"I suppose I'll have to walk back to the cabin half-naked." I lifted an eyebrow at him as he clumsily made his own way out of the lake, still twirling my yellow bikini in the air above his head. He stopped ankle-deep in the water after the implication of my words sank in. The bikini top slid off his stilled finger and settled into the crook of his elbow.
His smile faltered slightly as he said, "You wouldn't dare."
"Is that a challenge?" I lowered my arms from my chest to prop my hands on my hips. Feeling the fading sunshine on my nipples, I tossed my hair back over my shoulders and widened my stance. A smile played at the corner of my mouth as Connor's face fell. He glanced up and down the lake and stared hard at the cabins before rushing toward me.
"Jesus, here. Put it back on before someone sees you." He tossed the top at me but I let it fall to the rocky sand at my feet.
Instead of bending down to pick it up, I turned from him and ran to the trail that connected the main part of the lodge to the cabins as fast as my wobbly legs would allow, aware that my breasts swayed with each stride. Connor yelled and cursed behind me, closing the gap between us in just a few seconds.
"Riley! Damn it!"
I squealed when his strong arms wrapped around me from behind and lifted me off the ground. He turned around so that his back was to the cabins and set me down carefully, splaying his fingers over my naked breasts.
"I want to be the only one to see these beauties. Put your top on!" he said playfully before tossing the bikini at me again and quickly leaning down to bite my shoulder.
I positioned the small triangles around my front and turned so that he could tie the strings together, laughing the whole time his fingers trembled against my skin. Zoey ran up beside us, barking and wagging her tail vigorously, interested in joining whatever game we were playing.
"What happened to the naughty Connor?" I asked breathlessly as he snuggly tied my top together and snapped the wet bikini string against my back.
"You want naughty? Just wait till I get you inside…behind closed doors."
Zoey barked excitedly at our feet as Connor bent down and threw me over his shoulder, ignoring my protest. "We'll need a babysitter for the dog because the cabin is all ours for the rest of the night. By the time I'm through with you, you'll know my naughty side," he said over my loud squeals and giggles.
***
I arched my back up to meet his fingers, enjoying the feel of his rough skin on my body as his touch brought out moans of pleasure from some unknown place deep inside of me. He sat straddled over my hips, his throbbing erection resting just below my navel. I ached to touch him but my hands were pinned securely above me.
In the full moon of the night, I was able to make out each angle of his defined chest and the washboard effect of his muscular abs. The feel of his whiskered chin dragging over my collarbone and the roughness of him across my nipples made me gasp in anticipation. The coarse stubble tickled my skin and even though I felt the sensation everywhere, the heat of my groin reached near-nuclear temperatures.
With one of his hands still holding mine together tightly, he shifted so that he could rest on his side. With his free fingers, he continued to explore my trembling body. He drew lazy circles along the edge of my ribcage, leaning forward to flick his tongue over my erect nipples. Every time his mouth touched me, my breath hitched. I squirmed beneath him as his hand trailed further down, over my stomach and hipbones. He gently pushed my legs apart so that he could run his fingers up and down my inner thighs, teasing me until I moaned.
"Please…I want you, now," I pleaded.
"Soon…soon."
He released my hands and immediately I dug my fingers into his hair while his mouth trailed feathery kisses down the curve of my waist, over my abdomen and along the inside of my thigh. I lifted my hips in submission as his tongue explored the heat between my legs, softly flicking and probing.
In the moonlight, the gold in his hair shimmered as his head moved beneath my navel and I gripped his wide shoulders with my hands, digging into his flesh with my nails.
"Oh my God, don't stop…" I moaned, "...please don’t stop."
I gasped when his lips vibrated against my clitoris as he said, "Don't worry, I'm just getting started, baby."
Moments later my body lurched with wave after wave of intense pleasure as he brought me up and over the peak of a glorious orgasm with only his mouth. I was still basking in the glow of my climax when he moved his body over mine, nudging my legs further apart as he lowered his hips.
