Page 5 of Big and Rowdy (Big Boys Love Curves #1)

five

Savannah

Sunday dawns gray and misty, the kind of weather that makes the wilderness look mysterious and primeval. I wake to the sound of rain pattering against my tent, and for a moment consider calling Boone to postpone whatever he has planned for the day.

Then my phone buzzes with a text: Rain's supposed to clear by noon. Trust me?

I find myself smiling as I type back: Always dangerous words from a man with a four-wheeler.

The most dangerous kind, comes his immediate reply, followed by a winking emoji that shouldn't be as charming as it is.

Another text follows quickly: Orson checking if I'm still coming to Sunday family dinner. Wondering if you might want to join us next week?

The casual inclusion in a family tradition makes my heart skip a beat. I text back: Let's see how today goes first.

By the time Boone arrives at my campsite, the rain has indeed stopped and the clouds are beginning to break apart, revealing patches of brilliant blue sky.

He's wearing rain gear over his usual jeans and thermal shirt, and the four-wheeler is equipped with what looks like serious off-road modifications.

"Afternoon, gorgeous," he says, pulling off his helmet and running a hand through his damp hair. "Ready for a real adventure?"

"Define 'real,'" I say, eyeing the machine warily. It looks even more intimidating than usual.

"The kind that requires holding on tight and trusting me completely." His grin is pure mischief, but there's something serious underneath it. "I want to show you something special. Somewhere I've never taken anyone else."

The possessive note in his voice sends heat curling through my belly.

"How special are we talking?"

"The kind of special that requires a promise."

"What kind of promise?"

He steps closer, his voice dropping to something just above a whisper. "That you'll keep it between us. This place... it's sacred to me. Family land that's been untouched for generations."

The seriousness in his tone makes my chest tighten. There's no cockiness now, no practiced charm. Just a man offering to share something precious.

"Why me?" I ask quietly.

"Because you understand. You love wild places the way I do. And because..." He pauses, seeming to struggle with the words. "Because I want to share it with you."

The simple honesty of it takes my breath away. "Okay," I say quietly. "I promise."

The ride to Boone's secret place is unlike anything I've experienced.

We climb higher than I thought possible, following trails that seem to exist only in Boone's memory.

The four-wheeler handles terrain that would challenge a mountain goat, navigating through stands of spruce and aspen that whisper secrets in the northern wind.

More than once I find myself pressed tightly against his back, my arms wrapped around his waist as we navigate particularly treacherous sections.

I can feel the play of muscles in his back and shoulders as he controls the machine, can smell the clean scent of his skin beneath the rain gear. By the time we reach our destination, I'm wound tight with more than just adrenaline.

"Close your eyes," Boone says as the engine dies.

"Seriously?"

"Trust me."

I squeeze my eyes shut and let Boone guide me off the four-wheeler, his hands steady on my waist. I can hear water rushing somewhere nearby, and the air smells like pine and rain-washed stone.

"Okay," he says softly. "Look."

I open my eyes and gasp. We're standing on a natural ledge overlooking a hidden valley that's like something out of a fairy tale.

A waterfall tumbles down the far side in a ribbon of silver, feeding a crystal-clear pool surrounded by ancient trees.

The recent rain has left everything looking washed and new, and mist still clings to the valley floor like gauze.

"Boone," I breathe. "This is..."

"I know." He's watching my reaction rather than the view, his expression soft and pleased.

"It's perfect." I turn to face him fully, overwhelmed by the gesture. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

"Thank you for understanding why it's important."

We're standing close now, the mist from the waterfall cools on our skin. I can see my own desire reflected in his dark eyes, and can feel the tension that's been building between us for days reaching a breaking point.

"Savannah," he says, my name a question.

Instead of answering with words, I reach up and pull his head down to mine.

This kiss is different from the others—hungrier, more desperate.

His control, which has been admirable up until now, seems to snap completely.

His hands tangle in my hair, and he backs me up against a sun-warmed boulder, his body pressing against mine in a way that leaves no doubt about his intentions.

"God, you're beautiful," he murmurs against my throat.

"Boone," I gasp, my hands fisting in his shirt.

"I want you," he says simply, raising his head to meet my eyes. "Here, now. But only if—"

I silence him with another kiss, pouring all my own want and need into it. I've never been the type for outdoor adventures of this particular kind, but something about this place, this man, makes me feel wild and free in ways I've never experienced.

Boone groans against my lips and lifts me easily, settling me on the boulder so we're nearly the same height. The position brings us into intimate contact, and I can't suppress the moan that escapes me when I feel the hard length of him pressing between my thighs, even through our clothes.

"God, Savannah," he rasps, his voice thick with desire. "I want to see you. All of you."

My heart hammers against my ribs as I nod, and he steps back just enough to pull my sweater over my head. His eyes darken as they roam over my lace-covered breasts, his hands coming up to cup them.

"Beautiful," he whispers, thumbs brushing over my hardened nipples through the fabric. "So fucking beautiful."

I arch into his touch, emboldened by the naked desire in his eyes. My fingers find the hem of his shirt, tugging it upward.

He helps me strip it off, and I'm momentarily stunned by the expanse of tanned skin and sculpted muscle before me. My hands explore the broad planes of his chest, tracing the ridges of his abs, feeling the way his muscles jump beneath my touch.

