The Ranger and the Summer Camp Cutie Page 2
She stops struggling, but her body is still tense. I slowly ease her to the ground and let her go, stepping back, my arms wide, palms open and facing her.
“You’re safe,” I say again.
“The hell I am,” she shouts, and then winces. She seems to draw into herself, looking around nervously. “I’m not safe,” she continues, her voice lower. “Nobody is safe. There’s a guy running around with a chainsaw; he already killed somebody. And there’s a freak wearing a hockey mask and carrying a machete. It’s insane. It’s like I fell into a horror movie or something.”
I aim the flashlight in the girl’s direction and study her for a minute to see if she’s serious. “It feels like you fell into a horror movie?” I ask. “What did you expect from something called Nights of Frights Summer Camp?”
“It’s not summer,” she says. “And I’ve never heard of Nights of Frights.”
I ignore her jab about it not being summer. It’s not like Jenna is going to rename the place a not-summer camp for part of the year. “If you’re not part of the Nights of Frights crew how did you get here?”
She jabs her thumb over her shoulder, probably not realizing she’s pointing back to the camp. “My car broke down. I heard the singing and followed it.”
Lightning flickers through the sky, followed by thunder. I nod toward camp. “I can take a look at your car in the morning but I suggest we head back to camp now.”
She starts to say something — probably “no” from the look on her face — but then it starts sprinkling. She glares up at the sky, then sighs. “Fine.”
“What’s your name?”
She looks at me for a second, like she’s wondering if she should ignore the question, give a fake name, or actually tell the truth. “Adrienne.”
I nod. “Jace.”
We head back to the camp, stopping along the way for me to retrieve the hockey mask and machete I dropped when I chased after her. She sucks in a sharp breath. “You’re the freak with the hockey mask.”
“Guilty,” I say, and poke her in the stomach with the machete. She lets out a little squeak and then glares at me.
“It’s plastic,” she says accusingly, as if she would’ve preferred I poked her in the stomach with a real machete.
“Yep.” I turn and continue on into camp, switching off the flashlight since the camp has lanterns hanging at regular intervals. “Chainsaw’s fake too.” I look back at her, trying not to grin. “They’ll be thrilled the blood packets look realistic when they go off.”
She glares harder. She probably doesn’t realize how damn cute she looks when she does that, with her gorgeous blue eyes practically spitting fire, the nostrils of her cute button nose flaring.
Against my will, my eyes roam down her body again. The light sprinkle has her shirt clinging to her, following every curve. Her toned legs are glistening with raindrops and I have a sudden urge to lick those droplets off of her. My cock thickens as I imagine the feel of her skin against my lips and tongue. With a heavy sigh, I force myself to look away, shoving those thoughts away. I have to be old enough to be her father. Even if I wanted to make a move there’s no way a gorgeous girl like her would be interested in an old man like me.
I motion to the cabins. “This weekend is just a test run. The campers don’t show up until next week, so most of the cabins are still empty.” I point toward the two smaller cabins set aside from the others. “My sister, Jenna, runs the place. That’s her cabin on the right. Mine’s to the left. The others are set up for groups. The guys are in one and the girls are in another.”
“I’m not really a group type of person,” she says.
I shrug. “Like I said, most of them are empty.” I point toward one at the end. The one near mine. “You can stay in that one.” I tell myself it’s to keep an eye on her because she’s new. Nobody knows her. I tell myself it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I want to be close to her.
Chapter 5
Adrienne
I drop onto the little twin-sized bed and stare at the ceiling, trying to ignore the throbbing between my thighs. “Fuck me until I can’t walk straight, Mr. Freaky Hockey Mask Man.” Jace. He said his name is Jace. I say it softly, letting it roll off my tongue, wondering what it would be like to scream his name as he fills me. The man likes his tight jeans and there was no doubt he liked what he saw, or maybe it was simply a guy’s reaction to practically feeling me up. I lick my lips, remembering our little wrestling match in the woods.
