72 Hours

I stand and we carry our weapons through the forest to the stream. Noah places them down by a log and I do the same, then I turn and watch as he takes his shirt and pulls it off, leaving his bare torso on display. My heart hammers, and I wonder for a small moment how the hell I can be looking at him and be feeling attraction when we’re in this situation. I guess knowing you could die makes your priorities crystal clear.

My eyes move down Noah’s hard body as he shuffles out of his jeans. My heart lodges in my throat as his boxers go next. I can’t breathe. He’s so beautiful. So perfect. Everything I ever wanted. Strong and dangerous, yet so gentle when he needs to be. His powerful body is sleek and muscled, and I can’t tear my eyes away as I move into the stream. No shame. Nothing to fear. He’s so strong and so damned incredible. Why did I waste so much time? Why did I let him go?

I move to the stream, trying to calm my pounding heart. I put my back to him and remove my shirt, leaving my bra on. I shuffle out of my jeans next, leaving my panties. Then I lean down and run them through the stream, rubbing them over the smooth rocks to clean them up as best I can. I don’t notice Noah coming up behind me until a finger moves down my spine.

I shiver.

“I forgot how beautiful you are.”

I swallow and close my eyes, my hands going still in the water.

“Fuck, Lara. You’re perfect.”

I stand and turn to him, facing a very wet, very naked chest. “Noah,” I whisper.

“I would never give that sicko the satisfaction of seeing me fucking you, but right now that’s exactly what I want to be doing. Fucking you.”

I tremble and meet his eyes. “Noah…”

“Do you remember how fuckin’ good it felt?”

I close my eyes. God. Yes. I remember.

I’ll never forget.

Noah’s lips trail down my stomach, kissing the dip near my pelvis before going lower, his mouth, so hot, sliding down near my sex. I squirm and his big hands close around my thighs, spreading them apart as his mouth moves lower, finding my aching clit. I gasp when his mouth closes over it, sucking deep, long, and hard. I arch, my hips slamming upward, pushing myself closer to his mouth. I want more. God. I want so much more.

“Noah,” I gasp. “Please.”

He flicks my clit with his tongue, driving me wild. I clutch the sheets, toes curling, legs shaking. I need him to fuck me, I need him to keep doing that, I wish he could do it all at once. God, I wish I could have every single thing he’s offering in one big hit. My skin prickles as his tongue devours me. He slides a finger down, slipping it between my legs and thrusting inside me. I gasp and cry out his name, pleasure shooting through my nerve endings. “Noah,” I scream, squirming, needing more, needing less, needing to come.

I need to come.

He fucks me with his fingers, sucks me with his mouth, and my wish is granted. I explode, crying out his name, arching my back. My lips part, my head falls backward, and I shudder until every last twitch of pleasure has been released from my body. Noah has already moved up my body, his big frame towering over mine. He takes my legs and positions them over his shoulders. My favorite position.

“Noah, fuck me,” I gasp. “Please.”

“I’m about to, baby.”

He takes hold of his cock, positioning it at my entrance, then he thrusts. He fills me in one movement, stretching me, filling me. I groan, a mixture of pleasure and pain. He fucks me slowly at first, sliding in and out. I stare up at him through lowered lashes, loving how he looks moving over me, loving how his muscles flex and pull, loving every single thing about him. His jaw is tight as he holds back, but I don’t want him to hold back.

“Fuck me like you mean it.”

“Dammit,” he growls.

Then he fucks me like he means it, thrusting his cock into me, slamming so hard the bed rocks. My legs stretch over his shoulders, my fingers claw the sheets, and I’m coming again before I know it. He keeps driving in and out of me, his powerful body driving his thrusts; our eyes meet and I whimper at how intense he looks right now, staring down at me like I’m the only thing he’ll ever want. I think I am. I hope I am.

“Goin’ to come, baby,” he growls.

“Yes,” I gasp. “Yes.”

His entire body goes tense and then he’s coming, mouth slightly opened, eyes hooded, body tense.

So fucking beautiful.

“I remember,” I whisper, cheeks burning as I let the memory slide from my mind. “I could never forget.”

Noah looks at me, so intense. I swallow.

He steps forward and cups my jaw, tilting my head back just enough so he can capture my lips with his again. I don’t even pretend I can’t feel his erection against my belly, hot and hard. I remember exactly how that feels, exactly how well he knows how to use it. I kiss him softly but deeply, taking as much of him as I can get.

He pulls back with a pained groan, pressing a hand against his erection. “I need to cool off or I won’t be able to stop.”

He turns and walks off, and my eyes drop to his perfect ass as he rounds the corner and heads behind the trees. God. I wish he wasn’t so damned beautiful. With one more lingering glance at where he was just standing, I turn back to the stream and finish washing up. I use the water to clean my body, to soothe my sore hands and fingers, then I find a sunny spot to put my clothes to dry.

I sit by the stream in my underwear after that and drink as much water as my stomach can hold. I study my surroundings. If we weren’t in the situation we are in, this could possibly be one of the most beautiful places I’ve been. The trees, the sound of birds overhead, the intense green of the forest, the streams—everything about it is utterly breathtaking.

“How’d you do?” Noah asks, appearing again with his boxers back on.

“I washed as best I could. You?”

“Yeah, same,” he says, meeting my eyes for a fleeting moment before hanging his clothes next to mine.

He sits down beside me and we both fall silent.

“What’re you thinking about?” I ask him.

“I’m thinking about how tomorrow is going to go. The not knowing gets to me.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“I don’t know what this fucker has planned, I don’t know the extent of it. Is he going to come at midnight, in the morning, in the evening? Does he have other traps up his sleeve? What has he planted in this forest? It’s all unknown and it terrifies me.”

That’s the first time I’ve heard real fear in his voice.

I reach over and take his hand, squeezing it. “Don’t give him what he wants, Noah. Don’t give him your fear.”

He doesn’t say anything, but he squeezes my hand to let me know he’s heard me.

Now I have to take my own advice.

*

Late afternoon falls and I find renewed strength as we gather our weapons and some water, get our dried clothes back on, and search for a tree that’s easy to climb. I have to believe that we’re going to get through this. I have to be strong. I’m in this no matter what I do; being weak is only going to make things worse. For Noah’s sake, and my own, I have to dig deep and find something I’ve fought so hard to bury.

Bravery. Strength. Determination.