“Why do you do it?” I finally asked.
“Do what?” He returned, raising an eyebrow in my direction.
“Why are you an outlaw? It doesn’t make any sense.”
He just laughed, the sound coming from deep within his belly. “That’s a good question.” He paused and looked up at the sky once more. “You know, you and I, we aren’t all that different. You’re just like me, I can see it in your eyes.”
“Don’t you dare compare me to yourself.” I snapped at him, getting angry. “I’m not some lowlife criminal!”
“No, you’re not.” He said calmly in response. “But you do have a love for adventure, just as I do. You love the wilderness and yearn for it. There’s that same glint in your eyes which I see whenever I look into a mirror.” He explained, his voice like liquid honey. I found myself listening to him with the utmost attention. “The only real difference is that we’re on opposite sides. I choose to break the law while you choose to uphold it.” He turned, leaning on his elbow and looking at me. “It could’ve easily been the other way around.”
“Then why isn’t it?” I challenged, finding myself gravitating closer to him. “Tell me why you choose to ruin the lives of those around you.” Our faces were nearing now, getting closer and closer together.
He just grinned at me, our noses practically touching. “That would be a story much too long to tell right now. And, I much rather let my lips do all the talking.” Suddenly, he leaned forward, closing the gap between us. His lips collided into mine and my eyes grew wide for a moment, feeling the roughness of his blue lips. They felt strange at first as if they were setting mine on fire.
I tried to push him away, but he was too strong, pulling me closer, his hands running along my body. I didn’t want to admit it, but his touch started to turn me on. I could feel a fire forming between my thighs and it was driving me insane. Finally, I gave in, kissing him back, feeling like my head would explode. What was I doing? Why was I kissing this man?
Still, I couldn’t pull away. His lips were too sweet and his touch so intoxicating. He pulled me onto his lap, letting his fingers crawl into my pants. My eyes grew big, but to my own amazement, I allowed him to continue, wanting to find out how far he would go.
Chapter 5
I couldn’t believe what I had allowed to happen last night. I was furious with myself, seeing my pants on the other side of the campfire. My panties were still on, thankfully. I had managed to at least keep that shred of my dignity. And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It had been the best experience of my life… but that didn’t mean Zander needed to know about it.
He walked around the campsite, preparing some breakfast. There was a bright smile on his face that I just wanted to smack right off. “Why do you keep smiling like an idiot?” I suddenly snapped, feeling myself growing irritated.
“What do you mean? A man can’t smile when he has an amazing night with a beautiful woman?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow in my direction. I clammed up immediately, trying to ignore him. “Why are you shy about it?” He teased, leaving some food to cook over the flame. “Because you weren’t very shy last night…” His fingers ran along my jawline and I quickly pulled away, a hard expression set on my face. “Aww… don’t be like that. You know I don’t bite… that hard…” His whisper caressed my ear, his tongue lapping at my lobe before he took it between his teeth, teasing me. I ground my teeth, my nails digging into my palms.
“Don’t touch me,” I said coldly.
“That’s not what you said last night…” He reminded me. My cheeks turned red with embarrassment. I didn’t need him to keep reminding me of what I did.
“Shut up!” I yelled at him.
He just continued to tease me, running his lips along my neck. I shivered, trying not to react, but it was hard when his touch was enough to ignite a fire between my legs. For the rest of the day, I tried to ignore him until we finally started to pack up camp. We traveled many miles with the Dingoes in tow until we reached his buyer.
“I’m glad you made it Zander.” A sleazy-looking giant said with a toothy smile.
“It’s a pleasure doing business with you.” Zander winked, grabbing his profit and putting it away in his saddle bag. I noticed it wasn’t as much as I thought it would be. We rode off, heading toward the next town. “I have a favor to ask of you.” He whispered into my long, dirty blond hair. I didn’t answer him, trying to keep my cool even as his chiseled body pressed against mine, reminding me just how attractive he really was. “Are you not going to answer me? Still giving me the cold shoulder?” He pulled down the side of my shirt, exposing my shoulder, kissing it gently. His teeth grazed my flesh, nearly causing me to moan out in pleasure. I hated how much he affected my body. I felt betrayed by my own hormones. “Well if you won’t respond, I might as well tell you. I know you’re listening.” He whispered. “I want you to rob a bank with me next time.”
“No!” I said immediately. It wasn’t even a matter of debate. There was no way in hell I would ever rob a bank. Especially not with him.
“Are you sure? It’s a lot of fun. The adrenaline coursing through your veins. The rush of excitement. I have no doubt you’d enjoy it.” He pressed his hands to my hips. I jerked back, suddenly disgusted by his touch.
“No,” I said once more, even firmer in my conviction this time.
“Suit yourself. You’re still coming along for the ride. I’m not letting you out of my sight just yet.”
***
I found myself waiting outside the bank, tied up to Zander’s horse. People didn’t even think to look at me twice, even though there was a gag around my mouth and I was just sitting there, suspiciously tied up in broad daylight.