"Fin…" I groaned into his mouth as our lips and groins crashed together at the same time.
***
Covered in sweat, I bolted upright in bed. Connor's arm was draped heavily across my midsection and slid into my lap after I moved. That did not just happen, I thought to myself. I did not just have a sex dream about Fin! What the hell? But I had, my body remembered it in every way. My heart rate was racing for the Olympic Gold and sweat glistened every inch of my skin.
I swiped at my upper lip and forehead in frustration; irritated and embarrassed by the warm moisture between my legs that proved my body enjoyed the dream just as much as my mind had. Connor lay on his stomach in his favorite position next to me, his arm still resting limply in my lap. My cheeks flush as I recalled some of the things I did with Fin in the dream…or more importantly, some of things he did to me. Part of me wanted to shake Connor awake and let the dream spew from my mouth - an instant admission to absolve me of any further guilt. But that would do neither of us any good. Instead, I slithered slowly out from under Connor's arm and crawled silently out of bed. No man wanted to hear about his lover dreaming about someone else.
After pulling on the first few articles of clothing I could find in the pale moonlight, I quietly left the room, stealing a glance over my shoulder at the dark-haired, divine being that was asleep on the sheets. I wasn't sure if the guilt I felt was rational or not, but it hurt regardless.
***
The dirt felt cool under my bare feet as I walked up the shadowy trail. Shoes weren't necessary. I knew the path well, even in the dead of night. I stopped in front of the first cabin and the sounds and smells that emanated from Fin's place not that long ago flooded through me. It wasn't fair that he died, not after surviving the virus. I hated Matt for taking him from us, from me. The glass windows were unlit of course, and with the curtains closed, it looked as if the building was frozen in sleep.
With an angry sigh, I turned away from the cabin and continued up the path, passing the entrance to the lake dock until the dirt merged with the weed-filled grass. Even without the full moon to guide me along the way, I knew exactly where I was going. It was a place I visited almost every day. I slowed my pace to avoid stepping on anything sharp as I weaved in and out of a handful of tall pine trees, keeping the lake on my left and the dense forest to my right as I slowly ascended. By the time I reached the small outlook that faced the lake, I was slightly out of breath, more from nerves than the exercise.
I sat down next to the mound of dirt surrounded by stones with a soft grunt. Since I was wearing only my cut off jean shorts and Connor's t-shirt, the late night summer air felt refreshing and cool. The moon reflected off the watery surface of the lake below in such a way that it reminded me of a ginormous diamond. After shifting in the dirt, I rested my right hand on the grave next to me.
"Fin…I have to let you go," I said softly.
A bird squawked somewhere in the distance and I listened to the soft creaking of the pine tree limbs above me as they groaned from the breeze. It was a beautiful night a perfect night.
"I'm seeing you and dreaming about you now…can't you just let me be?" I whispered to the night. After burying my face into my hands, I leaned forward onto my bent knees and let the tears come freely. I cried until my body shook with sadness, until I had cried myself dry.
"I have to say goodbye, Fin. I have to leave for a while…I have to let you go." I sniffled into my arm before wiping my face on Co
nnor's thin shirt.
"Don't go…stay…" A husky voice drifted on the breeze and I peered up nervously from my knees.
"Connor?" I asked the empty night.
"Stay with me…please stay…"
The voice was closer and coming from the trees behind me. A twig snapped nearby and I scrambled to my feet, facing the darkness of the woods. The moon couldn't touch the forest floor, not with the tree canopy as full as it was but I peered into the trees anyway, hoping to see something - anything. Eventually I did.
The leaves rustled at the base of a pine and as I watched, a dark mist formed into the shape of a body. I gaped at the shadow as it continued quickly to change until it had morphed into that of a man. I had barely registered what my eyes had seen when it flew across the forest floor and slammed into me. It passed right through me, filling my body momentarily with added energy. My flesh broke out in goose bumps and the force knocked me ungraciously backwards, onto my ass.
