Read Online Nailed (Black Mountain Bears Book 3) by Ophelia Bell, Amelie Hunt - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ophelia Bell, Amelie Hunt
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of his voice made her tremble a little. “Wait until you see. The path up starts over there.” He stood aside to let her take the lead.
“You guys missed ogling my ass, didn’t you?” she teased.
“You found us out,” Sten said, then smacked said backside playfully. “Get a move on, we don’t have all day.”
It was no trickier a climb than any of the others, but Jade nearly toppled over when she reached the top and came through the trees.
Before her, stretched for what had to be acres was the clearest, glassiest lake reflecting the cloudless blue sky above. At the end closest to them, cascading down the lush, foliage-covered rocks was the most perfect waterfall. It wasn’t huge by any means, but fell like a wedding veil from high above, the white rush more powerful and deafening than any of the others they’d visited during the last few days. She couldn’t make out the crest of the falls, as obscured as it was by clouds of mist and greenery.
Orrick tilted his head up, gazing reverently at the top. “They say the source is Gaia herself, her fertile fluid flowing down the mountains and providing the Sanctuary with life.”
“So, Gaia’s a squirter, huh?” Jade said. The remark earned her a stern look from Orrick. Sten let out a loud laugh. At least she could count on him to respond to her jokes.
The terrain was more or less flat, and they soon found an ideal campsite. Jade resisted the urge to strip naked and dive into the water. She might shift later, but right now she just wanted to enjoy the serenity that permeated her very core. Solitude was something she had never really had, growing up. But after the last few days of traveling with a pair of males who alternately made her horny and achingly lonely for what they shared with each other, she could use a respite. After helping them set up camp, she wandered down a path that bordered the lake and found an outcrop of rock.
Jade sat, closing her eyes and letting the rushing pulse of the waterfall fill her mind. She’d discovered that if she paused to listen, she could discern a distinct pattern in the sound. Each waterfall had its own rhythm, too. This waterfall’s tempo seemed to speak to her more deeply than any of the others. With a deep, slow breath her tension and worries began to slip away.
“Jade?”
She jumped at the sound of Sten’s voice coming up behind her. Smiling, she patted the rock beside her, inviting him to sit and suppressing her mild annoyance at being intruded on.
“Actually, we were considering hiking around to the other side of the lake instead of camping here. It’s still early, and there are plants on the far shore we want to harvest and bring back to the lodge.”
Jade shook her head. “This spot is too perfect for me to move. You guys go on and do what you need. I’m not going anywhere for a while.”
Sten studied her, and after a moment, nodded. “All right. But it’ll take us a few days to get there and back. You sure you’ll be okay? We’ll only take what gear we need—we’ll leave the rest with you.”
“I promise I’ll be fine. I grew up in the woods, you know. Besides, I’d like some time to think.”
He smiled and nodded, then turned to go. Hesitating at the path, he turned back. “I know you’ve been watching us . . . in the mornings.”
Jade’s cheeks heated and she chewed on the inside of her lip, but kept her gaze aimed at the waterfall, waiting for Sten to continue.
“Just trust me when I tell you our greatest wish is for you to be a part of it, too. If you’ll have us, we are yours. But it’s all right if that isn’t meant to be.”
Her gut churned, but she tamped it down. “Thank you,” she said simply. “Have a nice hike, okay?”
He gave her a final nod and turned and walked away.
She didn’t see them go, but when she finally found the courage to walk back to the camp, they were gone and a small campfire burned near where she’d laid out her sleeping bag.
Loneliness
“You guys missed ogling my ass, didn’t you?” she teased.
“You found us out,” Sten said, then smacked said backside playfully. “Get a move on, we don’t have all day.”
It was no trickier a climb than any of the others, but Jade nearly toppled over when she reached the top and came through the trees.
Before her, stretched for what had to be acres was the clearest, glassiest lake reflecting the cloudless blue sky above. At the end closest to them, cascading down the lush, foliage-covered rocks was the most perfect waterfall. It wasn’t huge by any means, but fell like a wedding veil from high above, the white rush more powerful and deafening than any of the others they’d visited during the last few days. She couldn’t make out the crest of the falls, as obscured as it was by clouds of mist and greenery.
Orrick tilted his head up, gazing reverently at the top. “They say the source is Gaia herself, her fertile fluid flowing down the mountains and providing the Sanctuary with life.”
“So, Gaia’s a squirter, huh?” Jade said. The remark earned her a stern look from Orrick. Sten let out a loud laugh. At least she could count on him to respond to her jokes.
The terrain was more or less flat, and they soon found an ideal campsite. Jade resisted the urge to strip naked and dive into the water. She might shift later, but right now she just wanted to enjoy the serenity that permeated her very core. Solitude was something she had never really had, growing up. But after the last few days of traveling with a pair of males who alternately made her horny and achingly lonely for what they shared with each other, she could use a respite. After helping them set up camp, she wandered down a path that bordered the lake and found an outcrop of rock.
Jade sat, closing her eyes and letting the rushing pulse of the waterfall fill her mind. She’d discovered that if she paused to listen, she could discern a distinct pattern in the sound. Each waterfall had its own rhythm, too. This waterfall’s tempo seemed to speak to her more deeply than any of the others. With a deep, slow breath her tension and worries began to slip away.
“Jade?”
She jumped at the sound of Sten’s voice coming up behind her. Smiling, she patted the rock beside her, inviting him to sit and suppressing her mild annoyance at being intruded on.
“Actually, we were considering hiking around to the other side of the lake instead of camping here. It’s still early, and there are plants on the far shore we want to harvest and bring back to the lodge.”
Jade shook her head. “This spot is too perfect for me to move. You guys go on and do what you need. I’m not going anywhere for a while.”
Sten studied her, and after a moment, nodded. “All right. But it’ll take us a few days to get there and back. You sure you’ll be okay? We’ll only take what gear we need—we’ll leave the rest with you.”
“I promise I’ll be fine. I grew up in the woods, you know. Besides, I’d like some time to think.”
He smiled and nodded, then turned to go. Hesitating at the path, he turned back. “I know you’ve been watching us . . . in the mornings.”
Jade’s cheeks heated and she chewed on the inside of her lip, but kept her gaze aimed at the waterfall, waiting for Sten to continue.
“Just trust me when I tell you our greatest wish is for you to be a part of it, too. If you’ll have us, we are yours. But it’s all right if that isn’t meant to be.”
Her gut churned, but she tamped it down. “Thank you,” she said simply. “Have a nice hike, okay?”
He gave her a final nod and turned and walked away.
She didn’t see them go, but when she finally found the courage to walk back to the camp, they were gone and a small campfire burned near where she’d laid out her sleeping bag.
Loneliness
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