Chapter Five #2
The sound hit me before we reached the small clearing. We stepped out from the tree line and just to the left a small waterfall fell from a modest height, the pool of water beneath crystal clear and inviting.
“Oh my God,” I breathed, taking in the pristine beauty of the place. “It’s incredible.”
Oktober watched my reaction with undisguised pleasure. “Told you it would be worth the short trek.”
We picked our way down to the water’s edge, where Oktober selected a large, flat rock jutting out over the pool. He unloaded the backpack, spreading out our picnic with surprising care.
“Is that coffee?” I asked, settling beside him.
“Coffee with benefits,” he replied with a wink, unscrewing the cap and pouring the steaming liquid into two collapsible cups. The rich aroma of coffee mingled with the unmistakable scent of whiskey.
I took a sip and felt the pleasant burn as it went down. “Breakfast of champions.” We ate while we talked, feet dangling in the cold water, shoulders touching.
“How did you become a reading specialist?” he asked, passing me the last strawberry.
“My mom couldn’t read. Not even a little.
She wasn’t stupid or anything, just never learned.
” I took another drink. “I don’t know why.
She never talked about her past, only said that not being able to read kept her in the gutter.
She said if you could read and do simple math, you could build a life for yourself.
So she pushed me. And pushed me.” I looked out over the gently rippling water.
“Hmmm,” he mused. “Doesn’t sound very… soothing.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Surprisingly, it wasn’t a bitter sound.
“No. My mother was many things but soothing wasn’t one of them.
” I took another pull of my coffee. “Anyway, as I got older, I knew my mother wasn’t stupid.
So I knew there had to be a reason she could never learn to read.
By the time I got to high school, I knew she probably had dyslexia or something.
Something that, if I studied hard and took the right classes, I could figure out how to help her learn. ”
“Did you?” He tilted his head curiously.
“No. She left the night of my graduation. I have no idea if she saw me walk across the stage with all my awards and scholarships.”
“I’m so sorry, K?tzchen.” He placed his hand over mine.
“My mother lived hard.” I smiled up at him. “I think once she got me out of high school and knew I had a full ride to Vanderbilt, she didn’t care anymore. I never saw her again.”
“So now you teach little ones.”
I smiled. “Yeah. I do.”
“You love it,” he observed.
“More than anything,” I admitted. “Those kids… they’re why I get up every morning.”
We fell silent, watching the water cascade down the cliff face, the hypnotic pattern of ripples spreading across the pool’s surface. The air had warmed considerably, and I was uncomfortably aware of how my T-shirt clung to my skin from the hike.
“We should swim,” Oktober said suddenly, his eyes reflecting the blue of the water. “Best way to cool off.”
I glanced at the inviting pool, then back at him. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”
His grin turned wicked. “Neither did I.”
Before I could respond, he stood and pulled his shirt over his head in one smooth motion, tossing it aside. The sight of his bare, tanned skin stretched over defined muscle and intricate tattoos made my mouth go dry.
“Coming?” he asked, his hands moving to the button of his jeans.
I stood, suddenly self-conscious but unwilling to show it. “Why not?”
I pulled my own shirt off, aware of his eyes tracking the movement, lingering on the simple cotton bra beneath. His gaze felt like a physical touch, raising goose bumps along my exposed skin. I shimmied out of my jeans, leaving me in just my underwear.
Oktober had stripped down to black boxer briefs that left little to the imagination.
His eyes traveled the length of my body with frank appreciation, and I found myself returning the favor, noting the way his thighs corded with muscle, the flat plane of his stomach, the intriguing lines of ink that disappeared beneath the waistband of his underwear.
We’d had sex and spent the night together, but I hadn’t had the chance to really appreciate how beautiful his body looked.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, mirroring my thoughts. The simple sincerity in his voice banished any remaining self-consciousness.
“Race you in?” I challenged, and before he could answer, I ran the few steps to the edge of the rock and launched myself into the crystal pool.
The deceptively deep and very cold water shocked my overheated skin, driving the breath from my lungs in a gasp as I surfaced.
I pushed wet hair from my face just in time to see Oktober dive in, his body cutting cleanly through the water’s surface.
He emerged with a shake of his head, droplets flying from his hair, like diamonds in the sunlight.
“Jesus, it’s freezing!” I laughed, treading water.
