by Debra Kayn
Quint removed his shirt, breathing hard. "On the bed."
Free from her clothes, she walked backward, watching him. His mood for sex hadn't reached his eyes. There was something dark in their depths, something warning her.
She wasn't afraid of him but what he was feeling. Those feelings that he never let go of or shared with her had broken loose.
He stripped off his jeans and walked naked to her. In the daylight, the scars marking his body screamed at her, shouting out the physical abuse he'd suffered. But nothing could prepare her for the emotional exploitation he lived with.
She raised her gaze to his troubled eyes. He crawled like a predator onto the bed and laid beside her, curling her body toward him. She trembled with the need to sooth and comfort him.
He lowered his head and took her nipple in his mouth. She stroked his hair back away from his forehead and gazed at his closed eyes. Her lower stomach quivered. He had longer eyelashes than her. A softness to a hard face that at first were overlooked. Much like the man himself.
She warmed, remembering the early days when she viewed Quint as the stereotypical mountain man with his flannel shirts, bushy beard, and hair that rarely seen a haircut. While she still wished he talked more, he listened.
She'd never had anyone in her life who had all the time in the world to hear her talk and really hear her.
Quint slipped his hand between her legs. She bent her neck and kissed the top of his head, inhaling the outdoors. An aroma she never would've thought she'd end up loving, but having Quint near intoxicated her in the best way possible.
He licked her hardened nipple. She moaned, threading her fingers in his hair. His beard caressed her stomach adding to the friction.
She put her leg over his naked hip, giving him more room between her legs which he took advantage of. Panting, she arched against him.
He moved on top of her, never letting go of her breast or stopping the slow glide of his finger through the wetness of her folds. She stretched, trailing her hands over his broad shoulders and down his arms.
Quint lifted his head from her sensitive nipple and opened his eyes. Those baby blues pierced her soul. She sucked in her breath and thrust her pelvis off the bed.
His forehead bumped hers as she rocked against his hand. She hugged his neck, gasping as her orgasm spiraled higher and higher.
"Give it to me," he whispered.
"No." She held her breath, struggling to hold back. "Not until you're inside me."
He raised his head and looked into her eyes. She moaned, losing control. How could she connect with someone so deeply, so intimately, so desperately?
His brows lowered and his body tensed. A low growl came from him as he pushed off the bed and searched the nightstand. She exhaled a shaky breath, willing her body to calm down.
She wanted to be with him as long as possible. And, afterward, she wanted him again, and again.
The crinkle of a condom wrapper put all thought of slowing out of her mind when he rolled the protection over his hard cock. She squeezed her thighs together and reached for him, brushing her fingers against his leg.
He raised his gaze and climbed over her, settling between her legs. She reached down and wrapped her fingers around his hardness.
Tension marked his forehead. She could sense his struggle because the same edginess had grabbed onto her.
"I want to take care of you," she whispered, pushing on his chest.
He rolled, taking her with him. She got up on her knees, propping her hands on his stomach and looked between her legs.
He was ready for her. She lowered herself down, moaning loudly as he filled her fully. Every part of her body reacted, and she shivered.
As if he read her mind, he cupped her breasts, warming her painfully peaked nipples. Pleasure spread through her. She rocked on him, stroking him with her pussy. His length caressed her deeply, and her arousal wound tighter.
She gazed down into his eyes. Caught the desire smoldering beneath his lowered eyelids and pressed her upper body into his hands.
Her movements lengthened, and she rode him harder. "God," she said on a harsh exhale.
Quint groaned, squeezing her breasts. His thighs came up and tipped her forward. He lowered her, still holding her, and kissed her. Moving her arms, she braced her hands on the mattress above his broad shoulders and stroked him with her tongue.
His hands roamed over her ribs, her hips, and around to her ass. He helped move her. Up. Down. Up. Down. As they rocked and loved and moved and kissed and fucked, she rode wildly, uncontrollably, greedily.
"I can't," she said against his lips. "Stop."
"Harder." His hands came up and captured her head, sucking on her bottom lip. "Don't stop," he mumbled against her.
Impaling herself on him, over and over, she forgot to breathe. He gave her air. He kept her alive.
In an impossible situation, she'd found love. She couldn't leave him.
Her body exploded in pleasure. Quint swallowed her cry and added a groan of his own. His cock pulsated inside of her as he climaxed. She sank down on him, weightless and weak.
Quint wrapped his arms around her, stroking the back of her head, and putting her face against the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes, cocooned in his care.
For the moment, she thrived and let herself pretend that tomorrow she'd be with him. And, the week after that she'd be with him. Every day. Forever.
How could he not see what they had together? What stopped him from committing to a relationship? Why wouldn't he keep her?
Chapter 34
The start of Labor Day weekend brought a mad rush of guests to Bitterroot Campground. Unprepared people who flocked headquarters for extra toilet paper, shampoo, and snack food to make their stay more comfortable. Quint held up his hand, motioning with his fingers for the thirty-six-foot motorhome to back up, and then held up his fist for the driver to stop.
Chuck, a returning guest, hopped out of the driver's seat. "Thanks, Quint."
