Stroke Of Fear

by Alla Kar

  “I didn’t know how long I would hurt from losing Amanda. Then I saw you helplessly hanging on for life. I knew you were meant for me. The desperation in your eyes broke my heart; I saw that same desperation in the mirror every day.”

  Need flows through my veins. My nerves, my bones beg for him. Sliding his thumb up my jaw, he traces the edge of my ear. Then he strokes my lips one lip at a time. I whimper, an ache throbbing through me. He grips my face between his large, calloused hands and tilts my face before fitting his lips against mine. I moan and grip his shirt underneath the blankets. His tongue dips hard against mine and sensation sparks every nerve ending in my body. Despite the chilly afternoon his skin is hot and wet against me. His groans melt with my moans. The sounds set me on fire, everywhere.

  Pressing into him harder, he hungrily takes my bottom lip between his teeth, biting and pulling. One of his legs wedges itself between my throbbing thighs. He slows down, and I almost cry out in pain. Don’t stop. He nips at my bottom lip again, his hands running along my shoulders to grip the nape of my neck. He pulls me closer, giving himself better access to my mouth. Desperately, I rake my nails down his sides and grind myself down onto his thigh. Everything changes. I moan into his mouth, feeling the tension tighten in his shoulders.

  Pulling away, he rolls over until he is hovering over me. Locking my eyes with his, I trail my shaky hands underneath his shirt and help him pull it over his head. The smooth satin of his chest devours me, brushing against the fabric of my shirt. I’m exploding inside, begging him to hurry. But I want to go slow, too. I need him in every way possible. Tanner’s shoulders jerk with his hard breath, his fingers grab my swim suit and yanks at it until my breasts spill out. He’s seen me naked before, but it feels like he’s looking at me for the first time. Reaching down he cups my breast, his rough finger lightly rubbing over the peak. He bends his head to lap at my nipple, first one, and then the other. He nips them, pulling slightly until a cry rips from my throat.

  Squeezing one breast, he slips his finger beneath the fabric of my bottoms. He rubs against me with his palm, his long rough fingers circling my most sensitive place. Tremors of excitement ripple through me.

  Tearing his mouth free, he sets his forehead against me, never looking away. “Are you mine, Aubrey?” he whispers, his southern drawl even more evident with his voice rough and low.

  My arms feel like jelly, but I wrap them around his neck and squeeze. “I’m yours,” I breathe out. I’m kissing all over his face, my body encouraging me to kiss, suck and bite. I’m almost out of control on him.

  This sends him frantic. He reaches down and tugs on my bottoms until I’m completely naked underneath him. Before I can come down from my excitement he’s tugging off his shorts, and I feel the hard muscles of his legs hovering over mine. There isn’t a better feeling in the word than having a man on top of you—his hardness against your soft. It’s intoxicating. Spreading my knees with his thighs, he settles between my waiting legs. I hear him reach over and dig around in his shorts. Then I hear the tearing of a condom wrapper. He grabs my elbows, sliding his tight grip to my wrists, where he pulls my arms above my head. Trapped.

  “Aubrey,” he mumbles against my ear. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful. You sure you’re ready? This is your last chance. If I go any further I’m not going to be able to stop.”

  I’m gasping against him, and he’s not even doing anything but staring down at me. His strong jaw is tense, his gray eyes wide with need. “I’m ready. Please, I don’t want you to stop. I won’t ask either. I promise.”

  Dragging one hand away from my wrist, he touches me again…there. Jesus, I’m going to explode before we even start. “You sure you want me inside you, darlin’?”

  “Yes,” I whimper helplessly. Just fucking do it!

  His one hand stops stroking me and moves to my hip, so he can balance himself between my legs. I feel his erection against me and my body rocks with need. He doesn’t enter at first, but allows me to see what he’s got. And I’m nervous. Our gazes are desperate. His lips parted, a soft growl leaves them as he rubs against me. We’re panting against each other, the need overtaking us. Raising my hips, he closes his eyes and rests his forehead against mine. When he opens them, his gray eyes are stormy. “I can’t take my eyes off you, darlin’.” He’s still holding me prisoner with one hand and teasing me with the other. I send a silent plea his way, and I know he sees it. A small smile forms on the right side of his mouth and his dimple dents his skin. How can one person be this beautiful? I want to touch the scruff of hair on his jaw, but my hands are tied. But, I don’t feel forced. I don’t feel tortured. I feel alive.

