Wilderness Borne

by Mikayla Gabby-Green

  “That’s understandable.” She felt an actual deeper connection with him, instead of being scared.

  “So what kind of engineering do you do?” Her tone turned lighter, as she guided the conversation away from the daughter. She didn’t want to get that deep that fast.

  “I was originally a mechanical engineer. As time has gone on, it seems I do everything under the sun,” James said.

  “Multi-talented,” Daphne said with approval.

  “Just have a lot of responsibilities,” James said.

  Daphne looked over. He seemed tired, but there was a happiness under it. She wanted to ask more but didn’t know whether it was right to.

  “We’re nearly there,” James said, clearing the odd atmosphere that had fallen. “We’ll put the boards over there.”

  Daphne followed where he was pointing his paddle to, where a faint trail could be seen.

  James led the way, pulling up his board and then Daphne’s. He took her hands and guided her through the forest.

  Daphne looked at James. He was smart, good-looking and he was easygoing. And so much fun to tease.

  She couldn’t help but bite her lip as she blushed a bit, hot desire in her eyes.

  It had been a long time since she had gotten away from the world of work and just allowed herself to be a woman.

  Now, it wasn’t just physical. If it had been, she would have cut it off at the flirting. She wanted to know more about James and really interact with him.

  “Watch out.” James let go of her hand and jumped across a muddy patch. He was on the other side; she jumped over, not needing his help, and he didn’t try to help her.

  “Look at you—forest warrior,” James said, with a sense of pride.

  “That’s what happens when you grow up portaging through Algonquin Park!”

  “Do you miss it?” James asked.

  “Yeah, a bit. I miss being outside more than anything. Though the whole tents situation is a pain in the ass. A cabin, cottage, or hike is enough for me.” A smile filled with old memories and melancholy spread across Daphne’s face.

  “Can’t go wrong with a hike. Haven’t been in ages.” James led her up a steep incline.

  “You sure I don’t need shoes? It feels like it might need climbing gear,” Daphne said in a dry voice.

  “You’ll be okay. If we were climbing, then I’d be behind you—better view.” James winked at her.

  “I was about to say the same thing,” Daphne said.

  James looked back to see her mischievous smile as her eyes moved from his ass to his face.

  “Sorry, did I say something wrong?” Her only too innocent face smiled.

  James shook his head and led forward, coming to a stop at the top of the rise. There were still trees in front of them.

  “Now this is one of the best views in the world.” James pushed open some trees, causing Daphne to duck under and move forward.

  She stood back up and looked out over the lake that was some twenty feet below.

  They were in a large valley with different lakes and streams joining together. It sloped away from them. Trees and islands were dotted here and there.

  She crossed her arms, just looking at all the beauty around her. It was crisp, clean, and revitalizing. The deep and changing greens clashed with the deep blue of the bodies of water; granite cliffs and rises dotted the landscape.

  It truly seemed to take her out of her body as she looked at the raw beauty. She stood there next to James, looking out over the lakes and vista.

  Her thoughts drifted back to that list she had made in her camper van. It simply felt as if there were more of her life waiting for her out there. She thought she might be too old to start again, but seeing this seemed to put things in perspective. Even if everything went wrong, at least she’d tried and she’d done what she wanted to.

  “Thank you.” Daphne looked to James.

  “No problem.” James looked at her. There seemed to be something more behind his eyes, a slight stab of pain. He let out a sigh and looked out at that sight again.

  Daphne didn’t ask him about it and kept looking out. After some time, she shook herself and smiled to James. “All right! Shall we head back?”

  “Sure,” James said.

  It was quiet as they paddled back, but Daphne felt it was good as she kept glancing at James. Girl, you can’t be—you’ve just known him for a few days. You don’t even know that much about him.

  She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, but I should just live in the moment.

  She let out a sigh and tried to live by that as she grinned and reversed her paddle, sending a spray of water at James.

  “Hey!” he said, trying to defend as she sped up, covering him in water as she pushed past. “Didn’t you learn from the last race?”

  “The race never ends!” Daphne worked to get as much speed as possible.

  It wasn’t long until they could see the bay. James was working to catch up, quickly getting there as they entered the bay.

  Daphne heard an odd noise behind her, only to see James as he hugged her and tackled her into the water.

  She came back up, and he popped up a minute later.

  “See ya!” He turned and started swimming, dragging his paddleboard and paddle with him.

  “My dress!” Daphne complained. Her dress was soaked as she jumped on her board and tried to paddle it as if it were a surfboard. She was much slower and got there to see a triumphant-looking James.

  “Let me take that.” James moved to put the paddleboards away.

  “Thanks. I’m just going to change my dress. Do you want a drink?” Daphne asked, touching his back. She still hadn’t forgotten the heat on their trip.

  “Sure.” He looked to her, as if trying to figure out her thoughts.

  She smiled simply and headed for her camper.

  The partiers were in full swing, the family was off playing something, and the ATVs were still out. Daphne quietly looked at the different areas where people might be, feeling as if she were doing something wrong.

  The more she thought about it, the more excited she became.

