Rocky Mountain Rebel

Chapter Seventeen

Packing was done far too soon for Vicki’s tastes. “You sure you have enough gear we’re not going to freeze?”

Matt stepped past her and dropped a duffle bag into the truck bed. “What is it with you girls? You really think we’d take you into the backcountry and let you die of exposure?”

Hope crossed her arms. “I would say if it suited your plans, you would leave a few blankets behind and be all ‘oh, we can share body heat to stay alive’. I know your type, Matt Coleman.”

She winked at Vicki, though, before she moved forward to wrap her arms around her fiancé and kiss him thoroughly.

“Stop that. Focus on the task so we can hit the road.” Joel transferred another cooler into the back of the truck. “Man, Vicki. It looks as if we’ll be eating enough to stay warm, that’s for sure.”

“Hey, you made the list. I just cooked it.”

The whole going-camping thing had rolled forward like a train. Her boss had okayed an extra day off from the shop, and suddenly she and Joel were joining Matt and Hope for a night in the mountains.

She stared at the sky, but it was anyone’s guess if the snow would show up early or hold off until they were done this adventure. At least Joel had nixed the idea of using horses and camping on Coleman land as Matt had first suggested. Joel had convinced the others he wanted to hit a site farther from Rocky Mountain House, which meant using a truck.

One bullet dodged.

Getting there ended up rather comfortable and easy. Joel crawled into the back of the crew cab, tucked her to his side and held her hand as they shot the breeze with the two in the front. Matt and Hope made her feel welcome, and she appreciated that so much. Hope’s dry sense of humour helped set Vicki at ease, and by the time they were setting up camp, her concerns had faded.

For everything except the actual camping.

She handed Joel items as he asked for them. “We’re really going to sleep on something that thin?”

Joel laughed, tugging the air mattress from her fingers and pushing it in to the tent, arranging it carefully. “This from a girl who is currently sleeping on a mattress on the floor all the time?”

“Whose fault is that?” Vicki winked then dodged out of reach when he would have grabbed her.

“I didn’t break your bed,” Joel insisted.

There was a snort of disbelief from a few feet away where Matt was setting up a second tent.

“Stop listening,” Joel called out to his brother.

Matt stood and shook his head. “First, I’m moving our tent farther from yours because you’re too damn loud, and if I can hear you now, who knows what we’ll be hearing tonight. And second? You broke her bed? Damn…”

“I didn’t break her bed. Idiot.” Joel threw a tent peg at his brother, but Matt had already grabbed his and Hope’s tent by the sides and lifted it in the air.

Vicki knelt beside where Joel continued to work. “You’re so bad.”

“He’s my older brother. It’s in the rules I have to torment him on a regular basis.” Joel caught her this time, tugging her into his lap. “But I’m glad they moved farther away. He’s right. I don’t want to listen to them fool around all night.”

His hand smoothed upward, stroking along her throat until he held her chin captive, kissing her with lots of tongue thrown in for good measure. Vicki dug her fingers into his hair and went for broke. When he groaned in arousal, she smiled. From never having had a kiss to knowing how to drive him mad, she hadn’t done poorly over the past month.

They separated just enough to draw in air. “Maybe they’ll be happy not to listen to us all night as well,” Vicki teased.

That delicious expression washed over his face, the one that said he had definite plans. “You not sore anymore?”

“Nope.” His palm rested on top of her thighs, an innocent enough touch. She wanted him to shift his grasp a little and cup her sex. Oh shoot. “Did you bring a condom?”

“Hell, yeah, more than one.” Joel glanced over his shoulder. “But stop talking about sex, or there’s no way I’ll last without dragging you into the tent right here and now.”

The food coolers were still in the back of the truck, and neither Hope nor Matt was anywhere to be seen. “Umm, Joel? Where are the others?”

She and Joel fell silent for a bit until a loud laugh gave the answer. Joel grinned. “Damn, they’re at it already.”

Vicki wiggled her brows. “I think I’m going to like camping.”

Only before Joel could haul her into their own tent, Hope popped up, her hair mussed, deep masculine laughter following her. She glanced their direction then rolled her eyes as she turned back to scold through the tent flaps. “Great. Now your brother and his girlfriend think we were fooling around. Nice going.”

