WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Viva La Valentine Edition

by Scott, D. D.

  She didn’t realize she’d dozed off until she awakened abruptly, just past noon time, to the sound of Gabe’s cursing and the old Plymouth wheezing like a geriatric dinosaur. It sputtered to a halt.

  “So this is how Plymouths became extinct,” she mused before asking the real question. “What’s happened?”

  Gabe mournfully shook his head. When he finally responded he began with an apology. “I’m sorry Dara, it appears we’ve run out of gas.”

  Dara was irritated. How could he be so careless as to turn of the interstate without filling up? He was a man for Pete’s sake, and these sorts of things didn’t happen to men. Her irritation turned to fury when she realized that her cell phone had no service and she couldn’t call roadside assistance. With a growing sense of dread, she booted up her laptop and was unable to pick up a wireless signal, confirming they were completely off the grid.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “Well what?” he responded.

  “Well what the hell do you plan to do about us being stranded in the boonies,” she yelled back, realizing she was losing her temper for the second time that day, something very unlike herself.

  “Calm down,” pleaded Gabe in his most comforting voice. “Elias was expecting us and I’m sure that when we don’t show up he’ll come looking for us. Until then we’ll pitch camp.”

  Dara hadn’t paid any attention as to what else was in the trunk and to her surprise, Gabe began to pull out an assortment of camping supplies.

  Despite her anger, she couldn’t help but grin as what appeared to be REI’s entire inventory emerged from the now extinct Plymouth. It included an all-season tent, a couple of sleeping bags, self-inflating air mattresses, a camp stove, fishing poles and food rations.

  She raised an eyebrow in silent query.

  “Always be prepared,” Gabe responded. “You never know what can happen when you’re traveling in winter weather. You can easily become stranded,” he joked tossing Dara a sleeping bag.

  “It wasn’t the weather that stranded us,” she pointed out, but Gabe had already headed off to find a campsite and didn’t respond. Dara jogged after him, concerned about leaving the car and the road.

  “Don’t worry,” Gabe reassured her again. “Elias will spot our car on the road and we’ve left a clear path with our footprints.

  As if on cue, Gabe stepped into a clearing next to a small sunlit pond and announced, “this is the spot.”

  He began by sweeping a flat area set back from the pond free of pine needles with a travel broom to create a tent pad.

  She was amazed at the speed with which he erected the tent and she soon discovered it was small enough that it would mean close quarters for the two of them. Good Dara prayed for a quick rescue, but naughty Dara secretly hoped she’d get to share that tiny tent with Gabe. She was scandalized to realize she was getting aroused at the thought and heat flooded her cheeks at the same time it pooled between her thighs.

  Afraid he’d notice her blushing, she returned to the car to grab more supplies.

  Everything was set up in what must have been some sort of record. “You weren’t a boy scout were you?” she couldn’t help but tease.

  “No Miss,” he responded with a formal bow, “just a Guardian at your service.”

  Her heart fluttered at the traditional gesture and it skipped a beat when he slid off his jacket to reveal his tight t-shirt encased chest again.

  Dara found a large rock in the sun that formed a perfect seat and tried to calm her thoughts. They would be rescued long before nightfall and would be in Las Vegas by tomorrow at the latest. Then she and Gabe would part ways. She just had to keep her head clear and her thoughts out of the gutter for a little bit longer. Unfortunately, the compassion she now felt for Gabe from his earlier confession had seriously challenged what she’d always thought of him. Besides, even if her feelings had changed, there was no guaranty he would even be interested in her. She reminded herself she was small and quiet and he was handsome and charming.

  He was much better suited to one of her more attractive family members like her sister Corazon. Corazon was 5’11” of supermodel good looks. Next to her, Dara felt ordinary.

  She was roused from her melancholy by the command, “catch!” and turned to discover Gabe tossing a fishing pole her way. Dara deftly caught the pole and rapidly launched into protests of what he had planned.

