Chapter 48

Click here to read the Disclaimer and Warning.

Chapter 48: What it Means to be With You

"So how are you?" I asked, trying to distract myself. If I had to drive with a hard-on all the way to Chelan my balls would be bluer than the fucking Smurfs. I was desperate to do something, anything, to cool off my libido a little, at least until we checked into our hotel.

"Are you completely exhausted? How was the wedding?" I prattled on, then shot a quick glance over in his direction. His eyes were slightly crinkled and his lips upturned into a knowing smirk. He clearly understood what I was doing.

"It was good. More fun than I thought it would be, actually..." he responded, and I was grateful that he didn't try to tease me. It was hard enough to keep driving instead of pulling off the road at the next available exit and finding some out of the way spot where I could park and ravish him in the back seat, public and broad daylight be damned.

Mercifully, he started telling me about the wedding: the maid of honor's toast - so poignant, it brought nearly everyone to tears; the jokes that the best man and groomsmen played on the newly married couple - funny, but still tasteful; the faux pas by a date of one of his co-workers who asked him if he was single and offered to set him up with one of her girlfriends - awkward; and the way everyone raved about the food, which would probably result in more referral's for his friend's business.

In telling the story he'd nearly turned sideways in his seat to be better able to look at me, and he illustrated some of the vignettes with excited hand gestures. I listened, obviously interested in his story, and I looked over at him as much as possible while still paying attention to the road. I was enthralled. There was no other way to describe it. Every word that fell from his lips, every expression that crossed his face, was absolutely fascinating. I tried to memorize them all and store them away for the days ahead when he would be across the country and I'd have to rely on just his voice or webcam images to sate my never ending need for him. At some point it occurred to me that I could touch him, and I reached over to grab his hand, feeling stupid for not doing so earlier. He looked startled for a moment, but then relaxed and shifted his hand in mine to make the grip more comfortable, intertwining our fingers.

"I wish you could have been there, Edward," he told me, concluding his recount. "I would have enjoyed it all much more."

"Next time," I smiled at him. "And don't forget, we do have a wedding to attend together later this week. Though I bet that one will be a little different, including the food. Seth really went out of his way to make sure that Nasir and Emmett's ethnic backgrounds would both be well represented. I bet there won't be a single guest there who has ever experienced a combination of German and Emirati cuisine anywhere, much less at a wedding."

Jasper giggled. "Nasir and Garrett told me about the tasting they had when we met up for dinner in New York. It all sounded very exotic. I'm just glad they didn't decide to try fusing the two."

I grimaced, imagining potato salad prepared with Tahini sauce. "You're right. Thank goodness no one gave Seth that idea. And speaking of food, you must be starving!" I gave myself a mental head slap even as I spoke for not noticing that it was way past Jasper's lunchtime.

"I could eat," he admitted. "I grabbed a granola bar for breakfast and slept through whatever it was they served on the plane."

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" I asked, hoping nothing I did or said gave him the impression that we weren't able to stop.

"I would have eventually," he replied easily. "But I was just enjoying the drive, being together without anyone else around to interrupt. No security guards, no waitresses," he tightened his fingers over mine in emphasis, and we both knew he didn't need to say anything more. Nevertheless, it was way past time to feed my man. The last thing I wanted was for him to have a stomach ache or head ache or any kind of an ache that would take away from his enjoyment of the trip.

We were north of Seattle already, and we were lucky enough to find a roadside diner at the next exit. This time there was no need to pretend to be together for the waitress, who was old enough to be our mother and had a brusque manner that in no way resembled flirting. Even so, we still held hands and looked into each other's eyes with longing, and talked about how incredible it was to finally see each other again and to have nearly a whole week together to look forward to. And best of all, this time it was real, and honest, and just for us, which made it all the more special and exciting.

After eating we got back on the road and drove further north until we reached Highway 2 and headed east along the Skykomish River, calmer now than during the spring and early summer whitewater rafting season, but no less beautiful. Having driven this way a couple of times, I was better able to direct Jasper's attention beyond the lush evergreen flora to the more beautiful sights along the road, like Bridal Veil Falls. At his request, we even stopped at the Deception Falls rest area and took the stairs down to the bridge over Deception Creek and up to the observation deck, from which we had the best view of the upper falls. The falls weren't nearly as impressive this late in the summer, without the winter thaw to boost the water volume, but the bridges over the river both at the upper and lower portions of the falls were very picturesque and the cascading water made for a romantic background, so that we couldn't resist stepping into each other's arms and exchanging slow deep kisses. It was only the presence of other tourists that prevented us from getting as carried away as we had in the airport garage.

When we were finally able and willing to break apart, and Jasper had taken his fill of pictures, we walked back to the car and proceeded to the crest of the mountain range. Due to the maritime climate, vegetation on this west side of the mountains was lush, creating a wonderful background as the elevation increased, until we reached the high point of Stevens Pass and began our downward descent. On the east side of the mountains the climate was far more arid, and the terrain changed accordingly.

"This is a side of Washington I've never seen before," Jasper marveled. "Wow, what a difference! I guess I thought the whole state was like the Olympic Peninsula and Seattle. I never expected anything like this."

"I know, right?" I asked, pleased that I was introducing him to new experiences. "Because of the mountains and the ocean, the west side of Washington is extremely different from the east. On the west side we have the near constant rain or mist and a whole lot of green. On the east side, with the mountains serving as a buffer, it's mostly dry. It's a great climate for fruit growth, though. We're heading down into the valleys of orchards and vineyards. This is where Washington apples are grown, as well as the grapes for Washington wines. It's also where we have the biggest threat of forest fires."

I glanced at him and saw that he was watching me with no small amount of fascination.

"What?" I asked, a little self-conscious.

"Nothing," he reached over to lay his hand on the top of my thigh and squeezed lightly before returning it to the arm rest. "Really. It's just that I love hearing you talk about this stuff. It's like having my very own nature program host taking me on a private tour. And I guess I'm also still trying to reconcile this side of you with the boy I knew in the past. At first it seemed incongruous, but the more I remember from our childhood, how much you loved the wilderness even back then, it's all starting to make sense. And yet I still would have never guessed that this would be your chosen career and that you could be so, I don't know, passionate about your work."

