue forget-me-nots, curving stalk curling around his defined pec. So realistic I can almost see them dancing in the breeze of an Alberta summer. The color pops amongst the expanse of black ink twined around his left arm and shoulder. I reach out to trace each flower and leaf in the design. His skin ripples under my soft touch.
“Forget-me-nots.” My favorite flower.
“For you, Everly. Even when I was keeping my distance, I needed a reminder of you.”
My world shifts at the revelation. He’s kept me in his heart all these years. Even when I thought he hated me.
I need him now more than ever. The connection. How did I ever let this happen? Why didn’t I realize how much I wanted him back then, too? The thought of the years we’ve lost hurts more than my still tingly toes.
I shimmy back to drag my own tight jeans down, taking the cotton panties with them. He helps me get them over my ankles, then ducks his head as if he’s not ready to look at me. When he looks back up under the overgrown fringe of hair falling over his eye, there’s a question.
I nod at him, falling back into the easy rhythm we used to share. Where it almost felt like we could read each other's minds.
His mouth parts on a sharp inhale as he lets his eyes trail down my naked body. Warmth heats me up from the inside as he takes in every inch of me. It should be awkward or uncomfortable. Letting him see me like this. It was the first time I let Brent see me like this. But not Sawyer. We know each other so well it’s like this was always inevitable. The only thing standing in the way was ourselves.
Now I need to see the rest of him. His hands land on my waist, stroking up and down in a slow sweep as I hook my thumbs under his waistband to get rid of the final barrier between us. I take my time, reveling in the reveal. I pause to trace the deep lines etched into the skin beside his unreal six-pack of abs, and his hard length jumps, pressing against the remaining barrier.
He mimics my touch, running his thumbs along the same sensitive spot on my body. I gasp as a surge of need races through me, so he repeats the motion, stroking me over and over.
I can’t take it anymore, fumbling in my haste to get his pants down. The throaty chuckle he lets out slips beneath my skin, lodging him even closer to my heart. He’s always been there. A constant presence. A huge part of my life, but this feels like the final piece of the puzzle sliding into place.
The prominent veins in his hands stand out as he places them over mine to help me out, and I’m not disappointed at the sight of him bared for me. Every part of him has matured since the last time I saw him as a still gangly high schooler. His thighs are thick with muscle and dusted with dark hair. Defined hips and abs stand out, and his cock is a thing of beauty. Standing upright, ready for me, thick and long. That’s going to feel so good filling me up. I reach out and he groans as my small hand closes over the soft skin. It’s a contrast of velvety smooth, and hard steel underneath. It twitches under my long strokes.
He trails down to my mound, sliding past the thin strip of hair between my legs to skate over my clit in a teasing brush. When he reaches my slit, I’m slick for him already. He tips the tip of his finger in before moving back to circle the bud. It sends a jolt down to my clenching pussy. And that’s it.
We clash together, fumbling hands learning each other’s bodies. In sync, we speed up our motions until we’re on the verge of combustion, just waiting for the flint to catch. He slips a long finger deep into my channel, testing me out before pulling away. I’m more than ready for him.
He sits back on his heels for a minute, dragging a hand through his hair.
“I wasn’t exactly planning on this, Ev. I don’t have any condoms up here. I’m more than happy to do other stuff, though.”
I smile at him, shaking my head. “I’m good. I get the shot, and I’m clean.”
“Me too. I mean, I’m clean. I’m not on birth control.”
He can always make me laugh, even in this intense moment, and even though we’ve been apart for a while, I know he’ll always look out for me. There're years of trust built up between us.
“Please, I want to feel you inside me.”
The shaggy rug is soft against my back as he presses me down with a gentle touch. The tips of his fingers trace my chin down my neck and across my collarbone as he studies me, blue eyes glossed over.
I spread my legs to allow him in, tilting my head back and kneels down over me, body hovering inches from mine. My hips buck up to meet him and my heavy eyelids drop me into darkness as he breeches my opening.
“Look at me, Ev. I need to see your eyes. To know it’s real this time. Please.”
He’s right. I want to see him too. This first time, so I drag them open. The flames from the fire are casting dancing shadows over his face.
He sinks in deeper, my body stretching to accommodate his size. I gasp, and he leans down.
“You okay?” His words brush my face in a soft caress.
“I’m perfect. This is perfect,” I say. “More please.
“Ev.” He shouts my name as he plunges deep. His length filling me in a way I’ve never felt before.
Our bodies rock together in a heated tango. Giving and taking, damp skin sliding against each other. I’m clenching around him, pressure building in my core, and I tangle my fingers in his hair, dragging him in close to savor the taste of his lips.