"No problem." He knocked on the back end of the RV. "Good to have you back at Bitterroot Campground."
Chuck stretched his arms. "How did summer treat you?"
"Let's just say I'm ready for a much-needed break." Quint stepped away. "Enjoy your stay."
"Will do." Chuck bent over and looked under the motorhome for the manual jack.
Quint left the older man to set up his site and hopped on the quad. Two young kids ran across the road in front of him, laughing and trying to slap each other. The chaos would be gone Monday afternoon. The school year would start for the kids and parents would go back to their nine-to-five job.
And, he'd shut himself inside his cabin and become a hermit until next spring.
He had no desire to be around any more people. If Jaster came knocking, he'd have no problems blowing a hole in the fucker's forehead from the position of his couch.
He parked outside headquarters and nodded at the guests carrying their purchases out. Looking at his phone, he checked the time and noticed a text from Anders. His chest ached seeing the name, though he and Mark had been on his mind constantly lately. He pulled up the message.
Anders: Check in, or we're coming over to check on you.
He typed back. I'm fine. Stay away.
He slipped his phone into his front pocket and went inside headquarters. Katelynn looked up from the counter as he entered and smiled. Ignoring the lone guest looking over the shelves filled with supplies, he went to Katelynn and kissed her.
She placed her hand on his stomach, and when he finished getting a sample of her, she said, "It's almost eight o'clock."
He'd prepared her for the late hours over the weekend. A bigger crowd meant more business he wouldn't turn away.
"As soon as you finish, we'll lock up." He stepped back. "I'll stick around and take you to the cabin."
He went into his office, leaving the door open. Throughout the day, if Jared wasn't close to her, he hung around headquarters. With extra guests st
aying during the last weekend of camping season, it was too easy for Jaster or one of his men to get onto the property.
Paying guests often invited family members to their campsite for the day or a meal as they celebrated the three-day weekend. While a lot of the campers were returnees, he couldn't control who they friended or brought with them. Jaster already proved he could infiltrate Anders' Lair, he wasn't going to let the same thing happen to him.
He sat down in the chair behind his desk and yawned. His lack of sleep lately caught up with him. He'd tried getting his fill of Katelynn, he'd barely slept. Every morning, he went to work knowing that no matter how many times he had sex with her, it was never enough.
Looking out the doorway at Katelynn moving around, straightening the room, talking with the straggling guest, he was amazed at her energy level. He tapped his finger against the desk. She had twenty fewer years on her. A body that she hadn't beat to death and worn down.
Compared to her, he had one foot in the grave.
She needed to get away from the Bitterroot Mountains, live a more comfortable life, and forget about what she'd gone through here. Forget about him and find a man who would add to her life, not bring her down.
The guest bought a gallon of Kerosene. Quint opened the safe, ready for Katelynn to bring the money pouch to him.
The front door closed. Quint looked at the calendar on the wall. He hadn't changed the pages since Katelynn arrived at the campground five months ago.
He couldn't quote the number of guests that'd camped during the summer season. He couldn't estimate how much money he'd made, only that he was doing okay. Rubbing his hands over his face, he tried to massage the ache out of his head. Seasons change. Katelynn would leave.
"Headache?" asked Katelynn.
He lowered his hands and opened his eyes, ignoring her question. "Did you close the register?"
She held up the pouch containing the money. He motioned toward the safe and watched her walk around his desk.
Despite the tiredness and tension, he still wanted her. He hooked her around the waist as she shut the safe and hauled her onto his lap. After a startled squeak, she settled against him. He palmed her breast, inhaling deeply.
"Busy day, huh?" She curled against him, nestling her head against his shoulder.
He grunted, closing his eyes as his dick surged to life.
"We could go back to the cabin..." She slipped her hand between the buttons of his flannel and touched his chest.
He patted her ass with one hand and rolled her nipple with the other one. "How about you take off your jeans and straddle me?"
"The door isn't locked."
"I don't care."
She laughed softly. "I do."
He lowered his mouth and kissed the top of her head. "Then, go shut it."
She moved off his lap. He pried his eyes open and found her standing in front of him. She rubbed her lips together, gazing down at his lap.
His cock twinged, growing harder under her study.
She bent over and propped her hands on his thighs. "Can I?"
Katelynn motioned her eyes downward. He stretched out his leg, making room for his erection. She wanted to give him a blow job, and he wasn't one to turn her down.
He unbuckled his belt, his zipper, and peeled down his jeans. She kneeled between his knees and glanced up at him. She bit her lip as her breathing accelerated.
Stroking her cheek, he tilted his head watching her. He couldn't get enough of her natural curiosity about him. It hadn't taken him long to realize that she was short on experience or maybe all twenty-something year olds were eager and willing.
Katelynn wrapped her fingers around the base of his cock. Her soft gasp caressed him. His balls tightened.
He wanted her mouth on him. To feel the warmth of her tongue stroking him.
"You're beautiful," she whispered, her lips inches from the part of him demanding attention. "I could play with you all day long."
She was killing him.
Trailing her fingers along his length, she found the vein running under his cock and pressed her thumb against it. He expanded in pleasure.
