Kristine stopped her with a kiss. “Do you need anything, or can I drive?”
“I just need you.”
For now, Kristine thought, that would be enough.
Chapter Eighteen
“What about your brother?” Gloria asked as they pulled up in front of the cabin.
“Down at the Lodge. They’ll keep him out late.”
“You hope,” Gloria teased, joining Kristine inside.
“I hope,” Kristine said low and throaty, her eyes dancing.
The short walk to the front door left Gloria out of breath. Admitting to Kristine that she was emotionally involved had intensified everything she was feeling, the anticipation, the nerves. She stood inside the cabin door, wanting Kristine but also wanting her to see that she cared so much about her. “You are so beautiful,” she said, taking Kristine’s hands and holding them against her hips. Gloria ran her hands down Kristine’s arms, admiring the muscling before tucking her hands beneath Kristine’s shirt, finding an equally tight abdomen underneath her fingertips. “So strong,” she whispered at the nape of her neck, smiling as she felt Kristine’s skin flutter underneath her touch. She’d wanted to touch her for so long and intended to savor the body in front of her.
“Sure you’re not talking about yourself?” Kristine said, leading her back to the bedroom. She kicked her door shut behind them, her hands immediately on Gloria, unbuttoning her shirt and skimming over the top of her exposed breasts. Gloria shrugged the overshirt from her shoulders, but before Kristine could work off the camisole, she pushed her in the direction of her bed. Usually she was the one to let her partner take the lead, completely attuned to what she wanted to feel. Tonight, she wanted her hands on Kristine. She needed to communicate to Kristine that what they were doing was more than just sex.
Gloria kissed her way up Kristine’s neck, taking an earlobe in her teeth, enjoying the hiss it produced from Kristine. “Someone likes her ears kissed?” she asked, tracing Kristine’s ear with her tongue. “Keep showing me what you like, what you want. I want to make you happy.” Kristine’s arms tightened around Gloria in response. She pulled Gloria to her, groaning as it brought every part of their bodies together. Gloria felt the closeness go beyond the physical contact and ran her arms up Kristine’s back and wrapped them around her neck thinking how absurd it felt to want to protect a woman who felt so strong to her.
Gloria pulled back and studied Kristine’s eyes, dilated with desire. Slipping her hands under Kristine’s shirt, Gloria swept up the curve of Kristine’s sides, removing her black tank, reveling in the feel of her smooth skin. Slowly unfastening her bra, she found already budded nipples which she teased slowly, making Kristine gasp. Kristine unfastened the button of Gloria’s jeans and lowered the zipper before she eased them from Gloria’s hips. When they caught at Gloria’s knees, Kristine lifted a foot and stepped down, pushing the pants to the floor where Gloria stepped out of them.
“Nice trick,” she said, returning to Kristine’s lips, kissing and pulling, gently taking Kristine’s lower lip between her teeth.
“Stick around. I’ve got a few more,” purred Kristine.
She closed her eyes as Kristine’s strong hands grazed her now naked form, exploring every surface. Kristine stepped closer, guiding her backward until her knees hit the bed. She kissed Gloria to a seated position, but Gloria did not let her push her on to her back. Instead she took in the sexy body standing topless but still in her tight jeans. She traced a line from Kristine’s clavicle to her belt. “Not this ridiculous thing again. Off. Now.”
Kristine laughed and shucked off the offending belt along with the jeans it held up, before returning to the bed, hiking a knee up on either side of Gloria and settling into her lap.
“So much better,” Gloria said, running her hands over Kristine’s now bare ass.
Kristine kissed her deeply, tipping her back to rest on the bed. Gloria groaned into the kiss as Kristine’s breasts swept up her belly and met her own. Her center begged to be in contact as well. Her right foot braced on the bed, she levered her hips and swung Kristine to her back, quickly scissoring their legs and meeting Kristine’s hot, wet center with her own.
Kristine gasped at the contact as Gloria ground into her, rocking her hips rhythmically. She moved one hand to Kristine’s nipple, teasing, and at the same time maintaining her thrusts. Kristine felt so good beneath her. Their lips met again, and Gloria nearly came with the intensity of Kristine’s tongue dancing against her own.
