by J. S. Cooper
“Are we going to a creek or something?” I asked him with a small smile. “Are we going swimming?”
“Something like that.” He walked past me.
“So, what happened to your last assistant? I assume you had one, right?”
“I had one.” His voice was lower now. “She’s gone.”
“Where did she go? Why did she leave?”
“Things became complicated ...” He stopped suddenly and looked at me. “Why are you asking?”
“I was just curious. I—”
I was interrupted by several loud cracks, the sound of branches breaking to the left of us. My gaze darted toward the noise, but I could see nothing there. No other humans and no animals. My eyes flew back to Wade and his dangerously handsome face. I swallowed hard. Where the hell was this man taking me? And why did I feel like I would follow him to the ends of the earth, no questions asked?
“Let's continue with our walk and talk at the same time.” He started walking again, and I followed on his heels.
“Was she pretty?”
“Was who pretty?”
“Your last assistant.”
“Where is this coming from?” He frowned. “Are you going to recite any of your poetry to me?”
“Maybe one day.”
“Why not now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Please? He looked hopeful. “I’d love to hear one of your poems.”
“I guess, but you have to promise not to laugh.”
“I promise.” He crossed his fingers and touched them to his heart. “I won’t laugh.”
“Fine, let me think.” My heart was racing, but I was happy that he was paying an interest. I only hoped he liked them. “Okay, I have one that is fitting for today.”
“Oh, yeah? I can’t wait to hear it.”
“Tall crashing waves, thunderous roars, gray skies, the way I feel when you’re not here, timid, scared, uneasy. Sunshine, rainbows, a deer on the grass, the way I feel when you’re near me. The forest dew tells a story, the owl in the trees sees it all, my heart, my soul, live in the sky, waiting on never, waiting on forever, waiting on sometimes. A white butterfly flutters by, stops on a petal, seeks a new beginning, makes me blink, makes me sing, makes me believe. A wolf stalks through the grass, smelling rather than seeing, trusting rather than knowing, and I just wait. Tall crashing waves, thunderous roars, uncertainty. All I can do is wait. And then maybe you’ll come back to me.” I stopped, cleared my throat and blushed as Wade just stared at me. “I’m done.”
“He really broke your heart, huh?” His voice was full of sympathy.
“Who?”
“Whoever you wrote that poem for.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms and stared into my eyes. “He wasn’t worth it.”
“I ...” My voice trailed off at the look in his eyes.
“If you ever write a poem for me, I would want it to be happy. I would want it to be full of joy.”
“No one broke my heart.” And it was true. No one had broken my heart. But that was the problem. I’d never really been in love. I craved a relationship that was worth writing poetry for. And as I stared at Wade, I knew that he was worthy of my poetry. Only I wasn’t sure that I could promise that it would be happy.
“Good.” He leaned down and kissed me tenderly, his fingers in my hair as he held me close to him. I could feel his heart beating against mine, and I kissed him back, loving the smell of him as I melted into him, wanting to lose myself in his essence. “You’re a talented poet, Savannah.” He stroked my hair. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
“You’re welcome.” I stared up at him, dazed with longing. If he was to attempt to take my clothes off right now, I would let him. If he wanted to strip me and make love to me right here, right now in the middle of the forest, I would let him. I didn’t care about the bugs, I didn’t care about the mud and leaves. I didn’t care about anything. At this moment, there was only the two of us. I felt like we were Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the only two people in the world. Just me and him. Wade and Savannah.
“Come on, let’s keep going. I think we just have a mile more to go.” He broke the stare and ran his hands through his hair. “I can’t wait for you to see this.”
“See what?” I bit back my disappointment as the moment between us vanished like smoke. I wanted to make love to him. I wanted to give myself to him. I wanted it to be a moment I’d remember for the rest of my life.
“You’ll see.” He laughed, looking happier. “I miss these moments,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “Just being one with nature, not having to worry about everything in the world. Just taking each moment as it comes. Just believing in goodness.” He snuck a look at me. “Sometimes when I’m with you, I feel like there is good in this world after all.”
“Thank you.” His words made my heart swell. “So, do you have any hidden talents that I don’t know about?”
“Hmm, let me think …” He continued walking and a comfortable silence fell between us as we made our way. “I guess I have the ability to make do in any situation.”
“Oh? What does that mean?”
“I think that no matter what life throws my way, I figure out a way of keeping going.” He nodded to himself. “Do you know that Nelson Mandela quote?”
“Which one?” And then I laughed. “I don’t know why I said which one, I don’t know any of his quotes.”
“He said, ‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.’" He nodded to himself. “And that’s what I do. No matter what happens, I continue rising.”
“What do you rise from?” I asked softly.
He stopped then and smiled wistfully. “I wish I could tell you, Savannah Carter.” He looked sad for a few seconds and then grabbed my hand. “We’re nearly there.” Excitement lit his face. “Come on, I’ll race you.”
