Chapter 18
“You up for an adventure?” Her dark brown hair was fanned out across the pillow she was laying down against on the sofa, and Sebastian almost questioned his sanity about taking her out of the house instead of back up to his bedroom.
“What?”
“Get up. We’re heading out into the great wilderness today.”
She slammed her book shut as she sat up, her eyes bright with excitement. “Really?”
“Yup. And we’re ditching Nash and Gage. It’s just going to be the two of us. It’s about time I took you on that second date.”
“And what are the two of us going to be doing…out in nature?” She lifted her right eyebrow and he couldn’t hold in his laughter. By the flush on her cheeks that was growing brighter by the second, he knew her mind had traveled to their time spent outdoors the night before.
“Oh, a little of this, a little of that.”
“Give me a little more than that, Seb. How am I supposed to dress? Do I need hiking boots and a bunch of layers to keep warm?”
“You could wear nothing and I could keep you warm myself.”
“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” she rolled her eyes. “So?”
“Yes,” he laughed. “Dress warm. I’m thinking a hike and a picnic are just what the doctor called for.”
She jumped up from her spot on the couch, throwing her blanket to the side. He watched her leave the room, her gorgeous brown hair floating behind her.
“Looks like that was a good idea, Cap,” Nash laughed as he walked into the office.
“Yeah, but I don’t want her to know why we need to get out of the house. Okay? You and Gage handle the meeting with Agent Wilson and let me know what information he shares.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Don’t leave the meeting without getting something concrete on Marco, Nash. I mean it. We need to figure out his weakness and use it to our advantage.”
“And what if that weak spot is Emma? Are you willing to use her to lure him out?”
The hair on the back of his neck prickled. He wouldn’t have risked Emma before there was anything going on between them, but now that they’d taken things to the next level, there wasn’t a snowflake’s chance in Hell he’d put her anywhere near Marco.
“No. You know I’m not. I won’t put her in danger.”
“Not even if it’s controlled? Not even if we are all there, ready to step in before he can hurt her? It might be our only way, Cap.”
“I meant what I said. It’s off the table.”
“What’s off the table?” Emma asked, strolling back into the office with her hair up in a tight bun, absolutely drowning in one of his Navy sweatshirts.
“Classified work stuff, Sprinkles.” He walked over to her and placed a kiss on her cheek.
“I see something has changed between you two.” Nash’s eyebrows raised and he let out a laugh at the scowl Emma was sending his way.
“Pay no attention to him. Let’s get out of here and go see all the beauty Colorado offers.”
“Sounds good to me, as long as there are snacks. I don’t want to starve while we hike. Talk about double torture.”
“Snacks will be provided, Sprinkles, but only after the hard work is done.”
“Nope. I’ll stay home then, thank you very much.” She plopped down on the sofa and smiled big at Sebastian. He scooped her up, walking towards the garage as she yelled at him in between bursts of laughter.
* * *
“I. Cant. Keep. Going.” God, forget about Marco, this hike was going to kill her. Maybe that was Sebastian’s plan all along. Get her alone in the wilderness, then make her hike until her heart gave out. Then he’d be able to buy the bakery without worrying about her putting up a fight.
“Here,” he laughed. “Let’s sit over on that log and catch our breath. The altitude up here can make the hike really tough.”
“Oh yeah,” she panted while she sat, thankful to rest her aching legs. They’d driven out to the trail at the back part of Sebastian’s property, and Emma originally thought they were just going to take a leisurely stroll. She couldn’t have been more wrong. “You seem…real out of…breath.”
“This is my happy place, Em. I’ve spent months out here at a time, it doesn’t take my body as long to get used to it.” He took a sip from his water bottle before handing it to her. She didn’t even care if she looked like a feral cat, snatching it from his hands and gulping the cold liquid down.
“How much further do we have to go?”
“Are you really not having a good time?” His face was a mixture of surprise and concern.
“It’s just not my cup of tea. But maybe when we get to this mysterious place you’re taking me to, I’ll feel different.”
“Oh, you definitely will.” The mischievous smile that broke out across his face had her heart fluttering. Or maybe that was just the first sign she was actually headed for cardiac arrest.
“We’re about ten minutes away.” He put his hand out in front of her and she grabbed on, shrieking when he pulled her up into his chest. She couldn’t help but stand on her tiptoes and kiss him.
“Thanks for putting up with my attitude.”
“Your sass is one of my favorite things about you.” He wrapped his arms around her bottom and squeezed. “This bubble booty of yours coming in at a close second.”
“Sebastian!” She playfully shoved away from him, turning to run up the trail head. Only, her running was more like a brisk walk, and he easily caught up. Wrapping his arms around her waist, Sebastian lifted her off the ground and put her over his shoulder, pinching her bottom and making her burst out with laughter.
“Okay, okay, I surrender!” she laughed. “Put me down, Seb! I know I’m too heavy to carry the rest of the way!”
