Wildwood Lust

Chapter 1: The Untamed Trail

The forest was a cathedral of emerald and shadow, its canopy a whispering dome over the winding trail where Ivy strode with purpose. She was no damsel lost in the woods; at 29, she was a wildlife photographer with a predator’s instinct, her camera slung over her shoulder like a weapon. Her auburn hair was tied back in a messy bun, and her cargo pants hugged her toned legs as she navigated the uneven terrain. She’d come to capture the elusive black fox, but something—or someone—else had caught her eye.

Leaning against a gnarled oak, arms crossed over a broad chest, was Rowan. He was a ranger, all rugged charm with a jawline sharp enough to cut through the tension in the air. His forest-green shirt strained against his biceps, and his smirk was as wild as the woods around them. Ivy had run into him on patrols before, each encounter laced with a dangerous kind of chemistry.

'Lost again, shutterbug?' Rowan drawled, his voice a low growl that sent a shiver down her spine despite the warm afternoon. 'Or are you just stalking me now?'

Ivy stopped a few feet away, one hand on her hip, her hazel eyes narrowing with a playful challenge. 'If I were stalking you, ranger, you’d never see me coming. I’m here for the fox, not your ego.'

He pushed off the tree, closing the distance between them with a predator’s grace. 'Funny, ‘cause I’m looking at a vixen right now.' His gaze raked over her, bold and unapologetic, lingering on the sweat glistening at the base of her throat. 'You’ve been out here for hours. Bet you’re as hot and bothered as I am.'

She laughed, sharp and biting, stepping closer until their boots nearly touched. 'Oh, I’m hot, alright. But bothered? Only by your shitty pickup lines. Got anything better, or are you all bark and no bite?'

Rowan’s grin turned feral, his hand brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, his touch lingering just long enough to ignite a spark. 'Keep talking, Ivy. I’ve got plenty of bite. Question is, can you handle it?'

Her breath hitched, but she didn’t back down, her own hand reaching up to grip his wrist, her nails digging in just enough to make him hiss. 'Try me, ranger. I don’t break easy.'

The air between them crackled, thick with unspoken promises. Rowan’s eyes darkened, and he leaned in, his lips hovering a whisper from hers. 'Careful what you wish for. Out here, there’s no one to hear you scream.'

Ivy’s smirk matched his, her voice dropping to a sultry purr. 'Who says I’d be the one screaming?'

That was the match to the kindling. In a heartbeat, he had her backed against the nearest tree, the rough bark biting into her back as his hands gripped her hips with bruising force. Her camera thudded to the ground, forgotten, as she yanked at his shirt, desperate to feel the hard planes of his chest under her fingers. Their mouths crashed together, a battle of tongues and teeth, hungry and raw. She could feel him, already hard against her thigh, and a wicked thrill shot through her. Her pussy throbbed with anticipation, wet and ready, as she ground against him, daring him to take more.

His growl vibrated against her lips, and he pulled back just enough to rasp, 'Fuck, Ivy, you’re gonna be the death of me.'

'Good,' she shot back, panting, her hands sliding down to grip his ass, pulling him closer. 'Now shut up and show me what you’ve got.'

The forest seemed to hold its breath as they teetered on the edge of something wild and untamed, the promise of an explosive release just moments away...