WOOD

by Rocklyn Ryder

  The memory of the way she felt makes me groan, but seeing the sky already darkening out the window makes me smile. Today won't be the day she hikes back out to the road and fixes her car. We're gonna have plenty of time for exploring each other and learning all the ways we can make each other pant and moan.

  Just knowing that she'll be here for another day or two is enough to keep me whistling like a crazy man and the darker the sky gets outside, the happier I am.

  I hear a noise coming up behind me that sounds like someone's dying, "ugh," Gail groans, "Are you always this happy at the crack of dawn?"

  "Princess," I smile at her as I hand her a mug for the coffee she's eyeing greedily, "dawn was about 3 hours ago."

  She seems genuinely surprised when I wrap her in my arms and plant a kiss on her full lips but she doesn't pull away and I add it to my list of ways today is awesome.

  Gail shakes her head, her blonde hair moving around her as she eyes the coffee pot suspiciously, "Please tell me that I'm not still drinking cowboy coffee when I'm in a perfectly good cabin," she grumbles as she grabs the pot holder off the counter and picks the pot up by the handle.

  I can't help but notice she's not put off by the old-school Coleman pot sitting on the stove burner.

  "Nope," I laugh at the sweet sound of rapture she makes when she inhales the scent of the fresh brewed Folgers pouring into her mug, "This bad boy has all its original parts, that includes the percolator."

  "Mmm." Gail holds her mug with both hands under her chin and leans back against the counter beside me looking every bit as satisfied as she did when I wrapped her in my arms last night.

  "You want cream or sugar, Princess?" I have to laugh at how happy she looks with just a mug of hot coffee. I can't remember ever knowing a woman who was so simple to please.

  My eyes travel down her body, my old t-shirt hanging down to just above her knees, the worn fabric thin enough to show me the outlines of her rosy nipples through the white cotton and all her curves making that old shirt of mine a lot more interesting than I ever gave it credit for.

  Pleasing this lady is my top priority. If a cup of coffee does the trick right now, I'll enjoy watching that coy little smile curl her lips, but later-- I definitely have other plans for later.

  Her head moves in a minimal shake, her eyes remain closed as she enjoys the steam hitting her face, "just black," she says quietly. "I got used to drinking it straight a long time ago," her eyes open and she focuses on me between careful sips off the top of the scalding liquid, "milk doesn't last long when you live on the road." She smiles but it looks like it takes more effort than it should.

  I nod and kill the propane running to the stove, moving the last pancake off the griddle and onto the plate, "I know what you mean." I nod at the little dorm-room sized fridge I have under the counter, "I only go into town twice a year for supplies. I can keep milk cold but it disappears quick, so I had to get used to alternatives."

  I pull out the little canister of powdered whole milk that I keep in the cupboard and the sugar for my own coffee.

  "Powdered creamer?" Gail asks with a look at the off white powder I scoop into my mug.

  "Milk," I answer, "Whole milk-- you know how hard it is to find powdered whole milk?" She shakes her head, "It doesn't have the shelf life of fat free either, but it tastes a lot better. When you live in a place this small, you don't fill it up with a ton of stuff."

  I wave my hand around us to indicate the lack of storage space in the cabin and then pull out a couple of plates so Gail can start piling pancakes and bacon on one, "Powdered milk is multi-purpose, where fancy creamer's really only good in coffee." I explain as I slide a stack of cakes onto my own plate and smother them in the syrup I warmed on the back of the little range.

  "That's a lot of pancakes there, Mountain Man," Gail laughs and reaches for the syrup herself before carrying her her plate over to the table and taking a seat.

  "I gotta keep up my strength while you're hanging around," I laugh as I join her at the table.

  The smile freezes on her face but she looks at me with an expression that threatens my good mood, "Um," her eyes dart to the sky outside the big windows lining the front of the cabin. Then the corners of her lips curl down in a frown as she sees the gathering storm clouds outside. "Oh," is the only thing she says then and digs into her breakfast.

