Chapter 10 #2
I can’t help but stare. I’ve never seen him without a shirt on.
And oh my god now I know why. If I would have I would have been in huge trouble.
The man is a wet dream. He’s muscular, all broad shoulders, defined chest and abs that speak of years of hard work.
His skin is tanned from spending time outdoors, and there’s a trail of dark hair across his chest that leads down his stomach and disappears under the waistband of his board shorts.
Tattoos cover both arms and part of his chest, club ink, military symbols, and a few others I don’t recognize.
He looks strong. Powerful. And way too attractive for my peace of mind.
He catches me staring and raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything. Instead he reaches into his dry bag and pulls out a bottle of sunscreen.
“Take your shirt off.”
“Huh?”
“You’re gonna burn if we don’t do this first,” he says, holding up the sunscreen. Oh, right. I feel my cheeks heat, but I nod and pull my tank top off, leaving me in just the black bikini. The morning air feels cool on my skin.
Rook squeezes some lotion into his palm and starts rubbing it across my shoulders and the back of my neck. His touch is firm but careful, fingers sliding over my skin in smooth strokes. The cool lotion contrasts with the warmth of his hands.
“Hold still,” he mutters, voice low. “You missed a spot here.”
My breath catches. “Thanks…”
He laughs softly behind me. “Don’t sound so surprised.”
He finishes my shoulders, then moves to my upper back. The intimacy of the moment makes my pulse quicken. When he’s done, he hands me the bottle. “Do my back?” he asks.
I take the bottle, trying to keep my hands steady.
I spread the lotion across his broad shoulders and down his back.
His skin is warm from the sun, smooth over hard muscle.
My fingers trace the lines of his tattoos without meaning to.
My stomach flutters, and my pulse quickens.
I get lost in the sensation, in the feel of him under my hands.
“You done?” he asks after a moment, voice a little rougher than before.
I blink, snapping out of it. “Yeah. Sorry. All set.”
He turns around and gives me a small smirk. “Ready?”
We carry the boards down to the water’s edge. The sand is warm under my flip flops, and the air smells fresh and green, like moss and sunshine. Rook shows me how to attach the leash to my ankle.
I step onto my board and wobble a little. Rook’s hand shoots out to steady my waist, warm and solid. “Easy,” he murmurs, close enough that I can smell his soap. “You’ve got it.”
Once I find my balance, we push off into the spring.
The water is cool against my skin, crystal clear so I can see fish darting below us.
For the first few minutes I’m focused on not falling, but eventually I settle into a rhythm.
We paddle side by side. The only sounds are the gentle splash of our paddles and birds calling overhead.
About twenty minutes in, I look over at him. “This is beautiful,” I say. “I can’t believe I’ve never done this before.”
Rook glances over with a small smile. “Most people haven’t. That’s part of why I like it. Feels like my own little world out here.”
We keep paddling, talking easily as we go. “So,” I say, “what made you get into paddle boarding?”
Rook looks out at the river. “After I got back from the Army, everything felt loud. The club helped, but I still had a lot of noise in my head. One of the older brothers took me out here one day. First time I stood on a board, I almost fell in immediately.” He laughs at the memory.
“But once I got the hang of it… it was the first time in years my mind went quiet. Just me, the water, and whatever I needed to work through.”
I nod, understanding more than I expect. “It feels like the water is magic. Everything else just fades away and it’s just us out here in the middle of nature. Nothing else matters.”
“Exactly.”
“You know,” I say, still smiling, “I never pictured you as the paddle boarding type. I always figured you spent your free time fixing bikes or glaring at people.”
Rook laughs, a real one that makes his eyes crinkle. “I do plenty of that too. But out here… it’s different.”
The rest of the trip is peaceful. The sun warms my skin, the river carries us gently, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I can just breathe.
As we load the boards back into the truck late in the afternoon, my arms are tired and my skin is warm from the sun, but my mind feels clearer than it has in weeks.
A little while later, Rook paddles over to a small, secluded sandy spot along the riverbank.
“Let’s take a break,” he calls.
We pull the boards onto the sand. Rook opens his dry bag and pulls out a small blanket, more snacks, and a couple of cold drinks. He spreads the blanket out and gestures for me to sit.
“Wow,” I say, laughing as I settle down. “You really planned this out, didn’t you?”
He gives me that small smirk again. “Had to make it worth your while.”