My hands tightened a little around the steering wheel as I guided the car down Highway 2 through Tumwater Canyon, a sheer walled gorge surrounding the road and the Wenatachee River that rambled in parallel beside us. I wasn't sure how much I could tell him and how to say things so that I set the right tone. I knew once he found out what happened after he left, he would likely feel a lot of guilt, and that was the last thing I wanted. At the same time, he deserved to know. I knew I would have to tread very carefully.

"After you left Seattle," I began, aware of how quiet it was inside the car as I spoke, "I stopped caring about a lot of things. I spent a lot of time alone, and I found that being on Mount Rainier helped. Somehow when I was out there, even though I was still all alone, it didn't feel as bad as when I was home. Then, one day, I met Roger. He was a park ranger and he told me about the program at UW that he graduated from and about volunteer opportunities on the Mountain. Until I met him, I'd never really thought about a career in the park service. But it fit - it seemed right. The fact that I knew it would annoy the piss out of my father didn't hurt either," I smiled and chanced a glance in his direction. He wasn't smiling, just looking at me thoughtfully.

"The environment was the one thing I'd never consciously hurt, and I realized I wanted to do what I could to protect it. It felt good to get lost in a cause that was bigger than my problems. And the environment didn't care that I'd been an asshole all my life, you know? The people I met in those circles hadn't known the same guy you did. It was a fresh start. It was something I could feel good about, be proud of. I didn't have much else that fit in that category, so I focused all my efforts on this."

I saw him nod.

"Your father must have been furious when you became a park ranger," he said quietly.

"He only had a chance to be furious about my major. He was long gone by the time of my graduation. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I'd rejected all his warped values much earlier and didn't care any more about what he thought."

I looked over at him again, trying to figure out his reaction, but his expression was neutral and didn't give me too many clues.

"I'm sorry you were all alone when I left," he finally said. "I should have realized that would happen, but I was too self-absorbed."

He shook his head in disappointment.

"Jas, it wasn't your fault that I was so dependent on you. That I didn't have anyone else. It wasn't like you'd ever tried to stop me from having other close friends. I put myself in that position. I'm the only one responsible for my situation after you left."

He didn't look convinced.

"Look at it this way. If you hadn't left, I probably would have never found this vocation. And this has been really good for me. It very much helped me re-shape my life and myself. Your departure forced me to take a look around and find something more important than myself, to put my life in a different context. And that's what shaped me into who I am today. I'm grateful to you for that."

I'd released his hand on the drive up to maintain better control of the vehicle, but I reached over and took it now, squeezing it gently. I heard him sigh softly.

"I suppose when you put it like that, I can't exactly argue," he conceded. "I certainly would have never even thought to urge you to pursue this as a career. And I am so glad you found this on your own, Edward, because I can see how happy it makes you. It's an amazing thing to see."

We smiled at each other warmly, and I knew I'd managed to meet the challenge. I told him what happened without changing the whole tone of the trip, and without allowing him to get absorbed in the self-blame that he'd felt in the beginning. Surprisingly, explaining things to him in this way also helped me to see them in a different light. I'd never really blamed him for what happened after he'd left, and I had realized that his leaving was a catalyst for many changes in my life, but I'd never crystallized in my own head that if it hadn't been for that event, I might have never become an environmentalist and a park ranger. In some ways, I reflected as I watched the more sparse, dry landscape on this side of the mountains, his departure had been like a natural forest fire, the kind that burns everything in its path, the good and the bad, scorching the earth and giving rise to fears that the natural beauty is gone forever. But that is usually not the case. It takes time, but nature usually reclaims the land with new, stronger growth. And that's what happened in my life as well.

"So tell me about the park we're going to," he encouraged. "What's the difference between it and Mount Rainier?"

"Well," I began, "I guess the biggest difference is attendance. It's a very remote and difficult to access park. As a result, there are far fewer visitors. Most people just come for the curiosity factor, just to say they've been. They spend one night in Stehekin and head back. And then there are the hikers and campers that like the isolation and come to get away from the crowds at other parks."

"What makes it so difficult to access?" he asked and I remembered that I hadn't really explained to him what my last summer was all about.

"Well, we can't get there by car."

"We can't? So what? We have to hike?"

"We could," I nodded, "But it would take days."

"Oh-kay," he said slowly. "So how are we going to get there?"

"There are two ways. We could take a seaplane or we could take a boat. Knowing how you feel about turbulence, I thought the boat would be the best idea."

"Wait a minute," he shook his head. "Do you mean to tell me you spent a summer in a place where the only way to get to you was by boat or seaplane?"

"It was 5 months, actually, and yeah. But I enjoyed it. It was quiet and peaceful. You'll see. I only wish we could have a little longer there. The three hours we'll have will not be enough to show you everything."

"Why only three hours?" he asked curiously. I shrugged.

"The way the boat schedule is set up, the longest possible single-day stay over in Stehekin is 3 hours. We could stay overnight, but that might cause problems with the timing of the rest of the trip."

He frowned. "We don't want to do anything that might make us late for the wedding or have to rush the rest of the trip, but isn't there a way to make it out to Stehekin tonight?"

"The boats that go out there leave in the morning. I could charter a boat to take us out today, but the accommodations in Stehekin are rather rustic. I think you'd be more comfortable in Chelan."

He looked at me carefully without saying anything, as if evaluating the options. "Edward," he finally said, "this is not a trip we'll be able to take very often, and frankly it's more important to me to see the place you love than to stay in a nice hotel. If there is a way we can get out there tonight so you have more time to show me things without impacting the rest of the trip, I would much rather do that."

"Really?" I couldn't keep the happiness off my face.

"Really!" he said, smiling.

"Okay," I said excitedly. "I think I still have the number for Lady of the Lake." I pulled out my phone and flipped it open, scrolling through the directory as quickly as I could while still paying attention to the road. Finding the right number, I called and was connected almost immediately with the office. I asked about an evening charter and was relieved to find that the Lady of the Lake Express was available that evening. I quickly made the arrangements, giving the number of a credit card with a high enough limit to handle the charter charge. I didn't care a bit about the cost, I just made sure that someone from the office could run out and get us some snacks and beer for the evening, so we wouldn't have to waste time with shopping ourselves and could just board the boat as soon as we reached Chelan.

