Cave Man's Captive

by Juliana Conners

  Cave Man’s Captive

  Copyright © 2018 by Juliana Conners; All Rights Reserved.

  Published by Juliana Conners’ Sizzling Hot Reads

  Cover Design by 11 Online

  This book is a work of fiction and any portrayal of any person living or dead is completely coincidental and not intentional. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the author, other than brief excerpts for the purpose of reviews or promotion.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Elijah

  Chapter 2

  Elijah

  Chapter 3

  Michelle

  Chapter 4

  Michelle

  Chapter 5

  Michelle

  Chapter 6

  Elijah

  Chapter 7

  Michelle

  Chapter 8

  Elijah

  Chapter 9

  Michelle

  Chapter 10

  Elijah

  Chapter 11

  Michelle

  Chapter 12

  Elijah

  Chapter 13

  Elijah

  Chapter 14

  Michelle

  Chapter 15

  Michelle

  Chapter 16

  Elijah

  Chapter 17

  Elijah

  Chapter 18

  Elijah

  Chapter 19

  Elijah

  Chapter 20

  Michelle

  Chapter 21

  Elijah

  Chapter 22

  Elijah

  Chapter 23

  Michelle

  Epilogue

  Michelle

  SEAL's Virgin: A Bad Boy Military Romance

  Just Pretend – A Navy SEAL Fake Fiancé Romance

  First Comes Love: A Navy SEAL Secret Baby Romance (Ramsey’s Story)

  Brothers United: Bonus Novella Exclusive to the Bradford Brothers Box Set

  Their Protector: An MC Outlaw Romance

  Mountain Man’s Baby: A Billionaire And Virgin Romance

  Dr. Fake Fiancé: A Virgin and Billionaire Romance

  Sold on Valentine’s Day: A Virgin and a Billionaire Romance

  Wife Wanted: A Billionaire Fake Fiancé Romance

  Don’t Stand So Close: A Brother’s Best Friend Romance

  Chapter 1

  Elijah

  Chirp, chirp.

  The sound of birds drew my attention away from focusing on the spot I was sure I would be able to find my next meal. I had been waiting in the woods for what seemed like a very long time, without seeing a deer. I didn’t mind though, because I loved being outside and I was certain that one would come my way soon. In the meantime, at least I had the birds to keep me company— which is much better than human companionship, in my opinion.

  If anyone were to ask me— which no one ever would, since I make it a point not to talk to people— I would say that there were few better feelings in life than being hunkered down in the woods surrounded by thick evergreens dusted with powdery white snow. The occasional sound of these birds taking flight or saying hello to me, or a lone wolf howling like a freight train whistle, were the only ones that ever broke the welcoming silence. Making my home in the woods had turned out to be one of the best decisions that I could have ever made.

  The woods had provided me with everything that I could need or want. Finding food had become more than a simple task of walking outside my house and looking around for it. The fertile soil had made it possible for a small garden of vegetables to grow, even in the cold climate. And not having much foot traffic counted as a huge plus because I never had to worry about my crops getting trampled underfoot by unruly or adventurous children or hikers.

  The woods themselves had provided a vast array of wildlife such as deer, rabbit, and different birds that made for delicious main courses. Pairing them with fresh picked vegetables selected from my garden transformed a normal meal into a feast fit for a king— though I would hardly consider myself one. There was something very rewarding about sitting down to a meal fully supplied from a day's trip made from both the forest and my own backyard.

  I had grown really fucking comfortable in my solitude. I loved the fact that there was nothing that I needed civilization for. Indeed, there wasn’t anything that I need another person for at all.

  Even the cold seemed to provide some sort of comfort. I knew that it was chilly because each breath let out a cloud of smoke from my nose and mouth, respectively. But the cold didn't bother me much when I was out hunting. I focused my mind and energy on being completely still, one with the woods, so to speak.

  I stayed completely still, focusing my gaze through the lens of my rifle, listening carefully to nature for signs of life that might provide me with the perfect opportunity to hunt a delicious entrée. I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, listening to the wind blow in sharp bursts, whistling through the trees, making snow fall in drifts from the tops of the trees.

  I didn’t even bother to dust off my head and shoulders that were being covered in the cold sprinkling of snow that fell with each gust of wind. I was deep in concentration, listening to the sounds around me.

  Suddenly, I heard the loud snap of a nearby stick. I perked up, scanning the area around me for what I assumed must have been a deer or other large animal. My heart began to beat quickly as I thought of all the tender deer meat that I would soon be feasting on. I spun around in a complete circle, my eye fixed on the lens of my rifle, looking for the source of the noise.

  I couldn’t see anything. I started to get a little confused because I was sure that I’d heard something move. I began to search frantically, hoping that I wouldn’t miss my chance to take home a great specimen. It only took the slightest movement to scare off the majestic creatures that made their home in the woods. They were not used to seeing any human beings, so they were sure to run and hide if they had an idea that a predator was nearby.

