by Bella Jewel
He nods. “Of course I fuckin’ do. I didn’t create this retreat just to get sex from women. That isn’t what I’m doin’ here. Did I plan on meeting anyone? No. But there’s somethin’ about you that draws me in, and I want to see what that is.”
“The problem with that is I have a life and that life isn’t here. I can’t just give everything up for us to simply see where it takes us. If I throw it all away, and it doesn’t work...”
“Not askin’ you to give it all up, I’m askin’ you to give it a chance. I’ll never ask you to give anything up. Not fuckin’ ever.”
I exhale, staring at my hands. “You scare me, Rhett. There is something about you...something I feel like I don’t deserve.”
“You fuckin’ look at me, Lei.”
I close my eyes for a second and then look up at him. He holds my eyes, a determined glance on his face. “You deserve the god damned sun and the world that sits beneath it. If you don’t believe that, you’ll never find peace. You’re one in a million, don’t fuckin’ forget it.”
I stare at him, eyes burning with unshed tears. I stand and walk over to him, reaching out to take his face in my hands, then I lean down and kiss him, long and soft, feeling every single emotion that is choosing to run through my body right now. I want to give this a chance, I want to see where this can lead, but I’m also scared. Terrified that if it goes wrong, it’ll break me into a million little pieces.
I pull back. “I want to see where this goes, too.”
He stands, curling his hand around the back of my neck and pulling me close. “Fuckin’ finally, you had me wonderin’ for a minute there.”
I smile up at him. “Well, I couldn’t show you all my cards, you might get bored and leave before you have the chance to see how well Diablo and I are going to get along.”
He grins. “He’s my horse, he’ll never betray me like that.”
“Oh, you just wait and see, it’ll be Diablo and I against the world. Soon, he’ll be saying ‘Rhett who’.”
Rhett grins and leans down, kissing me again. “If I didn’t just stitch your leg, I’d throw you in that water right now.”
“Pffft, if you could catch me.”
He gives me a wicked smile. “Is that a challenge?”
“It could be.”
“Accepted.”
I smile in anticipation.
This is going to be fun.
Oh yes.
Fun indeed.
“THAT BLANKET IS CREEPY as fuck,” Kara mutters, staring at the blanket on the sofa.
I showed it to her and explained everything I found. She isn’t a fan of the fact that I bought the blanket home, but I had to investigate it further. I told her about the phone and how it went missing, and the boot prints I found. She listens intently, writing it all down and then we both sit and try to figure out who is missing their phone.
“I haven’t paid attention,” she thinks aloud, “the fact is, most of us aren’t using our phones because we’re here to enjoy ourselves. I haven’t seen anyone spending a great deal of time on them.”
She’s right, I haven’t either.
“But someone must be missing one, we just have to figure out who and we might be able to work this out.”
“But that person now suspects we’re onto them, so they’re probably going to do something to throw us off, maybe go buy a phone to try and trick us. Whoever it is knows we’re getting closer, they have to be.”
“That’ll make them more nervous,” I say.
“We need to keep our eyes peeled or we’re going to miss something, something big. I have thought about it over and over, and I just can’t figure out who would do this. They’re all so...so good. I struggle to understand a motive.”
I too have thought of every possible scenario, and I just can’t see why anyone would want to hurt Taj. Unless there is something we’ve missed, something we just haven’t seen.
“What about the boot print?” I ask. “We could compare that.”
She nods. “We could, but again, each of us have a few pairs of boots and it could be hard to find them without it looking obvious.”
“We’re going on a hike soon, we could trail behind and take photos of any prints, try and do it like that.”
Kara nods. “That’s a good idea, actually. I’ll take photos and mark down who the boots belong to, we might be able to find something.”
God, I hope so. I hope so because Taj’s family deserves answers, and we deserve to know what has been going on right in front of us. Someone we trust has done the wrong thing, and I’m determined to find out who that is and why. Someone goes to sleep every night knowing they’re the reason Taj is dead.