"Just how rustic are you prepared to go?" I asked Jasper after I concluded my call. "If there are no rooms at the lodge, we could bunk in the living room of the ranger quarters. There is a pullout sofa there. Or Norah, the ranger stationed there, could loan us a tent. That would be more private, but slightly less comfortable."

I could see he was discomforted by the idea of spending a night in a tent, and I wondered if this was a mistake.

"Well, hopefully there will be rooms at the lodge. But if not, then I would prefer privacy over comfort," he finally said.

"Are you sure about this, Jasper?" I asked, even though I hoped he wouldn't change his mind. "I can still cancel the boat."

He took a deep breath. "I'm sure, Edward," he confirmed with more confidence. "I can see you love it there and I don't want us to have to rush and miss things you want me to see, especially since it may be a long time before we can return."

My heart swelled at the reference to future trips, another reminder that this was real and that we both wished for it to become permanent. Without another word I scrolled through my phone directory again and called Norah, catching her on the first try and relaying our plans. Norah was excited about us coming out early and insisted that she was going to wait for us at the landing to drive us to Rainbow Falls and then host us for dinner. She also promised she would try to find us a room at the lodge and assured me we could borrow camping equipment if rooms were unavailable. I flipped the phone closed just as we reached the outskirts of Leavenworth.

"What a cute little town," Jasper commented as I drove into the downtown.

"It was a dead mining town for a while. Then the citizens got together and decided to re-make the town into an Alpine themed village. Now tourism is the main trade and they do quite well," I explained.

"I can see why. This looks like a fun place. Do they have an Oktoberfest?"

"They do," I confirmed. "And they have quite a festival in December as well."

"We should come back for that," Jasper said enthusiastically.

"We could, but we'd have to fly into Spokane and drive over from the east, I think. Stevens Pass may not be open that time of year. Would you like to get out and walk around? If you're hungry, they have some great German restaurants."

He shook his head. "I'm still full from brunch. And we don't have to stop. Let's leave this for the next time. We need to get to the boat, right?"

All I could do was smile at his eagerness and willingness to accommodate. "Tell you what, let's just go to the Fruit Barn. You've never had Washington apples as good as you'll have them here."

"I don't remember the last time I had a Washington apple," Jasper mused. "I really don't do that much cooking or grocery shopping."

"Well, then, this will be a treat. These apples are as fresh as you can get, short of climbing the tree yourself."

We made a quick stop at the large fruit stand, picking up some of the locally grown fruit, as well as a couple pieces of apple strudel, freshly baked at the on-site bakery. I made Jasper eat an apple first, loving the way his eyes widened in surprise at what I knew was an abundance of flavor as he wiped at his chin to catch the flowing juice. There was nothing I could do about it while driving, so I sure was glad there were more apples in the bag. I just needed to make sure the next time he bit into one I was close enough to take care of that drip myself.

"Holy shit," he said after he swallowed his bite. "You weren't kidding. This is the best fucking apple I've ever tasted!"

His reaction to the strudel was even better. He closed his eyes in an expression of pure bliss as he bit into the pastry. I had to remind myself that I was driving and force myself to watch the road, because otherwise my eyes would be glued to his face. His expression wasn't exactly the same as the one he had the couple of times I'd watched him come, but it was fucking close enough to make me remember and wish we were closer to the time and place when I could see it again. Truth was, after his comment about not wanting to go slow, nearly every other thought running through my brain was about all the different ways I wanted to make him come. Even back when I didn't know the difference between fucking and making love, I loved watching him come because of something I did. But now it would be even better, because now I knew what I was doing and I was determined to use all of my skills to be the best lover he'd ever had and make him forget everyone else he'd ever been with.

"Oh, God, Edward, this is amazing. The dough just melts in your mouth and all you're left with is this yummy apple and cinnamon. Here, you have to try it!" he opened his eyes and broke off a small piece of the strudel, then leaned over the center console to bring the pastry to my lips. I opened my mouth and took the piece from him, accidentally grazing the tip of his finger with my teeth. Instead of pulling back, he got a glint in his eye and pushed the finger in a little further. I quickly swallowed the pastry without chewing or tasting it, far more interested in swirling my tongue around his finger as I closed my lips around it and sucked lightly. He tasted of apples, sugar, butter and cinnamon, and the way his breath caught and eyes darkened as I caressed his finger with my lips, teeth and tongue really made me want to pull off the road to show him how well I could suck thicker and longer appendages. The mere thought of it caused my mouth to water and forced me to swallow around his finger, eliciting yet another sharp breath intake from him. He pulled his finger out of my mouth and, regretfully, I let him, my eyes widening when I saw him briefly place it in his own mouth, as if trying to taste me. My jeans grew tighter and my throat suddenly went dry so I couldn't say a damn thing. My eyes just kept darting from the road to him.

"Delicious, wasn't it?" he finally asked huskily. "I think I'll save the rest," he said, wrapping up the leftover strudel. "We might have a taste for more later."

His words were perfectly innocent, but the tone of his voice held an altogether different meaning and promise, one that was definitely far more appealing than freshly baked pastry.

"I know I will," I admitted.

"Me too," he said with a small smile as he placed the strudel back in the bag with the rest of the fruit. "How long 'till we get to that boat?"

I looked around, trying to figure out where along the route we were.

"Less than an hour now," I calculated and stepped on the accelerator.

We continued driving southeast, passing through Cashmere. At Sunnyslope, Highway 2 turned north along the east bank of the Columbia River. At Orondo we veered off onto Highway 97 until we finally turned off onto Chelan Falls Road that took us right into Chelan. I headed directly for the Lady of the Lake pier and parked in the lot. The car would be safe there overnight.

"Let's use that extra bag I brought for your stuff and just take a change of clothes each and our toiletries," I suggested. "That's all we'll need overnight. Oh, and your bee sting kit," I remembered. I knew Norah had some at the ranger station, but it was better to bring our own, just in case. "And hiking boots, if you brought them," I added, noting his sandals and thinking about the rattlesnakes in the park.

"I bought a pair just for the occasion," he said proudly. "Hiking socks too."

I laughed. "Let's hope breaking them in won't give you blisters. But I'm sure Norah will have stuff to take care of that if need be."

We quickly placed our things into the extra duffel bag and I slung it over my shoulder as I locked up the hatch and secured the other doors.

