by April Wilson
Cooper carries our duffle bags into the back bedroom and sets them on the bed. As I stand in the doorway, watching him unzip his bag, a sudden wave of emotion comes over me. I know this isn’t a honeymoon, but God, it sure feels like it could be.
I walk up behind him and slip my arms around his waist. Leaning forward, I drop a kiss on his shoulder, and am gratified to feel him shiver. Then I kiss the side of his throat, slowly, letting my lips linger over his pulse point. The feel of his skin beneath my lips, his heat and scent, make me hard. God, I want to christen this bed right now.
He turns in my hold and wraps his arms around my waist, and we stand perfectly eye-to-eye. My throat tightens when I think of how close I might have come to ending us. I was so angry after Beth’s wedding—when he refused to dance with me at the reception. Angry, and so bitter. I could have ruined everything with my impulsive reaction.
“Thank you for bringing us here,” I tell him. There are so many other things I should say.
Thank you for not giving up on me.
Thank you for trying to meet me halfway.
His eyes turn pained suddenly, as if he can read my mind. “Thank you for coming back,” he says. He swallows hard, and his fingers grip my shirt tightly as if he’s hanging onto me physically, afraid to let go.
My eyes burn as tears form, blurring my vision. “I love you.” I’ve said it before to him, and he’s said it to me, but somehow it means more this time, in this quiet space, with just the two of us.
He reaches up to brush the lone tear tracking down my cheek, catching it just before it disappears into my beard. “Sam.” He runs the pad of his thumb along the top edge of my beard, stroking my face. “I—the words ‘I love you’ don’t even begin to do justice to what I feel for you. I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve this.”
I grab his hands, which are cupping my face now, and latch onto him. “Why do you say that?”
“I’ve spent my whole living either running or hiding from who I am. I look at you, and I’m ashamed of myself. You’ve never hidden who you are. You face life head-on, with so much courage and determination.”
“We were raised differently. You can’t expect yourself—”
“No, don’t make excuses for me. I should have manned up a long time ago. But for some lucky reason, you’re still here, and I get another chance to win you.”
I laugh. “You don’t have to win me. You already have me, babe.”
At that moment, my stomach betrays me by letting loose a loud growl. I grimace. “That was so not sexy.”
Cooper laughs as he pats my stomach. “How about I make us some dinner while you bring in the firewood. We’ll eat in front of the fire, and then see where things go from there.”
“Deal. I can tell you right now where things are going to go.” I slip my hands down to his waist and pull his hips forward to meet mine. We’re both hard. “We are so going to fuck tonight.”
Chapter 28
Sam
While Cooper cooks chicken breasts on the back porch grill, I head out to the shed to gather some dry kindling and logs for the fireplace. It’s pitch black outside now, but there’s a solar-powered light inside the shed that provides adequate light. I certainly wouldn’t want to come face-to-face with an irate raccoon out here in the dark.
I step up onto the back porch with an armload of firewood, pausing to look my fill at the hot guy manning the grill. “That’s a good look for you,” I tell him.
He grins at me, and I could swear he’s blushing. He gives me the once-over in return. “That’s a good look for you,” he says. “Very lumberjack. I could get used to this.”
I glance down at my red plaid flannel shirt. “Beth picked it out. Pretty cool, huh?”
I carry the wood inside and deposit in the rack beside the fireplace. Then I grab two cold beers from the cooler we brought and carry one out to the back porch for Cooper.
“Thanks,” he says, bringing the bottle to his lips for a long pull. “That sure hits the spot.”
We sit outside in the chilly night air, in our jackets, until the food’s ready. Then we head inside and eat our grilled chicken and salads seated on the sofa in the living room. The TV reception out here is nonexistent, but there’s an ancient DVD player hooked up to the TV.
I scan the collection of DVDs on the bookcase. “The selections are decent, if a bit outdated,” I say. “What do you feel like?” I ask Cooper. “Sci-fi? Action? Western?”
He waves his fork at me. “It’s your turn. You choose.”
