by Savannah May
He picks up on the first ring. “Carter?” He says, his voice a controlled burn of nervousness.
“I’ve got her,” I blurt out. “She’s safe. I’m looking at her right now. She’s about a hundred yards out on a rock by the lake.”
“Thank fuck. We’re almost to the base of the canyon. What’s it look like up there?” He sounds so relieved. He shouldn’t.
“Not good,” I say swiftly. We don’t have much time. “Your cabin is gonna be gone in less than an hour.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the cabin,” he growls. Understanding seeps into his veins. “How bad is? Can you get her out?”
“There’s no way to make it to the north access now. It’s too late.”
“What about the south?”
I take a deep breath, “It’s a three-hour hike. I have one suit and one respirator. If the wind shifts…”
I hear him inhale a long breath then exhale.
“Let me think. Christ, Carter. You can get in the lake, but the smoke…”
The smoke will kill us. That’s what he’s thinking but doesn’t dare verbalize.
“We can dive down to the cave,” I say.
There’s an underwater cave in the lake. It’s become a sort of secret hideout for me over the last few years, but getting to it is not without risk and John knows that.
“Jesus, Carter. You haven’t got equipment. You’d have to free dive it.”
“I’ve done it dozens of times,” I say flatly.
“Yeah. But she hasn’t.”
We’re both fighting to remain in control, keep our thinking collected. Going down the path of possible horror isn’t gonna help us.
“She’s strong John, and fit,” I tell him. “She can do it. With me.” I pause before continuing. “I’ll make sure she’s okay. It’s the best option with the least risk.”
I know he doesn’t like it, but he knows I’m right.
“Damn Carter. Just get her down there and keep her safe. I’ll be standing by that lake in twelve hours. You both better surface, or else, you got it?”
“Got it Chief.”
“Carter,” he husks.
“I know John,” I say, cutting him shorter the first time ever in a job situation. “Keep your head in the fight. We’ll be fine. See you in twelve.”
I end the call. No goodbyes. Not today.
9
Olivia
I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting on this rock. It feels like hours, but I have no clue what to do. It seems like I’m almost out of options. I know I can’t make it to the North Access Road and if I hike to the south, I’m hiking towards the fire. My best plan is to get in the lake, but that isn’t a long term solution as I know it’s not the flames that will kill me. It’s the smoke.
I have the towel wrapped around me as tight as I can. My knees are pressed against my chest and my face is buried in my hands and I’m trying desperately to stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks when I hear a familiar voice. “Going for a swim?”
When I look up and see Carter standing over me wearing the sexiest smirk I’ve ever seen, I think I’m dreaming. The smoke has already finished me off and I’m hallucinating. His dark hair is a perfect mess. A thin sheen of perspiration covers the sharply cut features of his face, his emerald green eyes are sparkling and just to detract from complete perfection, there’s a black smudge on his forehead.
If I hadn’t been pondering my imminent fiery death for the last hour, I would just attack him right now. Because despite the danger, I’ve still been fantasizing about Carter. What I might miss if I don’t make it out of here.
Now a huge wave of relief flows through me. I know whatever happens after this, I can get through, because Carter will be with me. We’re facing this together.
He takes off his pack, tosses it down then sits beside me. His arms encircle me and tug me close. I bury my face in his chest and sob. I’m not sure how long he holds me, but I’ve never felt this safe in my life.
“It’s okay now Livy. I’ve got you. We’re gonna be okay.” He whispers in my ear and I believe him a thousand per cent.
I could stay right here forever, secure in his huge embrace but I finally pull away from him. He takes my face in his hands and wipes my tears from cheeks with his thumbs.
He smiles at me. “You’re even beautiful when you cry.”
I suck in a breath. “I’m sorry,” I whimper. “I just felt so helpless. I can’t believe you’re here. That you came for me.”
He grins. “You did good Liv, staying by the lake was your best option.”
“So, what now? How do we get out of here?”
