Forest of the Forbidden

by W. J. May

  He lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. “You are so beautiful, Natalie.” His hand glided down her hair to her arm sending chills all over her body.

  She gazed into his bloodshot red eyes. “Even with all this dirt on me?”

  Ryan nodded. “Yes, beautiful. Dirt or no dirt, you’re gorgeous to me no matter what.”

  Either he was crazy for thinking she looked good sporting the UT burnt orange dirt all over her body or somehow her beauty blinded him. Regardless, he knew the right words to speak. “Oh Ryan, you are a sweetheart.”

  He picked up her hand from his chest and brushed his lips across the top of it. She closed her eyes, savoring the touch of his dry lips against her scorched skin. She wanted to feel his lips against hers. Glide her body against his bare skin. The demand of his touch focused her mind on one mission and one mission only, she wanted him. Then she remembered they both agreed to take it slow and get to know one another. What was wrong with her? She didn’t want to have sex with him. She barely knew him and it went against all her rules. Why couldn’t she control her emotions? She convinced herself that it had to be the near death experience driving them closer together.

  Ryan tightened his arm around her waist and pressed his body firmly against hers. He released her hand and then cupped her cheek. The warmth of his breath spread across her face, inviting her lips to meet his. She moved in toward him, moistening her lips with her tongue. Her heart drummed in her ear and her lips quivered waiting to surrender to his call.

  A loud thud sounded, calling their attention away from one another. The barn door swung open, allowing a ray of light to shine directly upon them. They pulled away, and used their hands to shield their sensitive eyes from the blinding light.

  “Thank God, y’all are safe. That was one heck of a storm.” Lance walked in rambling on and on. They stood looking at him, but neither one spoke a word.

  His eyes darted back and forth between them and he cleared his throat. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to... ummm.”

  “Yeah, we didn’t think we would make it.” Ryan drew Natalie close to him. “But we are safe.”

  She looked up at Ryan, “Yes, I’m safe now, safe in your arms.”

  Δ

  Chapter 5 : Unexplainable Changes

  “You’re glowing. Don’t deny it. You spent the weekend with Ryan, didn’t you?” Lise glanced up from her text book, eyeing Natalie.

  Natalie fumbled to unpack her clothes from her bags, avoiding her friend’s gaze. “What?”

  “You can’t play dumb with me. I see it written all over your face.” Lise motioned with her finger and then went back to reading her book.

  Natalie finally looked up. She pressed her lips together, trying to conceal her happiness. It was no use. Her lips parted into a wide smile. “Not the entire weekend, only Saturday.”

  “I knew it.” Lise shut her textbook and tossed it to the side. “Why didn’t you text me back?” She sprang up off her bed and rushed to Natalie’s side.

  “Sorry, I got side tracked.” Natalie shrugged and then walked over to the bathroom to put up her toiletries.

  Lise followed her around the room. “Tell me all about it? Did you sleep with him?”

  “What? No... of course not.” Natalie continued to put her things away, still avoiding any direct face contact with Lise.

  “Oh man.” Lise pouted and sat down on her bed. “Nat, please tell me you at least made out.”

  Natalie walked out of the bathroom. “Ummm, no Lise we didn’t.”

  “Then why do you keep smiling?” Lise pounded her hands into the mattress.

  Natalie turned around, trying to hide her happiness. Nonchalantly, like she didn’t know her friend was dying for information, she dumped a bag of clean clothes on the bed and began to fold them. She knew Lise would hound her until she told her every last detail.

  “Nat, tell me.”

  Natalie tossed the pair of socks in her hands to the side and fell back on the pile of clothes. “Because I had another near death experience and it was wonderful.” She crossed her hands over her heart and closed her eyes. Thoughts of Ryan flooded her mind. Even though the dust storm scared her to death, she didn’t regret the time they spent together. She could still smell him, taste him, and feel him.

  “What? You had...I’m confused. You’re happy because you almost died, again?”