Suddenly, Gloria shifted, running her hand down Kristine’s thigh. She needed to feel her. She needed to be inside her. Her fingers dipped into Kristine’s wetness and pulled it to her clit, stroking in quick motions wringing a surprised cry from Kristine. She slowed only to slip inside Kristine, relishing the feel of her walls clamping against her, speeding up and playing Kristine’s clit with her thumb. She listened to the song of Kristine’s climax building, the moans mixed with gasps, the catch of her breath and pant that guided Gloria to the strokes that would bring release.
She captured Kristine’s nipple in her mouth, feeling Kristine push her upper body up off the bed to meet her with a long low moan.
“You. Feel. So. Good.” Kristine panted.
“You do,” Gloria said, her thumb slowly circling Kristine’s clit.
Still moving against Gloria’s finger, Kristine surprised Gloria by shifting her hips and rolling her over. “Not so fast,” she whispered, tipping Gloria’s head to the side, kissing the down behind Gloria’s ear. Gloria shuddered and arched into Kristine, wanting to feel her again. She withdrew from Kristine and pulled their groins together. Kristine sped up for a moment and then paused, her hand drifting down Gloria’s side.
“Don’t stop. I’m so close,” Gloria whispered. “Please don’t stop.”
“But I want to touch you,” Kristine said. “Let me touch you.”
Gloria pulled again on Kristine’s hips and captured her lips in another searing kiss. “No time,” she said, demanding compliance by rocking her center against Kristine.
“This?” Kristine asked, returning the pressure.
“More.”
“Just this?” Kristine teased as she ground faster.
“Yes, just you,” Gloria cried out as her climax overtook her. She raked her nails up Kristine’s back, enjoying the arch of response, then tickled fingertips around in circles, finally stopping on Kristine’s butt.
“Are you always that fast?” Kristine teased.
“Hey, I’ve been waiting a long time for that,” Gloria murmured, smiling.
Kristine traced Gloria’s body, and her lips echoed their course, switchbacking lower and lower until Kristine settled between her legs.
“Come back here,” Gloria said, trying to pull Kristine from her destination.
“I want my mouth on you. I want to feel you come.”
“But I already—” The rest of Gloria’s sentence disappeared as Kristine slipped fingers past her wet folds at the same moment her hot mouth closed around her clit. “Oh, Kristine.” Kristine’s moan of reply amped her body’s response. Kristine’s mouth felt too good to fight. She rested back against the bed, unbelieving as she felt a second climax building. Hands buried in Kristine’s hair, her back arched off the bed, a second orgasm crashed through her body, ripping cries of ecstasy from her throat.
“That’s a bit better,” Kristine said, resting her cheek against Gloria’s thigh while her fingers continued to play in Gloria’s slick folds.
“Up here, now.”
“Oooh, sounds like I’m in trouble.” Humor filled Kristine’s voice as she climbed up Gloria’s body, hovering infuriatingly above as she planted feathery kisses on Gloria’s abdomen and chest. Her upper body strength made it impossible for Gloria to pull their bodies together. Frustrated, Gloria changed tactics, slipping her hand between them and finding Kristine’s center even wetter than she’d remembered.
“You’re so wet.”
“Because you’
re so incredibly sexy,” Kristine whispered, gasping as Gloria slipped her fingers back inside.
Kristine ground her hips deliciously against Gloria. “More.” Gloria obliged, loving the feel of Kristine’s walls tight on the two fingers she buried inside. Gloria held tight as Kristine’s rhythmic thrusts quickened until she tumbled into her own orgasm, shuddering on top of Gloria, her thrusts slowing as she rode out the waves of her pleasure. She pulled away from Gloria’s fingers and collapsed next to her on the bed.
“That was incredible,” Kristine said.
“I knew it would be. But someone was a little stubborn.”
“Mulish, I’ve been told.”
“I can’t move,” Gloria said sleepily.
“I wasn’t asking you to. I was hoping you’d help keep the bed warm tonight.”
