AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And you’re too fresh out of that hell.
As we eat, the evening sun shines a golden hue over everything, the world around us bathed in soft light. The flickering flames of our campfire cast a warm, intimate glow as Maddie and I settle down after dinner. The gentle rush of water and the chirping of evening crickets are the only sounds in this secluded haven.
She is curled up across from me, her knees drawn up, eyes reflecting the fire's light, curious and bright. The Appalachian wilderness around us is alive with the chirps of crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl, but it's her presence that fills the space. With her hair tumbling down her back, shimmering in the firelight, she looks sweetly seductive. The less-than-innocent thoughts dancing through my head feel wholly inappropriate.
“So, Jack.” Her voice is soft but clear in the quiet, sultry night. “You seem like a man with a story.”
I contemplate deflecting, not used to sharing my past so freely. But I decide to do it anyway, parts of it, at least.
“Not much to tell. I retired from the Navy SEAL service last year.” Her eyes widen slightly, a mix of surprise and respect, maybe even a hint of something more. “That makes you seem ancient.” She giggles, the laughter bubbly and bright, prickling my skin.
“To you, even someone twenty-five seems old,” I tease. “But I haven’t yet reached such antiquity. Only thirty-six here.”
“I got lucky that you stumbled on me and the bear earlier.” Her voice is like a gurgling brook I want to dive my hands into. “Just out of curiosity, what was your plan if the bear had charged at you?”
“Well, you can’t outrun him, that’s for sure. I guess I would have had to fight him off.” I smirk. “But bears don’t usually attack, so I knew we would probably be okay.”
Her lips part slightly, the moonlight caressing her smooth cheek. Watching the delicate precision of her movements, I’m struck by her almost unbearable beauty.
If only I could freeze this moment.
Touching her would be sheer recklessness, I remind myself. Like shattering a rare ornate vase.
And yet . . . I want to—need to—have her see me as more than the stranger who crossed her path by fate.
She glances up, and I feel naked, dragging my gaze away toward the darkening woods.
She must have noticed the flame burning behind my eyes because she stands up abruptly. “How about a dip under that waterfall?” Her eyes are twinkling playfully as she starts taking off her T-shirt.
My breath catches at the sight of her white skin glistening in the moonlight, her girlish sports bra encasing two perfect mounds. She hooks her fingers on the rim of her shorts, looking at me while dragging them down, revealing a flat belly and white cotton panties.
The contradiction of her seductive play with the innocence of her no-frills underwear is the end of me.
“Afraid of the cold water?” she teases, the purest, sweetest sound I have heard in a long while.
I’m caught off guard by how fucking beautiful she is. Reluctantly, I peel my eyes off her body and nod. The idea is tempting, though it’s by far not the best one.
I try to dispel the tension in the air. “Sure, but no peeking.”
“Deal!” she agrees with a bubbly laugh as I stand up and grab my backpack to look for my trunks.
The pull toward her is undeniable, but I smash the urge.
She's too young. And I . . . I'm too broken.
“The water is heavenly,” she chirps, already submerged when I step into the tranquil pool. She dips her head in and swims toward the waterfall.
It takes all my resolve to not look at her, afraid I will lose the last shred of control. The water is cool and shallow, and I swim after her until I catch up. We let the cascading waterfall wash over us, the world blurring into a spray of droplets, its sound a deafening roar.
Finally, I give in, turning my gaze toward her. As I watch the moonlight dance on her skin, a swirl of heat seeps into my muscles.
An image of trailing my lips down that gorgeous swan neck flashes through my mind. I snuff it out.
She’s barely legal, I reprimand myself.
My fists are clenched at my sides, almost trembling from trying not to touch her.
But she catches my eye, without a doubt recognizing the unbridled desire. Carefully, she wades through the water. She is standing so close that I could trace every contour of her lips, her breath tickling the end of my nose. A sweet, lavender bergamot scent.
