The cringe pinching my features hands over the truth faster than any excuse I could conjure. “Sorry. What’s up?”
He points downward. “Our friend is gone.”
I follow his gesture and gasp at the empty space. “Praise patience. Do you think he’ll come back?”
“There’s always a chance, but now we know you’re capable of climbing a tree in a hurry.”
I dust off my chipped nails, adding a faux blow for haughty impact. “I’m gaining quite a few useful skills on this excursion.”
“And you look damn fine doing them. Do you wanna go first?”
“I’ll let you take the honor of leading our way.” I’m not willing to admit that terror still has a decent grip on me. If anything else jumps from the bushes, I’ll probably faint. Or take off screaming into the river. Not sure I’d be able to put on a brave front ever again after going postal over a bunny or chipmunk.
After another minute with the coast remaining clear, Halder descends the thick trunk with the agility of a panther. My exit strategy is more bumble than grace, but I get out of that damn tree all the same. A mellow flourish sweeps over me once my feet land on solid ground. Then I turn my sights on Halder. He’s busy dusting the debris off his pants so my blatant stare goes unnoticed.
Every brawny piece of him exudes masculine strength. Gratitude floods me until my entire being is brimming with unquenched need. An engine revs in the pit of my stomach. I pounce without warning, resembling the feral creature we just ran from.
Our lips slam together in a sloppy embrace packed with sizzle and spark. I press into him until there’s nowhere else to move. My upper torso aligns with his waist, so I stretch to greet more of him. Smoky ash, woodsy musk, and raw power slam into my nostrils with the collision. I breathe him in until my lungs only know his scent. His essence drowns out the dying embers beside us. I loop my arms around his neck and tug until he bends into me. With him stooping to my level, our connection crackles with the first frissons of passion.
Once Halder gets over the shock of my impulsive ploy, his mouth softens over mine. He tosses our bag of food along with his stocking cap. With his hands free, he clutches onto me with a ferocity that trembles through my very core. Our natural finesse begins to flow seconds later, and I sag against him with a sigh. He draws my lip between his teeth, tugging me closer. I go willingly, falling deeper under his spell.
Even standing in the middle of desolate woodland, pleasure envelops us with an eager welcome. He licks along the seam of my parting mouth. The entry he seeks is one I’m more than ready to give. With the initial swipe of his tongue along mine, a choir of dirty birds begin serenading me. He tastes earthy and rich, better than the freshest blend of coffee.
The blast of roaring fire in my lower belly is staggering. I gasp from the fiery onset. He meets me halfway on every turn. I give until he takes, then we swap again. The rhythm is an electric loop binding us in unity. And this is only a kiss. Our first, at that. This type of chemistry cannot be denied.
The hat falls off my head when I tip back too far. But Halder is there with a hand at the base of my spine to catch me. This man holds the key to unlocking my inner lust that I believed was long lost. I guess no one else even bothered to look. His thumb glides across the smooth line of my jaw. I’m wanton, straining for more. He tips my chin and gives me just that.
This kiss feels necessary and unavoidable. Inevitable and meant to be. We couldn’t avoid this crash for a second longer without capsizing. His grip tightens on my hips, as if I might disappear. To prove the impossibility of that insanity, I drag my fingers through the shaggy length of his hair as an anchor. The arousal zapping between us is consuming and hot, warming me from the inside out. An inferno billows in my veins when he becomes more bold with his wandering grasp.
Halder palms my ass through the thermal wear, hauling me into