  Gray eyes watch me closely for a few short minutes. I hear him repositions himself to roll the condom down his length, it excites me. Then he’s in me. He fills me slowly but deliberately. He’s wide, hard and all the man one person can stand. My shoulders shudder and my sex muscles grip him. A painfully amazing whimper releases from my throat. I’ve never made that sound before.

  “Goddamn, Aubrey…” He screws his eyes shut. He releases my hands, and I fling them at his neck, pulling him closer. I need to feel his warmth against me. He begins to pulse fiercely in and out; his breath hard, his chest moving in powerful jabs. I’m delirious. Black swarms my vision in the best possible way. My body aches when he slides his tongue against my neck, coming up to take my ear between his teeth.

  A shudder is fevered in me and with each thrust of his hip, I unravel. “Tanner,” I whisper against his ear. My thighs wrap harder around his waist, and I lift my pelvis to give him better access. It sends flames through me and my eyes roll back in my head.

  I’m on the verge of undoing. The verge of letting myself go completely with him. “Move. Harder,” I gasp out. My voice doesn’t sound like my own. He growls and starts kissing me like he’ll never see me again.

  His hands grip each hip as he moves faster, harder. I feel every fucking lovely inch of him, and I’m shuddering now. My body is literally shaking beneath him. Lifting my hips with his hands, he slams harder into me. The warmth of every pulse consumes me, bringing me to an ultimate high. I’ve never had sex like this. I’ve never felt this…connection. This need. I never want to go without it again. Tremors crash over me. My body comes down, clutching him in every way. I let out a glorious scream, my entire being losing control around him. With his mouth partly opened, he watches me closely. His teeth dig into his bottom lip. “Goddamn, you’re so sexy, Aubrey.” His eyes are still on me, his body jerking as he pumps into me a few more times. He growls out and shudders against me. An almost silent fuck is whispered into my ear.

  He lifts off of me, disposing of the condom. Grabbing my indolent body he positions me right above him. His legs are spread wide, my body lying between them. His fingers span over the lower part of my back, his lips trailing kisses along my jaw, my neck, the side of my mouth. “What are you thinkin’?” he asks, breaking the silence.

  “For the first time in my life, nothing. I’m relaxed. I’ve never felt better than I do right this second.”

  Tanner trails his finger down my body to cup me. He closes his eyes and smiles to himself. “You felt so good, Aubrey. I never wanted it to end.”

  “It doesn’t have to. I’m here. And sure as hell not going anywhere.”

  Tanner pulls me down so he can kiss my mouth. “No, because you’re mine now. Always.”

  * * *

  My body hurts. I’m so sore. The bright sun is shining down on us, but it’s not too high in the sky yet. It’s still early. The warmth settles on my naked skin. God, I’m naked. Even the word sets the images of last night in my head. A tickle of delight spread through me like poison. I remember his hands, his mouth. Every inch of him torments me. I never want it to stop. My gaze lands on his body beside me. He’s lying on his stomach, hands outstretched beside him. The blankets cover his ass and that’s it. The muscles in his back are tight. I run a finger along them all the way down to his butt. I almost gigg
le like a school girl, but I hold my tongue.

  Shifting, I remember the soreness. It travels up my thighs and settles between my legs, reminding me of everything we did last night. Sliding the covers off me, I grab Tanner’s shirt he wore before our swim yesterday. It smells like him and it envelopes me. I snuggle into it for a few seconds, before scooting out of the back of the truck. The dew drenches my bare feet and the weeds stick to my heels.

  The cab door to his truck is opened, so I grab my cell out of the cup holder. 7:00 a.m. We need to leave soon. We both have activities set for the day. Digging for my jeans, I slide into them and button myself up. It isn’t until I shut the door that I notice something whipping in the wind underneath his windshield wipers.

  Tip-toeing over, I grab what appears to be the back of a newspaper. There’s something on it in small writing with a permanent marker.