Suddenly, Zander came rushing out of the bank, his loot in his hands. He tossed it in front of me with a thud before jumping onto the horse’s back and making his getaway. His body pressed into mine as we sped away from the town, an angry crowd chasing after us, but Zander’s horse was much too fast.
The wind whipped against our faces as he urged his horse faster and faster. I held on tight, feeling my body rock at the violent speed. My breathing became erratic and my heart was beating a mile a minute.
Suddenly, as we came across a ravine, he stopped. We were miles away from the town at this point. No one had any hope of finding us. Zander let out an excited laugh, holding his stomach and looking out at the sky. “Ah, that was great!” Similarly, I was left breathless and exhilarated. I had never felt such a rush of excitement before. My whole body was alive with energy. I felt like I could run a marathon.
“Wow…” I found myself saying aloud when he took off my gag, allowing me to speak again.
He smirked at my response. “You know, it’s always like this. My life is a constant cycle of adrenaline and adventure.” He leaned in closer. “I wouldn’t mind adding another A to the mix.” He whispered, tenderly kissing my lips. I felt my heart skip a beat at his comment. “Aliza.” My name sounded divine on his lips. I found myself gazing into his pale eyes, holding my breath, waiting for what he might say next. “Don’t you want a life like that?”
I stared at him, my mind buzzing. Did I want a life like that? I thought about the sensation still flowing through my body. I never wanted it to go away. I didn’t want to go back to the life of idle roaming. I bit my lip, trying to sort my chaotic thoughts. On one hand, I knew that the right thing to do was stay with the law, but on the other, a life of adventure with Zander seemed so alluring. “I do.” I finally answered.
Chapter 6
That night, I found myself sitting by the campfire with my head against Zander’s chest. I could hear his soft heartbeat along with the crackling of the fire. “What was your life like before you became an outlaw?” I suddenly asked. I rubbed my hands together, warming them against the flames. It felt good to finally be free from the restraints.
His arms tightened around me as he laid his cheek on the top of my head in an affectionate manner. “It was har
d. I come from a rather poor family. They were everything I ever lived for. I started my vagabond life because of them. It was the only way we could survive.” He explained, his words heavy with painful memories. “But I always promised myself that no matter what happened, I’d never kill anyone in any of my robberies… if I could help it. There were times I had no choice.”
I shuddered slightly, thinking about my own experiences. When you find yourself staring into the face of death, you tend to do anything you can to save yourself. “What happened to your family? Why aren’t you with them now?” I questioned.
“They died a while back, in a fire.” He explained somberly. “What about you, where’s your family?” His lips gently pressed against my neck, his arms tightening around my waist, pulling me even closer. “A gorgeous woman like yourself must’ve had her fair share of boyfriends.”
I sighed as he picked at an old scab on my heart. “I was married once.” I finally said. “He was one of the best men in the universe. My partner in crime.” I chuckled, hearing how ironic that sounded. “We were both bounty hunters,” I explained. “No one could stop us.”
“What happened to him?” Zander asked, his pale eyes full of both curiosity and concern.
“He died.” My voice was void of emotion for a moment. “His horse was frightened by a snake and he was bucked off. He landed on his head and died on the spot…” I recounted the story, feeling numb inside.
Zander frowned, pulling me into a close hug, his hands running up and down my back. In that moment of silence, I felt like we had both come to respect each other a bit more. “You know, I too had a fiancée once. She was the sweetest girl I had ever met. She had an angelic smile and a face worth all the money in the world.” He paused in contemplation. “I swear I loved her to death, but her family never liked me. In the end, she followed her parents’ direction and married a well-to-do man with a goal in life.” He sighed, pain in his voice. I looked at him. I could tell that he had been hurt by his broken engagement. Maybe that was why behind his smile there always was a sort of distance.
“Zane, what’s your plan in life?”
“Well, one day I’ll be caught. They’ll bring me to the chopping block and that’ll be it.” He murmured into my hair. My heart tightened in his response. A deep sense of sadness washed over me. I didn’t want to think about him being executed. “But, until then I’ll try to have the best life that I can.” He looked at me as if I was his key to a better life.
I found myself getting lost in his gaze, my body getting closer to his. Our lips collided together and sparks flew between them. I parted my lips and his tongue quickly snuck its way inside my mouth. As the kiss grew more and more passionate, I moved onto his lap.
I could feel his growing erection against my thigh and it excited me. His hands were all over my body, slowly pulling on the hem of my shirt, freeing it from inside my pants. Once it was untucked, his large, slightly calloused hands ran along my spine, venturing further and further until they wrapped around my warm breasts.
My moan echoed through the wilderness as I felt my lust and passion for this man growing. Between my legs, a fire blazed, growing in intensity as he rolled his fingers over my hardening nubs, teasing them gently. I bit my lip, tilting my head back.
