by Ally Nelson
Ben handed her clothes, washed and folded. She had a change of clothes in her back pack, so she had a T shirt to replace the tattered one.
He gripped her shoulders firmly and spoke to her directly. "This is not good weather but it's not the worst. Hiking is out of the question, but even driving is tricky. If it's not safe, I insist we turn back. I have a radio. We can alert the sheriff that you're safe and sound. And if you feel the need to, we can even report the attack to the sheriff. And, Everleigh,” he said.
“Yes,” she answered softly.
He lifted the hem of his shirt. “Wanna check me out before we go?” he asked.
They were but a breath apart from each other. There was a slight scold in his eyes, but mostly they were smoky with flirtation. Everleigh assumed had figured out what she was up to.
“No thank you,” she said primly.
He took her face in his very large hands and kissed her like he meant it. Like he wanted her despite her doubt in him. He aroused her so that they were at a standstill in the door. It was questionable whether they would make it out of the house any time soon. But Everleigh had to go. She had to let people know she was okay.
The rain had miraculously let up enough for them drive down to the base of the hill where the road and trail fused and let out between the two stone lions. There was hardly a flicker of light in town. The storm had knocked out most of the electricity. Between the storm clouds and time of day, the town was dark. Everleigh must have slept most of the day away. It was already nightfall. The Black Watch Tavern was opened for business. The barmaid lived there as well as worked, and the tavern was hooked up to a generator.
As soon as Everleigh and Ben parked, they saw the glint of reflectors on a barricade further down Main Street. The road out of town was closed. Washed out.
"Ya want to turn around? Or chance having a drink?" he asked.
"At this point, I need a drink," she said, suddenly emotional.
"Hey,” he said. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable staying with me. I'll be happy to put you up in the Los Gatos Lodge."
"Nope, ‘fraid not,” said the barmaid. “Full. You should drink up and go, not that I'm one to chase away customers. If the rain comes back, and it’s expected to, you’ll be stuck here.”
Ben looked at Everleigh apologetically. "What can I do for you?"
"I guess take me back to your place please," she said disappointedly. “After just one drink. Is that okay?”
"Ah well," he said sympathetically. “We shall have to make the best of it," he winked.
That winking of his sent warmth all through her. He was so charming. So charismatic. She burned for him.
They tossed back their drinks –a couple of shots of tequila– and walked back out of the bar. There was something extraordinary about walking out one step behind his wonderfully large and almost oversized physique. He was so masculine. So powerful. So sensual. Everleigh was glad to be going home with him. She knew after the weather let up, that would be that. She would not get a chance like this again in her lifetime.
Ben’s SUV was whipped by debris as it tumbled down from the tops of the trees. He drove slowly, carefully into the forest, back up the way they came. His lights hit something crossed. A tree had fallen across their path. There was no way around it. Everleigh was anxious. Between the road being out on the way out of town and their road being blocked now, she felt claustrophobic.
“Hey,” he said, taking her chin in her fingertips. “Don’t worry. We can go another way. Okay?”
“I shouldn't have asked you to come out. I appreciate all that you’ve done,” she said.
He looked her directly in the eyes. “Of course,” he said and kissed her with a quick, soft kiss. “And it’s no problem.”
He took her mouth. He swept it with his tongue, tasting every bit of its surface. The very contact with him made Everleigh want to give herself over to him. She couldn't wait until he figured out how to get around the fallen tree. She wanted him to take her now.
Chapter Six
“Ben,” she said, her voice unusually high. “Please.”
It was all she had to say. He knew what she meant. He looked around and looked back to her. He smiled.
“Here?” he asked.
“Yes, please,” she said urgently.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her.
There was something about the way he held her. There was no greater comfort. He was total luxury. He reached for a lever below the bench and the whole seat moved back. Suddenly the roominess of the SUV got a whole lot roomier.
A warm wickedness rushed through her body. Everleigh felt positively wanton. She arched her body towards him, sticking herself in his face. She cupped her breasts, pushing them up, tempting him.
He licked them both. Tickling the tips of their hard nipples with the point of his tongue. He was ravenous. He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her to his mouth, feasting on her. Her knees worked around his hips. She could feel his amazing erection. It pressed against her delicate sensitive lips in between her legs. She clenched up involuntarily in reflex. The sensation paralyzed her with pleasure. It was the telltale of the orgasm she trusted she would have.
“Do you want me inside of you?” Ben asked, his voice low and husky.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Put me inside of you,” he said.
He took her hand and placed it on him. Everleigh gripped his gigantic hardness firmly and levered him inside. The surge of ecstasy their connection caused made her shiver. She drew in a sharp breath at the wonder of him. He filled her perfectly. His length hit her in all the right spots.
Everleigh pushed her pelvis forward in a short, purposeful motion. Ben released a soft rumble of a growl. He pushed into her as deeply as he could go and swiveled his hips. They were bound together as he grinded inside her. She panted, her breath released in ragged draws as she tolerated her arousal. It made her whimper.
