Page 134 of Rough and Rugged

His body stiffens, undoubtedly including the part that’s currently pressed up against the fence, and he leans toward me, brushing his lips against my ear. “You get us two ice-cold beers, and I’ll meet you down there in five minutes. But be prepared.”

Pulling back slightly, raising a brow. “For what?”

He issues a lecherous grin filled with sensual promise. “For me to use all my splitting power. You asked for it.”

Sure as hell did.

I extricate myself from his hold, grinning to myself, and head off toward one of the beer tents to grab him the drink he’ll definitely need on this hot afternoon—especially after that performance.

It was a demonstration of raw, animalistic strength.

The type of things I never see him doing when we’re at home in Milwaukee.

And he wasbuiltfor it—all six foot four, two hundred and forty pounds of him.

He was in his element, and seeing it again after so long made my entire body tingle and crave his big hands all over me.

On my way toward the vendor tents, I scan the other logs in the competition ring, and he’s right. He definitely did not win. But he was a close second to the owner and host of the Lumberjack Festival, Jax Benton. Still not a bad showing considering Blaine usually wears $20,000 suits every day and not Levi’s and a flannel shirt.

The skills he learned growing up here have stayed with him, and apparently, even with his current muscles coming from the gym and not splitting wood all day, he can still give the other lumberjacks a run for their money.

Tapping my foot, impatient to get meet Blaine, I wait and watch my new friend Raelynn chatting closely with Jax. I grin at the clear chemistry between them, then make it to the front of the line, pay for the beer, and hustle around the parking lot and down the trail that leads to the lake.

Just like earlier this morning, when I walked down toward the log roll portion of the festival, the pure beauty of the woods surrounding me now releases any anxiety I might be holding about revealing my surprise to Blaine. The trees blow in the light breeze, bright green leaves rustling, creating a soft, pleasant song to stroll to.

But there isn’t any sign of Blaine.

Where is he?

I kind of anticipated him meeting me at the edge of the forest before I even started coming down this way, but he probably had to finish up with the judges and wait for the formal announcement. And he may have gotten stuck talking with another lumberjack or old friends from his childhood who all seem to be here this weekend.

The trees in front of me start to thin as the trail widens approaching the lake. Sunlight reflects off the surface, light waves lapping at the shores, driven by the soft breeze. I step out from between the final two pines to the edge of the rocky beach, and turn back toward the path to search for Blaine.

Footsteps crunch behind me, and strong arms wrap around my waist.

I jerk slightly, splashing the beer over my hand and glance at Blaine, who wears a smug grin.

“Hello there, beautiful.” He takes the drink and downs half of it, a playful flash in his eyes. “I’m so glad you could join me.”

“Did you think that I wouldn’t?”

He walks me forward a few steps toward the tree-line and pushes my chest against one of the large trees, his hot breath fluttering against my ear. “I was kind of hoping I could chase you through the woods and you’d play hard to get.”

Blaine

A full body shudder rolls through her, and she grinds her ass back against my aching cock. It presses into the zipper of my jeans, straining to free itself and get inside her, like it always wants to.

She turns her head slightly, her blond hair fluttering across her cheek in the breeze, to look at me out of the corner of her eye. “As much as you know I’d love that, I think we’d draw an audience with my screams… and we definitely want privacy for what I have in mind.”

I brush her hair behind her ear and lean forward, feathering my lips over her pink skin. “Yeah. What do you have in mind?”

Hopefully, exactly what I do.

A hard, fast fuck against this tree.

After smashing through that log and seeing the way she ate me up after, the tension vibrating through me needs a release.

One she clearly craves, too.

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