We sit together on the blanket, eating and talking.
The sun is warm on my skin, the river flows gently beside us, and the conversation flows just as easily.
We talk about everything and nothing, funny club stories, memories from our childhoods, what we both want for the future.
For the first time, we’re not at each other’s throats.
We’re just… comfortable. Growing closer with every laugh and shared story.
After we finish eating, I lie back on the blanket and stare up at the sky. The clouds drift lazily overhead, and the sun feels perfect on my face.
“Come on,” I say, patting the blanket beside me. “Lie down and look at the sky with me. It’s nice.”
Rook hesitates for half a second, then stretches out next to me. We lie side by side in silence for a moment, watching the clouds.
I feel his eyes on me. When I turn my head, he’s staring, not at the sky, but at me. The look in his eyes is intense, warm, and full of something I can’t quite name. Before I can say anything, he leans in and kisses me.
The kiss starts slow and soft, but quickly becomes heated. His hand slides into my hair as he deepens the kiss, tongue brushing mine. I moan softly into his mouth and he pulls me onto his lap so I’m straddling him. He’s sitting up now, one arm wrapped around my waist, holding me close.
He kisses down my neck, sucking lightly at the sensitive skin, then moves lower to my chest. He tugs the cup of my bikini top to the side and sucks my nipple into his mouth, tongue swirling around it.
I gasp, arching into him. I can feel his hard cock pressing between my legs through his board shorts. I rock against him, rubbing myself along his length, and he lets out a deep, guttural moan against my breast.
“Fuck, Scarlett,” he groans, voice rough with need.
The sound sends heat rushing through me. I grind down harder, chasing the friction, lost in the feeling of his mouth on me and his cock against me.
His free hand slides down my back, gripping my ass and pulling me tighter against him. He switches to my other nipple, sucking harder, teeth grazing just enough to make me whimper.
“You feel so good,” he murmurs against my skin. “Been thinking about this since that night in the compound.”
I thread my fingers through his hair, holding him to me. “Then don’t stop.”
He doesn’t. His mouth moves back up to mine, kissing me hungrily while his hands explore my body, squeezing my ass, sliding up my sides, cupping my breasts.
I rock against him in a steady rhythm, the thin fabric of my bikini bottom and his shorts the only thing between us.
I can feel how hard he is, how much he wants me, and it makes me even wetter.
“Rook…” I breathe, grinding down harder.
He groans again, the sound vibrating against my lips. One of his hands slips between us, fingers pushing my bikini bottom to the side. He strokes me once, feeling how soaked I am, and curses under his breath.
“So fucking wet for me,” he says, voice dark.
I moan as his fingers circle my clit, then slide lower, teasing my entrance. I roll my hips, trying to take them deeper, but he keeps the touch light and maddening.
I reach between us and palm his hard cock through his shorts, stroking him firmly.
Before I can free him, he catches my wrist gently.
“Don’t,” he says immediately, voice strained. He sighs heavily, resting his forehead against mine. “If you touch me, I’m not going to be able to stop. I want you… fuck, I want you so bad. But I don’t want you out here. I want you somewhere I can lay you out and devour you for hours.”
His words send a fresh wave of heat through me. I nod, still breathing hard, but I can’t help grinding against him one more time.
“Promise?” I whisper.
He kisses me deeply, slow and possessive. “Promise.”
We stay like that for a while longer, me in his lap, his arms around me, the sun warming our skin. The tension between us is still there, hotter than ever, but it feels different now.
Eventually we pack up and get back on the paddle boards.
He’s easier now, more relaxed. He points out some otters who are catching fish and eating in the river, and turtles sunning themselves on low-hanging tree branches.
Every now and then he glances over at me with a small, private smile, like he’s still thinking about what almost happened on the blanket.
By the time we make it back to his truck, I’m exhausted, but at peace. I haven’t felt this good in I don’t know how long.
We load the boards into the bed, and I climb into the passenger seat. Rook gets in and puts his warm hand on my thigh, thumb brushing gently back and forth. The ride back to town is peaceful, windows down, soft music playing, the late afternoon light golden through the trees.
But the closer we get to the compound, the more reality starts seeping in.
What does this mean?
I glance over at him. His hand is still on my thigh, warm and steady, but his jaw is a little tighter than it was earlier.
“Rook…” I start quietly.