“Too heavy? Are you trying to insult me? You’re like a feather, Sprinkles. And besides, I will happily hold on to you until we reach our destination.” Apparently, holding on to her meant having his hands spread across her ass, but she wasn’t complaining.
“What is that noise?” Emma asked a few minutes later as Sebastian set her back down on her feet.
“That, beautiful, is the reason we’re here.” He laced his fingers through hers and led her to the edge of the path. Her heart skipped a beat. The forest opened up in front of them and revealed the source of the noise.
“A hot spring? You have a natural hot spring on your property?”
“Yep. It was this very hot spring that sealed the deal for me. This land was my first big purchase when I left the Navy. I love it here.”
“I can see why. The view is…” she held her breath as she looked beyond the small pool of water. The woods surrounding them opened up into a clearing, and with the elevation, there was a gorgeous view of the valley below.
“Stunning.” He finished her sentence, but when she turned to look at him, he wasn’t enjoying the scenery. He was staring at her, and she immediately felt a flush rush from her chest up to her cheeks.
“I want to get in so badly, but I didn’t bring a suit. You should have told me,” she whined playfully.
“I brought something for you to wear,” he winked, slinging the backpack off his shoulder and unzipping the top compartment. He held out a faded gray shirt with NAVY printed on the front in bold letters.
“That’ll do,” she smiled, grabbing the shirt and heading behind a cluster of bushes.
“You could change out here, Sprinkles.”
“Not a chance!” she replied, flustered by his immediate laughter.
Emma slipped off her shirt and bra, then her pants and underwear. She had no plans of slipping into his shirt, although it felt so soft and smelled like him. Maybe she would wear it after their dip. For now, she was going to get into that hot spring naked as the day she was born, hoping Sebastian would understand exactly what she was trying to communicate without words. Now, she just had to swallow her nerves and actually make it back around the shrubs she was hiding behind.
Despite begin a confident woman, Emma was struggling with walking from behind the damn bush and strutting her stuff in front of Sebastian. She didn’t want him to worry that she regretted what happened the night before, or that she was going to fall apart at the tiniest mention of Marco.
“Turn around,” she called out, not ready for him to see her. Being naked under the moonlight after the biggest emotion-dump of her life was one thing. Being naked, in the full sunlight of day, after a vigorous round of flirtation was another.
“Why?” Sebastian asked.
“Because I want to surprise you with something. Now turn around and no peeking.”
His only response was a small laugh, but as Emma looked over the edge of the shrub that was concealing her completely naked state, she watched him comply with her request. What a gentleman. Her stomach turned into a million butterflies as she tiptoed over to the edge of the hot spring and let her body sink into the warm water.
“Okay, you can turn around now.”
Sebastian’s cool gray eyes raked over her, from her hair that she had taken down, letting it fall around her shoulders haphazardly, down to her lips. His eyes continued lower, to her collarbone, and then the very little bit of her chest that was still above water.
“Sprinkles. Are you not wearing anything right now?”
“Of course I’m wearing something. I know how much you love custom-fitted suits. I think my birthday suit falls into that category.” She fluttered her eyelashes innocently at him, until she noticed his swim trunks perfectly displayed his growing discomfort. “Time to live up to your nickname, Suits, and show me yours.”
* * *
With an invitation like that, how could he resist? He pulled his trunks down, and Emma bit her lip as she drank every inch of him in as he got into the spring with her.
“Damn, I forgot how warm the water is.” The heat immediately made the pain in his knee fade.
“It feels amazing,” Emma admitted. “Even after being all sweaty from our hike.”
“I know something else that would feel amazing,” Sebastian winked as he swam towards her.
“You are impossible,” she laughed, playfully shoving at his shoulders.
“Impossibly handsome, sure. Impossibly charming, maybe. Impossibly in awe of your strength, well, that’s an absolute yes, Sprinkles.” His teeth grazed over the spot where her neck met her shoulder and her eyes rolled into the back of her head at the contact.
“Seb…”
“Let me show you what I mean.” He placed his arms under hers and lifted her from the water. She sat on the edge, her hands flying up to cover her chest. That wouldn’t do. Having her under the moon the night before had been like a dream, but he was ready to memorize every inch of her in the sunlight. “No, Emma. We are the only two people for miles. Don’t cover yourself up. I want to see every inch of you fall apart while I enjoy tasting you.”
Her legs pressed together as if she were trying to quench her growing need for friction, but when his palm landed softly on her thigh, tracing swirls around her skin, she moaned and let her legs fall open.
Sebastian licked his lips and started placing slow, languid kisses onto her flesh. He worked from her leg, to her hip, to the scar on her belly. When she whimpered as he kissed the place that was the physical reminder of everything she had suffered, he stopped.
Her eyes wouldn’t meet his, and that just wasn’t going to work.
“Sprinkles. Look at me.”