Before I knew he wasn’t some psycho murderer, it had been my intention to knock him to the ground and run away. I didn’t realize slamming into him would be like slamming into a brick wall. He was all hard muscle, nothing soft about him at all. I was too busy worrying about getting carved into little pieces to enjoy it but I definitely wouldn’t mind being wrapped in his big muscular arms again.
I glance out the window to my left. I can’t see it from this angle but I know the cabin he’s staying in is just a few yards away. Coincidence?
Sliding under the blanket, I turn on my side, away from the window. Away from temptation. I left Michael two months ago, but the intimacy had died months before that. Six months? More? Almost a year without sex, and there’s a guy right next door who could give me what I need. Even better, it would just be sex. No strings attached. We could have some fun and then he could — hopefully — get my car running or maybe give me a lift to the nearest town, and that would be it. No muss, no fuss, no worrying about if it would last. Because obviously it wouldn’t. The man looks as delicious as sex on a stick, and he’s old enough to have his shit together. He wouldn’t be interested in my baggage or drama. I pull the blanket tighter and close my eyes, listening to the rain fall against the window. Maybe I’ll see Mr. Tall, Dark, and Muscular in my dreams.
◆◆◆
I sit up in bed, moving too fast, making my head swim. Everything looks blurry as I blink my eyes, trying to wake up. Lighting flashes in the sky and thunder makes the bed shake. A loud snapping, cracking sound fills the air. I roll out of bed and run to the door. The wind snatches it out of my hand and the strange sound is suddenly louder, the air filled with cracks and pops that set my nerves on edge. Something large moves through the air and then there’s a crash. Loud doesn’t even begin to describe it. I feel it in my bones.
The ground shakes. Lightning flashes again and more snapping sounds echo all around me. Lanterns are on the ground, knocked over by the wind, and the lightning gives everything a strange strobe effect. People are running everywhere, the unknown sound growing louder. Without thinking, I run for the woods. Another loud boom makes the earth tremble beneath my bare feet. I should’ve grabbed my shoes but there’s no way in hell I’m going back for them now. This camp can kiss my ass. I’ll walk until I can hitch a ride from somebody.
I’m maybe fifteen feet from the camp entrance when lightning flashes again. Someone is standing in the middle of the road. They’re wearing a dark raincoat, a hood pulled over their face. His hand moves and lightning reflects off metal. A gun. The hooded figure shifts, looking at me. Michael. He raises the gun, an evil grin on his face. I scream and try to turn around, slipping in the mud, falling on my ass. Light flashes from the barrel of the gun just as thunder explodes in the sky. Falling down probably just saved my life. I scream again, scrambling to my feet. I run back the way I came, zigzagging back and forth, praying I don’t get shot in the back.
The lightning and rain are disorientating. I meant to run to Jace’s cabin but I don’t see any of the cabins anywhere. I keep running, keep zigzagging. Part of my brain notices the ground feels different, sounds different, like wood. And then the ground disappears and I’m falling. I scream. There’s a splash and suddenly I can’t breathe.
Chapter 6
Jace
The storm’s gotten a lot rougher than anybody expected, strong enough to take down a couple of trees. I stand at the window, watching the rain slam against the glass. It sounds like tiny rocks hitting the panes. High wind
s are driving it, making it the stinging type of rain, the kind that feels like your skin is being poked by thousands of needles. Luckily, everyone is inside the cabins. They might not be sleeping. They might be scared. But they’ll be safe as long as they stay in the cabins. A strange sound rips through the air, distorted and cut short by the wind, but it sends a chill down my spine. I move to the door and brace myself, opening it to the weather, the wind slams against me, rain pelting my face. I strain to listen for the sound again. And I hear it. A scream. My heart hammers fast and hard in my chest. It’s Adrienne. I don’t know how I know, but I know.
Without giving it a second thought, I charge out into the storm, only hesitating to battle the wind long enough to close the door behind me. Then I run for all I’m worth toward the trees. I’m pretty sure that’s where the scream came from. I realize too late that my flashlight is setting on the dresser back at the cabin, but the lightning is constant enough to provide light to see by. My eyes are drawn to a torn-up patch of mud, like someone slid or fell down. A flicker of movement catches my eye and I glance toward the woods to see a figure disappear into the darkness.
