Chapter 7
Once inside the confines of her tent, Amber tossed and turned, unable to silence the whirlwind of thoughts that clouded her mind. The events of the day had taken a toll on her, and the adrenaline still coursed through her veins, making sleep an elusive prospect. She sighed heavily and sat up, running her fingers through her hair as she debated her options. She could try to force herself to sleep, but she knew from experience it would be a fruitless endeavor.
Carefully unzipping her tent, Amber peered out into the night, and the endless sky of stars. She spotted Hunter’s platform next to hers and weighed her options. Not normally impulsive, she took a second to think things through, but the desire for his companionship weighed heavier than logic. Slipping out of her tent, she crept softly toward Hunter”s, her bare feet making no sound against the cool earth.
Reaching his tent, Amber paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before slowly unzipping the entrance and poking her head inside. Hunter lay on the king mattress, his chest rising and falling steadily with the rhythm of his breath. Amber called out to him softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
“Hunter?” she said, her voice barely audible.
He stirred at the sound of her voice, his eyes blinking open to regard her with a sleepy gaze. “Amber?” he murmured, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What”s wrong?”
“I can”t sleep,” she admitted.
Hunter sat up. “Come here,” he said, pulling back the blankets to make room for her.
Amber hesitated for only a moment before ducking inside the tent and crawling under the blankets beside him. Hunter wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her close as he whispered soothing words into her ear. Amber felt the tension in her body begin to dissolve as she melted into his embrace, her breathing slowing to match his own.
He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, and she leaned her head against his chest. They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the sound of each other”s breathing.
“You know I”ll protect you, right?” Hunter said softly. “No matter what happens out there, I won”t let anything bad happen to you.”
Amber smiled in the darkness. “I know,” she said. “I don’t know why, we’ve only barely just met, but I trust you. I’ve known Cameron for a long time, and if he says you are a good guy, I can trust him.” Hunter’s arms tightened around her in response to her words.
The night was cool, the kind that crept in under the covers with you and wrapped around you like a blanket. Amber shivered, and Hunter adjusted his arm around her, tucking her closer into his side.
“You’re cold,” he said.
“I’m fine,” she said, but didn’t move out of his arms. Instead, she pulled the fabric of his shirt closer to her chest and breathed in the scent of him. It was some kind of cologne or soap, but it smelled like him. Warm and inviting, like home. She took a deep breath and sighed contentedly.
“No arguments tonight,” he said, pressing their bodies tightly together from shoulder to hip. “I need a reason to keep you close.”
Amber swallowed hard as goosebumps prickled along her skin at the low timbre of his voice. “You needed an excuse?” she asked teasingly.
Hunter chuckled softly in response. “No excuse needed,” he said, nuzzling her hair. “You fit perfect in my arms, Amber.” His voice was thick with longing and need when he continued, “I don”t think one night was enough.” Silence stretched between them. Amber wasn’t sure what to say, so she elected to say nothing.
“Amber?” Hunter said after a while, his voice husky and low. She lifted her head to look at him. His face was illuminated by the moonlight filtering through the slight opening in the canvas tent, and she saw uncertainty in his eyes.
“What is it?” she asked.
Hunter took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing. “I don”t want only a one-night stand,” he admitted. In the dim light, she could see the vulnerability in his eyes. She never expected a man like Hunter would show any vulnerability. “I want more than that with you.”
A warmth spread through her chest at his words. “Hunter,” she started, but he placed a finger on her lips to silence her.
“Wait, let me finish,” he said. “I know this is fast and we don”t know each other well, but you belong here.” He gestured to his arms around her. “In my arms,” he clarified with an edge of wonder in his voice as if he couldn”t quite believe what he was saying himself.
“I don’t think I can…” Amber’s words trailed off as she tried to process his. She’d been feeling the attraction but, she knew from experience, her lifestyle wasn’t one where a relationship would be possible.
“I won’t pressure you. But I cannot have sex with you again and promising no emotional connection. If you get to me anymore…there won’t be an option. You’ll be mine. Now, we have a big day tomorrow. We should sleep,” he said. She rolled over, giving him her back and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep.
But as the minutes ticked by, Amber grew more and more restless, her body yearning for something more than just the comfort of Hunter”s arms. She was acutely aware of every point of contact between their bodies, from the warmth of his breath against her neck to the steady beat of his heart against her back.
She could feel the heat radiating off of him, and it sparked a fire within her that she couldn”t ignore.
She knew the risk. Rational Amber knew that this was just lust and adrenaline and the sexy former Navy SEAL beside her was a definite factor. But, in that moment, all she wanted was to feel the heat of his skin against hers, to taste his lips and see where this would lead them. She’d been taken back by exactly how intelligent, funny and charming he was.