I sat on the ground struggling to catch my breath in the cool air, clamping onto my lower lip with my teeth to keep myself from screaming out loud. Fin. I had felt him, tasted him even. I sensed every part of him as he passed through me. With my hands splayed out in the weeds on either side of my hips, my body shook with fear and something else, something worse - longing.
***
I didn't walk, I ran back to the cabin. Once inside I bolted the door and washed my face and hands in the kitchen sink. I had to get the dirt off, as if that would wash Fin from me. I could still taste him in my mouth - still feel his hands on my skin. It wasn't the shock of having Fin's ghost pass through my body and soul that had me rattled, it was the fact that I finally knew up on the hill how much I missed him. How much he missed me.
With my hands gripping the edge of the sink, I stared out at the calm lake through the kitchen window until the shakes were gone. Until my breath no longer hitched and my heart rate returned to its normal beat. Only then could I make the short journey up the stairs to the man that was sleeping in my bed. The living and breathing man that loved me.
***
She sat with one leg tucked under her while the other dangled over the edge of the pier, her perfect toes hovering just inches above the water. Connor stood on the dirt trail and listened to her laugh. It was a loud, carefree and honest sound. He only heard this laugh from her when she thought they were alone…her and Fin.
He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and watched from a distance as Fin stretched out beside her, resting his palms on the wooden planks of the dock behind him as he leaned toward Riley, saying something that made her face the sky and laugh again. She shoved him, playfully. Fin retaliated by tickling her side until she squealed. They were flirting. With Connor right there. As if, he didn't exist at all.
When Fin bumped shoulders with Riley so he could whisper into her ear, he couldn't take it anymore. He yanked his fists from his jeans and stomped toward the pier with every intention of punching the shit out of Fin's face. He'd show that asshole who Riley belonged to, even if meant breaking every bone in his hands.
They must have heard him coming but they ignored him and he made it halfway down the pier before it happened. A pain ripped through his chest as the air left his lungs, almost as if he had been kicked in the gut. He skidded to a stop, flailing wildly at the railing to his right until the worn wood found his fingertips. He could almost feel the splinters digging into his skin as he gripped it for support while his mouth hung open in shock. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was kissing Fin. Actually kissing the bastard!
When his breath returned, he yelled out a string of curses with so much force that his voice cracked. This infuriated him further so he screamed even louder at them. Damn bastard! Fucker! I'm going to beat every ounce of life out of your body! And still, they ignored him. Even as Connor ran full speed down the pier, they simply stood and began walking hand in hand toward him, seemingly oblivious to the fury on his face as he closed the gap in less than three seconds. He swung at Fin's head and pivoted wildly as his fist met with nothing but air. Fin wrapped his arm around Riley's waist as they passed, tucking his fingers down inside her shorts while she giggled.
Connor felt nothing but rage as he swung at Fin's head, again and again and again. Missing every time. As Fin and Riley walked away he followed just behind them, punching, swinging, kicking and cursing but nothing happened. It was as if Connor wasn't there at all. By the time they reached the trail, he was exhausted. All he could do was watch as Fin pulled Riley into his arms and kissed her neck, her jaw, her mouth. As Fin's hand roamed over the front of Riley's shirt Connor snapped. He lunged himself forward but instead of slamming into Fin he went right through him, and ended up flat on his face in the dirt.
Their feet moved by his head as he rolled onto his side, crying out for Riley. Screaming at Fin's back as they walked up the steps of Fin's cabin. She's mine…mine! The dust from the trail stuck to his face as tears flowed down his cheeks. Watching her walk away from him in the arms of another man tore his heart into pieces. It broke him completely. Riley. Please don't leave me…Riley…
***
"Connor, wake up. It's me, I'm here. Wake up."