“Oh, is that what I’m doing?” Gloria finally managed to turn on her side, so she could get her hands back on Kristine, petting lazy circles along her hip. Given a job, she reached down and pulled a comforter over their bodies. She settled down easily next to Kristine’s body, not feeling her typical anxiety about extracting herself after sex. The time she’d spent with Kristine made it feel more natural to be together than apart, making it easy to drift into a deep sleep.
Chapter Nineteen
Kristine ignored her brother’s raised eyebrows the next morning as she shut her bedroom door and slipped into the bathroom.
“I already caught up your stock,” he said when she emerged.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Kristine poured herself some coffee and popped some bread in the toaster.
“Might as well cook for the two of you.”
She whipped around.
“You pee a lot during the night, but not twice in a row.”
She couldn’t help the smile that crept to her lips.
“Better wipe that look off your face. Sol and Brian have some huge spot leaving out of here. I’m aiming to get out of here before they can rope me into helping.”
“Thanks for the heads-up.”
Kristine popped in two more pieces of toast and poured a second cup of coffee, carrying it back to the bedroom. Shutting the door behind her, she set the mug down on the old rope spool that served as her bedside table and buried her face above Gloria’s shoulder to kiss the naked skin. Gloria shifted in the covers and the smell of their combined sex wafted out. Kristine felt a surge of wet between her legs and fought the urge to crawl back in next to Gloria.
“I have coffee here and toast coming up. You want it back here or by the table? Gabe’s already up.”
Gloria shot to a seated position, her hair adorably mussed from sex and sleep. “I forgot about your brother. I’d hide out here, but I already have to pee so bad.”
“Forget about trying to hide. He’s already read my rubber legs and deduced what we’ve been up to.” Kristine leaned over to kiss her. “Good morning, by the way.”
“Good morning.” Gloria smiled into the kiss.
“What?” Kristine asked.
“You smell like me.”
Kristine moaned into the extended kiss Gloria delivered. “Don’t tempt me. If I don’t haul ass, I’m going to be stuck in the yard forever.”
“So the quicker I let you go, the shorter your day is?”
“Exactly.”
Gloria frowned with disappointment. “Then you’ll have to make it up to me.”
“That’s an easy promise to make,” Kristine said. She handed Gloria a pair of sweats to throw on and left before she lost her resolve.
Gabe didn’t comment when Gloria emerged, disappeared into the bathroom and then joined them, her face washed and hair pulled back. Kristine pointed to a plate of toast and eggs on the breakfast table in front of an empty chair.
“Thanks for the offer,” she said, setting her coffee cup on the counter. “But I’d better get out of your hair. Sounds like you have a busy morning.”
“Sit,” Gabe said. “Everyone’s having breakfast over at the Lodge. You’ve got time to eat and then sneak off.”
Gloria looked guilty.
“C’mon. Eat. I’m sure you worked up just as much of an appetite as Kristine.”
He ducked away from Kristine’s crushing look. “Sorry,” she said, waving a half-eaten piece of toast. “I was famished. Sit. He’s right. You have time for breakfast before the truck gets here.”
They ate in silence, stealing glances and smiling after Gabe ducked out. Kristine finished quickly, dropped her plate in the sink and splashed water over her face.
“You don’t have to sneak off. Stay for a shower if you want. I’m sorry I’ve got to get my stock ready.”
Gloria stood and slipped into Kristine’s arms. “Meet you back here?”
“Not soon enough.” Kristine kissed her with the promise of another wonderful night and then reluctantly slipped into a thick flannel overshirt and nestled her hat onto her head, joining her brother in the yard to get ready for their day. The sky brightened clear of any clouds, the sun quickly taking the edge off the brisk morning air. She aimed for nonchalant when Gloria discreetly slipped out of the house and headed down the road.
“So you finally smartened up?” Gabe asked, grabbing his saddle from the shed.
Busy saddling her own mount, Kristine jabbed a finger in his direction to silence him. “Not a word.”
