Bolt

17

The second they were down, he charged after the ones running after the group. The harder he ran, the faster he got. He roared, letting all the surrounding creatures know that an apex predator was on the hunt. He heard small animals scurrying out of his way, and the two men ahead sped up.

He flew after them, twisting down the path. When they finally came into sight, he roared and sprang. One of the guys screamed and changed course, bolting back the other way. He could be abandoning the mission or trying to find the other guys. Bolt didn’t care. He came down on the last man, and Bolt realized something was very wrong when the guy didn’t move.

The man yelled and leaped at him as he got within striking distance. They met in midair, and Bolt screamed as fire ripped up his side. He’d been cut open.

The struggle lasted a few minutes, man and tiger in a desperate battle as they rolled back and forth across the ground. By the barest inch, Bolt avoided the guy’s knife and finally managed to weaken him with deep cuts so he could finally get in a killing blow.

After slipping his pants and boots back on, he walked slowly up the track toward the cave, literally holding his guts in. He heard their voices as he approached, and relief flooded him. Elle had gotten them to the cave.

“Where the hell have you been?” Kara fumed, getting up and rushing to him. “You can’t just run off like that! Now ...”

She stopped abruptly, looking him over. Her eyes widened as she realized his condition.

“Bolt. Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” he said, even though he wasn’t.

“Come here,” she said, gently taking his arm. She took him to a separate area of the cave where they had left their packs. He winced as she gently touched his side to assess the damage.

“This is bad,” she whispered, starting to clean the wound with a bottle of water. “You should have stitches.”

He shook his head. “No need. It will heal.”

“Of course, it will,” she muttered. “But it would heal better with stitches.”

For a moment, Bolt just enjoyed the contact of her warm fingers. His skin tingled all over from her touch as if his whole body was reacting to her. It eased his pain and made him feel a strange mixture of contentment and excitement.

She paused, sitting up to look into his eyes. “There,” she said. “That’s the best I can do for it.”

He smiled. “It’s fine, really. Thank you.”

The moment seemed to stretch out into eternity. They stared at each other as if the world had gone still around them. He could smell her delicious scent rising as her heart pounded and her breathing became quick and light. Her pupils dilated, and Bolt leaned forward, just a little.

Is she … going to kiss me? Bolt wondered. His own heart began to pound at the idea. He didn’t dare to say a word. He barely even breathed.

Kara let out a deep sigh and brought a hand up to stroke his cheek. There was something drawing them together that neither of them could fight. He smiled as he acknowledged it, and she smiled back.

She leaned forward to cross the tiny space between them and pressed her lips to his. Pleasure shuddered through him as he felt her hot mouth kneading his. He closed his eyes and leaned into her, thrilled and lulled at the same time.

She was as exciting as fire and ice in one, as well as the sense of peace he might feel napping in the warm afternoon sun. She was all of pleasure and love, and he could do nothing but give himself up to her.

KARA

Kara didn’t know what had come over her when she crossed the boundary of their frustration with one another with a kiss. It was as if everything about him that annoyed her held a mirror to her traits, making her engine rev with attraction. This was definitely not a case of opposites attract.

She held his mouth to her own with her eyes closed, and she felt the stress leave her body like an unwanted ghost. Arousal stirred inside her center, and when she pulled away from him, she looked around frantically.

“I think there are some hot springs around here,” Kara whispered.

Bolt looked around, too, grabbing his pack off the ground. He paid no mind to his injury as he took her by the hand.

“Then we can get clean together,” Bolt said with a grin.

Kara covered her mouth as she smiled. She moved with him as they ventured away from their team. She felt possessed by a carnal desire for Bolt, to feel every inch of him both on and inside of her.

It was a nice divergence from feeling constant stress and annoyance.

Maybe they both needed to get f****d.

Kara led the way to hot springs not too far from the group. Bolt started stripping first like it was an Olympic event.

Kara placed a hand on his belt buckle.

“Shh,” she said, looking at him with a naughty gaze.

Bolt’s eyes were bulging out of his head.

“Let me,” she whispered.

He removed his hands and let them fall to his side. She unbuckled him slowly, then wrapped her fingers around his waistband. She looked up at him, and his eyes blazed with desire.

It was cold, but steam from the hot springs blanketed her lightly. Plus, her body was primed with excitement to feel his body on hers.

She pulled his pants down, and his c**k sprang free. It was larger than any she had ever seen, but intrigue moved through her at the thought of having him inside her.