The worst part of it was she had a strange feeling that he knew she'd been dreaming about him. That he was orchestrating the whole thing. But that was impossible, wasn't it?
It always started out the same way. Running. Being chased. But sooner or later she'd end up in his arms. Each night the dream progressed a little further. First kissing. Then touching. And last night he'd done unspeakable things to her with his mouth. She knew that if she kept having the dream that eventually they would- hmmmmm...
She blushed ask heat spiraled through her body, centering between her legs. Enough was enough. She packed her things up to leave. She'd take a sleeping pill tonight. Or drink wine! Too much of it!
She squared her shoulders. Tonight, she was going to be bad.
Ashley sipped her wine and let her body sink lower into the tub. She closed her eyes in bliss. Heaven. Or it was until he popped into her mind again. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Closed them again. Four... three... two... one... annnd he was back.
Damn it.
She stood up in the tub and reached for her towel. She hadn't drunk enough wine obviously. Or maybe she just really needed to get laid. Tomorrow she'd find out if there was a decent bar around here. Or a church group for singles. Or-
What the hell was that?
She stopped short as a scratching sound came from right above the bathroom window. Something was on the roof. An animal of some sort. It had to be. Nobody could get up there without a ladder.
She spun toward the window. Two eyes stared back at her from the darkness. Yellow eyes. Not human.
She screamed, clutching her towel to her naked body. The eyes disappeared in a flurry of wings. A bird. Of course. It was just a bird.
She had to laugh at herself as she got ready for bed. She poured the rest of her wine down the kitchen sink. What was the point anyway? She knew what she had to look forward to tonight. She smiled. If she was going to get laid in her sleep, she might was well enjoy it.
Ashley's eyes snapped open. 5 am. Again. Why couldn't her dream come a little later? She rolled over and closed her eyes again, willing herself to go back to the dream. This time he'd been shirtless. His body was beautiful. She could still feel the warm hairless skin of his chest under her palms. She could still taste the salty skin where she had kissed him, trailing a path down his chest to his taut stomach.
If she could fall asleep again, maybe she could get back to that point. The moment when she'd been about to pull his pants open. With her teeth She smiled. There was no point in pretending any more. She was really starting to enjoy the dream. She just wished it would last a little bit longer!
An hour later she gave up. An hour spent tossing and turning. She couldn't get comfortable no matter how she tried. Fine. She'd go for a run again. If this kept up she'd be in better shape than she was back in high school when she'd been an all star on the track team.
The air was cool and brisk as she took off up the mountain path. She came to the fork in the path that led back down or upwards at an angle. Sensing that a short run wouldn't cut it this time she took the second path. Hopefully she wouldn't get lost. Or run into a bear. Or a cougar. Or large birds of prey. She almost laughed. Her imagination was certainly in good shape. She'd never been the fanciful kind but now- well, now she practically lived a second life in her mind. She ran in a zigzag pattern further up the mountain until the path split again. She stopped to catch her breath and bent over with her hands on her knees.
Snap.
There was something behind her. The noise came again, louder and closer. She glanced over her shoulder. There was something in the woods back there. Something big.
A bear. It had to be. What else would cast a shadow like that.
She took off at a run. Bears might be fast but she was smarter. She ran almost blindly, further and further up the mountain side. She could hear something behind her but it didn't sound like a bear. It sounded like... wings.
She glanced behind her as her toe caught on a raised tree root. She felt herself catapulting through the air. She braced herself for impact, praying she wouldn't break anything.
The impact never came. She was scooped up mid air by incredibly strong arms. Strong, warm, masculine arms. Her breath got knocked out of her as she ladder with a thud against a hard chest. She looked up in disbelief.
Hank Alvans.
"Hey, you alright?"
"What?"
She stared up at him in a daze. He was smiling at her. But not arrogantly this time. He looked... tender. Her hand flexed against his chest. His bare chest. She glanced down.
Hank Alvans was naked.
"Oh my god! Put me down!"
He raised an eyebrow at her but did as she asked. She turned around immediately so she wouldn't have to look at his privates. She got a good look at everything else though. He was perfect. Tall and muscular and slim in all the right places. Tawny skin that looked like silk. The image of his bare body was forever branded into her mind.
"What the hell are you doing running around naked?"
He laughed.
"I wasn't running. You were running. On my property."
"Oh. I- didn't realize."
"It's fine."
"But why are you-"
He laughed again.
"You can turn around Ashley. I'm decent."
She swallowed. He shouldn't sell himself short. He was way better than decent... She choked back a nervous laugh and turned to see him with a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Oh."
He grinned at her.
"You are quite a fast runner Ashley. Why am I not surprised?"
She just stood there mutely. Suddenly she realized what she must look like. She knew she must be sweaty and disgusting and disheveled. She resisted the urge to adjust her hair. He'd just get more sure of himself.
"To answer your question, I am going swimming."
Of course. She was the pervert for imagining he'd been doing anything else. Outside. Naked. In the woods. Alone.
"Oh."
He chuckled at her.
"I have a hot spring. Come on, I'll show you. You look like you could use a bath."
Her jaw dropped as she felt heat suffuse her cheeks. The man was a cad! He took her arm and led her up another path, this one lined with stones. She followed him without a word, unsure why she was being so docile. Any will to argue with him, or go back to her run, was gone. Poof. Just like that.
There was steam rising from a rock formation up ahead. The path led between two high rocks up a carved stone staircase. Ashley stared around in wonder. She stood at the edge of a gorgeous pool of water. It was the size of a small swimming pool. You could see out from between the trees to the valley but no one could see you unless they were in a helicopter.
No wonder he's been naked.
She felt a bit silly realizing that there had been a totally logical explanation for his, um, lack of clothes. He hadn't been stalking her through the woods like a sex crazed lunatic. He had been coming here. She would do the same thing if it was on her property.
Splash.
She looked down to see Hank's rear end as he dove under the water. He came up a few feet away grinning at her. She sat down heavily on a stone carved bench.
"How long has this been here?"
"The spring? Forever probably. It was carved it out a couple hundred years ago."
"It's..."
Her voice trailed off. There weren't words for what this was. Magical? Surreal? Impossible?
"Glad you like it."
He was grinning at her.
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
She stared at him. He expected her to-
"Don't worry, I won't peek."
He turned around, treading water with his back to her. She wanted to but she felt utterly ridiculous swimming naked with a strange man she hardly knew. He'd probably expect her to throw herself at him now too. But she wouldn't. The water looked so tempting... She stood up abruptly and started peeling her clothes off.
She was yanking her shoes off when she looked up to make sure he wasn't peeking. He wasn't. She stepped gingerly into the stairs leading into the pool. It was hot. But not uncomfortably so. It felt incredible on her sore muscles. The water was fizzy with minerals. She stepped in further until she was up to her knees.
"Are you in yet?"
He started to turn around and she squealed, jumping into the water. She came up sputtering and glaring at him. He was laughing at her again.
"Not exactly graceful are you?"
She frowned and moved to the far edge of the pool. Away from him. He just grinned and rolled onto his back, floating there. Slowly Ashley felt her muscles start to unwind. There was a ledge cut into the stone behind her. She scooted up and leaned back. For the first time in a long time, she actually felt relaxed which was odd considering that there was a very naked, very gorgeous man floating less than ten feet away.
She knew she should get up and leave but she couldn't. It felt too good. And something about being near him was soothing her. He drew her like a magnet. She cracked open an eye. He was staring at her from across the pool, his head cocked to the side.