Discovering Pleasure (14 page)

“He gets so into his work that everything else fades. He’ll talk and talk, but we aren’t really expected to answer unless he asks a direct question,” Alicia explained.

“I see,” Rose answered. “Well, it’s a quiet day here. I didn’t see any other cars on the lot and I don’t hear or sense anyone else out here, so I think we’re alone.

“What do you mean…sense?” Alicia asked.

Rose hesitated. She wasn’t at all self-conscious about her abilities, but wasn’t always sure just how to explain them. “Well, I just have this feeling when other people are around. Not good, not bad—at least most of the time—just kind of like when you know someone else is in a room with you. It’s more of a vibration in the air, if that makes any sense.”

“Yes, it does. I’ve more or less trained myself to be aware of Maverick’s moods and needs. I know when he gets home from work, sometimes before he can even get the door shut, whether he’s had a stressful day or not. I know when he wants to play or when he just want to relax simply by the way he holds himself or the timbre of his voice. Is it something like that?” Alicia wondered.

“In a way, yes, but to a heightened extent. I’m also good with predicting the weather and knowing when it will change.” Rose paused for a second and held her face up to the growing wind. “Speaking of which. I think it might be a good idea if we start heading back.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure, but something is going to change and change fast. We really should get going,” Rose insisted. Within the last few moments she’d got the distinct impression that a storm was brewing…and it would be a bad one.

“I’ll let him know,” Alicia assured her, frowning.

They had wandered down an easy path that passed over two wooden bridges and led to a rock wall. The wall was jagged and deeply cut, still bearing the black marks of ancient campfires. The people who once lived here would have used this area for shelter and storage, possibly making this their summer home. A small creek was close by for easy access to water, but not so close as to threaten flooding in even the heaviest of rains. Rose shivered, not only because of the sudden drop in temperature and a few scattered drops of rain, but also from the feeling of dread engulfing her. Looking over to her right, she saw Alicia speaking to Maverick, who frowned but nodded and began to gather his equipment. Rose’s heart gave a quick lurch, but before she could give warning, Maverick had miss-stepped on the now-slippery ledge.

“Maverick!” she shouted, helpless to do anything as she watched him slide down the steep incline.

Alicia screamed, then sat on her rump and scooted safely to his side. Rose, who had started to run towards him as soon as she realised he was in danger, knelt by his side.

“I’m fine,” he assured the frightened women. “Alicia, get my camera into its waterproof case.”

Alicia quickly did as she was bid while Rose helped him into a sitting position.

“You aren’t fine,” Rose whispered.

“No, I’m not, but it’s not too bad. I probably have a sprained ankle and a dislocated finger or two,” he admitted quietly.

Rose looked at his left hand. Sure enough, the fingers were already swelling.

“I think the middle one might be broken, but the index finger is definitely dislocated,” she agreed.

Alicia rushed back to kneel beside her husband, her face a study in concern and worry, her long braid soaked by the rain.

“There’s no way he can walk out of here and we sure can’t carry him. The stones block cell phone coverage so we can’t call out,” Rose explained, “but they also provide shelter. Let’s get him back into that shallow cave as far as we can.”

The two women got Maverick to his feet and, by his leaning heavily on their shoulders, the three managed to hobble their way back to the large, overhanging rocks moments before the full force of the storm hit. They pressed their backs against the inner rock wall as sheets of rain pummelled the earth. First leaves, then twigs and small rocks swirled—lifted and tossed by the strong winds. The ancients, however, had chosen their summer campsite well. While the three of them were hit by a light spray of rain and were chilled by the wind, they were for the most part protected from the harsh summer thunderstorm.

“My God,” Maverick shouted over the sounds of the violent thunder, “does it always storm like this?”

“No,” Rose answered, kneeling to take a closer look at his ankle, “but it’s been unseasonably cool. So that, combined with the sudden heat of the last day or so, makes it prime conditions for a nasty thunderstorm. Possibly even a tornado.”

“What!” Alicia yelped.

Rose looked up at her and noticed how pale she had become. Alicia, Rose realised, was terrified and not just from worry about Maverick. The storm was totally freaking her out.