Right after climbing back under the covers Connor began to kick the sheets and moan my name in his sleep. With one hand on his chest, I used the other to push back sweaty clumps of dark hair off his forehead.
"Connor," I said softly, "Please wake up, it's me, Riley."
He bolted upright, bringing both hands to his chest and gripped my wrist so tightly it was almost painful. I pushed his hair back from his face again before lightly kissing his cheek. His entire body was slick with sweat.
"Riley?" his stammered as he wrapped his hands around my arm, pulling it back into his chest.
"Yes, I'm here. It's okay. You had a bad dream."
My knees groaned from the pressure of sitting on my feet but I didn't dare move until Connor was fully awake. As he slowly blinked the sleep away, I continued to touch his face, soothing him as best as I could. The nightmares were getting worse for both of us.
"Don't leave me," he whispered.
"What? I'm not going anywhere," I said softly.
"Mine. You're mine, right?"
I hesitated long enough for Connor to notice and our eyes met in the darkness. "Yes, Connor. I'm yours." His face relaxed slightly before he slumped back against his pillow, pulling me down with him so that I rested on his bare chest.
"Mine," he said one final time before drifting back into sleep.
When the sun peeked over the treetops and hit our cabin with its warmth, I was still awake with my head on Connor's chest. I spent the first half hour of the new day staring at the fine, brown hair on one of his arms until he finally stirred.
"Morning," he said gruffly.
He stretched beneath me and I rolled off of him, onto my stomach. Three days of dark stubble filled the lower half of his face and down the front of his throat making it nearly impossible for me to focus on any coherent thought. The man oozed sex, especially first thing in the morning. I fought off my usual morning instinct of kissing every inch of his face and pushed myself into a sitting position next to his hip.
"Good morning," I said softly.
Even the way he arched his brow at me was sexy so I stared down at my hands while he shifted onto his side to face me.
"What is it?" he asked as he dragged a hand through his sleep-tousled hair.
"Do you remember your dream last night?" I chewed on my lower lip while he stared at me.
"My dream?"
"Was more like a nightmare."
"Did I wake you?" He sat up with a grunt and trailed one of his long fingers down the inside of my knee.
"Um. No, but you said something when you woke up." I shifted so we were facing each other. Connor dropped his hand onto the sheet and sighed deeply.
"Was it kinky?" he asked with a playful expression.
I swatted at his thigh and laughed. "No! I said you were
having a nightmare."
"Oh yeah. Okay. Well, what did I say?" He smiled sleepily at me.
"You said not to leave you and asked if I was…yours." I watched the corners of his mouth tighten and his eyes fell from my gaze.
"Huh. What did you say?" he asked.
He wasn't looking at me, so I lifted my hand to his face and rubbed his lower lip with my thumb. That got his attention. His bright blue eyes lit up with desire as I continued to caress his mouth with my finger.
"What do you think I said? That I was, of course."
Our mouths met with a sense of urgency. Connor kissed my breath away, not letting go of me until we were both panting. Clothes were ripped off and tossed to the floor, hands groped madly and mouths sucked on supple flesh until our bodies molded together as one. I pushed away all memories from the night before as Connor slid inside me and roughly pulled my hips against his repeatedly until my legs shook in anticipation of what was to come. We needed each other. Completely.
***
This was it; he knew it was. The last time Connor would hold Riley in his arms before everything changed. She wanted to leave so he had no choice but to go with her. Something in his gut told him that this trip to lower Los Angeles was a mistake. He would never say it out loud to the others, but Mariah wasn't worth it…nothing was worth losing Riley.
CHAPTER five
The bedroom door flew open with such force that both Connor and I jumped from the mattress with our eyes still closed. Kris bounded into the room and squealed, covering her face with both hands.
"Oh my GOD! I did NOT have to see that!"
"What? What's wrong?" I rubbed at my eyes briskly.
"You're naked, both of you!" she screamed through her fingers.
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