Primal Touch

by Amber Jacobs

  Leandra paused. “Yeah, I think so. You got the other end?”

  “I got it.”

  “Okay.”

  Ashley braced herself as the vine pulled at her, then redoubled her efforts to stand firm as she took the weight from Leandra’s body. After several agonizing minutes, a painted, slightly bloody hand appeared over the edge of the crag, still stubbornly holding the claws. Ashley immediately grabbed for it and helped Leandra up to safety, struggling when the heavier woman almost pulled her over. As soon as she was certain Leandra was sitting solidly on the ground, out of harm’s way, Ashley untied the rope from her waist. She threw her arms around the striped woman and clutched her desperately close.

  “I thought you were gone,” she cried. “I thought—”

  “Shhh. It’s okay. I’m fine now.” Fingers combed reassuringly through her tangled hair, and Ashley pressed herself harder still against Leandra, shaking with the strength of her relief. It was several moments before she managed to regain her composure enough to draw away and look up into soft, sapphire eyes.

  “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, you hear me?” she said hoarsely.

  Leandra smiled and wiped away the tear marks with her thumbs. “I promise.” The two sat silently a long while, just soaking in each other’s presence, before Leandra winced and shifted her position. “I think we should get back to the cave,” she observed, looking down at her left thigh. “I got banged up a bit when I grabbed the vine.”

  Ashley snuffled and followed her gaze, gasping when she saw a wicked gash. “Oh, my God!” She reached out to help, but withdrew when Leandra flinched. “You’re right, Leandra. That needs a bandage.”

  “And probably a few stitches, too,” Leandra said, frowning. “I have everything I need in my supplies. Can you help me up?”

  “Of course.” Ashley got to her feet and helped Leandra stand. The tall woman was limping quite severely, blood flowing sluggishly down her leg from the wound, and Ashley didn’t even ask if she could help. She simply grabbed Leandra’s arm and wrapped it around her neck, supporting some of her weight as they began making their way toward the cave.

  Leandra smiled and accepted her assistance without comment.

  Some distance downstream, a trembling hand emerged from the swift-flowing river and grabbed for a half-submerged log.

  Gasping for breath, Jack pulled himself onto the lifeline, his body aching and weak. His right leg was broken. He could feel the splintered bones grinding against each other, bringing flashing stars to his vision. He suspected that at least two ribs were cracked; his breathing came in harsh and painful gasps. Blood still flowed from the deep gashes scored across his face by the tiger-woman’s claws. It ran into his eyes and matted his dripping hair. Still, he managed to haul his body free from the chill, mountain-fed waters before collapsing on the muddy bank. Broken. Bleeding.

  Alive.

  Jack had been a hunter all his life. He was a shrewd and ruthless businessman, and although it didn’t happen often, he knew when he was beaten. This hunt was worthless now. He was in no condition to carry the fight any further and wouldn’t be for some time. It was going to be a struggle just to make it out of the jungle in one piece, especially if he didn’t get to safe ground before the night hunters detected his presence.

  There was no white tiger. The photographer’s words rang true in his head. While he was willing to deal with the dangerous tiger-bitch if it meant there was a reward for his efforts, he wasn’t the type to pursue a personal grudge. Not until he was fit enough to do so, at least.

  Cursing under his breath, Jack accepted defeat. It was time to cut his losses and leave this place.

  Ashley watched with a slight grimace as Leandra drew a sharp needle through her skin one final time and tugged the surgical thread tight, pulling together the ragged edges of her torn flesh. She passed a small pair of scissors to the wounded woman, who used them to cut the suture after she’d tied it off.

  Leandra flexed her leg slowly, testing it. “Hmm.” She grunted softly in satisfaction. “Seems okay.”

  “It’ll need to be cleaned with disinfectant,” Ashley pointed out, rummaging through Leandra’s first-aid kit until she found the appropriate bottle and a few cotton swabs. She also found a neatly rolled bandage and set it down in front of her. “Here, stretch out your leg and I’ll wrap it.”