Oktober grinned, swimming closer with powerful strokes. “Good for the circulation, K?tzchen.”
I splashed water in his face. “Is that your expert medical opinion?”
His eyes narrowed playfully. “You’ve declared war,” he said, and lunged for me.
I shrieked, diving away, but he caught my ankle underwater, pulling me back.
We wrestled in the cold water, splashing and ducking, his hands grasping for me while I slipped away like an eel.
Our laughter echoed off the rocks, mingling with the constant rush of the waterfall.
Each time he caught me, his touch lingered a little longer, his grip a little more possessive.
During one escape attempt, I dove deeper, swimming beneath him. As I surfaced behind him, I wrapped my arms around his neck from behind, pressing my body against his back.
“Caught you,” I whispered in his ear.
Oktober went still. Then, in one fluid motion, he twisted in my arms until we were face-to-face, his strong legs kicking to keep us afloat. His expression had shifted, playfulness giving way to something darker, more intense. And so lust-filled he took my breath.
“Ja,” he said, his voice low. “You absolutely caught me.”
His mouth found mine, cold lips warming instantly as we kissed.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he moved us toward the waterfall, until my back pressed against smooth rock.
The position allowed him to stop swimming and focus entirely on me, sliding his hands up my sides to cup my breasts through the wet cotton of my bra.
I gasped against his mouth as he brushed his thumbs over my hardened nipples.
The contrast between the cold water and his hot touch sent electric currents racing along my nerve endings.
When he pushed the fabric aside to take one nipple between his lips, I arched against him, my head falling back against the rock.
“Oktober,” I breathed, my fingers tangling in his wet hair.
“You like my touch, K?tzchen,” he murmured against my skin, moving us deeper behind the curtain of falling water where a narrow ledge provided footing.
“Yes,” I said simply. “I do.”
His eyes, bluer than the pool around us, held mine as he slipped his hand beneath the waistband of my underwear. I bit my lip as his fingers found me already slick despite the cold water.
“I love how wet you are for me,” he growled, circling my clit with maddening precision. “So perfect.”
I thought he might fuck me, but he didn’t.
What he did do was circle my clit with his fingers over and over until I arched against him, needing more friction.
Then, without warning, my body tightened, my clit pulsed, and my pussy clenched as I came with excruciating force.
Oktober caught my scream with his kiss as he worked me through my orgasm before helping me down, holding me tightly so I wouldn’t crash so hard.
I clung to his shoulders, resting my head against his chest. We remained cuddled together in the water for a long while. Oktober murmured softly to me in German. I’d never felt so connected with another person. No one in my entire life.
“You OK?” he murmured against my temple.
I nodded, feeling boneless and completely satisfied. “Better than OK.”
“Come on. You need water and so do I.”
“So bossy.” I grinned up at him.
He dipped his head to mine once more, capturing my lips again for a lingering kiss. “Yeah. But I think you like my bossy ways.”
“I do.” Way more than was good for me. But I refused to say something that stupid out loud.
We took our time swimming back to the flat rocks. Oktober climbed out first, water sluicing down his tattooed body in rivulets that caught the sunlight. He reached down, pulling me up beside him with easy strength.
The sun-warmed rock felt glorious against my chilled skin as we stretched out side by side. Oktober propped himself on one elbow, looking down at me with an expression that made my heart skip.
“You’re something special, Mia Winters,” he said softly.
I reached up, tracing the line of his jaw with my fingertips. “So are you. If I knew your real name, I’d use it.”
He grinned. “You’re reprimanding me.”
“Someone’s got to keep you honest.”
“My name is Hans Richter. And I got the name Oktober both for my German roots and because I might like Oktoberfest a touch more than I should.”
I couldn’t help but laugh simply for the joy of sharing humor with someone after such a wonderful morning. This truly had turned into a wonderful vacation. Sure, I had problems to work out after this hiatus ended, but I could do it with a fresh perspective on the whole situation with Eric.
We lay side by side in comfortable silence for several minutes, letting the sun dry our skin. Oktober’s hand traced lazy patterns along my arm, raising pleasant goose bumps despite the warmth.
“How did you find your club?” I asked eventually, genuinely curious about the path that had led him to the Kiss of Death MC. And what it was like to be part of a motorcycle club.