"Come on," I said to Jasper, holding out my hand. He immediately placed his hand in mine and allowed me to lead us to the boat, where the captain was already waiting for us.

"Hey Jack," I greeted him cheerfully. Over my five months in Stehekin I'd gotten to know all the Lady of the Lake boat helmsmen. "Ready for another trip up the lake?"

"Always am," he confirmed. "That trip never gets boring. Nice to see you again, Ranger. Norah and the folks up there will be glad to see you too. You're still a subject of frequent discussions, you know."

"I can't imagine," I admitted. "I'm not that interesting."

"Oh, you know, when the permanent town population is under 100, everyone's interesting. You've been missed. There's been some grousing that you haven't been back yet."

"Well, I'm back now, though just for the day. And I brought someone special with me. This is my boyfriend, Jasper," I puffed up with the ability to introduce Jasper that way for the very first time. "Jas, this is Captain Jack."

"Nice to meet you," Jasper held out his right hand. "Your last name wouldn't be Sparrow, by chance?"

Jack laughed. "Nope. Jack Reynolds, though there are days of the year I wouldn't mind being one of the pirates of the Caribbean. This your first time to Stehekin?"

"It is. Knowing how much Edward loves it, I'm really looking forward to seeing it in person."

"There's no other place like it on earth," the captain said as he headed for the wheelhouse. "Make yourselves at home. The girls got the groceries Edward requested, so settle in and enjoy the ride."

He closed the door to the wheelhouse behind him and I headed over to look into the grocery bags that were set out on the deck. Now that I was no longer driving, I figured it wouldn't hurt to partake, so I took out a couple of bottles of beer, offering one to Jasper. He took it and we both threw the caps into the bag after twisting them off.

"Come on," I motioned with my head and we both walked over to lean against the side rail as the boat sailed up the lake. We stood close together, our arms touching.

"This is really interesting," Jasper commented. "Are the mountains naturally so denuded of greenery, or was this because of a forest fire?"

"A little bit of both," I explained. "There's definitely not enough moisture here year-round to sustain as many trees and plants as on the other side, but forest fires sweep through and often take large chunks of what does grow with them."

"What a shame."

"It is, though not all forest fires are bad. When a fire breaks out because people are doing stupid things, it's a tragedy. Sometimes, though, the fires are spontaneous. Nature's way of cleaning the slate, so to speak. The fire clears out the weak and what comes back is the stronger, hardier stock. It's been working like that for millennia."

We each took a swallow of our beer and I turned my head to watch him as he continued studying the mountains lining the lake. I could never imagine a time when I wouldn't want to spend hours just looking at his perfect profile. His hair was gelled back on the sides to stay out of his face, which meant that I could see his defined jaw and his perfect chin, jutting out just enough to make me want to lean over and suck it into my mouth, to run my tongue over the subtle cleft that I knew was there but couldn't see from this angle. Then there were his lips, the lower ripe and slightly fuller than the upper, both an incredible pale pink that I bet made more than one woman jealous; so perfect, so kissable, soft and tender, yet strong and powerful too, gently curling up at the corner into a subtle smile. I struggled to hold back a moan as I imagined what those lips could do to me, what I desperately wanted them to do.

I focused on his nose as a distraction, though that wasn't nearly as helpful as I might have wished. Like the rest of him, his nose was perfect. Straight and narrow, but not too narrow for his face. I loved the way the tip dipped just slightly in the front so that there was a very distinct and classical curve over his nostril, leading my gaze to the apple of his cheek and then up to his eye, the intense blue shade of his iris clearly visible even in profile, framed by a perfect brow. His bangs were styled up and back with only one strand falling flirtatiously towards the front, revealing a smooth, tall forehead and creating a perfect silhouette. I wished there was a way to subtly get out my phone and take a picture of him just as he looked at that moment, without alerting him in any way, because I was looking at absolute perfection and I feared if I disturbed him, that look and feel of gorgeous serenity would be gone as well. But before I had a chance to even try to act on my impulse, he took a drink of his beer and looked down towards the water, then back at the wake the boat was leaving behind as we sailed towards Stehekin.

"We're moving pretty fast," he noted matter-of-factly, taking another swallow of beer.

"Not as fast as the Extreme Dog," I pointed out and then instantly regretted the quip as I watched him shudder.

"Thank God for that. One of those rides in my lifetime was more than enough," he said, then gave me a sheepish, apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry you didn't enjoy that more," I said remorsefully, once again regretting my impulse to schedule the ride without consulting him first.

"Well, there was one part I enjoyed: the way you held me almost the whole time," he confessed coyly, but then immediately his tone changed. "Having your arms around me made it all worth it. I would have endured a lot more than the extreme boat ride to experience that," he looked straight at me as he spoke, making no effort to disguise his complete sincerity.

"Jas," I said, my throat tightening with need as I turned to face him. "We don't have to be on an extreme ride for me to hold you."

With the beer bottle in my right hand, and my wrist resting on the boat rail, I stepped forward and leaned into him, pushing him back until I could wrap my free hand around the rail as well. He relaxed his body against the rail while I stepped closer, encircling him with my arms. He leaned his head forward and tilted it to rest against mine, his chin on my shoulder.

"There will never be a time when I won't want to hold you in my arms," I assured him. "For any reason, or no reason at all."

"Mm," he hummed contentedly. "I love this, Edward. It feels so good, so right."

"I know," I concurred. "It's exactly how it should be. We're a perfect fit, Jas. Always were. Even when I was too thick headed to recognize it." My hand roamed his back while I turned my head and pressed my lips against his neck, drawing circles on his skin with the tip of my tongue. He laughed, squirming a little.

"That tickles!"

I pushed my lips back and sank my teeth into his neck, hard enough for him to feel the pressure, but not to break skin or hurt him.

"How about that?" I asked as I pulled back to look at the ring of pink indentations visible against his pale skin.

"That felt so good," he whispered, turning his head towards me slowly. I felt his lips, hot and wet against my skin, nuzzling along my jaw bone. I let my head fall back and to the side, encouraging him to continue, his tongue rasping gently over my five o'clock shadow. His hold on me tightened as he pressed his advantage, leaning into me and away from the railing. He had me in a slight dip as his lips slid down my neck over my Adam's apple and then to the base of my throat and lower still, his tongue trailing along the edge of the v neck of my shirt.