  My mind went back to one of the first times that I had gone out into the woods to hunt. It had been a very long time since I had hunted, and I seemed to be all thumbs and left feet for some reason. I dropped my rifle and it let out a shot that seemed to echo for miles. A flock of birds flew away from a nearby tree.

  I had sat there for hours that day and there was no other movement detected in the woods. I went home that night cold, exhausted, hungry, and disappointed. I vowed that I would be more careful from that point on, and I had been very good about keeping my word to myself, up until that very moment.

  Just as my fear began to mount at the prospect of losing out on a great hunt, I heard something that put even more fear into my heart: the sound of people in the woods. My heart sunk a little as I felt my hopes of having a successful hunt slipping through my fingers.

  Letting out an exasperated sigh, I abandoned my hiding spot between the trees. I needed to get these people away from this area so that I could get back to hunting in peace and quiet. I moved closer to the voices, growing more irritated with each step. They needed to go— and fast— before they scared off all the animals in the area.

  As I was about to call out to get their attention, I immediately recognized who they were. It was Harlow, Jensen, and Ramsey Bradford— “the Bradford brothers,” as everyone knew them as, and Darren King. It appeared that I’d stumbled upon a reunion of sorts.

  I didn’t want to see them at all. I had spent the las
t few years avoiding all people and they were definitely people that I would rather not see. Given how terribly things had gone when we all worked together as SEALs, I would be okay if I never saw any of them ever again. So, the fact that they were so close to me now, just yards away from where I was hiding, was an unhappy coincidence, to say the least. I began gathering my things quietly so that I could slip away silently and undetected.

  Then, I heard a voice that I didn’t recognize.

  “How much farther are we going?” asked a sweet voice.

  Who could this be? I thought.

  I looked through the trees to see who was responsible for the voice, and my breath caught in my throat. Standing in the middle of the woods with my old associates was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on.

  I noticed her light blue eyes— made almost purple by the sunlight— right away. They were in direct contrast with her dark brown hair that framed her round face. I stood as if I were in a trance for a few minutes, completely floored by her beauty.

  Snap out of it, I told myself. Shaking my head like I was trying to shake the image of her right out of my mind, I quickly decided that it wasn’t worth risking an interaction with the Bradfords or King all for the glimpse at a pretty face, even one as strikingly beautiful as she was.

  There were plenty of other women in this world and, if I ever gave myself the chance to see one, I would just have to turn my attention to another. I knew that my chances of seeing another woman out here in the woods, especially one that matched her beauty or even came close, was slim to none, but it was a chance that I was going to have to take.

  It was such a shame that she was with one of the groups of people that I would rather not see again. And it was just my fucking luck that the only woman I had seen in a long time— not to mention the most beautiful I’d seen ever— was with them.

  Chapter 2

  Elijah

  Even though I kept telling myself all the many reasons why I should just walk away and forget about her, I couldn’t stop myself from staring at her and being drawn in by her beauty. I suppose my will to desire to keep looking at her was stronger than my will to go about my fucking business like I knew I should.

  “Hey, who’s there?” asked Darren, peeking through the trees to catch a better glimpse of me. I thought that I had been doing a good job of being quiet and still, but apparently, I was wrong. I had been spotted. It was too late. There was no way that I could slip away undetected.

  “Hello. I’m Darren. How are you?” He extended his hand, which I stared at for a few moments, not sure if I was going to shake it or not.

  I realized then that they didn’t recognize me. I guess it wasn’t all that hard to believe, since it had been years since we’d seen each other, and I probably looked like a grizzly bear now compared to then. I had grown my hair out long and thick, and had a long beard, whereas as a SEAL I had stuck to the regulation military haircut. Of course, I was also older now than I had been then, and the years of sun had weathered my face.

  I was kicking myself for missing my chance for a clean exit. All because I was mesmerized by a pretty face. I glanced over in the direction of the woman at whom I’d been looking and was surprised to find her staring back at me, smiling sweetly. It almost made this awkward moment worth it. Almost.

  “My wife, Hope, and I live nearby in a cabin that I built,” continued Darren, taking back his extended hand. He looked hesitant, as if he’d realized I hadn’t want to see him here and was explaining his existence like some kind of stalker. I had heard of this area because many of our fellow SEALs talked about how it was a good place to get a land of land for cheap after our service was over, so, it wasn’t necessarily all that strange that he had also built a cabin in the same vicinity as I had. What was coincidental was that somehow, I had wandered so far in my hunting journey, and he and the Bradford Brothers had meandered so far on their hike that our paths had connected. “We are having a little get together and a few buddies and their wives came up to join us.”