I pull out a copy of Fast and Furious 7. It’s a few years old, but it’s a classic. I pop it in and sit back on the couch beside Cooper.
“What’s this?” he says, when the opening titles roll.
“Fast and Furious 7.”
“What’s it about?”
“Fast cars, hot guys, and crazy-ass stunts.”
He shrugs. “Okay. Sounds good.”
We settle back and watch the movie while we eat. I grab us a couple more beers and sit back to watch Cooper watching the movie.
“Oh, come on!” he yells at the screen when six vehicles roll out of an airplane with parachutes strapped on. “That’s not realistic!”
I pat this back. “Babe, it’s a movie. Of course it’s not realistic. When was the last time you saw a movie that was realistic?”
He continues to groan and grumble with each new impossible stunt, and I find him even more entertaining than the movie.
After we’re done eating, we wash the few dishes, then stretch out together on the spacious sofa to finish the movie. It’s pretty cozy in the cabin with the lights off and the fire blazing brightly. The pop and sizzle of the burning wood, combined with the smell of woodsmoke, is downright romantic, and now I’m far more interested in Cooper than in any movie.
Cooper’s lying behind me, spooning. His arm is slung around my waist, and his fingers are fiddling with the hem of my shirt, every once in a while slipping beneath the fabric to stroke my lower abs. Every time he runs his fingers up and down my torso, electricity zips along my spine, right down to my balls, making it hard for me to breathe.
His teasing becomes more and more insistent when his hand drops down to the front of my jeans, and he presses his palm against my growing erection. I groan loudly, but he pretends not to notice. But when his fingers trace the outline of my cock through my jeans, I throw my head back with a moan. “Cooper.”
“Shh. Watch the movie. Don’t pay me any mind.”
I nearly choke on my laughter, as it’s absolutely impossible to ignore the fact that he’s unsnapping my jeans and lowering my zipper, giving himself easy access to what’s inside my briefs. He slips his hand inside my underwear and wraps his fingers around my cock.
“Oh, God,” I groan, closing my eyes as I arch my neck. I love it when he teases me like this, but it also drives me insane, to the point I’m reduced to begging.
He kisses his way along my throat to just beneath my ear. My heart is pounding, and I’m practically panting. The movie is completely forgotten now, just so much background noise, because all I can think about is the firm grip he has on my dick.
I lie my head down and close my eyes, thrusting shamelessly into his hand. He makes a rough noise deep in his chest, and the sound goes straight to my cock, making me even harder. When he presses his hips firmly against my ass, I push back, creating delicious friction, and then it’s his turn to groan.
“Are you taking me to bed, or what?” I ground out.
He laughs. “What about the movie?”
“Forget the movie. Just take me to bed, damn it, now.”
He begins stroking me slowly from base to tip, his fingers catching my pre-come and using it to lube my shaft.
I’m not above begging. “Shit, Cooper, please.”
More soft laughter. When he play-bites my shoulder, I growl in frustration.
“All right,” he says, finally showing me some mercy. He releases my cock and smacks my hip lightly. �
�Go get ready for me. I’ll lock up the cabin and check in with Shane. I want to see if there’s any news on Roger Stevens.”
* * *
The shower stall in the bathroom is barely big enough for one, let alone two, so co-showering this weekend is out of the question. I shower quickly. Cooper’s teasing has gotten me so hot and bothered, all I can think about is getting him inside me. At this rate, I’ll die of blue balls.
When I leave the bathroom after toweling myself dry, wearing nothing more than my birthday suit, I find Cooper pacing the living room, the satellite phone in his hand. When he catches sight of me bare-ass naked, his eyes widen, and he grins.
“All right,” he says into the phone, never once taking his eyes off me. “Thanks. Yeah, I’ll check in with you in the morning to see if there are any updates. Give our love to Beth.”
Cooper ends the call and sets the sat phone down in its charging base.
“Any news?” I say.
“No.” He pulls me into his arms. “The feds found a second campsite just a half-mile from the first one, with evidence that Stevens had been there. A couple of hunters said they thought they spotted him earlier today.”
