Chapter Six #2
“I’ll make dinner.” Mason removes the cooler from the car while I build a fire. He pulls out a few wrapped packages and proceeds to slide chunks of beef, peppers, and red potatoes onto metal skewers before laying them on a rack over the fire.
“Anything I can do?”
“There’s a bottle of wine in the cooler.”
“You thought of everything,” I tease. After the kabobs have cooled, we sit by the fire to eat. “This is delicious,” I exclaim.
“Thank you.” A shy smile graces his lips. God, he can go from sexy to adorable in less than a second.
“I’ve had a great time with you today.”
“Me too, Panda. Although, you scared the shit out of me when we tipped that canoe. I couldn’t find you for a second.”
“Don’t worry, I can swim.”
He reaches to slide a chunk of green pepper between my lips. “Do you want to tell me why you thought I was going to push you under?”
“It’s not that I thought you would. I just…
panicked.” His eyes are a deep blue in the firelight as they stare into mine, and I suddenly find my feet interesting.
“I don’t really remember much of the car accident that killed my parents, but I remember the water.
We drove off a bridge into a lake, and I was trapped underwater.
I remember the cold and the dark, the water pressing in. Then I woke in a hospital.”
A rough hand grips mine, pulling me down into his arms, onto a double sleeping bag he’s laid by the fire.
“I understand, love.” And I think he does.
Most people think they get it, that they know how you feel, but that’s bullshit.
But Mason has known grief, and I suspect there’s more to his story that I’ve yet to find out.
He seems to be a happy man, but there’s an undercurrent of melancholy that shines in his eyes when he’s quiet.
As if he’s reaching for something he can’t quite grasp.
He pulls a blanket over us, bringing his lips to mine, and I decide now isn’t the time to question him. “Do you want to go to the tent?”
“Later,” he murmurs. “I want to love on you under the stars.” I gaze up through the treetops at the sky bursting with glittering beauty. “I’m going to drive you crazy.” Soft hair tickles my belly as he drops kisses from my navel to my breasts, his forehead forcing my sweatshirt up beneath my arms.
My nipples tighten in the cool night air. “Someone could see us,” I whisper as he slides my shirt the rest of the way off.
“This place is nearly deserted. It’s just us, baby.” The sensation of his mouth on my nipple steals any further argument. After my other breast is blessed with the same treatment, he brings his hot mouth to mine, kissing me like I hold the only oxygen in the world.
I unfasten his jeans and shove them down where he can kick them off, along with his boxer briefs.
He returns the favor, then pulls off his shirt, leaving us both naked by the fire, only a thin blanket hiding us from any prying eyes.
I love how he groans when I lick across his nipple.
“Evie.” Sliding down my body, he licks and kisses until his tongue slips between my legs.
Oh shit. I throw my head back, staring at the stars as he devours me.
So intense. So beautiful. I have to have him. Here. Now.
“Mason.” I pull him up by his hair and grab his cock. He’s a monster, solid as steel and pulsing in my palm. “Tell me you have condoms.”
With a deep chuckle, he reaches into his jean pocket and produces one, wasting no time rolling it on. “You sure you want this out here?”
“Don’t talk me out of it now.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.”
I can’t help but cry out when he sinks completely into me, stretching me past my limit. “You’re so big,” I groan.
“You’re so tight. So fucking good.” I wrap my legs around him as he arches above me, fucking me—no—he’s making love to me. His eyes never leave mine as he takes me higher and higher until we both lose control, filling the forest with our groans of satisfaction and ecstasy.
He buries his face in my neck while he catches his breath. “You’re amazing, Everly.”
“Funny, I was just thinking the same about you.”
“Are you cold? Do you want to move to the tent?”
“Mmm, you’re warm. I just want to lie here a minute.” He flops onto his back and I cuddle up to him, resting my cheek on his chest.
