Chapter Three
Mia
Grabbing my keys, I took a few energy bars and a bottle of water and got in the car. I knew there was a running path not too far from my place, and although I could head out my back door and just go into the woods, I wanted to explore.
I drove the ten or so minutes it took to get to a little path I’d seen a few times while being in town. Once parked, I grabbed the small bag I’d shoved the water and bars into and headed toward the uneven, yet insanely beautiful path. It was hours before the sun was supposed to set, so I figured I’d walk until my feet ached and my head was clear. It wasn’t like I had a lot of stress in my life, just the normal, but I was lonely. Aside from Flora I didn’t have any friends here, and going home every night to no one had a vice around my heart.
I’d known it would be hard being so isolated, and I needed this desperately, but I guess I wasn’t used to it.
The sun was shining, and the weather was perfect for a hike. I took my time on the path, taking in the sights and smells. There was a peace, a calmness to the woods, to nature. I heard birds chirping, a woodpecker nearby. I listened to the way the leaves sounded as they moved above me when the wind hit them. None of these things were available in the city. It was something I’d always missed.
The trees that surrounded me were big, monstrous. The smell of pine filled my head, reminding me of the holidays. I could imagine how gorgeous this place would look in wintertime, with the snow-peaked mountains and the frost making everything iridescent.
I started moving up an incline, turning left, right, following the path as it took me higher. The air became thinner, I’d noticed, and I felt sweat start to bead along my brow. I couldn’t help but smile. This had been a good idea.
I don’t know how long I’d been walking, but soon I found a beautiful clearing, Rockbridge far below. I made my way toward an outcropping of rocks making a wall. Once I was right next to the rocks, I looked down. I could make out almost the entire town, the way everything was so intimately placed. It was no wonder everyone was close, knew everything about each other.
Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes. If I just relaxed a little, opened myself up to everything around me, and tried not to stress about the little things, I knew I would be a lot happier. I felt myself start to do just that. But the sound of something hard, fierce, had me snapping my eyes open.
I turned around, trying to gauge where the noise was coming from. It was hard to make out exactly what I was listening to, so instead of trying to figure it out, or attempting to ignore it, I followed the sound. It didn’t take me long to come across a clearing, the trees surrounding a log cabin.
Maybe I should have turned around and left, because I was surely trespassing. But I had already come this far. The noise echoed off the trees, and a flock of birds flew overhead, startled by it. I should have made myself known, but I didn’t see anyone, and the sound had me curious. I started walking closer, then moved around the side of the house until I could see exactly what was making the commotion.
Everything in me stilled.
I knew instantly I was staring at Noah Ash. In his element he was even sexier. He had on a flannel, his suspenders hanging to his sides, the sun beating down from above. God, I felt everything in me heat instantly. Here I was, sweating right along with him. My pussy instantly became wet, my nipples beading up under my shirt. I was fully aroused, wanting him to fuck me against a tree like we were some feral couple that just couldn’t help ourselves.
The position I was in didn’t let me see exactly what he was doing, but that curiosity was alleviated when he lifted his arms, the axe above his head catching the light momentarily before he brought it down. I saw the wood he was clearly cutting splinter into two pieces and fall on either side of him.
I felt my heart beat double time, and beads of perspiration dotted the valley between my breasts I couldn’t move, even though I knew I should have, even though I knew watching him when he wasn’t aware was wrong on so many levels.
I watched as he walked over to the banister of his deck and grabbed a towel. He wiped the sweat from his face and chest, tossed the towel aside, and just stood there for long seconds. He was now partially facing me, and the fact that I could get caught watching him scared the shit out of me. But I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to.
I swear he could hear the pounding of my heart. I felt it in my throat, heard it in my ears. And then, to my utter shock he reached down, unzipped his jeans, and pulled his erection out. My mouth dropped open, my throat dried and tightened, and as much as I knew I should have turned away and left, I couldn’t.
He leaned against the deck, his cock in hand, his head tipped back, and his eyes closed. I found myself moving closer, trying to be quiet so he didn’t know I was watching this very intimate act. I saw his chest rising and falling, heard him groan low, and my entire body lit up. I found myself positioned partially behind a tree, my hands braced on the bark, the texture rough against my palms. I was focused on what he was doing, the fact he was jerking off so close to me.
I clenched my thighs together, my arousal so prominent I felt my clit start to throb, felt my panties become obscenely wet. He worked his palm along his cock harder, faster, his breathing becoming even harsher.
And then he opened his eyes and looked right at me. I was frozen in place and felt my eyes widen. I still couldn’t move. And he didn’t stop masturbating. He stared right into my eyes, just like he’d done at the café, and kept on jerking off. His mouth parted slightly, and I found myself lowering my gaze to his dick once more. He groaned deeply once right before he came. I held my breath as I watched him get off, saw the white jets of semen shoot from the tip of his cock. And when I lifted my gaze back to his face I saw he still watched me.
Reality set in and I stumbled backward. God, what had just happened? I felt embarrassed by being a voyeur, and found myself turning and hauling ass away from him and his cabin. I didn’t know what the hell I was thinking, or why I made myself look like an even bigger ass by leaving, but it was too late now.
When I reached my car after what seemed like forever, I fumbled with my keys to unlock my door. Once inside, I leaned my head back on the seat, closed my eyes, and tried to calm my breathing.
The blood rushed through my veins, and my arousal still thrummed heavily through me, refusing to slow or lessen. God, how would I face him again?
The very thought of running into him in town, after what had just happened, scared the hell out of me.
Noah
I was juiced up, so fucking turned on despite just getting off that I felt my cock harden again. I grabbed the rag and wiped my dick off before putting myself back in my jeans. My chest was rapidly rising and falling, and I still looked off into the woods where I’d seen her. She’d left already, but I wanted her to come back. I wanted her hands on me, jerking me off, watching as I came for her.
I had no idea what the fuck was going on with me, or why she was bringing out these emotions, but I didn’t want them to leave. I wanted to hold onto them, see how much they grew because of her. I’d felt dead inside for so long that the life she brought out in me—and I hadn’t even spoken to her yet—made me one possessive bastard.
I was trying to stay calm, to not go running after the woman I’d grown far too interested in.
Truth was, staying put was hard as fuck.
I’d felt someone watching me, felt a presence that I wasn’t used to out in the middle of nowhere. And then I’d noticed her. I was a dirty bastard for masturbating in front of her, but the fact she watched me turned me on like nothing else. And right as I came I looked into her eyes, letting her know I was fully aware she watched me. The orgasm I’d had was so fucking powerful I’d had to force myself to stay upright.
She’d worn this wide-eyed, shocked expression on her face, and, as if she was a scared rabbit and I’d spooked her, she’d left. I couldn’t blame her, though.
I wanted to call after her, to bring her back, show her exactly how much I wanted her...because I did. Fucking hell, I wanted her.
Exhaling roughly, I stared off at where she’d been standing. I didn’t even know her name, didn’t know where to start looking for her. I could probe Flora for information if I became too desperate. But this was a small town; she lived here, obviously, and I’d find her. I wasn’t about to walk away when, for the first time in too damn long, I felt something stirring within me.
Not when every part of me wanted to claim her as my own.