by Robin Kaye
He ended the kiss, and when she opened her eyes, she found him watching her.
“I’m sorry.”
Her heart took a tumble. “You’re sorry?”
He pulled her close, tilting her chin to look at him. “I’m sorry we’re doing this here. I’m not sorry I kissed you. If Karma knew, I’m sure she’d tell me, you, and everyone else that I’m not the most romantic guy in the world, but even I can do better than this.”
“Oh.” He wasn’t sorry. That was good at least—or maybe not. She wasn’t sure, nor could she figure out if her inability to think clearly was because of Hunter’s proximity or the altitude. She hoped it was the altitude.
A smile spread across his face. “I know a beautiful little place we can go.”
“Does it involve mail?”
“No, it involves you, me, and water.”
“What kind of water?”
“Warm, secluded water. Interested?”
Toni looked around. Crap. She was in the middle of the damn forest, and somehow he’d gotten her out there with the promise of coffee.
“Toni?”
“You cheated. You brought me out here under false pretenses.”
“No, I just let you walk while you argued. Whatever works, right?”
“You and your family say that an awful lot, you know.”
Hunter tightened his hold on her like he didn’t want to let her go just yet. She never would have imagined feeling as comfortable in the middle of nowhere as she did right now. He kissed her ear. “Are you going to stay mad at me?” His breath against her ear and the rumble of his voice through her chest had her rethinking the idea of moving. All of a sudden, right there, in-the-middle-of-the-woods didn’t seem all that bad. “Or are you going to let me show you one of the most beautiful and best kept secrets in the area?”
She shrugged, and he kissed the tip of her nose. “Good girl.” Grasping her hand, he pulled her off the beaten path toward the sound of rushing water. “I found this place a few years back when I was kayaking.”
“Kayaking?”
“Nothing wrong with your hearing. If you don’t like it, we can leave, and I promise to take you back to the cabin and make you as much espresso as you can drink.”
Hunter had a way of making her do things she didn’t want to do without her even realizing she was doing them. So far, he was batting a thousand. Facts were facts. She didn’t have to like them. At least if she admitted it, she might get something out of the deal. “Bribery will get you everywhere.”
Hunter stopped and stole a kiss before he winked. “That’s good to know.” As he led her toward the river, the trail narrowed and changed to rock. Hunter scampered up a huge boulder and pulled her after him. “You really need to get some decent hiking boots.”
“Why?”
“So we can come back here without worrying you’re going to break an ankle.”
“Oh, that’s such incentive.”
“It is. You’ll see.” He jumped off the boulder, and grabbing her by the waist, helped her down, letting her slide along the length of his body, reigniting all the flames that were doused when he dragged her through the forest. The man had incredible upper body strength—he lifted her like she weighed nothing, without even a telltale grunt of strain. After eating her weight in chocolate for the last week angsting over this trip, she knew she’d put on more than a few pounds.
“We’re almost there.” He followed the path, pulling her along behind him and then stopped. “Come, stand in front, and look at this.”
She shimmied around him, and her breath caught in her throat. If the panorama of snow-covered mountains wasn’t amazing enough, the crystal clear river under an endless blue sky, cut only by green pine forest, made it spectacular.
Hunter wrapped his arm around her middle and pointed over her shoulder to a huge bird with the largest wingspan she’d ever seen.
“That’s a bald eagle, see it? He’s catching a thermal and heading to the ridge lift. Watch him.”
The eagle soared like a glider, gaining altitude on invisible waves of air, his white head bright against the blue sky.
“See that spot in the water?” Hunter pointed down to the river. “There, right below that boulder. That’s called an eddy. I was playing in it one day—”
“Playing?” She saw what looked like a whirlpool in the middle of the raging river, below a boulder big enough to picnic on. What some people thought of as fun truly eluded her.
“Yeah, playing. You see, the water runs around the boulder, and then back upstream toward it. If you get right behind the boulder, in the heart of the eddy, you can float around, resting, relaxing. It’s almost like surfing and going nowhere. I was in my kayak playing in the eddy when I looked over here and saw this.” He pointed to a spot at the edge of the river with big rocks in a semicircle. “It’s a natural hot spring. Really hot, so I put the rocks around and let in just enough of the cold river water to make it the perfect temperature. Come on. It’s big enough for two.”
She turned around to question him, only to see him reaching behind and pulling his T-shirt off like guys do in the movies. She figured they did it that way to show the hem of the T-shirt slip over the actor’s washboard abs. Normal people crossed their arms in front and pulled their shirt over their guts, and well… whatever else, before pulling it over their heads. Her way certainly wasn’t as sexy as his.
Toni thought she was prepared to see Hunter shirtless. After all, she’d seen him on the website and worked around models all day long. It wasn’t as if she was lacking in beefcake.
The only word that came to mind after seeing Hunter Kincaid shirtless was magnificent. The man was perfection personified, except for that little flaw he had that enabled him to get her to do things she wasn’t interested in doing.