Matt’s head poked out, an ear-to-ear grin shining on his face. “Pay no attention to the mad woman over here. She’s in need of a little discipline.”

“Matt,” Hope snapped. “Behave.”

He crowded out of the tent and went after her. “You’re in trouble…”

Watching the two of them run and play made something break free in Vicki’s heart.

That a couple could have a fun relationship as well as a sexual one—well, she knew about it, but to see it played out before her?

Magical.

A finger stroked her cheek. “What’s got you smiling so sweetly?”

She went for honest, pointing across the campsite.

“It’s good to see how much in love those two are. Makes me believe in positive things for down the road. That fairytales can come true. Maybe there’s someone out there who will love me like that some day.” She glanced up and was surprised to see his expression turn serious. “What’s wrong?”

Joel shook his head. “Nothing. Just, yeah, you are right.” He settled her to the ground and gazed after Hope and Matt. Matt had caught her in a close embrace, kissing her soundly with so much life and energy and sheer happiness in his attentions Vicki smiled even harder.

They got the fire going. It was cold enough even with the thing blazing, Vicki cuddled in tight to his side and still shivered.

“I hope our sleeping bags are good and thick.” She shivered again, and he pulled her into his lap, wrapping the quilt around her tighter.

“You’ll be warm tonight, I promise.”

The way she looked at him with the promise of something else showing in her gaze made Joel have to focus on what they were about right now.

“Vicki, you did a super job with the dinner. Thanks.” Hope and Matt were curled up to the right of them, the smoke from the fire drifting to the west away from where they were all huddled. Close enough to speak quietly, and yet not able to see exactly what was going on with the other couple unless they deliberately got up and looked.

“Matt and Joel made the list.”

“You cooked. On short notice, I might add.” Joel stroked her cheek. “I agree, everything was great.”

“Better than the typical beans and hotdogs you told me about?” Vicki teased.

“I’ll still make you coffee in the morning,” Joel assured her.

Hope groaned. “No. Not Joel’s campfire coffee.”

“What? What’s wrong with it?” Vicki asked.

Matt’s laugh rumbled out. “Thick enough to paint the walls. But it’ll wake you up.”

Comfortable, easy. Such a contrast from the tension in the bar two nights earlier. Joel relaxed against the log they’d hauled over to use as a backrest.

“Well, I appreciate good cooking.” Hope tossed a small stick into the fire, making sparks fly. “Funny how I got one of the so-called domestic skills—sewing—and totally missed the others.”

“Hush,” Matt chided. “You can cook just fine. And so can I. We’re not going to starve.”

Joel was having trouble concentrating while Vicki drew designs on his chest with her fingertips.

“I learned how to cook young. I hid out in the Home-Ec room during recess and lunch hours,” Vicki shared.

She spoke so soft Joel wondered if the others had heard her.

“Did you have Mrs. Underwood for Home-Ec?” Hope asked.

“No. Well, not at first. This was back when Miss Graves was the teacher. I must have been about ten at the time.” She spoke a little firmer. “The first couple of times I was…hiding. She was surprised to see me, but she made me a hot chocolate. I still remember that. It was so kind.”

Joel sat motionless, willing Vicki to keep sharing. It was the first time she’d talked about something like this. A memory from her past. The total sum of what he knew about her, which wasn’t a hell of a lot, hit him.

The girls carried on their conversation while Joel pondered.

“A good teacher makes a huge difference,” Hope agreed. “Miss Graves taught me to sew.”

“She wasn’t even the teacher anymore when I hit Junior High and actually had Home-Ec classes, but she started bringing in little things for me to make during lunch hour, thank God, because there were times that—”

She jerked to a stop.

Times what?

Vicki took a deep breath before continuing. “It was one way to get something to eat for me and my sister Lynn. During the years she was there, Miss Graves probably fed us more than my mom did.”

Joel’s stomach tightened.

“Hope used to hang out at the boys and girl’s club.” Matt stared upward as he spoke. His words solemn, carefully chosen. Joel was grateful, because right now he was pretty speechless. “The first time that registered, I was in shock. Like, why had she hung out there instead of at home?”

