by Harloe Rae
His white tee and boxers are all that remain. Those cotton threads are stretching to capacity across his muscular frame. After shooting me a pantry-dropping smirk, Halder grips the collar and tugs his shirt off in that sexy way only guys are capable of. The hitch in my breath stills his movements. With the white cotton concealing his face, I’m not able to see how my reaction phases him. It would be helpful to hear what he’s thinking. After a second, Halder removes the makeshift shield from his head and follows my gaze downward. The sight snares both of our attention, derailing the sensual striptease he was gifting me.
I’ve caught fast glimpses of the scars crisscrossing his chest, but those snapshots cloaked the severity of damage done. Sex in the wilderness isn’t about exploring one another in great detail. We were trying to share our bodies without getting frostbite in the process. The frigid climate we were stranded in never provided an ample opportunity for us to lounge nude. We were usually forced to keep our clothes on, only exposing the essential parts. The one time we made love while fully naked was after my dunk in the river. During that fiery encounter, I wasn’t focusing on inspecting Halder under careful scrutiny. Another opportunity to study every glorious inch of him never arose either.
Our limits there no longer apply in any capacity. Any flaws we’ve earned are about to be exposed. Halder is brave enough to shed his armor before me. Now those jagged marks are on full display under the lamp light.
He runs a palm over the wounds long healed. Deep grooves cut across his forehead as he grimaces. “Pretty badass for a computer geek, huh?”
The hinges of my jaw pop open with a wheeze. “Holy shit, Halder. What happened?”
“I didn’t escape unscathed.”
“Those are from prison?”
A disjointed shrug drags my focus to his permanent reminders. “It’s a brutal place, Blakely. There’s no space for weakness.”
All I can manage are rapid blinks, barely concealing the moisture collecting behind my lids. He mistakes my silence for something other than admiration, the openness in his expression shutting down with his guard. “Don’t pity me, sweetheart. I can’t handle that from you.”
I narrow my eyes, piercing him with an arrow of sincerity. “Pity is the last thing I feel, boss man. You’re a survivor. I’m in awe of you. Those scars are a testament to the battles you’ve fought. The fact you’re here to show them off means you won.”
Halder’s gaze skitters off me. “You make me sound like a noble warrior.”
I trace the worst lines bisecting his left pec. “That’s how I see you. This was a position you were forced to play. You never quit. Quite the opposite.”
“Fuck, I love you.” He digs his fingers into my hair, hauling me against him.
“And I love you.” I tilt my chin up to find his lips waiting for me. The heat from earlier returns with more force, cocooning us in molten steam. He bites my upper lip between his teeth. I exhale a groan while angling closer. Our lust is roaring loud enough to shatter my eardrums. In the fever of our kiss, I reverse our position and shove him toward the bed. “My turn.”
Halder’s ass lands on the mattress with a whoosh. His grip on the blanket is white-knuckled, as if he’s forcing himself to remain seated. “I’ve never had the pleasure of staring at you naked without the threat of hypothermia breathing down my neck.”
A thrill zigzags down my spine. “I better make this the best reveal ever.”
“No pressure from me.” The tent in his briefs screams otherwise.
I ditch my pants with a swift downward tug. The cowlneck tunic soon follows. My plain camisole gets whisked off with an effortless hook of two fingers. Colorful layers scatter in a crumpled heap around me, fluttering to the floor with a quiet rasp. All that’s left to maintain my modesty is a lace thong and matching bra. I snap the strap at my shoulder before slipping it off. The opposite side gets the same treatment. With a backward reach, I pinch the clasp to release my boobs from their push-up confinement. I grin while accentuating my best assets, overstepping one leg across the path into the other in an elegant rendition of a prowl. In my mind, I’m a total vixen ready to stake her claim. The heavy bob in Halder’s throat as I approach fuels that notion with an exhilarating boost.
He allows me to straddle his thighs, pretending that I’m capable of commanding him. We’re both well aware that he could easily overpower me and dominate my hunger for him without breaking a sweat. The steely length of him notches into place along my satin-covered slit. A tingle teases my clit, and I bite back a moan. There’s no stopping my urge to rock against him. I exhale a pure stream of yearning across his parting lips. “You’re very hard for me.”
