His bedroom eyes fluttered open, and a slight smile played upon his lips. “You’re spoiling me again.”
“What if I am?” Her whispered breath was barely audible, and she tilted her head to gaze at her handsome lover, aware that her insides were tingling with want. Dragging her index finger light as a feather across his forehead, she smoothed away his wrinkled brow, causing him to close his eyes again.
“That feels incredible,” he muttered slowly.
Jessica couldn’t help but smile as she tenderly traced his face, taking in every detail of his features. Thinking back to the videos she watched of him online, she vaguely recalled what he looked like without the beard and long hair, imagining how it would feel to touch his smooth cheeks and chiseled chin. He had been in hiding for two years—literally. His appearance since his days as a famous NFL quarterback was almost unrecognizable.
During dinner, Elizabeth had gently tried to coerce him into shaving for the Gala, to which Tim shook his head. He had seemed amused by her gumption before he paused and looked straight at Jessica, startling her with his question.
“Do you want me to shave?”
“What? No, of course not. This is all Elizabeth talking. This has nothing to do with me. I like you just the way you are.”
“Oh, come on, Jessica. Don’t you think he’d look more dapper if we got him cleaned up a little? You know, a little makeover for his club debut? No one in their right mind has a full beard during the hot summer. You sure would be a hell-of-a-lot cooler, not to mention chiseled and chic for the event. Please think about it…” Elizabeth’s voice echoed in her memory.
“What are you pondering?” Tim asked, bringing her out of her daydream. Julia was already half-asleep nestled between the couch and his body.
Jessica inhaled deeply and offered him a sincere smile. “I’m thinking about how handsome you are—and that I don’t want you to shave.”
Tim chuckled. “I’ll do whatever you want. But for the record, I would shave if you really wanted me to. This beard does get hot and itchy sometimes. I may go ahead and trim it back some for the Gala. That’ll make Elizabeth happy.” He brought his hand up to his face and dragged his fingers down his furry face. “I’ve thought about getting a haircut too. Maybe it’s time…”
Julia perked up, the mother and daughter shaking their heads in unison. “No,” Jessica lamented, immediately combing her hands through his thick mane. “I love your hair. Please. Don’t ever cut it.” Julia followed suit and patted him on the head.
A satisfied smile widened on his face as he lay tranquil in her lap and closed his eyes again. “Whatever you want…”
Julia’s expression said it all, her youthful smile full of contentment looking back at Jessica. She couldn’t help but reach out and caress her soft cheek with her knuckles, winking at the small girl. It was official—the Kaufman ladies were enamored by a larger-than-life hairy beast lying in front of them. It was only a matter of time before the outside world caught up.
Jessica shivered at the thought of Tim’s secret being revealed for all to know. If she had it her way, they would all hole-up together and live a life of peace and quiet, and she wouldn’t have to share him with anyone. But that was far-fetched. It would be easier navigating her family and friends if they knew who he was. But that was selfish of her. The decision was Tim’s. His secret would be revealed one day. The inevitable was upon them—and the Gala was just the beginning.
***
“You got it?” Tim asked, extending his hand for Jessica to grasp as she fought her way up the steep incline.
“Yep,” she uttered in-between staggered breaths. Perspiration poured down her face, her freckles prominent across her nose from the exposure of the hot rays of the full sun. The air was thick with humidity, causing their skin to slick with sweat.
He hoisted her up the rise where she steadied herself on the edge, his intention to show her the magnificent view from this part of his property. Mission accomplished when he heard her audibly gasp.
“Oh, my goodness! This is incredible!”
Miles away, the view of the Atlanta skyline spread out before them across an expanse of thick, forest greenery. A lone hawk circled high above in the distance among the puffy clouds dotted across the blue sky. Tim couldn’t help but watch Jessica’s animated expression take it all in. This was his peace—his Zen. To be fully immersed in the thick vegetation of the hills far from the city of millions of people was what he lived for. He had never shared this view with anyone. With the way he was falling for Jessica in such a short period, he knew it was time to share it with her.
