7. Mercy

"Do you mind if we stop?"I asked, feeling a little out of breath. I didn't want to worry him, but if I took another step, I might collapse.

He spun around instantly, his eyes studying me intently. "Are you feeling okay?"

I lied, knowing it was the only way to keep him from jumping to worst case scenarios. "Just tired from the fucking you gave me. That and lack of food."

He pulled his pack off and unzipped it. "I still have another protein bar."

"Just one?"

"It's all yours. I can eat tomorrow when they pick us up."

Well, now I felt bad. "Maybe we should split it."

"Or you can just eat it. I haven't been starving for the past two weeks. Besides, it's only a few more hours. I can take it."

I stared at the protein bar longingly. What I wouldn't give for a bowl of pasta right now. "Alright, but only because you make such a good argument."

I snatched it out of his hand and unwrapped it as we continued to walk.

"I'll find us some shelter. Are you okay to walk a little further?"

"Yes," I mumbled around the massive bite I took, which left me with only half a bar.

"We should find someplace with shelter. Then we can build a fire tonight. Maybe I'll even cook a lizard for you."

"If you'd gutted the jaguar, we could have had him for dinner."

"You want to eat the beast that attacked you?"

I grimaced at the thought. "No. He was too cute to eat."

That made him turn around and stare at me in confusion. "He would have eaten you."

"Yes, but I'm on the food chain in his mind. He's not on my list of things to eat."

"So, does that apply to all animals or just ones that try to eat you?"

I thought about that for a moment. I loved meat, but I couldn't eat something I saw before it was slaughtered. "It applies to animals I see first."

"So, if I gave you pig feet, would you eat them if you didn't see the pig first?"

My nose wrinkled in disgust. "No, that's gross."

"So, it applies to more than just the animal."

"You're confusing me. Why are we talking about this?"

"It just reminded me of a teammate. He eats all sorts of weird things. He once ate a tarantula."

"For fun?"

He shrugged and started walking again. "Don't know. He's weird like that. Over there," he pointed in the distance. "There's a little bit of shelter."

"Perfect," I muttered under my breath. I really was happy, but it was exhausting to walk around the jungle. My determined spirit was quickly starting to fade. I just had to keep telling myself that I only had a few more hours. It was an adventure with a sexy man. I could handle that.

When we got to the overhang, I slumped down inside, resting back on the hard surface. We weren't exactly in a cave, but it sort of felt like it, which was kind of creepy. But that didn't stop my eyes from closing.

"I'll try to find some food."

"Just as long as it's not me," I muttered.

"Don't worry. I'm not a cannibal."

I would have laughed, but I was already half asleep. Time drifted by slowly as I flitted in and out of consciousness. If it weren't for the bugs and the humidity, I might have actually gotten some sleep. It was only after the sun started to set that I gave up on the idea of sleep and admitted defeat.

"What are you doing?" I asked Chase as he carried in some bits of branches from trees.

"Starting a fire."

Yawning, I stretched out my limbs. "You don't know how to start a fire."

"Sure I do. I can start a fire, cook over an open flame, and I can even dig a latrine."

I grimaced at the last part. "That's disgusting."

"But necessary."

"We haven't dug a latrine once in all the time we've been walking."

"That's because it wasn't necessary," he answered as he started building a teepee with the wood.

I watched intently, interested to see how this worked. I was never a Girl Scout, nor did I care to learn. But now that I was stuck out here, I realized how silly that was.

"Do you want to try?"

"Me?" I laughed. "Yeah, I don't think that's gonna work."

"Come on," he grinned, waving me over.

I bit my lip, thinking about how terrible an idea this was. I was going to humiliate myself. Then again, I never backed down from a challenge. Standing, I walked over to him, sitting down where he patted in front of him. He wrapped his arms around me, holding onto my hands as he got to work. I honestly couldn't remember what he did or how he did it. I was too caught up in his scent—masculine and strong with a musky scent from his sweat. But none of that bothered me. It only made me crave what I was already missing out on.

"Mercy." His voice rumbled in his chest, sending shivers down my spine.

"Yeah?"

"You're not paying attention."

"How did you know?" I asked breathlessly.

"Well, you've had your eyes closed for the last twenty seconds. That was a pretty good indicator."

Smiling, I turned back to the fire. "That's only because you smell so good."

"I know," he said confidently. "All the ladies tell me that."

"Do they really," I deadpanned. "Amazing."

"Not really. I am that good of a catch."

"Well, I'll have to remember that the next time I'm in the jungle with you," I said, smirking back at him.

His hand grazed up my arm, brushing over my shoulder as he slid his fingers up the nape of my neck and into my hair. "No need," he said, his voice gruff as he stared into my eyes. "I'll remind you."

And then his lips crashed down on mine in a searing kiss that made my toes curl. His hand skimmed up my chest, cupping my breast as he ran his thumb over my nipple. Even through the thin material of my bra, I could feel everything as if he were touching my bare breast.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured, kissing his way along my jaw and down my neck. He pulled my hair back from my throat, pressing wet kisses below my ear.

I felt like I was on sensation overload. With every kiss on my pulse point, he strummed his thumb over my nipple, sending shocks to my core. I was soaked for him, desperate for his touch. And when he cupped my jaw and slid his mouth over mine again, I melted into him.

"Mercy," he growled low in his throat.

I loved the way he said my name, as if he was begging for mercy at the same time he devoured me. In an instant, I was on my back as he tore my shirt over my head and flicked the flimsy bra from my chest. My breasts bounced free, spilling out for him to devour. I spread my legs as he sank down on top of me, nudging his hard cock against my soaked pussy. Even through the fabric, I felt like he was already inside me.

