-What do you think you are doing?
-Let's take care of your dress first. And after my clothes. A bath would be providential.
-I'm not going to take a shower with you. - The words came out wobbly.
He couldn't be serious. Burning surged through her as she tried to ignore the sensations he aroused. She has disconcerted again in his arms. His mouth over hers was a caress that took her breath away as it pressed against his strong body.
-Richard Morgan!
"I'm going to end this irritation now, honey."
That was the last coherent thought Rick had... after so long...
The friction between their bodies was taking away all her senses with her rubbing against him as he tried to snuggle her against him, deepening the kiss and breaking down her resistance. God! That ass was pressing just right… He let out a groan.
- Enough now, woman! she declared, desire heating her blood.
Heedless of her further protests, he lifted the girl into the air and headed for the natural pool.
I'll bury myself in you, baby. Now.
-The food by the hour will wait, dear. We have more things to work out. Let's not put this off any longer. You feel like a spell consuming me. You will have all of me this time.
-No!
The negative this time was weak. Cassie was all too aware of how attractive, magnificent, and alluring he was. The body was the worst of traitors in anticipation of the promises that the sensual gaze held. The hot water only stoked her shivering even more as his hands went back to her body as they took her dress off. Grabbing her hips, he pulled her toward him against the erection evident even with his pants sighing. His expression was almost ferocious as he devoured the soft-lipped mouth fighting the clothes he wore.
She took a deep breath knowing she wasn't going to be able to deny the man or her what he wanted. He was simply moaning into her mouth, revelling in his eagerness to get rid of his pants, in agony. Not a moment later, his hand on her breast caused her shudders to be caressed.
Compassion. It was raw, intense and squirming. God! He was an image of temptation. She was tired of fighting him. He was too exciting. He was worse drunk than booze. Her kisses set her on fire. Why would she deny that pleasure knowing it wasn't forever?
She loved that man. She had returned the caresses with ardour fueled by his passion as he explored her body, moaning.
-Rick ...- She stopped in an instant mortified to be lifted and stopped at the edge of the pool.
-What honey? His eyes were locked on hers as his hands slid along the insides of her thighs.
The position was disconcerting, even more so when his head reached her waist in height. His hands were on her legs, gently pushing them apart. A shudder ran through her despite the sensation of being fully exposed to this man. He was ...
-Richard...- she stammered indecisively.
His fingers played with her sex, eliciting moans.
-How hot you are, sweetie. - He sighed with her body on fire.
The view alone was magnificent. She gripped her hips without letting go of the promise-laden gaze and lowered herself between her legs. Damn it. The scent of her arousal. She could get drunk on that smell. It was sweet and tempting. He reached for his target, enjoying the taste of her, feeling his hands trapped in her hair as plundered everything within reach with his tongue without giving her a chance to catch her breath.
-There, please...
-What honey? Then? - He asked looking for her lips, rising from the pool.
-Oh my...- She was panting.
-We haven't even started yet...- The words were a promise as he let the member start to give light and superficial thrusts. He slithered into it...
-You are a beautiful sight, dear. Morgan grunted, stunned at the sensation.
He was going to control himself this time and not behave like an inexperienced boy again. Mayra would have found that amusing.
-Look around. The girl can't be far away. Two of our men are dead.
Richard paraded an inner rosary of curses.
A man should be cursed like that. He couldn't believe it. Were hunters this close? His keen hearing alerted him to the proximity of hunters near the mountains. The caves showed the entrance hidden by fallen trees and the gipsies were careful to make access difficult. Only Cassie's moans would eventually draw attention.
- Quiet. he ordered in frustration and his groin stung as he brought her into the hot water again.
-What happened? she asked in amazement, figuring at first that she'd done something wrong to displease him. His eyes reflected an intense concern that hadn't been there before. Something worried him. It was like reading his thoughts: Are hunters here?
Rick sighed with growing desire as he kissed her lightly on the lips more annoyed than ever.
-I want you to go to the bottom of the cave. You will find crates with warm clothes, although they are not dressed, they will do for the moment.
She widened her eyes in surprise and tension. Go to the bottom of the cave? He had previously hated the idea. A shudder ran through his body and had none of the previous tremors.
-They are hunters! - she was too perplexed. - Why...
Richard pulled her fiercely as he pressed her against him, cursing. Naturally, hunters would not give up such valuable prey without searching. He couldn't take her back to the ship. Not yet. God! His hands slide over her face still flushed from her caresses, pushing back her hair.
-If you need an exit there is one at the end of the hidden cave. I'll get the weapons. Once you're dressed, look for ammo in the stockpiles. It won't be hard to find. Do you know how to use a pistol?
That was a really bad sign. The dead men in the clearing… She twitched.
-It's because of these dead men...
-You're a troublemaker enough to be scared, girl. - Richard assured trying to break her sudden apathy. He felt apprehension at the proximity of his pursuers because of the woman.
"Only when you have..." She spoke very quietly, capturing his emotions fighting the fear.