He smiles again and I know whatever he has in mind, we’re going to be okay just like he promised.
“Well, the current options aren’t looking great. But….”
“Don’t tease me right now,” I say, but I’m laughing. Maybe I”m a little high on adrenalin.
“Okay, there’s no need to worry, because I’m going to take you to my secret hiding place.” He says, getting up to kneel over his backpack.
I arch an eyebrow. “No riddles, Carter please. I’m kind of freaking out here.”
“About twenty feet below this rock is an underground cave.”
“And?” What the fuck is he suggesting here, some spelunking?
“The problem is we have to dive down forty feet into the lake to get to it and then back up twenty feet.” He stops rummaging around in his pack and looks at me with a serious expression on his face. “I’m not gonna lie to you, you’re gonna want to gasp for air for the last thirty seconds, your lungs will burn, your ears are going to pop, and you’re going to feel like you’re about to die.”
“Holy Shit. There’s no other option?”
He shakes his head. “But you won’t. Not while I’m beside you. Do you trust me Liv?”
I watch as he strips off his yellow neoprene fire shirt. He sits down to take off his boots and it seems like every last muscle in his arms and chest flexes as he unties his boots. I watch half mesmerized, half gasping, as he stands and strips off his pants. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs and his thighs are spectacular enough that I have to clench mine together.
I know I shouldn’t be horny at a time like this. I can’t even claim survivor ecstasy or whatever it is that makes people boink like bunnies in the midst of crisis. I’m so ravenous to touch him and feel him inside my pulsating pussy, I consider briefly asking him if we can do it once before we start this crazy mission, just in case I don’t make it. I really hate to miss out but I’m guessing that won’t go over well right now. He seems super focused.
As he should be. A new wave of emotion washes through me - fear.
“Umm, Carter, I’m not sure I can do this,” I mewl, looking up at him.
He kneels down beside me and his gaze delves deep into me.
“Liv, baby, in less than an hour, every pine tree surrounding this lake will be blazing. There will be a black cloud of smoke so thick that you won’t be able to see your hand in front of your face. Without a respirator, you’d survive maybe ten minutes, if you’re lucky. This is the only way. Listen to me. All you have to do is hold tighter onto me than you’ve ever held anything and hold your breath. I’ll do the rest. You can do this. We can.”
“Okay,” I whimper. I’m not at all sure but the holding on tight thing definitely appeals to me.
I watch him pull something out of his pack that looks like a giant ziplock bag, then rope and a climbing harness. He puts his clothes in the pack and throws me a glance. “Give me your towel,” he orders, reaching out his hand.
My face burns scarlet red and I shake my head adamantly. All my fantasies of being naked for Carter dry up now that it’s come to it.
“Livy, give me the towel,” he says, his tone commanding and so sexy. I just stare at him, frozen “Baby, we’re gonna need it. It’s the only one we have. When we get down there, it’s going to be thirty degrees colder than it is up here. I
don’t want you to have to air dry.”
I clear my throat. “Umm…I don’t…oh god, this is awkward. I’m not wearing anything under it.”
He turns back around and looks at me with a sexy-ass smirk, followed by a grimace. “Do I even want to know why you’re wandering around the mountain naked?”
I roll my eyes. “No. It’s a long and embarrassing story. I’ll tell you if we make it down there. Just turn around.”
He winks and turns his back to me. I stand up and place the towel in his stretched back hand. Then I leap off the rock into the lake. When I surface, I can hear his roar of laughter and it’s the best sound ever. I wipe the lake out of my eyes and tread water.
“Okay HotShot, less laughing and more doing that rescue thing. Let’s get this over with.”
He gives me a salute. “Yes, boss.”
He chuckles as he attaches the rope to his backpack and then seals his pack into the giant plastic bag. I watch as he lowers it into the water and then attaches the end of the rope to his climbing harness. He picks up a headlamp off the rock and fits it onto his head. I can’t help but giggle a little looking at him standing on the rock in nothing but his underwear wearing the climbing harness and the headlamp.