Suddenly, he had me pinned to the ground, his hands tight around my wrists. “Aliza. I can’t help myself any longer. I want you.” He growled in my ear. Our hips locked together and I could feel his growing erection pressing against my belly. I rubbed my thighs against him in a silent plea for him to take this a step further. Our eyes locked and he seemed to read the desire written on my face.
He grinned, leaning down and kissing my neck. Slowly, he unbuttoned my shirt, letting each button fall away, replacing it with a kiss, traveling along my body until his lips lingered above the waistband of my pants. He made quick work of them, shimmying them down my hips and throwing them aside.
I bit my lip, awaiting his next move. Never before had I been rendered so speechless, but in that moment, it was like the words had been lodged inside my throat. I just gulped, my breathing causing my chest to heave.
With eager eyes, I watched him unbutton his own pants, freeing his large, throbbing member. My eyes widened, trying to figure out how he was going to get something so big inside my tight hole. He held it in his hand a moment, stroking it gently, a glint in his eyes. Slowly, he pulled my panties to the side. I felt a cold breeze roll past us, making me shiver. The moonlight above shined down on my glistening juices, catching his eye.
“I hope you’re ready baby.” He murmured, pressing his tip against me. I spread my legs for him, feeling my passion grow, turning into a burning coal inside my stomach. Suddenly, before I knew what was happening, he plunged into my wet folds. I screamed out as he broke through the walls of my womanhood that had laid dormant for so long.
We both grunted in desire. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close as my nails ran down his back in carnal pleasure. “Oh God… that feels…” I couldn’t even complete a sentence as he rocked his hips back and forth. My mind went numb. “Zander… I…” Words evaded me as he continued, plunging deeper and deeper until his entire length was buried inside of me.
I clawed at his back, finding no other way to express the mind-numbing pleasure. “Shh baby. Don’t talk. Just enjoy the ride…” He whispered into my ear, breathless. He pinned me to his chest, his hands on my hips, guiding me up and down his considerable length. Suddenly, I was hit with a surge of pleasure. I screamed out, feeling myself tighten around him, holding his throbbing member like a vice grip inside of me.
I cried out, my whole body shaking as wave after wave of pleasure rolled over my body, leaving me panting before I slumped against his chest. Seconds later, a long, drawn-out grunt escaped his lips and I felt a warm stickiness inside my womb. We both fell back into the soft dirt, pleasantly exhausted.
Chapter 7
The next morning, I couldn’t keep my conflicting thoughts at bay. My night with Zander had been the best experience of my life, but he was still a criminal. And I was still a bounty hunter. Our relationship was never meant to be. Yet, these feelings kept swarming inside of me, reminding me that I was slowly falling for the cunningly handsome outlaw. I was stuck between two worlds. I could stay with him and continue the life of adventure and adrenaline he could offer me or I could do the right thing and turn him in.
“What’s wrong?” Zander’s voice suddenly broke through my trance. He was still naked from our night of passion. I couldn’t help but notice his now flaccid member, bouncing between his legs. I quickly looked away. He frowned, putting his pants back on, but remaining shirtless as usual. “You’re upset about last night, aren’t you?”
I didn’t respond, afraid of what I might say. I just hugged my knees, looking at the burning embers of our fire.
He sighed and sat down next to me. “Aliza…” He said, his voice soft as he placed his fingers under my chin, pulling up my head so I would look at him. “All I ask is that you spend a few days living with me. Living my life. If you like it, then we can run away together. Otherwise, you better take the first opportunity you get to turn me in because I’d rather die at your hands than someone else’s.” He said earnestly.
I hesitated but eventually nodded. “Okay,” I whispered. I couldn’t believe I was actually agreeing to live the life of an outlaw. What had gotten into me? I stared at Zander, trying to figure out how he had managed to affect me so quickly. Just a few weeks ago, I was a well-known bounty hunter. One who was determined to throw this man behind bars, but now, I was planning to live a life of anarchy with him. Just thinking about it made my head spin.
“Really?” He asked, a little surprised as if he had expected me to deny his request.
“Yes.” I nodded.
He grinned wildly. “Fantastic.” He got up and pulled me into his arms, spinning me around. I felt my heart swell with happiness. I giggled like a giddy schoolgirl, my cheeks turning pink. “Let�
��s start right away!” He smirked, setting me down.
I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he meant. “We aren’t robbing another bank, are we?”
“No, nothing like that.” He called over his horse. “Do you want to ride with me or your own horse?” I looked over at Bianca who flared her nostrils at me. I walked up to her and patted her side affectionately. While I did miss her, I knew I couldn’t give up the opportunity to ride with Zander, the feeling of his body rubbing against mine as we galloped toward the horizon.
“You.” He grinned.
***
Zander rode us into a local town. No one recognized us so we had no problem slipping into the local saloon. Everyone was so hammered, the bartender just gave us two shots of whiskey, thinking we were regulars. I downed mine, banging it onto the counter. Zander looked at me, surprised. “I always did like a girl who can hold down her liquor.” He commented, drinking his shot and asking for another. Our glasses were quickly refilled as Zander handed them a small Blood Diamond.
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