by Marlie May
“Faster.” She lifted her hips to meet mine. Her head thrashed on the pine needles. “I want…I…” Her words dissolved into a moan.
“Yes.” With a guttural sigh, I sped up, driving into her over and over, satisfying her need while giving into my own.
We rushed toward the peak together, and I echoed her cries. Arms trembling, my body a shaking mess, I held myself back until she spasmed around me.
She pressed her face into my shoulder. “Yessss.”
Shuddering, every muscle in my body forging into steel, I found bliss in Ginny’s arms. And collapsed on top of her afterward, a massive wreck.
We breathed as one. Our hearts thudded together in a furious pace that finally slowed. I held her close and kissed her lips. Her eyelids. That tender spot where her jaw met her neck.
I might not have a whole man to offer Ginny, but I would shower her with every speck of myself I had left to give.
Ginny stirred in my arms, and I rolled onto my back on the ground beside her. The sting in my shoulder from the movement made me confident I had a mark—where she’d bitten down on my skin when she came.
She turned onto her side and propped her head up on her elbow. She traced my tattoo with her fingertip. It tickled, and I snorted. The soft smile she gave me shot joy through me. There wasn’t anything more satisfying than the well-sated expression on this woman’s face, except knowing I was the one who’d put it there.
If only…
I needed to ditch that thought immediately because there was no if only for me. Just now.
“I’m starved.” Her words broke the stillness, pulling me back to the present where I needed to remain. “Someone I know had hot dogs a few hours ago. I, however, have burned up more than a pancake.”
“You saying your tank’s running on empty?” I stroked her shoulder, the side of her breast, and on to her waist. Satin couldn’t compare to Ginny’s skin. Nothing would make me happier than to touch her every single day of my life.
“In some ways.” Her eyes darkened.
I wove my fingers into her damp hair and urged her nearer for a kiss. Groaning, I smoothed my lips along hers and stroked her lower lip with my tongue before biting down. Not long ago, I’d had more pleasure with Ginny than anyone else before. How could I want her all over again?
I couldn’t get enough of her.
I had a feeling I’d never get enough of her.
15
Ginny
I lay with Cooper in the forest until the sun slanted along the sky, making me realize that, if we didn’t leave soon, we wouldn’t get back in time for Brittany and her family to leave for town.
To make the weekend extra fun, the campground planned fireworks tonight. I had a few fireworks I wanted to explore with Cooper in his tent afterward.
The rain may have quenched the ground, but it also generated humidity. Steam rose from the forest floor and swirled around our sneakers in silvery ghosts. We held hands and hurried, determined to arrive at the campground by five.
We tried to hurry, that is. I kept giving into my insatiable urge to stop on the trail and make sure I’d been right all along about Cooper’s lips.
Goals met, we emerged from the woods just before five. While shimmering waves of yellow and pink spread along the horizon, we grabbed dry clothing and hurried to the changing rooms. This time, we shared space on purpose. We both had to change, and Cooper wanted to watch over me. Or plain old watch me. I couldn’t resist turning this opportunity into another tease. Slowly peeling off my clothing, I shifted my hips in a rhythm older than time. I dropped the wet things onto the bench, exaggerating my bent-over movement, spreading my legs. It was all I could do not to laugh when he groaned.
His fingertips trailed along my hip, and he turned me to face him.
“You’re going to be the death of me.” His eyes focused on my breasts. His fingers ran across my skin like fire and centered on that place between my legs that ached for his touch.
I lifted my eyebrows. Need trembled through me. “Don’t tell me you’re worn out already?”
He growled and backed me against the plank wall. “I’ll show you worn out.” His mouth came down hard on mine. Or my mouth rose to press against his. Both equally satisfying.
When his fingers feathered down my body and delved inside me, we both gasped.
He pulled a condom from his pocket and put it on.
“Now,” I said, my voice a full-on plea.
With my thighs spread wide and linked around his hips, he drove inside me. I moaned and arched against him, tension spiraling through me, building already. Would it always be this good between us?
Pulling out, he thrust forward again. When I moaned yes, he took on a rhythm that pounded himself into me over and over. My muted cries urged him on, sending us ever higher.
One thing was quickly becoming clear to me. While slow and deep might be a welcome part of my future, I was a complete fan of hard and fast.
We strolled back to the campsite, arriving just in time for our neighbors to leave.
“Nothing went on at your site while you were gone,” Brittany said with a firm nod, her narrowed eyes scanning the area. “I made damn sure of it.”
“I appreciate that.”
“And thank you again for watching our camper.” She and her family walked toward the parking lot.
I started the grill while Cooper stooped down and tinkered with the fire pit.
“Firewood’s wet.” Soot painted his face, turning him into a warrior primed for battle. “You sure we can’t use explosives?”
Whining like a little kid. If he didn’t stop upping his cute factor, we’d starve.
“None of that, now.” I meant more than the fire. But the gleam in his eyes told me he’d read my thoughts as if I’d screamed them out loud. He lifted one eyebrow and nudged his head toward his tent.
Warmth pooled inside me. I wanted him again. How could I heat up for him this fast?
