Page 12 of The Hunt

Calliope pushed her hair out of the way.She had it pinned up on top of her head, which he had watched her do as they walked.He figured one of the clips had appeared in her pocket, making her able to do that.

“It is hot,” he said.

Calliope spun toward him.“Are you thinking dirty thoughts?Hot thoughts?”

“No,” he said.The lie slipped right off his tongue with ease.

“Something is making it hot in here.”She sighed.

Jaxson reached out and touched Calliope’s forehead.As a wolf, he was able to withstand hot and cold, but she was a human, and that meant she was built a lot differently from him.Pressing his hand against her forehead, he felt how she was burning up and she looked exhausted.

“Okay, this is not good,” he said.Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out some water.

“We’re going to have to ration it,” Calliope said.

“No, this is not about rationing.They will provide food.There is no reason for this to be happening.”

She seemed to be a little unsteady on her feet.

Jaxson didn’t like this.The heat was getting to her, and he knew she didn’t want to be thrown into a lake.Besides, there was a chance they would be attacked by whatever Calliope thought of.He needed to get her cool.The heat was too much, and he didn’t want her to suffer.

“Hey, hey, it’s fine,” he said, reaching for her.Jaxson tried to steady her on her feet.

“It’s fine,” she said, looking far from fine.

And then, he cupped her face, staring into her eyes.They were slightly glazed.Her forehead was covered in perspiration.They were not ready for this, but he also couldn’t handle her being passed out from heat exhaustion, not that he would have a problem carrying her.

This could either go really well, or really bad, and without question, he closed the distance between them and kissed her.At first, it was just the meeting of their lips, joined together, and then that changed.The kiss deepened.

His hands were at her shoulders, hoping to steady her, and then, as if by their own accord, he sunk one into her hair, holding the back of her head.The other went down toward her hip, and he pulled her in closer.He heard her soft, subtle moan, and he swallowed it down, not wanting to stop.Calliope didn’t push him away, but the more he kissed her, the more he felt the temperature inside the place start to cool off.

Time passed and he didn’t want to pull away, but he had a feeling he needed to.Kissing her one final time, he looked into her face and stopped the kiss.He didn’t stop holding her.He needed to have his hands on her body.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

“Thank you,” Calliope said.

“If it gets hotter, I’ll keep kissing you.”

She laughed.“Do you think that is why they made it so hot?”

“I don’t know.How are you feeling?”

“Sticky.Like I need a bath.”

And then, as if by magic, they heard it.Calliope frowned, Jaxson took hold of her hand, and they moved around the corner.There was a waterfall, but from where they stood, it did not look too deep.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I guess they work hard to make it as romantic as can be,” he said.

“It looks so good,” Calliope said.“Do you think we should take advantage?”

“Yeah, I do.”He let go of her hand and pushed his jeans right off his body.He kept his boxer briefs on and started to make his way toward the edge of the water.

Before he went any further, he looked back to find Calliope removing her jeans and vest top.The last time they had been this naked, they had been kids.That seemed like a lifetime ago, and maybe part of an alternate universe.It didn’t seem like it was them.

He watched her, unable to look away.Not wanting to look anywhere else but at her.She wore a padded bra and panties.

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