“Alicia,” Rose said as calmly as she could. “It’ll be okay. You’re safe here. There’s a reason why the ancient people lived in these small caves for so long. It’s strong and protected. Here, hold Maverick’s good hand. His ankle isn’t broken from what I can tell, but it’s sprained so I’m going to bind it with my T-shirt.”

Alicia nodded and gripped her husband’s hand. Despite the chill wind, Rose removed her T-shirt, found a sharp rock and began to rip it into strips. She used the strips to bind Maverick’s ankle carefully so he wouldn’t further injure it through any inadvertent movements. When she finished, she sat back against the cold stone wall.

“Thank you, Rose. You needn’t have done that. If I’d known what you were doing, I would have offered you my shirt instead. Why don’t you switch garments, my dear?” Maverick said.

“No, I don’t want to move your ankle any more than absolutely necessary. I’ll be fine,” Rose assured him.

“Probably wise, but in that case,”—he held out his arm to her and continued—“come here. The least I can do is offer you my warmth.”

Eagerly, Rose cuddled against him. Alicia was tucked beneath his other arm, shivering more from fright than from cold. Rose wanted to do or say something to help the other girl but was at a loss. Luckily, Maverick knew exactly what to do.

“Alicia, do you need distraction, my dear?” he asked.

“Yes, Sir. If you’re able, I am in need of distraction,” she answered humbly.

“Rose, would you be willing to assist?” Maverick questioned.

Rose had no idea what he meant, but she felt such sympathy for the terrified woman that she agreed.

“Bare or covered?” he queried.

“The choice is yours, Sir.”
                                           

“Covered then, at least until the storm abates,” he decided. “Now lie across my lap and put your head on Rose’s.”

Alicia immediately obeyed, being careful not to jostle his ankle. Using his good right hand, Maverick began to lay hard swats across each of Alicia’s jeans-covered cheeks. Rose stroked the girl’s hair quietly. After twenty or so strokes, Rose noticed the other girl’s breathing had stabilised. Apparently, Rose wasn’t the only one who felt grounded by a good spanking.

Never taking his eyes off his wife and continuing to deliver well-aimed swats, Maverick asked quietly, “Is it my imagination or is the wind a bit less fierce?”

Rose agreed, “The storm is moving on. It isn’t uncommon at all for this time of year, to have a hard, violent storm that lasts less than half an hour. I’d give it about ten minutes before it’s moved out of this area completely.”

“I see,” he acknowledged.

“When it does, I’ll leave you two here and head back to the van. I can drive up to the cabin, get help and be back within twenty minutes.”

“Nathan is a lucky man, Rose. You are not only beautiful but gifted and intelligent as well,” he complimented. He delivered one hard swat to Alicia’s upturned bottom and said, “Do you need more distraction, wife?”

While Alicia had calmed, she was still trembling slightly, but Rose couldn’t decide if it was from fear or excitement now.

“If it pleases you, Sir,” she murmured.

“Then bare yourself,” he ordered.

Alicia wiggled and quickly scooted out of her jeans. When she lay back down, Rose was impressed by the pink glow already gracing her lovely cheeks. Maverick gently rubbed Alicia’s ass for a moment before his hand came down in an almost cruel blow. Both Alicia and Rose jumped and Rose’s eyes widened in surprise. Alicia, however, moaned. This time, Rose knew it was from pleasure and not fear. Instinctively, Rose counted. One. Two. Three. Alicia raised her hips, meeting each swat eagerly. Maverick continued to spank his lovely wife, who squirmed and ground her hips against his lap until the storm had completely abated. By the time he stopped, her cheeks and upper thighs were bright red and she had enjoyed at least two orgasms. Rose, too, found herself wet and excited.

“It’s safe enough for me to go get help now,” she decided, although at the moment all she really wanted to do was drop her drawers and lie next to Alicia to receive her own over-the-knee pleasure.

Maverick smiled at her, pulled her to him for a quick kiss to her forehead. “Thank you again, sweet Rose. We’ll be fine here until you return.”

