Chapter 11
11
Emily
W e’re sitting on the porch enjoying hot cups of cocoa when I squirm uncomfortably. Christian shoots me a knowing smile.
“Sore?” he asks.
I wince again in my seat, trying to get settled.
“A little bit. And stretched too. Is it possible to have too much sex, do you think? I mean, we have been going at it like animals, Christian, so it makes sense that my lady bits hurt.”
The handsome alpha male smirks at my comment, pleased at the evidence of his masculinity.
“I’m sorry I stretched you so hard, baby, but you’re irresistible. I need your curves 24/7, and fuck, baby, but they feel good clenching around my cock.”
His dirty words make me blush, but they thrill me too because my man’s speaking the truth. Christian and I make love all the time, and I mean all the time . We do it after breakfast, before lunch, and after dinner, and once, when he had a work call, he turned off the camera and gave it to me bent me over the desk while still talking about revenue goals and strategies to control expenses. I almost bit through my own tongue trying to stifle my moans, but oh my god – the load he left in my pussy afterwards was so creamy and hot, and I adored every second of it.
Now, we’ve taken a break and are enjoying hot cocoa on a relatively mild day. It seems the worst of winter has passed, and the sun makes us squint, reflecting off the white blanket on the ground. Tree branches crackle as huge plops of snow fall off in chunks, and there’s the audible skittering of wild animals in the brush.
It’s a wonderful day in the company of my lover, and I smile across at the burly mountain man. Christian is godawful handsome, as usual, with his dark hair brushed back while wearing a thick sherpa coat. The coat has a colorful Navajo pattern throughout, but it only makes him look more masculine and intimidating. Meanwhile, he catches my smile and grins back at me, so gorgeous that I literally feel faint. Oh my god, what is this man doing to me? I’ve lost my mind and it feels insanely good. I’m just about to say something sassy when an odor hits my nostrils.
“Wait, what’s that smell?” I ask, scrunching my brow. “Is something burning?”
As if in answer, we both catch sight of a wisp of grey smoke in the distance.
“Oh wow,” I remark. “Something is burning.”
But Christian stands, his brow furrowed. His piercing blue gaze searches the horizon, sensing danger, and suddenly, he turns to me.
“There’s a wildfire, sweetheart, and it’s coming this way. I want you to take my truck and get out of here. Don’t bother to pack anything because there isn’t time. The fire’s closer than you think. We can’t see the flames right now because of the trees, but bet my words, it’s coming. Go .”
I sit there, immobile.
“A forest fire?” I ask in a dumbstruck voice. “But it’s the middle of winter! How can there be a forest fire now?”
Christian shakes his head, his face grim.
“Climate change, baby. Fire season is now longer each year, and the temps are hotter. The trees and plants are increasingly dried out because of drought, and they make for excellent kindling. Get out of here,” he says in a rough voice. “Now, Emily! Move !”
He tosses me his keys as I stand up, still trying to absorb the new information. The road just cleared up enough to drive this morning, and I thought we’d have a conversation about potentially returning to civilization. But instead, Christian’s in a frenzy. He rushes over to a nearby hose, hauling the massive snake out of its coil.
“ Go! ” he screams at me. “Don’t wait!”
I hurry over to his truck, opening the driver’s door, but then I spin back to look at the man I love.
“But what about you?” I gasp. “What are you going to do, Christian? You have to come with me!”
The alpha male’s expression is grim as he brandishes the hose with both hands.
“My grandfather built this cabin with his bare hands, and the hell if I’m going to leave it,” he growls, that handsome face fierce and determined. “This is all I have left of Grandpa Fred, and I’m going to fight this fire if it kills me.”
His words make me gasp.
“No!” I scream. “You can’t, Christian, it’s not worth it! Come with me!”
But as I cry out, red and orange flames reach towering heights in the distance. They roar to life behind a canopy of trees, and a horrible crackling sound hits my ears. The trees start to bend and break, causing the conflagration to burn higher and hotter even as I stare in horror.
“ Go !” Christian screams. “Now, Emily!”
Tears stream down my face as I hop into the cab of the truck, fishtailing the vehicle before roaring down the mountain. In my rearview mirror, I see my handsome lover, wielding the heavy hose while desperately spraying the roof of the cabin with water. I admire the alpha male’s courage and bravery, but will he survive? My heart breaks ... because I can’t live without Christian Degas now.