Toni wasn’t sure who kissed whom. All she knew was that she’d lost control of everything the second Hunter’s lips met hers. She knew from the first kiss he was potent, but she’d never guessed anything could be like this. One second he was pulling off his shirt, and the next he slid his mouth over hers. Hunter might be a slow starter, but he definitely knew what he was doing and exactly what he wanted. He controlled the kiss, teasing her with his lips, varying pressure. His hand cupped to the back of her head, changing the angle, before tracing his tongue across the seam of her lips. His tongue slipped in, penetrating, searing, and she reveled in it. His body surrounded her. His tongue, hot and wet, invaded. One hand massaged her scalp as the other traveled down her spine to her ass and pulled her hips against his, lifting her leg. His erection hit that perfect spot, and this time she was sure the groan was hers. Beyond the Niagara Falls roar of blood pounding through her ears, she heard applause. Her eyes shot open as two orange rafts flew past down the river. “Oh God.” She felt faint. She couldn’t breathe. It was happening again.
“What’s the matter?”
Her leaden leg slid down his, and if he hadn’t been holding her so tight, she was sure she’d have hit the ground.
“Toni, what’s wrong?”
“They’re gone. They took the rafts. They left us here.”
“Who?”
She pointed as the big orange rafts got smaller the farther downstream they traveled.
“Son of a bitch.”
***
Hunter was going to kill Trapper. He’d expect Fisher and Karma to pull a stunt like that, but Trapper knew better. “It’s okay. Karma’s with them, which means she left her Jeep at the cabin. We’re not stranded. We’ll take off early in the morning and get to the Inn before we need to leave for the first shoot. I’ve got you, Toni. You’re fine.” He sat her down on a rock. “Breathe. Nice and slow.” When she dragged in a few breaths, his were easier. “Good girl.”
She stared down river and then looked around as if she’d never se
en the area before. Trying to figure out what went through a woman’s head was difficult enough, but trying to figure out a terrified woman was impossible. “James promised he wouldn’t leave me here.”
Hunter didn’t know what shocked him more, the fierce protectiveness he felt for Toni, or the jealousy that washed over him at the mention of James. The man was old enough to be her father, and he was gay for cryin’ out loud. “They probably thought they were doing us a favor, giving us time alone together.”
God, she looked as if she was about to cry. He hated when women cried. He squatted so they were face-to-face. “It’s fine. You’re not alone, and you’re not lost. I’ve spent almost every summer of my life up here. I know this place like the back of my hand. I won’t let anything happen to you. And you know what?”
“What?”
The color was slowly returning to her face. “I’ve got great coffee, and they don’t.” There… he coaxed a hint of a smile out of her. Crisis averted. “Now, where were we?” He leaned forward and kissed her, just a light kiss, nothing more than that. It was that moment he realized his mistake. Being with Toni was like skydiving. It was great, the best thing ever until you remember you’re gonna have to hit ground eventually and realize you’ve forgotten your damn parachute. He figured he might as well enjoy the trip down, since it would undoubtedly be a rough landing.
He looked into her eyes and couldn’t decide if they were the lightest of blues or if they were gray. Right now, they were gray and unshuttered, eyes that could decimate him with a look. He did the only thing he could do to remedy the problem. Avoiding her eyes, he reached over and slipped her shoes off before pulling her to her feet. He made sure she was steady before he let go. “You, me, and nice, warm water. Come on.” He kicked off his shoes, tossed his pack beside them, and led her down the path to the heart of the spring. Together they eased in. Hunter’s hands ran over her wet skin. The soft spring water made her skin slick and slippery.
She floated out of his arms, just far enough away to make him wish he hadn’t let her go.
Pulling the band from her hair, Toni slipped it around her wrist before dipping under and resurfacing, her black hair a stark contrast to her pale skin.
“You are so beautiful.”
She looked shocked, as if no one had ever told her that before, which was ridiculous. Despite the Goth clothes, she was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever met. Hell, she was every bit as gorgeous as the models working with her. But then his whole take on Goth had changed in the last twelve hours. Who said Goth couldn’t be sexy?
Their legs tangled as they floated together and apart, the slide of skin on skin erotic. She floated around the small pool, while he willed her to come back to him, wanting to peel her bathing suit off her body and explore every inch. If she didn’t do something soon, he’d have to take a dip in the river to cool off; he wasn’t sure even that would help.
She slipped beneath the water, arching her back, heading toward him, her bottom the last thing to disappear below the surface before her head popped up. Her momentum brought them together. He caught her in his arms. Her thick black eyelashes sparkled with unshed water, and her eyes widened when she came in contact with his erection. “I like this.”
He pulled her tighter against him. “Are you talking about the spring… or this?” He rocked his pelvis against hers.
“Both.”
“Good answer.”
Toni’s arms and legs wrapped around his neck and waist. Nose to nose she stared into his eyes as if she were waiting for something.
“What color are your eyes?” She obviously hadn’t expected that.
“Gray, but sometimes they look blue or green depending upon what I wear. The official color is gray though. Do you know what they say about women with gray eyes?”