“What if nothing comes up because whoever did it has left?” Kara murmurs, more to herself than me.
“Well, if we can’t find anything here, then perhaps it’ll narrow it down even more. At least we’re trying, that’s the best we can do.”
She nods, standing. “Well, on that note, I’m going to get dressed into something sexy because none of those cowboys have hit on me yet and I’m desperate for at least one sexual experience before we leave.”
I laugh. “Good god, you’re determined.”
“Girl, I see how that cowboy looks at you, and I need some of that in my life. I’m zeroing in on Enzo, he seems up for a good time. God, I only want him once. One decent night and I’m a happy customer.”
I giggle. “You’re terrible.”
“What about you? Are you going to let that cowboy make your legs shake again? I say you take him off the track during the hike and let him throw you against a tree, give you a good fuck and then just join the crowd again as if nothing happened.”
Well damn, that’s not a bad idea.
Not bad at all.
“Tempting,” I murmur.
“Come on, I’m ready to get out there and solve this murder, as well as find me some ass. Hop to it, get your shoes on, we’ve got business to take care of.”
With a laugh, I get to my feet.
Ten minutes later, we meet everyone at the main house where Rhett tells us about the hike we’re going on. It isn’t uphill, thank God, but it will be quite long. At the end there is a beautiful swimming area and a huge waterfall, so it’ll be worth our time. We all take our packs and get on our way, Kara and I trailing at the back, taking photos of boot prints like a bunch of amateur detectives.
“What are you two girls lagging behind for?” Emily asks, dropping down to the end of the line when she notices we’re not keeping up.
“Ugh, I’m just so tired,” Kara lies. “Not all of us are fit and healthy like you, Em.”
Emily laughs. “Trust me, I’m dying on the inside.”
“Grace is up the front with the guys, looking like she’s been hiking her whole life,” I murmur. “Damn her.”
Kara nods. “Girl has energy.”
We keep walking, with Kara snapping photos where she can. Mid hike we all stop to have a drink and a break. Rhett comes over to the rock I’m sitting on, squatting down in front of me. God damn he looks good, all sweaty and masculine, like he belongs in these woods, like he was born here. “No snakes yet.”
“Ha-ha,” I mutter. “You won’t be seeing that little show again.”
“Wouldn’t mind,” he murmurs, putting a hand on my knee and running it down my inner thigh.
I shiver. “You better watch yourself, cowboy.”
He grins. “Or what?”
I hold his gaze. “Or I’ll take you off into those trees and let you fuck me.”
His eyes flash with a hunger that makes my heart race. God damn, never in my life would I have dared say something like that to a man, but around Rhett I have this confidence that is slowly building by the day. Kara’s words gave me ideas and the entire hike, all I’ve been thinking about is him.
He leans forward and murmurs, “You better be careful where you walk, sweetheart, you might find yourself in a situation you can’t get out of.”
I bite my lip. �
�How terrible.”
He grins, standing and yelling out to the group that we’re moving again.
My heart races as I get to my feet and look to Kara who wiggles her brows at me. I grin and we keep hiking, but the entire time, I’m wondering when Rhett might make a move. Will he make a move? God, I hope so. I really hope so. There is something wild and untamed about the thought of him taking me in the open wilderness, his body against mine, his cock inside me as I desperately try not to scream.
I’m off in a daydream, so deep into it, that I don’t notice Rhett fall back in the crowd until he’s right in front of me.
His big body turns towards me and forces me to stop as the rest of the group walks past us. He murmurs something to Enzo as he goes by, and Enzo gives him a wicked grin before calling out to keep moving. Kara gives me big eyes as she goes past, and a grin so devilish I can’t help but feel nervous for what’s about to happen.
“Hi,” I say when Rhett leans forward, his big body sweaty and strong, blocking my path. “Can I help you?”
“I don’t know, that depends.”
“On what?”
“I lost somethin’, right there in the woods. Can you help me find it?”
“If you’re about to give me a bad pick-up line about losing your penis in my vagina I’m going to have to catch up to the group...”
