Page 60 of Into the Mountains
Avery was the first one to ask where Charlotte was, noticing that her sleeping bag was empty and completely soaked through.
“I thought I heard thunder last night,” Hudson says.
“You thought you heard thunder and didn’t bother to come out to check on Charlotte?” she accuses.
He scratches the back of his head nervously and avoids eye contact with us. “I did and then I heard them…uh…talking, so I figured she was…uh…taken care of.” He clears his throat and if Sky and Jacob were paying attention, they’d be seeing exactly what Avery is. Way to be subtle, Hudson.
The noise Charlotte thought she heard last night must have been Hudson going outside of his tent to check on her. I’m trying to think where we were in our…activities when she mentioned it, but all I remember is her body moving on top of mine, breasts full in my hands as she thrusted again and again—
“Okay, then,” Avery says too loudly. “Uh, alright.” She turns to walk one way and runs straight into Hudson. “I’m just gonna…” He grabs her by the shoulders and turns her around.
“That way, sunshine.”
“Yep.” She points. “Uh huh. That’s where I wanna go.” They both walk toward Jacob and Sky who are seated at the picnic table going over plans for the day. Once they are out of ear shot, Charlotte nods over her shoulder, signaling me to follow her.
“Where are you two going?” Sky calls behind us.
“Just going to check in on Fran and Cordie. See if they need anything before we head out.” The lie slips from her lips so easily.
We walk in silence, the occasional snap of a twig breaking the silence. Finally, she grabs my sleeve and strays from the path, pulling me around a large tree trunk that hides us both from view. Even if one of them walked this way, they wouldn’t be able to see us.
“What exactly are you doing?”
“He heard us,” she says and I think for once, she actually looks panicked.
“He did.” There’s no point in trying to deny that he heard us. By the way he was acting and his body language, he heard more than he wanted I’m sure.
“Do you think he’ll tell Avery?” I ask.
“Do you really think he needs to? He wasn’t exactly nonchalant about it. And Avery isn’t stupid. She’ll figure it out if she hasn’t already. Will you tell her?”
“Probably. I usually tell her everything.” I smile down at her. “What?” she asks.
“What will you tell her?”
“I don’t know. What do you mean?”
“I mean, do you tell her details? Will you tell her how good it was?”
“Who said it was good?”
“You did, Charlie. When you came multiple times in many different ways.” I close a little bit of the difference between us and she doesn’t do anything to recreate the space. Bracing myhand on the trunk, I lean in until I am close enough to feel the hitch of her breath against my skin. “Would you like to try a different way?” I nip at her chin and she pushes her chest against me, her nipples already hard beneath the two piece swimsuit she threw on when we got ready to leave.
“We said only last night,” she says breathlessly.
“What if we just extended it to the camping trip?” I suggest. One night with her was never going to be enough and I have a feeling one weekend won’t be either, but if she’s willing, I’ll take what she will give me.
“Just the camping trip?”
“We get back to Blue Grove and we go back to hating each other.” The backs of my fingers graze her stomach down to the hem of her baggy jeans. I stop at the button, waiting for her permission to continue.
“Deal.”
I don’t wait any longer and unbutton her jeans, fidgeting with the fabric until I can fit my hand down her pants where I can feel how wet she already is.
“Soaked already?” She answers with a nod. “Answer me with your voice, Charlie. I want to hear you,” I say, the demands from last night coming back again.
“Yes.”
