Chapter 17

The sun was already well on its way towards the tree-lined horizon by the time I strode into the cabin. With hair wrapped in towels, both younger women were sprawled on the couch. As Susan lifted her head from whatever they were giggling at on Desi’s phone, I flashed her a smile.

Even as she whispered into Desi’s ear and her friend also tracked me, I headed for the steamy bathroom. Not because I was shy, but I could see Mandy moving around in the other bedroom. I’d end up with all three again. But it was getting late.

Which was a smart call since, right when I stepped out in fresh clothing, her husband walked inside.

“Hey, Jim,” he managed a tired grin. “I’ll just get changed and be ready in a minute.”

“Okay,” I replied while adding some food to my pack.

Once he’d returned, I held in a chuckle. Not only did his clothes still have the store creases, but his hiking boots were shiny new. He was in for a world of hurt. Right as I was going to comment, he glanced at the gear I had stowed. His brows tightened.

“Why are you bringing all that, Jim?”

“Just in case.” I shrugged. To warn him about the boots? Or not? I stayed mum on that. Live and learn. “Nothing like being out in the middle of nowhere without food, water and a halfway decent shelter.”

With a shrug, Charles looked down at his phone. Which was good, since Mandy stepped out of their room. Holy ... I gulped. The tiniest hiking shorts were painted to most of her rear, but both shapely lower swells were bare. The bandeau top plastered to her chest left nothing to the imagination. And as she did a slow pirouette for me, both sharp points announced she was very pleased at my lingering inspection.

“Hi, Jim. Should be a, um, fun night,” she said while slipping into a loose olive shirt.

With a wink, rather than button it, she tied a knot, leaving her midriff bare and offering tantalizing peeks beneath the taut top. “Naughty,” I mouthed. She stuck out her tongue and slid a hand along an out-thrust hip. Yeah, a fun night.

After a final glance at the girls cuddled tight on the couch, again focused on a phone, I smiled at Mandy. With a grunt, I hefted my pack and headed outdoors. The sun was sinking past the hills.

“Come on, star-watchers.” While shifting the straps, I looked towards the trailhead. “We’ve got a bit of a hike.”

With a nod, Charles pocketed his phone and followed me outside. Eyes wide, he was smiling.

“Rarin’ to go?” I chuckled.

“You know, Jim. Yeah, I am. It’ll be nice to get away for a while. Damned meetings. Indoors. In a gorgeous place like this.”

Right after taking in a huge breath of air, he coughed. When he tugged a handkerchief free of his shiny new pocket, I smiled. Hey, he got points for enthusiasm. After lifting a shoulder bag and kissing Susan on the cheek, Mandy stepped out next to us.

“Goodnight, girls. Behave,” she called out before easing the door closed. “They won’t,” she added, while flashing Charles and me a grin.

Once out on the main trail, it wasn’t long before I spotted the thick vegetation screening the path that led uphill.

“Where we headed, Jim?” he asked.

“Old fire tower. It’s up on a ridge. Has excellent lines of sight.”

All of a sudden, the phone in Charles’ pocket rang.

After retrieving it, his brows furled. As he slowed, uttering a curse, he answered the call. Although Mandy said nothing, her eyes locked onto me. At a slow motion, I lowered my gaze to follow a fingernail easing around a sharpened tip on her chest. At her smile, my heartbeat thundered.

When Charles cursed again, she took the finger away and turned to face him. Her husband was shaking his head. With his brows knitted, he smacked his lips.

“Sorry Jim, that was my boss. I—damn it—I can’t do this tonight. He needs to meet with me.” His fist balled tight as he sent a strained grin to Mandy. “Now.”

“Aww, that’s okay, Charles.” After a curt sigh, I started back down the trail. “We can do this some other time.”

Right as I was passing Mandy, Charles exhaled. His fists loosened, and he met my gaze. After a quick glance at his wife, he forced a wider grin.

“No. No. You two go on.” He nodded up the path. “Mandy’s been looking forward to this all afternoon. I’ll be damned if my boss is going to ruin her fun.”

“You sure? I’ve no idea when we’ll be back.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. As long as she’s with you, I know she’ll be well taken care of.”

“And you?” With every muscle in my body vibrating, I looked over at her. “You okay with traveling alone at night with me, Mandy?”

