Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
God, her heart ached to see him in so much pain. His pain was her pain, and she just wanted to make him forget the past and see the beautiful, bright man she saw today. He was so strong and resilient, and the way he cared about everyone else more than himself showed him to be the most noble, honorable man she'd ever known.
The dust motes danced in the amber sunlight streaming through the cabin's single window, suspended like tiny memories between them. She sat next to him on the worn leather couch, her body zinging with ideas on how she could help him.
Chase's shoulders were hunched, his normally confident posture now fragile and tense. She knew him well enough to recognize the signs of a man wrestling with memories that threatened to consume him. The sharp line of his jaw, the haunted look in his eyes that seemed fixed on some distant, invisible point beyond the unlit fireplace. Her fingers curled into her palms, wanting to reach out but hesitating.
Her heart ached for him, for the darkness she could see gathering behind his eyes. Of all the ideas that ran through her mind, one stood out, and she bit her lip, thinking about it until it became a prayerful litany in her mind.
In one fluid motion, Jewel crawled onto her knees, positioning herself closer to Chase. Her movement was deliberate, careful—like approaching a wounded animal. She hoped to comfort him in ways words could not.
She turned her mind off, refusing to complete the thought as she slid her hands up his thighs, feeling the tension in his muscles. The moment her palms touched him, something shifted. His eyes, which had been sad and unfocused, suddenly became sharp and intensely present. The dull grief transformed into something elemental—raw, primal desire sparking in his gaze.
"What are you doing, my Jewel?" Chase asked, his voice a low rumble that was half question, half invitation.
Her fingers traced small circles against the fabric of his jeans, feeling the heat of his skin beneath. She watched his reaction carefully—each micro-expression, each subtle change in his breathing. This was more than seduction. This was reconnection. This was pulling him back from whatever dark memory had been consuming him, anchoring him to the here and now.
To her.
"Seducing you," she whispered, her fingers moving to the button of his jeans. "Helping you leave the past in the past and focus on the present."
The button slipped free, and she pulled the zipper down with a soft, metallic sound that seemed to echo in the quiet cabin.
Chase sucked in a breath, a sharp intake that spoke of surprise and desire. "With a blow job?"
She shrugged. "Why not?"
His body shifted, muscles tensing and then relaxing, creating space for her to work. He blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear some lingering memory. "I—I've never had one before."
She paused, her eyes finding his as excitement raced through her. Then she became frantic, wanting to give him this gift that no one else ever had. He lifted his hips and together, they tugged his jeans down his knees.
The jeans proved stubborn though, then there was the problem with his boots, which refused to cooperate. Chase cursed, a low, frustrated sound that was half-laugh, half-growl. His attempts to toe off the boots were clumsy, frustrated.
"Fucking boots."
Jewel laughed—a sound bright enough to break through whatever shadows had been gathering in his mind. She helped him, her hands deft and sure, removing first one boot, then the other. The boots landed with a heavy thud on the wooden floor, and she tossed his jeans toward the dresser beside the bed with a flick of the wrist.
In the time it took to toss his things aside, he'd slipped off his underwear and pulled his t-shirt over his head so he sat on the couch, naked and jerking his cock.
Her mouth went dry as his confidence slowly returned. She wanted to see this look on his face every day—no! She couldn't.
But she'd enjoy it for today.
She licked her lips and began to sink to her knees.
"No," he said, his voice sending a shiver up her spine. "Strip first. Stay with me tonight."
Her breath caught in her throat at his command. His voice was no longer soft or broken, but commanding, heavy with unspoken desire and something deeper—a vulnerability she rarely saw in Chase.
She stood slowly, her movements deliberate, holding his intense gaze as her fingers traced the hem of her shirt. One by one, layers fell away. Her shirt drifted to the floor. Her jeans followed, pooling around her ankles.
"All of it?" she asked, her fingers already sliding to her bra clasp.
"Every. Single. Piece."
Her fingers trembled slightly as she unhooked it, letting it fall to the floor. Chase's gaze burned into her, intense and hungry. When her underwear dropped, she was completely exposed—not just physically, but emotionally.
Chase watched her, his hand still wrapped around himself, stroking languidly. The haunted look from earlier had transformed into something predatory, hungry. His eyes devoured her, tracking every curve, every subtle movement.
"Come here," he whispered, reaching out.
She didn't hesitate but immediately stepped toward him like a moth to flame. He didn't pull her close but simply traced a single finger along her hip bone. A touch so light it was almost a suggestion rather than contact.
She hesitated. They'd been intimate before, but this felt heavier somehow, more vulnerable. Her stretch marks stood bright against her skin, and his tanned, calloused finger traced a faint line.
His touch was reverent, almost worshipful. She held her breath, uncertain whether he was memorizing her or exorcising some internal demon.
His hand moved from her hip, sliding around her waist and pulling her closer. Not with sexual urgency, but with a desperate need for connection. For grounding. His forehead pressed against her stomach, and for a moment, she thought he might weep.
But Chase didn't weep; he breathed deep, ragged breaths that seemed to pull something painful from his core.
Her fingers threaded through his hair, holding him against her. Then he pulled back and kissed her stomach.
Chase's eyes never left her body. His finger continued its exploration, sliding from her hip to the soft curve of her stomach, then up across her ribs. When he reached her breast, his touch became firmer. His thumb brushed her nipple, and she inhaled sharply.
"Tell me what you want," he murmured. "I want to please you."
The vulnerability in his voice matched the vulnerability of her naked body. This wasn't just about physical release anymore. This was about healing and connection.
She ran her hands through his hair and looked down into his chiseled face, his five o'clock shadow already casting shadows.