  I nodded my head as he talked, the whole time debating whether or not I should still take my chances and walk away, leaving them standing there, wondering about the unfriendly stranger that they had stumbled upon. It seemed like a much better alternative than standing there and letting the forgotten years creep back up and come out into the light. The memories of that time were not ones that I was eager to recall.

  But, the way that the beautiful woman stood staring at me seemed to keep my feet planted in their spot in the woods. Standing under her gaze felt like taking in the warm rays of the sun. I was spellbound.

  Darren seemed to notice my gaze shifting over to the woman, so he stepped back in her direction. Then he looked at Harlow.

  “This is Michelle, our nanny,” Harlow explained.

  Everyone waited, staring at me.

  “Hello,” she said, as if she felt a bit out of place. It was at that moment that I knew I would do some things I hated to do— talk to and be around other people— just so I could get to know her better.

  “Elijah. Nice to meet you,” I said.

  The group seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief when I finally spoke.

  Befuddled, and staring in disbelief, Darren spoke.

  “Wait, Elijah Chase…? Oh, my God, what are you…?”

  After doing a double take in disbelief, Darren continued. “Hey, bud, how are you? What are you doing way… hey, look who it is, it’s Elijah!”

  The guys all looked at each other, somewhat stupefied, and then moved toward me and gave me an enthusiastic hug. Harlow gave me a once over and without saying a word, shook my hand with a strong grasp. His brother Jensen patted me on the back and stared me up and down.

  “Looking good man,” Jensen said. “How are you, my friend? Long time no see!”

  I shrugged, as the question of how one was doing was always quite a relative one to answer. I was doing much better now that time had passed, thanks in large part to my solitude and self-imposed isolation out here in the woods, but, that wasn’t to say I was fucking “fine.” I didn’t want to give some fake, contrived answer as people normally do. Plus, my concentration was still on Michelle, more than it was focused on this spontaneous and completely unexpected reunion.

  “Do you live nearby?”

  I simply nodded and manage to mutter something out.

  “Yes, not far,” I said, trying to shift my gaze away from Michelle, but failing miserably. At this point it was beyond obvious that I was transfixed on one thing and one thing only. Now that I knew her name, I wanted to know everything else about her. Such as where she lived. And how she liked her eggs cooked in the morning.

  Staring at her pouty lips and full frame, my mind began to wander. I couldn’t help but think about what she might feel like if I held her in my arms. I wanted to know what her interests were, as well as what I could do to make her smile every day.

  I tried to shake such silly thoughts from my head, since this was our first-time meeting and would be our last. Even though I hoped that I could see her again, I knew that my lack of interest in meeting or being around other people would only serve to distance her from me. My God, what are these feelings I’m having for someone I had just now met?

  Of all of the people that I could run into in the woods, I couldn’t believe that I was running into them. And even though I was still very much so wracked with guilt about the way that things had gone all those years ago, they seemed to welcome me with open arms. I paused and pondered… maybe things had not been as bad as I thought that they had been.

  Darren then cleared his throat.

  “Elijah? Uhh, are you ok?”

  “Yeah, yeah.. sure,” I responded.

  Living alone for so long had made me forget what it was like to interact with other people. I guess I’d been in my own thoughts and without a companion for so long that I was caught off guard by everything taking place.

  “Well, we decided to come out exploring because we had
all eaten and drank a little bit too much, so we wanted to to walk it off with some of the older kids,” Darren said. “Harlow’s wife, Whitney, and my wife, Hope, stayed behind with the younger kids.”

  “This is my wife, Riley,” Jensen interrupted, as I nodded towards the woman who was with Michelle.

  “It’s been a happy coincidence running into you out here,” Darren continued. “Say, if you’re up for it, I think that it would be great if you could come up to the house and meet the rest of the family.”

  There were very few things that I wanted to do less than being in a more intimate social setting with the last people on earth that I had ever wanted to see again. But, this would give me a chance to learn more about Michelle, so my answer tumbled out of my mouth before I could think better of it.

  “Sounds good,” I said.

  Why not? I asked myself.

  And then I answered myself after it was too late to back out. Maybe because I had no social graces and no clue of what to say to people, especially not to those who knew my history like these people did. But, I couldn’t help but want to take any opportunity to be near the stunning beauty I now knew was named Michelle.

  My only hope was that I hadn’t sealed a worse fate for myself than I had already been living.

  Chapter 3

  Michelle

  Since I was among a close-knit family and not related to them, I had that feeling that I often had when I was young, and the teacher would have my classmates and I play musical chairs. I was never quite fast enough, and the other kids would always find chairs before I did. So most of the time, I was the odd girl out, left standing there awkwardly with no room or place in the game.

  There was one time that we played the game and it left me hurt, both physically and emotionally. I thought that I was finally about to win. The music had stopped, and I saw the chair within my reach. I lunged toward it to sit down, only to find that it was being pulled from underneath me.