Halder swallows my desire with an audible gulp. His fingers dig into the dip at my waist. With a snap of his hips, a burst of stars dance across my vision. “This is all for you. Only you, sweetheart.”
I nudge his shoulder, and he flops down against the bed. With a smooth caress, I swipe a palm across the valley of scars telling a tale of horror. These imperfections are beautiful in their own way, mostly because they’re attached to him and his victory. Leaning in, I press delicate kisses to each badge of honor. I’m hoping to erase all traces of pain. Each seal of my lips is meant to soothe and heal. Halder is a stone statue under my spotlight. He indulges my methods without uttering a complaint. Only the thundering of his heart keeps me company. The final blemish gets dusted with a longer peck, destroying any lingering shadows trying to creep by without detection.
“I love all of you, Halder. Especially the parts previously neglected.”
He cups my cheeks, pulling me in for a kiss. “You’re too good for me, but I’ll never take you for granted. I love you, Blakely.” His hand drifts down my bare torso, resting on my stomach. “You’re already blessing me with far more than I deserve.”
I wedge a palm between us until my hand settles on top of his. “You’re meant for good, whether that’s always a clear mission or not. I won’t quit until you believe that.”
“I’ll trust in what you say.”
“Does that extend across all subjects?”
“Not sure why it wouldn’t.”
“In that case,” I murmur into the scruff coating his jaw. “Ravish me, sexy boss man.”
“SBM?”
“Super creative, I know.”
Before I can blink, he flips us over and has me cradled beneath him. “Well, look at that. The tables have turned.”
I walk my nails up his back. “Indeed. What are your plans for me?”
“I don’t want to spoil any surprises, but there might be orgasms involved.” He rests his forehead against mine.
My hips wiggle against his. “You’re speaking my language.”
“Good to know I can please my woman.”
“Very thoroughly,” I add.
Halder’s fingers twist under the thin elastic at my hips, ripping the scrap off me in a stint of masculine showboating. But Halder is the furthest thing from egotistical. Even a humble brag is pushing it. If I had to guess, he’s in a hurry to get me naked. I don’t mind him destroying my panties for the sake of screwing me senseless. Taking his lead, I shove at his briefs until the final barrier between us is another disposed lump on the floor.
His tip prods at my entrance, seeking a warm welcome I’m very willing to give. I lift my knees to grant him better access. With a grunt, Halder fits into the gap I’ve allotted. He enters me with a long thrust that makes our joining seem endless. The glide is a fluid wave rolling and expanding as we become one. We aim for the crest with languid motions, he strokes in as I rise up to meet him. He stretches me so full, and it’s been too long since I’ve felt this exquisite pressure. I want more. Of him. Our love. The future we’re already building.
I’m ready for him, my arousal bordering on obscene. My body opens for him with a quiver of twitching limbs and clamping muscles. I’m slick and wanton, the erotic buzz injecting into my veins as his cock plunges forward. He takes what I’m giving, glidi
ng in until the only choice is pause or pull back. Our rhythm is one I recognize upon that initial stroke. I can’t fathom anything more natural than exchanging pleasure with this man after weeks apart. Halder rocks in and draws out on a smooth cycle. I’m helpless against the onslaught as pleas dribble off my lips.
He growls against my mouth. “Christ, I’ve missed you.”
“So much. You belong with me.”
“Yeah, Lee. Right here.” He circles his hips, gliding deeper for emphasis.
I arch further to meet his next thrust. “I need you.”
“You have me, sweetheart.”
“Forever?” The desperation steals my filter.
Halder doesn’t seem to mind. “Plus a few more, in case of emergency.”
I hum into his shoulder. “It’s smart to plan for the unexpected.”
“Especially for us,” he whispers against the column of my throat.
