That was all I needed to hear. Any last thread of hesitation snapped clean.
I bent down, snatched my discarded shirt from the ground, and shook it out before spreading it flat on a soft patch of grass right beside the tree. "Lay down," I told her, the words quiet but absolute.
She kicked off her tennis shoes first, then shrugged out of the light flannel jacket, letting it drop. Her top came next, followed by her jeans, until she stood in just her simple bra and panties. She peeled those off too, revealing smooth skin flushed pink, her nipples tight from the cool air.
Naked, she lowered herself onto my shirt and lay back, watching me with wide, trusting eyes.
I didn't rush. I removed my work boots, then shoved my jeans and underwear the rest of the way down, kicking them aside. Fully bare now, I moved over her, bracing on my forearms so my body hovered just above hers, close enough to feel the heat radiating from her skin.
I kissed her first—deep and thorough, my tongue stroking hers until she arched up into me with a soft whimper. Then I began working my way down. Lips brushing her jaw, her throat, the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder.
I lingered at her breasts, sucking one tight nipple into my mouth while my hand kneaded the other, drawing a shattered moan from her. Lower still, my mouth traced the curve of her ribs, her stomach, until I settled between her spread thighs.
My gaze lifted to hers as I slid one thick finger through her slick folds and pushed slowly inside. She was soaked—hot and drenched—and the groan that tore from my throat was pure, raw satisfaction.
"Fuck, Mia," I rasped, eyes locked on her face as I curled my finger, stroking that sensitive spot inside her. "So wet for me."
She gasped, hips twitching. I watched every flutter of her lashes, every parting of her lips. I added a second finger only after the first had her panting, stretching her gently while my thumb brushed near her clit.
Then my mouth found her—slow, deliberate strokes of my tongue circling her clit, flicking, then sucking gently while my fingers kept their steady rhythm. The wet, obscene sounds of my mouth and fingers filled the quiet air, mingling with her broken moans and the distant rustle of wind through the pines.
Her thighs trembled against my shoulders. One of her hands fisted in my hair, the other gripping the grass beside the shirt.
Her body felt alive beneath me—soft skin flushed hot, muscles tightening and releasing in waves as pleasure built. I drew it out, slow and relentless, watching her face the entire time—the way her brows drew together, the way her lips fell open on a silent cry…
Finally, she came—back arching hard off the ground, a sharp, beautiful cry breaking from her throat as her walls clenched rhythmically around my fingers. I didn't stop, licking her gentlythrough every pulsing wave, savoring the way she shook and gasped until the last tremor finally faded and she went limp beneath me.
When she was still catching her breath, I moved up her body, positioning myself between her legs. The thick head of my cock nudged her slick entrance, and I was ready to sink into her.
She stopped me with a hand on my chest, breathing hard, eyes bright with need. "Wait."
I met her gaze, my own body coiled tight with restraint. "What is it?"
"I want you to fuck me against the tree," she whispered.
A deep groan rumbled out of me, raw and helpless. "Jesus, Mia."
But suddenly, I couldn't think of anything I wanted more.
7
MIA
Ididn't have time to second-guess myself.
The second the words left my lips—"I want you to fuck me against the tree"—Hale's groan rumbled through his chest like thunder rolling down the canyon. His eyes darkened to storm-cloud gray, and then he was moving, strong hands gripping my hips as he spun me gently but firmly until my back met the rough bark of the ponderosa pine.
The wood scraped lightly against my shoulders, grounding me in the moment. Cool evening air kissed every inch of my bare skin, raising goosebumps along my arms and thighs. I could still taste myself on his mouth when he kissed me again—deep, claiming, his tongue stroking mine while one big hand slid down to hook behind my knee and hitch my leg up around his hip. His cock nudged hot and heavy against my entrance, slick from my first orgasm and my own desperate arousal.
"Easy, Mia," he murmured against my lips, voice low and rough. "Breathe for me."
I nodded, heart slamming against my ribs. And then he pushed inside—slow, inch by thick inch. The stretch was immediate and intense.
A sharp sting bloomed deep inside me, stealing my breath. I gasped, fingers digging into his shoulders, nails biting into warm muscle. It hurt more than I'd expected—a burning pressure that made my eyes water even as my body tried to adjust around the unfamiliar fullness.
Hale froze, forehead pressed to mine, breathing hard. "There you go. Just relax. You feel so fucking good, baby—tight and hot and perfect." His hand stroked soothingly down my side. "Touch your clit for me. It'll help."
Heat flooded my face. I'd never done anything like that in front of anyone, let alone out here where the last rays of sunset painted the valley below us in gold and rose. But the way he was looking at me—like I was the only thing in the world—made me want to be brave.