  Leandra dutifully complied, closing her eyes with a contented smile and allowing Ashley to wash away the blood and begin cleaning the wound with the antibacterial liquid. Ashley noticed numerous minor cuts and abrasions on her patient’s hands and forearms, and she suspected there were several nasty bruises hidden under all the striped body paint. She applied gentle pressure to a swollen area above Leandra’s right hip and heard her breath catch.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked.

  “It’s not too bad now,” Leandra said with only a slight grimace. “The cut burns a bit and I ache all over, but it could have been a lot worse. Gonna hurt like hell tomorrow, especially if you don’t let me outside to stretch my muscles.”

  Ashley couldn’t help but grin at that. “Don’t worry, I’ll take you out for some exercise if you behave yourself today. You need to take it easy.” Her expression turned more serious, and she glanced up at Leandra as she worked. “Do you think he’s dead?” she asked softly.

  “I didn’t see a body. Did you?”

  Ashley shook her head, reliving the awful moment when Leandra and the poacher had disappeared over the cliff edge. “No.”

  “Then maybe not.” But Leandra barely shifted her position. “I should probably go check.”

  Ashley remained silent, glancing up only when she saw that Leandra was making no move to return to the hunt. “Do you have to?”

  “He could still do a lot more damage if he survived. I don’t like the thought of him making it back to civilization; there are plenty of people out there who’d be very interested in hearing about our encounter.” But she still didn’t move, and when Ashley met her gaze, she gave her a relaxed, reassuring smile.

  “But no, I don’t have to go.”

  “Good,” Ashley whispered, returning to her gentle ministrations.

  Tending to her patient, Ashley couldn’t help but allow her eyes to roam along the firm contours of Leandra’s upper thigh. The hem of Leandra’s short tiger-fur skirt ran high up her legs, leaving a lot to admire as Ashley cleaned the neatly sutured cut. Without realizing it, her work slowed as her point of focus drifted to more interesting things than first aid, and her breathing grew increasingly shallower. Ashley licked her lips as her fingers roamed unconsciously over the painted flesh before her. The drama of that morning faded from mind, as her blood ran feverishly through her body and the beating of her heart intensified.

  Ashley’s fingers caressed ever higher, wandering almost to the edge of Leandra’s skirt before she shook herself a little and ordered her hands to behave. Picking up the bandage, she began wrapping it tightly around her friend’s leg. Her eyes continued their explorations, and the cave seemed to be growing warmer.

  “Would you like to see more?”

  “Huh?” Startled out of a lustful reverie, Ashley glanced up to find Leandra studying her with a slightly bemused—but encouraging—expression.

  “Would you like to see more?” Leandra repeated. “I could take off the skirt if you want me to. You know you only have to ask.”

  Ashley flushed bright red, caught totally off guard by the frank question, and more so by the heat in Leandra’s gaze. She lowered her eyes and quickly turned her attention back to bandaging Leandra’s leg. “Oh no, that’s…not necessary.” Jeez, Ashley. Get your mind out of the gutter, here.

  But Leandra was now grinning broadly. “You don’t have to be embarrassed about it,” she said, her voice a low, rumbling purr. “It’s natural to get excited by the person you’re attracted to. I know I�
�d find it very arousing if you were naked.”

  Ashley felt her cheeks burn even hotter, but before she could look away, Leandra leaned closer to her, still giving her that wickedly inviting grin. “I wouldn’t mind showing you more, if you’d like.”

  Ashley was silent for several moments, struggling to rein in a libido that was awakening with a ravenous appetite for the first time in many years. Leandra’s husky voice was having a powerful effect on her body, and she wasn’t certain how to respond to such an unreservedly sexual suggestion. Shaking herself, she glanced up at the striped face of her friend shyly. “You’re a lot different from anyone I’ve ever been involved with before. I just…” She struggled to find the words to explain. “It’s not just that you’re…well, you know, a woman. None of the guys I’ve dated have ever really been all that outgoing with this stuff. You’re a lot more open than they ever were. You know, kind of to the point, I guess. Do you understand?”

  Leandra held her gaze intently, nodding. “Does it bother you?”

