Page 59 of Feverburn

Carson took my hand and led me into the cabin that smelled woodsy with a hint of clean laundry. I didn’t know what to expect, but it sure ashellwasn’t this. It was spotless for a bachelor pad but a little sparse in décor, which I could understand. It was lodge-style with an open living room, kitchen, and huge windows to show off his view of the lake.

The towering fireplace had gray, smoothed river rocks creeping up to the tall ceilings filled with giant beams, creating an old-worldly feel. In front of the hearth was a dark leather U-shaped sectional. Behindthe couch was the kitchen with rustic custom cabinets and an old canoe tipped upside-down above the kitchen island as a long light fixture.

“Your cabin isgorgeous,”I said, looking around.

“Thank you for saying that.”He led me to the stairs to the side of the fireplace. Each stair was a log cut vertically in half, the flat side making up the step.

“You built it yourself, didn’t you?”

He looked over his shoulder.“I think you already know the answer.”He squeezed my hand.

The second floor was Carson’s main suite, spanning the entire cabin. The dark wooden floors and alcoves created a certaincharm, and his bed welcomed us right as we walked in. It appeared sturdy, with a headboard and footboard encasing it with distressed wood and soft dark gray bedding.

A circular window crowned the bed between the two slanted sides of the wooden pitch ceilings. It created a cozy, intimate space with dim lanterns mounted on the wall on either side instead of lamps. The mercury glass created a faint glow, enough to see Carson’s eyes set on me as I stepped into his arms.

“I didn’t know your cabin was that close to the lake.”

He pulled the sweater off, kissing my shoulder. “What can I say? On some level, you couldn’t stay away from me.”

I shoved at his chest, trying not to laugh at hisstupidjoke. The memory of Viviane telling me I’d find my answers at that specific lake floated in my mind, along with the visual of Carson walking into the water to profess all his secrets and devotion. I fought a pleased smile while I pressed closer to my new lover.

I got my answers at that lake. That’s for damn sure.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The green digits displaying 11:08 on the dashboard of my truck put a burn in my stomach. After the solstice party, I went home to clean up, take care of Kizzy, and then returned to meet her. She was running late, which I didn’t mind, but I started toworry. Did someone see us? Was she enduring the wrath of Kaylee and Harley all alone?

I distracted myself by thinking about her. Rosie had me in a vise. Myheart, my body, my fate—it was all hers.

I couldn’t forget how she pulsed against me, the way her flower crown knocked off her head while I moved deep inside her. Seeing her dress pushed up as her knees hitch around me while we moved together feltancientand instinctual. Someprimalpart of me loved that I rutted into her on the forest floor like some fuckingbeast. She wasgorgeous,brazen, and alive with me. Trulywild.

I wanted more. I needed more.

At 11:11, she pulled up and followed me to the cabin. Kiszkalosthis shit, realizing it was her, and I couldn’t blame him. She belonged here with us, not stuck in the loft. I walked her upstairs, fielding questions about my cabin. Someday, I’d tell her how I inherited the land and how it took forever to build out. In the meantime, I had one thing on my mind— getting her out of that dress.

“I want you so bad, but I’m worried I smell like a bonfire,”she whispered.

“You don’t.”I brushed her neck, breathing in herspicyand earthy scent before I yanked off my shirt, needing to feel her skin on mine.

“I might have dirt on me from the forest. I don’t want to get your beddirty.”

“Don’t care. Can’t wait. Need you,”I said betweenquickkisses. With my lips still on hers, I reached for the faux fur blanket at the foot of my bed, ripping it up to cover most of the surface.“Better?”She nodded, giggling while raising her arms, letting me lift the dress off her body.

She peppered kisses all over my chest, her hand streaming the crystal necklace she had given me months ago.“You’re still wearing it?”she asked.

“Never took it off.”

“After all this time?”She kissed the crystal pendant and pulled me closer with the chain.

My lips hovered over hers,“It felt like having a piece of you with me.”

“You can have all of me now. Can we take it off while we—”

I lifted it off my neck, putting it in my pocket before wrapping her in my arms again, loving how her boobs smashed against me. She undid my pants. Stepping out of them, I tugged her panties down. My hand cupped her pussy, needing to feel it again. She sucked in a breath at my touch, pushing my underwear down as my dick jutted up between us.

I kissed her down to the bed, lifting her hips, scooching her right where I wanted her underneath me. She spread her legs for me, so needy and fucking ready I had to fight swiping my dick against her. I kissed her neck to distract myself, and time halted as we lay there, making out and moving together, enjoying the feel of skin on skin. Our hands grabbing, legs entangling, tongues brushing, bodies gliding. Needing to be closer, so much closer.

I broke thekissand rolled beside her, running my roughened palm from her throat to her mound and back up. She tilted her chin up to expose more of her neck in surrender, enjoying the path my hand traveled. I did it again before running my knuckles between the valley of her breasts and down her tummy before brushing over her pussy.

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