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Rust

I've done a lot of difficult things in my life. I've seen a lot of shit that I'd rather not remember and been through hell. But nothing has been as hard as resisting Charlie's beautiful curves right now.

Charlie is in my bed right now, wearing one of my shirts, fresh and clean from a shower. Thankfully, she was able to call her boss from my satellite phone and let her know that she was safe. She went to sleep right after, obviously exhausted from her ordeal. She was not the outdoorsy type, as she said.

Pretty much the opposite of me, and yet I couldn't get her out of my head.

I'm laying awake on the couch with my eyes trained on the ceiling and my cock begging for attention. But I resist.

I barely sleep, fading in and out of consciousness, constantly on alert. I want to keep her safe. I want to make sure she's comfortable and that her knee is doing ok. It's been a long time since I've had someone to take care of besides myself. It's been a long time since I've had someone to worry about.

The sun is just starting to peek through the windows when I hear Charlie stir in the bedroom. I've been up for hours, unable to sleep properly. I finally give in and pad softly to the bedroom door.

Knocking gently, I push it open a crack. "Morning," I grumble, trying to sound gruff. "How's the knee?"

Charlie looks up at me, her hair a mess of auburn curls, her eyes still heavy with sleep. God, she's gorgeous. "I think it's feeling a lot better." She pulls back the covers to take a look.

Her leg is propped up on a pillow, her soft, milky skin contrasting against the black shirt I lent her. The swelling has gone down.

"Good," I nod. "You ok with eggs for breakfast?" I rip my eyes away from her as she stretches. The shirt rides up, giving me just the smallest glimpse of her pink panties. Fuck, she's trying to kill me, I swear.

"Sure," she says with a smile.

I don't trust myself to say anything, so I turn and quickly stomp out of the cabin to the chicken coops I keep.

I take care of a lot of my own food. I have a garden that usually has a good yield, I can or preserve things for the winter, I raise chickens, and I fish. Anything I can't get on my own I go into Darkmore for, but I avoid the town as much as possible.

The soft clucking of chickens soothes the fire in my blood. I gather eggs from the coop as the hens peck around my boots. The rhythmic clucking is calming, and it gives me a moment to collect myself. I can't believe I'm reacting this way to a woman. To Charlie. It's been so long since I've had feelings like this; I don't know what to do with them.

As I make my way back to the cabin, I can't shake the feeling that Charlie is different. Maybe she's not like all the other women I've met in my life.

Charlie is in the kitchen, leaning on a chair when I return.

"Farm fresh eggs," she beams. "Wow, you sure have it made out here, don't you, mountain man?"

I shrug as I wash the eggs clean of feathers and dirt. "Guess so."

Charlie watches me work, studying me closely as if she's trying to figure out a riddle.

"Your clothes are clean," I say, trying to get her to stop watching me. Her gaze makes me nervous, and I don't want to burn the omelette.

"Oh, right." She goes to the bathroom to get her clothes.

I watch her walk away. She still has a slight limp, but she should be fine. I'll take her back to town after we get those blueberries. Then, my life can go back to normal.

I love the feeling of her arms around my waist as we drive through the forest. My four-wheeler takes no time to get to the blueberry patch, once I deciphered it's location from a very crudely drawn and crumpled map she had. Charlie is pressed against my back, her arms tight around my waist, her soft body flush against mine. I can feel her breath on my neck, her hair tickling my ear. It takes every ounce of self-control I possess not to press my hand over hers and feel her curves.

I'm suddenly glad I'm wearing sunglasses, hiding the effect she's having on me. I can't let her see how she makes me feel. I've lived a solitary life for so long, I'm not sure I know how to fit in with someone else anymore.

"So, Rust," Charlie says, her voice soft and warm against my ear.

I swallow hard, trying to focus on the trail ahead. "What do you do when you're not living like a hermit in the woods?"

"I fish. I hunt. I chop wood. I fix things."