  “Well, not bother, exactly.” Ashley lowered her head coyly. “It’s just different for me. I’m not used to it, that’s all.”

  “Do you like it?”

  Ashley thought a moment, and gave an almost imperceptible nod. “It’s kind of nice, I guess.”

  “So, would you like me to take off the skirt?”

  Ashley met the seductive pull of those clear sapphire eyes that were darkening with hungry fires, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “Let’s keep it on for now, shall we? Maintain at least a little mystery for later on.”

  “Mystery? Ashley, you’ve already seen me naked. You helped paint me, or have you forgotten so quickly?”

  “How could I forget?” Ashley voice rasped. She cleared her throat, shaking herself free of a delicious fantasy that skipped teasingly across her mind. “But, um… I still think we should save something for later on. Okay?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Great.” Ashley dropped her gaze back to the leg she was working on, finished up with the bandage, and secured the loose end with a butterfly clip. When she was done, she shyly let her hands continue wandering along the painted leg, exploring over Leandra’s calves down to her thickly callused feet. Leandra made no signs of disapproval, accepting the intimate attention without a word of comment, so Ashley continued for several delicious moments in silence.

  Part of her wished Leandra would return the caresses, aching for more intimate contact, but beneath her excitement she could not deny there was some definite nervousness, too. Not enough to make her want to stop; even these simple touches excited her in a way she’d never experienced, stirring a deep ache in the pit of her belly. It was the first time she’d ever touched another woman so intimately—even if it was just a leg—and the experience sent anticipatory tingles racing over every inch of her skin. She watched Leandra watching her through slitted eyes, that lazy, sensuous smile curving her lips, and wondered what the evening would bring.

  Ashley stayed with Leandra in the cave for the rest of the day, leaving only briefly to fetch water from the nearby stream. Leandra’s supplies were sufficient to provide them both with a satisfying lunch, and Ashley filled the time with more talk about her life and family. Leandra seemed content to lie on her pallet and let herself be pampered. The cut on her leg showed no signs of retaining heat and didn’t seem likely to turn septic, but Ashley kept a close eye on it all the same.

  For her part, Ashley enjoyed tending to the injured woman’s needs almost as much as Leandra seemed to enjoy being tended to. But although she kept up a constant rain of chatter, most of Ashley’s mind was preoccupied with ponderings of a more lustful nature, chiefly centered on her companion’s earlier offer. The more Ashley considered Leandra’s words, the more intrigued she became by the possibilities.

  She said all I have to do is ask. And she wasn’t bluffing, either. If I’d said yes, she’d be sitting there naked right now, letting me look at her all I want.

  Ashley’s mental meanderings pursued that line of thought to the next obvious point. She’d probably let me touch her if I wanted to.

  And kiss her. And…

  All of a sudden, the fantasies and never-to-be scenarios that Ashley had only ever entertained in her imagination took on a more serious quality. I bet she’d let me do anything I wanted, she mused, the very thought of how far she might take such liberty making her shiver with arousal. Flicking glances at the striped woman lying languidly on the pallet across the cave, Ashley’s eyes narrowed to predatory slits.

  “The sun’s going down,” Leandra observed. “It’ll be dark soon. If you’d like I can walk you back to your camp; my leg feels much better.”

  The corners of Ashley’s lips curved into a seductive smile. “What if I’d rather stay here tonight?” she asked softly, her voice sounding almost as husky as Leandra’s. She was pleased to see Leandra sit up a little straighter, feeling a delicious burst of heat sweep through her, settling between her thighs. Wide cobalt eyes met her own, and Ashley didn’t try to mask where her thoughts were taking her.

  “If that’s what you want, I’d like that very much.”

  Ashley’s smile grew wider, and she abandoned her seat by the fire to crawl closer to where Leandra lay. Her eyes scanned slowly over every inch of the tall woman’s frame, from the wild, unkempt hair to the elegant, chiseled features, down over planes of toned, painted muscle and golden skin. The light from the fire flickered over Leandra’s body like a bronze caress, running primitive shadows over every intriguing dip and hollow. Her eyes were as clear as shards of tundra ice, yet they projected a heat that struck Ashley to her core.