He laughs and flexes his muscles. “What? Don’t I look sexy?”
Jesus, Carter Tyson could manage to make a clown suit sexy.
“Get your ass in here, hotshot,” I call to him.
He flashes me a perfect smile and jumps in the water. I look all around, wondering where he is and my heart leaps up. Then hurls its way straight into my mouth as he comes up right beside me. Fuck, if he can swim underwater with his eyes open, he just had an eyeful of my naked body. Somehow the thought makes me wetter than I already am.
“Okay, Liv, you ready?”
“Not really.” I smile at him.
I watch as he swims back towards the rock. “Come over here,” he orders me.
I swim after him and once I reach him, he turns his back to me. Which is a good thing because being naked in the water and insanely conscious of my breasts floating toward the surface, I’m about to wrap my limbs around his incredible body and get this over with before I lose my mind.
“Okay, climb on,” he says, “And let’s go for a ride,” he adds, looking back at me with a drop dead gorgeous smile.
“I’m glad you can joke about this,” I whisper in his ear as I put my arms around his neck.
As soon as my body presses against his, it feels like I’m the one on fire. My nipples are rock hard and pressed against his muscular back. It takes everything I have not to kiss the back of his neck. I want to lick every part of him. But I know I need to get a grip. Saying that, I have to streamline us as one unit by wrapping my thighs around his tantalizing hips.
Holy crap as soon as I part my legs, firecrackers go off inside me. Then when I settle on and clasp my legs around him, my spread pussy grinds into his back and I shake so hard I feel like I’m coming apart.
“Is this good?” I ask with a gasp, trying to calm down.
“Fuck.” He rasps and rubs his hand over his face. “Just give me a second.”
He looks like he’s in pain.
“Oh god, Carter, are you okay?” I loosen my grip on his neck and back up. “Am I hurting you?”
He chuckles. “No. Fuck, no. I’m fine. I just need a second.”
Then I realize what’s happening and can’t help but giggle, glad he’s having the same reaction. “Oh my god, Carter, are you turned on?”
He laughs. “Forgive me if I need a minute to adjust while the naked body of the most beautiful girl I know is pressed up against me.”
“I’ll bet you say that to all the girls,” I purr into the back of his ear. God help me, I’m turned on too. More than I’ve ever been in my life.
“Yeah Livy, because this situation comes up all the time.” He chuckles before pulling himself together as a plume of flame rises up in the trees, coming closer to the lake. “Okay, just remember what I told you. Whatever you do, don’t let go of me and keep holding your breath. You’re gonna want to gasp for air, but don’t do it. I promise we’ll make it. It’s only a couple of minutes.”
“Okay, Carter. I’ve got it.” And there had better me a reward for getting through this.
“On three, Baby. One. Two…”
10
Carter
As soon as I breach the surface of the lake inside the dark cave, my ears go on hyper alert. I hear Liv gasping for air and it’s the best sound I’ve ever heard in my life. I was terrified that something would go wrong, that she’d let go, that I’d lose her in the dark lake, that she’d suck in a mouthful of water, that I wouldn’t be able to bring her back in time.
My gut told me that she was strong enough, that she could do it. But that didn’t stop the fear of losing her from lingering in my thoughts before I dove us both below the surface.
I lift myself out of the cold water and sit on the edge of the rocks. “There’s a ledge Livy. Find it with your feet.”
“Got it.” She says, breathing hard and shivering.
Her lower lip is trembling so hard I want nothing more than to pull it into my mouth and warm it with my tongue.
“I’m gonna pull you out,” I tell her. “ Come on Baby. Push off with your feet.”
“Wait,” she squeals. “Pull up the pack first. I need my towel.”
I manage to laugh for a second. “Livy, this isn’t exactly the time to be modest. The water’s freezing. You’re freezing.”
She shakes her head adamantly. “Pull up the pack.”
