As all the students went into the cabins, Knox came over to me.Gregory had already gone inside their cabin.
“What’s with that smile?”I asked him.
He tilted his head.“I didn’t realize the opportunity to be alone with you would present itself so quickly.”
I laughed.“We’ve got about twenty minutes before everyone regroups.”Though staying with him wasn’t a bad idea.I had zero desire to chitchat with Vanessa.
“Is that carte blanche?Because I havesomany ideas.”
“Knox,” I chastised, looking around.I couldn’t see anyone on the front porches of the cabins, but that didn’t mean no one was looking through the windows.
“Let’s take a walk,” he said.“Do you know any place where we won’t be disturbed?”
I grinned.“Yeah, I do happen to know a place, actually.”
He made a come-here motion at me, but I turned around, walking a step in front of him.We looked a bit silly, carrying our backpacks, but I didn’t want to waste any time by going in to drop it off.
Secretly, I hoped Vanessa was looking out the window at us.The thought caught me by surprise.What is with me and this insane urge to stake my claim?She’d made a throwaway comment, and I was fixating on it.This wasn’t like me.
As soon as we disappeared between trees and the cabins weren’t in view anymore, Knox threw our backpacks onto the forest floor.Then he put a hand on my waist.He turned me around and kissed me, and oh my.It was deep and wet and so damn desperate, it almost mirrored my need for him.Emphasis on almost, because I was truly desperate.
I jumped him the next second.Thankfully, the man had good instincts and put his hand under my ass.I placed my forearms on his shoulders and kissed him right back.Then he put me back down on the forest floor, and I felt us walking backward until something scratched my back.He’d pushed me against a tree and was deepening the kiss.I shoved my hands under his shirt, feeling his abs, and then he paused, pulling back.
“Damn it, Amy.I’m losing control.”
He closed his eyes, exhaling sharply, and then drew in heavy breaths.When he opened them, I shivered.I’d never seen him look so feral.Not even while we were having sex.
“Knox,” I murmured.
Licking my lips, I took my hands out from under his shirt and put them on my hips.If I didn’t park my hands somewhere, I was going to just maul this sexy guy right here.
“I can’t control myself around you,” he confessed.
I let out a sigh of relief.“I thought I was the only one who couldn’t.”I took a deep breath in.“I can’t explain this.What’s happening here?”
He wiggled his eyebrows.“Well, we’re out in the woods.Literally animalistic attraction.”
“Knox,” I said.My heart was beating faster.“I mean it.I mean, we’ve known each other forever.Why is it—ouch!”I looked down and shrieked.“That’s a snake.Oh my God!”I screamed.“A snake bit me!No, no, no.This can’t be happening.”
Knox immediately rolled up my pants leg.“It’s bloody.”
“Was it venomous?”I asked.
“No fucking idea.But I know how to take the venom out,” he said, looking up at me.
My voice was shaking.“You do?”
“Yeah.Mom made us all take a first aid course before Jeremy was born.It’s simple.I’ll try, and then I’m taking you to the hospital.”
Before I managed to remind him that we were in the middle of the woods without personal transportation, he started sucking on the wound and then spitting out the venom.
“It hurts,” I cried out.
I was trembling and scared witless.Being with Knox made it better, but only marginally.
This was why I hated being in nature.There were insects and freakingsnakes.
“Knox, it really hurts,” I said.
