The next two miles were brutal. With every step she grew more and more exhausted, and behind her, Jenner kept up constant whispered encouragement for her to keep going. The backs of her heels were blistered in her hiking boots by the time she heard the snort of one of the horses, and her limbs tingled like they’d fallen asleep. She blamed that on the adrenaline dump into her bloodstream. Any moment now, she knew Titus was going to appear beside them or she would hear his terrifying roar again.
Without a word, Jenner helped her into Gunner’s saddle, packed her horse with the supplies they’d brought, then untied them all. He swung up onto his own horse and nudged him into a trot through the piney woods. And unlike their ride here earlier, Jenner didn’t ignore her and trust her to follow. He looked back every few seconds, as if he couldn’t keep his eyes off her when danger was this near.
The farther away they traveled, the more her racing heartbeat settled. They were okay, and she’d gotten a batch of incredible pictures today. Even if this was all she got to take, it was plenty to complete her assignment. Relief flooded her, and finally, she could draw a deep breath into her lungs again.
It was nearly dark when Jenner pulled off beside a pair of trees. He hadn’t said a word since they’d left, and he didn’t seem inclined to talk now as he pulled a rope from a tie on his saddle and strung it between the trees. His movements were smooth, lithe like an animal’s, and he wouldn’t meet her gaze.
Lena dismounted and tied off her horses.
“Jenner?”
He had his back angled to her as he unpacked the saddle bags, but at his name, his shoulders went rigid. Had she done something wrong? Maybe she hadn’t run fast enough when he needed her to.
Steadying her trembling hands, she slid her palms up his back. “What’s wrong?”
Jenner spun and dipped his mouth to hers. His kiss was tinged with desperation as he yanked the hem of her shirt up. Backing her against a tree, he pushed his tongue past her lips and tasted her over and over, more frantic with each stroke. And she understood now. He said so much with the urgency of his touch. He was a confident man—fearless even—but back there, he’d been shaken. He’d been worried about her, and this was him soothing that unfamiliar discomfort. This was him assuring himself she was okay.
His hand cupped her breast, and she arched back with a moan. She wanted him, too. Needed him to put the vision of that massive bear out of her mind. Titus had come after them and for what? He had plenty of fish. Whatever Jenner knew about that bear had upset him, and dammit, she wanted him back—her immovable Jenner.
Lena shoved his shirt upward, and Jenner helped, pulling it off and throwing it to the ground, and then he was back on her, fingers frantic as he pulled off her shirt. His hands were everywhere, creating fire with his touch, heating her to her middle. Fevered and needy for him, she angled her head to give him more access as he trailed biting kisses down her throat.
“Jenner, please,” she whispered.
“Fuck,” he gritted out, shoving her pants down her hips. “Lena, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t. I’m not.”
When he lifted his eyes to hers, she could see it there. His eyes were dark as pitch now, and it would’ve scared her if he didn’t look so vulnerable. Wild Jenner. Lena leaned forward and bit his bottom lip, then turned and gave him her back.
Jenner let off a long, shaky exhalation, and gripped her waist, drawing her ass against him. “What are you doing?”
“Giving you what you want.” Because this was what she wanted, too. She wanted Jenner to take her like he wanted—like he needed—right now.
Jenner’s lips were on her shoulder and she heard it—the jingle of his pants and the rip of his zipper, and suddenly she was filled with such anticipation, she couldn’t stand it. She bowed back against him. Jenner responded with a deep, rumbling growl, and she smiled. She’d done that.
Jenner yanked her hips back and slid into her from behind. He’d said she would be sore from last night, but she wasn’t. Or perhaps the pleasure of him filling her outweighed any pain. He bucked deep into her, and unable to hold his weight, she rested against the smooth bark of the birch tree in front of her. He eased out and slammed into her again, his powerful hips thrusting faster. Jenner’s arm wrapped around her middle, shielding her from the tree as he cupped her breast, and now his teeth grazed her shoulder blade. “Tell me not to bite you.”
“Why?”
Another snarl rattled against her back. “Because you own me woman. Tell me.”
“Bite me.” It was something he needed, and even if she didn’t understand it, she was lost to lust right now. Jenner was wrong. He was the one who owned her.
Jenner slid into her again. “Lena,” he gritted out.
He was slamming into her now, so deep, so fast, building pressure until she was blinded with how good he felt when he lost control. He was showing her what he was really like. His feral side, and she fucking loved it. Loved him. Loved every single thing about him.