He shook his head, his nose bumping hers, drawing her closer. Still they had their eyes locked. “No idea.”
“We’re unpredictable. That’s not always a good attribute.”
In the hours since they’d met, he figured out the unpredictability thing was kind of a given. He could say one thing for her—she wouldn’t bore him in the next week—which was more than he could say for any other woman he’d ever hope to know intimately. “I guess I have to take my chances then.”
“It’s not a good bet.”
“Probably not, but the cards are dealt. I’m not about to fold just when the game’s getting interesting.”
“Okay, then. I’m all in. I like games.”
***
It’s a game. Nothing more. Right now, wrapped around his firm body, Toni could think of nothing but the feel of him between her legs, her chest against his, his breath on her face, and the darkening of his gorgeous green eyes. Being with Hunter kept her from thinking about where she was. It was as if she walked a tightrope, and Hunter was her safety net. A temporary one, but as long as that was understood, she wasn’t about to fold either. Nope, she was all in.
Toni intentionally kept her eyes open as her mouth slid over his, nipping his lips, trying to torment him with the rasp of her tongue. His hands slid from her waist to cup her breasts, which seemed hardwired right to her core. As if her legs had a mind of their own, they tightened around him until she felt his hardness against her. Hunter sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and nibbled as her bathing suit straps slipped off her shoulders. She floated back, pushing off the rock he leaned against. He held her suit as she floated out of it and away from him.
Her eyes closed against the bright sunlight, cut only by shadows of the tall trees on the riverbank. The warm water, the sun on her skin, and the feeling of Hunter’s eyes on her was intoxicating. She’d never skinny-dipped before. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was Hunter with the sun at his back, water sluicing from his body as he rose above her. She’d seen her share of beautiful men, but Hunter brought beauty to a whole new level. He’d lost his shorts on his way across the pool. He was all muscle, ripped but not bulky, and his tan told her that, unlike her, skinny-dipping was a way of life for him.
***
Hunter wanted to explore every inch of Toni’s body. He just wished they were in his bed instead of in the water. The water seemed like a good idea at the time. Now though, seeing her floating around, if he spent as much time exploring her the way he wanted, they’d both be pruney before he finished. As much as he wanted to make love to her, he didn’t want their first time to be here. Besides, he’d come unprepared. He tried to remember if he had a condom in his wallet, but since he hadn’t needed one in the past six months, he didn’t think so.
She floated in front of him, her breasts peeking through the clear water as if standing at attention. He pulled her onto his lap, his hands cupping her breasts. He slid his cheek against one tight nipple, eliciting a sigh from her. Toni’s body slipped around him as if it were made to do just that, her skin so pale it was almost translucent. He wrapped one arm around her small waist, his hand coming to rest on her flat, muscular stomach.
Toni stared at him, those light eyes taking everything in. He held her gaze as his lips slid over her breast, sucking the nipple deep into his mouth. Her fingers buried themselves in his hair, holding him fast. With every suck, her hips rocked. His erection slid between her folds, brushing against her. Toni’s head rolled back, her hair floating around her like a black drape in the water. She held herself in that position, back arched, eyes closed. One move was all it would take to bury himself deep within her. He switched breasts and did his best to hold his control.
“Oh, Hunter…”
He smiled as her fingers raked his scalp to his shoulders, anchoring herself to him. His dick twitched as she slid down the length of him, hot and slick with more than just water. God help him. He reached between them, his thumb circling the swollen bundle of nerves as he pinched her nipple between his teeth and slid a finger deep inside her. Slick
and tight, her inner muscles vibrated around him as he slid a second finger in and curled it to press against her center while his thumb rubbed harder.
Toni went off like a Roman candle in his arms. He watched her come. He couldn’t say he’d ever watched anyone else come. If he had, he certainly didn’t remember it. The way Toni looked, he was equally certain he’d never forget. All he could think of was how beautiful she looked, flushed pink from the sun and enjoyment, her eyes wide open as if in shock. His name flying like a mantra from her lips in a breathless whisper, as if it was ripped from somewhere deep within her soul… over and over… his name.
Toni felt herself sinking. She thrashed in the water until she got her feet back on the bottom of the spring, only to see Hunter jump from the edge. One minute she was in Hunter’s arms, and the next he was literally jumping into the raging river. “Hunter!”
She stood naked and climbed onto a rock in time to see the top of his head disappear under the white water and then reappear much farther downstream than she thought possible. “Hunter!” Toni lost sight of him and stepped out of the spring into the river, trying to get a fix on him, but he was gone. The ice cold water numbed her feet in seconds. Hunter was swimming in this? He’d die of hypothermia or drown. She ran down the riverbank searching for him.
“Hunter!” All she could do was scream his name, over and over, while she ran barefoot across the river rock until a huge fallen tree stopped her.
She was alone.
All the air left her lungs as reality hit. Hunter said he wouldn’t leave, and he had. She bit back the scream that bubbled in her throat and reverberated in her mind. She had to think, but the image of Hunter being washed downriver, mangled by rocks, probably dragged to his death, was unstoppable.
She was alone.