He twisted to gaze at Vicki. “I hadn’t much of a clue not everyone’s family was like Joel’s and mine. And I had no excuse for being so ignorant. I was involved with Helen at the time.”

“Oh, family.” Hope sighed. “Wait, let me adjust that ponderous comment. Oh, my family member who continues to drive me nuts.”

“It’s tough, right? Having family that’s not family,” Vicki whispered.

“Toughest thing in the world.” Hope pressed a hand to Matt’s face. “Then one day you get a taste of the other side, and figure out why people rave about it.”

Silence fell. Joel wasn’t sure what he would say, if he did speak up.

They hadn’t actually come out and said Vicki’s family was a pain. That Hope’s family had been a disaster as well. The fact was there, though, hovering.

Joel wanted to apologize for his good fortune in having scored a family that knew something about sticking together, yet that impulse sucked. It was wrong. It wasn’t right to try to cast off the good he’d had to make someone else’s pain less.

That kind of attitude diminished what his dad and ma had worked for all these years. He appreciated his lot, never wanted to take it for granted, but the contrast—

With every breath it was clearer he had a good thing, and he’d never really noticed until now.

“Look, a shooting star.” Vicki pointed skyward, and they all twisted to follow the trajectory.

A welcome peace floated over them, with nothing but the crackle of the fire carrying through the air.

“What did you wish for?” Matt asked Hope, his words soft but audible.

“Nothing doing. If I tell you, then my request won’t come true.” Hope stroked his smiling face to soften her denial.

“Maybe if you tell me, I can make sure all your dreams come true.”

Oh, God. Vicki’s heart fluttered at the sheer romanticism of the moment as Hope whispered I love you and kissed Matt, right then and there.

In so many ways, this camping trip had been more of a learning experience than Vicki had expected. She turned away from the other couple and gazed into the darkness. The cold wrapped around them, but Joel’s arms were warm and gave her a sense of security, real or not.

Vicki hadn’t been sure about sharing earlier, but it seemed right. The setting, the people, all of it worked together to make her want to open up. As if they wouldn’t consider it a bid for sympathy, but more a statement of reality. Her reality.

She didn’t often get to talk about what her life had been like.

Joel’s lips nudged her temple. “You ready for bed?”

“What time is it?”

He chuckled. “Doesn’t matter. It’s dark, and the fire is burning low. We don’t run on clocks while we’re camping.”

Nice. “You’ve obviously never been to a kids’ camp, then. Trust me, you run on clocks.”

“What, breakfast at eight, archery at nine? Sounds pretty cushy compared to getting up early in the dead of winter to do chores.”

“Try waking at five to suck back a coffee before putting that breakfast together.” Joel shuddered under her, and she nodded. “And don’t forget, the worst part is after you’re done? There’s only four hours before lunch is served. Whoever put breakfast and lunch so close together should be shot.”

“We’ll have breakfast whenever we want it.” Hope spoke as she rose to her feet. “Since I don’t have to open the shop, I’m sleeping in as long as possible.”

“As long as I’ll let you…” Matt scrambled up, avoiding her halfhearted swing. “Come on, let’s leave these two bed-breakers out here. If we’re lucky, we can get to sleep before they start making too much noise.”

Joel flashed a finger at his brother. “Whoever makes the most noise tonight gets to crawl out of their warm sleeping bags and make coffee in the morning.”

Vicki hid her face for a moment. All this plain talk about having sex embarrassed her. She’d had dirty words and accusations hurled at her when they weren’t true. She knew how to deal with that. This was a whole other matter.

Joel stroked her hair as good nights were shared, the night air sneaking past them cool and edging toward cold.

“If you’d like to sit by the fire for a while longer, I should add a couple of logs,” Joel offered. “Otherwise, I’ll put it out and we can call it a night.”

If they sat up longer, she’d have to share more. Which wasn’t high on her agenda right now. “I’m kind of sleepy.”

Joel helped her find her feet. “Mountain air. You’re about to get the best damn sleep of your life.”