Rocking against me, he drove me insane, filling my head with fantasies of all the ways he would take me and make me his again and again. My breathing stuttered in my chest as he slid his tongue around my nipple, flicking it with his tongue and driving me insane.

"Chase," I gasped. "I'm soaked for you."

My words had the intended effect. His gaze snapped to mine as he abandoned the way he devoured my breast. And as much as I missed his tongue on me, his fingers sliding down over my pussy quickly replaced the longing I felt. But Chase didn't slide his hand into my pants or strip me bare. No, he brushed his hand over my clit through my pants and rubbed slowly up and down, drawing out the torture he knew he was inflicting on me.

I squirmed under his touch, trying my best to chase the orgasm that was just moments away. I rocked my hips against his hand, needing more than he was willing to give. But every time I was close, he smirked at me, shaking his head.

"Not yet, Mercy. Not until I have my taste."

"No!" I said immediately, grabbing him before he could go down on me. "No, not gonna happen. I haven't bathed in?—"

His lips crashed down on mine, sucking the breath from my body. Then just as quickly, he tore his lips from mine and his dark gaze had me snapping my lips shut.

"I don't think I asked for your opinion." He jerked my pants down my legs, then spread me wide, not giving me a chance to shove him away. His strong hands pushed against my inner thighs, opening my pussy for him. I swore his eyes darkened at the sight before him.

"Chase, don't?—"

But it was too late. He dove in, sinking his teeth into my lips as his tongue thrust into my core, licking and fucking me raw. I screamed, gripping his hair with my fingers as I bucked against him. All thoughts of how disgusting it was fled my mind as he continued to devour me.

I gasped and cried out, unable to control the shaking rushing through my limbs. Black spots danced before my eyes as shivers broke out over my body. The telltale burning in my core tore through me as he drew out my orgasm, flicking my clit with his tongue over and over again in heated lashings until I was screaming his name.

I barely had time to recover before he tore his lips from my pussy and rolled me over. The cold from the stone under my belly worked in sharp contrast to the heat of his body against my back. With my legs barely spread, he thrust between mine, working his way inside my body. My slick pussy welcomed him, sucking him in as he spread his legs on either side of me, pushing my legs closed around his dick. Once he was settled deep inside me, he laid on top of me, his head resting right beside mine.

He gripped my hands, holding them out above my head as he pressed his lips to mine in an awkward kiss. But it was the sexiest thing I'd ever felt. "You like that?" he asked. "You like me fucking you like this?"

Before I could answer, he slid out, then pushed back in. I'd never felt anything so tight in all my life. And every time he thrust into me, my clit brushed against the stone, sending shivers through me.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he murmured, pressing kisses to my ear, then my cheek. "I want every inch of you."

I whimpered in agreement, unable to say anything else. And then the heat from his chest was gone, along with his thick cock. I gasped when I felt air brush between my spread ass cheeks. Peeking over my shoulder, I saw him staring at my ass, his eyes heated with desire.

Swallowing hard, I knew I had a choice to make. To allow him to take what he wanted or to push him away. I'd never allowed anyone to do that to me, not even with my most intimate lovers. But as his eyes slowly met mine, I knew I'd give him whatever he wanted.

Without breaking eye contact, he slid his fingers through my soaked pussy, fucking me slowly as his eyes dropped back to my ass. I could practically hear his thoughts as he fingered me.

Look at that ass waiting for me.

I can't wait to fuck this hole.

You're soaked just thinking about my cock taking you.

And it was true. The longer he stared at me, the more I wanted it. Needed it. After a third finger entered my pussy, he slid them to my backside, wetting the ring of muscle that instantly clenched in anticipation. His eyes shuttered as he pushed the first finger in slightly. I gasped, not expecting the pain, but when his eyes flew open and met mine, all those feelings morphed into something electric.

"Tell me to stop."

I shifted against him, telling him to give me more.

His nostrils flared. "Tell me you don't want this."

Again, I thrust back against his finger, pushing him all the way inside. The feeling was more than I could handle. I gasped, rocking against him as my pussy throbbed with need. A strangled moan left my lips as he added a second finger, thrusting in and out slowly. I watched in fascination as he gripped his cock and slowly jerked off.

I licked my lips in anticipation, wondering how much more intense it would feel when he slid his thick cock inside me. I didn't have to wait long to find out. He wet his cock with my pussy one last time, then pressed the tip to my ass, pushing lightly.

My breaths were coming out frantically as I waited on pins and needles for him to thrust inside me. I knew he was going easy on me, but I was so desperate for his cock that I pushed back against him, earning a growl of approval from him. He laid down on top of me and bit my ear as he thrust fully inside me. I cried out at the burn and stretch. Tears pricked my eyes, but relief poured through me as he settled deep inside me.

He laid flat on top of me, just as he had when he fucked my pussy. Gripping my chin, he forced my head to the side and kissed me hard, pulling every last moan from my throat.

"Fuck, Mercy."

I wiggled against him, telling him I was ready. In an instant, he pulled out, then thrust back in, hitting me deep. I cried out, my hands scratching at the rock as my breasts took a beating from rubbing against the ground.

"More?"

"More!" I cried out.

His hips did all the work as he continued to smother me with his body. For every thrust, he bit my neck, my ear, my throat, marking me in every way possible. His hips slapped against my ass as he picked up the pace, fucking my ass the way he did my pussy. I was raw and sore, but had never felt so alive in my life.

I clawed at the ground as an orgasm raced through me. My heart pounded out of control as he took every last inch of me, marking me his in every way. My ass clenched around him as I came undone. I barely noticed him slamming into me a few more times before settling deep inside me and collapsing against my body. Darkness took over as my orgasm receded until all I felt was a floating sensation as I drifted away into oblivion.