He looks genuinely surprised, pleasure written on his face. But the raging storm interrupts the interlude, forcing us both to drop our gazes and turn inward, focusing on survival.

For the second time today, nature crushes me, rendering me tiny, insignificant. My body trembles uncontrollably at the sublime. I focus on individual breaths, completely embodying this breathtaking, terrifying moment. Time stands still.

But then, it begins again. Slowly. The distance between the thunder and lightning increases, and the auditory trauma dissipates.

Hudson drops down onto his knees with a groan. “That’s not a position a forty-two-year-old should hold indefinitely,” he laments, rubbing his knee.

“Forty-two? You seem way younger.” I drop onto all fours, breathing rapidly.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. How old are you?” he asks, scowling.

“Twenty-four.”

He nods. “Am I too old for you?”

Raising my chin defiantly, I add, “Not at all. I’m so done with immature guys closer to my age.”

He chuckles, rising to his feet and stepping towards me, offering a hand. “Good thing because I’m pulling out all the stops on this first date of ours. It’s one near-death experience after the next.”

“Never a dull moment with you.”

“I hope to change that, Hadleigh. Shelter’s up next and hopefully, some peace and quiet.”

“Like a cave or something?”

“Hopefully, better than that.”

“Anything sounds good right now.” I snuggle into his leather jacket, aroused by the thought that this touches his hot, hard flesh. God, he makes me thirsty. My pussy throbs, nothing rational behind this powerful, undeniable desire.

The burly mountain man beelines for me, and my throat tightens. I swallow loudly, eyes rounding as he stops in front of me, pulling at one side of his jacket.

Is he reading my mind? Ready to dive headlong into passion with me in the wild heart of the deep woods? God, I hope so.

Unzipping the inner pocket, his simmering eyes never leave mine. He pulls out his cellphone, turning it on.

I frown.

Dammit.

“Give me a moment to call the sheriff’s department, and I’ll find out what’s going on, how close we are to rescue, and where we go from here.”

I nod, leaning against a tree, tired beyond all reason, disappointed, and needy as my pussy greedily throbs.What in the hell is wrong with me?I sink slowly to the ground, noticing the pounding ache of my feet as I let off pressure.

I read an article once about how when people go through a life-or-death situation, they often feel an unrestrained urge to fuck. Almost as if celebrating their continued existence.

I don’t know if it explains my current state, but considering I’m a virgin who’s never been especially interested in any man, it’s the only way I can explain the magnetic pull of Hudson. Or how my mind twists and turns, naughty visions filling my head.

I can’t stop thinking about his mouth on mine, his fingers in my hair, our bodies tangled and writhing. And his cock buried so deep that it feels like we share the same body.

The pain between my legs feels excruciating, and guilt burns my cheeks as I eye the mountain man a distance away. Never have I needed anyone so thoroughly. I lick my bottom lip, heart racing, as I wonder what he tastes like and what his thick, throbbing cock would feel like between my legs and my lips.

But despite the flirty words flowing between us, what’s to say the mountain man feels what I do? Maybe he’s acting interested to distract and encourage me.

It’s not like I’m probably his type, plus-size and soft in every place supermodels are hard and sleek. And I have to remind myself, thanks to the earlier wardrobe malfunction, he’s seen it all—thick thighs, rolls, cellulite, dimples, every fleshy bit of me.

Hudson talks to someone, and I draw closer, eavesdropping. “Yeah, Hadleigh Bardot’s safe with me. We climbed out of the gorge and are in the wilderness somewhere near the Jumbo Falls Trailhead.”

A long pause follows.