"This is even better," he nearly purred, barely lifting his lips from my chest. "But we need to do something about this shirt."

I managed to laugh a little. "I think that will have to wait," I replied, my voice strained.

"I suppose you're right," he said regretfully as he straightened, pulling me back up with him.

"But not everything has to wait," I continued, leaning into him again to capture those luscious lips with mine. I could feel his lips curling up into a smile and then he sighed into my mouth, tilting his head to the side to deepen our kiss. Our lips explored each other slowly before our tongues joined in, trading places, first his sneaking into my mouth then mine into his. In addition to his unmistakable natural flavor, he tasted faintly of buttery pastry, apples and cinnamon. In other words, absolutely fucking delicious. I was torn between wanting to go on kissing him forever and to stop and go way beyond kissing, which in the back of my head I knew we couldn't do, at least not for the time being. I sensed the same desire and frustration from him, which only fueled the intensity of our kisses.

Time passed and the boat moved along the calm lake surface, but we barely noticed as we became totally and completely engrossed in one another. The swaying of the boat and the light breeze all around us, as well as the beer bottles we both still held in our hands, reminded us that we were out in the open, and prevented us from getting as carried away as we had in the garage. But those were mere inconveniences. We were both hungry for more and determined to get as much from each other as we possibly could. No longer content with our lips merely gliding against one another, we pulled back and nipped and sucked each other's sweet ripe flesh, our free hands sneaking beneath shirts to massage and knead each other's backs, our hips thrusting and grinding to bring our erections together.

Had it not been for the drone of the powerful engines, the deck would have been filled with the sound of our wet kisses, our heavy, harsh panting, and the sound of denim scraping against denim. As it was, the boat noise drowned out everything else, giving us a modicum of privacy. Not enough to go far enough, but more than enough to take us right up to the edge. It was only the realization that I didn't want the first time we made each other orgasm to be out in public, while we were fully clothed, that finally made me pull away.

Having lost all track of time, I had no idea if it had been minutes or hours. We were both breathing heavily and we were both rock hard, and, at least for my part, just shy of exploding. With only inches of space between us, we stared into each other's eyes, communicating silently our mutual conclusions as we panted in an effort to calm down. Reaching a wordless accord, I stepped back and we both turned to lean against the rail again, though this time we stood very close and I kept my free arm around wrapped around his back, my hand resting on his hip.

"I suppose I should look at some more of the scenery," he commented after a few minutes, when his breathing had finally slowed, taking a swig of beer. "After all, that is reason you brought me out here in the first place, right?" He looked at me with a small smirk and a devilish glint in his eye.

"That was one of the reasons," I agreed, though my suggestive tone made it clear it wasn't the only reason. "But don't worry, you'll be able to see anything you've missed on the ride back tomorrow with the rest of the returning Stehekin visitors."

"Ah, right" his eyes lit up with understanding. "So how long is this ride, anyway?" he asked, looking at his watch. I glanced down at mine and saw that we'd been sailing for about an hour.

"An hour and a half more," I told him, watching his eyes widen in surprise. "If we take the Lady of the Lake II back tomorrow it will be four hours - this is the fast cruise."

"Two and a half hours is fast?" he was so incredulous I had to laugh.

"Lake Chelan is the largest natural lake in Washington, but it's only a mile wide, on average. The rest of the size comes from its length and depth. The lake is fifty-five miles long and its name comes from a Native American word meaning deep water. This is the third deepest lake in the country. In fact, if you measure from the top of the highest surrounding mountain to the bottom of the lake, this gorge is deeper than the Grand Canyon. Anyway, even in a boat as fast as this one, 55 miles takes two and a half hours. I'm sorry. I guess I should have told you before we got on."

"No, no," Jasper assured me, turning his head in my direction so we could see each other. "It's fine. I should have figured out the length of the trip was the reason we could only stay for a few hours if we decided to do this in one day. Besides, this is pleasant. We couldn't be this close in a car or on a plane."

He tilted his head towards me and I gave him a quick kiss, tightening my grip on his hip slightly in acknowledgement. We sailed in silence for a while, watching the scenery and finishing our beers. When I saw that we were both done I took his bottle and returned both empties to the bag. Since all garbage had to be barged out of Stehekin at a significant cost, out of consideration for the town residents we would bring our own trash back with us.

Jasper declined another beer so when I returned to the rail I stepped up behind him and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him back against my chest. He crossed his arms over mine, rubbing my upper arms with his hands and sighing in contentment.

"I love you, Jas," I hoped he wasn't tired of hearing it, because I would never tire of telling him. "I'm so happy you're here with me. I wished for this countless times when I was living up here. I wanted so badly to share this with you, and now I can. Thank you."

"I love you too, Edward," he said, looking back at me expectantly until I gave him another kiss. "I'm glad we could take this trip so I can see this place that you obviously love so much. Can I ask you a question, though?" He was clearly hesitant.

"Hmm?" he turned back towards the lake, as though he didn't want to look me in the eye.

"Please don't get me wrong. I can see how beautiful it is around here and I understand it's very different from Mount Rainier and the other side of the state, but that doesn't seem reason enough for you to come out here for as long as you did. I mean, 5 months in a town that you can't drive in or out of, where the population is less than a hundred? It seems like there has to be more to it than just a curiosity about a different park."

I took a deep breath, once again wondering how much I could tell him without the conversation getting too heavy too early in the course of the trip and our new relationship. I wanted to be honest, but not depressing.

"One of the reasons I did it was because it was easier for me than anyone else. Norah, the ranger normally stationed here permanently, was pregnant, and her doctor wanted her closer to medical facilities. Someone had to come up here for 5 months in the summer, and it was easier for me to relocate for that long than for anyone else."

Jasper sighed.

"I just don't like the thought of you spending so much time out here alone, away from all your friends. And I'm surprised you'd want to do that, when you didn't have to."

I knew he was alluding to the time after he left, when I had no choice but to be alone, and I could understand his confusion. It wasn't easy to explain why I would voluntarily return to that kind of situation.

"It wasn't so bad. I got to know the locals and I could still Skype with people via the web cam. I wasn't completely out of touch."

"Yeah, but," he turned to look at me again, "we both know that's hardly the same."

I nodded. I couldn't very well argue with the truth.