"Pleasing you will please me. Now sit back and let me love you."
Her words hung between them like a promise, but she didn't take them back. His eyes flashed at the words, but he didn't call her out on it. Thank God, he didn't ask her to define what this was between them.
She lowered herself to her knees, her hands sliding along his thighs with deliberate slowness. The wooden floor was cool against her skin, a stark contrast to the heat radiating between them.
Her breath ghosted across the sensitive skin of his inner thigh, and she felt him tremble. She looked up, meeting his eyes. They were no longer haunted, but watchful, waiting, flashing when she took his dick in her hands and stroked up.
Her tongue traced a delicate path along his thigh, tasting salt and his unique taste. His fingers tangled in her hair, not pushing, but just resting, anchoring.
When her mouth finally wrapped around him, Chase let out a sound that was half-groan, half-sigh. His fingers tightened in her hair, but he didn't take control like the last guy she'd been with from a decade ago.
Jewel moved slowly, deliberately, her mouth and hands working in tandem. Each movement was calculated to draw out his pleasure, to keep him present and grounded. Every few moments a low sound would escape him—not quite a moan, more like a wounded animal finding relief.
Chase's breathing grew ragged, his hips moving in subtle rhythm with her ministrations. His fingers remained threaded in her hair, not controlling, but connected. She could feel the tension in his muscles—not just sexual tension, but something deeper. Emotional. Fragile.
She hollowed her cheeks, taking him deeper. Her hand moved in rhythm with her mouth, creating a synchronized motion that made his muscles clench. His thighs trembled slightly, and her other hand cupped her breast, twisting her nipple.
His gazed followed her hand, and he groaned, his breathing changed, and the slight tremor of his thigh muscles grew tighter. She pulled back slightly, looking up at him. Her hand continued its measured stroking, her lips just inches from him.
"Look at me," she said, not recognizing her throaty, breathy voice.
Chase's eyes locked onto hers, pupils dilated, breath ragged as he drew closer to the edge. The connection was electric, raw—something she refused to define. Her tongue traced a slow, deliberate path along his length, maintaining eye contact as she took the tip into her mouth, hollowed her cheeks, and sucked like her life depended on it.
His body shuddered, fingers tightening in her hair. "Oh, fuck, yes," he hissed, his body going rigid as he filled her mouth with warmth. She swallowed on instinct, the tanginess barely registering as she watched his face in rapture.
Jewel didn't move immediately but pulsed her mouth around him until she felt his tense body shudder and then relax. She rested her cheek against his thigh, feeling the rapid beat of his pulse, listening to his breathing slowly return to normal.
When he finished, Chase pulled her up onto the couch, positioning her so she straddled his lap. His hands traced her back, warm and firm, creating a sense of safety she hadn't realized she craved. No words were spoken—none were needed.
The cabin's silence enveloped them, broken only by their synchronized breathing. Chase's fingers traced small circles on her lower back, a gesture both soothing and possessive.
"Thank you," he said softly, hugging her close and gripping her ass as he stood. She gasped, holding her arms around his shoulders.
"Hold on, my Jewel. It's your turn." He strode the few feet to the bed and laid her gently on her back, knees hanging down the side.
She sat up on her elbows. "This isn't a tit for tat situation, Chase. You needed a distraction and release, and I wanted to help."
His hands traced down her collar bone between her breasts. Gentle but firm, he traced her curves with a reverence that made her breath catch. No longer urgent or predatory, his touch was healing—both for him and for her.
"I know," he said softly, his hands kneading her breasts in such a way that made her eyes flutter. "But to move forward into the future, I want to practice something, so you'll just have to bear with me."
She frowned, her eyes opening as his hands trailed down her stomach, and he sank to his knees. He gently spread her knees, and her eyes fluttered at his breath on her clit.
"Oh." She sighed.
Chase's fingers traced her inner thighs, his touch deliberate and tender, mimicking her movements from before. His fingers were inches from where she most wanted them, close enough to feel their heat but not their touch. Her hips rolled as if they had a mind of their own.
His fingertips finally made contact, sliding up her inner thigh with excruciating slowness. Each touch felt like a question, each caress a conversation they weren't having with words. When he finally traced his fingers up her pussy to her clit, she gasped at the sensation.
He circled it slowly, deliberately, and she rolled her hips to the rhythm of their primal dance, a hum in the back of her throat as her eyes closed. The pressure built, slowly and steadily until she was on the edge.
Then he backed off, his fingers falling to her thighs and spreading her wider. Her hips sank to the bed as she gritted her teeth, but before she could say anything, his tongue flicked her clit and dipped lower, tracing her entrance. She whimpered, hips lifting involuntarily as he pressed a finger inside her, curling just so, as his tongue found her clit, a delicate flick that sent electricity racing through her nerves.
She gasped, her hands finding her breasts and pinching her nipples.
He hummed against her pussy. "Hmm, yes, play with yourself, my Jewel. Show me what you like."
Then his mouth set up a pulsing rhythm with every suck of his mouth and flick of his tongue. It kept pace with the fingers inside her, and her muscles clenched with anticipation.
Her back arched, hips lifting involuntarily. Chase's firm hand settled on her stomach and held her in place, preventing her from moving too quickly. The waves grew higher and higher, and her body coiled tighter. She hooked her ankles around his back, pressing him closer with her heels as she moaned.
"God, yes, yes, right there."
She rolled her nipples as her eyes rolled back into her head. Everything was too hot, her body, her mind, her heart burned for him until her back arched and her toes dug into him, pressing him closer as she yelled.
Her entire body vibrated as he hummed, tumbling over the edge, every nerve tensing and quivering as the lava streaked through her very soul.