Page 51 of On the Mountain

Suddenly I wasn’t so sure I could do this. What if I wrecked it? What if I got hurt up here or messed up Crow’s machine? “Maybe I shouldn’t…”

Even with his beanie in the way I could tell his brow furrowed. “You can do it, little lamb.”

Hearing that helped rally up the courage inside me. I wanted to make Crow proud, wanted him to see that he was right about me and I could do it. “Okay.”

He stepped back, and I did as he’d said. The machine lurched forward, and I immediately let go of the throttle. Shit. That was silly of me. I tried it again, moving forward at an incredibly slow pace. Eventually, I got the hang of it, and as I went in circles around the space, the pride swelling inside me was the best thing I’d ever felt until I saw Crow looking at me with it too, and then that was the best thing I’d ever felt.

We stayed out there for some time, Crow watching me and cheering me on. After a while, I pulled up beside him and turned it off the way he’d taught me.

“Should go home and get warmed up,” he said, and I reluctantly agreed.

Crow drove again, and I had no idea how in the hell he knew where to go. I would get turned around out here, but it wasn’t long before I could see his home in the distance.

While he put the snowmobile away, I packed the perfect snowball and hid beside the shop.

Crow didn’t see me when he came out. “Cyrus?”

“Over here.” He turned toward my voice, and the second he did, I let the snowball fly. It smacked him right in the face.

He shook the white flecks off himself, and then his gaze caught mine, wild and feral the way it got sometimes. Fear skittered up my spine at first, and I thought I’d fucked up, but then, this was Crow and I trusted him. I would always trust him.

I collected more snow and started to pack it, but he ran after me. Laughing, I took off, tossing it over my shoulder at him. Crow kept coming after me, surprising me with a snowball of his own that hit my back.

Unexpectedly, he tripped and almost fell. I slunk into the trees, trying to hide from him, though I knew my footprints would give me away.

“Little lamb…” he said, his voice throaty.

A tingling sensation shot through me, landing in my groin. I backed away from him, hiding behind trees, a whooshing in my ears.

“Where are you, little lamb?”

Shivers ran the length of me now, but it had nothing to do with being cold. This was…unexpected and hot. My dick throbbed as he called for me, stalking me. Jesus, I wanted to feel hunted by him. I wanted to be Crow’s prey.

I moved through the brush to another tree and ducked behind it. My chest heaved even though I hadn’t exerted very much energy. It was all stimulation, eagerness for this little game I’d accidentally created.

I peeked around the tree, and Crow’s gaze immediately snagged on mine, wild and untamed, like he wanted this too, liked this too.

I turned to run, and Crow came after me. He didn’t catch me, and I had a feeling he could, that he was holding back, like he knew he had an animalistic side that teetered on not feeling human, and if he gave in to that, he would catch me too soon.

Sliding to a stop, I hid behind a thick tree, my breathing coming out even more heavily now. I heard Crow’s footsteps crunching in the snow.

“I’ll find you,” he said. “You can’t hide from me, little lamb. I can smell you…smell how much you want me…the muskiness of your desire, the scent of sugar that always clings to your skin. I’m going to find you, and I’m going to fuck you.”

My knees nearly gave out. That was maybe the hottest thing I’d ever heard. I bolted out from my hiding spot, but Crow was there. I tried to escape him but tripped and fell, his body landing on top of mine.

He growled, burying his face in my throat and sucking in a deep, long breath through his nose. He took in my scent, rubbed his beard against me like he was some kind of wolf. “I want to fuck you out here, just like this, like I’m an animal and you’re my prey.”

“Oh God.” I seriously almost busted a nut just hearing him say that. I arched toward him, rubbing our bodies together. The winter gear kept me from feeling him the way I needed. “Fuck me, Crow.”

He nipped at me, but the stupid clothes were getting in the way.

“Touch me,” I ordered, but Crow didn’t move from the way he held me down, thrusting against me while breathing me in.

Continuing our game, I pushed him off, and Crow let me. I shoved to my feet and ran but couldn’t get far, not that I wanted to. He blocked me in against a tree, his hair hanging in his face—he’d lost his beanie at some point—and slowly stalked closer.

“Crow…” I begged when he reached me, and pushed my fingers through his hair. Still no words. Somehow I knew I wouldn’t get any for a while. Crow had checked out, or at least part of him had, and he was giving in to the baser needs inside him.

I loved this Crow just as much as I did the other one.

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