Noah groaned, his head bowed, lips to her shoulders, then her neck, finally seeking her lips. And she kissed him as he came, capturing his cries and his breath in her mouth. Noah—her Noah.
***
“This is our last day.” She bounced on the bed. “Let’s camp out tonight.”
He patted the pillow beside his head. “Lay back down for a few more minutes and talk to me and then, I promise, I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth.”
She had been to the bathroom and her feet were freezing, so he didn’t have to do much to convince her. Scrambling around, she burrowed next to him, fitting herself to his body. And she had to admit, it was a perfect fit.
“I have something to ask you.” Skye tensed up. “No, relax. It’s all good.”
“You want a blow-job?” One could live in hope.
“Uh, yea.” He chuckled. “That goes without saying, but I wanted to tell you about an idea I had.” He took a breath. This was important to him. “Zane, my buddy, the lawyer, is looking into expanding his firm to include some areas of service and inside talent which could help him with cases and with pro-bono work. One of those areas is social services.”
Skye closed her eyes. She could see where this was going. “Noah, I—”
“Don’t say no. I can’t make any guarantees, but I would love to talk to him about you. And my motives are entirely selfish.” He kissed her softly. “I want to keep you around.”
The idea scared her silly, for more reasons than one. She knew anywhere she eventually settled, the truth would come out. But she didn’t know…hell, loving Noah made everything so much more complicated. “I’ll think about it.” And she would. The impossible possibility of having a future with Noah would torture her.
“Good, now about that other thing.” He moved her hand down under the covers until she felt him erect and throbbing. “Maybe you could help me with this problem?”
“Gladly.”
***
Noah was falling in love. He was aware of it. Skye had to be aware of it, yet she was as skittish as a young doe. So he had decided to proceed with caution, yet with purpose. Convincing her to stay in Kerrville was step one. “Where are we heading, Sacajawea?”
“Watch it, Cowboy. You don’t want to piss off a redskin with a tomahawk.” She waved her small hatchet at him. She’d brought the small implement to cut firewood, if need be. “We’re headed deeper into the wilderness. Barry said there was a good camping spot up on the Llano River. We’re not far.”
“Good, ‘cause I’m tuckered. And hungry.”
Noah carried all of their gear with ease, plus he could take one step to her three. He wasn’t tired. “Must be all the sex we’ve been having. We’d better slow down.”
“Bullshit.” He laughed. “Actually, I was afraid you were getting tired.”
Now, that was probably closer to the truth. “It shouldn’t be too much farther. We’ll set up camp and I want to check out a cave up there that Lance used to tell me about. This is actually very close to Shenandoah.”
While they walked, Noah took time to check his email and text messages. It was a sign of the times that there were very few places in the country where getting a signal was impossible.
JACOB: Where the hell are you?
NOAH: Camping with Skye. Is something wrong? How’s Bowie?
He’d wait for the answer on that one. There was another one, from Libby.
LIBBY: I’m sorry. Please come home.
NOAH: No reason to apologize. You did nothing wrong. I’ll be home soon.
About that time, Jacob answered.
JACOB: Bowie is improving. The doctors are talking about doing the surgery right after Thanksgiving. Come home.
NOAH: Why?
JACOB: You’re missed.
He put the phone away. Truthfully he was still confused, but he couldn’t deny the love he felt for his family. And they were his family. He didn’t understand everything, but he’d figure it out. Funny. Skye had changed everything. Having her to think about and worry about and love on put everything else into perspective.
“Messages? Anything important?”
“Just family. Wanting to know how I’m doing.”
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” She hooked her hand through his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m very glad you came with me, Noah. I’ve enjoyed you so much.”
“Me, too.” He kissed the top of her head. Then, she pulled away, skittering off.
“This looks like a good place.”
Watching her almost innocent enthusiasm, he wondered if he would ever be successful in holding on to her, or if she was like a beautiful butterfly who would always flitter just out of reach. “All right, Princess. Let me go gather some firewood and then I’ll come back and help you with the rest.” She was all stooped over, tugging on their tent and he just stopped to admire the view.
She noticed. “Can I help you?”
“Yea, but for now, I’ll settle for your tomahawk.”
“Mercy.” She tossed it to him, handle first, and he caught it easily.
“We’re a good match, Skye Blue.” He just put the comment out there for her to think about and walked off into the woods.
***
“What in hell am I going to do now?” Skye debated with herself. This trip had answered some questions for her. She now knew that designing clothes could never be more than a hobby, or something to fall back on. Her purpose on this earth was to help people, especially women whose rights were stripped away because of prejudice or a judicial system that had failed them. She also had come to the point where she could forgive herself for her past. That didn’t mean she was ready to jeopardize anyone else, but she knew she could hold her head up and offer the world something of value.
Working as she contemplated, time got away from her. Where was Noah? Wiping her hands on her jeans, she went to look for him. She had seen which way he’d headed, so she followed, pausing every few steps to listen. “Noah!” she called. Nothing. She walked farther. “Noah!”
