Page 9 of His Wild Desire

Caleb dips beneath the water's surface once more, and this time, when he reemerges, he arches back in one slow, languid movement. My eyes hungrily trace the flexing ridges of his abdomen, the tantalizing vee of his hip bones disappearing below the creek's gently rippling surface…

Oh god. I need to leave right now.

I tear my gaze away with monumental effort, cheeks flaming with a mixture of arousal and embarrassment, and make to push myself upright. But the second I shift my weight onto my injured ankle, a bolt of white-hot agony lances up my calf. I can't quite stifle the yelp that escapes me as I crumple back onto the boulder.

In the same breath, a deep, feral growl reverberates from the tree line, raising the fine hairs on the back of my neck.

Oh no.

With agonizing slowness, I turn my head until I'm staring directly into a bear's glinting, beady black eyes. Sheer, unbridled terror grips my pounding heart as the beast rears up on its hind legs.

Oh god, I'm going to die. I'm going to die here in these goddamn woods, ripped to shreds by an angry bear. All because I couldn't resist gawking at Caleb's naked body like some pathetic, horny teenager.

I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable, when a deep, furious bellow splits the air—"Get back!"

My lids fly open just in time to see Caleb exploding from the creek in a breathtaking burst of motion. He rockets across the rocky shore, skidding to a stop directly between the bear and me. Adrenaline has me choking on my own panicked gasps as I drink in the glorious, heart-stopping view.

Caleb stands there in all his naked glory, chest heaving and fists clenched at his sides, fearless in the face of the snarling beast. Sunlight gleams off his sculpted, dripping form, casting his chiseled features in harsh relief. He's a vision straight out of some ancient myth—a savage, beautiful woodland god facing down a mythical monster.

"I said get back!" he roars again, taking an intimidating step toward the bear and brandishing my walking stick.

To my utter astonishment, the bear actually hesitates, falling back onto all fours. Then, the bear finally concedes with a low, rumbling huff. It lumbers away, melting into the dense forest once more.

My knees are shaking uncontrollably by the time Caleb swivels to face me, chest still heaving. I shrink back against the boulder, pinned by the sheer, scorching intensity of his glare.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he finally growls, raking a hand through his damp hair, seemingly unconcerned by his nakedness.

"It's not like I invited him along!" I protest indignantly, doing my best to keep my eyes on his. "I just... I just wanted to..."

The rest of the words die on my lips as Caleb closes the distance between us with a few long strides and cups my jaw in one broad, calloused palm. Gentle but insistent fingers tilt my chin upward until I'm forced to meet his piercing gaze once more.

I suck in a sharp breath, parting my lips to say something, anything, but Caleb's mouth is already crashing over mine in a searing, desperate kiss, just as hot and hungry as the one outside of his cabin. My lungs burn with the need for air, but I can't bring myself to break away.

With a low, feral growl, Caleb's palms suddenly bracket my hips, his thick fingers digging into my curves with bruising force. I gasp into his mouth as he hauls me flush against that gloriously naked form.

"Caleb," I whimper breathlessly when he finally tears his lips from mine. My hands roam hungrily, mapping every ridge and hollow as my chest heaves with shallow pants.

His eyes bore into mine, pinning me in place as effectively as his weight. “Do you want me to stop, princess?” he rasps.

I shake my head, my throat too tight to find my voice.

With deft movements, he hooks his fingers into the waistband of my leggings and tugs downward, baring my ass to his wandering hands. He dips his head to trail kisses along my throat, his beard deliciously rough against my fevered skin. My head lolls back as he nuzzles the thundering pulse point, my eyes taking in the towering pines and the blue, blue sky above.

"So fucking gorgeous," he murmurs. "What are you doing to me?”

I don’t know how to answer, but he doesn’t seem bothered by my silence. His palm skims up my inner thigh in one long, torturously slow glide, leaving blazing trails in its wake. By the time his rough fingertips finally brush my aching center, I'm trembling, desperate for more. I sink back against the flat boulder and open my legs for him as wide as they’ll go, still bound by the waistband of my leggings around my knees.

“Just like that,” Caleb growls, stepping back to take in the sight of me.

I marvel at my own wanton bravery, exposing myself to him like this, demanding what I want from him without shame or thought of how it might come across. Something about this man makes me feel free.

Makes me feel wild.

He reaches between us, his calloused fingers spreading my pussy, stroking my throbbing clit with sublime precision even as his eyes never leave mine. A strangled cry punches from my lungs at the exquisite friction, my hips bucking shamelessly against his hand.

"Fuck," he rasps, his voice utterly wrecked as he nuzzles the swollen peaks of my breasts through my t-shirt. "So goddamn wet for me already."

His thumb swirls tight, maddening circles over my clit as two thick fingers press against my entrance before finally thrusting into me, filling me with one sinuous stroke. My pussy flutters wildly around the delicious intrusion, instinctively clenching to draw him deeper.

---