He started running, and I ran after him, wondering what his secrets were and if I would ever find them out. I didn’t catch him and was out of breath by the time he stopped, but when I finally caught up with him, I looked around me in awe. We were standing next to a small waterfall. The gushing water, the green trees, the birds flying by—it all looked like something from a movie. This amazing place had been well worth the short hike.
“Thanks for bringing me here, this is beautiful.”
“Oh, this is just the beginning.”
“Just the beginning?” I frowned. “We’re going to keep hiking?”
“No, we’re going swimming.”
“Oh? Where?”
“We’re going to jump.”
“Jump?” My mouth dropped. “Jump where?”
He pointed down at the small lagoon beneath the waterfall. “We’re going to jump from this waterfall into the water below.”
“Oh, hell no!” I laughed. “There’s no way. I do not want to die today.”
“You won’t die.” He grinned. “We’ll jump together. Take your boots and clothes off. I’ll put them in my water bag.”
“Are you being serious?” I swallowed hard and watched as he took off his clothes and boots and stuffed them in his bag. He was standing there in a pair of black swim trunks and a huge grin on his face.
“Yes.”
“I can’t do this.”
“Do you trust me?” he whispered.
As I took in his dark eyes, with just a hint of playfulness in them, I knew that I did. I nodded slightly.
He grinned. “Take your clothes off.”
I hesitated just a few seconds before I took off my boots and socks and handed them to him to put in the bag. Then I pulled off my top and shorts and handed those to him as well.
I stood there in my hot pink bikini. He nodded approvingly as he took in my appearance.
“I like it.” He stepped closer to me and looked me up and down. “Very sexy.”
“I wasn’t going for sexy.”
“Then it’s just natural.” He laughed boyishly
as he put the rest of my clothes into his bag, clicked it shut, and put it on his back. “Come on, let’s do this. I promise you will love it.”
“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“I don’t.” He grinned. “Follow me.”
He walked around the side of the waterfall to a spot that seemed to be right in the center of the top of the waterfall. He looked behind and waited for me to catch up and then he pointed down. “You’re aiming to hit that spot.”
“There are rocks down there. We could crack our skulls open!”
“We won’t.” His voice was full of confidence. “Do you want to hold my hand and jump together?”
“No!” I laughed and shook my head. “No way!”
“Are you scared?”
“Yes, of course I’m scared!” My stomach was a ball of nerves and I could feel my legs trembling. “That’s a long jump. How deep is the water?”
“It’s a good thirty to fifty feet. You’ll be okay.”
“I don’t know.” I chewed down on my lower lip.
“Trust me, Savannah.” His green eyes searched mine. “Do you want to watch me first?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.”
He took a few steps back then ran straight off the cliff, doing a backflip before straightening his body and slicing into the water. I held my breath for what felt like minutes, then gasped with relief when his head broke the surface.
“The water feels amazing!” he shouted up to me. “Absolutely amazing!”
“I bet it’s freezing!”
“I wouldn’t say freezing.” He laughed as he swam around. “You can do it, Savannah!”
“I’m not sure.” I looked down and my head started spinning. “It’s so far!”
“But I’m here waiting for you at the bottom.” He smiled up at me. “You can do it.”
“Okay.” I took a few steps back. “You can do this, Savannah,” I whispered to myself and then took a deep breath and ran. I jumped and screamed as my arms and legs flailed through the air. I wanted to throw up, but before I had a chance to think about it, I was in the water. As I swam to the surface, I could feel the vibration of the water from the falls hitting the surface of the river. I took a deep gulp of air as my head met the cool air.
“You made it.” Wade grinned as he swam over to me.
“I did.” I started laughing. “I can’t believe I did that!”
“I’m so glad you did.” Treading water, he pulled me into his arms. “You looked so sexy jumping.”
“No, I didn’t.” I put my arms around his neck. “I bet I looked like a scared rat.”
“Not at all.” He kissed me on the lips. “Did you enjoy it?”
“I was scared stiff,” I admitted with a laugh as I ran my fingers through his hair.
“That’s not the only thing that’s stiff.” I slapped him lightly on the shoulder. “You know what also feels amazing?”
“What?”
“Skinny dipping.”
“Anything to get me out of my clothes, huh?”
“I’ve seen you naked before.”
“And I’ve seen you naked before as well.”
“Yes, you have.” He grinned as his hand squeezed my ass. “You’ve even touched me naked. Taken me into your mouth naked.” He winked.
“You’re a fool.” I ran my hands down his back and then pushed away from him and swam toward the land.
“Savannah?” he called after me and I could hear him swimming behind me. I quickened my pace and scrambled onto dry land. “Where are you going?”
I stood there and smiled at him, hoping I looked sexy. “Nowhere.” I grinned and undid the top of my bikini, letting the flimsy material fall to the ground. My nipples tightened in the cool air, and I shivered slightly, but then when I saw the look of lust on Wade’s face, I warmed up again quickly. Then I took a deep breath and took my bottoms off. I stood there naked and self-conscious, but then I heard Wade’s sharp intake of breath. He got out of the water, dumped his bag on the ground, and pulled his trunks off.