“You don’t seem very happy about the news.”
Cooper frowns. “I’m not. It doesn’t make sense. We’re supposed to believe he’s just out there, camping in the woods, and neither the feds nor the local authorities have caught him? So far all the evidence is circumstantial and hearsay. There’s nothing concrete. I don’t like it. He can’t hide in the backwoods of Sweetwater forever. You’d think he’d move on, otherwise he’s a sitting duck.”
“They’ll apprehend him soon,” I say, tugging his hand. “Now, you come with me. We have business to attend to.”
“Business, huh?” Cooper says, laughing as he follows me to the bedroom.
“Yes. Your job is to make me come my brains out. So, get over here and get busy.”
“Then get your ass in the bedroom.” Cooper turns me to face the bedroom, then he walks me to the bed and pushes me down onto my back. He motions for me to scoot up, so that my head is on a pillow, and he crouches over me, reminding me of a big, prowling cat.
“You’re still dressed,” I point out.
He grins. “All in good time, pal.”
He rises up onto his knees and whips off his shirt, tossing it to the side. Then he unbuckles his belt, pulling it from the belt loops. My gaze skims his torso, from his broad shoulders down to his ridged abs, and I’m absolutely mesmerized by the sight of him. When I make eye contact with him again, his gaze is hot.
I watch his hands as he unfastens his jeans and lowers the zipper. He shoves his jeans and briefs down past his thighs in one fluid motion, freeing his thick erection to bob in the air before me, thick and bold.
I sit up, wrapping my fingers around his cock and licking the tip, my tongue tracing the underside of the crown, making him groan. I wet my lips, then draw him into my mouth, using my tongue and lips to caress him, while I stroke his shaft with my fist.
“Fuck, Sam,” he grates, shoving himself deeper into my mouth as he grips my head.
I suck in air before taking him as deeply as I can, sucking and licking and stroking him, letting my throat muscles tighten on him. I can feel him thickening still with each thrust.
“Oh, shit, baby,” he groans, thrusting long and slow into my mouth.
I cradle his balls and gently caress them. When I feel this ballsac begin to tighten, he pulls back, his steely erection slipping from my mouth with a wet sound.
I gasp for air, looking up at him, waiting for his cue.
He pulls back to stand at the foot of the bed and shucks off his boots, socks, and the rest of his clothes. Naked, he crawls back onto the bed and pushes me onto my back so he can loom over me. He lowers his mouth to mine, his lips hot and hungry as he practically devours me. “You make me so damn crazy,” he says against my lips, his voice little more than a growl.
I smile, gripping his thighs. “That goes both ways, babe.”
Cooper open my legs and bends them at my knees so he can kneel between them. He reaches for my cock, taking me in a firm grip. The air whooshes out of my body when he strokes me from root to tip, catching my pre-come. I’m already hard as a rock and aching for release, but I know I’ll have to wait.
He leans across me and grabs the bottle of lube off the top of the nightstand, where I’d left it for him. He pops the cap and dribbles some of the liquid between my legs, letting it run down my crack. Then he squirts some onto his finger and reaches between my legs.
I grasp the sheet as he lubes me up, stretching me, stroking me deep inside and driving me crazy. A second finger joins the first one, and I groan as he stretches me.
“You want me inside you?” he says.
“Yes,” I gasp.
He curls his finger inside me and strokes my prostate with diabolical precision, and before long, I’m about to lose my mind. My balls are tightening, and the base of my spine is tingling. Just as I feel an orgasm looming, he withdraws his fingers and reaches for more lube.
“You are so cruel,” I say, watching him slick up his cock.
“You can wait.”
He moves in closer and begins teasing my hole with the tip of his cock, brushing against me, teasing my nerve endings and heightening my anticipation. He’s always a lot to take, but God damn, it feels so good.
He looms over me, missionary style, holding my gaze firmly as he slowly presses the broad crown inside. I take a deep breath, then blow it out slowly, forcing my body to relax for him.