His mouth makes a tantalizing trail from the base of my ear across the upward tilt of my jaw. He peppers kisses down my neck, drifting lower until reaching my collarbone. Halder sucks along that raised edge, tasting me with the flat of his tongue. I stab my fingers into his hair, steering him downward by those shaggy strands. He chuckles against my cleavage while complying.
Halder’s palm roves up my side, over the grooves of my ribs, to settle on my breast. My boobs aren’t big by typical standards, but the pillowy mounds are enough to fill Halder’s hands. That’s the only measure I’m counting as effective from now on. He latches onto a peaked nipple and pulls the point into his mouth. I mewl when he uses the slightest hint of his teeth, that bite of pain prodding at an untapped pleasure source I instantly crave. My eyes cross on their own while I beg him to keep going. He laves at the sting while his fingers knead my other breast. Before the pinch has disappeared, his lips are dragging across my chest to repeat the same dizzying treatment.
I’m clawing at him, wordlessly seeking another rush to shove me closer to the edge. He hits the jackpot with his next drive, slamming against that hidden spot that makes me have a temporary blackout. That buried treasure gets another strike, and I throw my head back with a whine. He’s delving to the hilt with each pass, stroking the most intimate parts of me. Halder is stimulating every nerve ending I have, including the prickles across my scalp. My inner muscles clench and flutter as his girth manages to stretch me further. He’s already consuming me, yet I still want more. Our labored breathing, combined with the slap of flesh, creates a lewd playlist that I never want to cease.
He props himself up on a bent elbow, the effort straining in his biceps. With him hovering mere inches over me, I have a spectacular view of his upper body. Each slab of sculpted muscle calls to me with their own bellow. I follow a path of prominent veins in his forearm that fuel him with this vital strength. A shiver works through me as I consider the magnitude of the raw energy he emits. A poetic ode should be dedicated to this Adonis physique. Talk about a never-ending reel of lady porn. And he’s all mine.
With a swift drop, I’m being compressed between the solid presence of him and the soft cushion at my back. There’s sure to be an impression of my outline permanently stamped into the mattress. The force is a weighted blanket enveloping me, almost making it tough to breathe, yet I crave the unrelenting clinch in my lower belly. His smoky pine scent blends with my sweet lavender perfume. The combination is intoxicating, making me lightheaded. He’s the essential piece I didn’t realize was needed, or missing for that matter. Now I can’t survive without him.
His exhales are becoming ragged, revealing the amount of exertion he’s expelling for our benefit. The hot puffs of steam waft across my damp skin. I shiver from the blast of air, heating me past the point of boiling. How is it possible to be this feverish? I’m getting winded just watching him worship this bond we’re creating. He clutches my thigh, hitching it higher around his hip. I mold against him with this change in angle, more pliable than warm putty. We’re so tightly wound that there’s no longer a beginning or end. This is only us, as we’ve been destined to be.
Halder groans into my neck. “My salvation. My honor. My purpose.”
I shove my shoulders into the pillows and curve upward against him. The sizzle of friction as his body runs along mine has saliva pooling on my tongue. “Someone is in a very generous mood.”
“This is only the intro, Lee. I’m just getting warmed up.”
I grab a palmful of his ass, hauling him into me. “That’s a lot more than the tip.”
“Fucking trouble,” he grunts. As if proving a point, he begins doubling his pace. The bed creaks from the extra momentum. If he unleashes a higher speed, the freaking headboard might crack the drywall. I grip his arms until my nails are near puncturing. It’s either hold on with all my might or get left in the dust.
He ratchets me higher, pushing the boundaries on conceivable satisfaction. Every molecule I’m made of purrs under his masterful affections. This guy conquers me with his pinky, playing my body with fluid swipes and plucks.
The fringes of climax curl around my ankles and wrists, tickling those erogenous zones with feathery touches. I bow into the sensation, preparing to dive head over heels until fully submerged. A restlessness begins stirring under my skin. It’s an itch I can’t scratch. Only Halder has the means to deliver the cure. I’m aching for relief as the pinnacle of pleasure demands an exit. Threads keeping me tethered to reality snap and fizzle. My system is being flooded by him. I’m seconds away from detonating into the wide expanse of blinding bliss.
