Page 24 of Broken Mountain Man

I force myself to slow down, keeping a steady rhythm despite the burning urge to let go. But Lyla feels too incredible around me to let this end so soon.

She trembles beneath my strokes, wrapping her arms around me as nails rake deliciously down my back. The sharp sting helps ground me in the moment.

"Can't...last..." I grit out in warning.

"Then don't," she pants. "Let go, Russell."

I drink in her flushed, lust-glazed features - sweaty tendrils of hair stuck to her forehead, lips parted enticingly. I can't resist leaning down to claim them once more.

Then I'm driving into her, hips thrusting hard and fast until the coiling tension finally breaks. I bury myself to the hilt as I climax in hot spurts, Lyla arching beneath me.

We lie spent afterward, bodies exhausted and tingling. I roll onto my back, chest still heaving.

"That was...incredible," I rasp out.

Drawing her into my arms, I can't fathom how I'm supposed to return to living without this intimacy.

"That was fantastic," she sighs, rolling to snuggle against my side with her head on my chest.

I wonder if she can hear how wildly my heart is still pounding.

"I don't know how I'll live without doing that again," I admit gruffly.

Lyla props herself up on one elbow to study me.

"Why wouldn't we repeat it?"

"Well, I assumed you'd be leaving in a few hours—or a day at most," I trail off awkwardly.

She stiffens, eyes flashing, "Is that what you want? For what we just shared to mean nothing?"

"No, of course not!" I protest quickly. "Lyla, I might have just met you, but I've never felt this...comfortable. Peaceful."

"Then why are you pushing me away already?" she demands.

I shake my head slowly, an uncomfortable realization dawning.

"I'm not trying to. At least, I don't think I am."

Am I unconsciously distancing myself out of long-held habit? As incredible as this intimacy was, the idea of asking someone to stay—to intrude on my solitary existence—honestly terrifies me.

Lyla's voice cuts through my swirling thoughts, "Well? Do you want me to go or stay?"

My heart stutters in my chest as I consider her loaded question. I know the answer I want to give. So why can't I force the words out?

Lyla gets up and starts dressing, and I can't tear my eyes away from the sway of her ass as she wiggles into her pants.

She's really going to walk away after what we just shared. After cracking open a part of me I thought was dead and buried.

My mind flashes to Aaron - the friend I lost overseas. He'd call me ten kinds of idiot for letting this slip through my fingers out of fear.

I can practically hear his rough voice now: "Don't be a dumbass, Russ. Go after her!"

Moving purely on impulse, I jump up and hurry over, catching Lyla's hand before she can finish dressing.

"What are you doing?" she asks, brow furrowed.

"I don't want you to go," I blurt out. "I want you to stay here...with me. We can spend our days together - exploring, bathing in the lake. I'll even make supply runs into town for better food sometimes." I take a deep breath, squeezing her smaller hand in mine. "Just...stay. Please."

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