“Adrienne!” I call out, but she apparently can’t hear me and doesn’t slow down. I start to go after her, and then hear her scream again. This time it’s coming from behind me. From the direction of the lake. That’s not good. She’s not familiar with the camp. I turn and head in that direction. My t-shirt is soaked, sticking to me like a second skin and my jeans feel heavy, the denim soaking up as much water as possible.
Lightning flashes and I can see the dock, but I don’t see Adrienne. I look around frantically, wondering which way she could’ve gone. Another flash of lightning reveals muddy footprints running toward the end of the dock . . . but none coming back. Fuck! The footprints go all the way to the end of the dock so I dive off the side and swim toward the end. The lake is murky on its best day and the rain and wind make it almost impossible to see. Lightning overhead creates a strobe light effect, reflecting off Adrienne’s white t-shirt. I grab her and swim to the surface, bypassing the dock and swimming straight for land, keeping her head above water. She’s pale and cold, her eyes closed.
As soon as we’re out of the water, I lay her on the ground and lean over her mouth. She’s not breathing. I start CPR, refusing to let her go like this, refusing to let her go, period. “Come on, Adri,” I gasp as I do chest compressions. “Don’t leave me now, darlin’.” I pinch her nose and breathe into her mouth. She gasps and coughs and I immediately turn her on her side, letting her lungs flush the lake water out of her system. As soon as the coughing is done she turns to me, flinging her arms around my neck, burying her face against my chest as she cries.
I take her in my arms and stand up, holding her close. It’s still raining but the storm seems to be easing up. “It’s okay,” I say softly. “I’ll get you back to your cabin.”
She shakes her head violently. “No,” she sobs. “I don’t want to be alone.”
I resist the urge to say what I want to say. It’s not right. She’s too young and she almost drowned. The right thing to do is either take her to the girls’ cabin or let her stay with my sister.
She looks up at me, her blue eyes glistening with tears that fall and mix with the rain. “I want to stay with you,” she says. “Please.”
I should say no. It’s the right thing to do. Instead, I nod. “Okay.”
Chapter 7
Adrienne
When we get to his cabin, Jace sets me down gently, like I’m something precious and fragile. It’s a feeling I’m not used to, but I think I could get used to it easily, especially with him. Hi disappears into another room for a minute and returns with a big fluffy towel that he hands me, his eyes flicking down to my breasts for just a second. My shirt is soaked, leaving little to the imagination. I feel a tingle low in my belly and wish I’d taken my bra off before I went to sleep so he could see more. Then he digs through a couple of dresser drawers, pulling out various items of clothing. He hands me a pair of pajama pants I could use as a tent and a t-shirt that has to be at least five times too big for me.
He gestures toward the door he went through a few minutes ago. “Bathroom’s in there if you want a shower.”
I shiver and shake my head. “I think I’m done with water for a little while.”
He nods, grabs some clothes for himself, and disappears in the bathroom. I pull my dripping wet clothes off and drop them on the floor. I debate on removing my bra and panties for only a few seconds but they’re just as soaked as my shirt and skirt so there’s really no choice.
Once I’m completely naked, I use the towel and dry off, sighing with relief. I know it hasn’t been that long but it seems like ages since I was last dry. I pull his shirt on and laugh. It has short sleeves but they still go down almost to my elbows, and the hem of the shirt stops around my knees. I look at the pajama pants and set them on the dresser. There’s no way those will work.
Jace comes out of the bathroom and I almost stop breathing. He’s in a pair of sweatpants, and no shirt. I lick my lips, not being shy about letting my eyes drink in every delicious muscle. His shoulders are broad, his pecs firm, and he has abs that look like they’re chiseled from stone. My fingers are desperate to feel them and I cross my arms over my chest to keep from reaching out and touching him. There’s a light sprinkling of hair on his chest and tummy, with a thin line running down past the waistband of his sweats. I bite my lower lip, desperate to trace that path down and see where it leads. His sweatpants are baggy but I can still see the outline of his cock. It’s hard and long and I swear I can see it throbbing. It twitches and I gasp, squeezing my thighs together. I look up into Jace’s eyes. They’re dark gray, like storm clouds, burning with an intensity that makes me blush as he stares at me.
