Naked Edge

by Charli Webb

  He gazes at me with hooded eyes and gives me a quick, single nod.

  I barely tug on his zipper. It slides down effortlessly, the pressure of his pulsing erection forcing it open. I hold my injured hand out to the side and slip the other one inside his boxers. He makes that chest-vibrating, animalistic growling sound that never fails to liquify my joints and steal my breath.

  I struggle to pull his jeans down with one hand.

  He rocks back on his heels then stands up with the grace and power of a mountain lion. His gaze locks on mine. “Lie down.”

  I lie back on the sleeping bag and watch him lower his jeans and boxers. When he gets them below his knees, he steps out of one leg then the other without so much as a wobble. His balance is perfect. Everything about him is perfect.

  He sinks to his knees and applies the condom. He pinches the tip then rolls it down his shaft, just like they taught us in health class back in high school. But this is so much better.

  Rowdy chuckles, drawing my gaze up to his face. My face burns when I realize he caught me watching him. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” He slides his hands slowly up my legs, spreading them as he covers my body with his. “I love how fascinated you are with my dick.”

  “Oh, god.” I hide my face behind the crook of my elbow.

  Rowdy takes my wrist and pins it above my head. “Look at me, Skylar.”

  I open my eyes.

  His gaze locks on mine as he slides up my body. He stops with the tip of his erection pressed against me, poised at the brink. “Last chance. Is this what you want?”

  I hook my heels around his waist and arch my back. But Rowdy lifts his hips. “Tell me what you want.”

  I know that how I answer will dictate whether he takes me slowly and gently or with unrestrained abandon. I want both. “Make love to me…then fuck my brains out.”

  His eyebrows shoot up. He blinks then closes his eyes and laughs. “Oh my god.”

  His laughter is contagious. I giggle then smack the side of his arm. “Stop laughing at me.”

  “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing with you.” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

  “Right now, all I am is embarrassed.”

  “Don’t be.” He slides in a fraction of an inch, stretching me.

  I gasp.

  He pulls out. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m just surprised. I wasn’t expecting it to hurt this time.”

  “It’s been four years and this is only your second time.” He brushes a wisp of hair off my face. “Do you want to stop?”

  “Hell, no.” I dig my heels into the hard muscles of his butt. “Just take it slow.”

  Rowdy rolls off me onto his back.

  “I said I didn’t want to stop.” I take a deep breath to clear the whine out of my voice. “Please? Don’t stop.”

  “We aren’t stopping.” He sits up and grabs my waist then lifts me onto his lap. “We’re putting you in charge.”

  “But, I don’t know what to do.”

  “Tab A goes into slot B.”

  I laugh and smack him again. “You know what I mean.”

  He lies back and laces his fingers behind his head. “Just do whatever you want, babe.”

  I play with him for a few minutes while I gather my courage then rise up onto my knees.

  He’s not laughing now.

  There’s a slight stinging sensation as I lower myself onto him.

  “Take your time, Sky. There’s no rush.”

  I nod and ease down a little more.

  “Breathe, babe. Slow and deep. Try to relax.”

  I notice his breathing isn’t slow or deep. He’s not exactly relaxed either. He moves his hands to his sides and clenches his fist but remains perfectly still.

  I take his advice, even though he’s not following it, and focus on relaxing all my muscles. I open up and slide the rest of the way down his shaft. “Ah…”

  Rowdy squeezes his eyes shut and bites his lip.

  I try to crawl off, but Rowdy digs his fingers into my hips and holds me in place.

  “Are you okay?” Ohmigod. What if I broke it? “Did I hurt you?”

  “No, babe.” He opens his eyes and gives me a tight smile. “It just feels so fucking good.”

  “Oh. Okay.” I rock my hips forward, rubbing my clit against his patch of black curls. “Oh!”

  Rowdy loosens his grip but keeps his hands on my hips. “You like that?”

  “God, yes.” The full sensation inside me, combined with the friction outside, is indescribable. It’s better than what he does with his fingers or even his mouth. Which, as Rowdy would say, is pretty fucking amazing.

  I lean forward and put my good hand on his chest to brace myself.

  Rowdy grips the front of my shoulders. “I got you.”

  I let him hold my weight as I rock and grind against him. “I’m close.”

  “Do you want to come now? Or do you want to make it last?”

  What a question. I want to come now, but this is our first time in four years. This is a memory I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. “Make it last.”

  He lowers me to his chest then rolls us over. He holds most of his weight off me, but keeps enough pressure so I can feel every inch of his body on the surface of mine. How’s this supposed to make it last?

  He pulls out.

  Oh. That’s how. Not quite what I had in mind.

  He suckles at one breast then the other. It feels just as good as it did earlier, but I want him inside me.

  As if reading my mind, Rowdy enters me again. This time he keeps all his weight off me, so the only place we’re touching is where we’re connected. His movements are slow but deliberate. Each thrust goes a little deeper, filling me a little fuller, bringing me closer to the edge.

  He pulls out just before I climax.

  I groan in frustration.

  Rowdy kisses my jaw, right below my ear. “Patience, babe. It’ll be worth it.”

