Chapter 22
Hadley
As stunning as this natural wonder is, the woman in front of me has all my attention. It may be the hike in cowboy boots. It may be the elevation.
My guess is it’s Maggie.
Each step she takes, those elegant curves and hips swaying in time to the blood rushing through my veins, my need for her grows. Because it doesn’t matter where we are, she gets me wound up just by being close.
The late morning sunshine splinters as it hits the canopy, showering us in slivers of light. The sounds of nature echo through the forest around it. But the only sounds I care about are the footsteps in front of me and the heavy breaths she takes as she walks ahead, pointing to various things she’s showing me. My eyes haven’t left her, not for one of them.
I’m so far gone for this woman.
She turns back and her hands are on her hips, her face lit up with amusement. “You haven’t heard a word I said, have you?”
I keep walking until I’m in her space. Hands cupping her face, I tilt it up to me. “Not a word.”
Her breaths stutter out and drag mine away with them.
“I love seeing you like this,” I rasp.
“Like what?”
“Happy. Free.”
“I’m happy with you.” The words spill out fast and she drags her bottom lip through her teeth, like she never meant to say that.
“You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now.”
Her gaze moves, studying my face. Her body presses to mine.
“Go on, then,” she utters, fingers curling around the opening of my shirt.
No telling this man twice. I smash my mouth to hers, and she opens instantly. She’s hungry, but I’m fucking starving. I step forward, she steps back. Before you know it, her back hits the trunk of a big old tree.
I devour her the way I’ve been imagining since we parted ways only a handful of days ago.
I claim every part of her, my hand trailing over her neck, down past the dip where it joins her soft shoulders, over her collarbone, and finally slowly down her ribs. She melts against the tree, and I push my knee between her legs to hold her up.
Hands travel up over my shoulders and into my hair, tugging as I break for a breath. No, to see her face.
I’m wrung out.
I’m breathless.
My heart is trying its best to crash through my chest. I’m rock-fucking-hard. In the middle of her forest.
“Don’t stop,” she pleads.
I shake my head.
“No?” The word is almost a sob.
I huff a strangled laugh. “I don’t want to stop, Sunshine, but this is a public walking trail, I’m guessing.”
She nods. After a moment, she pushes off the tree and grabs my hand. We’re wading through the brush of the dense forest,heading toward a small hut I can onlyjustmake out through the trees.
It looks like an old ranger hut or something. Maggie pushes in and has the door shut the second I’m inside. My hat’s off, hitting the floor, and her hands are in my hair a beat later. I haul her onto my waist, walking around the small hut, before I sweep a hand over a bench. Items scatter, clattering to the floor. Lowering Maggie to the bench, I hold her at arm’s length.