  Natalie opened her eyes and focused in on what Lise said. She she sat up. “No. I mean, yes. I did have another near death experience but it ended quite well.”

  Lise smiled. “I guess so, because you’re still alive and smiling like he rocked your world.”

  She giggled. “Let me explain. We went horseback riding on his ranch—”

  “He invited you over to his house? His parent’s place?”

  Natalie narrowed her eyes at Lise, warning her to stop. “Yes. Can I finish?”

  “Sorry.” Lise chewed on her lower lip.

  “What? Go ahead, Lise.” Natalie got up and then scooted over the pile of clothes, clearing a spot on the bed to sit down.

  “He must really like you. If a guy invites you over to meet his parents—”

  “Wait. I didn’t say that. His parents weren’t home. I did meet his brother and his brother’s family.”

  “Still. Okay, you met half of his family... which means he must really like you.” Lise’s voice escalated. She did a happy dance staying seated and for a moment she acted like her world had been rocked.

  Natalie shook her head, unable to understand how everything excited Lise. “I guess if you say so. Anyhow, we went riding and there was a horrible dust storm. Violent.”

  “OMG! Seriously?”

  Natalie put her finger to her lips, instructing Lise to stay quiet and let her finish. Lise pretended to zip her mouth close.

  “Yes, a horrible storm. I honestly thought that I might die. She shivered, recalling how the thick clouds of dust surrounded her and blinded her sight. We got separated. Eventually we both found our way back to a barn.”

  Lise smiled. “Let me guess. I know what happened next.” She grabbed a small bed pillow and held it tightly to her chest.

  “Not what you think. It was intense. He held me, caressed me, and told me I was beautiful. I got to bury my face against his bare muscular chest. Boy, does he have muscles. Whoa.” Natalie fanned herself. “Let me think what else.”

  Lise practically cried over the story. “You two kissed and it was wonderful.”

  Natalie sighed. “Actually, no. We didn’t.”

  “No? You didn’t kiss?” Her smile quickly turned into a frown.

  “No. We were about to when his brother threw open the barn doors.”

  “Oh that sucks. Why didn’t you tell him to take a hike?”

  “Lise, his brother needed to know if we were safe.”

  “Oh well.” She grabbed her cell phone and started messing with it. “Why didn’t you guys hang out the rest of the weekend?”

  “The storm caused a lot of damage to the ranch. Since his parents were out of town, he and his brother had to fix fences and tend to injured animals. They even lost a baby calf.”

  “Gosh.” Lise muttered, not paying much attention to what she said.

  “Did you hear me? An animal died, Lise.” Natalie spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.

  Lise looked up from her cell phone. “Oh wow, that is bad. I wonder why you keep getting caught up in these weird storms.”

  “I don’t know. It is ironic.” Natalie reached over to her pile of laundry and grabbed a shirt. She took her time, folding it nice and neat. “We chatted and texted the rest of the weekend. He was supposed to follow me back today but decided to stay home until Friday.”

  “I’m glad things are turning out well for you two.”

  Natalie sighed. “I can only hope. So, did you get to hang out with Sal?”

  “Yeah, pretty much, until he left to go home on Thursday with Ryan. We got to know each other really well.”

  “Lise
.” Natalie turned around and narrowed her eyes at her.

  “No, I told you, he’s not like that. I mean, we did make out, but all our clothes stayed on.” She rolled her eyes and then drifted back to her phone.

  “Good for you! Getting to know each other is important.”

  Lise shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah, I guess. I can’t wait for him to come back.”

  “And I can’t wait for Ryan to come back either.”

  ***

  “Thanks for the movie and dinner. I’ve wanted to come here, just haven’t made the time.” Natalie looked at Ryan and let out an alluring smile.

  “You’re welcome. So what did ya think about the movie?” He dug his hands in his short pockets and bit down on his bottom lip. He felt a little apprehensive about the conversation he needed to have with her.

  “I liked it. However, I didn’t expect for it to end that way.”