“You, Tarzan,” I said breathlessly. “Make fire. Me, Jane. Make dinner.” I spun away, giggling.
Abandoning his duty, his arms snaked around my waist while he shifted my tank strap to the side with his teeth. He nibbled on my shoulder.
Sliding my eyes closed, I tilted my head back and drank in the sensation of his lips performing magic. The bag of briquettes slipped from my hands and dropped onto the grill, making it clatter. My eyes popped open, and he left me with a deep chuckle, obviously aware of what he did to me. Of course, this game was best played by two, and I had no issue with increasing the stakes. But there were families nearby, even if our next-door neighbors were gone for the moment. Not that I couldn’t cook up a few ideas for later. I was also eager to experiment with nibbling.
Heart thumping with anticipation, I got the grill going and wrapped potatoes in foil. I’d lay the corn cobs on the grate in their husks when the chicken was nearly done.
While our meal permeated the air with the scent of mesquite goodness, I got out the fixings.
Cooper proved himself worthy of the fire gods and had a roaring blaze going in no time.
“How’d you do that?” I couldn’t keep the awe from my voice.
His chest expanded, and he chuckled.
My grin filled my face because making him happy made me happy. I was beginning to know Cooper Talon well.
Unsettled, I spun away, pretending I needed to check the chicken. I really needed to hide my fading smile because caring and knowing soon turned into loving, and we didn’t have a lifetime to explore each other.
Just days.
We ate until we couldn’t stuff in another bite. After, we washed the dishes at the faucet, laughing as we tried to steal the trickle of water from each other.
“I need to use the facilities,” I said as I placed the dish drainer on the picnic table.
“I’ll walk with you. While you’re inside, I’ll go get my sweatshirt from the car.”
Nodding, I grabbed my tote, and we walked across the green. He lef
t me at the wooden building that housed the showers and bathrooms and continued up the path toward the lot.
Since a crowd of teenagers filled the community bathroom—putting on make-up and styling their hair—I went around the side of the building to one of the family-style rooms.
The door refused to stay shut with the latch alone. Grunting, I yanked it inward and then made sure the lock clicked into place.
At the sink, I pulled off my tank and shorts. After wringing out a washcloth, I ran it over the important areas. Satisfaction filled me—something I hadn’t felt in years, if ever—solely due to Cooper.
What would my present be like if we’d hooked up in high school? Would we still be together? I liked to think we would be. But if we had connected, I would’ve missed out on the wonder of my travels. The places I’d been, the people I’d met. But Cooper…being with him would be worth the loss.
He was different from my old boyfriend, Zen. Where Cooper was open—I could read his emotions on his face and in his actions—Zen had been secretive. Sneaking out during the night, never willing to tell me where he’d been. And his sudden flares of anger. I sure wouldn’t miss that part of our relationship.
After drying my body and redressing, I brushed my teeth and combed my hair. The latter I left down around my shoulders. I packed my things inside my tote.
My phone rang, and I answered. “Hello?”
A long silence was followed by breathing. Great. Somebody was fooling around.
“I’m watching you,” the person whispered.
Hot sparks flared across my skin, and my heart jumped. My muscles stiffened as if they were ready to flee.
“Tom?” I asked. It had to be him. Jerk.
He chuckled. And while a chuckle and a few whispered words might not reveal someone’s identity, I recognized the voice. I’d heard this same laughter twelve years ago.
I’d been seeing Tom for a few weeks, and while I liked being with him, there were times when I’d felt unsettled by something he’d say or do. During this incident, Eli and I had been planning a surprise birthday party for my mom but Tom had wanted to go to the movies that night instead. We’d been sitting on the sofa together, me patting my cat, who lay beside me.
“I want you to ditch your mom’s party and go out with me,” he’d said firmly.
“I can’t.” Really, how could he have asked that of me? “It’s her fortieth.”
“That’s not the point.” His eyes had fallen to my hand that continued to stroke my cat. “You love that animal, don’t you?”
My hand had stilled, and a trickle of fear had traveled down my spine. I’d said nothing, just gaped at him because he was teasing, right? It wasn’t a real threat.
“Would hate to see something happen to your kitty just because you’re not willing to do something with me.” Then, as if it truly had been a joke, he’d laughed.
Like now.
I tightened my hand on the phone. “You need to stop!”
More laughter before the call ended.
Hands sweaty, I shoved my phone back into my pocket. I splashed my face with cool water again and dried it. I stood staring into the mirror until the horror faded from my eyes.
After gathering my things, I strode to the door. The lock clicked when I switched it to open, but when I pushed, the door wouldn’t budge.
“Okay. Maybe you locked it, instead of unlocking it,” I whispered. Great. Leave it to me to do something like that. At least no one had walked in while I was washing.
I clicked the lock in the other direction and shoved the door again, but it still wouldn’t move. Was the lock broken? Or had the door swollen in the frame from humidity created by the storm? Which begged the question: how could moisture sink into wood that fast?
I dropped my tote on the floor and leaned against the door, wiggling the knob as I put all my weight behind my push. Grunting, I hip-checked it. Why wasn’t it opening? I smacked my shoulder against the wooden panel and it shuddered in the frame but held true. The lock must be broken.