I stared down at his cock and tried not to lick my lips. He was magnificent. I had to repress the urge to push him down to the ground and jump on top of him.
“You’re beautiful.” He walked over to me, his eyes on my breasts. “I can’t lie, I want you so badly right now.” He kissed my cheek and then trailed his mouth down my neck and along my collarbone.
“Do you?” I ran my fingers down his chest. His skin felt warm and silky. I moaned as he slipped a hand to my breast and gently stroked my nipple.
“I’ve never wanted anyone more than I want you in this moment.” His eyes pierced into my heart. “I want to bend you over and fuck you so hard. I want you to scream my name so loud that every bird in the woods knows that I’m inside of you.”
“Oh, Wade …” I felt wet just thinking about him inside of me. And then, because I didn’t know what I wanted to happen, I ran back into the water and dove in. I swam for as long as I could without breathing and then came up for air. Wade was a few yards behind me.
“Follow me.” He nodded toward the waterfall and we swam over to the side where it was shallow enough to stand. He stopped and faced me. “Close your eyes and lean your head back.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
“Okay.” I nodded, closed my eyes and leaned my head back as I tread water. I could feel the lightest flicker of water droplets on my face. And then I felt the warm glow of the sun warming up my body. Suddenly Wade was behind me and holding my back.
“Just relax,” he whispered into my ear, his hands massaging my shoulders. The pressure of his fingers kneading my muscles and the touch of his skin on mine felt amazing. I’d never felt such bliss.
“Don’t stop,” I whispered as he shifted behind me and he chuckled.
“Welcome to Utopia,” he whispered back and started humming a song I’d never heard before. This was yet another perfect moment in our day. Wade Hart was making me feel things I’d never even imagined feeling. So many poems were bursting to be written and to be said. And the best part of it all was that I truly believed in my heart that Wade was falling for me as well. As I floated in the water, the sun kissing my face as his fingers massaged away my stress, I knew that tonight was going to be the night.
I was going to make love to the man I was falling in love with, and it was going to be the best night of my life.
Chapter 17
“How are you feeling?” Wade squeezed my knee as we pulled back up to the manor. I smiled at him lazily, my eyes half closed as I drifted between sleep and alertness, my entire body soaked in euphoria.
“Amazing. Absolutely amazing.” I smiled at him. “I think this has been the most perfect day in my whole life.”
“Well, I’m glad I got to experience it with you.” He put the truck in park and then turned to me. “You don’t have to cook dinner tonight. I can order a pizza if you want.”
“That sounds great.”
“I guess you want to shower now?” He opened his door and got out and I got out as well.
“Yes, I think I would like that.” I walked to the back of the truck to help him carry some of the bags.
“A nice shower and change of clothes will warm you right up.”
“I don’t think I want to change into any clothes,” I said mischievously, peering up at him through my lashes.
“You don’t?”
“I think I’d like to stay naked.” I moved closer to him. “With you.”
“With me?” He arched an eyebrow at me. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.” I kissed his cheek and tugged on his shirt so that he would face me. “I want this, Wade.”
“I want you as well,” he growled and pulled me into his arms, kissing me roughly as he tugged on my hair. “Are you positive?”
“I’m positive.” I kissed him back passionately, running my hands up under his shirt and touching his ba
re skin. “Let’s go to your room.”
“What about the shower?”
“We can shower together.” I grinned.
He growled again, his teeth tugging on my lower lip as he squeezed my ass. “Let’s go inside. I’ll get this stuff later.”
He tugged on my hand and we ran into the house, giggling like kids as we hurried to his bedroom. I noticed his mother in the kitchen as we ran down the corridor and I saw her frowning, but I ignored her. As we entered his room, Wade swept me up into his arms and carried me into the bathroom where he put me down and began taking off his clothes. I pulled my clothes off as well, and he pulled me into his arms and kissed me, my breasts crushed against his chest as his fingers tangled in my hair. Lust bloomed deep within me as I felt his erection hardening against my belly.
“Your moans alone are enough to make me come,” he growled as he bent down and took a nipple into his mouth. He nibbled lightly on my most sensitive of spots then tugged slightly. I cried out at the slight flash of pain that heightened the intense pleasure. My fingernails ran down his back and around to his stomach, then he stilled as my hands went further down and I wrapped my fingers around his rigid cock. I moved my hand back and forth, relishing his groans of pleasure. I grinned at the moisture I felt on him and his cock grew even harder.
“Fuck.” He pushed me back against the wall. The towel rack pressed into my back as his lips traced my neck. His right hand slipped between my legs and his fingers quickly found my clit and rubbed urgently. I moaned and closed my eyes at the exquisite pleasure that was building up. “You’re so wet already.” His teeth sank into my skin, and he slipped a finger inside of me. My legs buckled as he fingered me, while his thumb rubbed my clit. “I want to make you come a million times tonight,” he grunted as I whimpered. “Fuck the shower, we’re going to the bedroom.” He picked me up as if I weighed nothing and he carried me back to the bedroom.