"It's hard to explain," I prefaced, "but as much as I love everyone in Seattle, and as happy as I was about all of them finding happiness with their partners, there were times when being with them made me feel even more lonely than being alone. They were all trying to get me to move on, to date people, and I just had no interest. It became so, I don't know ..." I paused trying to think of the best way to explain. "It was like being inside that trash compactor in Episode IV of Star Wars, remember? The walls closing in relentlessly. On the one side the well intentioned set-ups, on the other everyone I knew happily paired off. I just needed to get away from all that for a while. I know that doesn't make sense."

'No," he said, twisting his whole body. I loosened my hold so that it was easier for him to turn around completely and face me. "It actually makes a lot of sense. I understand completely. It's one of the reasons why I chose to go to school in Rochester, instead of staying in New York City. Friends and family mean well, and they are trying to help, but sometimes it's best to get a little space and work things out yourself."

"Exactly," I said, relieved that he got it so easily.

"And did your stay here help?"

I frowned, not sure how to answer.

"Yes and no," I hedged. "I was fine here, but when I got back to Seattle it was more of the same. The relief was only temporary. But I met a couple of guys here. For some reason I felt comfortable enough with them to tell them my troubles and they suggested that I might have been too closed-minded when looking for a solution to my problem."

"What was your problem?" Jasper queried, and then immediately followed up with, "if you're comfortable enough to tell me. I don't mean to pry."

I swallowed hard, and then did it again, my throat feeling dry despite the saliva coating. This really shouldn't be so hard to admit, not to him. I'd already told him as much anyway.

"My problem was that I couldn't get over you. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else but you. I couldn't give my heart to anyone else, because a part of it was always with you."

"Oh," he sounded surprised, even though he shouldn't have been. It was obvious he didn't know quite how to respond. "So, um, what was their solution?"

"It doesn't matter," I shook my head. "Soon after I returned to Seattle Garrett proposed, and when Seth said he was going to invite you to the wedding, I knew I might have one last chance to apologize and explain. So I decided to wait. And I'm so glad I did."

"Me too," he smiled. "Very glad."

I pulled him close and hugged him tightly. "You were worth every second of that wait," I affirmed. "It was all worth it to be here with you right now."

I sensed that he was going to ask a follow-up question, but I wasn't ready to tell him anything else so I pulled back and looked down at his feet. "You really should get your hiking boots on before we land. Norah will meet us at the dock to drive us up to Rainbow Falls when we land, and it would be good to go as soon as we arrive to take advantage of the remaining daylight."

"Wait," he said, confused. "I thought you said no roads lead to Stehekin. How is Norah going to drive us in a place that has no roads."

I laughed, wrapping my arm around his shoulders and leading him to take a seat near the spot where I placed the duffel bag with all our stuff. "I said there are no roads that lead to Stehekin. I didn't say there were no roads in Stehekin. There are actually something like 12 miles of paved road up there."

"Yeah, but how do you get a car up there?"

"You barge it in. Shuttle buses too. It's expensive, but the cars last a while. It's not like there's a lot of wear and tear."

"Wow," he shook his head in wonder. "It really is like a different world."

"Is it ever. I could tell you stories! In fact, we have a little time, so I might as well. We won't be there long, but you should know what you're getting into."

I spent the rest of our time aboard telling him stories from my time in Stehekin, especially about some of the residents he'd be likely to meet during our stay. It felt good to tell him the stories and to hear him laughing with me at the various quirks and idiosyncrasies that go hand in hand with small town life. In many ways it was just like when we were young and giggled at stories about the various odd characters who used to live in Forks. It felt easy, comfortable and intimate, as intimate as our kisses had been earlier, though obviously in a much different way. Once again I lost track of time, and before we knew it we were pulling up to the dock at Stehekin.

We stood up and I grabbed the grocery bags while Jasper picked up the duffel. As promised, Norah was waiting for us on the dock, wearing her summer ranger uniform, her mass of light brown, shoulder-length curls spilling out from beneath the wide-brimmed hat.

"Hey there, stranger Ranger," she greeted me. "I can't believe you waited this long to visit, Cullen. Didn't you miss this place like crazy?"

I shook my head at her, laughing. "You know very well that it's difficult to get here in the winter, and after the thaw things are too busy at my own park. I haven't noticed you visiting my Mountain either."

"Touché," she giggled. "But I have more than the park to keep me busy now."

"That's right," I remembered. "Where is the lovely Bianca?"

"Mrs. Summers agreed to keep her a bit longer today so I could cook a proper dinner for my guests. But she'll drop her off tonight so you'll be able to see her. You won't believe how much she's grown."

"I can imagine," I said. "Bianca is Norah's daughter," I turned to explain to Jasper. "The one Norah abandoned the park for last year."

"Oh you," Norah gave me a not so gentle punch to my upper arm.

"Jasper, this is Norah, the government appointed keeper of all this wilderness," I informed. "And Norah, this is my boyfriend, Jasper," I'd never get tired of making that introduction, at least not until we were ready to change labels to something even more permanent.

They shook hands and exchanged the usual greetings. We waved goodbye to Captain Jack, who set off for his return trip, and followed Norah to the Jeep.

"I called the lodge," Norah said, "and they have a couple of rooms left. They're not on the lake side, but you don't have to sleep in a tent if you don't want to."

I was both happy and sad to hear the news. Happy, because I knew Jasper would be far more comfortable in the lodge. A part of me, however, wished we could camp out together. It had, after all, been my fantasy forever, and to do it here, in this place that had become pretty special to me, would have had all the more significance. But this wasn't about me, so I turned to Jasper and tried to force a bright smile.

"That's good news, huh, Jas? Did you book the room?" I asked Norah.

"No. I figured there was no one here to book it out from under you, and this way you can decide for yourself which you'd prefer. We have a couple of camping sites open as well. And all the gear is ready to go."

"Yeah, thanks for doing that, Norah, but Jasper doesn't ..."

"I think I'd like to camp," he interrupted.

I whipped my head back to look at him. "What? I thought that wasn't something you wanted to do. The lodge isn't fancy, but it will be more comfortable for you."

"All the same, I'd prefer to camp. This is a unique place and it lends itself to unique accommodations. You don't mind, do you?" he challenged.

"No, of course not. But Jas," I stepped closer towards him and spoke quietly enough so only he could hear, "you don't have to do this for me. The lodge is fine, truly."