  “Gabe, I don’t fish, and besides, fishing requires a license in most states, and I certainly don’t have one in California,” she argued.

  With a wicked grin Gabe countered, “I’m sure, given our dire circumstances, the law won’t care. If I didn’t know better I’d say you’re scared to try.”

  Gabe had picked the right buttons to push. Dara would never admit to being scared of anything, so she promptly stood up and marched towards the pond, pole in hand.

  Unfortunately, her bravado failed her when he held out a wriggling earthworm for her hook. She involuntarily cringed away from it, tripping over a tree stump in the process and landing on her ass.

  “Are you okay?” he asked in a concerned voice before offering her one of his large hands and pulling her upright. She’d never noticed how large his hands were, with long elegant fingers.

  Corazon always had a saying about hands: the larger the hands the larger the goods. Picturing Gabe’s goods caused her cheeks to color even more so, but she managed to croak out, “I’m fine” before adding, “plenty of padding after all.”

  Suddenly his hand was on her ass and she gasped at the sudden contact. His touch was so electric that she wondered if she’d carry a permanent mark from his touch.

  “I’m just brushing off the dirt,” he teased, clearly noticing her response. Sensing her discomfort, he stepped back, retrieving her fishing pole from the ground and baiting the hook for her.

  She accepted his offer to cast and grabbed the pole from him, purposely avoiding any further contact.

  She hoped they would become so involved in fishing that they could avoid further talk or personal contact, but unfortunately her bait kept drifting back to shore. Dara watched Gabe cast several times before attempting it on her own. She pulled the rod back and released the button.

  Instead of a fish, she caught the back of Gabe’s jeans and created a tangle of fishing line. Once Gabe had quit laughing, he gestured to the hook still attached and requested her assistance in removing it.

  Dara reluctantly approached him, aware that she would have to touch the firm ass she’d been admiring in his jeans. She intended to pull the hook out quickly, but as the barb caught in the denim she found her other hand spread across his rear to hold the fabric still. Her hands itched to forget the hook and squeeze both cheeks, but all she allowed herself was a brief caress to smooth the fabric after the hook was removed. She thought she heard a groan and part of her hoped she was right.

  • • •

  Gabe felt her hand linger on his ass and he stifled a groan. That girl had no idea what she did to him. He had to get closer. Seizing the opportunity caused by her wayward hook, he offered to teach her to cast and she reluctantly accepted.

  He motioned her over, and when she moved to stand next to him he moved her so that she was positioned directly in front of him, her lush derriere pressed up against him. He could smell her sweetly fragranced golden hair. Despite their size difference she felt like a perfect fit.

  He reached around her to take her hands in his, grasping the pole. He had to keep up the pretense of teaching her how to cast, after all. Pulling her a little bit closer, he positioned her hands correctly on the pole before leading her through several casts, never loosening his grip.

  She was trying to put too much of her body into the cast so he pulled her closer, moving and arm around her waist to hold her hips still. The both stopped breathing momentarily.

  When it finally appeared she had the hang of it, he reluctantly stepped away, his body yearning to pull her back to him. To his satisfaction, she appeared equally flu
stered.

  As the lazy afternoon of fishing progressed, he couldn’t help but think things were working out perfectly, as long as she didn’t find the full gas can hidden in the trunk or Elias didn’t arrive prematurely.

  Four.

  The afternoon passed pleasantly for Dara. She’d never spent much time camping and was surprised at how much fun she was having. She was also surprised at the way her body was responding to Gabe. Most importantly, she found herself no longer waiting for rescue. Instead she was waiting to see what would happen when the sun went down.

  “What did she have to lose by having a fling with Gabe?” she pondered. No one in her family would fault her; in fact they’d probably cheer her on to embrace the passionate side of life. It would definitely give her a little more street cred as a Cherub.