Ben clamped onto her nipple, imprisoning it with his lips as he flicked it with his tongue. He batted and batted until Everleigh cried out. He changed it up and lifted her up as he moved back. He sat upright in the bench. Her full weight was on him. Her legs folded underneath her thighs splayed on either side of him easily.
She gripped the back of the seat and bounced up and down in soft, calm motion. Her breasts and buttocks jiggled and bobbed. He pressed his palms on each cheek of her curved, flexed buttocks and helped her motion along.
A flash of lightning shot though the filter of trees. It caused Everleigh to start just enough, to clench up just enough to push her over that delicious edge. Ben knew, and she knew it. With that, he guided her up and down on his erection to push through her sweet climax.
Everleigh moaned low and long as her channel clenched powerfully onto him. Deep guttural grunts came from his as well, signaling he was not far behind her. Suddenly his gentle pumping took on a frenzy. Blood rushed through her ears as the wind seemed to pick up. Everleigh wavered in and out of consciousness as reality became a whir of the sounds of the night forest, their sex, and coming.
At last all was still. Her heart beat at a faster rhythm as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. Beads of sweat dampened both their hair. A great thump jolted the SUV, alerting them both. Another tree fell to the forest floor.
“Hey,” he tapped her. “I better go have a look. You stay put.”
The moment Ben stepped out of the car, a rush of rain pelted the car. Everleigh was frightened for him to be out in the wilderness in these elements. She could hear him fussing around at the grill of the car that butted up to the fallen tree. It was so, so dark, she could hardly see him. Occasional lightning speckled the scene and she caught flashes. But for minutes, he toiled.
A crack of thunder shook their world. Everleigh sat up straighter with concern. Lightning wavered and she saw patches of fur and animal. A bear! Ben! He had to get back into the car!
She fumbled for the keys to start the car to scare the
beast away.
“Get back in!” she called to him in the car. “Get back in the car! Are you crazy!? Ben, there’s a bear!”
Had he left her? Had he fallen? Where was he?
She scrambled to get behind the wheel. She adjusted the gears to make sure it was in park so she could start the engine. Whatever she did, the car began to roll slowly backwards. She pressed on the brake firmly. It did not work. She did it again putting her weight into it. The car continued to move backwards. She felt around with her hands for the emergency brake and could not find one. She thought maybe it was the one she’d pressed with her foot so she stomped around the floor of the truck searching for one.
By now, the truck was not just creeping backwards but beginning to pick up momentum. Everleigh was panicked. The SUV stopped with a thud. It collided with something solid and large. She glanced in the rear-view and saw the bear again. He was now on his hind legs and he was pushing the car back up. Her entire body was electrified with terror. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t think. She was so frustrated. So trapped.
She leaned her head back and succumbed. The car was pushed back up and beyond the spot where she and Ben had just been. Where he had given her so much incredible pleasure. She started to feel sorry for herself. Started to ask herself, why her? Until she realized the trees that had fallen in their way were now moved to the side because if the car was being pushed past where they had originally been, that mean the path was clear. The car stopped.
She heard the handle of the driver side door like someone was trying to get in. Finally, Ben opened the door. She threw her arms around him. He was soaking wet but the look was good on him. His drenched hair was slicked back and away from his face instead of tousled and disheveled.
“Where have you been?” she asked.
“Yes, dear,” he teased. “I was out clearing the way so we could go home. Almost couldn’t get in the car, the handle was slick.”
He was casual and matter of fact. Her jaw dropped as she regarded him.
“You didn’t see the bear out there? Hello?” She was worked up and almost aggressive.
“Relax,” he smiled. “If there’s a bear out there, apparently he’s minding his own business. We’re fine. Thing we got to worry about are more trees. We need to move.”
Ben accelerated and drove through the winding pitch, the black road now lit with only their headlights at a nerve-wracking clip. The weather had picked up and he was right; in this weather, trees were the enemy.
Everleigh’s mind worked as her anxiety rose with his taking the curves a little too fast. At one point he slid. He laughed and put a firm, powerful arm across her.
“Hang on,” he said.
Finally, they pulled up in the drive of his forest cottage. She slid across the bench and got out on his side. Everleigh stomped into his house. Something prickled her skin at the top of her thigh.
“I need the bathroom,” she said shortly.
“Okay,” he said. She knew where it was but he showed her.
She closed the door and lowered her plants. She examined the source of the prickly discomfort on the back of her leg. Several coarse, pointy hairs were spearing her flesh. Animal hair or more correctly, fur. Fur.
She held the bits of fur in her finger tips, shaking like she was holding a murder weapon in her hand. It was crazy, but she started to seriously think that Ben and the bear were one and the same. She freaked. Ben knocked on the door.
“Everleigh,” he said in a firm voice.
She did not answer. She remained silent, struggling to clear her mind. To be realistic.
He knocked again and said her name once more. This time, it was more like an order. “Everleigh.”
“No,” she said shortly.
“Open the door, please,” he said.
“I don’t want to,” she said, emotion trembling through her voice.
“You must,” he said.
“I am busy,” she said with offense.
“Everleigh, I am going to count to three and I expect the door to be opened,” he said.