He drops his eyes away and turns to the dresser, opening one of the drawers. “There’s some extra blankets and stuff in here for me to be comfortable on the floor. You can have the bed.”
I laugh and then, as he starts pulling several blankets out of the drawer, realize he’s being serious. I shake my head. “No. This is your bed. If anyone is sleeping on the floor it’ll be me.”
He looks at me like I lost my mind. “I am not letting a woman sleep on the floor when there’s a perfectly good bed right there.” He turns to face me, standing tall. I look up at him as he towers over me, and I’m almost overcome with the need to climb him like a tree.
I take a deep breath, fighting the urge to beg him to fuck me. I’ve never been around a guy that’s so . . . so . . . “male” in my life. Sex appeal flows off him in waves and I can feel my juices making my thighs sticky. I want him, and dammit I know he wants me. If that look in his eyes isn’t a clue then that hard-as-a-fucking-rock cock sure as hell is. But he’s a gentleman. Just my luck. I sigh. Fine, but there’s no way I’m letting this hunk sleep on the floor.
“You saved my life,” I say.
“That doesn’t mean you owe me anything.”
Holy hell. The boy scout routine is irritating and sexy as fuck at the same time.
“Will you at least lay with me and hold me until I fall asleep?” I shiver. “I’m still so cold.” It’s not really a lie. The lake was freezing, but I’ll admit I might be laying it on a bit thick.
I wait in silence for his answer and I swear I can actually see the battle going on inside him. He wants to — just the idea has his cock even harder than it was a few minutes ago, if that’s even possible — but that damn boy scout in him is putting up a fight.
He closes his eyes and sighs. After a second or two, he opens his eyes and moves to the bed, pulling back the blankets and sheet. He glances at me for just a second. “Just until you fall asleep.”
I resist the urge to squeal like a schoolgirl and hop into bed, sliding under the covers, anxious to feel him against me again. A contented sigh slips from my lips when he presses himself against me, a thick muscular arm wrapping around me and pulling me tight against his chest.
His warm breath brushes across the back of my neck and for a second I think I’m about to come just from that. Damn, girl. Slow down and enjoy this. You don’t have anywhere to be. I frown. That’s not actually true. I’m pretty sure I saw Michael before my unexpected nighttime swim, and that means I need to get the hell out of here. A shiver runs through me and Jace pulls me even tighter against him. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning as his hard cock presses against me. Fuck. He’s so hot and hard. I do need to get the hell out of here. Later.
“Comfortable?” he asks, his voice close to my ear, sending a flash of heat straight to my pussy.
“Very,” I say softly.
He massages my breast in his big hand and the nipple tightens. Jace is so big, so strong, and he even saved my life. He makes me feel safe. For the first time in a very long time I’m not worried about anything. I push back against his cock and moan.
His grip tightens for a second and he inhales sharply. “Adri,” he says, his voice thick with lust, “you need to be careful. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
Mmmm. Adri. Not much different from Michael’s nickname for me but the way Jace says his version makes me want to purr. “Say it again,” I say, sliding my ass up and down his thick shaft, loving how it throbs against my ass. “Say my name again.”
“Adri,” he growls, low and deep, thrusting his hips forward, grinding his cock against me. “You need to be —”
“I don’t want to be careful,” I say, reaching back and sliding a hand between us, curling my fingers around his shaft through his sweatpants and stroking him. “I’m tired of being careful . . . and maybe I’m the one taking advantage of you.”
“We’ll see about that,” he whispers, and then bites my shoulder.
Fuck. I close my eyes and gasp, squeezing my thighs together and rubbing them. I need something there. Something to satisfy the yearning.