by Anthology
“Can we light a fire?”
“We can, but I was hoping on saving these few branches for the night and, if we light a fire, I don’t know if the smoke can escape fast enough.”
“Do you think it will take them long to find us?”
He sighed. “I really don’t know, but I’m glad it’s you I’m stuck with.”
The way he said it, leaning his chin on my shoulder, made my heart skip a beat.
“So tell me about your school,” he asked.
Over the next few hours, we talked about our studies, then our families. Scar had been desperate not to work for his father and was trying to branch out on his own into a clubbing business. I told him about Zoey’s boyfriends and my busy schedule consisting of lectures, readings, library hours, and assignments. It didn’t leave much time for anything else. Maybe that’s why my exes cheated, I thought.
“I always knew you were a brainer, Jules. You should be very proud of yourself.”
“Thank you. It’s still a long way before I finish. Two more years of medical school, then residency. That is, if I come out of this alive.”
Sitting behind me, Scar had lost a lot of his body heat, and had started to shiver. He had kept me warm for a few hours, but as night set in, the clatter of his teeth grew louder each minute.
“Scar, we won’t make it through the night without a fire or any heat.”
“I know, I know. But these branches won’t last more than a couple of hours. We need to hold onto them as long as we can.”
I turned around and scanned him from the bottom up. “Take off your clothes.”
Chapter 5
“What?”
He stared at me as if the cold had frozen my brain cells, and I’d lost my mind.
“Just do it.” I removed my jacket. “And your sweater and your pants too. We need to share body heat.”
His brow, the scarred one, rose higher, but when he saw me zipping down my ski pants he hurried to do the same.
I knew exactly what was going on in his head. After all, he was a man with a predominant brain below his belt, but this was survival 101, and I would hate for my mom and sister to find me in the form of an ice cube. They needed me. I had to make Mom realize she was dating a gold-digger, and I had to be there for my sister when Mike broke her heart.
As I removed my sweater, I caught a glimpse of Scar lifting his arms over his head. My gaze snaked over his naked torso. His tanned complexion cast enticing shadows over his toned muscles. He twisted to lower his clothes to the ground and my stomach tightened with unbelievable heat. His movements caused his abs to contract and indent in all the right places. My eyes followed the sprinkle of hair between his abs, down to the waistline of his boxer-briefs. The underwear hugged his narrow hips right underneath the hipbones and curved over his generous bulge. At the side of his hip, partially hidden with the fabric, was a tattoo of red roses that flowed down his muscled thigh right to the knee. Its beauty took my breath away. I reached to touch him, but pulled away as he lifted his body.
Wearing only our undergarments and socks, we hurriedly lay down our sweaters and pants. I pretended not to have seen anything.
“Okay, lie down beside me,” I said.
Scar was quiet, examining my body the way I had his a moment earlier. I waited atop the clothes and he spooned me from behind, covering us with the two jackets. Skin to skin, the feel of his warmth, and the additional rush through my veins was comforting and arousing at the same time. Curling my back into his body, feeling him encase me and hold me, I closed my eyes as the shared warmth cocooned us. Nothing in my life had ever felt this right.
“What’s that?” I said, feeling his excitement poke against my ass. Of course, I knew what it was, but why? Me?
“What do you expect, Jules. You’re a woman and I’m a man …”
“… and if you start singing, you’re on your own.”
“Stop wiggling your butt. You’re not helping,” he said, which made me want to wiggle it even more.
“Can’t you control it?” I asked.
“That’s like asking a lion to discriminate between a sirloin and a tenderloin.”
“You’re a pig.” I couldn’t believe he was comparing me to a steak!
But could I really blame him for being excited? As a woman, at least I was able to hide the way my body was reacting to him. But if he touched my panties, he’d know how wet I was, and it was all because of him.
“Jules, I swear, if you continue this I won’t be held responsible for what happens.”
“I’m sorry. I know this is not the time …”
“Don’t be. I really like having you so close.”
As he held me, I couldn’t help but feel like this was the only place I wanted to be. While I wondered whether anything else could go wrong on this vacation, maybe getting trapped here with Scar was the first thing that had gone right. As convinced as I was that there’d be no future with any man for me, especially Scar, my heart thumped in my chest as if it wanted to argue and change my mind.
“Jules?”
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever thought about us?”
“Not really. Not until now …” My voice trailed off.
“I’d hurt you.” His whisper was filled with sadness.
“And vice versa. I can’t commit any more. No offense, but I don’t trust men.”
“You’re right not to. Nature will win over heart matters every time. But what if this is it? I mean, what if they don’t find us?”
“You really think they won’t?”
“I don’t know. But I’m not ready to die. At least not like this—with a beautiful woman in my arms and a hard-on.”
The rusty huskiness of his voice, and his words, flowed through me like hot tea with honey on a cold winter’s day. The instant heat inside me melted away any last thoughts of the cave and the tons of snow above us.
His hand grazed over my tummy, and I closed my eyes. The touch was so good. As he reached over my breast, Scar nuzzled his head into the nook between my neck and my shoulder. The warmth of his lips spread through me as his fingers found my nipple and squeezed. The pinch sizzled across my skin, and I moaned.
