Chapter 4

four

. . .

Jack

I lead Olivia up the rocky trail, my hand grasping hers tightly. The dark clouds gathering overhead make me quicken our pace.

Maybe this impromptu hike wasn't the best idea, but I had to do something. Had to get out of that cabin before I did something stupid.

Like bending her juicy ass over the kitchen table and fucking her to kingdom come.

"Jack, it looks like a storm is coming..." Olivia's voice quavers slightly.

I flash her a reassuring grin. "We'll be fine, sweetheart. I know these trails like the back of my hand. Trust me."

But the skies open up minutes later, pelting us with heavy raindrops. Olivia yelps, pressing herself against me. I wrap an arm around her curvy waist, pulling her close.

"There's a small cave up ahead where we can take shelter," I tell her. "Come on!"

We dash through the downpour, finding refuge in a shallow rocky alcove. Both of us are soaked to the bone, shivering. Olivia's thin t-shirt clings to her curves, revealing the lacy bra underneath. I swallow hard.

"Looks like we might be stuck here a while," I murmur, peeling off my dripping jacket.

Olivia trembles, teeth chattering, arms crossed over her chest. "I'm f-freezing."

"Come here." I open my arms to her. "We need to share body heat."

She only hesitates a moment before nestling against me. I rub her back and arms briskly, trying to infuse some warmth into her slight frame.

Her soft scent fills my nose—vanilla and something uniquely Olivia.

It's intoxicating.

Arousing.

And I try to make myself think of anything else even as I feel my dick growing in my pants.

Fucking hell, I'm perpetually hard around this girl.

But could any man blame me with all these curves pressed up against me?

How about them Jets?

Isn't that what guys do when they're trying to get their out-of-control boners back in the cage?

How about them Jets?

No surprise, the shit ain't working.

We sit huddled together, watching the storm rage outside our little haven.

Olivia eventually stops shaking. Her breathing slows. I feel the soft swell of her breasts pressing against my chest with each inhale.

My cock grows even harder—if that's even possible. Desire unfurls deep in my core.

Christ, I want her.

I've wanted her from the first moment I saw her. But she's been through so much already...

"Thank you for taking care of me, Jack," Olivia whispers, tilting her face up to mine. In the dim light, her eyes glimmer with trust and vulnerability.

"I'll always take care of you, Olivia," I vow as I cup her delicate jaw in my palm. "You never have to be afraid when you're with me."

She stares at me.

I stare at her.

And then I'm leaning down. Fuck, I can't stop this. I feel her breath hot against my lips, and then…

I press my lips against her.

Fucking heaven .

Her lips are satin soft, parting on a sigh. I pull her tighter against me, angling my head to deepen the kiss. She meets me with equal hunger, her tongue sliding along mine, unpracticed, innocent. Just the thought that she might be a virgin sends parks of pleasure shooting through my veins.

The intensity builds swiftly between us, greedy hands roaming, pulses racing.

I want to devour her.

Possess every inch of her sweet, curvy body.

But I gently wrench my mouth away, both of us left panting. We can't rush this. When I take her, it will be in a bed, with sheets twisted from our passion, not in the rough dirt of a makeshift campsite. This isn't the place for her first time. She deserves better than that.

I groan internally, fighting every primal urge in my body.

Her eyes are wide, lips swollen from our kiss, looking every bit the innocent doe in the headlights, yet there's a flush of arousal on her cheeks that tells me she wants this too. "Jack," she breathes out, her voice a mix of desire and apprehension.

"Olivia," I murmur back, my voice rough with restraint. My hands frame her face, thumbs caressing her cheeks.

And that's when I hear it.

A low growl, much like that of an angry cat.

I look to the mouth of the cave, and every tendon in my body snaps to attention.

A bobcat.

The beast's eyes, golden and gleaming with a predatory hunger, fix on Olivia.

My heart slams against my chest like it wants out, like it knows the danger this creature poses to her.

Instantly, I'm in front of her, one arm shielding her body from the looming threat.

"Stay behind me," I command, my voice a low growl to match the bobcat's menacing stance.

Olivia nods, her body trembling against mine, her breaths coming in sharp, scared huffs. I can feel her gripping the fabric of my shirt, her fingers digging in with fear.

"Don't worry, I've got you," I whisper back to her, trying to infuse calm into the charged air.

The bobcat edges closer, its eyes never leaving Olivia. The rain outside has muted, casting an eerie silence over us—except for the pounding of my heart and Olivia's shallow breathing.

I stand tall, making myself as large as possible, staring down the bobcat. I hiss at it, my body calm despite the adrenaline surging through my veins.

The bobcat snarls in response, but I hold my ground, locking eyes with it.

If there's one thing I've learned out here, it's how to handle the wildlife without harming it. Wild animals aren't evil. They're just doing what they're meant to do, protecting their territory and themselves.

Minutes stretch like hours under the weight of the standoff. Finally, with one last disdainful glance, the bobcat turns and disappears into the shadows of the forest.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and turn back to Olivia. Her face is pale but flushed from our close encounter and our earlier embrace.

"Is it gone?" she asks, her voice quivering.

"Yeah, it's gone," I confirm, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're safe now."

Her arms wrap around me tightly, and she buries her face in my chest. "Thank you," she mumbles against my soaked shirt.

"We should get home, though," I suggest gently as I notice that the storm has passed. The rain has abated to just a few sprinkles here and there. "Just to be safe."

Olivia nods against me, still clinging to my shirt for a sense of security.

As we walk back down the trail, her hand finds mine, her fingers intertwining with mine tightly.

"I was so scared," she admits softly as we navigate our way through the thick underbrush, still slick with rain. The moon, breaking through the clouds, casts a silver glow over us, giving the woods an ethereal feel.

"I know," I reply, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "But I meant what I said—I've got you."

She looks up at me through long

lashes, her eyes glistening with a mixture of fear and something deeper, more intense. "I believe you," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "I really do."

The rest of the walk is silent except for the sound of our footsteps and the occasional distant call of a night bird. The intimacy of the moment wraps around us like the fog that starts to settle between the trees.

Every glance she gives me, every slight squeeze of her hand sends a current racing through my blood, stoking the fire that started with a simple kiss and has been fueled by danger and desire.

As we reach the edge of the woods, the sight of

the cabin emerging through the fog sends a thrill of relief through me.

Yet, there's a part of me that doesn't want this night to end, this forced closeness to break. The danger has passed, but the desire hangs between us, palpable and demanding attention.

We step onto the porch, and I unlock the door, pushing it open. The inside of the cabin is cozy and warm, a stark contrast to the frigid atmosphere of the forest.

I flick on the lights, flooding the room with a warm glow, and turn to see Olivia shivering slightly from the dampness of her clothes.

"Here, let me get you something warm to change into," I say, guiding her toward the fireplace where the embers are still alive with heat. "You'll catch your death in those wet things."

Olivia nods, her teeth chattering a bit as she peels off the soaked layers. She stands there, vulnerable and exquisite, her skin glistening under the amber light of the fire, every curve and contour highlighted in the flickering shadows. My breath catches in my throat, the primal part of me roaring to life as I watch her.

I can't move. I'm rooted to the spot. My cock surges to full life again, and I ball my hands into fists, trying desperately to restrain myself.

But it's a fight I'm never going to win.