“Stay back, Skye.”
“What the hell?” Yea, like that was going to happen. Stepping quickly but quietly, she moved into a small clearing and what she saw amazed her. Noah stood in a somewhat defensive mode, and about fifteen feet in front of him were three red wolves. Wolves? There were no wolves in Texas. Or at least that’s what she’d always heard. But apparently whoever had put out that information, didn’t know their tail from a hole in the ground.
“Noah.” Skye just said his name so she knew he was here. The wolves were on alert, but they weren’t snarling.
“I told you to stay back.” He gritted out the words.
“I don’t mind very well.”
“Remind me to spank your ass when we’re out of this.”
“Promises, promises.” The wolves perked up their ears and one took one step forward. They weren’t rabid, but they were acting strange. “Safety in numbers,” she whispered and calmly walked in between them. Her challenging move could have done one of two things—they could have attacked or they could have retreated. They retreated.
“Goddammit, Skye.” Noah took two steps and picked her up, swung her over his shoulder and slapped her on the butt.
“Put me down,” she grumbled. “I’ll puke on your shoes.”
“Puke away. I can’t believe you did that! Why would you put yourself in danger for me?”
Hanging upside down gave her a new perspective on the world. “You’d do the same for me.” To that he had no answer. She could tell when they arrived back in camp. And when he set her on her feet, she staggered, but he caught her to him and kissed her so long and hard that she had to beg for breath by pushing on his chest.
“Yes, I would do the same for you. But don’t you ever, ever, EVER
do anything like that again.” He hugged her so hard she squeaked.
“At least now you know.”
“Know what?”
“The wolf is your spirit animal.” His heart was beating so hard that she could feel it as plainly as she could feel her own.
“Come here.” He sat down on the sleeping bag and pulled her down with him. “I need to hold you.” She cuddled close. “Now talk to me.”
“Just like the owl, these wolves acted out of character and not threatening. That’s one of the ways you can identify your spirit animal.”
“And what does the wolf say about me?” He wound her hair around his fist, symbolically binding them together.
“You can trust your instincts. You’re exceptionally intelligent.” It was hard to speak, because he was looking at her face like she was the most precious thing in the world to him. It was damned disconcerting! And the most wonderful sight she’d ever beheld. “As with the owl, when one sees their spirit animal, they must realize that the timing is critical. We came on this journey, or I did, because I needed guidance. Sometimes these signs are given to us when we need them the most. Whatever you’re dealing with, the message is that you should trust your instincts, you should live free as the wolf and invite passion into your life.”
Always the man, he took what she said and applied it straight to his cock. “I think I’ve been doing pretty well at the passion part for the past few days.”
“Yes, you have.” The adrenaline rush was wearing down, so she did something entirely un-Skye-like. She laid her head on his shoulder, let out a huge sigh and just rested in his strength and security.
Her small surrender wasn’t lost on Noah. “Rest, baby. I’ve got you. Rest.”
***
“I’m not much on holes in the ground,” Noah muttered as he carefully made his way into the black interior. Their flashlight gave off a small glow, but not nearly enough to penetrate the depths of the darkness.
“We won’t go far. I just wanted to investigate it since we were this close. There are legends among my people of huge veins of gold, once discovered, but now lost.”
“Yea, I’ve heard tales about this stuff all my life. The lost San Saba mine, the lost Bowie mine, there’s even a story about a cave on Enchanted Rock itself that was supposed to be full of gold. I don’t put much store in the rumors.”
“Neither do I, but I didn’t come in here looking for gold, I came in looking for a cave drawing that Lance said he saw here when he was a young boy. He used to tell me about them. This is my first chance to see something which affected him so greatly.” She walked farther back, shining her light on the wall. “Look, Noah,” she said with awe. “Here it is.”
Noah walked closer to her, and what he saw amazed him. “I can’t believe something like this is unprotected.” There was a group of men with spears chasing a boxy buffalo, a symmetrical sun, a thunderbird and a repeated form which could have been a shaman.
“Look at the handprints, Noah. That’s the most striking thing to me.” She walked closer. “Don’t you just wonder whose print this is? These people shared their lives and their experiences. In their own way, they made their mark on the world.”
“Over here, Skye.” Noah had walked farther down. “What does this look like to you?”
She followed, placing her hand on his arm, just wanting to be close. “It looks like a ship, an aerial view with flags and crosses jutting out on all sides.”
“The Spanish missionaries came through these parts. I guess the stories they told stuck.”
They both stared, marveling at the privilege to peek back in time. “All of this validates the statement. One picture, a thousand words.”
For a few more moments, they stood still. “Thanks for that.” He ran his hand down her back. “Let’s get outta here. I’m a little claustrophobic.”