  "I'm surprised you didn't make eggs too," she says about halfway through her pancakes.

  "I don't keep chickens," I point out to her, "I grab a few dozen eggs when I resupply, but they go fast."

  Gail's head bobs but she doesn't say anything. She looks like she's really thinking about what I'm telling her, like she's imagining just what my life up here is like.

  "So what do you do all day?" She asks, following me back to the counter as I take our plates to the sink and she refills her coffee.

  I shrug, "Hunt, split, hoe."

  "You split all your wood by hand?" She looks out the window in the back door to the tarp covering the pile of wood I was working on when she showed up out of the blue yesterday.

  "Hell no," I scoff, "I ain't playing pioneer out here, I've got a hydraulic splitter in the barn."

  "What about yesterday? You looked pretty serious with that axe when I walked up."

  I like seeing the way her cheeks go red and I don't miss her eyes dragging down my body. It's just fine by me if she's imagining me naked. If she's thinking of all the ways we could wait out this next storm.

  Just the same, I shrug at her question, "Splittin' by hand is good for working off extra energy." I can't read the expression that takes over her face at that.

  "What do you do when it's storming?" She asks, her eyes going to the windows.

  "Read. Watch movies."

  "Watch movies?" She sounds surprised.

  I just nod, "I told you, I ain't playin' pioneer up here, I have a dvd player, Princess."

  "You can stop calling me Princess anytime now," she scolds as she scans the main room, probably looking for signs of a TV.

  "You don't like it?" I'm only half surprised, "I thought it was perfect for you."

  Now I get the full frontal scowl. If she wasn't so fucking cute looking at me like she's about to scratch my eyes out, I'd be pretty scared of her, "What about me so far would possibly make you think that I'd enjoy being called Princess?"

  Her voice is all ice, like she's actually insulted.

  "I don't know, Han calls Leia princess," I grin as I pull the old laptop computer out of it's hiding spot and hold it up to her, "it seemed to fit ya."

  "Oh my God," Gail rolls her eyes and laughs, "Leia is an actual princess, it's not Han's pet name for her! And he doesn't even call her princess!.'"

  She's perfect.

  Gail

  He holds up a laptop computer that's probably the one that Moses brought down from the mountain with the original 10 commandments on. It's probably got a 17 inch screen on it, it's at least 3 inches thick and even Blaze's muscled arm looks like it has to work to hold it up. But yeah-- I bet it works just fine for watching movies on.

  The man doesn't even have a phone up here, I'm not even going to ask about internet.

  That's something I haven't had to give up. I have a burner phone that I can pay for service as I need it and a cheap Chromebook that works like a champ when I'm at a coffee shop or a fast food place with free WiFi, or when I break down and put out the money for a hotel room.

  I don't have the storage space to dedicate to carrying a bunch of DVDs around with me though-- I watch a lot of YouTube vids and I have my favorite stuff on a separate hard drive that doesn't take up much space.

  Blaze thinks coffee creamer would take up too much of his precious shelf space? He has no idea. His little cabin is like a fucking mansion in my eyes.

  A mansion that I need to not get too comfortable in. I was hoping to get back on the road today, but outside, the rain is already starting to fall and I know I'm not leaving yet. So I grab the laptop from him and
look through the stack of DVD movies that he points out, grimacing at the decidedly guy selection while I give him shit.

  "Guess I shouldn't be surprised to find the first 6 Star Wars movies then," I tell him sarcastically as I run my finger past them in search of something-- anything-- better.

  "First 6? That there is the entire collection of the best story ever told," Blaze takes a protective step closer to the movies and puffs up his chest.

  I give him a look that I hope properly conveys my disdain, "You haven't seen the new one?"

  His face wavers slightly, like he's trying to decide whether or not I'm fucking with him, then he gives in, "they made a new one?"

  "Holy shit, how long have you been up here?"

  "Few years now, why?"

  "Because there's another movie now, and they're making more." I shrug.