Vicki watched as he stirred the coals and put out the fire. “When I wasn’t upset about the horses, or exhausted from the cooking schedule, I did sleep well at camp.”

He rocked back on his heels and looked her over, something between sadness and confusion painting his expression. He didn’t say anything. Just escorted her to the washhouse, the glow from his flashlight jumping ahead of them on the uneven ground.

By the time she’d brushed her teeth and washed up, she really was feeling sleepy. She pushed open the washhouse door to find Joel leaning on the railing, staring into the star-filled sky, his towel draped around his neck.

It was cold enough there were no bugs flying about the lights.

“By the way, thank you for picking a campground with flush toilets.” Vicki accepted his hand, transferring her bag to her other shoulder.

“No problem. Roughing it is fun at times, but having an actual shower in the morning? Bonus. They’ll be turning off the water in a couple of days, so we timed it just right.”

Vicki nodded before she realized he couldn’t see her response in the dark. A yawn escaped her, though, and he caught that.

“You really are tired, aren’t you?”

She went for honest. “Tired, but still interested in fooling around. As long as it doesn’t take too much energy.”

Joel knelt and unzipped the tent fly, gesturing her inside. “I’m pretty sure I can muster up enough energy for the two of us.”

Vicki squirmed her way to one side, attempting to make room for him, the swinging flashlight turning the space into a dance-floor lightshow before he clicked it off. “You sure this is a two-man tent?”

He laughed. “This is a four-man tent, darling. Feeling cozy?”

“Good thing I’m not claustrophobic.” She slipped her pants off, pausing to wonder what exactly she should be stripping to. It was dark. Like hand-in-front-of-face-and-can’t-see-it dark. “Joel?”

His hip bumped her. Or maybe it was an elbow. “Yes?”

She fought the giggles that wanted to escape. “I have no idea where my bag is or the sleeping bag or…anything.”

“Hmm, then this could be a lot of fun.” A hand brushed her arm, and he wrapped his fingers around her. “Feel your way.”

Sounded fun indeed. Vicki stretched out her hands cautiously though. “If I poke you in the eye, it’s your own damn fault.”

His laughter rang loudly before he muffled it. “I promise not to poke you in the eye.”

Oh jeez. “You’re such a perv, Joel Coleman.”

“Well you did offer to do something about my hard-on the other day.”

That was enough. Vicki was mortified at the thought Matt and Hope could hear this conversation. “Use that mouth for something better than talk, mister.”

He tugged the top of her shirt. “Give me something to sink my teeth into.”

Her shirt vanished, her bra went next. She was sure he’d be all over her chest without any delay, but it seemed he had an agenda—get Vicki naked.

Which, hello, fine with her.

She was equally busy, shoving the fabric of his shirt up, the back of her hands dragging against his chest. Naked skin under her fingers—she couldn’t get enough of it, couldn’t get enough of him.

She’d just popped the button on his jeans, pausing to cup the heavy erection pressing the front of the material, when he picked her up and laid her on something soft.

Naked skin, cold night. Her nipples were tight from more than being turned on like crazy.

“Should I crawl under the covers?” Her teeth might have rattled.

Heat blanketed her, his breath brushing past her cheek. “I’ll keep you plenty warm, darling.”

Her lungs seemed impossible to fill. He wasn’t crushing her with his weight, just overwhelming her with his presence as he lay over her. Skin to skin, his hips between her thighs.

Then it started. Delightful torment. A whirlwind of kisses to destroy her equilibrium, followed by physical devastation of the best kind.

He slipped away from her lips to nibble along her jaw. A kiss was pressed to the base of her throat before he sucked lightly and had her arching her back, begging without words for more.

Two nights ago she’d been able to see every move before he made it. The advance warning had been wonderful because of her lack of experience. It allowed her to consider, prepare, even anticipate. This was the opposite situation and still perfect. Without being able to see, her skin grew more sensitive, and each caress came out of nowhere, lighting her on fire.

Her breasts ached until he cupped one in his hand, plumping the mound and twirling his fingers over her nipple. If she expected a repeat performance on the opposite side, this time she’d have lost the bet, because it was his mouth she felt next. Or more specifically his tongue, circling in ever-tightening loops until he finally, finally, reached her nipple and drew it into his mouth.

