Julie was just finishing putting her gear in her tent, backing out giving Sam a good view of her butt, which she wiggled as she fought her way out. “I think I should have bought a bigger tent,” she said, when she finally emerged, but the words died on her lips when she looked at Sam.
His desire was so clearly written on his face that it made her take a quick breath, her desire responding in ways she didn’t like. “Um, Sam. I wanted to thank you for giving me some space.” She stumbled over the words.
That space had meant that he’d been keeping his hands off her, sleeping in his own tent, and clamping down his desire so much that at times he had to grind his teeth together. “It hasn’t been easy,” he said, making Julie’s heart race. “I still want you like I used to, maybe more.”
“How can you say that? I’m so different,” Julie said, knowing that since they’d been together she’d changed, gained weight.
“Are you kidding, you’re even more desirable now that you were then. I’d love to get my hands on you, every inch of you,” Sam said, not moving, his eyes locked on hers.
Julie blushed, no man had ever made his intentions clearer or more appealing than Sam just had, she should have been insulted but instead it thrilled her to hear him talk that way. Julie tried to think of something to say, but was speechless.
“Don’t worry, I’ll wait until you’re ready,” Sam said, then crossed the camp and kissed her. When he’d kissed her long enough to make Julie’s insides turn to jelly, he broke the kiss and looked down at her. “You’re worth it. I’ve waited eight years to make up for the mistake I made, a few more days won’t be the end of the world.” Then he picked up his fishing pole and headed for the lake.
After a dinner of fresh fish and greens that Julie had gathered from the shore, the sat around the fire as the sun went down, both relaxed and full. But before long, Julie felt the pull of the hot spring, “I for one can’t wait any longer for the hot spring,” she said, getting to her feet. “And I’m going to wash my hair in the waterfall.”
“Good luck, that water is going to be freezing,” Sam said, pretending to shiver.
“I don’t care, it’ll be worth it,” she said, then headed off to her tent.
The water was cold, but she could hold her head under without getting the rest of her body too wet. Hair clean and combed, she headed for the hot spring, dying to sink into its soothing heat. But when she got there, Sam was already in the water and quite clearly naked, which presented a problem she hadn’t counted on. Why she hadn’t realized that they’d share the water mystified her as she approached the pool, trying to avert her eyes from Sam’s glistening chest.
“Come on in, the water’s wonderful,” Sam said, an evil grin on his face.
“You’re terrible, Sam,” Julie said, then considered her options. She could just strip and get in, it’s not like Sam had never seen her naked before, or she could leave her bra and panties on which wasn’t that much different than wearing a bikini.
“I’ll look away while you get in. Will that help?” he teased, until she couldn’t stand the look on his face any longer.
“Fine. Close your eyes.”
Sam pretended to close his eyes, but he kept them open just enough to watch as Julie stripped off her clothes and then he was sorry that he had. His arousal would be more than clear to Julie when she got close enough, and his hands were itching to touch her in all those places she used to love to be touched. When she finally slipped into the water, he’d managed to get himself under control enough so that his desire for her wasn’t staring them both in the face.
Julie chose a spot as far away from Sam as she could get, then sank into the water up to her shoulders, she knew that the water wouldn’t keep him from seeing her. “That feels like heaven,” she said, when she’d been in the water for a few minutes.
Sam still hadn’t opened his eyes, so she said, “I’m in, you can open your eyes now.”
“Give me just another minute,” Sam ground out between his teeth, her moans of pleasure when she immersed herself had wound him up again.
“Um, okay,” Julie said, not understanding what his problem was.
They soaked in silence, watching the starts above their heads. Julie could feel her muscles beginning to relax and she was beginning to get sleepy but then Sam asked, “Have you heard about the legend behind our moose?”
“Legend? Our moose has a legend?” Julie was immediately interested.
“One of the old men told me that the only people who’ve seen the moose have been in love,” Sam said, repeating what he’d heard.
“That’s silly,” Julie said, thinking that it was just a legend invented in the park by people without enough entertainment.
“No, it’s true. One of the ranchers told me all about it. Evidently, the only people who have seen the moose are lovers who are stealing time together outside,” Sam said, not only reeling Julie in with the story, but sliding closer to her.
“I don’t believe you,” she said, noticing Sam sliding closer but unable to stop him, admitting to herself that she wanted him closer.
“No, it’s true. I think we should do an experiment. We’re scientists after all,” Sam said, sliding a little closer.
“And what exactly is it you think we should do?” Julie asked, a tingle of desire leaping to life between her legs.
“I think we should become lovers and see if the moose comes to us,” Sam said, bringing his mouth just inches from hers.
Chapter 6
Julie’s heart was pounding, every inch of her aware of Sam’s naked body so close to hers. “That doesn’t sound very scientific,” she said, licking her lips which had become dry. “Where’s the control?”
“Oh, sweetheart, the control was all those weeks we just spent looking,” Sam said, cupping her face with his hand and stroking her cheek with his thumb. “Do you know how hard it was for me to keep my hands off you?”
“I didn’t think that’s what you meant when you said we were missing something,” Julie said, her voice so soft Sam could barely hear her.