  Blaze reaches out and touches the original movie lovingly. It's cute. Kinda.

  "And I would not call Star Wars 'the best story ever told,' " I add sarcastically.

  His eyes widen and he looks truly wounded, "Are you daft, woman?"

  I shake my head, "No. No I'm not, I just do not understand the fascination with Star Wars."

  "Really, Princess?" Now he's just doing it to watch me roll my eyes, "Aside from the greater storyline, what about Han and Leia?"

  "What about them?"

  "It's only like the greatest American love story ever told."

  I almost choke from laughing at him, "The greatest American love story ever told long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away?"

  "You know what I mean," he tells me off-handedly as he leaves the movie on the shelf.

  "No," I tell him sincerely, "I don't. There was never any indication that Han and Leia were in love but then Leia's suddenly confessing her love for him in Empire and apparently it isn't even news to Han...because let me tell you, it was a surprise to me! "

  "How was it a surprise? What about when they kissed on the Falcon? Or when she tried to talk him out of leaving before the battle on Hoth?"

  "She told him she'd rather kiss a wookie!"

  "She kissed him." Blaze points out.

  "Evidence that Han wanted in her pants is not an indication that she was in love with him." The man is impossible.

  Blaze stands in front of me, looking entirely too sexy in a pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt that's seen better days. His hair is a mess that tells me he hasn't bothered to comb it since he woke up and his eyes are alive with the smile playing across the sexy lips under that thick beard. He does a cocky one-shouldered shrug, "I don't know, I've known more than one lady who thought she was in love after I got in her pants."

  And here I was starting to like him.

  "Pig." I roll my eyes, trying not to laugh at him. I'd like to pretend that he's being serious right now and that I really don't find his argument filled with boyish charm-- and that everything he does doesn't make me want to tackle him to the floor... and stay here with him. "I'm just saying, Han's about to get dipped in kryptonite--"

  "Carbonite."

  I roll my eyes, "Whatever-- and he might not even survive and when Leia blurts out that she loves him all he says is 'I know.' That's bullshit."

  "Because Han is a badass," Blaze proclaims as if it's the last word on the matter.

  "He's an ass all right," I agree.

  "So I take it you don't want to watch Star Wars?" Blaze's grin widens as he takes a step closer to me.

  "I've seen enough Star Wars to last me a life time, thank you," I tell him, putting my hands against his chest in a feigned attempt to keep him away from me.

  "How could you ever get enough Star Wars?" he asks, his voice dropping to a husky tone as his lips close in on mine.

  "I have brothers," I explain before he kisses me.

  Blaze

  I'm so fucking glad I put in the indoor bathroom-- not that I wouldn't also love to take Gail on the cedar bench I built for the outside shower stall. That's something to add to the to-do list for next summer, when the weather warms up and standing under the fresh mountain water pouring out of the shower head feels like heaven.

  Right now, I'm loving the way the steam billows around us in here and the way Gail drops her head backward to let the hot water rinse the shampoo out of her hair while I fight the cascading water to be the first to lick her breasts.

  Gail moans, arching her back to give me better access to her nipples while trusting me completely to keep her from falling backwards as she wrings the last of the lather out of her hair.

  I curse myself for not putting more thought into the shower stall in here. Right now I wish I'd added a bench or a good hand grab, or hell, even if I'd put in a tub so we'd have a ledge. I built the thing myself, it's a big stall, but it's just tile and curtains. I want to sit her down so I can bury my face between her legs and then I want to give her something to hang on to while I bend her over and fuck her from behind.

  In my head I make a few notes about ways to change the stall up to give us more options for future showers together while I back her up against the wall and spread her knees with mine.

  Gail's head hits the tile behind her with a soft thump but she doesn't seem worried about it. I love watching her lips open in a soft O, her eyes closed while I move my fingers between her legs. Slowly rubbing along the seam of her sex, taking my time to drive two at a time deep inside her before pulling back out to slide back up and flick roughly over her clit in just the way I'm learning makes her pant and beg me for more.