He looked straight into my eyes as he replied. "I'm not doing this for you. I want to do this for us. I want us to have that night together in the wilderness that we always talked about but never had, unless you count your back yard. I want this to be special."

I swallowed, my throat tight with emotion. No matter what he said, I knew he was doing this for me, and I was overcome with gratitude. I suddenly remembered how often he'd done exactly this - adopted my wants and desires as his own. Once upon a time I took it for granted, even expected it from him, but that time was long gone. Now I could appreciate how big of a sacrifice he was willing to make to give me something I'd always wanted. It wasn't necessary, but I didn't want to waste time arguing, so I simply nodded and looked back to Norah.

"Looks like we'll be borrowing your camping gear after all," I told her.

"Good," she smiled. "But I'm guessing you want to get to Rainbow Falls while it’s still light outside? The two-man pop-up can be easily put up later."

"You read my mind, Ranger," I agreed. "And thank you."

"No problem at all," Norah spoke as she started the vehicle. "I'll drop you boys off at the falls and go get dinner started. I asked Rufus to join us. Is that all right?"

"Of course," I was happy when I heard that Rufus decided to work in Stehekin again, knowing he loved the place as much as I did. I was looking forward to seeing him.

"Okay, then. The extra radio is in the back. Just call when you're ready for me to pick you up and I'll come back with the gear and take you to the camping site, help you set up," I was going to protest when I realized that Norah sensed Jasper knew nothing about camping and was making her offer subtly, so as not to embarrass the novice among us. "By the time we're done, Rufus should be done with his evening program and we can have dinner. Then he'll probably take you boys back to the site. And in the morning you can radio one of us for a pick up."

I laughed. "Wow, Norah. You're really going above and beyond. This is special treatment."

"It's nothing," she dismissed. "Now shut up so I can give Jasper the tour. Unless you want to do it?"

"Oh no, I'll just sit back and let the professional do her work," I teased, but then followed through on the promise.

Norah snorted, then began telling Jasper about life in Stehekin and pointing out landmarks along the way, like the One Room School House, that was now a museum and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"The schoolhouse was used until 1988," Norah told Jasper what I already knew. "Then it was closed and turned into a museum and K-8 grade students now have a modern one-room schoolhouse, with a library, a gym and indoor plumbing."

"Indoor plumbing?" Jasper repeated. "You mean, before 1988 the school had none?"

"You got it," Norah nodded and winked.

"Damn!" Jasper exclaimed. "What happens after 8th grade?"

"For high school either the whole family has to move for the duration of the school year or the students have to board with someone in Chelan," Norah explained.

"Wow," Jasper said. "That would be strange. Living with someone else while going to high school?"

Norah shrugged.

"For the people who live her it's normal. It's a bit of an adjustment for the students, especially since they're used to being the only kid in their class, but that's a good experience for them to have."

The drive to Rainbow Falls was short, and Norah hardly had any time to point out things along the way before we reached the drop off point.

"Enjoy the view, boys. And make sure you take the radio, Edward."

I had already clipped it to my belt, so I merely thanked her and jumped out of the Jeep, watching Jasper follow my lead. Norah yelled that she'd see us later and drove off, leaving us standing by the side of the road.

"She's nice," Jasper opined. "She's really going out of her way for us. She must like you or something," he teased, bumping my side with his elbow.

I shrugged. "We only spent a few days together at the start and end of my stay here, but we got along great. I think she was happy with how I took care of her park and this is her way of saying thanks."

He smiled. "Then I'm glad you did such a good job."

From where Norah dropped us off, it was a very short walk to the pool at the bottom of the 312 foot waterfall. I didn't bother talking, just enjoyed watching Jasper's face as he craned his neck to fully take in the sight and marveled at nature's beauty before him. The water fell all the way down a sheer cliff face in a straight, white line, crashing right into the rocky pool at the foot, surrounded by an evergreen forest.

"It's breathtaking," he finally said, after watching in silence for a while.

"It's even better in the middle of the day, when the sun is out. If we have time, we can come back tomorrow, but I wanted you to see it this evening just in case. To come to Stehekin and not see Rainbow Falls would be like going to Seattle and not seeing the Space Needle. Unthinkable."

Jasper took a few steps forward to the edge of the river that flowed from the pool at the base of the waterfall. He leaned down and placed his hand in the water.

"It’s nice and cool," he commented.

"And safe to drink," I informed him, moving to the river myself and bending down to scoop some water with my hand up to my lips.

Jasper looked at me in surprise. "That doesn't seem wise," he said.

"The town's water supply comes from the lake, and guess what feeds the lake? You don't have to try it if you don't want to, but I assure you it's safe, and delicious."

Slowly and somewhat reluctantly, he dipped his hand back in the water, cupping it into a semicircle and scooping out some of the liquid.

"Really, you don't have to," I assured him, but by then he's already brought the hand to his lips and drank the water.

"You're right, it is delicious," he said with a grin as he shook off the remaining droplets of water from his hand. "And this whole place is amazing. Did I mention how glad I am that you brought me here and that I could see this with you?"

"You may have mentioned something like that, but I didn't mind hearing it again. I love it here, and I'm glad you do too. Come on," I said, holding out my hand. "Let's get a little bit closer."

His hand secured within mine, we walked along the edge of the water until we could nearly look at the waterfall from the side. We both looked up again, and then turned our heads towards each other as if in some choreographed dance.

"So, Rainbow Falls, huh?" he asked with a small smile. "That's rather appropriate, don't you think?" his left brow rose suggestively.

We were already moving, turning towards each other and stepping closer as I spoke. "Yeah, and rainbows in any form should be celebrated."

Nothing else was said as our lips came together. Again, we started off slowly, but the intensity quickly increased, as did the tension in my jeans. We devoured each other, teeth crashing together as we explored the deepest recesses of our mouths with our tongues. I wrapped my left arm around his shoulders and put my right hand on the back of his neck, leaning into him to get even closer. The shift in our body position caused his foot to slip off the rock he had been balancing on and we both stumbled, letting go to right ourselves without falling into the water.

"Shit!" Jasper panted. "I'm sorry."