  There were no rules prohibiting a Cherub and a Guardian from hooking up, and Dara hadn’t been intimate in a very long time. It was suddenly like an itch that desperately needed to be scratched. She’d intended for Steve to scratch it, but Gabe was a much more logical solution and a tantalizing possibility. When she was pressed against him learning to cast, she’d became keenly aware that he was attracted to her as well, as evidenced by the large bulge against her backside. She’d barely been able to concentrate.

  She risked a glance at Gabe. He’d managed to catch two rainbow trout and was cleaning them in the pond. Dara was keeping a safe distance, as fish guts were right up the same alley as earthworms in her book. He looked so masculine cleaning his catch and she was glad he hadn’t expected her to do it.

  Digging through the food rations, it appeared they had the choice of beef stew, rice pilaf, or pork & beans to accompany the trout. Thankful that Gabe had started a campfire earlier to make their camp more visible, Dara decided to boil the water for the rice pilaf. How hard could cooking some rice over the campfire possibly be?

  Thirty minutes later when she tasted the congealed mass of what used to be rice she felt like dying of embarrassment. Gabe, always the gentleman, scooped two plates of the rice without saying a word and added the seasoned trout he’d pulled from aluminum foil packets in the fire. One taste and it was clear Gabe was a natural chef. He’d even salvaged the rice by breaking it up with a fork and adding some butter.

  To her surprise, Gabe pulled a bottle of wine out of thin air and soon she found herself enjoying a nice glass of pinot gris. Daylight was rapidly leaving the sky, reminding her that it was still February despite the earlier sunshine and she was glad for the warmth of the fire.

  Noticing Dara examining him, Gabe leaned back in the one of the camp chairs he’d set up and gazed up at the stars. Looking up, Dara couldn’t help but be in awe of the sheer number of stars and constellations visible far from city lights. She remembered the stars looking like this when she was a little girl, before the family relocated to flashy Las Vegas and began developing the first casino resorts. Some family member was the driving force behind almost every casino on the strip. In Las Vegas, neon lights had rapidly replaced the stars.

  “It’s beautiful,” she declared and was surprised to hear Gabe begin reciting Lord Byron.

  She walks in beauty, like the night

  Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

  And all that’s best of dark and bright

  Meet in her aspect and her eyes.

  “Why Gabe, I never would have picked you as one to quote Lord Byron,” Dara teased.

  In response he stood and pulled Dara up to stand before him. He gently cupped her chin and tilted it up to gaze into her eyes.

  For a few moments Dara forgot to breathe, then all breathe was taken from her when he finally spoke. “I never had a reason to quote Byron until I met you. You’re the embodiment of that verse.”

  Dara weakly protested “you must use that line on every pretty girl you meet.”

  He silenced her with a kiss, touching his lips to hers and setting her body on fire. The night had quickly taken on a chill but Dara no longer noticed. His lips, at first gentle, were now firm and probing and her lips were eager in their response.

  Any thoughts of protest soon slipped from her mind as his lips slid lower to the sensitive spot just behind her ear before nipping at her lobe and trailing kisses down her neck.

  The sharp wail of a coyote howling somewhere in the distance brought Dara’s attention back to the fact that they were still out in the open. Sensing her sudden hesitation, Gabe picked her up as if she weighed no more than feather and carried her to the tent, setting her gently inside.

  The air mattresses made a surprisingly soft bed, and to Dara’s delight the sleeping bags were filled with fluffy down. Once safe inside the tent the distant sound of the coyote fueled Dara’s primal instincts. Surprised by her sudden boldness, she ran her fingers across the broad chest she’d been admiring from afar, his muscles palpable through his tee shirt. Gabe’s groan in response urged her on.

  Tugging his shirt off, she was struck by how beautiful he truly was. She’d always found him attractive even though she had chosen to ignore him, and now in the lantern light his tanned skin practically glowed.

  His muscles were even more impressive out of the constraints of clothing, his chest flawless other than the tattoo of the Guardian seal over his heart and a small dusting of fine hair.

  She gently traced her fingers over the tattoo before he captured her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the tip of each finger gently. There was something both sweet and erotic in his gesture and she was lost to all else but him.

