chapter 34

Nita had to count to ten backward and forward before she did something she’d never done and attacked a man. It didn’t matter that he was taller, bigger and tougher. That scruffy beard, those sexy hazel eyes and that gorgeous smile was going to push her to a new level of desperation.

She’d claimed that her cousin Tally was the one who needed to get laid, but clearly she was past due in the sex department. The last time she’d had sex had been so long ago her vagina probably had a vacancy sign with full blown neon lights down there.

She’d slowed down on the dating in search of something...different. A man who would be more than just sex. She hated lies. Somehow most of the relationships she’d been in involved her boyfriend’s keeping things from her and her finding out later on. She was tired of it. She wanted honesty. She wanted everything out in the open. So far Ky had shown her he was the real deal. More than just sex.

So why then, did this man that made her want more than sex also make her think of the naughtiest things? It wasn’t fair. She’d never been so ready to drop her panties and spread ‘em like she was at that moment.

Sadly, she didn’t even feel an ounce of shame over it. What she did feel was anger that Liam had interrupted their kiss.

The rest of the walk to the river was quiet with Ky holding her hand the entire way. It was new and different. Men she’d dated in the past hadn’t done things like help her walk so she wouldn’t fall. They hadn’t held her hand just because they wanted to. And they certainly hadn’t waited to push their way into her bed. Those men had been takers. Clearly Ky was a giver. Now if she could only get him to give her all the orgasms that wicked smile of his promise.

The river bend was beautiful. There was a waterfall and some large rocks that allowed for prime viewing of the lower valley. She’d bet watching the sunset from there would be unforgettable. The lush greenery and giant trees only reminded her of how little she had in way of a view back home. This openness called to her. She’d give up the city so fast if she found a house in the woods. Not that she was a fan of living alone, but maybe in time she’d find the man for her.

Someone like the bear.

She really liked where this was going with him. Her mind told her to take her time with him. But her body, that desperate bitch, told her to get him naked as soon as possible. Jesus. The bear is naked. Those heavy muscles she’d felt under that plaid shirt might kill her from pleasure. If she could just lick her way up his jaw she might come without any actual sex. The way he kissed her alone disabled her ability to think.

“This is where we do most of our fishing,” Liam said, pointing to the large river.

Oops. She’d blacked out the conversation while visualizing him and her doing naughty stuff. The big fall that scurried down to the giant river below showed her a clear view of the fish as they traveled down and up the current.

“Wow. I’ve never been fishing, but I am getting the urge to. Look at all those fish!” she exclaimed.

Ky nodded. “We have a prime location here. It’s been a big problem with nearby clans that want to fish without permission.”

“So you won’t let anyone else fish here?” She allowed him to help her further down the side of the river, toward the group of cabins below.

“We do if they ask permission. We don’t want to overfish, so we have seasons. The problem is some of the other clans don’t want to fish at the other rivers that are further away. They want to claim this one for themselves. It becomes a big problem when they start trouble with my people.”

“Does that happen often?” She trailed next to him, following behind Liam.

“We have a problem, Chief.”

Liam stopped some yards ahead of them. “There was a pile of empty beer bottles and trash.”

“It has to be the Greenfield Clan,” Ky growled. “Heck. It could even be one of the clans from further away.”

“Who are the Greenfields?” she asked, glancing at the large mess they’d left behind.

Liam pulled out a cell phone and sent a text. “They’re our closest neighbors. I’ve asked Oliver and Caleb to help clean this up.”

“And they are?” she asked again, feeling all kinds of lost from lack of information.

“Two of our guards,” Ky replied. “They’ll come take care of making sure this place is cleaned up.”

At that moment, the sound of breaking leaves and someone approaching from the right side of the forest stopped the conversation. A man almost as tall as Ky with curly brown hair and a beard long enough to nest a family of pigeons approached them. “Hey there, Chief.”

“Hi, David,” Liam and Ky greeted at the same time.

“Ma’am.” He nodded toward Nita.

“Hi.” She waved.

“David, this is Nita. She’s staying with me.” Ky introduced them. “Nita, this is David Marsh. He’s one of the guards in the clan.”

She hadn’t been called a ma’am before. It was official. She was old. She wasn’t bothered though. David probably called every woman ma’am. His beard was bigger than his face. It was thick and full and there was a leaf or two stuck to it. She’d never been so tempted to check a man for small animals in his facial hair. She bet her car keys could hide in there and never be found.

“There’s no dead animals in there,” David said as though reading her mind.

“Sorry.” She’d been caught staring. A flush of guilt crept up her neck.

David smiled. Though most of his face was covered in hair, she just knew there was a handsome guy under there. “It’s okay. I do shave when the occasion calls for it, but with winter coming it’s easier to leave it as is.”

Hmmm, probably not smart to tell him it was only the end of summer and fall still hadn’t come. If he kept his beard growing he’d end up with a blanket for winter.

“David, can you see if you can find out from some of the others what happened here?”

David gave a sharp nod. “You got it, Chief.”

She held on to Ky and watched David turn to leave.

“It was nice meeting you, ma’am.” She could almost tell he was smiling that time.