Over the last few months, she and Cillian had settled into a comfortable rhythm, as if they had done it their entire lives. One of her favorite parts of their new routine was these Saturday adventures, though lately they had both been so busy that it had been several weeks since they’d had the chance to do much of anything.
It had taken some time, but they had managed to root out the remnants of the Night Pack. The pack had returned to normal, as had all the surrounding ones, now that Eric’s crew had been more or less ousted from the area. Camden had sentout word to the nearby alphas that they needed to be on the lookout for the stragglers, but it was obvious to him and the rest of the Silverrose pack that the Night Pack was disbanded for good this time. There was no one left to rebuild it.
Amber’s mind drifted over this for a moment. Her nightmares had vanished. She wasn’t sure if that was because Eric was dead, because she had finally stood up to him, or because she fell asleep every night next to Cillian, whose presence seemed to chase away all bad dreams. She wasn’t sure it even mattered in the end. Things were finally going right for her for the first time in her life. For the moment, that was enough.
So she let herself bask in one of the few warm days left of the year and enjoy the hike.
They trudged through the woods in companionable silence, letting the birdsong and rustling leaves carry the conversation for them. Eventually, they came to a grassy overlook, one with a view that stretched for miles. The forest below them was a mix of gold, red, and orange, picturesque beneath the sky.
Amber stared out, savoring the sight. Behind her, she heard Cillian shuffling around. She knew he was fiddling with the basket that they had carried up the mountain. Sure enough, when she turned around, there was a blanket spread across the ground, and Cillian was pulling out a bottle of wine from the basket. He glanced up at her and smiled.
“Thirsty?” he asked.
She smirked. “Parched.” She collapsed onto the soft blanket, sighing and lying down to stare up at the sky. “It’s gorgeous,” she muttered. “I’m glad we finally got out. It’s been too long.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry,” he said, coming to sit next to her. “I know things have been busy.”
She shrugged. “That’s what happens when you have to eradicate an entire terrorist organization,” she said. “Besides, the nursery has been swamped all summer, anyway. Now that it’s fall, things should finally begin to die down there. We might even get the chance to do this sort of thing some more. You know, for the next couple of weeks when it’s actually viable.”
Cillian chuckled, coming to sit next to her. He pulled two plastic cups from the basket and poured wine into them. “At the moment, I’ll take a little bit of time with you,” he said, handing her one.
His hand brushed against hers for the briefest of moments. Their eyes met, and she didn’t miss the hunger there. Her heart stuttered, and she bit her lip, betraying her thoughts and wants. She saw the flash in Cillian’s eyes, and she knew that he could tell exactly what was going through her mind. He smirked.
His hand went to her thigh.
“Hmm …” She tilted her head, leaning into his touch, heat beginning to ripple through her. “And what exactly do you plan on doing with that time?”
“I think you know,” he growled.
His hand slowly inched up her leg, his fingers sliding toward her inner leg. His grip tightened, and the heat between them only smoldered and intensified. Her breath hitched.
His smirk deepened. “And don’t tell me that you aren’t thinking the exact same thing.”
Her lip twitched upward. “I won’t.”
She pulled him toward her and kissed him. It started as a light peck, but the second their lips touched, it turned into something deeper. He pulled her closer, the hand on her thigh gripping tighter.
A burning need for him rippled through her. Biting her lip, she tugged off his shirt and threw it to the side. Her hands ran along his bare torso, tracing the lines there, the scars. He watched her, unmoving, the desire in his eyes unmistakable. His fingers went to the hem of her shirt, their tips brushing against her waist, pushing their way beneath the fabric.
Warm air with the slight cool of autumn brushed against Amber’s stomach as Cillian shoved her shirt over her head. He tossed it to the side before unclasping her bra. His hands roamed over her, lingering on her breasts, one thumb flicking against a hardened nipple.
Hungry and impatient, she tugged off his shirt and pushed him to the ground. With a smirk, she straddled him, drinking him in, a hungry need for him rippling through her. His own hands slipped to her waist, his thumbs stroking her hips. She bent forward, pressing her lips to his once more, relishing the taste of him.
She slid down, her fingers trailing down his stomach, until she straddled his knees. Slowly, she unbuttoned his jeans and slid them down. His cock sprang up, already erect before she had even started tugging down his boxers. Her hand caressed his shaft, thumb brushing along the tip. She watched his face, the way his eyes flickered with pleasure. Then she began stroking, slowly, rhythmically, her attention locked on his face, his minute reactions.
“You’re really good at that,” he groaned after a moment.
She gave a wicked grin. “Am I?” she purred. Without stopping, she leaned forward again, her lips brushing against his for the briefest of moments before sliding toward his ear. “Let me show you what else I can do.”
She bent her head and took him in her mouth. He let out a low groan, the sound only exciting her more. She glanced up at him and smirked around his cock. Her tongue ran along the head. She began stroking him in earnest, her mouth moving in time with her hand. She savored the taste of him, the tang of sweat from their hike only complementing it. Her own need began to swell, and her fingers slipped between her thighs and found her clit.
At some point, his hand went to her head, holding her in place. His fingers tangled in her hair. She could sense him nearing the edge. Just as his body began to tense, she slowed. She glanced up at him and smirked, dragging her tongue along his shaft before straightening. His eyes burned, both with lust and annoyance.
“I don’t want it to end too quickly,” she said.
“Oh, you tease,” he snarled. He tugged her up toward him and then flipped them over so he was on top. Moving deftly, he pulled off her shirt, then unclasped her bra, tossing both into the grass. One hand pinned hers above her head. He drank her in, his eyes raking along her bare torso. His fingers ran along her side, their tips sending shivers radiating through her. Heat settled below her stomach, and she bit her lip, that need for him growing.
His hand slid between her thighs, circling her slit, teasing her. She squirmed, reaching out to grab his fingers and guide them inside her. He snatched her wrists and pinned them over her head, keeping her locked in place.