  When he finished with her fingers, he trailed kisses up her arms while his hands slipped under her shirt, tugging it off. His hands on her bare skin intensified her desire. Dara had never recalled simple skin on skin contact being so erotic, but here was the proof.

  His hands cupped her breasts through her bra, giving them a playful squeeze before reaching around back to unfasten her bra and slip it off. She was pleased it took him a couple of attempts. It would have been unnerving to have him get it undone on the first try, an obvious sign of too much practice.

  Even though she was expecting his touch on her now bare breasts, she was surprised when the first touch was his thumbs across her sensitive nipples and moisture flooded her panties.

  “Don’t stop” she murmured. He captured her mouth in a kiss while he cupped and squeezed her heavy breasts. His thumbs continued to tease her nipples. Dara began her own exploration running her hands across his chest again, his muscles twitching under her ministrations and then buried them in his silky dark hair, pulling him closer.

  He smelled delicious. A hint of soap mixed with fresh air, sunlight and pine – both fresh and masculine. His fragrance was an aphrodisiac. Emboldened by it, she broke their kiss to catch his earlobe between her teeth and lightly bit down.

  “You’re teasing me, woman,” he growled in response before distracting her by sliding his hand into her jeans and a long finger under her panties into her slick cleft.

  Not wanting to be outdone, she lowered her head to draw one of his small nipples into her mouth and sucked. Suddenly, she found herself flat on her back with her hands trapped above her head in one of his.

  “Beautiful, but still too many clothes,” he pronounced, trapping her in his heated gaze.

  Using his other hand he tugged off her jeans and she said a silent prayer of thanks that she was wearing a pair of black lacy panties rather than her usual plain white cotton.

  He released her hands in order to lower his head to reach her breasts, sucking a nipple into his mouth while lightly stroking her cleft. Dara moaned at the combination of sensations and he sucked deeply in response before flicking his tongue over her hypersensitive nipples.

  He removed his hand from her jeans in order to tug down his own and she gasped at the sight of his erection straining to escape a pair of simple Hanes cotton briefs. Her hand, taking on a mind of its own reached out to release his erection from its cotton prison, but he deftly pulled away.

  “You first,�
� he stated, and lowered his head to her black lace panties “Mmm- I love the taste of lace,” he whispered before allowing his tongue to rasp over the fabric, igniting a flame inside her.

  It felt glorious but she wanted more. “Please,” she whispered gazing down at him.

  “Please what?” came his muffled response. He made eye contact while continuing to stroke up and down her cleft with his tongue. His eye contact while his tongue was doing naughty and wonderful things was exceptionally erotic, his gaze full of fire and promises of fantasies fulfilled.

  “Please take the panties off,” she begged, never breaking her gaze.

  Lifting his head briefly, he gave her a saucy grin before teasing, “I could never say no to a beautiful woman,” and slid her panties off. He quickly lowered his head back down wickedly stating “dessert.”

  To her embarrassment it took only a couple of strokes of his tongue over her now bare sensitive flesh to find her release, his eyes locked on hers the entire time. Her body suddenly exploded and his gaze seemed to penetrate her soul, seeking her most secret desires.

  While her body was still feeling the aftershocks, he adjusted himself between her thighs. She had just a moment to realize he’d removed his briefs before he thrust into her, connecting them and filling her completely. Despite their size difference, it was a perfect fit.

  To her surprise, each deep thrust caused the flames to build back up again. She started to close her eyes, but he murmured, “stay with me, baby.”

  She opened them to find his eyes heavy with desire. Never breaking eye contact, she moaned with each thrust, their bodies locked in an erotic dance. As he intensified his thrusts, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer so more of his body connected with her sensitive flesh.

  As their excitement built, she gasped out “faster” and he willingly obliged. Climax found both of them simultaneously, their eyes and their souls linked for a brief moment before Gabe uttered a ragged cry and they collapsed in a sated heap.