“You smell so good, Jules.”
I shifted my ass against his erection. The euphoria inside me heated my every muscle. Scar was a friend and I wanted to remain as such. But then again, maybe this was it. Perhaps our hours and minutes together were numbered.
As if reading my mind, he said, “Jules, if we survive this, you know we can’t be more. I’ll only end up cheating on you.” He took another long inhale of me.
A hint of sweat lingered in the air. It was primitive and earthy and I was beyond sure that I wanted Scar to take me. “I know. This is a onetime thing.”
“Yes, a onetime thing, because we could die.”
“No. It’s to heat us up. If we stay warm, we’ll survive this.” I wanted to believe that was the only reason I was grinding against him—to keep the feverous friction between our bodies ignited. But that would be the greatest lie I’d ever told.
“Jules, at the rate I’m going, we’ll melt the snow off this mountain.”
I looked back and up into his lazy eyes somewhat taken back by the desire filling them. Emotions flashed across his face. I wanted to watch his face longer to decipher what he was thinking, but Scar seized my lips and his hand slid down my tummy and into my panties, making me forget my thoughts.
“Jesus, Jules. You’re shaved … and dripping,” he said against my mouth.
Grateful I had found the time to wax before coming to the resort, I twisted my body around to face him. Desperate for his touch, I spread my legs open and reached down to where his cock was halfway out of his boxer-briefs.
As soon as I grasped him, Scar bit my lip, and slid his fingers back into my panties. He cupped my pussy before dragging his fingers down between my folds. He delved into my opening and pulled my juices out of me.
I pulled his heated skin u
pward. His chest vibrated as he wrapped one of his arms underneath my body, bringing me completely against him. And all I could think about was how fast I could get him inside me. I wanted him to stretch me and fill me. There was something primal, being here, trapped in a cave. We were like a couple of Neanderthals, and I didn’t really care whether I was acting like one. Lifting my leg over his hip, I pressed against him.
“Fuck, Jules. I don’t have a condom.”
I froze. I didn’t want to listen to him. There was no way I’d let him stop now that he had me wound up like a toy top. “We can just … Scar, please touch me again.”
A coy smile stretched across his face as his fingers dragged my essence upward to my swelling clit. “Like that?” he asked against my mouth, rubbing his fingers over me in a delicious circle.
“Yes.” I felt my grip tighten around him as a spasm flew from the tip of his fingers. I gasped, opening my eyes wider.
“How …” I couldn’t finish my question. The tighter circles he was making over my nub were fogging my mind. The heat radiated from there all throughout my belly.
I stroked him from root to tip as his fingers worked me. The soft skin under my palm felt like velvet. It moved over his hard length along with my hand. The heat of him pulsed against my fingers to the rhythm of his heart. I pulled my thumb over his crown, spreading a drop of pre-cum. My strokes became repetitive and his hips pushed forward into me. I was beginning to run out of space between us, but I needed his closeness. I wanted his warm and tender kisses to last forever and wished his fingers would slow down so I could enjoy this longer. But he worked me harder and faster. My spasms became more frequent. I didn’t want it to end—not yet.
“Shit, Jules. You feel so good.”
As soon as I felt his warmth spill against my tummy, I lost it. I let it go, and gave into the euphoria as Scar brought me over the edge. My body shook in spasm as the orgasm flew through me with a force equivalent to an avalanche. We both slowed, and the realization of what we’d done hit me. I opened my eyes and looked into his.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“I … I’m not usually like this,” I whispered. “I can usually control it.”
“Why would you want to control it?”
“Because you’re a friend, Scar. I don’t want to ruin things, and sex ruins things.”
“We didn’t have sex, Jules.”
“It doesn’t make it right.” So why did my body feel like coming together was the best thing we could have done?
“Jules, we’re in a unique situation. I wasn’t planning on this, but if I freeze to death, I will do so with a smile on my face,” he said, breathing against my forehead before kissing me again. “There’s no fucking way I’ll regret this—no matter what.”
I woke up in the middle of the night to a scratching sound. The noise was faint, but I had an unmistakable feeling that someone was close to us. My back was snuggled into Scar’s chest, and I felt him hold his breath as he listened.
“They found us,” I whispered.
“Jules, get dressed. It’s time to light that fire.”
We shot off the makeshift bedding and got dressed in haste. Gathering the pine branches into a pile, Scar lit the first one up. Most of the smoke drifted upward, but it wasn’t dissipating fast enough.
“At least they’ll smell it,” he said, taking me into his arms.
We gave up on the fire when the cave begun filling with smoke.
Over the next hour, the noises got louder. I screamed, and cried, and jumped up and down. For the first time since we’d been trapped, hunger rolled through my tummy.
Before the rescue team broke through the last layer of snow, Scar grabbed me once more, and pressed his lips to mine.
I wrapped my arms around him. As happy as I was that we’d been found, gloom shadowed my joy. From the look of confusion in Scar’s eyes, I knew this was possibly the end of the road for us. Did I want more?