With her eyes twinkling, she just laughed. Charles joined in. After taking me by the hand, she pulled me past him.

“Good luck in your meeting, hon,” she called over her shoulder.

Hand-in-hand, we tromped a few steps along the trail. At last, we were hidden from any prying eyes. At least for a while. Even as the back of my neck prickled, it felt right with her beside me. But no sooner had Charles passed behind the thick brush than she snickered.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“I’m wondering”—she swept an errant strand of hair from her cheek—”if you’re thinking the same thing I am, Jim.”

“Which is?” I smiled.

After a quick look back to the corner around which Charles had disappeared, she looked up at me. Blue fire, her eyes shimmered in the growing dimness.

“How soon before my master can fuck the shit out of his naughty little slut?”

At her adorable laughter, I joined. But said nothing. Because that was exactly what I’d been thinking. And we laughed our way ever upwards until we broke out onto a bald hill.

In the distance, the tower’s dark, spindly silhouette loomed. But I could also see building clouds rolling closer. With her head tilted skyward, exposing that alluring neck, Mandy was already looking at the first visible stars. As she spun around in a slow circle, her mouth wide, I smiled.

“Told you it was a pretty sight,” I said.

And it was. Her watching the sky.

After she’d nodded, I let out a quiet sigh and strode toward the tower. Behind me, her boots crunched in the gravel. Flat and well-packed, the trail permitted good time and soon we made it to the base. Between the thicker crossbeams, a ladder led upwards.

When I gestured her forward, Mandy chuckled.

“What is it now?” I asked.

“You just want to stare at my ass all the way up there.”

“Yep, I do.” I nodded while gripping her wrist and guiding her to the first rungs.

And all the way up, the naughty little slut rolled her hips. By the time we made the upper balcony, both of us were laughing so loud we collapsed. As we lay beside each other, gazing at the darkening sky, we gasped for air.

“Slut,” I mumbled between heaving breaths.

“Yes, master. That’s me.” Mandy giggled, then quieted as her hand slid over my chest.

“Yeah, well, come on.” While lifting myself, I tugged her onto her feet. “You’d better get an eyeful of those stars before that line of trouble catches us.”

After pointing to the much darker roiling clouds moving closer, I glanced inside the glass-enclosed square structure. Behind a solid-looking ancient wooden desk was an old camp chair. My eyebrows raised at a bare metal spring mattress frame. With a shove, I forced the creaking door wide and inhaled thick, musty air.

Once I’d dropped my pack, I tugged a pair of binoculars from it. After handing them to her, I gestured at the railing. She turned and began scouring the night sky. Flashes erupted in the distance.

“Big Dipper’s over there.” As I pointed, she scanned the horizon. “And that’s Orion. I’m gonna set out some food.”

But no sooner had I pulled out some energy bars and a canteen than my gaze wandered back to her. Ensconced in her search of the heavens, her lithe frame had my soul yearning. Not just my soul. My shorts tightened as she shifted, letting her hips roll. Oh, she knew I was watching her.

And when I sidled up behind her, she remained silent. Even as I undid the knot of the filmy blouse, all she did was shift her grip on the binoculars so I could remove it. After folding and placing it on the desk, I returned to her.

Only the faintest whimper escaped her shiny lips as I slid the bandeau top upwards, tugging it free of her in a cascade of dark wavy tresses. It, too, ended up on the desktop. At my hands on her hips, Mandy gulped. And her perky tits puffed skywards as I unsnapped the shorts and slipped them with her panties down her trembling legs.

Still silent but for louder moans, she stepped from the clothes. They got added to the pile of clothing.

“Mmm, J—Jim,” she whispered in a shaky voice. “Master.”

“Shh,” I said, while dropping to one knee and untying her boots.

At her sweet scent flooding my flaring nostrils, it took everything not to lurch forward and devour her. Instead, I removed each boot and sock before setting them inside. When at last she stood naked, binoculars bumping against the bridge of her nose as she trembled, I slid free of my clothes. After putting them beside hers, I stepped back out.

Just as I was about to reach for her, a distant rumble pulled my eyes to the approaching clouds. Lower, they were also moving much quicker. But another glance at her little frame, shuddering as she waited, had a growl building within me. We’d never make the cabin before the storm struck, anyway.