Chapter 5

Chapter Five

H unter

The storm comes out of nowhere, a sudden roar of wind and rain crashing through the trees, turning the forest into chaos. I grab Lark's arm, pulling her close as we scramble for cover.

"This way!" I shout over the deafening rain, guiding her through the downpour. The ground turns to slick mud beneath our boots, making each step treacherous, but I keep her moving, my grip firm on her arm.

Ahead, I spot the dark mouth of a cave, half-hidden behind tangled brush.

"In here!" I yell, pushing her inside before following. The instant we're under the rocky overhang, the noise shifts from pounding chaos to muffled fury. We're drenched, the rain still hammering the ground outside, but at least we're out of the worst of it.

I press my back against the damp wall, trying to catch my breath. Lark stands a few feet away, her wet clothes clinging to her, her chest heaving. Her eyes are wide, a mix of adrenaline and something else—something I've been seeing more of lately, but haven't dared to act on.

"This storm isn't letting up anytime soon," I say, my voice rough. "We're stuck here for a while."

Lark nods, her teeth chattering. "Great. Just what I wanted—to be trapped in a cave with you."

Her attempt at sarcasm doesn't hide the shiver that runs through her. The cave is cold and damp, and her soaked clothes aren't helping. I drop my pack, digging through it until I find a dry shirt and a blanket. "Take this," I say, handing her the shirt. "Get out of those wet clothes before you freeze."

She hesitates, her eyes darting toward the cave's entrance as if she'd rather brave the storm than be vulnerable with me. But the cold wins out. She turns her back, peeling off her wet jacket and dress. I try not to watch, but it's impossible not to notice the smooth expanse of her bare back as she slips my dry shirt over her head.

I tear my gaze away, busying myself with lighting a small fire near the cave's entrance. The wood is damp, but I manage to get a small flame going. It's not much, but it offers a bit of warmth and light in the cave's suffocating darkness.

When I turn back to Lark, she's sitting close to the fire, her knees drawn up to her chest, her eyes locked on the flames.

"Better?" I ask, keeping my voice low.

She nods, but there's an edge to her gaze.

"I'm fine," she mutters, but her shivering says otherwise.

I sit down next to her, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. "You're not fine," I say bluntly. "You're freezing."

Lark stiffens, her pride making her resist even the smallest sign of weakness. "I'm used to the cold."

"Doesn't mean you have to suffer through it," I reply, shifting closer. I stretch my legs out, then pull her toward me, settling her between my thighs.

"Body heat's the best way to warm up," I add, my voice taking on a deeper timbre.

She freezes for a second, her back rigid against my chest. But the cold gets the better of her, and she slowly relaxes, leaning into me. The feel of her, warm and soft, stirs something deep inside me—a need I've been fighting since the moment we met.

"You don't have to play hero all the time, you know," Lark murmurs, her voice barely audible over the storm's roar. "I'm not some damsel in distress."

"Never thought you were," I say, my lips close to her ear. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to take care of you."

Her breath catches, and I can feel the tension coiled tight in her muscles. "Why?" she asks, a hint of vulnerability breaking through. "Why do you care so much?"

The question throws me off balance. It's raw, honest, and it cuts through the layers I've built around myself.

"Because you're worth it," I say simply, my voice rougher than I intend.

She doesn't respond right away, but I can feel her breathing grow uneven, her body pressing back against mine, as if she's testing the boundaries of this moment.

"Hunter," she says finally, her voice a soft plea, filled with uncertainty.

I can't hold back anymore. I shift my position, turning her to face me. Her eyes are wide, uncertain, but there's a spark there—something hungry, something real. "Lark," I murmur, my voice low, rough with desire. "Tell me you want this. Tell me you want us."

Her lips part, and she lets out a shaky breath. "I do," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "But I don't know how."

The honesty in her words breaks something inside me. It's the kind of vulnerability that makes my need for her feel almost unbearable.

"Then let me show you," I say, my voice thick with raw need.

I lean in, capturing her mouth in a kiss that's fierce, desperate. It's like every ounce of restraint I've held back is gone, replaced by an overwhelming need to claim her, to make her mine. Her lips are soft, yielding, but there's an urgency in her response that matches my own. She grips my shoulders, her fingers digging into my skin, pulling me closer.