A low chuckle leaves his throat and puts a hand flat on my chest, pushing me into the woods a little until my back lands against a big tree. His hard body presses against mine and oh, I’m turned on. So wickedly turned on. He growls into my ear, “I’ll give you somethin’ a whole lot fuckin’ better than a bad pick-up line.”
I open my mouth to reply but he reaches forward, shoving his hand over it and pushing my head back. “Talk and I’ll fuckin’ stop. You got me?”
Oh god.
Yes.
So much yes.
“As much as I’d love to make this slow and pleasurable, I don’t have time to ravish your body, so for right now, I’m going to fuck you the way you’re beggin’ to be fucked. Like a wild animal.”
Yes.
Yes please.
“Don’t scream.”
He releases my mouth, spins me around, puts a hand into the middle of my back and pushes me down. My hands come out and land in the dirt, but he keeps my ass in the air. He jerks my jeans down and my heart races as the feral sensation of his actions takes over. I am so incredibly excited and turned on. His hand runs down the bare flesh on my bottom and he slaps it, hard. I cry out and he growls at me to be quiet once more.
For every scream, he’ll slap.
I hear some shuffling and then his pack lands on the ground beside me, a few seconds later his cock is at my entrance, pushing against the tender opening. I grit my teeth, because I know this is going to hurt. He pauses, then steps back and pulls me up, pressing my back to his chest, hooking an arm around my breasts as his mouth goes to my ear, making me shiver. “I might fuck you like an animal, but I’m not one. Gotta warm you up.”
He reaches down, slipping his hand between my legs where he begins to rub. My head falls back onto his shoulder and his other hand begins to caress my breast, his mouth moving over my neck, his beard tickling, his lips warm. He kisses me softly, while rubbing my pussy and playing with my breast, and the combination is enough for pleasure to build rapidly in my body. His fingers are like magic, and I’m so turned on it only takes a few minutes for me to find my orgasm.
It comes hard and fast, I cry out, trembling against him.
A satisfied growl, and then he has me bent over once more. This time, he doesn’t hesitate. He takes his cock, and he slides it into me, slowly, but oh my, the pain is almost as intense as the first time. I cry out, wincing as he fills me, but unlike the first time, the pain goes away a whole lot quicker and the sensation of him filling me can be felt in its entirety.
“Oh god,” I cry out, more to myself than him, as a new kind of pleasure fills my body.
“That’s what I’m lookin’ for, this time I’m goin’ to make you cum so hard you’ll scream my name.”
He pulls his cock out and then drives it back in, causing me to yelp and then moan in pleasure as he picks up the pace, his hands on my hips, riding me with such ferocity and precision until I explode with a pleasure unlike anything else. It comes from deep inside, a warmth that builds until I can’t take a single second longer. When it releases, it releases with a vengeance and my screams echo through the woods, Rhett’s name on my lips.
He finds his release a minute or two later, and only when he stops shuddering behind me does he reach down and pull me up, wrapping an arm around my waist and burying his face into my neck, his sweating and panting turning me on, even though I’ve just found my happy place. I close my eyes, taking a moment to enjoy exactly how this feels. I want this...forever? I don’t know, but I do know something for certain.
I’m falling in love with Rhett.
And that terrifies me.
18
I squeal as I leap off the rock by the waterfall, traveling rapidly down until I land in the water with a delighted laugh. Kara follows closely behind and when she pops up, she’s laughing, too. Rick and Emily follow soon after, but Grace is dead against jumping, she said she’s terrified of heights so she’ll stay right there on the shore where she’s currently sunbaking in a bikini.
I swim under the waterfall, letting it hit my head, the big heavy droplets like a massage. I close my eyes and enjoy the moment, taking every single second of it in until I feel as though I might just miss the hell out of this place. I open my eyes and look over to Rhett, who is sitting on a rock talking to Enzo. As if he feels my eyes on him, he turns to look at me and his expression makes my heart flutter and my whole-body tingle.
