Camp Hardwood by Alexa Riley

Chapter Two

Van

“God, I need a blowjob.”

I look over at Jack and roll my eyes as he scratches his crotch.

“Fuck you, altar boy. I bet you’ve never had one.”

He’s trying to bait me and I won’t take it. Jack’s favorite pastime is running his mouth. His second favorite is riling me up.

“Once you get your dick wet there’s no going back.” He leans back in the chair and puts his hands behind his head like he’s trying to get a tan.

I want to tell him we all know he’s never gotten past first base and the closest he came to getting his dick wet was when he peed on himself at the high dive. But telling him that would only piss him off and cause a fight. I’m in no mood for his shit today but I’m not ready to kick his ass either.

Jack is a new hire my parents picked up on the recommendation of another counselor. He’s been good with wilderness preparation and trailblazing, but mostly because he can do those in solitude. As soon as he gets around the other male counselors he’s bragging about all his sexual exploits.

He’s right that I haven’t had a blowjob. But that doesn’t make me so innocent. In fact, I keep my mouth shut about it because the things I want to do are nothing I want to speak into existence. Some of the urges I feel are better left unsaid and kept in the dark corners of my mind.

Instantly the image of Tia bent over with her hands tied behind her back fills my mind and I have to push it away. She’s so sweet and innocent that I’d have to be careful with her. She deserves a gentle touch from a kind man and I can be that for her. No matter what my urges beg me to do.

“Did you check the ropes?” I ask as I clip carabiners to the ropes course bags.

“Twice, and then had extra loaded into the truck.”

Why can’t he be good at his job and not a complete douchebag about women? I’ve already talked to Mom about him several times and she’s got someone coming to take his place. We’re just waiting on them to finish their trip out West before they can get here. I can’t get Jack off Camp Hardwood property soon enough.

As I put the packs on the truck I think about Tia and wonder what she’s doing. I check my watch and try to calculate if I’ve got time to go by the kitchen before I have to take the packs to the group rope climbing today and then remember I’ve got Jackass with me. No way am I voluntarily taking him anywhere near her.

My phone vibrates and I see it’s an email about my online classes. Last week after I talked to my parents I signed up for the online vet program. I got lucky and was accepted right away because I can do my clinical and lab hours in town. I’m excited to be able to not only help out at Camp Hardwood but do something that I love.

I’ve always been the one to take care of the horses and other animals we keep on property. We’ve got a couple dozen chickens we keep for eggs, and a few falcons we use for training with the kids. Every now and again we’ll have a few stray dogs or cats show up and we welcome them to the family. But on one rare occasion we had a mountain lion get a little too close to camp. Moose helped us out with that and he hasn’t been back since, but I wondered what it would be like to treat one if it came in injured.

“Take these up to Rocky Ridge. I’m going to run by the stables,” I say to Jack as I close the back of the truck.

“Tell Tia hi for me,” he drops casually as he walks by me and gets in the cab.

I want to reach in and pull him out by his neck for uttering her name, but he’s kicking up dirt and tearing down the path before I can stop him.

I’m pissed not only because he’s thinking about her, but because he’s right. Yes, I’m using the trip to the stables as an excuse to see her, but why wouldn’t I? I know she thinks I’m kidding when I tell everyone she’s mine, but it’s not a joke.

The first time I saw those dark eyes, I knew I never wanted to look anywhere else for as long as I lived. Then the thoughts of what I’d do to her began to spiral, to a place inside me I didn’t know existed.

I get on the Gator and take the path to the stables. On the way I pass the employee kitchen, and without telling my arms to do it, they make the turn into the parking area. I jump out and take the steps two at a time like I’m rushing into a burning building to save Tia. There’s always this urgency to get back to her whenever I have to be away and I wonder if that will ever stop over time. If my parents are any indication then it’s not likely.

I stop when I get to the door and see her. She’s alone, which is rare, because Piper is usually in there with her, eating. But I think that’s what pregnant women do, so I’m surprised she isn’t here now.

I take a moment to look at Tia and watch her work. I lean against the doorframe and cross my arms over my chest. She’s got a big mixing bowl in front of her with a wooden spoon and something that looks like chocolate batter inside of it.

“See something you like?” Tia asks without looking up.

“You bet I do.” I see her cheeks deepen to a shade of scarlet and I wonder if her ass would be the same pretty color after I spanked it.

She looks up at me and I swear to God it’s like she’s seeing straight to my soul. I clear my throat and push those thoughts from me as I walk into the kitchen.

“Where’s Piper?” I ask as I move up behind her and look down in the bowl. “And what are you making?”

I hear the smile in her voice as she stirs and looks back at me. “She went to take a nap, and these are brownies for tonight.”

“It smells so good already.” I lean in close as I brace my hands on the counter on either side of her. I breathe deep and catch the scent of vanilla and chocolate and wonder if Tia tastes like it too.

“Thanks.” Her breath catches when I dip my finger into the batter before I bring it up to my lips.

I make a meal out of licking it clean while never taking my eyes off of hers. For a moment we’re locked in on one another and I can feel the sexual tension between us about to snap. But before I can say a word she blinks and then pushes past me.

She grabs a pan off a nearby shelf and turns her back to me while she pours the brownie mix into it. “You really shouldn’t eat raw batter, it can make you sick.”

“I’ll take my chances for a taste of that any day of the week.” When she looks over her shoulder I shrug and smile. “And twice on Sunday.”

I grab the water bottle she had sitting next to her and take a drink as she walks back over next to me.

“Just twice?” She smirks when I nearly choke on the water and shake my head. She’s never made such a bold comment to me before and I didn’t see it coming.

“Are you flirting with me?” I raise an eyebrow at her and she shrugs, putting the empty bowl in the sink. “I’m not complaining.”

She has her back to me again as she washes the dishes and I wonder if it’s easier for her to talk to me this way.

“Why do you tell everyone I’m yours?”

“Because you are,” I say simply, but she doesn’t look at me. “Do you want me to stop?”

I don’t know if I could, and it wouldn’t make her any less mine.

“No.” Her voice is so soft I almost don’t catch it.

“No?” I repeat, not because I didn’t hear her, but because I want to hear it again.

She turns around and smiles at me and then shakes her head slightly.

“How long do those cook for?” I ask, nodding to the brownies.

“They’re no-bake, so they just go in the fridge.”

“So you were just yanking my chain on the raw eggs?” I kind of like that she was teasing me.

“Maybe.” She winks at me as she takes the pan and puts it in the cooler.

“If you’re finished with that, come with me. I want to show you something.”

I hold out my hand and for a half a second I think she might not take it. But my heart leaps in my throat when she does and I pull her close.

“Where are we going?” she asks as we walk out of the kitchen.

“To the stables.”