"Look how it moves." She moved her finger around the rim of the head.
His cock pulsed wildly. "You think...?"
His mouth had gone dry. He wanted her to suck him, not talk. She could play with him later, but he needed her right now.
"Hm?" She licked the dot of pre-cum off him. "What did you say?"
He blew out his breath, reeling from the velvety softness of her tongue. "Not a damn thing," he mumbled
She opened her mouth, looked up into his eyes, and smiled, going down on him.
He grabbed the arms of the chair. "Sweet Jesus," he whispered, anticipating filling her.
Katelynn licked around the head and put her lips around him. Her cheeks rounded. The toes of his boots came off the floor. He had no control over anything. She led. He followed.
She explored, licked, sucked, and kissed. He couldn't close his eyes because there was no way in hell he was going to miss a second of her enjoying him. She loved on him with pure abandonment. A kid with a piece of candy. A woman with brand new shoes. He was winning the fucking lottery.
His balls pulsed. He straightened his legs trying to slow his roll, but she continued to bob her mouth down his cock, coming up tighter than anything he'd experienced. She might as well be begging him to come inside of her.
Her fingers dug into his thighs as she used him to keep up the motion. He ran his hand over her head, fighting the urge to grab her hair and bring her down fully and shoot his load deep in her throat.
As if reading his mind, she slowed her strokes, taking more of him in her mouth. He groaned, practically coming off the chair. She had the perfect mouth.
The perfect speed.
The perfect suck...
His hand came off her, and he grabbed the arms of the chair. Pleasure curled around the base of his spine, and he let go with a bang. He thrust into her mouth, shuddering every drop out of him.
She sucked and swallowed. The added pressure stole his breath.
Her movements slowed. She lazily caressed him with her tongue until he was once again grounded.
Then, she looked at him and leisurely pulled back. Her lips gave a soft pop as they lost suction on him.
The picture of her aroused eyes shining up at him. Her red lips, swollen and worked over, smiled at him. Her hair, messed and tangled around her shoulders, would be etched in his mind forever.
He inhaled deeply, grabbed her hands off his thighs, and stood, bringing her to her feet. Situating his spent cock in his jeans, he walked to the other side of the room fastening his belt.
When he'd stepped into headquarters, he hadn't planned on the evening going in the direction it had. He'd talked himself into not having sex with her again. It would be easier to see her leave if he pulled back.
That was never an option once he was around her.
Taking a paper cup out of the holder on the wall, he filled it with water from the dispenser. He carried the drink to her.
She drank and then tossed the cup in the trash. He needed to think, and he couldn't do that with her all worked up, looking like he'd given her everything.
He hadn't given her shit, but heartbreak.
His phone rang. Looking at the message, he exhaled. "I need to help Jared. The water isn't coming through to Loop B's bathroom. I'll take you to the cabin and see you inside, then I'll have to leave."
Her shoulders deflated. "Okay."
He could sense her disappointment. It would be better if he stayed away from her. Let her believe he was the asshole he needed to be for her to go on with her life.
His only regret: Telling her about his life.
Whatever she wanted to do with the information was on him. But, she never asked for or deserved to know what kind of man had broken her heart.
Chapter 35
Jared popped into headquarters, tossing his keys in the air and whis
tling. Katelynn eyed him curiously.
"What's got you in a good mood?" she asked, feeling anything but happy.
"Two more hours and I shut and lock the front gate." He leaned against the counter. "Hunting season starts in a week. I'm ready to get out of here and do what men are supposed to do."
She wrinkled her nose. "What are you going to do all winter after that?"
"I work at the silver mine as a material handler."
"No rest for the wicked, huh?" She glanced at the clock.
Jared laughed. "Good song."
She smiled in return and then concentrated on the task at hand. "I heard Quint has the outside maintenance crew working the rest of the week to close up the campground, but I was wondering if you'd have time to do me a favor?"
"Ask away." Jared lifted his brows. "Hours are lax around here with the guests gone. All I have to do is winterize the bathrooms and make sure the firepits are all cleaned, and the sites are picked up."
"Do you think it would be okay if you got off at three o'clock tomorrow?" Her stomach rolled every time she thought of the number of hours she had left.
Two days ago, she'd called the bus station in Spokane and found out how much it would cost for a one-way ride to Vancouver. Then, she'd called the airport to compare prices. There was only a hundred-dollar difference and the shorter amount of time to travel by plane appealed to her. She'd be a mental case having left Quint and needed the easiest route possible.
"I was planning on getting out of here early anyway. What do you need?"
"A ride to the airport in Spokane. I can pay you," she said.
Quint had given her wages to her yesterday, in cash. It was much more than she'd counted on getting for working all summer. When she tried to explain how she hadn't expected more than minimum wage because he'd let her stay with him, eat his food, and had helped her, he'd put an end to the conversation.
"Or, if you can take me to Federal, I can probably get a ride from there," she added.
"No, I can take you. I was just wondering if Quint knows you're leaving?" Jared's gaze softened. "I would think he'd want to take you himself. You did live with him all summer."