  He brings me to the brink so many times I lose count. I’m so close. I try to stifle my moans and keep my muscles from clenching so he won’t know. If he pulls out again, I’ll die.

  He picks up the pace and rocks into me harder. I dig my fingers into his shoulders. If I didn’t have such short nails, I’m sure they’d draw blood.

  Rowdy growls and grips my chin, holding my head still. “Open your eyes. I want you to look at me when you come.”

  Thank god, he’s not going to stop me this time. I open my eyes and gaze into his.

  He pulls back until just the tip remains inside then slams into me burying himself completely. His rhythm is frantic, like waves crashing onto the beach. He reaches between our bodies and presses a finger against my throbbing clit as he continues to pound into me.

  My whole body spasms. I keep my gaze locked onto Rowdy’s face and scream his name as I shatter into a million pieces.

  I’m just starting to float back to earth when Rowdy’s thrusting loses its perfect rhythm. His movements are jerky and unpredictable. He straightens his arms, lifting his chest and arching his back, as he rams into me one last time. His body shudders. I orgasm again as he pulses inside me.

  Rowdy shifts to the side as he collapses on top of me. “That was fucking amazing.”

  “It was, wasn’t it.”

  He chuckles then pulls me onto his chest as he lies back, still maintaining our connection. I want to stay like this forever, but when Rowdy starts to soften, he pulls out. A quiet whimper slips out before I can stop it.

  Rowdy kisses my forehead. “I’d stay buried in you all night if I could, but I don’t want to risk getting you pregnant.”

  I listen to his heart as it gradually slows down and settles into a steady rhythm. He’s so quiet, I think he’s fallen asleep until he kisses the top of my head and whispers, “I love you so much.”

  “You’re the only boy I’ve ever loved. And the only man I ever will.”

  “You’
re it for me, too, babe. Always have been. Always will be. This is a forever thing.”

  We drift off to sleep for a couple hours. I wake up with the moon in my eyes and find Rowdy gazing at my face. “Were you watching me sleep?”

  “No. I was staring at you, hoping you’d feel it and wake up.”

  “Why?” I yawn and stretch. “What time is it?”

  “Time for round two.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Rowdy

  Eldorado Canyon has always been a sanctuary for me. A place to escape the relentless drama of my life. A place to hide when Keith’s drunken rages turned violent. A place to brood when Sky left at the end of every summer and winter stretched out before me like an endless desert. A place to grieve after Mom died and Skylar disappeared without a word.

  As soon as I got out of jail, I fled to the canyon. I was so consumed with rage and grief I couldn’t contain it. Skylar and I had climbed The Naked Edge together the day before she disappeared. I wanted to climb it again. It was an undeniable compulsion. For some reason, I thought that climbing The Naked Edge would give me some relief from the unbearable pain.

  And it did. As long as I was climbing.

  Back then, I couldn’t afford my own gear, so I free soloed the five eleven route. The eagles, hawks and falcons, floating eye-level in the turquoise sky, were the only witnesses of my grief. And my foolishness. They watched without sympathy or censure.

  I hid my suffering from everyone else. The only evidence of my despair was the salty, white residue of dried tears amongst the lime green and yellow lichen.

  I shudder now as I think about the risks I took. I’m lucky to be alive. I haven’t attempted to climb The Naked Edge since that day, but I think, maybe, it’s time.

  It’s also time to move on from the trauma that drove me to such extremes. Time to replace the memory of that climb with something else. Something better.

  If we’re going to climb The Naked Edge and still have time to make our six-thirty reservation at The Flagstaff House restaurant, we need to get started. I shift my hips back, away from Skylar. If she wakes up with my morning wood poking her in the ass, we won’t get out of bed for at least another hour. Any other day, I’d trade the climb for a morning romp, but not today.

  My gear’s already packed. So’s Skylar’s. I get dressed then wake her up with a kiss.

  She groans and turns her face. “Morning breath.”

  “Hey. I brushed my teeth.”

  “Not yours.” She covers her mouth. “Mine.”

  “How many times do I have to tell you, I don’t give a fuck.” I pounce on her and steal another kiss then hop off the bed, taking the covers with me.

  Skylar grabs at the down comforter but I yank it out of her hands.

  “Come on, sleepyhead. We have a mountain to climb.”

  She buries her head under her pillow.

  “I’ll let you lead the third pitch.”

  She peeks at me. “Third pitch of what route?”

  “The Naked Edge.”

  She squeals and jumps from the bed straight into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. She hangs onto my shoulders and leans back. “Can I lead the first three pitches?”

  Skylar’s climbing skills have improved over the summer. I feel comfortable letting her lead almost any route we climb. But this is The Naked Edge.

  “How about you lead the first and third?” The second pitch is hard to protect. A lead fall could have fatal consequences.

  “Okay.” Before Boone’s accident, she would have argued to lead the entire route.

  She does a great job, cranking up the first pitch, pulling the crux like a pro. I lead the second, as planned, then let Sky take the sharp end on the third with a reminder to stay alert. “Don’t let the relative ease of this pitch fool you. There’re some runout sections you need to watch for.”

