Page 114 of Rough and Rugged

“Oh, wait. Was this about painting the bedroom?”

“It was more about putting the bedroom to good use.”

Hearing him utter those words in that low, growly voice of his sent shivers dancing along my spine. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s head back there.” I tried to sit up, but he placed his arm around my waist and held me tight.

“Hang on, Maggie. We don’t need anactualbedroom. This blanket will do just fine.”

Oh. “You want to have sex here? Out in the open?”

He chuckled, the laughter rumbling low in his belly. “I can’t think of a better place.”

“Did you bring a condom?”

“I did. If you’d rather wait for a bed, I understand. But…”

But we were alone in the wilderness, and the idea of making love outside was a huge turn-on. Except for the part where I’d be fully exposed. “I’ve… um… never done it in broad daylight.”

“Oh, Maggie.” He gave an affectionate sigh. “You’re such a beautiful woman. No need to hide it.”

Why was I hesitating? He’d seen me at my sweatiest, streaked with paint after a hard day’s work, and he still wanted me. That counted for a lot.

I gave him a teasing grin. “Okay. Took you long enough to accept my offer.”

He laughed. “It’s only been two weeks.”

“Twointenseweeks. We’ve seen each other every day.”

“Trust me, it was difficult to hold back, but I wanted to make sure that…” He paused as if trying to come up with the right words. “This might sound presumptuous, but I wanted to make sure these mountains meant something to you. The last time I assumed that about someone, I got badly burned.”

His ex.

“I can’t make any promises yet, but I really want to stay,” I said. “I’ve never been happier than up here in the mountains.”

“Then that’s good enough for me,” he murmured.

At first, he kissed me softly, as though testing the waters. Feeling bolder, I deepened the kiss, tasting strawberries and chocolate on his tongue. For a long time, we lay like that, just kissing. His hand on my hip, my fingers tangling in his hair, our mouths hungry and eager. Birds trilled in the trees above us, and a gentle breeze blew through the grove.

Eager to feel his bare skin against mine, I took off my tank top and flung it to the side. When he pulled his shirt over his head, I brushed my lips against his burly chest and inhaled his scent—a delicious mix of wood shavings, sweat, and cedar soap. I nuzzled his neck, then kissed the sensitive spot behind his ear. With a groan, he threaded his fingers through my hair, tugging on it with just enough force to send a bolt of heat coursing through me.

Piece by piece, we shed our clothes until he was naked, and I was clad in nothing but an embarrassingly damp pair of panties. When I ground against him, he let out another of those delicious growls. “On your back, Maggie.”

So it was going to be like that, was it? I was completely on board. “As you wish.”

“Good girl. Are you okay with letting me take control?”

“Absolutely.” As I looked up at him, I couldn’t help but grin. “When I first met you, I thought you sounded like a bear.”

He laughed. “A bear?”

“Or maybe a bear shifter. It’s a human who turns into a bear. Sort of like a werewolf, but…” Words failed me as he lowered his head and ran his tongue along my nipples. Teasing me with little nips and licks, then sucking on them harder. I moaned in abandon, not caring if I scared the birds and squirrels away. By now, my entire body was throbbing with need.

“Sam,” I begged. “I want you inside me.”

“Be patient. We’re nowhere near that point yet.”

His lips traced a path down my body, igniting every inch of my skin. When he reached my panties, I lifted my hips so he could ease them off. And then his head was between my legs, his tongue exploring as his thick beard brushed the inside of my thighs. If there was a heaven, it couldn’t beat lying on a blanket under the trees, as my sexy woodsman pushed me to the edge again and again, until I was pleading for him to let me come. When I finally reached orgasm, it hit me in a dizzying rush of sensation. But he didn’t stop until I’d come again, and I was panting, begging for him to take me already.

“Please, Sam. I can’t wait any longer.”

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