by Stella Night
But Santiago grabbed her wrist and pulled, bringing her soaking body flush against his.
“Santiago,” she breathed.
But the time for words was past. He leaned down and kissed her, hard and deep.
***
The feeling of his warm lips on hers was intoxicating. His hard body pressed into her, and she felt him stirring to life against her belly.
Despite the cold water, she felt a warmth blossom in her core. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted this until the moment he gathered her in his embrace. Now that he held her in his arms and his lips explored hers, a wave of passion swept her away into madness.
Amanda broke away for a moment to catch her breath. Santiago’s blue eyes blazed with passion as he studied her face. They burned with a sapphire fire. If she looked too long into their depths, she thought she would burn. But what a way to go.
He slanted a frenzied kiss over her eager lips. His hands slid down her back to grip her ass, kneading it like dough. The feeling of his touch sent jolts of pleasure directly to her core. His strong hands pulled her hips against him, and his hard length probed at her through her panties like a promise of things to come.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. It wasn’t like her to get this intimate so quickly. But she couldn’t deny that it felt right. Nor could she deny the intense attraction she was feeling. It didn’t matter what troubles lurked out in the forest. At that moment, all she cared about was that she wanted him, and he wanted her.
For now, that was enough.
He pulled her bra down, uncovering her breasts to his hungry gaze. He drank in the sight of her bare flesh, like he was savoring every inch of her. Then he plunged his head down to her chest, taking her hard nipple into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around her sensitive point and scraped his teeth over it. The sensation was intense. Amanda moaned and writhed against him, unable to control herself.
Santiago’s hand slid up her leg to caress her thigh. His touch left trails of hot fire on her skin, and her legs trembled with desire. Santiago had always seemed kind of intense, but now he seemed to vibrate with his passion for her. It overwhelmed her, taking her breath away.
He brushed his thick finger across the cleft between her legs. Their skin was separated by nothing except the damp fabric of her panties. She might as well have been wearing nothing at all.
Just the light touch of his hand sent waves of bliss through her. Amanda bit into his shoulder to stifle the moans that threatened to escape her throat. If she wasn’t careful, the sounds of her pleasure would echo through the entire forest.
There were men out there that wanted to hurt them. She couldn’t risk letting them find them because she couldn’t contain herself. It wasn’t just about keeping them safe. She couldn’t bear the thought of getting interrupted now. Not when she felt so damn good.
In fact, she couldn’t remember anyone else who made her feel as exhilarated as Santiago. Maybe it was because she’d almost died the night before. Santiago had been right. After a near death experience, everything was better. The air was sweeter, water tasted like heaven, and the smell of the forest was invigorating.
Maybe sex was no different.
Whatever the reason, Santiago’s touch thrilled Amanda in a way she’d never felt before. Her passion burned hotter than the sun.
He slid aside her panties and plunged a finger inside her. She gasped at the sensation. Her hips gyrated against his hand with a mind of their own, desperate for his touch.
He slicked his thumb in her juices and traced light circles around the sensitive bud between her legs. Pleasure coursed through her entire body. Every nerve ending felt like it was on fire. She let the fire consume her.
Santiago continued to tease her breasts while his hand worked between her legs. The combination filled her with ecstasy. All rational thought had fled, leaving the passionate, animal part of her brain to do the thinking. And all it could think about was how good it felt to be with Santiago.
The pleasure built up within her to a fever pitch. She could feel the energy crackling through her body like a storm about to break. It built up inside her until she couldn’t stand it any more. There was no holding it back.
Sensation exploded in her like a bolt of lightning, white and hot. Pleasure rumbled through her like thunder. Her whole body shook from the intensity of it. She clutched Santiago’s arms as she rode out the delicious storm.
He held her in his arms while she came, stroking her gently. Finally, Amanda collapsed against him, dazed and breathless. She’d never come so hard in her entire life.
***
A few hours later, Santiago served her a steaming plate of venison loin. Well, not a plate exactly. It was a smooth piece of bark that served as a plate, but it got the job done.
Amanda had watched with wonder as Santiago cleaned and dressed the deer he’d caught. She still wasn’t sure how he’d accomplished that, but the man was constantly surprising her with his survival skills. Why should hunting be any different?
She’d been squeamish about the sight of blood at first, but the rumbling hunger in her belly reminded her that they needed this to live. Out here in the forest, without any modern equipment or supplies, Amanda felt like she’d regressed to an almost primal state.
It was back to basics. Food, water, shelter, fire. She couldn’t afford to turn away from the hard truths that came with survival. And that included seeing where her meat came from.
“We don’t have any utensils,” Santiago said. “I hope you don’t mind using your hands to eat.”
Amanda grabbed the hunk of meat in her fist and tore a chunk off with her teeth. Even without salt or seasoning, the venison tasted like heaven. She thought of that old saying, “Hunger is the best spice.”
Well, she had worked up a hell of an appetite.
Santiago watched her, seemingly impressed. She smiled at him. “This is really good,” she said through a mouthful of meat.