Hunter”s words from before echoed in her mind—I don”t want only a one-night stand…
Taking a deep breath, Amber made her decision. She may as well give it a shot, right?
Slowly, Amber turned in his arms, so they were face to face. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared into his eyes.
“I can”t stop thinking about you either. I want this... I want you.” She said the words in a husky whisper as she leaned in and brushed her lips against the pulse point on his neck. Hunter groaned and tightened his grip on her waist, as if she were his lifeline.
“I don”t know if it”s smart,” he managed to say between ragged breaths. “But hell, I can”t resist you.”
“I... I don”t know what the future will bring,” she whispered, “but...”
Hunter cut her off with a searing kiss, his lips crushing against hers in a bruising yet passionate meeting of their mouths. His hands moved up and down her back, pressing her impossibly closer to him. Amber moaned into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck for purchase as their tongues danced a heated tango together. The kiss deepened, hands roaming over each other”s heated bodies until they were both breathless and panting for more.
“Are you sure?” Hunter whispered against her swollen lips, his voice ragged with barely restrained desire.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Then maybe I can help tire you out.” Hunter said, rolling over on top of her. They fumbled with each other”s clothes in the dim light, their hands roaming over the now familiar terrain. Amber felt the heat building within her as Hunter”s touch sent sparks flying through her body.
Hunter”s lips trailed down her neck, his tongue making a blazing trail as he tugged at her earlobe. “Tell me what you want, Amber,” he said huskily.
“I-I...” Amber struggled to catch her breath, the fire in her belly growing hotter by the second. “I want you...” she whispered, her cheeks flushing crimson in the dim light of the tent.
Hunter smirked as if he could read her mind, his eyes dark with desire. “I’m going to ask once more. Are you sure about this? It’s not a one-night stand if it happens twice,” he teased, his fingers dancing over her collarbone before dipping lower, tracing patterns across her abdomen. Amber arched into his touch, moaning softly as his fingers trailed lower and lower still.
“Yes,” she managed between gasps, “I’ve never been more sure.”
Hunter brought his lips back to her neck, and then down her collarbone, leaving a trail of fire in his wake as he pushed her shirt up, unhooked her bra and took her aching nipple into his mouth. Amber arched her back, moaning softly as he teased the sensitive bud between his lips before moving on to the other. He was not gentle, but she didn”t want him to be. She wanted more, needed more.
“These clothes have to go,” he muttered before making quick work of removing both of their clothes and tossing them to the platform floor.
He lowered his mouth back to her pert nipples, sucking and nipping as she arched her back in pleasure. His hands trailed down to the apex of her thighs, teasing her mercilessly as she writhed beneath him.
“I need…” she panted, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I”ve got you,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. Hunter prowled over her, his eyes blazing with a fire that both terrified and aroused her. He gripped her wrists above her head, pinning her in place.
“I’ll fuck the anxiety out of you. How does that sound?” he asked her, flicking the top of her clit. Amber moaned in response, too lost in the sensations sweeping through her body to form coherent words. Hunter slid both hands between her thighs, teasing and pleasuring her sensitive spots with one and plunging a finger in and out of her with the other. Amber could feel herself teetering on the edge of orgasm as he continued his torturous pace.
“Hunter, please,” she panted.
He chuckled darkly and entered her with a single thrust, filling her completely. Amber cried out in pleasure-pain as he stretched her, the overwhelming sensations almost too much to bear. She reached up and dug her nails into the tender skin of his back and his thrust gained speed and force. Amber arched up into him, meeting his thrusts with equal fervor. The world narrowed down to the two of them—the cool night air, the rustle of the trees outside the tent, and the sound of their heavy breathing.
“Hunter,” she moaned, her voice hoarse with pleasure. “Yes... Don”t stop.”
Hunter groaned in response, his thrusts becoming even more insistent as he brought them both to the edge of ecstasy. Amber”s world narrowed down to the sensations coursing through her body, the feel of his skin against hers, and the sound of their rapid breathing.
Hunter”s rhythm increased, his hips slamming into hers with a force Amber didn”t know she was capable of handling. She cried out in pleasure, her back arching off the mattress as he brought her to a shattering orgasm. As she came down from her high, she felt him stiffen above her, his hips bucking against hers as he spilled himself inside her. Collapsing onto her chest, he pulled her close, their hearts pounding in unison as they both tried to catch their breaths.
Afterward, Hunter pulled her close to his chest, enveloping her in warmth and safety and whispered in her ear, “Now go to sleep.” His breath was warm against her skin, and she could feel the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. Before she could even respond, he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and kissed her forehead gently. Obeying his command without question, Amber closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the blissful weight of slumber that finally claimed her. The world around them faded away as she drifted off, safe in Hunter”s strong embrace.