When my bra falls away, he makes a sound low in his throat. His hands cup the fullness of my breasts, testing their weight, and when his thumbs brush across my nipples, I gasp at the jolt of pleasure that shoots straight to my core.

The first touch of his lips on my sensitive flesh has me crying out, my hands clutching at his shoulders as he sucks and teases. His tongue swirls around one nipple while his fingers work the other, and I'm already panting, already desperate for more.

His mouth finds mine again in a kiss that's all heat and promise. His hands slide down to the button of my jeans, pausing there.

"Yes," I breathe against his lips.

He unbuttons them slowly, dragging the zipper down with deliberate care. When his fingers brush against the damp fabric between my thighs, I whimper.

"Already so wet for me," he says, his voice rough with satisfaction.

He helps me shimmy out of my jeans, leaving me in nothing but my panties. The cool mist from the waterfall kisses my heated skin, raising goosebumps along my arms. But when Boone kneels before me, eyes level with my center, I forget about the cold entirely.

He presses a kiss to my inner thigh, so close to where I need him. "I've been dreaming about tasting you since the moment I saw you."

"Then do it," I challenge, my voice breathy but bold.

His grin is predatory as he hooks his fingers in the elastic of my panties and slides them down my legs. I'm completely bare before him now, and the way he looks at me makes me feel more beautiful than I ever have.

He starts with gentle kisses along my inner thighs, working his way higher with agonizing slowness. When he finally presses his mouth to my center, I cry out, my hands flying to his hair to keep him there.

"You taste even better than I imagined," he murmurs against me, the vibrations of his voice adding to the sensation.

His tongue circles my clit before dipping lower, exploring every fold and sensitive spot until he finds exactly what makes me gasp and tremble.

One broad hand splays across my stomach, holding me in place as he works me over with his mouth.

When he slides one finger inside me, curling it to hit that perfect spot, I nearly come undone.

"Boone, please," I pant, my hips rocking against his face. "I need you."

He adds a second finger, stretching me deliciously while his tongue continues its relentless assault on my clit. The sensation is overwhelming, and I feel myself climbing higher, teetering on the edge of something monumental.

"That's it, beautiful," he urges, his voice rough with arousal. "Let go for me."

When he sucks my clit between his lips and curls his fingers just right, I shatter. The orgasm crashes through me like a tidal wave, my back arching as I cry out his name. It echoes off the valley walls, a primal sound that seems fitting in this wild place.

Before I've even caught my breath, Boone is standing, hastily shedding his jeans and boxers. I watch through half-lidded eyes as he reveals himself, and my mouth goes dry at the sight of him—thick and hard and ready.

"Now," I demand, leaning back on the boulder and pulling him between my thighs.

He's big, stretching me in a way that borders on too much, but the slight burn only adds to the pleasure. He gives me time to adjust, his forehead pressed against mine, his breathing ragged.

"God, you feel incredible," he murmurs. "So tight, so perfect."

When I roll my hips, signaling I'm ready, he begins to move. His strokes are deep and measured, each one hitting spots inside me that have me seeing stars. His hands grip my hips, lifting me slightly to change the angle, and suddenly he's hitting somewhere even deeper.

"Right there," I gasp, my nails digging into his shoulders. "Don't stop."

"Wasn't planning on it," he growls, increasing his pace.

The boulder is warm against my back, a contrast to the cool mist floating around us. The sound of the waterfall mixes with our panting breaths and the slap of skin against skin, creating a primal symphony that seems to heighten every sensation.

Boone's hand slips between us, his thumb finding my clit with unerring accuracy. The added stimulation has me climbing rapidly toward another peak, my inner walls beginning to flutter around him.

"Come for me again, Savannah," he commands, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. "I want to feel you come around me."

His words push me over the edge, and I'm coming again, harder than before, my entire body convulsing with pleasure. I cry out his name, the sound echoing off the valley walls, and the sensation of me pulsing around him triggers his own release.

He buries his face in my neck, groaning my name as he pulses inside me. His hips stutter, then still, and for a moment we're frozen in perfect union, both gasping for breath.

The waterfall provides a natural soundtrack, and the late afternoon sun paints everything in gold. I'm still trying to catch my breath, still reeling from the intensity of what just happened between us.

I turn in his arms so I can see his face, noting how the cockiness is completely gone now, replaced by something that looks almost vulnerable.

"I should probably tell you," I say carefully, "I don't usually do this."

"This?"

"Get involved with someone I've just met. Have sex outdoors. Any of it, really."

His smile is tender. "Good. I'd hate to think I was just another vacation fling. But outdoor sex is way better than in bed."

“Oh, I know that now,” I laugh but the words send a pang through my chest, because that's exactly what this is supposed to be. In less than a week, I'll be packing up my campsite and moving on to the next adventure. Boone will become a pleasant memory, nothing more.

Except looking into his eyes now, I can't quite convince myself that walking away will be that simple.

"What are you thinking?" he asks, apparently reading the conflict on my face.

"That this is more complicated than I planned for."

"The best things usually are." His hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining naturally. "But that doesn't mean they're not worth it."

As the sun begins to set over the hidden valley, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, I let myself imagine, just for a moment, what it might be like to stay. To build something real with this man who makes me feel wild and safe at the same time.