Nothing. It didn’t even seem like she was breathing, she was so still.
“Emma.”
“I hate that scar, Sebastian. And you just kissed it like it was the most beautiful part of my body.” She bit into her lower lip and it sent a jolt straight to his cock.
“It is a beautiful part of you, Emma. You did the most amazing thing, growing your daughter and keeping her safe while you could. That scar makes me want to move heaven and earth for you. I won’t kiss or touch you there again if it’s too much, though. I don’t want to do anything that would hurt you.”
“How can you just be so all in?”
“I’d like to be all in you right now,” he mumbled, and her laugh set his soul on fire.
“That’s not what I meant, you perv. I’ve been trying to resist whatever this is between us, and after last night I thought you’d run away and never look back. But here you are, still wanting me.”
“You’re worth it.”
“I think I forgot that for a minute, but I know I am. I just didn’t know if you’d see that, or only see the damaged parts of me.”
“Why don’t you let me get back to showing you just how I see you.”
He took advantage of the fact that his head was level with her chest, sucking in her nipple while swiping a finger through the apex of her thighs. God, the way she arched her back and moaned had him nearly falling apart. His mouth popped off her nipple and he set his sights on his feast.
“Oh, god, Seb…” her chest was rising and falling rapidly and he felt her hands slide into his hair as his tongue circled her clit. Swiping his tongue back and forth, he sucked the little bud into his mouth as he pushed a finger inside of her.
“More. That feels so fucking good, but I need more, Seb.”
Emma’s legs clamped around his head, shaking as he pressed a second finger inside. Her body moved back and forth with his own thrusts and swirls. Fuck, she tasted amazing. He never wanted another meal in his life. Only the taste of her would do. He bit down slightly on her clit and felt her explode around him. When he finally looked at her, his heart caught in his throat.
Emma’s head was thrown back, her hair wild and wind blown. The sun was shining across her glistening skin and there was no doubt in his mind that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“God, Seb. That was amazing.”
“I think that might just be the best meal I’ve ever had,” he laughed, licking his lips before pulling her back into the water.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to hike back to the car. You might as well leave me here for the bears.”
He pressed his body against hers, dropping his head down to capture her lips in a kiss. “Sorry, Sprinkles. After that, you’re definitely stuck with me. I’ll carry you down the mountain if need be.”
Sebastian jumped when he felt Emma’s hand land on his cock.
“Maybe I just need a little snack to get my energy back up.”
“I packed some granola bars,” he said as his jaw clamped down. Her fingers began working up and down his length, teasing him.
“Not the kind of snack I was thinking,” she giggled as she looked into the water, biting her lip. “It’s your turn to sit on the edge, Mr. Montgomery.”
Holy fuck. He heard his formal name about ten million times a day in meetings, and it had never gotten him hard. Yet Emma says it once and he was ready to burst. He needed to remember that this was supposed to be about making Emma feel good. About showing her how much she meant to him. Just as she lightly ran her thumb over the tip of his rock hard cock, he grabbed her hand, trying desperately to breathe away the tightening in his balls.
“This isn’t about me, Em. I mean, shit, I almost came just from watching your orgasm earlier. But I’m good. You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to.”
She looked up at him through her lashes, a mischievous smile growing across her face.
“Oh, I’m doing exactly what I want to right now, which is why you need to use all those amazing muscles to get out of this hot spring and onto that edge. You shouldn’t be the only person who gets to satiate their hunger.” Emma batted her lashes at him a few times. “Or, are you wanting me to beg, Mr. Montgomery?”
“Fuck, Emma, you saying my name like that is making me painfully hard.” Sebastian turned and pulled his body out of the water.
“I can see that. Should I take care of that for you, sir.”
“Sprinkles…oh fuck,” he groaned as her warm, wet mouth slid onto his cock. He nearly bucked off the slab of rock he was sitting on as her tongue licked him root to tip. Seb’s fingers threaded through her hair, guiding her up and down at a blissful pace.
He tugged on her hair until she popped off him.
“I want to be buried inside you when I come, Em.”
The tiny moan that escaped her lips as she licked them had him straining to find her entrance. “Fuck me, Sebastian.”
Emma walked from the hot spring, draping her leg over Sebastian’s body before sliding down on top of him. He kissed her punishingly, their tongues fighting for dominance as Emma moved her body up and down his length. God, sex had never felt like this for him before. So ethereal. So connected. It wasn’t just about their bodies finding pleasure.
Sebastian swiped his thumbs over her nipples as he kissed and sucked her neck. Emma gasped, increasing the pace of her frantic movements, adding her own hand in between her legs.
He growled as he moved her hand away. “Mine,” he said as he slipped his own hand down her body, his finger finding her clit. As her nails raked down his back, he felt her teeth sink into his shoulder.
“Oh god, Seb…” she shook around him and he felt her orgasm hit just a second before his own ripped through him.