  I see you.

  I drop the paper and cover my mouth with my hands. Is this a sick joke? Who would do this? Cassie knows I’m here, but no one else. Eric, maybe? No. Cassie would never do this or let Eric.

  Grabbing the note from the ground, I crawl back into the bed of the truck. “Tanner,” I whisper.

  He moans, stretches and sits up rubbing his eyes. If this were any other moment, I’d be turned on. He has sex hair, mashed against his head. Not to mention the sloppy we-had-sex-last-night grin. “Good mornin’.”

  “Read this,” I say before shoving the note at him.

  He looks down and then looks back up. “Where did you find it?”

  “On the hood of your truck. Who do you think did it?”

  Tanner’s serious now. He sits all the way up and looks over it again. “I’m not sure. It could be a fuckin’ sick joke. But, I’m thinking it’s the person stalking around the camp. No one knows besides us and Cassie. Cassie wouldn’t do this, Aubrey.”

  “I know,” I whisper out. “That means he’s watching us.”

  Tanner nods, wraps his fingers over the back of my neck, and kisses my forehead. “That’s exactly what it means. And it’s gonna stop now.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  Tanner stands up and pulls on his swimming shorts from yesterday. He doesn’t bother looking for a shirt, before he helps me out of the back of his truck. “Tanner what are you going to do?” I ask, getting into the passenger seat.

  He puts the truck in reverse and spins his tires. I haven’t seen him this pissed before. His locks his jaw and starts toward the camp. “Tanner,” I snap. “What are we going to do?”

  He swallows, his jaw clenching. “I’m going to kill him.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Tanner

  “Wait, so I have to come, too?” Eric is staring at me like I’m an idiot. I shake my head and start to lace up my shoes.

  “Yes, he’s been stalking the camp. There are kids here. The police won’t help, so I’m going to find him.”

  Eric laughs and slaps his knees. “You’re joking with me, right? What do you country folks call it? Picking with me? Hell no. I’m not going. That’s a death wish.”

  “Whatever, you don’t have to come, Eric. I’m just tryin’ to make sure we’re all safe.”

  Eric rolls his eyes. “You’re really going to go?”

  “Does it look like I’m picking with you?”

  Eric snorts. “Okay. I’ll go. But, what exactly do you think we should do with this guy if we catch him?”

  Standing up, I tuck my phone into my jeans pocket. “Kill him.”

  Eric must see the desperation in my eyes, because he gives me a short nod. It’s one of the only times I’ve seen him serious. “Okay.”

  It’s past nine. I don’t know when to expect this guy or if he’s even going to come back. Eric grabs a hunting knife and slides it into his boot. I feel like we should be on The Walking Dead right now. My hatchet is still in my truck, so I dig it out and turn to Eric.

  “Really?”

  I shrug. “I didn’t bring a gun to summer camp, Eric. It’s all I have. Plus, I could really scare somebody with this shit.”

  “Okay, you do look a little badass.”

  He barks out a laugh and then stops to look over my shoulder.

  “Is the axe murderer standing behind me?”

  He shakes his head back and forth slowly. “Worse. It’s Jake.”

  What. The. Fuck. I know he’s being decent toward me now but I’m not sure we’re ready to run off into the sunset and be best friends. Jake stalks toward us baseball bat in hand. He has a half smile on his face. “We’re going creeper hunting?” he asks.

  We? Who in the hell invited you? “Um, who told you that?”

  He suddenly finds the ground interesting. “I went by Aubrey’s cabin to check on her. She told me you guys were going to search for the guy. I thought I’d help.”

  Eric nudges me in the ribs with his elbow and gives me a come the fuck on look. I glance back at Jake. Even though he’s trying to get my girl back, I feel sorry for him. Because there is no way after last night she’ll ever go back to him. I saw it in her eyes. She was so breathtaking—her soft body shuddering under me. She was so damn responsive. “Okay. You can come.”

  He looks like a damn kid in a candy store. Give grown men hatchets, knifes and bats, and they think they’re zombie hunters.

  * * *

  We start in the extra cabin. It’s already ten. We’ve been waiting for hours. Eric is playing Candy Crush on his phone while hiding behind a door. He’s cussing underneath his breath.