The kiss deepens, growing wilder, more frantic. I slide my hands under her shirt, my fingers tracing the curve of her waist, the smoothness of her skin. She gasps into my mouth, and the sound sends a jolt of desire straight through me. It's raw, consuming, and I know there's no turning back.

I break the kiss, my breathing ragged, my forehead pressed against hers. "Are you sure?" I ask, my voice rough. "Because once we start, I'm not stopping."

Her eyes are dark, filled with a mix of fear and longing. "I'm sure," she says, her voice steady despite the tremble in her body. "I want this."

That's all the permission I need. I pull her shirt over her head, my hands mapping every inch of her skin as if I'm memorizing her. She arches against me, her head tilting back, exposing her throat. I press open-mouthed kisses along the curve of her neck, feeling her pulse race beneath my lips.

"Hunter," she breathes, her voice a mix of plea and surrender.

The sound of my name on her lips drives me wild. I push her back gently onto the blanket, positioning myself over her, my weight braced on my arms. I pause, looking down at her, taking in the sight of her flushed cheeks, her swollen lips, the vulnerability mixed with desire in her eyes.

"You're so beautiful," I murmur, my voice filled with a mix of reverence and hunger.

She reaches up, her fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me down for another kiss. This one is slower, deeper, a tangle of tongues and soft moans. I feel her body move beneath mine, her legs parting slightly, welcoming me.

The heat between us is scorching, overwhelming. I feel her fingers tug at my shirt, her touch desperate, insistent. I pull back just long enough to strip it off, and then we're skin to skin, the contact sending a shockwave through me.

I press my hips against hers, feeling the damp heat of her through the thin fabric of her panties. She gasps, her hips lifting instinctively, her body begging for more. I trail kisses down her throat, across her collarbone, savoring the taste of her skin, the way she trembles beneath me.

When I reach the waistband of her panties under her dress, I pause, looking up at her.

"Last chance to change your mind," I say, my voice low, hoarse with need.

She shakes her head, her eyes blazing. "Don't stop," she whispers, her voice filled with raw need. "Please."

That single word breaks any remaining restraint. I push her dress over her shoulders, my hands skimming over her thighs, her knees. She's exposed now, completely vulnerable, and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

I lower myself back over her, capturing her mouth in another deep, searing kiss. She wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me closer, her body arching into mine. I tease her slick entrance slowly, savoring the moment, the feel of her, the way she gasps and clings to me.

The world outside disappears, the storm's roar fading into the background. It's just us now, tangled together in a frenzy of raw, desperate need. Each sweet slide of my dick against her wet pussy, each kiss, is a silent promise—one I never thought I'd be able to make, and one I never want to break.

My lips trail down to the silky part of her neck, where her throat meets her shoulder blade. "You're so amazing," I murmur, pressing my forehead to hers, our lips hovering together again. "I want more of you. All of you. Always."

I thrust my tongue past the seam of her lips, kissing her with greater urgency, the need to soak up every beautiful piece of her overwhelming my senses.

"You taste like fire and ice mixed together," I breathe, gathering her in my arms and lifting her effortlessly. "You freeze me in my tracks with just a look, but the way you burn through my veins when your skin touches mine is nearly unbearable."

She's a warm bundle of softness, her wide eyes fixed on me as I hover over her, still teasing her with the promise of more. "Call me crazy," I whisper, brushing her hair away from her face, "but I've always known when something was a good fit for me. And, Lark, you're the perfect fit." I drag the pad of my thumb across her temple. "I've never been with another woman," I confess, my voice low, each word heavy with meaning. "No one's ever interested me enough to even think about wanting them in my life. When I say I'm clean, Lark, I mean it—because I've never been with anyone else."

Her throat moves as she swallows hard. "You're a virgin too?"

I answer her with a series of desperate, lingering kisses that leave me even hungrier for more. "I'm a virgin," I confirm, my voice hoarse. "Until now, with you."

Her breath hitches, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I—I'm a virgin too. I've never trusted anyone enough to get so close but everything is different with you."