“Okay. I’m ready to go.” She certainly understood how he felt. The first few times she’d been shut in the small 6 by 9 cell and left alone, she had thought she was going to lose her mind.
He shone his light ahead of them, making sure they didn’t slip or fall. A glint on the ground drew his attention. “What’s that?”
“Did you find gold?”
He walked over, bent down and stood up. “Nope, no gold. But I did find a thumb drive.” Picking it up, he slipped it his pocket to investigate later.
***
“Have you ever made love in a tent before?”
“No, but I’m willing.” She wiggled her rear at him.
“You’re more than willing.” He swatted the heart-shaped temptation. “You’re imminently qualified.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere, Cowboy.”
Noah eyed Skye in the setting sun. Her image belonged on a poster or sculpted in bronze. Briefly he thought that if Aron were here, he would commission a statue of her, sitting on a horse with her arms raised to the heavens, her head thrown back, that waterfall of hair flowing down her back. Her beauty was staggering. “Tonight, I’m in charge.”
His quiet words roared like thunder through her ears. Immediately her body responded, preparing itself to give him pleasure. “Yes, sir,” she answered him in submissive mode, eyes downcast, biting her lower lip, awaiting any request he might make.
Hot damn! She could turn him on so easily. Now, what to do? He racked his brain for anything Isaac might have told him since they’d made up after the Ajax/Harper mess. Any other time, the thought of their names would have quelled any arousal he had, but feasting his eyes on his Skye pushed all the unpleasantness from his mind.
“Go into the tent, undress, and wait for me.” Noah gave the command, wondering if she would comply. When she gave him a shy smile and turned to do his bidding, his cock began to fill. One of the reasons he wanted her to go ahead of him was so he could prepare. He had no problem at all being in charge in the bedroom, in fact, the inclination had always been instinctive. But to be dominant, especially after his bitter allegations toward the lifestyle, he wanted to make sure his head was in the right place. Skye was small and fragile and he was big—everywhere. Yet, she seemed totally open to doing anything with him that he desired. And that turned him on, big time.
As he considered positions and preferences and seductive moves, Noah accomplished two things. First, he finally understood the attraction. To have a woman like Skye at his mercy was mind-boggling, but to know she placed her trust in his hands was awe-inspiring. Second, he got hard as a rock.
Going to the tent, he opened a flap and gazed inside. God Bless Texas! The sight that met his eyes took his breath away. Skye Blue sat in the middle of the tent, gloriously nude. She was leaning back on her heels, graceful and serene with head-bowed and her palms turned up, resting on her thighs. “Fuckin’ beautiful,” he breathed. “Undress me.”
Skye’s palms were sweating. She was past turned-on. This was a big step for Noah and that he’d been willing to take it with her was momentous. He had no idea, but this was one of her dearest fantasies—to submit to him. Rising to her feet, she went to him and began unbuttoning his shirt, unhooking his belt, unzipping his jeans. “May I kiss you, sir?”
Noah was hoarse. He wondered what another Dom’s answer might be. Should he deprive her, to make her want him more? Hell, no. Why not do what he wanted? And he sure as hell wanted her lips on his body. “Yes, you may.”
With concentrated attention, Skye kissed his chest, not just kissing, but nuzzling and licking. Rubbing her face and hands against his body. A cross between a whimper and a growl escaped her lips. Dang, if she wasn’t purring! Maybe it was because Noah embodied everything she longed for in a man, he was not only a good person, he was so sexy she trembled when she was near him. He was the one she dreamed of when she masturbated. When Lance had given her photos of the McCoys, and her fantasies had been far removed and innocent,
if was Noah she had chosen to be her dream lover.
Noah stood stoically still while she shed him of his clothes. She had no idea she was torturing him. His cock pulsed painfully. He needed time and distance or the party would be over before it began. Stepping away, he left her standing there. “Put your arms over your head. Show your Master your body.”
Master? Where had that come from? He paced around her with unhurried steps, when inside his pulse was racing and all he wanted to do was sink to his knees in front of her and beg for the privilege of kissing her hand.
Stretching her arms up, lifted her breasts. Goosebumps rose over her body as she felt Noah’s eyes caressing her naked form. Knowing he was staring, she spread her legs a bit so he could see her pussy and how wet he was making her. As he passed behind her, she felt his hand run lightly down her back and over the curve of her hips. The light touch made her breasts visibly swell and her nipples draw into hard suckable knots. “Noah,” she whispered as his hot breath tickled her neck. He was standing so close she could feel his heat. Between her legs she felt an ache begin. It was all she could do to remain in position and not slip her fingers down to give herself some relief. An electric, sizzling thrill shot through her.
“Look at me.”
When had he moved? She almost jumped. His husky, rich voice made following his directives more than pleasurable. Skye raised her eyes to him. A half-smile curled his lips. With a deliberate move, he stepped closer, brushing his body against hers. “How much do you want me?”
Skye Blue (Hell Yeah!) Page 13