He smiled back at her, affection shining in his eyes. “I’m glad you like it.”
Things had changed between them after their tryst by the stream. She felt closer to him now, and she thought he felt it, too. Some of the walls around him had fallen, letting her see more of the real Santiago. And she liked what she saw.
“It’s the best meal I’ve had in a long time. I think you might be spoiling me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you’ve built me a shelter, provided food and water. You even started the fire. I could get used to this.”
He grinned and took a bite of venison. After chewing thoughtfully, he said, “I’m just doing what you hired me for.”
She shook her head. “No, you didn’t sign up for all of this. You’ve gone above and beyond. I want you to know I appreciate it. Thank you.”
He shrugged it off, looking a little embarrassed. Like he wasn’t used to accepting compliments. But she also saw a glimmer of happiness in his eyes. “Are you sure you’re not just saying that because of what happened earlier?”
He was teasing her. It was rare to see him playful like this. It was cute. “Well, that certainly helped. I’ll show you how much I enjoyed that later.”
He grinned. “Is that a promise?”
“Absolutely.”
“Good, because what I’m about to say is probably going to piss you off.”
She frowned. “Really? Can’t it wait?”
“No. I want you to reconsider leaving.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand, gesturing for her to wait. “Look, just hear me out. Please.”
She nodded begrudgingly.
“So I’ve been thinking over our problem.”
Amanda felt a surge of gratitude that he had called it “our problem” instead of “her problem.” It gave her hope.
“We don’t really know what we’re up against. It’s just plain foolish to go at it alone. And I know you can’t go back to your bosses at the NCC. I get that. But I have friends who can help. So
ldier friends with real combat experience. I know they’d help us. All we have to do is get out of here and contact them.”
“How long would that take?” she asked, chewing her lower lip uncertainly.
“It’ll take us a day to hike out of here. And probably another day to round up the troops. We can resupply. We can arm ourselves. And we can hit these bastards with a small army.”
“We don’t have to fight them,” Amanda said. “I just want to get some proof of what’s going on.”
“I hear you, but if they find us again, we’re going to have to fight. And it’s a fight we can’t win. Not as things stand now. And look, I promised you I would help you. And that’s a promise I intend to keep. But we can do this the smart way. The safest way. If anything were to happen to you, I don’t know what I would do.”
“I don’t know. Everything you’re saying makes sense. I just hate the thought of leaving.”
“And I hate the thought of losing you.”
His words struck a chord in her heart. Things had definitely changed between them since the first time he tried to convince her to leave. Her feelings for him had deepened. The thought of him getting hurt because she was stubborn made her feel sick.
Whatever was going on between them, whatever was going to happen between them, there was one thing she knew for sure. She cared about Santiago, and she didn’t want to see him get hurt. He deserved better than that.
Still, she wasn’t sure.
As if he could sense her indecision, Santiago interrupted her train of thought. “Look, we won’t be going anywhere until tomorrow morning. Think it over. Sleep on it. And let me know what you decide.”
Chapter 8
Amanda lay in the shelter beside Santiago chasing sleep. The question of what to do the following morning weighed heavily on her.
She was determined to see this through to the end. Her career and her reputation were on the line. Not to mention the lives of the endangered wolves that were disappearing as she lay there. There was so much at stake.
Amanda had never expected for this trip to be as difficult as it turned out to be. She thought the wolf population was being ravaged by disease or that their food source was becoming scarce. The existence of a shadowy paramilitary group was a surprise, to put it mildly.
The smart thing to do was follow Santiago’s advice. Leave the woods. Gather support. And come back prepared to face this new threat.
But a lot could change in two days. Who knew what would happen in that time?
Besides, it felt too much like running away. If Amanda and Santiago left, what’s to say they would ever come back? Once they were back in the real world, plans could change. Recruiting Santiago’s friends might take more time than he let on. Or it might be difficult to arm themselves properly.
A darker fear lurked in the recesses of her mind. Not about Santiago, but about herself. After she left the woods, what if she didn’t want to come back? What if she lost her nerve?
Out here in the thick of it, her resolve was strong. She could move forward and complete her mission. But once she was back in civilization, back in her soft bed and Egyptian cotton sheets, would she have the strength to return?
What if she was as weak and foolish as everyone out there in the real world thought she was? She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she proved them all right.
But her life wasn’t the only one at risk out here. She had Santiago to think about. It wasn’t fair to put his life in danger for her stupid, stubborn pride.
He had already gone above the call of duty to help her. Could she really ask him to go even further? There was no doubt in her mind that he would remain by her side if she chose to stay. He was one of the strongest and bravest men she’d ever met. Hiring him had been a stroke of good fortune, and not just because he was a hell of a survival guide.
She turned on her side to look at him in the dim light of the dying embers. The steady rise and fall of his chest was comforting. With him at her side, she felt like she could do anything. But just because she felt that way didn’t make it true.
