Page 21 of Broken Mountain Man

I try to rein in the inappropriate direction my thoughts have strayed, but it's quickly becoming a losing battle. Lyla's sun-kissed skin glistens enticingly where it peeks above the waterline, her eyes heavy-lidded and lips ever so slightly parted. She looks radiant...irresistible.

My resolve shatters like a dam breaking. Moving purely on instinct, I lean forward across the short distance separating us, eyes slipping shut in surrender.

If she plans to push me away, so be it, but I must at least chase this intoxicating temptation, just this once.

To my dizzying relief, Lyla doesn't recoil. Instead, her mouth meets mine in a collision that instantly consumes my senses. I drown in the velvet heat of her lips molding to mine, the electrifying sweep of her tongue boldly seeking entry that I eagerly grant.

We cling together desperately in the shallows, trading scorching, open-mouthed kisses that leave me lightheaded and aching formore. But eventually, the need for oxygen overpowers the primal hunger driving us.

Lyla tears her lips away with a ragged gasp, blinking up at me with eyes gone dark and molten.

"What...what was that?" she breathes out shakily.

My chest heaves as I struggle to catch my own breath.

"I don't know," I admit hoarsely. "It just...felt right."

It felt more right than anything has in longer than I can remember.

Chapter 11 - Lyla

I can scarcely wrap my head around what just happened. Russell actually kissed me - hungrily, passionately, like a man starved for basic human connection.

And I eagerly reciprocated in a way I've never experienced before.

Ever since catching that first glimpse of his powerful, naked body last night, a part of me has craved feeling the weight of that chiseled body covering my own. But I never imagined the ruggedly handsome loner would make a move, let alone be interested in curvy little me in that way.

Now that I've sampled those surprisingly soft lips and tasted the blunt edge of his desire, a raging hunger has been stoked to life inside me, too. One that demands to be fed.

"It felt right to me, too," I murmur back in a voice gone husky with unfurled desire. “And I...I want more. All of it."

Russell's eyes search mine intently for a long beat before he gives a low rumble of assent. In one quick movement, he scoops me up into his strong arms and strides from the lakeshore toward the grassy bank.

He lowers us both to the sun-dappled ground with surprising tenderness.

"That okay?" he rasps out roughly, studying me carefully. "Or do you want me to carry you back to the cabin?"

Instead of answering aloud, I loop my arms around the back of his neck and simply tug him down on top of me.

His powerful weight settles over me in delicious conquest as I whisper breathlessly against his lips, "Don't want to waste another second, Russell..."

Cool droplets from his drenched hair and chest rain down onto my bare skin, trickling in tingling rivulets between my breasts. I shiver in anticipation beneath him, barely believing this is happening.

Russell trails hot, open-mouthed kisses down my throat to my collarbones. I arch my back off the grass, tilting my head back to give him better access. His lips blaze a path lower, leaving me squirming.

I should tell him I'm inexperienced...a virgin. But the thought of pausing this, of risking it never happening, terrifies me. So, I stay silent, raking my nails over the taut muscles of his back instead.

He reaches my breasts, sucking one pert nipple between his lips while palming the other. I cry out shamelessly at the new sensation sparking through me.

I writhe underneath him, overwhelmed, and he pauses. One large hand cups my cheek as concern flickers in his gaze.

"You okay?"

"Yes," I manage breathlessly. "I'm just...I can't believe this is really happening. That we're actually naked...doing this."

A low chuckle rumbles from deep in his chest.

"Me neither.” He brushes the hair back from my flushed face. "But I want you—all of you—more than I should."

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