Getting to the lake is simple enough. Finding an RV or even a house is harder. It takes them half an hour of searching to find a campground several miles up the trail. When they do, he can’t help but feel like maybe they’re coming home.
There’s nothing out here but them, the wilderness, and a single RV strategically placed before a drop-off. The red desert is a welcome view from the overlook, and the forest to their back, thick with aspens, offers plenty of hunting ground. They’re on the edge of two ecosystems, smack in the middle of a gradient.
Kara’s excited that their only option just happens to be her favorite type of silver trailer, and she peers into the window eagerly like a kid on Christmas morning.
“It’s clear as far as I can tell, andit’s nice,” she smiles wide. “It was waiting here for us, Wade. I can feel it.”
Sure enough, when he gets inside, it’s the nicest one he’s seen. Lots of plush bedding and pillows, and plenty of space for moving around. Solar lanterns charge with sticky panels on the windows, promising light after dark. Someone put a lot of love into this place.
“Should be careful. We dunno if someone’s coming back,” he warns.
“I don’t think we need to worry about that.”
He follows her gaze to the hastily discarded wedding attire on the single queen bed. A puffy white dress and a black suit lay piled together, surrounded by open drawers left in a panic.
“I think I know why there’s only one trailer. It’s a rental. Someone came here to get married, probably said their vows right at the edge of that cliff, and then the turn happened and they ran. They’d have been safer staying here. There’s so much dust, nothing’s been touched in a long time.”
“I hope they made it.” He helps her clear the bed and stuff the clothes into a closet.
“I think I’ll choose to believe they did. Feel up to a swim so we can clean up?”
He could almost believe she’s got nothing else planned for how innocent the question is if he didn’t know better.
* * *
When they get to the lake and she casually strips in front of him, every newly revealed patch of soft skin has him distracted. By the time she’s naked at the water’s edge, he’s still got his pants on.
She makes a show of folding her clothes, not shy in the least. Every curve and dip on display, tempting him to give in.
He groans, finally shoving his pants off and following her into the water like a man beholden to a siren. It’s cold, yet he barely notices until the dog breaks the spell by cannon balling into the lake with a splash three times her size. Cherry swims in circles around them, showing off, and then busies herself near the shore, trying to catch fish.
“I guess she can swim,” Kara laughs.
“Thank god she didn’t sink like a rock. Maybe she’ll catch us dinner.”
It’s a moment of levity that’s quickly chased away when Kara presses herself against him, one leg over his hip, putting her dangerously close. “You know, when we swam together at the motel, I wished I could do this.”
He’s lost all ability to speak. Can’t form a coherent thought. He half forgets he’s supposed to resist and nearly pushes up into her where she’s teasing the tip of him.
“We’re here now,” he says desperately.
“Are you giving in?”
“No. But you can.”
She doesn’t answer, so he leaves the round of her ass to stroke a finger into the heat between her legs, dipping inside just enough to let her feel him. The angle is odd, but she curses his name anyway, rolling her forehead against his in frustration.
The hold on his sanity is rapidly fading, but she hasn’t given in, and he won’t either.
“You wanna call it?” she tries again, her words ragged.
“Not yet. You?”
“Fuck. No. I mean I do, but no. Not yet.”
They share a stare, each one silently begging the other to cave before he slowly pulls his finger free.
She laughs, ducking her head. “We’re ridiculous. I could be coming right now, what the hell is wrong with me?”