Vicki used her hands as well, learning him as much as she could considering he insisted on moving. She dragged her fingers through his hair, caressed his shoulders. When she got creative and rubbed her foot along the nearest thing she could find, a growl-like groan was her reward.

Oh yeah, he had a nice ass, no matter what she stroked it with.

After his joking about blowjobs, she wondered if he would at least ask her to touch his cock this time, but again she was on the receiving end of intimate kisses. Joel rubbed his chin on her inner thigh, the rasp of his unshaven jaw leaving her craving.

And his mouth? Seriously addictive.

“Joel,” Vicki whispered in desperation as she tugged his hair. He licked and lapped her closer to the point of no return. She was very aware they weren’t alone in the campsite, no matter how far away Matt had moved their tent. “Oh hell, stop. Stop, or I’m going to come.”

He dove in harder, ignoring her warning. The resulting pleasure was too much to resist, and her climax hit, a gasp floating from her lips as her limbs shook violently.

Before she’d finished, while her body was still squeezing, Joel shifted position. There was a crinkle of a condom wrapper briefly before his cock nudged between her thighs, just off-center. He adjusted and thrust in all the way.

“Joel.” This time a shout escaped—damn it.

Once he’d filled her, though, he remained motionless, breathing heavily. When he’d slipped inside, he’d triggered a second wave of pleasure, and white spots floated in front of her eyes.

She didn’t care how dark it was. At that moment Vicki swore she’d seen stars.

“Oh darling, that feels so good.” A kiss landed on her cheek, his masculine scent twining around them and filling the enclosed space. “You happy?”

“So happy,” she whispered back. She squeezed her muscles around his erection. “And you’re still hard.”

“I think I can do something about that pretty quick.” A stroking touch slid up her side past the edge of her breast without stopping. He caught hold of her hand and carried it above her head. “Put your hands together.”

She reached up, intending on linking her fingers. Instead he caught her wrists, both of them in one hand, and stretched her beneath him.

It was a different sensation, pinned in place, unable to shift away. Not that she wanted to escape, but the option was now removed. And when he rocked his hips, dragging his cock nearly all the way out, she held her breath.

Lost all the air as he drove forward hard.

Deep and fast he moved, taking her again and again. So different from their previous session of sex where he’d been careful and tender with her. This was a taking.

Pleasure unfurled through her body, the intimate strokes of his cock only one part. His chest rubbed hers, her nipples tightened and her breasts grew heavy with desire. Their breaths mingled, sharp gasps cutting off as they fought for air. Yet the need for each other overpowered basic essentials.

Another blistering kiss surprised her with the demand she open and give to him even as he gave in return. Yet another burst of pleasure was nearly on her, and when he added a twisting motion to his hips, she gasped his name.

He lowered his head to the mattress beside her, heavy breathing echoing in her ear as he slammed in once more then stilled. Inside her, his cock jerked, and she lifted her legs around him, pulling him deep as possible as his orgasm flashed.

Tangled like a pretzel around him, she couldn’t find the energy to do anything at that moment. Not lower her legs, not pull her hands free. Just lay and let her racing heart slow, matching speed with the big man who somehow still balanced himself above her.

“Wow.” She got the word out on an exhale. It was the only way she could speak.

“Hmm, yeah.” His lips touched her cheek again, tender and soft. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” The absolute relaxation stealing through her limbs meant she wasn’t even sure she had the energy to crawl under the covers properly.

“Give me a second, then we can cuddle up.”

He was gone, stroking her arm as he pulled away. He must have dealt with the condom, but how and where—not only the dark but lethargy made it impossible for her to worry about details. She sighed when he rearranged her on the air mattress, tucked her against his body and covered them both with the sleeping bag.

“I think I like camping,” Vicki admitted.

“You warm enough?”

She hummed contentedly, sleep sneaking up and dragging her off.

“Yeah, I figured.” Joel stroked her stomach, the intimate caress so soft as he slipped his fingers over her skin. “Body heat for the win.”