  “Leandra?”

  “Yes?”

  Ashley swallowed, for a moment unsure whether or not she could actually ask the question she wanted to. But looking at the sensuous, exotic creature lying before her, she rallied her courage. “Would you mind taking off your top?”

  Leandra sat very still for several heartbeats, then without a word, she reached for the laces that held the brief scrap of tiger fur closed over her breasts. Ashley watched, hardly breathing, as Leandra slowly pulled the cord free and shrugged the garment from her shoulders. The firelight washed over her painted, naked torso, and Ashley let herself stare, her fingers twitching eagerly.

  Leandra sat patiently, letting her look, but eventually she held out a hand in invitation.“You can come closer if you’d like.”

  Ashley didn’t even hesitate, accepting the offered hand and crawling forward until her knees brushed against the edges of the coarse sleeping mat. Her attention wandered back and forth between Leandra’s exposed breasts and her flashing eyes, and she slowly leaned closer until her lips brushed against those of the striped woman. With a quiet whimper, Ashley let her tongue glide forth to stroke lightly against Leandra’s lips. The kiss deepened quickly, and she trembled when she felt Leandra’s naked breasts press against her chest. With a cautious hand, she began tracing a path along the other woman’s collarbone, feeling a low, purring vibration rumble through the sensitive skin. Breaking the kiss, Ashley looked down and watched her fingers as they wandered over the slightly faded stripes, shaking noticeably as they drew closer to Leandra’s full breasts.

  Leandra’s breaths were coming in ragged, shallow gasps as she gave Ashley free rein to explore her. But just as Ashley’s fingers began to descend lower, Leandra caught her gaze and held it.

  “Are you sure?”

  Ashley sucked on her lower lip, then nodded shyly. “I want you,” she breathed softly.

  “There’s no rush. We don’t have to do anything if you’re not ready.” Leandra paused, clearly picking up on the nervousness that warred against Ashley’s hunger. “I don’t want you to regret a single moment of the time we spend together.”

  Ashley absorbed the gentle concern in Leandra’s eyes and felt her love for the woman deepen further. “I could never
regret anything I do with you, Leandra,” she whispered. “And I want this. I want it so much.”

  A visible shiver raced down Leandra’s body, making her muscles dance. “Me too.”

  Reassured, Ashley let her fingers continue their southward journey. Her excitement grew to dizzying heights when she traced around Leandra’s nipples and felt the effect her touch was having. Ashley had imagined touching another woman in this way many times, but the reality was so much better than any of her fantasies had ever been. Leandra’s body was so soft and smooth, even covered in the thin, dusty paint, and Ashley found herself becoming lost in every new curve she discovered. She smiled shakily at the cobalt eyes that watched her, unblinking.

  “I, um… I’m not really sure how to do this,” she admitted.

  “Just follow your instincts,” Leandra advised, her voice husky. “Touch me the way you like to be touched.”

  Ashley returned her attention to what her hands were doing, unable to stop her smile from turning rakish. That should be easy enough, she thought. I’ve got plenty of experience in that department.

  Gently at first, then with greater confidence, Ashley caressed Leandra’s chest, her fingers running in long strokes over the defined ribcage, before returning to tease and torment rock-hard nipples. “You’re so soft,” she murmured in awe. Listening to Leandra’s breathing as it went ragged, Ashley learned which areas elicited the strongest responses, and her touches grew steadily bolder. Before long, her eyes drifted down to the brief skirt that wrapped about Leandra’s waist, her fingers craving new territory to explore.

  Seeing where her focus was shifting, Leandra unlaced the skirt and lifted herself off the pallet, letting the cloth slide away and exposing herself completely. Enthralled, Ashley stared at the vision before her, hands trembling noticeably as they rested on Leandra’s abdomen. Glancing up at the dark-haired woman, she received a nod and a reassuring smile. Taking that as permission to continue, Ashley shifted closer and let her fingers roam ever lower.