He was calm and pleasant but most definitely firm. Everleigh locked the door. She heard him sigh. And heard him remove a key from the frame of the door and unlock the door. She shrank against the shower curtain. She had to find her footing or fall back into the tub.
Everleigh wrenched her eyes shut as he opened the door. Too late she realized, she had the hairs in her hand. She shoved her hand behind her back and looked him in the eye with a guilty look. He tilted his head.
“Let’s have it,” he said.
“What?” she asked. It was a lame evasion.
He covered her body with his and reached around her to pry her fingers apart. She made him work for it but savored the feeling of her face pressing into his amazingly comfortable body. He stood up, his hands still on hers, and sank to be face-to-face with her.
“Open your hands for me,” he ordered.
“Why?” she defied. “You know what you’re looking for. I don’t have to.”
Chapter Seven
He arched his brow. “Everleigh, let’s have a conversation.”
He didn’t force her to show him what she had in her hands. Instead, he encouraged her to walk ahead of him out into the main room of the home.
“I’d like to use that radio if the offer is still good,” she said nervously.
“Of course it’s still good,” he said. “Please sit for a moment.”
Everleigh evaded eye contact.
“Hey,” he insisted. “You let me into your body but now you won’t look at me? What happened just now?”
“It’s just things are a little strange,” she said vaguely.
“Yes they are,” he agreed. “But we are decent, are we not? And we’re actually pretty good together, aren’t we?”
Everleigh had no argument. Good was not even the word for it. Their chemistry together was positively narcotic. Never in her wildest hopes and dreams did she ever think she would experience this level of passion with another. Not ever. To think she was down in the dumps about being given the boot by a guy who she hadn’t even slept with. She thought he was nice. She thought he was cute. But looking back on him and other guys, they were so much work. Ben was nothing but ease. And he was so tremendously considerate. She owed him at least that much.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“You don’t have to apologize,” he began. But she interrupted him.
“I do. You saved my life. You’ve given me shelter and safety, and acted nothing less than trustworthy. You’ve given me precious moments that I will treasure forever. If we go our own ways after the weather lets up and the roads open. I’ve had some wild thoughts, but the bottom line is I know you to be a good guy.”
She leaned into him and kissed him softly. Then again. Still the smoldering embers that burned for them fanned. And flamed. She reached for his buttons.
“My goodness,” she said. “We need to get you out of these wet clothes. All that hard work you did.”
She pushed the damp shirt from his sexy body.
“I think we need a fire in the fireplace,” she said.
“That’s simple enough,” he said. He grabbed a remote and instant fire.
Everleigh encouraged him to sprawl atop the very unusual rug that spread before the hearth.
“What is this made of?” she asked.
“Hemp,” he replied. “No animal products in the home.”
She smiled. Of course not, she thought. The stew had been vegetarian. It was weird but Everleigh believed she knew what she knew.
Once Ben was flat on the floor, she straddled his amazing physique. His back was so broad and sturdy, she mused she could set it for dinner. She loved that she could spread her hands all over him. That she was free to touch him anyway she liked. She remembered seeing lotion in the bathroom.
“Wait,” she said. And she dashed to get it. She returned to her position on his buttocks.
She warmed the lotion in he
r hands and let them swim all over him. With as much pressure as she could exert, she worked his muscles in ways she thought she hadn’t seen done before. She had never had a massage before herself and so in some ways, she was just guessing.
Then she felt herself transform. She felt herself being guided by instinct. It was as if some force had possessed her and she now had ancient knowledge over how to work his body.
Ben moaned beneath her ministrations. She splayed her palms over his gigantic biceps, and her hands didn’t even span them. She could not grip any sort of loose or flabby flesh on him at all but still she kept pressing.
She peeled off her own shirt. She was naked from the waist up. She felt primal. Like a warrior princess. She pressed her rain-chilled naked breasts against his hot, muscled back and warmed herself.
He moaned again and stirred beneath her. His turning over on his backside was like a minor earthquake. Everleigh had to consciously maintain balance or fall off of him. He liked that he saw her naked when he turned over. He reached his molten hands to her breasts and possessed them.
Ben looked into Everleigh’s eyes. The look was positively animal. It was pure sex. She knew that he meant to take over. To massage her in return but she was not done. As he began to knead, she gently corralled his hands, putting them by his side.
“No,” she said with playful firmness.
She worked his stone-like pecs and across the grid of muscles that was his six-pack, down to his luscious, firm but narrow hips. She gripped his incredibly huge thigh muscles all the way down to his ankles.
“Come here,” he said firmly.
In the process of giving him her version of a massage, Ben had achieved a lusciously hard erection. On sight, Everleigh needed his beast inside of her. She stood up, making a V with her legs over him. She unfastened her pants as he watched. And she slowly stripped the rest of her clothes off of her. She walked up over his chest so that he had a bird’s eye view of the area between her legs. Everleigh was thrilled by her stint of exhibitionism. He loved it.
Ben reached up behind her knees and knocked them gently, causing them to buckle. As she sank, his hands glided up the length of them, to the soft insides of her thighs and beyond. His fingers found her center, vulnerably displayed before him as she sank to impale herself on his erection. He knew just where to touch.
