Of the Trees(40)

He didn’t hesitate, didn’t speak. His hands raked up from her hips, settling warmly on her waist, and he brought his lips purposely to hers, pressing her hard back into the tree. She squeaked, surprised and shocked at his directness—and more shocked at her response.

She didn’t protest, and he took full advantage of the gasp she emitted as he nipped at her lower lip. The unnatural heat that had been plaguing her flared into life, searing her insides. He wasn’t gentle, and he wasn’t slow; he angled against her, his whole body pressing to hers. His mouth slid open, coaxing hers to do the same, and his tongue slid along her own. She felt muddled, confused. It was delusive, fast, and unexpected. She was frozen.

But he wasn’t. His hands came around her, stroking under her jacket and up her back, his fingers dancing lightly as he drew them down her sides. His kisses were heady, more intoxicating than the beer she had, and her brain shut down. She kissed him back, hard and without thought. He pulled back from her mouth, trailing his lips over her jaw and to her neck, tracing the bounding lines of her artery with the tip of his tongue. A sigh escaped without her permission, and she felt his lips curl into a lazy smile before he dragged them up to seal over her own again.

Her mind was hazy, but through the haze came a burst of noise. A moan, loud and distinct cut through the silence of the forest. She started, stiffening in his arms. He ignored it, his hands tracing up her body and landing on her neck. His fingertips traced intricate patterns on her skin as he angled her head into the kiss. She felt weak, unable to stand on her own, but his body kept her securely pinned to the tree, and she didn’t move.

Someone, someone nearby, whimpered. Cassie’s eyes flew open. She didn’t even remember closing them. Her breath came sharp and fast; she was gasping into the kiss. He broke free again, bending back to the column of her throat, his fingers leaving her neck and trailing slowly and seductively down her front. Her head fell back to the tree, and she was blinking fast. It was unreal. It felt so unreal. He was everywhere, surrounding her. Her mind was clouded and her thoughts scattered. There was nothing, nothing at all but his lips and his body and his warm, warm hands. She shuddered underneath him, and he stooped lower, yanking the edge of her jacket back and trailing his tongue over her exposed collarbone.

This time, the whimper was hers. She fought back for control, gulped at the cooling night air, and looked around, looking for the other couples that were still in view, the ones who could see her, too.

She saw Jessica Evans. She wasn’t far away, noticeable as always with her white blond hair. She was laying on the forest floor, enjoyably pinned down by some guy.

A warm tongue caressed its way up her neck, teeth nipping in the wake and Cassie closed her eyes again. She let her hands drift up his sides, feeling the muscular cut of him. He caught her wrists in his hands and pinned them tightly to her side. The bark cut into her skin, and she groaned, but that was because he was kissing her again, his lips warm and firm and demanding.

“Leave them there,” he rasped, his breath hot on the shell of her ear. She did, and his hands got bolder, stroking along the silky fabric of her dress. One hand dipped lower, his fingers skirting bare thigh. Her fingers tightened against the bark at the resulting shock, and she stuttered against his lips. He shushed her and continued, pressing and insistent. Jessica groaned again, and Cassie looked over, a spasm of fear working its way through her core.

She knew that guy. She didn’t see it before, hadn’t recognized him, but through the haze of alcohol and heady kissing, it was suddenly clear. Jude. The older, overweight carnie. It was him.

Cassie stiffened against the tree. “Wait,” she whispered, jolted when he didn’t, when his hand slid higher on her leg, dragging her dress up. “No!”

She spoke louder, bringing her hands to his forearms and gripping hard. He tensed, anger rippling off him. Realization slowly overtook her, her mind horrified at her actions. She felt flushed, hot and embarrassed, but no longer confused. She pushed away from the tree, under the arm of the boy she had being making out with.

Wrong. This was wrong.

There was no one left at the fire. No sign of anyone at all, except for the moans and breathy whimpers that rose around her.

“Jess,” Cassie hissed, stalking closer to her. Her friend peered up at her, her face a mix of beatific happiness and a cloud of confusion. “Get up, we have to go home.”

“Go home yourself, Cass,” Jessica murmured, pressing her face into Jude’s neck. She waved her off, but Cassie stood firm.

“I’m serious, Jessica Evans,” she said, her voice rising. “I’m not leaving you out here.”

Jessica sat up, Jude sliding off her. He turned to Cassie, glaring, and Cassie stepped back. He looked different, a trick of the light maybe, but his gut was gone, his shoulders broader. There was something there though, something in the set of the eyes, the tightness of his glare, and she knew, knew, that this was the same man.

“I’m getting Laney, and I’m leaving. I think you should come, too.”

Jessica snorted, looking from Jude to Cassie. “Jude promised me a dance,” she said instead, her voice teasingly coy. “Didn’t you?”

Instead of answering, he stood. Cassie gritted her teeth, standing her ground against the man who towered over her. Jessica went to move past her, heading toward the fire, when Cassie grabbed her arm. “Look, how much did you have to drink?” she asked in a whisper. Jessica laughed.