“No. There is a small river on the other side of me, beneath the leaves.”
I smile and put my hand on his cheek. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finding me.” I press a soft kiss to lips, not expecting him to return it. “I could have been stumbling around the mountain for days.”
His lips move against mine. It’s a slow exploration. I tilt my head for a better angle, liking the way his stubble grazes my skin, and the way his tongue teases my lower lip.
“I was always going to come after you.”
“You don’t hate me for—”
“I understand why you said no, but not why you did that.” His thumb sweeps over my lower lip.
“That felt like the right thing to do…” I don’t know why. It wasn’t that long ago I was in Reed’s arms and enjoying his touch and kiss and thoughts of being between him and Colton. “I shouldn’t have.”
The hard length of his erection presses against my thigh. “I wouldn’t have kissed you back if I didn’t want it.”
“Oh.” My blood heats and I want more than a kiss. What had Reed said? The body wants to feel alive?
That’s what I want. I don’t want to be scared. I want to be wild and carefree. And all the things I’ve never let myself be. I want what I promised Colton, that if they all come back, we can all be together. I twist around to straddle him, needing the hard length of him against the junction of my thighs.
His hands grip my ass. “But I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
He’s turning me down?
I should’ve expected that. It’s not as if he put his life on hold waiting for me to come around. He doesn’t know about what happened with Reed, or what I said to Colton. He might hate the idea. “I’m sorry. I thought…”
“I want to keep kissing you, and more. But the others…they may not be happy about it, as we agreed you were off limits unless you came to one of us.”
I bite my lower lip and glance down. My cheeks are burning, but I can’t stay silent. “While Reed and I were…” I can’t say it. “We kind of slept together.” He didn’t mention that I was off limits. Maybe being held captive negates that kind of agreement.
I don’t dare look up. Even in this dim, rain-soaked light, I’ll be able to see any disgust or disapproval on his face. I want to find an excuse, but expecting to die, or expecting Reed to die, doesn’t make it any better. Like, how is ‘we might die, so let’s fuck’ a rational thought? Or even a good idea?
What if one of the men had walked in?
I dread to think what they would’ve done.
Priest puts a finger under my chin and lifts it, so I have to look at him. There’s no disgust in the curve of his lips, and only compassion in his eyes. “Things happen when life is in danger. We say things and do things we may not usually do.”
I bite my lip. It would be easy to agree with him if I regretted it.
But I don’t.
I want more.
I want a repeat.
And I want Colton to be there, as Reed promised. And then I want to explore the idea of bringing the others in. Priest would never go for it, he’s so reserved. I can’t imagine him ever being wild or careless. It feels wrong to even think about it while he holds me and protects me.
“I’m sure Colton will forgive him,” Priest continues.
I’m glad it’s dark enough that he won’t see the heat rising on my cheeks. “That’s not it. Reed wants Colton to join in next time.”
As I say it, I wonder if he suggested it because he believed there was no chance of it happening. He would totally do that, just so that I was thinking about something other than the reality of our situation.
Priest arches an eyebrow. “Does he?”