“I didn’t either, but set’s find out what happens,” Sam said, pulling her into his arms.
Julie didn’t resist when Sam’s mouth came down on hers in a kiss so gentle she melted in his arms. So much of what they’d shared before had become fuzzy over the years, but she remembered his kiss, and the way it could make her whole body vibrate with pleasure. As wonderful as his kiss was, it was even more wonderful when his hands found her breasts and her taut nipples.
Sam built the fire inside her slowly, nibbling her neck between kisses that left her breathless until she was desperate for more, and then with a growl he lifted her until she was straddling him, her breasts in his face. The cold air only made her nipples harder and more irresistible to Sam who quickly sucked first one and then the other into his mouth. His mouth sent a jolt of pleasure straight to Julie’s core and she moaned with pleasure, holding on to his shoulders as the world shifted around her.
Julie could feel Sam between her legs, his throbbing length pressed up against her, experimentally she rocked her hips only to discover she too could make Sam crazy. He moaned as she rocked back and forth, finally grabbing her hips, he said, “Oh sweetheart, you drive me crazy, but slow down.” Then he reached between them and found her clit with his thumb.
Almost instantly Julie felt the pressure begin to build as he worked his thumb in little circles, until her orgasm burst over her in wave after wave of pure sensation. It left her weak and panting, but strangely unfulfilled so she took Sam’s face in her hands and kissed him, a kiss that told him that she wanted more, needed more.
“I want you out of the water,” he said and gently lifted her off his lap, then stood up giving Julie the most wonderful view of his naked body.
He took her hand and led her out of the hot springs, wrapped a towel around her, and led her off into the woods. There he’d laid out a blanket on a soft bed of moss, the trees providing shelter from the win
d made it warm and cozy. Sam reached over and flicked a switch and there was enough light in their little paradise that Julie could clearly see the desire in Sam’s eyes.
He took the towel from her shoulders and lowered her to the ground, then laid down next to her. “Juliette, I never thought this day would come. I’ve thought about you a lot over the years and what we had together. I hope tonight we can start fresh. I hope you can forgive me for the past,” Sam said, his eyes locked on hers. “I want you, but I want all of you.”
Julie’s heart healed a little bit more to hear his words, so much of what had happened to them had been because they were both young and scared. But suddenly she wasn’t afraid anymore, being with Sam over the last few weeks had reminded her why she’d fallen for him in the first place. That when she was with him she felt whole, that just being next to him made her smile, the kind of smile that made your face hurt.
“Oh, Sam, you’ve always had me. I was just waiting for you to come back,” Julie said, a few tears leaking out of her eyes and falling down her face.
“I promise I won’t leave you again,” he said, then lowered his mouth to hers, his kiss sealing the promise.
Sam slid his hand between her legs and parted them gently. His entire focus on her pleasure, he slid one finger inside her, finding her hot, wet, and ready for him. Sliding between her legs, he parted them farther, then slid slowly inside Julie who cried out with pleasure as he filled her. He pulled slowly out of her, then slid in again, prolonging their pleasure with his slow movements.
When their eyes met a jolt went through them both, jarring them for only a second before their bodies demanded satisfaction and Sam drove himself into Julie with more force. That jolt had unleashed something in both of them that neither could explain, but that seemed to bring their pleasure to a new level as together they spun through a haze of pleasure that blocked out the world and everyone in it.
Together they crested the heights of passion, Julie’s body gripping Sam’s as her orgasm washed over her, not the gentle pleasure of earlier, but an all-consuming rush of sensation that made her cry out and left her trembling in Sam’s arms. Her cry was answered by Sam’s, the power of his orgasm beyond anything he’d ever experienced before leaving him weak and spent. He collapsed on top of her, still buried deep inside her, his body convulsing as the warmth of having Juliette under him spread through him.
Later as their bodies cooled, Sam pulled a blanket over them and wrapped his arms around Julie more content than he’d been in a long time. Julie sighed, her thought mirroring his and snuggled deeper into his arms, not sure what the future would bring but glad to be right where she was.
“Juliette.” Sam’s voice brought her out of her thoughts. “Are we okay, I mean…”
Julie understood what he meant. “I think so, it was a long time ago,” she said, meaning it.
“I know, but I really want to make it work this time and I don’t want to make the same mistakes we did then,” Sam said, the sat up on one elbow to look at her. “I lost you once, I don’t want to go through that again.”
“I feel the same way, Sam, but all we can do is take it one day at a time and when things get rough face it together,” Julie said, stroking his cheek with the tips of her fingers.
“Yeah, you’re right. We didn’t do that before,” Sam said, remembering the biggest fight they’d had and his part in it.
“We know better now,” Julie said, pulling him down to her and kissing him.
Hours later, they were half asleep listening to the sounds of the night when a loud crack split the night. They were both awake at once, much too experienced in the outdoors not to be alarmed by the sound. “That sounded like something big,” Sam said, throwing off the blanket and slipping over to the hot springs to grab their clothes.
Julie sat waiting for him listening to the silence that had suddenly fallen over the little clearing. They were almost dressed when they heard another loud crack, this time closer to them. Sam clicked the lights off and the forest around them went dark, Julie waited for her eyes to adjust then took Sam’s hand, alarmed when she saw a gun in his other hand.
