The sound of cracking wood brought Kate's head up. Forestry work gave her great satisfaction, and being a park ranger was all she'd ever dreamed, but spending the last two weeks deep in the Ozarks had left her feeling unsettled. The hair on her neck stood up, as it had innumerous times over the last fortnight. Something was watching her, out there, in the darkness. It'd been there the whole time, stalking her, hunting her. A shiver of fear slid down Kate's spine. The hunt was over.
Run, Kate! Move your legs!
Her mind screamed at her to flee, but her body refused to comply. The crunch of leaves, the rustle of brambles, the snap of small trees, served to glue her feet to the ground.
Calm down! It's probably just a raccoon.
Trying to get her breathing and pulse under control, Kate searched the darkness around her small camp, looking for a shape, any shape, among the shadows.
"Hello, Kate." The low voice came from behind her. Her sharp scream rent the night, as she whirled to face her stalker.
"Joshua! You son of a bitch! You scared the bejesus out of me!" Adrenaline flooded her body, leaving her weak and strung out. She collapsed into her camp chair and folded her hands together to quell their shaking. "What the hell are you doing out here?"
"I just wanted to... check on you, Kate. See how everything was going." Joshua Lathem's tall muscular form became clear as he approached the fire.
Kate stood five feet eight in her stockinged feet, but Joshua had at least six inches on her. He was younger than she was by at a decade, or more. To top it all off, he was so handsome he took her breath. Dark blond hair fell about his face in a casual cut. His eyes were large, thickly lashed, and so dark she couldn't tell whether they were blue or black. His strong nose and square jaw, his thin masculine lips, were just the icing on the cake that was Joshua. Broad shoulders, a deep chest, and heavily muscled arms all tapered into a slim waist and a firm ass. An ass Kate dreamed of fondling on a regular basis.
"Yeah, well, I'm fine. Everything is fine." She crossed her arms over her chest to hide her hard nipples from him. She didn't need a twenty-something stud knowing a life-hardened older woman had the hots for him. She'd never live it down.
Kate knew exactly what she looked like to men. Oh, her athletic form and her no-nonsense attitude drew them in. So did her large breasts, but she wasn't pretty by any stretch. She could see exotic, maybe, with her Cherokee heritage. Kate had a bold look, assuredly, but she wasn't pretty.
"You seem a little edgy. Do you want me to hang around for a little while?"
YES! Please, hang around and while you're at it, could you fuck me into next week?
Her body shouted that reply, but her mind refused to utter it.
"No, I'll be fine." She leaned down to pick up the book she'd dropped beside her chair when the thrashing had started in the woods. She figured ignoring him would get her point across. She tried to focus on the words on the page, but she could feel his eyes on her, feel his heat so close. After she'd read the same passage six times, she sighed and folded the book closed.
"Is there something you want?" Her hazel eyes met his, her brow quirked in question. She gave him her best I'm-so-not-interested-you're-bothering-me look. It sent most people scurrying the other way.
Not Joshua. He lifted a brow in reply, before sliding his hands to the hem of his shirt and lifting it over his head.
"Yeah. You."
***
Kate's eyes bulged. The part of her brain that didn't care about age differences or life experience laughed.
You sure didn't expect that answer, did you?
Kate's mind scrambled to form some kind of response to his statement, but nothing was coming.
Joshua dropped his shirt to the ground, revealing his warm skin to her eyes. His dark nipples stood out against the light brown tan of his torso. They were hard little nubs that drew her eye and made her gaping mouth water.
When she realized she was in danger of actually drooling, Kate snapped herself back into reality. "Joshua, you're much too young for me. I'm flattered, but I don't think this would be a good idea."
"Shut up, Kate. You want me to fuck you into next week, remember? I'm only too happy to oblige." Joshua's midnight gaze bored into her. He slowly slid one hand down his chest, taking a moment to circle one of his nipples. Kate gasped and her pussy liquefied.
"What did you say?" Her voice cracked. She was so shocked by his behavior, she wasn't sure she'd heard him right.
"I said, you want me to fuck you into next week. So, I will." Joshua unsnapped the button fly of his jeans, and long, thick cock burst forth.
"Joshua!" Kate clasped her hands over her mouth. She wanted to will her eyes closed, but miracles weren't happening.
Well, maybe they were,
she thought.
With a cocky grin, Joshua slid his jeans past his hips and down his legs. He toed his shoes off and stepped free from the denim legs. He didn't hesitate at all, striding confidently toward her. Kate took control of her body. She leapt from her seat, putting the camp chair between her traitorous body and Joshua.
"Wait a minute. I didn't say anything about wanting you to, uh, fuck me into next week. Stop! Stop right there!" He ignored her protests and Kate skittered farther back from him.
Joshua's cock danced between his legs, long and hard. Her knees weakened, just looking at his masculine perfection. The logical part of Kate screamed.
This is insane! What the hell is going on here?
"You didn't have to say it. I read your mind. What's going on is simple. I want to fuck you, and I'm going to. Don't bother to run. Unless, of course, you like hard, deep, rough sex."
Joshua took his cock in hand and stroked it hard and Kate thought she'd pass out from the waves of arousal pounding in her blood. Her panties and slacks soaked through as her pussy readied itself for Joshua's massive cock. Her nipples were so hard they hurt. And while her mind told her to back away, Kate's body knew what it wanted.
"Look, I said stop. I meant it." The hard ass bitch inside finally reared her ugly head. No man was going to intimidate Kate Jeffries. She planted her feet and stiffened her spine. Her body might have wanted Joshua, but her brain was determined to run the show.
"I meant what I said as well." He stopped directly in front of her, so close his hard-on rubbed the soft cotton of her shirt just above her navel. Joshua wrapped his hands around her upper arms, pulling her up on her toes.
Kate struggled. "Let me go, Joshua." The low growl she heard came from her own throat, surprising her.
"No."
Kate struggled in his grasp, fighting to be set free, but Joshua refused to release her. She dug her nails into his forearms, drawing blood, and was shocked into immobility when she heard his passionate groan. His eyes slid to half-mast and her jerked her flush against his body.
"Bloodthirsty bitch, aren't you? Good, I want you to mark me." Joshua growled low, and the sound hitched Kate's breath, made her cunt contract with need. She whimpered softly and his eyes flashed.
He didn't waste time with niceties. His mouth covered hers, his lips crushing hers against her teeth. His kiss wasn't soft or sweet. It overwhelmed her, conquered her, branded her. Hard pressure on her lips made Kate part them and his hot tongue filled her mouth immediately. He tasted... magnificent. Like hot, hard male, like youth, like lust. A frission of warning danced along her spine when she recognized something else in his flavor. Hunger.
She mewled into his mouth, and he released her arms. His big hands slid over her shoulders and down her back, his strong fingers digging into her ass, lifting her against his rampant cock. He thrust his pelvis against hers, grinding his cock into her abdomen and leaving Kate breathless with need.
Holding her close, Joshua stalked toward the tent. With a lift her, a tug there, and a drop, Kate found herself atop her sleeping bag, looking up at his stiff, engorged cock. Her eyes traveled up his body from that most impressive member, over his muscled stomach and chest, until she met his eyes. Fiery need swirled there. She moaned under his intense scrutiny and his nostrils flared with heat. She saw his hand reaching for her head, she knew what was coming next, and all she could do was quiver.