I smile and then dive back into the water, swimming around until I’m ready to climb out and have some lunch. I get out of the water and go over, taking my towel and sitting down, admiring the view.
“What do you think?” Enzo asks, walking over and joining me.
I look up at him and smile. “It’s pretty amazing.”
He sits down beside me. “Yeah, it’s fucking great. Listen, I want to talk to you about somethin’...”
I blink, confused. I stare at him, suddenly feeling like this conversation is about to take a painful turn.
“Ah, okay.”
“I can see you and Rhett have got somethin’ goin’ on and that’s all well and good, but you gotta know that when you leave this place...it has to end.”
I’m confused.
I shake my head. “What do you mean? Isn’t that his choice?”
“It is, and don’t think I’m bein’ a dick sayin’ this to you because I really like you and it’s clear he does, too, but there’s shit you don’t know about Rhett and one of those things is that he’s not the stickin’ around type. I’ve seen this before, more than once. He is into you, but you’ll give it all up and it’ll fade. You don’t believe me, ask Maggie. Them two had a thing and then he gave her the flick.”
My heart feels as though it’s going to leap right out of my throat.
I try not to say anything, to react, to show him how much his words hurt me but...oh...they do.
They kill.
“I’m not tryin’ to upset you, Lei. Trust me, last thing I wanna do is hurt your feelings, but I don’t want to see you step away from the orchestra and give everything to come here and have him change his mind, because he will change his fuckin’ mind. Eventually, it’ll go to shit. Thousands of women are goin’ to walk through those doors, and he’s goin’ to feel this way about more than one of them, but when it comes down to bein’ the man that sticks around, he’ll let you down.”
Don’t cry, Lei.
Don’t do it.
Not here.
Not in front of him.
I nod, sharply.
Enzo looks to me, his face showing remorse. “I really am sorry.”
He stands and walks away, and I have to get the he
ll out of there before I lose it. I stand and rush off into the trees, where tears burst forth and flow down my cheeks. Is what he’s saying true? Will Rhett just give up on me? Will I sacrifice everything? Isn’t that the point of long distance for a while? Maybe that’s why he said that, so he can end it with me when he’s done. Oh god, am I an idiot? I feel like a fucking idiot.
“Hey.”
I turn to see Kara standing by the tree I’m leaning against, her face soft, her eyes narrowed with concerned. “What did Enzo say to you?”
I tell her in a crackly voice exactly what he said. She sighs and steps forward, putting her hands on my shoulders. “Listen, he could be right, and maybe you need to keep that in the back of your mind, but what if he’s wrong and you throw it all away without finding out where it can go? I’ve seen the way Rhett looks at you, there’s no way what he’s feeling isn’t real. I think you’d be crazy to give it up.”
“The thing is,” I say, swiping my eyes, “is that if Enzo is right, I don’t think I can handle it. It hurts now, it’ll only hurt that much more if it happens later, when I’ve let my feelings grow and develop.”
“Maybe you should talk to Maggie?”
“So she can confirm it? I don’t want to do that.”
“Then talk to Rhett, tell him your concerns.”
“He might think right now he wants to be here with me, but if Enzo is right, that might just change down the track. He said I’m not the first girl he has acted like this with. I’m not special, what we have is not special. Enzo isn’t a nasty guy, he wouldn’t say it just to be spiteful, he’s Rhett’s best friend. He knows better than anyone.”
Kara sighs. “I feared something like this might happen. Look, in the end what you do is your choice, I’ve got your back no matter what, but I think you should at least talk to Rhett.”
I nod, wiping away my tears. “We better get out there before anyone gets suspicious.”
Kara takes my hand, and we appear back into the clearing. Rhett’s eyes fall on me right away, but I don’t hold them long. Instead, I dive back into the water, going under to try and take the redness from my cheeks. I swim over to the waterfall, not looking back, and climb up and in behind it. It’s beautiful in here, big wet rocks and little pools of water. I sit by one, dangling my feet into it.