“Oh, Tim. The view is just heavenly. You were right. That long hike was totally worth it.” Her blue eyes matched the sky, leaving him reeling.
“You did good. That backwoods trail isn’t easy, even for us diehards.” He pulled a water container off the side of his small backpack and offered it to her. She nodded and drank greedily.
“Do you think you can go a little more, or should we turn back? There’s a clearing on the other side of this peak. I threw some wildflower seed out there last spring, and some of the buds were starting to bloom the last time I was out here. Wanna see?”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded eagerly, her lips moist from the recent drink of water. Running the pad of his thumb across her mouth, he gazed longingly at his Southern belle and filled with pride. “Come on, then.”
The two held hands and traversed the rocky terrain until they crested another peak. The moderate hill sloped downward into an open field blanketed with millions of wildflowers. Jessica brought both hands up to her cheeks and stopped in her tracks.
“Oh my gosh! How many seeds did you throw out there? I’ve never seen anything like this!” she exclaimed, taking in the vista of blooming flowers.
Tim looked out over the expanse of land, satisfied that his wildflower experiment had worked. The idea came to him while driving the congested highways of the state, overcome with aggravation at the horrific traffic. Idling in his truck in a traffic jam stuck on the hot asphalt the previous summer, he couldn’t help but notice the abundance of roadside wildflowers dotting the landscape—a beautiful distraction to his current state of duress. He was intrigued, and after a little research, he learned that the Georgia Department of Transportation had started the Wildflower Project, planting over sixteen hundred acres statewide, giving visitors a good reason to visit the beautiful state. Inspired, he clicked a link on the GDOT website to buy his own seed.
Pink cosmos and blue sage covered the area stretched out before them while purple cornflowers swayed in the slight breeze among orange poppies and yellow black-eyed Susan. The rainbow of color was a magical feast for the eyes, the perennials doing exceptionally well in the hot, humid summer.
Jessica’s reaction was priceless as she stood on the mild slope with her hands on her hips, taking it all in. Eagerly, she looked up at him with childlike wonder, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
“Go on. Take a walk on the wild side.” He cocked his head toward the field, to which she bit her lower lip and took a tentative step toward Nirvana. With his feet firmly planted on the hill, he watched as she entered the thigh-high field and gently palm the tiny flowers at her sides taking slow steps across the carpet of color. Tim’s heart surged with joy as he watched her move, the blazing sun creating orbs above her head. Her long blonde ponytail fluttered in the cross-breeze as she looked over her shoulder and grinned from ear to ear.
“Are you coming?” she yelled.
Tim wiped the sweat off his brow and nodded readily. When he caught up to her, he playfully scooped her up into his arms, making her squeal with delight.
“What are you doing?”
With her arms wrapped around his neck, he trudged through the color toward an ancient gnarled oak tree on the edge of the field. Under the dappled shade of the leaves, he set her down and wiped his brow again. Keeping his eyes glued to hers, he shook off the backpack and pu
lled out a large beach towel. Demurely, Jessica clasped her hands behind her and took a step back, allowing him to fluff the cloth out and lay it on the dried grass surrounding the tree. He stood tall and crossed his arms across his stomach, lifting the athletic microfiber shirt he was wearing up and over his head. His chest glistened with beads of sweat, the meadow breezes a welcome relief as they skirted across his bare skin.
Jessica took a step forward and mimicked him, pulling her shirt up and over her head, revealing her black sports bra. Tim approached and leaned his forehead against her head, his heated body about to combust. His fingers lingered on the shoulder straps of her saturated bra, and he slowly brought it down, exposing her breasts in the outdoors.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I own all the land around here. There isn’t another person for miles.”