  "Mmm," she makes the sexiest fucking noises when she's enjoying herself, "Blaze..." Her head rolls to the side, pressing her cheek against the cool tile while she rides my hand.

  I press up up against her, pinning her back to the wall and digging my cock into her hip, my knee still holding her legs wide while I finger fuck her.

  It's easy to tease myself. To make my dick wait its own fucking turn while I enjoy feeling Gail's pussy clenching on my fingers every time I push them into her and stroke along her front wall till she's gasping, only to pull free and move through her slick moisture back to her clit till she's begging for that too.

  Gail's pleasure is the best fucking thing I've ever seen. I love the way her face changes from surprised to determined to fucking ecstasy depending on how I angle my touch or whether I press lighter or harder or move faster or slower.

  I could do this all day. Longer than that even. I could watch Gail for a lifetime and dammit, I plan to. But when she starts grinding down on my hand, gripping the wrist of the hand that's torturing her right now, I might lose my resolve.

  "Blaze," she moans, her other hand digging into the bicep of my arm that I'm bracing myself beside her with, "keep doing that," she tells me. Her fingers are pressed over mine as she directs my movements over her clit. It's so fucking hot I drive my hard cock up against her stomach, needing to get inside her but not letting myself yet. I want to make her come on my hand, I want to watch her face and hear her say filthy things to me while I still have half my senses with me, before she has me out of my mind with the feeling of having my cock up to the hilt inside that hot little cunt of hers.

  As much fun as it is, I can't tease her. I can't deny her the release that I can see building in her. So when she orders me to fuck her with my hand while she rubs her own clit I drive into her. I know I'm a big guy, pretty much all the way around, and that includes my hands. 2 fingers is a tight fit, but Gail's so fucking wet despite the water from the shower, I manage to slide them deep inside her. Twisting my hand so I can hook the pads of my fingers against the rough knot on her front wall.

  That's what she needs. I know as soon as I hit the spot. Gail's feet come up onto her toes, and her fly open, locking on mine.

  "That's right, Baby, I got ya," I whisper into her ear as I feel the orgasm build inside her. Her hand grabs my wrist and pulls as if she's trying to stop it from happening but I'm not going to let her, "Nuh uh, you're not in charge here," I tell her, "you can't stop it."

  I press firm
ly and stroke and her pussy clamps on my fingers so tight I can barely keep stroking, "you're gonna come for me Princess, come on my hand and then I'll let you come on my cock."

  Last night Gail was a slew of filthy words when I was making her come, but right now all the air in her lungs seems to be caught in her throat. Her eyes are watching me, pleading with me and I don't know what they're trying to say but I don't care. I know what her body is saying and her body tells me she's coming hard.

  Everything in her seizes up and the only thing keeping her from falling over is the grip I've got on her, so I tighten it up and hold her steady.

  I'm never going to let her fall.

  I can't resist the urge to swallow the soft sounds she's making as her muscles spasm in sync with the pressure of my fingertips inside her and I press my lips to hers and share her breath till I feel her go limp.

  She's never getting off this mountain and I know it. I'm not letting her go.

  Gail

  I don't want to let it happen. Something changed when Blaze pushed me up against the wall of the shower, something about the way he's pressing the length of his body against me with his fingers working dark magic between my legs. I want to blame him, want to say it's something I see in his eyes but I know that's not fair.

  What I see is just a reflection of what he's seeing and I can't give him that. I can't let him have so much of me, no matter how easy it would be to give it. But I can't stop it either. My effort to wiggle out of his grip is pretty weak and when he leans in and orders me to let go I can't help myself.

  The sensation builds, tightening my core and making my legs shake under me. I'm vaguely aware of the grip I have on Blaze and I'm wholly aware of the grip Blaze has on me. His strength only adds to the sensations ripping through my body as I come violently in his hands. So hard I can't even breath till his mouth crashes onto mine and then it's like his breath resuscitates me and finally my lungs work again.