"Sounds...rewarding." She pauses, and I can sense her studying me. "But don't you ever get lonely?"

The question catches me off guard. I've never really thought about it. I've been alone for so long that it's become my norm. I shrug, not wanting to admit the truth. "I'm used to it."

Charlie's arms tighten around me, and I can feel the warmth of her breath on my neck. "Well, that's a shame," she says softly. "Because you seem like the kind of guy who could use a little company now and then."

I snort. "You don't know anything about me." I immediately regret my words. She doesn't deserve to be talked to like that.

Charlie doesn't miss a beat, her voice still soft and gentle. "I know that you're kind, even if you don't want to be."

"I don't like to be around people anymore," I say as we roll to a stop. Before she can press me anymore, I hop off the four-wheeler and offer her my hand. "We're here."

The blueberry patch is massive and seemingly untouched by any forest critters. The bushes are bursting with ripe, juicy berries ready to be picked.

I watch as Charlie walks towards the bushes, her hips swaying gently with each step. I have to look away to keep from staring. She's not like the other women I've known. She's full of life and energy, like a bright light shining in the darkness of my solitude.

"These are the biggest, juiciest blueberries I've ever seen! Clara wasn't lying when she said they were worth the hike."

I grin despite myself, watching her excitement. There's something infectious about her enthusiasm. "Even worth banging up your knee?"

Charlie pauses and moves back to me with a handful of berries. "You tell me." She holds out a especially round berry.

Before I can help myself, I take it from her fingers and pop it into my mouth. The burst of flavor is enough to make me roll my eyes with pleasure. "Perfect," I say.

"Aren't they?" Charlie agrees, dropping some more in my hand.

I watch her full lips move as she eats the berries. The sight of it is erotic for some strange reason. I hope she doesn't notice my pants tightening, despite trying not to think about how her lips would look wrapped around my cock.

"Anyway, let's fill up your basket," I say gruffly. Mountain men like me aren't supposed to have a soft spot for blueberries and curvy women from town.

Charlie nods, heading back to the bushes with renewed vigor. I watch her for a moment, appreciating the view, before I join her. The berries are ripe, and they practically fall into the basket with little effort.

We work in comfortable silence, the sounds of nature surrounding us. Birds sing, leaves rustle, and the distant hum of bees reminds me that we're not alone in the wilderness.

After a while, Charlie breaks the silence. "You know, Rust, you're not so bad. Are you ever going to tell me why you're up here alone?"

I sigh. She's just not going to let it go. "Maybe you should have been a lawyer instead of a baker."

"Maybe," she laughs. "But the people in Darkmore need bread more than they need legal advice. It's peaceful. I like it."

I pause, watching her fill the basket with berries, and wonder if maybe life with other people might not be so bad, at least with her. I notice she's favoring her knee again, so I grab the basket from her. "Here, you sit. I'll finish up."

She looks like she's about to protest but thinks better of it and sits down with a relieved sigh on a nearby stump. She leans back and uses her hands to support herself, her legs stretched out in front of her. She winces slightly as she moves, and I feel a surge of protectiveness.

"You should take it easy on that knee," I say, crouching in front of her once I’m done picking the berries.

I can't help but notice how her shirt rides up, exposing a sliver of soft skin. I quickly look away, my body reacting to her nearness. "Let me see it."

Charlie lifts her leg, allowing me to examine her knee gently. It's still swollen, but the color is better than it was yesterday. I shouldn't have taken her out so soon. I might have delayed her healing.

"It feels better," she says, her eyes meeting mine. "You've been really good to me, Rust. I don't know how to thank you."

A hug. A kiss. Stay with me forever. Stay with me here up in the mountains, and you can have all the blueberries your heart desires – That's what I want to say. But I know better. A gruff bear of an old man like me doesn't deserve a sweet young woman like her.

"Don't worry about it," I shrug. "Just take care of that knee, and don't go wandering off the path again."