  She looked back to see James was done with the paddleboards and he was following her. His shirt stuck to his body. She couldn’t help but admire it as she sped up a bit.

  Can’t hold all this pressure in or else I’ll have to deal with it myself and that wouldn’t be fun without company.

  She looked away from James and unlocked her camper, holding the door open for him.

  He paused for half a second, thinking about it before he bounded up the stairs after her.

  She grabbed him a drink from the fridge and passed it to him.

  “I’ll be out in a minute.” She took off her dress, revealing her bikini underneath again. She throbbed as a thrill shot through her, wanting him to watch, wanting to be seen.

  She wondered what dirty thoughts he was having as she moved to where her bed was. She closed the curtain but left a part of it open, almost carelessly. She picked out underwear and new clothes, making sure to bend over fully, showing off her legs and her assets.

  She pulled off her top, dropping it to the ground. She leaned down to pick it up and looked up, seeing James looking at her through the crack in the curtain. She blushed fiercely, biting her lip. It started to become unbearable and she fought against moving her legs.

  James noticed her eyes on him and quickly looked away, drinking from his glass.

  Daphne’s eyes moved to his shorts and the undeniable bulge there. Shit, I’m getting so wet just thinking about seeing it. Damn you for making me this horny! You’ll just have to deal with the consequences for peeping in on me.

  Daphne dropped her bottoms, picking up panties and clipping on a bra. She wore a loose shirt and tight jean shorts that rose just above the curve of her ass.

  She opened the curtain and walked up to James.

  His eyes fell on her then dropped, stopp
ing at her breasts and then moved lower.

  She could feel him undressing her with his eyes, the burning heat in him. She leaned against the counter opposite him, crossing her arms and pushing her boobs up, giving him a good look.

  She opened her mouth to say something as they looked at each other.

  James seemed to read her desires as he moved forward, cupping her face with one hand and kissing her.

  She let out a low moan. Her arms moved around him and pulled at his shirt.

  He pushed back, letting her pull off his shirt, revealing his tanned body underneath as he pulled at her shirt. He tossed it to the side as his hand snaked behind her back and twisted the clips on her bra apart.

  She threw it to the side as she started to move toward the bed.

  He picked her up and she let out a small shriek as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He dropped her onto the bed. The roughness of his beard and his hungry mouth moved down her neck.

  Daphne worked her shorts, shimmying them off.

  James pulled his pants off.

  Her eyes went wide and then thinned in anticipation, seeing him free from his clothes and the cool breeze against her burning hot sex.

  He pushed into her and she could see the same wild desire in his eyes, the almost bestial look of one who hadn’t been able to sate their need for too long.

  She let out a gasp as she moved her legs farther apart, letting him hit deeper. She could feel him twitch as she ran her fingers up his arm and down his chest, feeling the rhythm of his body and the tension in his muscles.

  He pulled out and lay on his side.

  At the sudden move, Daphne only wanted to have him inside her again, burning up for it as if she would never be able to reach the end with him no longer there. Daphne moved closer so her back was against his chest. He lifted her leg as she guided him back inside her.

  He thrust the remaining distance, taking her from the side.

  Daphne didn’t have to hide her expressions or try to keep her eyes open. She let the pleasure rock her as she gripped her hair from the sensations that shook her body.

  She needed something more and he was the object to give it to her. She drew him out of her. She turned over and pushed him back. She faced away from James, giving him the view of her ass as she dropped down, grabbing him and pushing him back inside.

  In control, she played with her breasts, riding him. The thrill of having sex with someone she had just met, the fact it had been so long since she’d had it, and what she knew of James brought her higher.

  “Goddamn,” James said, clearly nearing his limit.

  Daphne only increased her pace, taking every second in as she rode the wave of pleasure that washed through her body.

  He grabbed her hips from behind and turned her over, finishing.

  Daphne laid in the sheets, moving her feet around, still not fully finished.

  “Just thinking of you makes it hard for me to last,” James said.

  Daphne raised herself up, kissing him deeply. His words gave her confidence and power; she wanted to show off her body, to see that lust in his eyes.

  She looked down as she felt him growing bigger. “I hope you don’t have anything you need to do for the rest of the day—I’m still in need,” she complained with a pout. She looked up at James with big eyes.

  “Just checked—my schedule is free.” James pushed her back down to the bed as his mouth found hers.

  Chapter If the Camper is Rocking, Don’t Come A-knocking

  “Want to come over for dinner?” James asked as she nuzzled into his chest.

  “It’s not quite Toronto standards but it’s getting there,” Daphne opined.

  James let out a huff, smacking her bare ass and growling.

  “Might as well. You’ll need that stamina for later.” Daphne gave him a quick kiss and jumped out of the bed.

  James lay there, seeing down the length of the camper as she sauntered away.

  The thrill of her bare skin being admired by James’s equally naked self made her look back, lust in her eyes once more. She let out a giggle and moved to the shower, turning the water on.

  “You should get a bigger shower!” James said through the door.

  “Oh, why’s that?” Daphne opened the door as she stared at James.

  “Be more room.” James winked and gave her that big smile of his.