  “Yeah, me either.” He opened the truck door for her. When he walked around to the driver’s side, thousands of thoughts attacked his mind. He balled up his hands into a fist and clenched his teeth. His brother’s voice rang loudly in his head, “Don’t be scared, just tell ’er the truth. If she doesn’t understand then she’s not the girl for ya.”

  He took a deep breath, got in his truck and started it. He smiled at her. She had to be the most beautiful girl ever. Her flawless skin shimmered like satin and she wore the right amount of make-up that gave her that sexy sultry look. Her lips glistened with a light shade of gloss, which made them irresistible. He had to force himself to look away; otherwise he knew he would steal a kiss from her.

  “It’s only 7:30 p.m. Do you want me to take you back to the dorm or can I show you one of my favorite places?” He held his breath waiting for her response.

  She pressed her lips together, not saying a word. After a few seconds, she turned to him and said, “Take me to your favorite place.”

  He exhaled. “All right... I will.” He reached up and opened the sunroof to his black Chevrolet Avalanche and drove off. He scanned through the radio searching for the right tune.

  “Can you leave it there?” Natalie reached for the radio.

  “You like this song?” Ryan shot a quick look at her.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Sweet.” He had no idea that she even liked country music. They had more in common than he thought.

  “What else do you listen to?” She asked.

  “Oh, everything I guess. Dance music, some rock, Latin ballads which are my mom’s favorite, and some Christian music. I play the guitar at our church whenever I’m home. I guess you can say I’ve learned to appreciate all types of music.”

  “That’s cool. I didn’t know you played the guitar.” The wind blew through Natalie’s hair and she struggled to keep it out of her face. He couldn’t help but notice how sexy she looked with windblown hair.

  “Yeah, I’ve been playing since I was ten. Do you want me to close the sunroof?” He held his hand up to the button.

  “No, that’s okay. The wind feels great. We haven’t had a nice breeze like this in a while.”

  “You got that right. It’s been pretty hot and muggy.”

  A strong gust of wind wisped through the sunroof and into her hair, filling the truck with a fruity floral smell. He inhaled, taking in her sweet scent. It gave him a shiver. He continued watching her out of the corner of his eye as she pulled her hair to the side. It took everything for him not to reach over and stroke her hair. He longed to run his fingers through her silky dark brown tresses.

  He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. “What about you? What else do you listen to?”

  “Dance music too, anything top 40, and country. I admit I don’t ever listen to Christian music, not that anything is wrong with it. I do sing along when I go to church.”

  “That’s okay. At least we like a lot of the same type of music.” Ryan cleared his throat. “So do you know how to two-step? I know you can salsa dance.”

  “Kind of. Okay, don’t make fun of me but my senior year I took a dance class at school. I guess because everyone was into that show, what’s it called...Dancing With The Stars, they decided to offer it. Anyhow, I learned several types of dances. I’m not that good. You’ve seen firsthand.”

  He let out a laugh. “Seriously? I wish they would’ve had that class my senior year. I’ve always wanted to take ballroom dancing. In fact, I thought about signing up for it here. Hey, why don’t we take it together, in the fall?”

  Natalie’s head turned quickly in his direction. “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, c’mon it’ll be fun.”

  “I’ll think about it.” She stared out through the window.

  “Do you always have to think about everything?” He made his voice light, trying to not sound rude.

  Her head spun around. “Yeah, I do. Is that a problem?” He noticed the slight elevation in her voice.

  “No. Not all. Just asking.”

  Damn! He didn’t mean to offend her and hoped he didn’t make her mad. He felt more comfortable around her but knew he needed to be careful on how he asked questions. He tended to blurt things out without thinking about them first. The last thing he wanted to do was to upset her. For some reason, being around her caused his mind to go a little haywire.

  Casually, he reached over and placed his hand on top of hers. He patted it lightly. “That’s why I like you. You’re different from me.” He let his hand remain on top of hers while keeping his eyes on the road. He loved the softness of her skin against his rough hands.