Or someone is trying to keep you from leaving the bathroom.
Someone like Tom.
The wild thought took hold. Sweat broke out on my forehead, and my pulse picked up while energy surged through my limbs.
“Get a hold of yourself,” I hissed out. Tom hadn’t locked me inside. It wouldn’t make sense for him to do it.
Things like this didn’t happen outside of horror movies, did they?
A line of moisture drizzled down my spine, reminding me of bugs crawling across my skin. Hands trembling, I rattled the doorknob, wiggling it back and forth. It turned, but the door felt frozen in place. Stuck.
Or wedged closed.
“Cooper?” My voice shook, and I fought the panic rising inside me. This couldn’t be happening.
How long would it take for him to walk to the car and back? I’d been in here five minutes or more. That was enough time for him to go to his vehicle, retrieve his sweatshirt, and return by now. Where was he?
“Cooper!”
Anxiety sunk through my bones. My breathing went ragged while my heart thumped against my ribcage, seeking escape.
I whimpered, the sound breaking the hush in the small room. That’s when I realized I was behaving like a weak, cowering fool. If only fear hadn’t stolen my self-control.
My mind flashed to the boater this morning. That person could’ve been trying to run me down. And he’d come after me again.
Someone was trying to harm me.
Wait a minute. Slow down. What an off-the-wall thought. Who’d want to hurt me? I was a photographer who took pictures of moms and kids and pets. Graduation photos. I aimed to please and was happy to retouch a picture if a client asked. No one would do this because of a bad photo.
I needed to think rationally about this. If I was capable of doing so.
Locking me in a bathroom wasn’t exactly a threat to my life.
“What do you think will happen to you inside here?” I said firmly, ignoring the fact that my voice shook. “The worst thing that could happen here is that you’ll stumble and fall head first into the toilet and drown. Or succumb to toilet fumes.” Which were pretty bad. Even with the high window on the far wall, which was propped open to let in fresh air, a sharp odor permeated the tight space.
I banged my fist on the doorframe. Solid wood didn’t give an inch.
Wood burned.
A quick sniff told me there was no fire nearby. Which only reassured me until I realized that if someone wanted to burn me alive, they’d need to kindle the fire first. After the rain, wood was wet. It would take time to get a solid blaze going.
Crossing to the window, I jumped, hoping to see through. The frame had been propped open on the outside, leaving a screen secured to the wall on the inside to keep bugs out. It would work if the screen wasn’t torn. Trapped inside with me, a few moths dove and smacked against the single lightbulb mounted above the sink. Long-dead leaves wedged in the screen from last fall rattled in the wind.
With renewed energy, I returned to the door, determined to get myself out. Grabbing the knob, I turned it while hitting my hip against it. The wood protested but held true. Log construction at its best. Damn stuff held up for years.
I sagged and pressed my forehead against the rough panel. What was I going to do? If I couldn’t find a way out and Cooper didn’t return soon, I’d—
Skittering, scraping sounds behind me made me pause. Sweat trickled down my backbone.
Did I dare turn to find out what was behind me?
Lately, it felt like my life couldn’t get much—
A thump was followed by a rapid crackling as if someone ran through a pile of long-dead leaves. Or a cluster of deep-throated crickets sang on hyper-drive.
I frowned.
With dread unfurling its wings inside me, I forced my shaking body to turn.
I screamed.
16
Cooper
I left Ginny at the bathrooms and cut back acr
oss the open area to reach the path to the parking lot. My brain buzzed; I couldn’t keep from whistling. If I wasn’t such a horrible singer, I’d crank out a tune.
Shit, but I had it bad.
My teenage fantasy was coming true. Not that I enjoyed being with Ginny solely because I’d had the hots for her back in high school. The depth of my feelings for her were stronger than that. I couldn’t imagine not being with her all the time, which was crappy since I had to leave for the Middle East soon. When I shipped overseas, I’d have to find a way to live without her.
Except…Could we make a long-distance relationship work? For many reasons, I wanted to try.
As I approached the lot, I pulled my keys from my pocket and unlocked the doors. The headlight flash highlighted something scattered across the ground on the passenger side. I stalled at the top of the path. What the…?
There was a gaping hole where the passenger window used to be. What happened?
Squinting, I looked around. The skin on the back of my neck prickled, the same sensation I got when somebody watched on me from a hidden location. This wasn’t a combat situation but that didn’t mean I should ignore my instincts.
I slid into the shadows beside a minivan and inched forward, studying the perimeter. Looking for signs of movement and listening for sounds that would indicate someone hid nearby.
Nothing stood out to me. Damn shitty lighting up here, though. The campground owners should consider installing more than one streetlight in the parking lot.
Was I alone or was someone spying on me? The tension creeping down my backbone suggested the latter.
Tom.
If that asshole had damaged my vehicle, I’d call the police and report him, and then fill the cops in on the incident that went on earlier at the campsite. To hell with the consequences for my actions. I’d confess I shook Tom and threatened him. The guy who got a thrill from scaring Ginny should be knocked down a peg or two or three on a regular basis.