  “Put that away, Eric,” I hiss at him.

  “You’re just mad because you forgot your phone, asshole.”

  He’s fucking right. I did forget my phone.

  “Pst.”

  I roll my eyes. “What is it Jake?”

  “I’ve got to piss.”

  Christ. Are we the adults or do we need to go get the campers to help us? “Hold it, Jake. I told you to go before we left.”

  “I can’t. I have to fucking go, country. I’m stepping out of position. Gotta drain the pipe.”

  Fuck. What’s the use? Jake slides out from under one of the bed and runs toward the bathroom. A few minutes later I hear the toilet flush. Jake’s walking out of the bathroom when he stops dead in his tracks. A look of pure fear washes over his face. “Someone is in the fucking window.”

  My gaze averts toward the opened window to my left. The man I saw before is staring in at us, the white cap covering his eyes, a sneer riding up his lips and then he’s gone just as fast as I see him.

  “Go!” I yell. All three of us scramble to a run toward the door. Jake’s in front, swinging the baseball bat at his side. It’s so dark. I’m running, searching the ground for him. I catch a glimpse of a shadow behind the cabins close to the woods. He’s running fast. “This way,” I yell pointing my hatchet toward the gap in the woods.

  The moon is our only light, giving us glimpses of trees. My heart is jack-hammering in my chest. He’s right in our reach. We’ve got to catch him.

  “Fuck, I knew I should have been working out,” Eric yells from behind me. Creeper guy darts into the woods where a trail is and disappears. Jake looks back at me and nods. There is no way we can let this guy get away. Not with a camp full of kids running around.

  The trees branches slap at my face. I tear at them, pulling and cussing. Running with scissors is never a good idea. Running with a hatchet in the dark is a fucking stupid idea.

  “Jake!” I call out.

  “I’m on his tail. Over here.” I follow the sound of his voice and dig into the mushy ground beneath me. I can faintly see the outline of something darting in and out of trees. I’m hoping it’s Jake. Using my hatchet, I chop at the branches. All I can concentrate on is my breathing and the limbs slapping at my face.

  “Jake!” I yell.

  “He’s looping around. Go toward the cabins.”

  What. The. Hell. Turning I run smack into Eric. “Where are you…?” He doesn’t even try to finish his sentence. We’re
both back on the trail and running as fast as we can. I don’t stop until the trees clear and we’re back at the camp. Searching the woods’ edge I see someone break from the barrier and take off into a full blown run.

  Jake breaks through next sprinting toward the guy. My feet are burning as I run through the camp toward him. He hasn’t stopped once. He’s in different clothes, but I can make out some kind of letterman jacket. What school is that? I can’t even make out the colors in the dark.

  The ground is slippery, and I stumble a few times before busting my ass in the mud. I have no idea how long we’ve been running but none of us have stopped. I don’t even realize where we’re at until the cliff comes into view.

  It’s so dark I can’t tell if Jake sees where we are. “We’re at the cliff. Watch out!” I’m screaming, my throat burning from running. Jake skids to a stop, sending a dust storm up his legs. That’s when I see the man. He doesn’t think twice before leaping over and diving into the rough waters. Then he’s gone.

  We walk back in silence. Jake’s face is bruised and scraped from the limbs. Something is nagging at the back of my head, but I can’t put my finger on it. How did he just jump without question? I guess he figured he’d die either way. But, no. That dive was perfect. It almost looked like he was…a swimmer.

  * * *

  Aubrey and Cassie are sitting outside on their porch when we walk up. Aubrey’s eyes are wide, and she rushes toward me checking my body for injuries. “Are you okay?” she asks, holding my arms out to look.

  I nod and kiss the top of her head. “I’m fine, darlin’.” Eric rushes toward Cassie and wraps her in a hug. Even though they act like they’re just hooking up, I know they really like each other. That look is fear. Fear of losing someone.

  Aubrey’s gaze flickers from mine to Jake. His breathing heavily, watching the ground. Aubrey breaks from my grip and grabs Jake into a hug. A slight sigh releases from his mouth, and he tugs on her harder. I actually feel sorry for him.