  “Really? What else do you like about me?” Her voice sounded alluring rather than inquisitive.

  He tapped his finger against the steering wheel. His face felt hot and his mind raced with a million thoughts. “Ummm...let’s see... you’re beautiful, smart, kind, thoughtful, and very analytical.” He glanced over at her, praying he said the right thing.

  She leaned her head against her shoulders, acting shy. “Thanks. So you like that I’m a nerdy type of girl?”

  “What? I didn’t say you were nerdy.”

  “You don’t have to. I know I am.” She picked at the light pink nail polish on her nails.

  “Well, I don’t think you are. In fact, I thought you looked cute and sexy... wearing your glasses and your hair up in a ponytail the day I met you.”

  He felt her wrap her fingers over his. Judging by her reaction, it told him he said the right things.

  She let out a slight laugh. “Sexy? Really? So I shouldn’t wear my hair down and my contacts any longer?”

  He looked at her. The wind continued to blow through her hair causing strands to stick to her glossy lips. He kept one eye on the road and the other watching her peel each strand away. Man, she was sexy and far from nerdy in his opinion.

  “No... I mean you’re beautiful with your hair down and no glasses.” He searched for the right words, feeling like a nerd himself.

  “It’s okay. I know what you’re saying. I guess that’s what I like about you.”

  “What, that I’m a rambling idiot?”

  “No, you’re not an idiot. I like that you’re funny, considerate, honest, smart, handsome, and...”

  “And?” Ryan glided his thumb back and forth against the top of her hand. He could caress her smooth creamy skin all day and night if she let him.

  She pushed a part of her hair back behind her ear and held onto it, winding it around her fingers. “You’re sexy.”

  He burst out laughing. “Sexy? I don’t think so.”

  She let out a giggle. “I do. I think you look sexy in a cowboy hat and jeans.”

  “I’ll be sure to wear them next time.” He winked and squeezed her hand. It flattered him to hear compliments from her. He worked hard to stay in shape and he took pride in taking care of his body. More than anything, it was nice to have a girl that didn’t focus on herself constantly. That’s what made Natalie even more attractive to him.

  He turned onto a long and winding two-way road. Tre
es stretched over the road from both sides, as though locking branches with one another. It created a lush canopy of thick foliage that extended for at least a mile. He had been down this road many times but for the first time, it felt cozy and romantic. Maybe because he had Natalie next to him, changing the mood completely.

  “Can I ask where we’re going?” She continued looking around, her eyes darting around from side to side.

  He wanted to surprise her but based on her actions he thought it best to tell her.

  “When you told me you had never been to Lake Travis, I thought you might like to see it.”

  “Oh... the lake.” Natalie’s hand went limp. He noticed her shifting back and forth in her seat.

  “Is something wrong?” He wanted to take her to a romantic and memorable place and wondered if he’d made the right decision.

  She squeezed her eyes shut before finally speaking. “Yeah, I’m okay,” she mumbled.

  “Are you sure? You’re not dizzy again are you?”

  Natalie glanced over at him. “No. It’s not that.” She paused for a minute. “The last time I went to a lake was to clear my head.” She turned away and let out a small sigh.

  He heard the pain behind that sigh. Obviously the lake brought back some hurtful memories. He didn’t want to pry and decided he would allow her to open up to him when she was ready. Damn, he couldn’t win for losing.

  “I can turn around, if you want.”

  She shook her head. “No, I’ll be okay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, I want to see Lake Travis.”

  The gravel crackled and popped as he drove up to the area leading to the lake. He pulled up to a boat ramp and stopped. The setting sun painted the sky with streaks of orange and purple. It made the water glisten like gold and out of all the times he had been there, he had never seen such a breath taking site.

  He didn’t want to let go of Natalie’s hand but needed to put the truck in park. He gave her hand a deep squeeze and let go. He felt her latch on, apparently not wanting him to let go either. Slowly, she released her hand from his.