Jessica nodded, staring back at him. Her cool blue eyes beckoned him to jump in with both feet, the need to douse his burning desire on the forefront of his mind. He grabbed the lower edges of the sports bra and rolled the sweaty garment up and over her head, flinging it to the side. As he palmed her chest, she pulled on his shorts, her fingers dipping over the waistband, making his dick throb with need. Chuckling, he peppered her face with kisses, her skin salty and warm.
“You know I have to have you. Right here. Right now. I brought protection.”
Giggling in his mouth, she nodded aggressively. With tangled arms and wobbly legs, they stumbled to the massive trunk of the tree where he swiftly turned her around.
“Put your palms on the trunk and lean over with your butt in the air.”
Jessica submitted to his request, her round ass obediently thrust out, her gaze smoldering over her shoulder as she watched him. Slipping her shorts down, he ran his hands over her creamy skin before lightly running his fingers between the hot apex of her thighs, making her moan with want.
“Oh, god, baby. You’re so beautiful.” Inserting two fingers into her hot well, he stroked the inner walls of her secret garden. Her body writhed beneath him as his penis swelled, the throbbing becoming intense. If he didn’t get himself inside her wet folds soon, he’d come all over her fine ass.
Ripping the foil packet open with his teeth, he yanked at his shorts and quickly sheathed his pulsing appendage. Grabbing her hips, he positioned himself at her primed opening and teased her hard nub.
“Please, Tim,” she begged.
His large hand met her skin with a hard slap, and she yelped as he thrust himself inside her. The grip on her hip bones intensified as sweat poured down his face and dripped on her bare back as he pushed himself harder and harder, the hot air unforgiving as it swirled around them. Claiming her like this out in the open was erotic and sexy and forbidden. The merry-go-round they were on was on steroids, spinning faster and faster, the dizzying temperature erupting like a volcano as he pounded her from behind. Tim didn’t know if it was the heat from Jessica’s core, the hot summer sun or the idea of being caught out in the open by random hikers that made him see stars. On the cusp of his orgasm, he yelled out her name and slammed into her with such force, she went limp in his arms.
Chapter Sixteen
The pounding of Tim’s heart was almost painful, his dry throat screaming for moisture. Jessica was slumped over as he held her around the waist, pulling out in a panic.
“Jessica? Jessica!” He lay her down on the crumpled blanket and quickly pulled up her shorts. As soon as she was covered, he dragged up his own and grabbed a water bottle from the backpack. The earth was hard as he sat down and shifted her body into his lap, smoothing random strands of wet hair back from her heated face. Her skin flushed, sweat beaded on her brow and upper lip. Gently, he patted her cheeks trying to get her to open her eyes.
“Baby, wake up. Please.” He tilted the water bottle toward her mouth, moistening her lips and watched as her lashes fluttered. The azure blue of her eyes was glassy, and it took her a minute to fully respond.
“There you are,” he whispered, the pounding of his frantic heart dissipating. “Drink some more.” Positioned near her mouth, she drank slowly from the tip of the water bottle, allowing some of it to spill on her bare chest and dribble between her legs. She seemed confused and tried to sit up.
“What happened?” she muttered, her voice catching in her throat.
“You got over-heated while we were having sex. You passed out in my arms.”
Jessica slowly sat up and rested her elbows on her bent knees. Her bare breasts swayed as he clutched the clammy skin of her arm.
“Are you okay? I think you’re dehydrated, baby. I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard on this hike, but I knew you’d love all the flowers. And then I totally took advantage of you in the heat before you had time to rest.”
Jessica shook her head and sighed deeply. “I’m so embarrassed. I told you before—I’m not in the best shape after having Jo-Jo. I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.”
Cupping her cheek with his hand, he peered into her wide eyes, filled with anxiety. “It’s been so hot—and humid too. I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. This is my fault. I’m so sorry.” He handed her the water bottle before he stood and looked around for her bra and t-shirt. “I want you to drink all of that.” Her sports bra was soaking wet, and it was a struggle to get it back on over her head.