Richard forced his best smile showing the carelessness he was far from experiencing. Did she capture your emotions? Rays!
-I want you to stay hidden here and in silence. When it's safe, I'll come after you. Don't come if you hear me calling, do you hear me? - he was rude as he grabbed her by the arm and shook her lightly.
-You'll come back for me, won't you? - she looked lost and scared.
-You can bet that you continue right where we left off and without further interruptions. Now go.
She didn't quite protest as she was pressed towards what he thought was safe for her at that moment. She was too nervous about that. Biting her lip, Cassie did something that stunned him into a smile.
Without any complaints, the girl had finally decided to obey her orders. It was a start.
It was several hours later that he returned to the cave, relieved to make sure the hunters had left the cave without finding anything. Anyway, that night they wouldn't light a fire to avoid attracting attention or to cook food.
- Cassie! - he shouted your name
The cave was the same as it had been when he'd left, checking out the surroundings. It took a while for him to realize which girl wasn't responding. It had been a miserable, hellish day and night was already falling. For God! If she had run away again, he wouldn't answer for her actions.
CASSIE! - he roared furiously.
He advanced even more irritated and cursed violent curses. She wasn't there. Again. Oh my God! This time there was no excuse she could find to alleviate the unfortunate betrayal. Simply infernal woman. It couldn't be that hard to just sit there and wait, could it? He stopped, noticing with little clarity the first rays of sunlight that reflected on the walls between gaps of stone the impossible. Were they footprints? He remembered how easily the hunters had left the region.
-What the hell!
They had found the girl quickly, he decided, amazed to smell the wolf weed there. He couldn't have been so foolish as to leave her there alone unprotected like that. He hadn't even worried that she was safe. Where the hell was I going to start looking? The night didn't help. And he would have to wait until daylight. If only here he could shape-shift and become a wolf, it would be easy to track or sniff out the woman.
He decided to pick up more ammo and walk around looking for it. He bumped into something too small and solid to be a rock and charged in annoyance as he knocked the obstacle to the ground, drew his dagger and stopped dead at the high-pitched, feminine scream that reached his ears.
There! - She gasped, losing all the air. Get off of me now! It's suffocating me.
Richard buried the dagger up to the scabbard in the hard earth, driving all the rage into the charge. She wasn't inside the cave.
-Can you explain to me what you're doing out here, for God's sake?
In response to the bad mood, she sat up with annoyed expressions. Beside her, several fruits were fallen. They were apples. He could complain all night. Had she taken a risk for apples? He looked more carefully. Bananas, persimmons and mangoes.
-You were taking too long. Cassie massaged the head that had hit the floor hard. The tree was laden with apples. I haven't eaten anything for two days. And the mangoes... I saw blackberries down there...
He mulled over several answers but fell silent.
-Apples!? Decided to eat apples? he-he asked, arming himself with calm. - I thought they took you! Could you see apples in this darkness? Really?
Richard most certainly intended to lecture endlessly on recklessness if it weren't for the loud growls in her stomach. Dear God!
-I could have killed you, woman! Is it that hard to just obey an order once? How many apples have you managed to eat?
- Have you ever imagined an apple pie with lots of cinnamon and sugar... I'm crazy about apple pies. It was always the fruit I liked the most as a child...
-At least the guavas and pineapples resisted your attack...
- I prefer apples. And the green ones. big. I do not like pineapples.
She had risen to her feet with all possible grace, annoyed bending over to collect the apples leaving Rick to talk to walls indignantly. She'd just found warm clothes and….he gritted his teeth. They were male! The sight of her so bent over as she picked the ripe fruits made him suffer in hell. It was a nice ass. The pants moulded perfectly to the hips. There was nothing left to imagine. They were glued to the body and...
- Cassie! - She grumbled even more with groin throbbing.
-I'm hungry, come on! - She stamped her foot on the floor decidedly. - There are fruits around here. A true paradise. The persimmons...
Rick huffed in irritation, snatching the dagger fiercely. She was very concerned about not losing any fruit that had fallen, lifting her shirt and placing the fruit in a makeshift bag, exposing her body even more.
"I don't deserve this! Maybe a nice, juicy piece of roast beef... And to the point..."
-We will! We'll get you something to eat before you decide to destroy the gipsy orchard.
She let herself still be led to protest loudly for some stray fruit, but she agreed to follow him and stepped inside the cave with a weary sigh. Dropped sleeves...
-They are gone? she-she wanted to know trying to make conversation, while she chewed very satisfied.
The man looked annoyed once more.
Mercy. He complained about everything. She hadn't gone that far to find someone. And they were apples. Not just any apple. The green and sour apples…she'd quite happily found a pistol and a fantastic little spring knife. It was one of her favourites. It was her favourite thing. And the persimmons... I could eat until I was tired...
-Are you going to be bored like this for a long time? she wanted to know biting the fruit with true appetite and close her eyes with genuine pleasure at the taste of the fruit. It was divine.
-Do you want a piece of apple too? It would make a great jam. With fresh bread...