5. Amy
5
AMY
T he beam of my flashlight picks up the silhouettes of gnarled trees as we make our way along the Mid Peak Trail. The canopy of trees provides shelter from the rain, but some drops manage to break through the canopy and drip onto the hood of my jacket.
As dusk turns to night, I’m grateful for Landon’s insistence on coming with me. The old trails haven’t changed much in the years since I’ve moved away. The trees are bigger and the forest denser. But I enjoy being out here, even in the rain.
Landon is a quiet presence beside me. He may be silent, but I’m aware of every step he takes and precisely how close he is to me.
I’ve been aware of him every single day since I came back to Wild Heart Mountain. Ever since that kiss at Izzie’s wedding.
I thought I could avoid him, but helpful Rodney got me a part-time job at the fire station. Now Landon is my boss as well as my best friend’s dad. Double the reason not to get involved with him. Yet every time I’m near him, my body heats and my stomach flutters, and there’s a tug between my legs that I’ve never felt with any man before.
Being alone with Landon is dangerous, yet I’m glad he’s here.
We come to the place where the hiker with the broken leg rests against a boulder. She’s in good spirits but cold. I grab an emergency blanket out of my backpack and wrap it around her. There’s a clearing nearby where the helicopter will come down, and I radio in to Ethan to arrange the medivac.
The helicopter arrives twenty minutes later, and Landon and I help get her into the harness. They winch her up and the helicopter lifts into the darkening sky, causing the trees to flap in the wind from the propellers.
I watch the helicopter fly away, and then I’m left alone with Landon.
The rain has stopped, and I push the hood of my jacket back.
The sounds of the forest close in on us. Insects chirp, rain drips from trees, and there’s a gentle swoosh as the breeze ripples through the canopy.
I zip up my backpack and shoulder it, but Landon reaches a hand out to stop me. “Let’s rest for a moment.”
There’s a large boulder by the side of the path, and I lean against it while Landon takes a silver hip flask out of his pocket. He takes a swig and then offers it to me.
I take the flask and sniff. My nose wrinkles at the scent of whiskey. “No thanks.”
“Doesn’t taste as good if it’s not stolen from my liquor cabinet, hey?”
“You knew about that?”
He chuckles. “I might have been grieving, but I’m not stupid. I knew what you girls were up to.”
I think about the times me and Izzie snuck out of her house, quietly sliding up the window and trying not to giggle as we pulled ourselves through. We thought we were so clever. We thought her dad didn’t notice a thing.
“Are you still grieving?”
He turns to me in the dark, and his eyes are dark pools. “When you lose someone you love, the pain never leaves you. You just learn to live with it. And as the years pass, it hurts less and less.”
He’s still the romantic figure I remember, and that makes me want him even more.
“Carol was Izzie’s mother. There will always be a place in my heart for her. But I don’t miss her like I used to. I don’t think about her like I used to.”
He takes my hand in his. “And I haven’t for a long time.”
My breath hitches in my throat. He’s letting me know he’s emotionally available to me. I have a sudden urge to flee.
I look around wildly, needing to get away from this man and the emotions he stirs up in me.
Landon places a hand firmly on my arm. “Let me take you out to dinner, Amy. Let me take you out like you deserve.”
His touch anchors me, and my racing heart starts to calm. Part of me wants to say yes, but part of me is terrified. I’ve never had a boyfriend before, and Mr. Laker is the most inappropriate candidate for so many reasons.
“I can’t.” My voice comes out as a whisper. “What would Izzie say?”
“I don’t give a damn what anyone says. You belong to me, Amy. I’m just waiting for you to realize it.”
The words have my heart hammering in my chest, and the terror returns. I squeeze my eyes shut tight, and Landon places his other hand on my shoulder.
“Hey, are you okay?”
How can I explain the turmoil inside of me? Part of me wants him, and the sensible part of me wants to run. It’s not just about Izzie. I never want to get married and go through what my parents went through.
“Open your eyes, Amy.” Landon’s voice is gentle, and when I open my eyes, he’s staring at me intently. “Breathe with me.”