Rose stood and supported Alicia while she put her jeans back on. Carefully, Rose picked her way over the debris left by the storm. Before she reached the first bridge, however, she heard a familiar and most welcome voice.

“Rose!” Nathan shouted.

She ran into his outstretched arms. He lifted her in a mighty bear hug and kissed her hard. Looking behind him, she saw Vincent and Joe grinning at her.

“God, baby. I was so worried about you. You okay? Where’s your shirt?” he asked.

“I’m fine, but Maverick is injured and I used my shirt as a bandage. We need to get him to a hospital to have his ankle and hand looked at. Nothing life threatening, but he’s in pain,” she explained.

Within minutes, the company returned to Maverick and Alicia. Between them all, they managed to carry Maverick back to the van with no mishaps. Joe and Vincent elected to drive Maverick since Alicia was still pretty shaken up. Luckily, both Alicia and Maverick had spare clothing in the van so they could change out of their wet garments. Nathan wrapped Rose in a blanket and placed her in the front seat of Vincent’s Jeep.

“Let’s get you back to the cabin and into a hot shower, babe,” Nathan offered and he turned up the heat.

Rose nodded and lay back against the seat. She didn’t want to say anything to upset Alicia further, but she had been terribly concerned that the storm would produce a tornado or that Maverick would go into shock. Now that the crisis was over, she allowed the fear that had been buried beneath her calm exterior to surface. She began to tremble.

“Hold on, girl. Don’t you dare freak out on me yet. I said I’d get you into a shower to warm you up. After that, you can break down if you need to, but not until I can hold you properly,” Nathan warned.

She felt his strength seep into her pores. Not unlike Alicia’s need for distraction, Rose needed structure. Hearing Nathan’s commanding voice was enough to help her through the few minutes it took for him to drive to the cabin, carry her inside, start the shower and strip them both. He stood behind her so that she could lean on him while he soaped her dirty body. Next, he began to shampoo her hair, carefully picking out bits and pieces of torn leaves which had become entangled in her red tresses. He didn’t actually speak to her, but quietly hummed a popular song. Rose braced her hands against his hairy, strong chest, grateful for his comfort and love.

When he finished he turned off the water and wrapped her in a thick, warm towel. He gently rubbed her hair with another towel until it was almost dry. Next, he sat her on a hard chair and grabbed a wide-toothed comb. Expertly, he loosened the tangles in her thick hair, careful not to tug too hard. Lulled by his care, Rose almost fell asleep, her earlier panic forgotten in the warmth and comfort of his touch.

Finally, Nathan was satisfied with his handiwork. Keeping a hand on her shoulder, he reached to pull down the covers. He lifted her into his arms and eased them both onto the bed. Rose, barely awake, snuggled against him as he adjusted the blankets around them before they fell asleep.

Chapter Sixteen

Blood Red
—
A pungent blend of Norton, Chamborcin and Concord grapes creating a deep, blood-red colour but a semi-sweet dance for your palate.

Groggy, Rose sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Glancing about the room she realised with a start that she was alone.
Nathan?
Where was he? Still somewhat disoriented, Rose stumbled to the bathroom. Once she’d relieved her aching bladder, she leaned over the sink to wash her hands and giggled. Nathan had written a note and taped it to the one place he knew she’d look…the mirror.

“Taking care of some business. Stay naked.”

Stay naked
? As if he had to remind her of that order. Remaining naked while in the cabin was on the list of posted rules, and Rose never intentionally broke a rule without just cause. Humming slightly off tune, she turned on the shower and stepped in. She closed her eyes and let the hot water pound on her stiff muscles. Yesterday had taxed her both physically and mentally. Late last night, Vincent had stopped by their cabin and let them know that Maverick’s ankle was indeed sprained but should heal quickly, especially considering the loving care with which Alicia attended to him. Rose smiled thinking of her two new friends. Watching Maverick assuage Alicia’s fear of storms had been quite exciting, despite the fierceness of the weather. He had to have been in considerable pain, but had put the needs of his wife before his own. Rose’s admiration of the man had definitely risen, despite her earlier reservations. Somehow, the idea of him ‘owning’ Alicia as his slave had bothered Rose at first.