As he begins to rock in and out of me, pressing deeper each time, I clutch his thighs, holding onto him. I feel so connected to him as I watch those steely blue eyes bore into me, so expressive. Reading his obvious desire drives mine even higher.
Cooper sinks all the way inside me and leans forward to kiss me, his breath coming rapidly. He’s as jacked up as I am. His lips are hungry on mine, almost desperate. I reach between our bodies to tug and stroke myself as his mouth devours mine. We’re both moaning shamelessly, grunting from a combination of pleasure and physical exertion.
He leans back and angles his thrusts so that he’s hitting my prostate, and oh, my God, I see stars. He’s relentless in his determination to push me over the edge. But he’s just as lost in the pleasure as I am, and it’s not long before Cooper stiffens above me, gritting his teeth as he sinks deep inside me and comes, filling me with a throbbing heat. He arches his neck, his neck muscles standing out in stark relief, and he looks magnificent. He shouts to the rafters, his voice deep and raw, and continues to fuck me through his orgasm, my passage so much slicker now.
As his movements slow and his cock begins to soften, I allow myself to finish, my own cries joining his as I blow my load on my abs and chest.
Breathing hard, Cooper pulls out and falls to my side, his chest heaving. When I turn to face him, he kisses me gently.
“You are going to be the death of me one day,” he says, smiling against my lips.
“I’ll be right there with you, babe.”
“Give me a minute,” he says, still trying to catch his breath, “and I’ll fetch a towel.”
My bones have turned to liquid, and I couldn’t move a muscle if I had to. “No problem. I’m not going anywhere.”
* * *
After a quick clean-up, Cooper slips beneath the covers with me, spooning behind me. He wraps his arm around my waist and slips one leg between mine. I shiver when he skims his lips down my neck and along my shoulder.
“Thank you for coming back,” he says. “For giving me a second chance.”
I look back at him. “Of course I came back. I never intended to stay away permanently.”
He levels me with a look. “Don’t you dare tell me you were never once tempted to take Craig up on his offer.”
I grin guiltily. “I never would have—”
“But you were tempted, weren’t you?” He glares at me, daring me to contradict him.<
br />
Cooper is baring his soul to me, so the least I can do is be honest. “I was tempted, sure. Craig represented everything I thought I wanted. And let’s face it, he’s pretty freaking hot. But he’s not you, and that’s what made the difference. I didn’t just want any boyfriend—I wanted you.”
“I’ll give you freaking hot,” he says, pushing me to my back and rolling on top of me.
He grabs my wrists and holds them pressed to the pillow above my head. Then he dips his head down to tongue one of my nipple piercings. “Oh, fuck,” I moan, arching my back. “You don’t play fair.”
He raises his head to look me in the eye. “Where you’re concerned, I’ll never play fair.”
And when he kisses me, it’s with a mixture of reverence and demand that makes my head spin.
Chapter 29
Cooper
Sunlight streaming through the uncovered window wakes me, and I snuggle closer to Sam. I don’t ever want to sleep without him in my arms again. Those three months that he spent in Dayton nearly killed me. Now that he’s back, I won’t ever give him a reason to leave again.
I carefully extricate from the tangle of our arms and legs and head to the john to empty my bladder. I wash up and brush my teeth, then head back into the bedroom to dress quietly.
He looks so damn young when he’s sleeping, it kills me. I’ll never understand what he sees in a grizzled old bear like me. But at least he looks well rested, and I know he’s well fucked. I must be doing something right.
Once I’ve got my socks and boots on, I leave sleeping beauty to his well-deserved rest and head to the kitchen to make coffee. Then I’ll think about fixing us a hearty breakfast to tide us over through the long morning trek ahead.
On today’s agenda is a ten-mile hike through pretty rough terrain. The first couple of miles are easy, but after that, it’s an uphill hike for about eight miles to the ranger station in the adjacent state forest. I’ll pack some sandwiches for lunch, bottles of water, and nuts for some much-needed protein and fat. It’ll do us both good to sweat a little and remember what it’s like to work hard.