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Interlude Four
The perils of naughty girls wandering in the woods
Wherein Sydney and Sark are naughty in the woods
On the shore she, reluctantly, handed over his shirt and boots. As he redressed her dad scouted the surrounding terrain and declared that they should try to cook something warm for breakfast before starting off.
Leaving the beach they wandered into the thick woods, looking for a good spot to make a fire. She wasn’t much help, her gaze falling always back to Julian. The water had soaked through his shirt plastering it to his back and chest. His hair was still wet and slicked to his head. He caught her gaze occasionally and smirked at her. She didn’t care; she just wanted to jump him first opportunity.
The tall, tightly packed trees opened to a clearing and her father deemed it suitable for building a fire. As Marshall started sorting the dishes and the few edible provisions they’d taken from the boat her father cleared a space for laying the fire.
“I’ll gather some firewood,” she perkily offered.
“I’ll help,” Julian quickly chimed in.
She tossed him a smile and started collecting sticks and branches nearby, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. Collecting what was in the vicinity they dropped their armfuls by her father as he pulled out a pack of matches.
“We’ll go look for some more wood,” she casually offered and began making her way further into the dark woods that surrounded the clearing.
“Sydney…” her father warned.
“We won’t go far,” she cheerfully called back and with a look at Julian picked up the pace, hurrying into the trees before her father could say anything else.
They did stop to occasionally gather firewood as they moved away from the clearing, shooting each other hot glances and seductive smiles.
Glancing around she decided they’d gone far enough. Dropping her wood she pounced on him. He managed to drop his sticks before she plowed into him. Fisting her hands in his shirt she thoroughly kissed him, pushing him back into a tree. His hands were roving over her as he equally returned her ardent advances.
*~*~*
Their chests heaved together as they worked to catch their breaths. When he made to roll off her she tightened her arms and legs around him, “Don’t.”
“I’m not too heavy for you luv?” he solicitously asked.
She parted her lips in a smile, “You’re just right.”
He chuckled and nuzzled his mouth against her neck. “We should return. We don’t know if it’s safe out here,” he reminded her.
She giggled remembering the mention of wolves and Red Riding Hood on the map of the 2nd Kingdom. “You mean something might come along and gobble me up,” she finished by widening her eyes, trying to look innocent.
His eyes flashed darkly at her, “You never know.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder before standing and she quickly followed, chilled without his warmth.
Re-dressed they gathered up the carelessly dropped firewood and started back. They hadn’t gone far when she got her foot caught in a bramble of twigs and vines. It took a bit of work but she freed her foot and when she looked up Julian wasn’t anywhere to be seen. The trees grew tall and close together blocking out most of the sunlight, he wouldn’t have had to gone far before she wouldn’t be able to see him easily.
“Julian?” she called out, frowning when he didn’t answer. She hadn’t taken that long to free her foot. “This isn’t amusing.”
She turned slowly, glancing around her. She was half afraid something might have happened to him and half thinking he was teasing her.
A hand suddenly clamped over her mouth and she was ashamed that she jumped and dropped her armful of firewood. A strong arm slid around her waist, pulling her back against the firm body behind her.
“A naughty girl like you shouldn’t be roaming the woods where something could come along and gobble her up.”
She shivered deliciously at Julian’s low voice in her ear. His hand lowered her to throat, loosely encircling it, lightly stroking it.
“And are you?” she breathlessly whispered, her chest heaving, “Going to gobble me up.”
His grip on her waist and throat tightened slightly, “Naughty girl all alone, who’s going to prevent me from ravishing you?”
“No one,” she shivered in heightened anticipation.
He chuckled, the deep husky sound making her shiver again and close her eyes.
*~*~*
Mind blank she laid there with Julian on top of her, lightly stroking his slick, lithe back.
His husky voice broke through her dazed state, “I hope you’ve learned your lesson about wandering in the woods you naughty girl.”
She blinked then throatily laughed, “I don’t know, I was never one to heed warnings. I may need further lessons to completely hammer it home.”
He raised his head, blue eyes flashing at her in a most delightful manner, “Later. We really do need to get back now.”
“Yes,” she pulled his mouth to hers for a brief kiss before they rose and redressed, again. She disconsolately stared at her corset, ruined by Julian having hastily cut it's laces. She rolled it up as he shot her an entirely unapologetic look then wrapped her in his arms for a long, thorough kiss. She slipped an arm through his as they started back to the clearing, their armfuls of firewood lying scattered and forgotten on the forest floor.
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