  “Hmm, that could be fun.” She smiled and jumped into the shower.

  ***

  The sun was starting to descend when Daphne and James left the camper and headed up to the cabin. Daphne felt a bit self-conscious, looking around to see whether anyone would say anything. It didn’t seem that they all cared that much. Instead, there were a few winks and cheers from the mother and father duo who were getting their kids ready for supper.

  The partiers were all in various states of recovery, with a few asleep on the floating dock island that was in the middle of the bay.

  Paul was working on some kind of mechanical gadget.

  “Morning, or is it afternoon?” Paul said, a knowing look on his face as he grinned.

  James hit him on the shoulder as Daphne blushed, adjusting her hair.

  They entered the cabin, where Cathy was reading a book.

  “Jeez, James. I can smell you from here. Go take a damn shower!” Cathy threw a cushion at him.

  “How did you know?” James asked.

  “A cousin always knows!” Cathy announced, looking to Daphne and winking as she took off her glasses and put down her book.

  “Go, I’ll be fine,” Daphne said.

  “No blackmail,” James warned Cathy and headed off into the bedrooms.

  “Drink? Water? Iced tea?” Cathy said.

  “Iced tea, please.” Daphne followed Cathy into the kitchen.

  “Quite a catch, that one.” Cathy smiled to Daphne.

  “That he is,” Daphne said.

  “Been a long time since he found someone he was interested in. He might not say it, but I think he likes you a lot.” Cathy handed her a glass.

  “Thanks.” Daphne took a sip.

  “So, do you play cornhole?” Cathy asked.

  “Excuse me?” Daphne said, nearly spitting out her iced tea.

  Cathy laughed at Daphne’s stunned look. “Someone’s got a dirty mind! It’s a game. You have beanbags and throw them at an upraised wood target and try to get it in the hole. One point if it’s on the board, five if you get it through the hole. First to fifteen wins.”

  “Oh, no, I haven’t,” Daphne said.

  “Good. Then James can teach you. Now that we’ve got four people here, we can have a good game of it!”

  “What are the two of you conspiring over?” Paul, covered in grease, came in through the front door and moved for the counter.

  “Cornhole,” Cathy said, making sure to avoid him.

  “Oh?” Paul moved closer to her, with his grimy hands casually at his sides.

  “Don’t you come any closer, Paul!” Cathy warned. Her voice rose as Paul rushed her. She jumped and her iced tea spilled as Paul put a streak of grease on her cheek.

  “Y-you!” she sputtered as Paul quickly kissed her and ran for the stairs.

  “Get all of that grime off you! You’re worse than the boys!” Cathy yelled at his retreating back.

  Daphne smiled, seeing that Cathy was already planning her revenge as she watched Paul leaving.

  “He’s almost as bad as the kids.” Cathy sighed, moving to the counter, a smile on her face as she looked to remove the grease.

  “Kids?” Daphne asked.

  “We’ve got two boys, Kyle and Adrian—troublemakers, the pair of them!” Cathy seemed to be complaining but Daphne could see the clear love in her eyes.

  “Where are they?

  “Off at some nature camp. We thought that little Julia might be bored of it after some time but she’s still in there, raising terror with the two of them,” Cathy laughed. “It let’s Erik get a break from work and having to care
after her by himself,”

  Daphne was about to ask about Julia when James came down the stairs.

  “All right, food?” he asked.

  “Your mom raised you well.” Cathy sighed and then waved her towel. “First you need to teach Daphne how to play cornhole. I’ve already got pasta and salad sorted out.”

  “Thanks, Cath,” James said.

  “The things I do for family,” Cathy muttered.

  James laughed and grabbed Daphne’s hand. “Don’t think that we’ll go easy on you just because you made the food,” James said.

  “Amateur! You think you can win against the great Lowski couple!” Cathy said.

  “Woo-hoo!” Paul’s yell came from upstairs.

  “See what I have to deal with?” James asked with a sad look at Daphne.

  “Hey!” Cathy said in a hurt tone.

  James knew all of her ploys and walked out of the door. He pulled out the boards and set them up. “It’s pretty easy—get the bag in the hole or on the wood.”

  Daphne pursed her lips. Since she’d been around James, it seemed her immature side had come out as she thought his words sounded kind of suggestive.

  James didn’t notice as he threw his bean bag, landing it on the wood. “You give it a shot.”

  Daphne tried, launching it well past. She had a look of concentration on her face as she adjusted and started getting on target. She quickly ran out of bean bags. “Just like less alcohol-friendly beer pong.”

  James let out a cough. “Western.”

  “Dick.” She elbowed him and walked over to grab the bean bags.

  James let out a whistle as she bent over.

  “You okay back there?”

  “Just taking in the view. Does seem to be my new catchphrase.” James winked.

  Daphne shook her head and then reached down again, making sure he had the best angle to enjoy the view.

  James let out a cough as she stood back up and gave him a knowing look.

  James saw the joy she took in teasing him. “You’ll pay for that later,” James promised.

  “I’m looking forward to it.” She launched the bean bag and put it through the hole on the opposite board.