“I want you to come with me,” I whimper. Tingles have been spreading outward from my core. The zapping shudders can’t be ignored much longer.
He pistons in and out, his movements becoming unhinged with each pump. “I’m right there, Lee. Let go.”
With his next thrust, I allow the floodgates to sweep me under. My anchor is lifted, and I’m sent sailing across the vast sea of pulsing release. Vibrations skitter across my arms until I’m a writhing mess. I’m lost to the sensation overtaking me. My body locks up with undulating seize, securing me in a temporary state of numbing elation. Fissures crack and expand until my joints are wracking from the voltage. The ripples of ecstasy rocket me higher than I’ve ever soared. My sole desire is completing this consummation. I’m quaking underneath him, barely registering that Halder has gone still above me. The noise that rips from him is guttural.
A torrential flood swallows my entire being until I’m drowning. The river of my love for this man flows deep and wide. There are no bounds or limits. As I topple over the ledge, with him leaping beside me, those stakes of commitment are proven unbreakable once again.
The peak of my climactic orgasm begins to wane, but the aftershocks remain. I’m caught in that lazy state of post orgasmic glow, the slow ripples a potent sedative. A loopy smile tilts my lips as I gaze over at the man responsible. He’s always right. A little snooze seems to be precisely what’s next on my agenda.
Survival tip #31: Redemption is found in many forms. Don’t assume the answers are handed over in a certain way.
A hum that can only be described as pure satisfaction trickles from Blakely’s lips. She’s rousing after another brief recharge. Not sure why she bothered vehemently denying their occurrence mere hours ago. That’s proof I’ve ravished her adequately. Watching her drift off feeds my possessive side, much like our days in the wild. Being able to defend and shelter this woman is a privilege. The fact she’s content while absorbing the comfort I provide inflates my butch ego to barbarian standards.
I recline further against the stack of pillows behind me. It’s my turn to release a muffled rumble. Blakely’s sweet flower scent is deeply embedded in my lungs. Soft tones of blue and green decorate her space. The neutral hues are a fitting pair for us, and I find my mood reflecting that appeal. We’re laying in the type of mutual silence that’s comfortable. This is exactly how I picture the rest of our life unfolding. That vision is a damn glorious sight. Our hunger is sated. Her
satisfaction has been met. A muted thrum lowers to a simmer beneath my skin. The beast only she awakens is subdued for at least ten minutes.
Blakely traces circles across my chest in a pattern only she can see. The weight of her thoughts must become too much for her to carry alone. “Will you tell me about your parents?”
A cannonball drops in my gut at the mention of them. I glance from floor to ceiling and the painted walls sandwiched between, cataloging the soothing oasis of her bedroom. Introducing this topic into our space might pop the serenity. “What do you want to hear?”
“Don’t think I forgot your promise in the woods.”
I grunt at the reminder. “With a steel trap like yours? Never.”
Her fingertips trace the damage scarring my pecs. “Have you talked to them lately?”
“Just my mom. I called her after getting home.” Bitterness coats my tongue, stealing the sweetness of Blakely’s last kiss. When this conversation is over, I’ll need to bathe in her essence to wash away the foul taste.
“And?” Blakely taps on my collarbone, pulling me from thoughts of drowning between her thighs. Such a shame.
With a sigh, the slight heat that’d been pumping through my veins gets snuffed out. “She obliged me with a five minute conversation.”
She waits for me to share more. I’d prefer listening to her. My generosity doesn’t extend to this story. Her mouth wilts at the corners. “So, your relationship is strained?”
“It’s safe to say yes.”
She huffs, giving my nipple a tweak. “You’re very forthcoming.”
I shy away from another assault to the sensitive area. “This isn’t a subject I prefer to discuss.”
“But we’re supposed to be exposing all of our dirty secrets during the lulls, remember?”
I avert my gaze, focusing on an unremarkable spot in the tan carpet. “I wouldn’t classify my family history as interesting by any means. They’re not part of who I am in the present tense.”