Page 4 of Freeing Camila

“Occupational hazard,” he said cryptically, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips as her confusion deepened.

“Huh?”

“Nevermind,” he muttered, the rough bark of the tree scratching against his arm as he leaned closer to see what had snagged her. The belt loop of her jeans was caught and twisted, hopelessly entangled in a heap of branches. “So what was the plan here?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“What do you mean?”

“I'm curious. Was your decision to climb a tree a spontaneous one?”

“Kinda.” A subtle shift in her demeanor accompanied her answer; a tightening of her lips and a faraway look in her eyes hinted that there was more to the story than she was willing to share.

He let out a noncommittal “Mm,” accepting her answer, though its ambiguity left much to be desired and a great deal open to interpretation. “So, on a whim, you made this reckless decision to engage in a hazardous activity, facing the possibility of getting hurtby yourself, because . . .”

His attention was immediately captured by her wide brown eyes; the flecks of gold within them further captivated and intrigued him. She was even prettier up close. And, dare he say, even more adorable as a small frown formed on her lips, her lower lip jutting out slightly as she struggled with a response to his scolding. And now his attention was snagged by that protruding lower lip. The glistening fullness, so plump and ripe-looking, ignited in him a primal urge to sink his teeth into it.

With a shudder, he shook himself out of his haze, the sounds of the birds chirping and leaves rustling slowly coming back into focus as she stuttered a reply. “Um . . . I . . . uh . . . I mean . . . I’m new to the area, so . . .”

She let her sentence trail off, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Being new to the area meant it was apparent that she lacked a circle of friends who would join her in her impulsive and ill-conceived schemes.

He mumbled an unenthusiastic “I see,” biting the inside of his cheek as he suppressed the urge to further admonish her about the reckless choice she had made. “So, what was the plan if you couldn’t get free and I hadn’t had come along?”

“I considered wriggling out of my jeans.”

Wade’s hands stilled, his fingers hovering over the tangled belt loop as the weight of her words settled upon him. A surprising and intense reaction overcame him as he was unexpectedly struck by the vivid mental image of her in just a t-shirt and panties. The unexpected surge of desire hit him like a physical blow, a visceral reaction he hadn’t foreseen. A wave of heat washed over him, leaving him breathless and disoriented.

“You were going to strip naked?” he asked, his voice tight with disbelief.

“Well, not completely,” she capitulated, a rosy blush blooming on her cheeks as she shyly looked away. “There’s really not much difference between panties and a bikini, if you think about it. At least I’m not wearing a thong.”

Fuck.He did not need that image in his head right now. This sexy sprite in a thong. Yeah . . . no. Not going there.

“Right,” he muttered, focusing once again on the tangled branches. “Almost done here.” With one final tug, she was loose. “Okay. You’re free.”

She shifted her body, turning her head to glance over her shoulder, bringing her face incredibly close to his. He was engulfed by the intoxicating sweetness of her scent, a heady mix of peaches and spice. As she peered over her shoulder, a whisper-soft strand of her hair brushed against his cheek and his fingers suddenly itched to reach out and touch it.

Time to get out of this tree.

“You ready to climb down?” he asked, locking down his unruly desire.

“You betcha.”

Her cheeky response caused a slow grin to spread across his face. He swiftly descended, prepared to offer his assistance if she should require it. She stumbled once, her foot slipping from underneath her on a tree limb. He instinctively reacted, preparing himself to catch her before she fell. But with a deep breath, she steadied herself and carefully continued her descent.

He took hold of her around the waist once she was near, guiding her downwards, belatedly realizing that her tits were directly in front of his face in this position.Do not look at her tits. Do. Not. Look.Despite his efforts, he couldn't resist the temptation to glance at the cleavage peeking out from the low-cut t-shirt. The image that instantly sprang to mind was his mouth wrapped around a taut bud, a picture conjured by that small, pert handful.

Do. Not. Go. There.

The moment her feet touched the ground, he released her before he did something stupid. The dazzling grin she flashed him sent a jolt of warmth straight to his heart. “That was excellent!” she shouted, her voice ringing with excitement and a touch of breathlessness. “I can’t believe I did that.”

She pulled out her phone and then carefully positioned herself and the tree in the frame before taking a selfie to capture the moment. He smiled, a slow, indulgent curve of his lips, at the slightly ridiculous poses she was doing. He couldn’t help the smile; there was an incredibly endearing quality about her that was simply irresistible. And an almost childlike innocence that had all his protective instincts flaring to life. Instincts which he had believed to be long dormant following the disastrous event that continued to haunt his dreams.

During one pose, her shirt rose, revealing a long scrape on her back, crusted with dried blood. “That cut looks nasty. I’ve got a first aid kit in my truck. I can take care of it for you if you trust me.”

With a quick shove of her phone into her pocket, she flashed him another million-dollar smile. “You saved me from the tree. How could I not trust you?”

He felt a knot of unease tighten in his chest at her words. To trust someone so easily was incredibly naïve of her. For all she knew, he could be a crazy axe murderer. He felt compelled to point out, with a frown, “You probably shouldn't trust a stranger so easily. You never know what they might be hiding.”

A sudden, intense emotion, something akin to recognition or a memory, momentarily illuminated her eyes. Almost as if there was some deep-rooted understanding of the implications behind his words. Her reaction, a subtle tightening of her jaw and a distant look in her eyes, spoke volumes of past betrayals and the bitter knowledge that came with them. Again, his protective instincts screamed at him. There was something in this woman’s past that had left an indelible mark on her memory.

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