A grin tugs at my lips. Her innocence and wonder are part of what draws me in so completely. "Baby, you don't know what your words do to me."

Her fingers dance at the back of my neck and soon, our lips are fused again. Our hands explore each other's bodies with an urgency that matches our words.

She's so soft against me, her smooth curves and creamy flesh hot beneath my fingertips.

"You make me feel things no one else ever has," I whisper, cupping her breasts and pressing soft kisses along the tops before teasing her puckered nipples with my tongue.

She gasps, her back arching. "I want you," she breathes, her voice needy.

I nip at her lips as I settle over her again, feeling the heat of her wetness against my cock.

"I need you bare, babe," I rasp, the intensity of the moment overwhelming.

"Yes, Hunter. Yes, please. I want you, only you inside of me," she moans, her hips grinding against me, her hands winding in my hair. Her words slam through me like a tidal wave, and I pull her into a deep, punishing kiss that conveys how deeply she affects me. I nudge my cock against her slick entrance, my control hanging by a thread.

She sighs, her nails digging into my back as my cock slides a little inside of her for the first time. The sound she makes is a symphony that echoes inside me, urging me to claim her completely.

"Babe," I whisper, capturing her lips as I rock my hips, teasing her with shallow thrusts but not fully entering her.

"You feel so good," she gasps, her hands buried in my hair as she kisses me feverishly. One of her hands slides down between us, wrapping around my cock and making it jump in her palm. "I don't think you'll fit," she says breathlessly.

A low growl rumbles in my chest, and I take her breast into my mouth, sucking hard. "You're soaking wet," I murmur against her nipple. "Have you been thinking about my cock inside you all day?"

She whimpers, her nails digging into my back as she grinds against me, sliding me a little deeper with each roll of her hips. I pinch her nipple between my fingers, holding her steady.

"Answer me," I demand.

"Yes," she hisses, and the sound of her surrender makes my cock throb painfully.

I feel the cool night air brushing over our heated skin as I position myself to dive deeper inside of her for the first time.

"Tell me you're sure, I need to hear it again," I whisper, my fingers working her clit gently as I press my tip against her soaked core. I grip her dark hair in one hand, my cock pulsing with need as I inch just inside her, feeling the tightness of her body adjust around me.

"Yes, I'm ready. I'm ready for us, for you, all of you," she breathes, her voice shaky as she sucks in a breath just as I slide past her entrance, stopping to let her adjust to the stretch. Her body is so warm, so tight, that I feel my control start to fray.

"You feel like heaven, sweetheart," I groan, my head dropping as I struggle to hold back. "You feel so good, I might lose my mind inside you."

She lets out a breathy laugh, her legs wrapping around my waist. "I've never felt so full," she admits, her voice trembling. "When I first saw you, I never imagined a guy your size would fit, but now…it feels amazing."

Her words break the last of my restraint, and I thrust deeper, breaching the thin barrier that's kept her untouched. She gasps, her muscles tensing, but I soothe her with slow, swirling strokes of my hips and a soft suckle on her nipple.

"You okay, Little Bird?" I ask, my voice rough with need.

"Perfect," she whispers, her body relaxing beneath me. "I'm so perfect."

I slide my hand between her thighs, rubbing her clit gently as she pants and moans, her sounds growing louder. Her eyes flutter shut as I kiss her again, pouring all my pent-up passion into each stroke.

"You don't know what you do to me," I murmur against her lips, feeling her start to shake beneath me.

Her legs tremble, and her soft cries turn into desperate moans as she reaches her climax, squeezing around me so tightly that I nearly lose control.

"Oh God, Hunter," she cries out, her body convulsing around me.

I drive deeper, thrusting harder as I feel her tighten, her release triggering my own. I come in long, hot jets of cum, the intensity of it leaving me breathless. My entire body trembles with the force of it, my senses flooded with everything that is Lark.

We collapse together, our bodies slick with sweat, our breathing ragged. I pull out slowly, still half-hard but satisfied in a way I never thought possible.

Lark nestles against me, her face glowing with contentment. I trace the curve of her body with my fingers, lingering on the softness of her skin. "Rest now, beautiful," I whisper, my voice low and filled with promise. "I'm nowhere near done with you yet."