I take in deep breaths until the urge to run subsides. It’s replaced by a new urge. One that starts in my core and throbs through my body.
My gaze flick to his lips. I want desperately to taste them.
He’s so close, but he doesn’t move toward me like I want him to. He’s waiting for me to come to him. Landon’s been coming on strong, and he won’t push me physically. But being physical with him is exactly what I need.
I rise up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his. Landon groans at the contact and his hand grasps the back of my head, tangling in my hair.
Warmth spreads from his lips down my body. His other hand cups my cheek. The grooves of his callused palm is rough against my smooth skin.
My body shifts toward his, and I act on instinct. I’ve never been intimate with a man before, but my body knows what to do. It knows what I need.
I shift toward him, and his hand slides down my body to my waist. We’re wearing layers of hiking gear and thick coats, but as his body pushes against mine, every part of me lights up. I want to strip the layers off; I want to feel his skin on mine.
“Amy.” He groans my name, and the hot breath on my neck sends heat skittering over my body.
I shouldn’t be here; we shouldn’t be doing this. My mind screams at me to stop. But my body has taken over, giving in to the sensations that are coursing through me.
The attraction is too strong to ignore, and suddenly we’re pulling at each other’s jackets. He unzips mine, and I unzip his. Then our bodies meet, and there're layers of t-shirt between us, but the thin fabric blocks none of the sensations. My breasts bump up against his chest, and my nipples spring to attention.
His hands slide around my waist and inside my jacket as he pulls me toward him. Something hard pushes against my lower belly, and I gasp when I realize what it is.
I roll my belly over his hardness, and Landon groans. The deep rumble that comes out of him is the sexiest sound I’ve heard. My core tugs and I press my thighs together, needing to ease this ache.
His hand creeps lower over my ass, which is still clad in my waterproof pants.
My breath comes hard and fast as I rub myself against him. I need something from him, and I’m not sure what it is.
His hand slides around the front of my pants, and he undoes the zipper. “Are you okay with this?”
He pulls back to see my face, and in the dim light his eyes are pools of desire.
This is my chance to say no. This is my chance to walk away and not do this. But instead, I nod like a fool and press my aching core against his leg.
Landon seems to know what I need, because his hand slides into my pants and I gasp at the heat he brings. He rubs his hand over my cotton panties, and the sensation makes me cry out.
“Are you okay?”
He pauses, and my eyes fly open. “It feels good.”
My words are a whimper. I’ve lost my ability to speak. I’ve touched myself before, but no man has ever made me feel like this.
I cling onto Landon as he slowly strokes my most sensitive parts. I should pull back but instead I lean into his hand, seeking the spot that will give me release.
Cool air caresses the back of my neck, and the noises of the forest ring out clearly as all my senses focus on one tiny part of me.
Then the damn breaks. The sounds of the forest fade, my ears ring, and I squeeze my eyes shut tight. I cry out as the climax thunders through my body.
My body shudders as wave after wave of release passes through me. Just when I think I’ve come down, Landon moves his hand again in small circles, applying just the right amount of pressure.
I come again within moments and once more after that.
Only after I’ve finished shuddering does he release me. His hand slips out of my trousers, and he gently zips them back up.
I’m glad it’s dark so he can’t see my face, which must be bright red with embarrassment. I’ve never let myself go like that in front of anyone.
He zips up his jacket, and I stop his hand. “How about you?”
He takes my hand and brings my palm to his lips. “I’m fine, Amy. We’d better get you back.”
The implications of what we just did run through my mind. How can I tell Izzie about this?
“But…”
He shakes his head. “I’m a patient man, Amy. I’ll wait until you know you belong to me.”
Do I belong to him? I think about my mom, unable to get out of bed for weeks after my dad left. Did she think she belonged to him once too? Just because we’ve shared something physical, it doesn’t change anything.
“I’m still not going to dinner with you.”
The words seem harsh, but Landon laughs. “You sort out what you need to, Amy. When you’re ready, I’ll be here for you.”
We walk the rest of the way back in silence. Landon holds my hand, and in the dark, out here in the woods, I wonder what it would be like to surrender my heart to him.