Jessica started to giggle, awkwardly rolling the wet fabric over her chest. “I think I can dress myself. My arms still work.”
Tim nodded and sat back on his heels, watching her. “We’re not leaving here until you drink all that water.” He didn’t mean for his voice to sound so commanding.
“Yes, sir,” she replied, smiling with her eyes.
“Come here.” Pulling her into his arms, he leaned back against the tree, and she rested her head on his chest. “You scared the shit outta me.”
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
They both sat silent, staring out at the brightly colored field highlighted by the sun, Jessica continuing to take tiny sips from the water bottle. Tim’s heart was finally beating normally again, but his thoughts were clouded by what had happened.
“Thank you for bringing me here. It’s so beautiful.”
“And fucking hot,” Tim reiterated, making her giggle again.
“I’m fine, Tim. Really.”
His lips lingered on her forehead in a heated kiss. “We should head back. Do you think you can walk?”
“Of course.” Jessica gripped his arm, and he helped her stand on wobbly legs. When her brow furrowed and she reached out to steady herself on the tree, Tim interceded.
“Whoa! You’re not okay.” Pangs of concern shot through him and for a moment, he wasn’t so sure she would be able to make the trek back to his house. He held her by the forearms steadily, watching her every move.
“I’m just a little woozy. Give me a minute.” Pulling her arms away from him, Jessica took a few tentative steps toward the field.
Tim gathered their things and slung the backpack over his shoulder. “Hold my arm the whole way home. I mean it. Don’t let go.”
She seemed touched by his concern and looped her arm through his. “I’ll never let go.”
“Seriously, if you feel even the slightest bit faint, let me know. I can carry you on my back or call the authorities and get some help—”
“Tim,” she interrupted.
He exhaled with force. “Yeah?”
“It’s okay. I’m okay.” She squeezed his arm and pulled him forward through the flowers.
*
What had started out as a carefree, sun-shiny morning between two people smitten with each other had turned into an afternoon of sheer effort and determination. The air was thick with humidity, the air pressure falling as they traversed the trails back to civilization. Tim had warned her they might experience a pop-up thunderstorm on their way back but didn’t want to rush her, insisting she take her sweet time.
The earlier hike in the intense he
at had been strenuous, and Jessica was out of shape. Determined to make it to the top to impress Tim, she pushed herself hard in the extreme conditions, rewarded with the fantastic views and a sexy scene out of one of Elizabeth’s romance novels. That’s how it should have been. When Tim screamed her name in the heat of passion, she experienced tunnel vision before her world went black. It was one of the scariest moments of her life.
Stopping again for the umpteenth time so she could rest, they found relief in the clouds rolling in and the sudden dip in temperature, Tim urging her to drink more water.
“Seriously, you need to finish that bottle, Jessica. I told you before, you have the classic signs of heat exhaustion. You’ve got to get properly hydrated and cooled off. The rain will help.” The worried look on his masculine face was genuine, and she knew she had scared him.
“I’m gonna have to pee all night long.” She started to drink the water in big gulps, making him chuckle.
“Peeing is good. It flushes out the system.” Towering over her with his hands on his hips, he watched her chug, the rumble of thunder prevalent in the background.
Tim tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. The moisture in the air had strengthened, and the distinct smell of pine was prevalent. The low clouds looked like they were about to dump a monsoon on them any minute.
“Good girl.” Taking the empty bottle from her hand, he shoved it into the backpack. A crack of lightning made her squeal.
“Come on.” He gripped her hand tightly, pulling her forward with force. Suddenly, the heavens opened up, the deluge of rain catching them off guard.
Jessica knew that Mother Nature was a powerful beast—but so was Tim. He was calm and collected as the deafening downpour drenched everything in their path, including themselves. Booming thunder and lightning flashes kept coming in waves. When they came to a clearing, Tim threw the backpack aside and grabbed her by the hips, placing her in a small gully—the lowest point in the rolling terrain.
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