Santiago stirred in his sleep. She hoped he was having sweet dreams. Maybe replaying their intimate moment beside the stream. She wouldn’t mind replaying that image in her head some more.
He cried out wordlessly. His body jerked as if someone had snuck up on him and shouted “boo.” So much for sweet dreams. Amanda reached out to wake him from whatever nightmares haunted him.
“Eliza!” Santiago shouted.
Amanda froze with her hand outstretched. She’d heard him mention her name before. Eliza was a woman he respected, but she was also obviously a sore subject. He hadn’t wanted to talk about her.
Amanda felt a stab of jealousy. It was a stupid thing to be upset about, but she’d wanted Santiago to be dreaming of her, not some woman from his past. No matter how stupid it was, she couldn’t shake the feeling.
“Eliza! No!” Santiago screamed. His body jerked awake. His limbs flailed around him as if he were fighting an invisible enemy.
Amanda called his name. It seemed to anchor him back to reality. He looked around the tiny shelter, confused. Slowly, his body relaxed and his arms dropped to his sides.
“What the hell happened?” he asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing. You were talking in your sleep. Well, not talking. More like screaming.”
His brow furrowed in consternation. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”
“I think I do. Santiago, who was Eliza?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
“You cried out her name in your sleep.”
He ran his fingers through his hair distractedly. “She was an old friend. That’s all.”
An expression of pain contorted his face, like he felt the ache of an old wound that had never properly healed.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me something?” Amanda asked.
Santiago shrugged in response, seemingly happy to drop the subject altogether. He grabbed a stick and prodded the dying embers of the fire. Clearly, he wanted to move on, but Amanda couldn’t let it go.
“You woke up yelling her name. Tell me why.”
He sighed. “I dream about her sometimes. About the night she died.”
“You were in the military together,” Amanda said. It wasn’t really a question since she already knew the answer. She was just trying to keep him talking. Partly because she wanted to know more and partly because the memory of this woman still tormented him. Maybe talking about it would help.
“Yeah,” he said, and tossed the stick into the coals. He watched as it began to smoke. “We were both members of a special ops group. Real hush-hush stuff. The kind of stuff that never makes it onto the news. It was dirty work, but important.”
“I knew you were a soldier, but I didn’t realize it was anything like that.”
He nodded. “That’s kind of the point. Anyway, Eliza and I were in the same squad. We always got paired off together on missions. Our skills complemented each other.”
“So you were partners?”
He nodded. “We were a team. Her and I made it through a lot of scrapes together. Until that last one.”
“What happened?”
“It was supposed to be a simple recon mission. Find some bad guys in the woods. Gather intel. Troop numbers, artillery, that kind of thing. But when we found them, everything went to shit.
“These bad guys turned out to be something out of a nightmare. They saw us coming from a mile away. They ambushed us as soon as we got close. We fought them off, but these things, I mean, these guys, they didn’t go down easy. We ran, but they caught us somehow. I made it. Eliza didn’t. There was nothing I could do.”
“I’m sorry, Santiago,” Amanda said gently.
“Me too. She deserved better than that. I never really got over it. I left the service soon after. Things weren’t the same any more. Losing someone like that, someone who was counting on you to protect them
, it’s a hard thing to deal with.” He turned to look at her, his eyes boring into hers. “Which is why I don’t want anything like that to happen again.”
Santiago’s reactions suddenly made more sense to Amanda. The situation they were in was exactly the type of situation he’d faced with Eliza.
A wave of guilt washed over her for dragging him into this mess. These last few days had been hard on Amanda. She couldn’t imagine the strain Santiago must be feeling. There was no way she could force him to relive his darkest day.
No matter how much she wanted to stay.
She laid a soft hand on his arm. He turned to look at her questioningly. “Santiago, I think you’re right. I think we should leave the woods tomorrow.”
He looked at her in surprise. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I am now.”
“Thank you,” he said, emotion choking his voice. He gathered her up in his arms, holding her close. “I promise you, we’ll come back. We’ll stop these guys, whoever they are. We’ll stop the killing. And show those assholes at the NCC how wrong they were not to listen to you.”
His words filled her with hope. He made it all sound so easy, so possible. For the first time in a long time, she felt like everything was going to be okay.
And when Santiago leaned down and kissed her, everything was better than okay.
His lips were sweet and gentle. They sent hot jolts of electricity through her trembling limbs. She melted against him. All the worries weighing her down disappeared in that moment. The only thing that mattered in her world was the feel of Santiago holding her.
His hard muscles rippled beneath her roving hands. She felt weightless in his arms, like he was in total control of her body. Amanda let her inhibitions go and allowed herself to be swept away by him.
His skilled hands caressed her, sending liquid heat rushing through her veins. She moaned against his mouth, unable to hold back. The sounds of her arousal seemed to spur him on, and his passion deepened.
He trailed kisses down her neck and chest. His hands slid up beneath her shirt to caress her breasts. The fabric of her bra scraped exquisitely over her sensitive nipples, hardening them into points. Amanda’s entire body felt like it was on fire. She needed more.