  The fourth pitch is the crux of the entire route. We double check each other’s gear after swapping leads. Sky’s helmet taps mine as she kisses my cheek. “Be careful.”

  “You too.” Following is much safer than leading, but there’s always the potential for disaster.

  I question my sanity as I struggle to back up the old, fixed pin in the overhang just below the chimney. I’m so pumped by the time I get myself scrunched into the narrow space that I’m forced to rest for a few minutes, even though my back and neck are screaming in pain. As soon as I get the lactic acid shaken out of my arms, I crank right around the roof and clip into the three bolt anchor.

  This hanging belay—with nothing but six hundred feet of empty air between my ass and the ground—is fucking outrageous. I take a moment to enjoy the view then yell, “Off belay.”

  Skylar replies, “Belay off.”

  I lean back in my harness to keep an eye on her as she approaches the crux. It’s already been a long, hard climb. Will she be able to pull it? I struggled with it and my wingspan is at least ten inches greater than hers. I protected it as much as possible with some small stoppers and a blue Metolius TCU. But I’m still nervous.

  I keep as much tension on the rope as possible and still allow enough room for her to maneuver. If she peels off here, she’ll have a hard time getting back on route.

  I don’t know how she does it, but she dances through the crux moves like a ballerina. She clips into the bolt on my left with a wide grin. “That was freaking amazing! I can’t wait until I’ve got the skills to lead that pitch.”

  “Try to calm down, babe.” I don’t want to kill her buzz, but I don’t want her adrenaline to spike and then leave her depleted. “Save some energy for the final pitch and descent.”

  “I’m good.” Her grin widens. “You look exhausted. Do you want me to lead it?”

  “No way.” I reach across my body and start moving the pro she cleaned onto my rack. “I’ve got this.”

  The fifth pitch isn’t technically as difficult as the fourth. It just seems harder because of the full-body workout I just endured. Skylar makes it to the top and joins me. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For climbing The Naked Edge with me, for letting me lead a couple pitches, for letting me back into your life. For everything.”

  “You’re welcome.” My voice cracks.

  Skylar crinkles her brow, obviously wondering why I’m so emotional.

  I swallow, trying to clear the lump out of my throat. “This climb is sort of symbolic for me.”

  She tucks a knee up and hugs it against her chest. “How come?”

  “Lots of reasons.” I consider telling her about my solo ascent, but I don’t want to tarnish this day with bad memories. I also don’t want to give her any ideas about free soloing this route. “Our relationship up to this point has certain similarities to this climb. We were so young when we first got together. We believed we were invincible. We thought our biggest challenge was the long separation between summers.”

  Skylar nods. “What do you think was our crux? My disappearance or Anna’s blackmail?”

  “That shit with Anna was scary. It still is.” She’s locked up in the state mental hospital in Pueblo, but all she has to do is convince an overworked shrink that her meds are working and they’ll let her out. “When you disappeared, I lost my mind. I don’t know how I made it through that.” I bump Skylar’s shoulder with mine. “Don’t ever do that again.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Her eyes catch the afternoon sun. “That was my crux, too. I thought I’d never see you again.”

  I take her hand and trace the scar on the back. “I know we’ll have lots more challenges. New untried routes with cruxes of their own, but I hope that’s the worst thing we’ll ever have to face.”

  “Me too.”

  “Whatever problems life throws at us, I know I can handle it as long as I have you.” Sweat beads across my brow and runs down the back of my neck. I unzip the top pocket on my pack and pull out the little blue velvet box. “You’re my lifeline.”

  Skylar’s eyes widen. A qui
et gasp slips past her parted lips.

  I pop the box open. The small solitaire diamond catches the afternoon sun, throwing sparks of rainbow light across our bodies. “I know we’re young and you still have three more years before you graduate. But I’ve got a good job and we don’t have to get married right away. We can have as long of an engagement as you want and—”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes?”

  She extends her left hand.

  My own hands shake as I pluck the ring out of the box. The last thing I need to do is drop it six hundred feet to the ground. I slide it onto her finger then kiss the back of her hand. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Her eyes sparkle brighter than the diamond on her finger.

  I know that as long as I live, I’ll never tire of gazing into those hazel depths. It won’t matter if they’re dimmed by time and hooded with wrinkled skin, they’ll always be beautiful.

  She grins at me in true Skylar fashion. “I’ll race you to the bottom.”

  Acknowledgements and Author Information

  Want to know what happens when the gang goes to Costa Rica for spring break? Curious about whether Cherri and Wade can overcome their differences? Wondering if Derek will ever settle down with someone special? Will Boone find the courage to come out to the rest of his friends? And what about Anna? Will that crazy bitch get her act together or continue to cause problems? These questions, and more, will be answered in future books of the Rocky Mountain Romance series.

  If you’d like to know when the next book is available, sign up for my newsletter at www.charliwebb.com

  If you want to hear “Where You Are” and “Naked Edge” (the songs Rowdy wrote for Skylar) you can find them on Youtube.

  I want to take this opportunity to thank a few people that have been such a huge part of this incredible journey. My husband, even though he doesn’t condone ‘sexually explicit books’ he didn’t judge me or try to censor this story.