With ease, he climbs around the rocks, not even affected by my weight on his back. Reaching the other side, he carefully sets me back down.
“See, easy as pie.”
Glancing around, my jaw drops open. “Isn't this about where you found me? I recognize that tree right there with the giant knot.”
“Yeah, I think it is.”
“The water's gone down a lot since yesterday.”
“That's the thing with these types of floods from really heavy rain; here today gone tomorrow. We had that huge storm a few days ago, that's why the river was so wild.”
Inching myself closer to the water, it's so much more calm, almost as smooth as glass. Looking around, I scan the bank and the edge of the water.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“Looking for my stuff. It should be around here. I'm hoping the water is down enough for me to see it.”
Buttercup takes the opportunity to have a long drink as Bran comes to my side and helps me search. “I don't see it. But you might have lost it a little further back. Do you remember where you went in?”
“Yeah, right at the curve of the gorge.”
“Let's keep moving and we'll look as we go. If it's not under water anymore, we should be able to see it. But this water is still pretty deep, who knows how far down you got dragged.”
“I can't even tell you. All of it happened so fast.”
He rests his hand on the small of my back. “We'll keep looking, but we don't want to get stuck out here another night. These woods aren't exactly safe without the right protection.”
“You have your gun.”
“But I don't have enough food and water to last us till tomorrow. And I really don't want to have to use my gun unless it's necessary.”
We press on, moving a lot slower because of my stupid ankle. It still hurts like hell, but he's right, I don't want to get stuck out here another night. Although I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the idea of being trapped with him again.
He kept me warm, safe, and made my body sing as he fucked me. It was the perfect ending to a really shitty day. One that I'd happily replay over and over again because it felt so damn good.
“So you and your brother are close, I take it?”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that. I mean, we're all each other has. . .” Pausing, my voice drops a little lower. “Well, we were. He's married now and has a baby on the way.”
“That's good, you're going to be an aunt.”
“Sure, it's exciting.”
“Doesn't sound like you think it's exciting.”
Glancing up at him, I thin my lips. “It is, it's just weird, is all. For the longest time it was just us, and now it's not. It makes me wonder where I fit in.”
“Yeah, I can see how a major change like that could be hard on you, even if it's a happy change.” Bran pushes some long branches out of my way and helps me hobble through the thin path. “I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but I heard about your parents, and I'm sorry.”
Small town, of course he knows my parents are dead. He probably knows more about my life than I do about his. My father was a man who knew everyone, who talked to everyone, who shared his life with everyone. He could make lifelong friends with a complete stranger.
“Thanks,” I say. “It was hard at first, but now I just feel like I don't belong. I went from having a path and a purpose to being completely vacant of any future.”
“You have a future; you just need to figure it out. And you will. Sometimes what we want in life doesn't always show up right away.” He smiles, letting his eyes fix on mine for a second before darting off to look at the water. “Hey, check it out.” Pointing at the water, he stops me.
Following his finger, I see the top edge of my pack poking out of the water. A bright smile forms on my face as I sigh in relief.
“Thank God. Now the question is, how do we get it?”
“Easy,” he says, pulling his boots off his feet and unbuttoning his pants. “I'll go in and get it.”
“You're kidding, right?”
Dropping his pants to his ankles, he's naked from the waist down. Yanking his shirt over his head, he balls it up and places it on his bag.
Seeing him in the light like this makes me swallow hard. My eyes move over his chest and down his solid wall of abs. The muscles ripple and bulge as he stretches his arms like he's about to dive in headfirst.
I'm trying not to look at his waist, but my eyes keep jumping all over the place until they finally land on his shaft. His dick is thick and long, with a dark patch of hair around the base. His thighs are as muscular as the rest of him, and his ass is firm and round.