It feels so good, lying here with him. The stars shine above us and the fire casts a soft glow around us, pushing back the dark. I can’t remember a time I’ve felt more relaxed and content.
* * * *
“Evie, baby, wake up.” Where the hell am I? The sky is barely light when Mason kisses my jaw. “As much as I hate to cover up that sweet body, you need to get dressed.”
Shit. We slept outside all night. Naked. At some point, Mason covered us with a sleeping bag in addition to the blanket. My hair is damp with morning dew, but wrapped in Mason’s arms, I don’t feel cold. I’m greeted with a soft smile. “Good morning, love.”
“Morning. Why didn’t you wake me to move to the tent?”
“You looked comfortable.”
“Mmm, I am, but I don’t want to flash people when they come to shower.”
“Keep the blanket wrapped around you and dress in the tent.” I nearly drool over the sight of his bare ass as he rises and walks to unzip the tent without a hint of concern. His laughter echoes through the forest while I try to retrieve my jaw from the ground. “You coming? It’s a little chilly.”
“You have no shame.” I giggle, slapping his ass before ducking inside. Once we’re dressed, we head toward The Inn Restaurant for breakfast. “We’re really roughing it,” I tease as a waitress brings our food.
“I need some sustenance after last night.”
“You’ll need it more for our hike today.” I spread the map out in front of him. “It’s marked ‘very rugged’.”
“As long as you don’t wuss out and make me piggyback you once you’re tired.”
“I hiked this trail when I was seven,” I scoff.
“Let’s do it.” He drops a few bills on the table and takes my hand. This man has held my hand more in the last two days than anyone else has in my life.
We return to the tent to grab some supplies for the hike and we’re off. Trail three is a beautiful hike, and I’m thrilled to show Mason. None of the men I’ve dated before would have given two shits about seeing the amazing rock formations and winding hollows, but he seems as enamored as I am.
“Wow,” he breathes as we crest a hill and find ourselves on a large rock outcrop. It overlooks the river and miles of forest surrounding it. Stepping up behind me, he slips his arms around my waist and pulls me back against his chest.
“Gorgeous, isn’t it? I’d love to see it in winter, covered in snow.”
“It’s a date,” he says, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“You and your long term dates. You love to plan ahead, don’t you?” I press a kiss on his lips, secretly thrilled he thinks we’ll still be dating by then.
“Nothing wrong with long term, love.” His words pierce something inside me. No matter how I fight to avoid relationships, long term love is all I’ve ever wanted.
After gazing at the scenery for a few minutes, we’re joined by more hikers. Shit. It’s the two men who caught us using the men’s shower. Their hands are clasped, and the one with curly hair grins at us.
“Hey guys,” Mason greets. “Would you mind taking our picture?”
“Sure,” the other man answers, taking Mason’s phone. After he takes a photo, he asks us to do the same for them. They put their arms around each other, and I snap the photo.
“They were adorable,” I remark as we move on.
Mason laughs. “You’re adorable.”
I peek up at him. “So, your brother Alex is gay?”
“Picked up on that, did you?” He grins down at me.
“Do you get along well?”
“With Alex? Sure. It’s Parker that bears watching. You saw how he flirted with you.”
“I’m sure he was only teasing.”
“Only because you’re with me. Otherwise, he’d be all over you.”
“You don’t know that!” I shove him playfully.
“He’s my brother and I love him, but he’s the biggest whore in Indy.”
“Ian could probably give him some competition.” I laugh.
We’re both pleasantly tired and sore when we return to our campsite. Mason makes a delicious pot of chili over the fire. “Oh my god, this is fantastic,” I moan, taking my last bite.
Before Mason can respond, there’s a crack of thunder and the skies open up.
Laughing, I throw our backpacks in the tent and we dive in after.
Mason gives me a wicked grin, quickly stripping off my clothes.
Fuck. I get to make love to Mason in a tent during a thunderstorm.
Life is good. The storm pounds the tent for hours, but Mason has no problem keeping up.