Chapter 6
We were admitted to a nearby hospital for observation.
I tossed and turned that night, and contemplated sneaking into Scar’s room, but I didn’t.
The next morning, as I got dressed to leave, Zoey asked, “Are you sure you’re okay, Jules? You look a little sad.”
“I’m fine. I’m just glad to be alive.”
“Your friend didn’t try anything with you, did he?”
“No, Zoey. He’s a friend.”
“Too bad,” she murmured under her breath as Sid came into my room with a bouquet of flowers.
“Have you girls seen your mom? I left her in the cafeteria. She was supposed to meet me here.” A slight look of worry traced his face as he handed me the arrangement.
“Thank you,” I said, somewhat surprised by the gesture.
“Haven’t seen her. Maybe she’s still there? I’ll grab your paperwork from the nurse’s station and meet you in the car.” Zoey said.
“Sure. Maybe we’ll find her in the parking lot,” I said to Sid, looking back to the empty bed. “Let’s go.”
I prayed I’d run into Scar. Should I have asked for his room number? And then what? He lived in New York and I was in Washington. While not far, it’d still be a long distance relationship. What the hell am I thinking? Neither of us does relationships. While my body may have needed more from Scar than I could admit, there was no way we’d ever make it work. As much as every muscle inside me ached for more of Scar’s touches, the rational part of my brain had to let it go. What happened had been a mistake and only because we had been cold and afraid. Scar wouldn’t have kissed me or touched me otherwise.
After today, I’d go back to my studies, and Scar would return to New York to open up his club. The night we spent together would melt away from my memories along with the spring snow.
As we rounded the corner to the cafeteria, I heard a familiar laugh. When the happy couple came into view, and I saw my mom’s hand ride up a man’s chest as his mouth covered hers, I froze. He grasped my mother’s thigh, lifted it to his hip, and pinned her back against the wall. My instinct to prevent Sid from seeing this ran on a delayed mode, and when he saw them, his mouth opened wide. The pain in his eyes made me doubt everything bad I’d ever thought about him. For the first time since he’d been present in Mom’s life, I wondered whether his intentions were true. Wasn’t breaking Sid and mom up what I had wanted?
“What the hell?” Sid’s shock rang clearly.
She pulled away from the handsome guy I now recognized as Scar’s older brother. A few years older than Scar, he had the same smoldering looks that would make any woman’s heart race.
“Sid, oh my God! It’s not what you think.” My mom’s hand flew to her mouth.
Nice try mom.
Sid turned on his heel and left. My mother ran after him, but I knew the damage was beyond repair.
“What have I done?” I said to myself as Scar’s brother came to my side.
“Are you Jules?” he asked.
I ignored the coy look of pride on his face, saying, “Yes.”
“I’m Ace. Scar’s brother. He told me to give you this.” He handed me a white envelope.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“He was discharged early. Had to go back to New York to close a deal on his club.”
That’s it? He left?
My heart broke apart, and I wasn’t sure whether it was because Scar had followed through on his promise, or because he had left without saying goodbye.
“Thank you.”
“Are you okay?” Ace asked. “Should I pass Scar a message?”
“No.” I shook my head. “ I’ll be fine.”
I didn’t open the letter until I arrived back at my apartment in Washington. I sat on my bed, reading Scar’s words.
Dear Jules,
I’m sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but I’ve been waiting to close this deal for months. I hope Ace pulled through and that your wish came true. He owed me one. What happened in the cave, ple
ase know I’ll never regret it, but I hope it didn’t ruin our friendship. You were always important to me and I want you to be happy. I don’t want to mess with your brain while you’re studying. I don’t want to hurt you. I’ll look you up when I’m in Washington. Maybe we can grab a beer and have some chicken nuggets (kidding). And if you ever come to New York, you know where to find me. I’ll miss you, Jules. You make me smile, and laugh, and forget about life’s little nuisances. Friends like you make my life worth living.
Your friend, Nick
Friends. That was what we were.
It would be another six years until I ran into my friend again.
Author’s Note - Lacey Silks
If you’d like to find out more about Julia and Scar, their paths cross again in a sizzling story in Cheaters Anonymous, available Spring 2015 at Amazon
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Other Titles by Lacey Silks:
Dazzled by Silver (prequel to the Layers Trilogy)
Layers Deep (Book 1)
Layers Peeled (Book 2)
Layers Off (Book 3)
Crossed (prequel to the Crossed Series)
Layers Crossed (Book 1)
Double Crossed (Book 2)
Crossed Off (Book 3)
My First, My Last: a standalone erotic romance novel.
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Author of Erotic Romance, Lacey Silks writes her stories from life experiences, dreams and fantasies. She likes a pinkish shade on a woman’s cheeks, men with large feet, and sexy lingerie, especially when it’s torn off the body. Her favorite piece of clothing is a birthday suit.
When she’s not thinking about writing steamy stories, which is a rare occasion, Lacey enjoys camping and skiing with her family (not at the same time of course). She’s a happily married wife blessed with two kids who adore going to the library. She’s an early bird by nature, but loves the nightly adventures with her hubby which provide good content for her books.