He settled the saddle onto his horse and held up his hands in defense. Kristine tried to concentrate on her own task without giving in to the smile that threatened to take over her face. The crew from the Lodge was soon with them, as were their guests, piling load after load of boxes from their SUV to the pack dock.
“See why I suggested we get out of here?” Gabe asked, fetching his mount.
“I’ve never seen such a ridiculous amount of gear on a dock before.”
“Don’t I know it.” He swung aboard and held his mount for a moment, pulling on his bottom lip like he had something to say. “My advice is to get out of here before they spoil that grin you’ve been trying to hide all morning.”
With that, he spurred his horse up the trail, his stock falling in line behind him. For his being the younger of the two, his protectiveness touched her deeply. She took his advice, wanting to hold onto the first equilibrium she’d felt in a long time.
Chapter Twenty
Back in her camper, Gloria attempted to work, but her mind kept slipping back to the breathtaking night she’d spent with Kristine. She wished she could have pulled her back into the warmth of the bed to continue her research of Kristine’s body and what her touch did to her. The two-way radio Scott had given her when she’d checked in with the local Forest Service at the beginning of the summer crackled to life, interrupting her review of all the night’s lovely details.
“Gloria, you within range?”
“I’m here, Scott. What’s up?”
“Just got a call from Leo. Seems there’s been an incident down at Fish Creek with a horse of his. He was calling to let us know he’s got a carcass he’s got to haul out of camp.”
Gloria hesitated, wondering how the horse involved her. “Okay…?” she said, prompting him to continue.
“Normally, I’d just let Leo deal with moving the animal as far away from the camp as possible, but he said something about a bear attacking the animal, so I thought you’d better have a look before they quarter the carcass and drag it off. Leo’s sending someone down from the Lodge this morning to clean up the camp. I’ve notified Juanita since this is her area, and she is on her way to assess the scene.”
“I haven’t seen anything in Juanita’s reports about him being a problem. I’d like a chance to check the scene, too.”
“Of course. That’s why I’m calling. You’ll need to get down there today. Leo agreed to let you ride in with the packer if you can get down there within the hour.”
“Done.”
Thinking about the bear, Gloria threw together a pack. This late in the season, he would be moving beyond grazing the grass
, looking for game, but he was much more likely to fish than take on a horse. She couldn’t imagine the scenario, especially picturing the scrawny excuse for a bear she’d been de-conditioning at the beginning of the season. She felt sick. Was this horse’s death the result of her leaving the valley too soon? Had she misread the animal’s potential for danger?
She swung back by Kristine and Gabe’s place to leave a note explaining why she’d had to head down to the Lodge. She included what little she knew and how she hoped she wouldn’t be gone long. She paused before signing the note, opting for a simple “see you soon” instead of anything more explicit. She had no idea who might return to the outpost first, and she knew what kind of fun Gabe would have if he found it first.
Down at the Lodge, Frank, the packer assigned to clean up the camp, grabbed her pack and pointed her toward a dude horse. A full goatee hid the tall cowboy’s mouth, but she could still see that his lips were pursed tight in annoyance. She hoped it wasn’t from having to take her along. Gloria could ride well enough, and although Kristine had shown her how to work the cinch in reverse to remove the saddle, she allowed one of the day-ride girls to tighten the latigo on the horse and help her aboard. Frank ambled off, his striped shirt taut between his broad shoulders. He made quick work of securing her pack on the smallest of his three mules, acknowledged her with a nod and swung aboard his own mount. Gloria’s mount fell in line on autopilot down the trail, and they spent the hours it took to get to Fish Creek riding in silence.
From Scott’s briefing, the campsite was how she’d expected: all of the food opened and scattered everywhere, the tent ripped to shreds and clothing unstuffed from the duffels like a disemboweled…horse. She wondered if Kristine had known the animal that now lay at the base of the tree.
“Fuck me,” Frank said, a look of disgust on his face. Obviously, he hadn’t been prepared for what he saw. He offered Gloria an apologetic look. “Sorry about that. I thought I was just moving a carcass and picking up their stuff. They didn’t say anything about the mess. This is easily five mule loads of stuff.”
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