She shot him a look then whispered, “Where did you get that?”
“Can’t be too careful up here,” he whispered.
They made it to the marshy area on the far side of the hot springs before they heard another crack, this one much closer. Sam stopped and sent her a questioning look, the smart thing would be to retreat to their camp, but that was the last thing he wanted to do. Julie too was curious so she gestured for him to go forward, and followed him farther up the stream that fed into the hot springs.
Step by careful step they advanced up the stream as quietly as they could afraid they might scare whatever they were tracking. Another crack just yards from where they were standing stopped them in their tracks, then as if he’d been waiting for them, the biggest moose Julie had ever seen stepped out of the trees. Julie sucked in a deep breath, the animal was magnificent, his antlers attesting to his age as well as his good health. This is him, she thought, watching as he slowly crossed the stream and began to eat the fragile vegetation along the banks.
The stood in silence watching him until the sun began to come up, their legs protesting when they finally stepped away from the moose. It was a short trip to camp, but by the time they got there they were both breathless with excitement. They both started talking at once, then laughed and took a deep breath, beaming at each other.
“That’s him, I just know it,” Julie finally managed to say.
“It has to be. Did you see the size of him? That’s the biggest moose I’ve ever seen,” Sam said, grabbing her up in his arms and spinning her around, whooping at the top of his lungs.
“Shush,” Julie said, when he finally put her down. “You’ll scare him off.”
“I told you he’d come,” Sam said, sweeping her back into his arms and kissing her.
Later that day after a long nap, they were sitting by the fire making plans while Julie got her tranquilizer gun ready. “I really hate to shoot him, it feels wrong, like I’m shooting a friend,” she said, sliding a dart into the gun.
“Think of it this way, you’re protecting him. Once he’s tagged, we’ll know where he is all the time,” Sam offered.
“I guess that true. So, what’s our plan? It shouldn’t be any problem to track him, but he could have covered quite a bit of ground by now,” Julie asked, looking at the huge stack of equipment they’d had to unpack to get to the tranquilizer gun.
“How about we set up a base camp here? We’ll take just the bare necessities and once we’ve got him tagged we can come back for the rest of the gear,” Sam suggested.
“Sounds like a good idea to me. I can’t wait to see him again. I’d love to know where he came from, I always thought we’d be dealing with the ones that got pushed out of other areas, but he looks like a very healthy strong bull.”
“Well, that’s what we’re here to find out. I can’t wait to get my hands on his DNA, that’s going to answer some of our questions.” Sam was an expert in DNA analysis, and had been given numerous awards for his work.
The next morning, they were packed and on the trail as the sun came up, finding the moose’s trail easily, an animal that big couldn’t hide that well. Julie who was the better tracked took the lead, Sam following behind, content to watch her work. By lunch it was clear that the moose was in no hurry to get anywhere, and Julie was sure they weren’t far behind him.
“If we keep on at the pace we’re going, we’ll find him soon,” she said, taking a big bite of the sandwich Sam handed her, realizing that she was starving.
“Then the real fun begins. You’ll be able to tag him won’t you, I mean…”
“Don’t worry, as much as I hate to shoot him, it’s necessary and better me than someone else.”
“That’s my girl,” Sam said, kissing her even though she had her mouth full.
They’d only been on the trail for a few hours aft
er lunch when they spotted the moose in the trees ahead of them. He was even more impressive in daylight, his antlers so big the muscles in his neck bulged under the weight of them. Julie had a moment of panic, not sure that she’d calculated a proper dose of drugs for an animal this massive, but after a quick calculation decided that the moose probably didn’t weight as much as some of the bears she’d put out over the years.
The minute their feet hit the ground, they swung into action like a team that had been working together for years. In one of the smoothest takedowns she’d ever been a part of, they had their massive moose down and tagged in less than twenty minutes, giving them plenty of time to perform the other tests they needed to do. As the sun went down, they backed away from their treasure, packed their gear, and sat down to wait.
“How long do you think it will take him to wake up?” Sam asked, surprised that he was still out.
“I don’t know, it usually doesn’t last his long. I hope I didn’t use too much,” Julie fretted, wringing her hands.
“All his vital signs were fine, it’s taking him a little longer,” Sam reassured her, pulling her into his arms and leaning up against a tree. “We’ll stay as long as it takes.”
They spent a long cold night leaning up against the tree watching the moose slowly wake up from the tranquilizer, finally as the sun began to rise, he trotted off no worse for his experience. They stood up and stretched their muscles, sore from the long night sitting on the ground in the cold.
“I think we need to head back to the hot springs. We’re done for now and I think we’ve earned a long soak,” Sam said, walking stiffly to where the horses were tethered.
“And a long nap. We can head home tomorrow,” Julie said, painfully swinging up into the saddle.
The trailer door banged open making Frank cringe, the sound amplifying the pounding in his head. “Boss,” one of his men shouted as if he wasn’t sitting right in front of the man.
Have My Child: BWWM Romance (Brothers From Money Book 14) Page 6