There’s no way I’m gonna let her sit in that freezing water for the sake of dumb modesty. So I reach in to grab her under the arms and pull her out of the water as she let’s out a shriek that echoes around the rock chamber. We get into a bit of a tussle as I’m lifting her and she’s fighting me to cover herself up. Her breasts bounce and bob, crushing against me as she scoots off my thighs. When she’s done, we’re both perched on the rock breathless.
She pulls her knees to her up to her chest as hiding place and snaps at me; “Carter, what the hell?”
“I’m not gonna let you freeze,” I tell her as I pull up the pack.
I rip open the plastic and unzip it, then pull out her towel and hand it to her without turning to look at her. I can’t resist a tiny side eye glance to grab one last loving look at that perfect little body. No, I shouldn’t, I mustn’t.
“Here, stand up and dry off,” I tell her. “I won’t peek.”
Oh sweet jeezus, I want to peek, more than anything.
I can hear her teeth chattering. “Christ, it’s so cold and dark.”
I know she’s afraid. I quickly dig through my pack and pull out a lantern then take off my headlamp. When I turn on the lantern, light cascades throughout the tiny cave, revealing the granite and shale rocky walls. I can’t help but look over at her. She’s gone very quiet and I need to make sure she’s okay. She’s wrapping the towel around her. For a brief second, I get that last glimpse of the most beautiful body I’ve ever seen.
Quickly averting my eyes, I pull a blanket out of my pack and go over to wrap it around her shoulders. I hold her in the palms of my hands longer than necessary. I just can’t bear to take my hands off her.
“I’m right here Liv.” I can see the fear in her beautiful blue eyes, the pleading. She leans towards me and then I wrap my arms around her. “It’s okay. The worst is over now,” I murmur as she leans into me as though she’s trying to hide inside my hard muscle.
Even after the lake water and the smoke in the air, I can smell the sweet vanilla scent of her shampoo. Even through the thick blanket wrapped around her, I can feel how insanely well her body fits with mine. My cock stands rigid at attention. I know I should I back away, but I can’t let go of her. Maybe ever. She pulls her head away from my chest and looks up at me. Both of us are breathing hard. I know what she wants. I can see it clear as the light in her eyes. And God help me, I want it
too.
I try to resist. I try to tear my eyes away from her pleading beautiful stare.
And then my lips crash down on hers. Our tongues plunge into caverns, exploring and dancing with hunger and want. I can’t get enough. I need to taste and touch every part of her. I cup her ass cheeks through the blanket and squeeze her flesh with all my ravenous need. She moans and throws her head back as I kiss and lick her neck, then bite along the side.
I take a few steps forward, maneuvering her so that her back is pinned against the wall of the cave. I’m caging her in so I can indulge my need for more of her. I cup her face with both hands and stare down at her beautiful face again before I devour her with my lips. I’ve never felt like this. I’ve never felt a need this strong. I want to own all of her.
Her lips part as her breathing picks up. She knows what’s coming. I reach down and part the blanket wrapped around her. She’s standing like a goddess before me and with a mind of its own, my hand moves up over her rib cage to cup her perfect soft breast. They are so beautiful. My thumb grazes over her hard, pink nipple and she lets out the sexiest moan I’ve ever heard and arches a little against the rock face.
“Carter, I need you,” she moans again.
I answer her with my lips on hers as I knead her breast and roll her nipple between my thumb and forefinger. My other hand presses against the soft skin of her stomach and slides between her legs. Her pussy feels like hot, buttery silk as I slide my fingers gently over her swollen clit. It’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever felt in my life.
I want more. I want to watch her come apart on my hand. She’s so slippery wet for me, she’s dripping. I can’t feel it between her thighs.
She lets out a soft whimper. “Oh God, Carter.” She presses her head back against the hard rock wall. “I can’t…I need…” She doesn’t finish, but I know what she needs.
“Livy, you feel perfect. You’re so wet. Does that feel good?” I ask as I put more pressure on her clit and move my fingers in slow circles, trailing around her clit point until she quivers.