His tongue slips in next to mine, and my skin is electrified. Every touch sending me floating. It’s so intense it’s like an out-of-body experience.
His thrusts grow erratic, and he wedges a hand between us, moaning as he feels the place where we’re joined.
I jolt up at the touch of his thumb caressing my clit. I was already teetering on the edge, but a feather could send me flying at this point.
He’s holding back even as his hips roll against me, waiting for me to join him.
“Come on, Everly. Be a good girl and come with me.” The circles speed up to the perfect rhythm, but it’s his words that push me over. I want to be his good girl.
My scream rings out through the small room as my world shatters to pieces in a world shifting explosion. My clenching walls drag him over with me, and he tenses with a final brutal thrust. His hot seed spills into me in a rush, as mini shockwaves continue to rip through me.
When his body finally eases up, his hand cups my cheek, and he leans in closer until his forehead is touching mine.
“That was incredible. I love you, Everly. I never stopped, and I never will.”
My eyes fly open again to see him staring at me like I’m his entire world. And at this moment it’s right. He’s my everything. And whatever distance between us melted the moment we walked through the door of this little cabin. If only we could stay here forever. Never face the rest of the world again.
“I love you too, Sawyer. Always.”
The kiss that seals these promises is gentler, filled with the passion of two people who know each other intimately.
He props himself up on his elbows for a moment, so the full weight of his body isn’t crushing me, and he strokes the damp strands of hair out of my eyes.
I wince as he pulls free, a chill settling in as his body moves away.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m glorious. It’s been a little while for me.”
He chuckles. “Well, that’s no good. I’ll have to ride you on the regular, so it doesn’t happen again.”
I smack his chest. “I’m not a horse. Besides, you’re the cowboy. Shouldn’t I be the one riding you? You know, save a horse or whatever?”
He shakes his head. “You can ride me anytime you like, sweetheart.” He puts on a cheesy drawl to match the cheesy words, but I still laugh.
“Speaking of horses. We should check on them before we go to sleep.”
He stands up in a fluid motion. “I’ll do it. I don’t want you risking your toes when they’ve barely recovered from their ordeal.”
I scramble up after him in a much less graceful move. “But I should check on River. I want him to know I’m here. He’ll be less likely to attempt another prison break if he knows I’m nearby.”
“You really think so?” His eyebrow is arched in disbelief. “Seems to me, that colt is trouble.”
“Maybe. But so are you, and I love you almost as much as him.”
“Oh, really? You think so?”
The floor disappears beneath my feet, and I let out a squeal as he tosses me over his shoulder.
“Fine. You can come out, but I’m putting you in so many layers you won’t be able to feel your feet for a different reason.”
True to his word, he swathes me in several layers of his clothing, but they have a rich and spicy scent clinging to them, so I’m not complaining. Too much. “Three pairs of socks? You don’t think that’s a little overkill?” I wiggle my toes, and you can’t even see them move in the thick gray pair he dragged on last.
“Nope.”
“Fine.”
The sky darkened while we were enjoying each other's company, and it’s a struggle to get the door open past the rapidly piling up snow.
Every step is a struggle, but it’s different now. With him at my side, and the cozy cabin behind me, I’ve got no fear.
The horses are getting along famously even if the size difference is a bit comical. They’re standing head to butt, and Kingsley's large muzzle is almost as big as River’s rump, but his grooming nibbles are gentle.
River lets out a high-pitched whinny of excitement when I push through the gate.
“Hey boy, I think I’m going to need to change your name. Blizzard or Storm. Maybe Frostbite. What do you think?”
He snuffles at my hand, searching for a treat, then huffing indignantly and tossing his head at my empty hand. Then he abandons me when a fresh bale of hay comes flying over the gate.
“Gee thanks. That’s what I get for saving your life, I guess.”
“You can’t win them all.” Sawyer slips through the gate carrying a large brown tarp. “I’m going to seal up the open side for the night. Keep them a little cozier. They’ve got lots of food and I filled up the trough, so they’ll be good.”
Warmth fills me at his care for the horses.
I help him attach the tarp before heading back. We make the trek to the cabin, joined by our gloved hands. And after pulling off the multiple layers of clothes, he pulls food out of the little fridge.
The rich smell of roasted meat infuses the air as we’re sitting back in front of the fire cooking the stew he pulled out for us.
I swallow down a bite of crusty bread. “So, what happens when we get home? You know I was planning on leaving Balsam Grove next year.”
The muscles in his neck pop out as he clenches his jaw. “How about we worry about when we get back to civilization? I’m not ready to spoil the mood just yet.”