"It was my fault," I said, my breathing equally heavy. I instantly realized that standing right by the water's edge had not been the smartest idea, and looked around desperately for a better location. Behind me I found a grouping of pines, the oldest with a trunk more than wide enough to lean back against without worry of slipping. I looked back at Jasper and tilted my head in the direction of the trees. "The ground's more level over there, plus it's a bit more private."

He looked over at the trees and took a step in their direction. I followed and a few steps later we were at our destination. Some younger trees provided even more cover from the main path, though I wasn't worried about anyone coming by and seeing us. The day tourists were long gone and those staying overnight or the locals wouldn't have any reason to come here now. I was virtually certain there would be no one to interrupt us, whatever we chose to do.

Jasper was already standing facing me and close to the largest tree. He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to take the lead. I took a step forward, only an arm's length separating us, and put both of my hands on his shoulders. I kept my arms locked as I took another step forward. Understanding my intent, he stepped backward until his back hit the three trunk and his hands instinctively moved back to rest on the ridged surface. Now he was exactly where I wanted him.

I stepped closer, knowing he had nowhere to retreat, though by the way his pupils darkened and lips parted I sensed he had no desire to move from where he was.

"Kiss me," he demanded, his voice low and husky. He didn't need to ask me twice. I wrapped my arms around him and the tree trunk, clawing my hands into the hard bark as I attacked his lips. There was nothing gentle in this kiss, but he made no protest and met me halfway with an equally zealous response. Our lips didn't stay joined this time. Instead, we met and broke apart repeatedly, tongues jutting out to slide past each other in the fresh, open air. He moved his hands off the trunk and over my ass, squeezing my cheeks and pulling me even closer, grinding my crotch into him as he inserted his thigh between my legs. I groaned, feeling his hardness pressing into my own thigh, needing to feel even more, to dispatch with the cloth barriers between us.

I pulled my head back and moved my lips over his face and neck, kissing, sucking and nibbling my way across the expanse of his pale skin, patches of it now covered with a day's growth of his blond facial hair, just enough to scratch deliciously against my skin and tongue. I released the tree, resting my entire body weight against him, our chests compressed together. My hands traveled to the hem of his shirt and then underneath and upwards over the lean muscles of his flat stomach. I spread my hands and distributed my weight over his ribcage, pushing myself back to create enough room to push up his shirt to his neck, my lips instantly lowering to glide over his smooth chest.

"Edward," he moaned, my name sounding decadent amid the near silence around us. I didn't respond, just continued worshipping his chest while grinding my erection into him. I bent my left arm and rested my elbow on the tree trunk beside his neck to hold up the shirt while I lowered my right hand between us, reaching down to stroke his hard on through his jeans. He whimpered, then moved his hands up to the waistband of my jeans before plunging them back down inside the pants and directly over my burning skin, his fingers digging into the flesh and muscles of my ass, squeezing in time with my thrusts against his leg. With my lips fastened over his nipple, my teeth grazing against the tight knob, I moved my right hand up along his zipper and released the button of his fly before yanking down the tab to unlatch the two rows of metal teeth. His sharp gasp spurred me on and I quickly reached into his open pants to release his hard cock, briefly thanking him silently for choosing to go commando.

"You too," he insisted, withdrawing his right hand and moving it between us to open my jeans and reach for my cock. I pulled back to look into his eyes as we began to stroke one another in tandem. It was just like that night back in Forks in the back of my Volvo, only this time we weren't pretending to be straight; we didn't have to hide anything from one another; we didn't have to be afraid of what the other might think. This time I could just focus on how good and right it felt for us to be touching each other like this. Me and Jasper: two men in love, bringing each other pleasure. The most natural and beautiful thing in the world.

It felt great, but then suddenly it wasn't enough. I wanted us to be even closer. "Let me," I rasped, shifting my body slightly until my cock was pressed against his and I could wrap my hand around us both. He obliged, releasing me and returning his hand to my butt.

"Fuck, yeah," he groaned as I grasped us both firmly, sliding our excess skin back and forth over our turgid shafts. I glanced down and saw that we were both leaking. I felt my balls tightening as I took in the sight of his engorged reddened head rubbing against mine, the clear fluid flowing from our slits providing the lubrication to eliminate any discomfort. I'd spent the day charged up with sexual tension and I had waited so long for this, fantasized so many times about holding him just like this, it was hard to believe that it was real. I swiped my thumb over our heads just to feel the moisture coated hot skin, instantly realizing I'd made a mistake. Seeing him hard in my hand, feeling him throb against me, hearing the half-moans-half-grunts of his pleasure, smelling the aroma of his pre-release and then finally feeling his slick precum was all too much. I'd reached sensory overload and there was no way to pull back from the edge. I gave a strangled cry and continued to move my hand over us even as spurts of white ejaculate flowed out of my cock, coating both of us and spilling over onto my hand.

I looked at him wide eyed, shocked that it happened so quickly and unexpectedly, hoping he would understand. I quickly saw I didn't have to worry. With his eyes closed and his head thrown back against the tree, he looked near-orgasmic himself. That's when it struck me. He looked near-orgasmic because he was almost there too! I glanced down and could almost feel his cock hardening even further in my hand. I knew his own explosion was imminent and that in seconds his cum would be mingling with mine, also spilling over my hand.

'Oh hell no,' the horror of it struck me. There was no way that the first time I made him come after getting back together I would waste the opportunity to taste him. I instantly released my grip and dropped to my knees before him.

"Edward, what ...?"

I heard his confusion above me, but I couldn't answer because my mouth was already full of his cock. He exhaled loudly and I felt his hands tangle in my hair as I pulled him in deeper and deeper, relaxing my throat to accommodate his length and girth. He was perfect: the most perfect, gorgeous cock I'd ever seen or sucked. Fully aroused, he was even longer and thicker than I remembered, but this time I didn't gag as I took him all in, my nose pressing against his soft pubes. He slid into the sheath of my throat as if he was made for it, and I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment and a strange sensation of homecoming, even though the two of us hadn't ever quite done this before.

For a moment I stilled, with his entire length tightly ensconced in my mouth and throat. Then, knowing he was close, I pulled off until his head was in my mouth again and sucked in my cheeks to conform around him.

"Oh, oh, fuuuck!" he shouted as he flooded my mouth with his thick cream. I swallowed around him, lifting my hand to the base of his shaft and stroking to milk him of every drop. There was no way I could ever get enough of his nectar. To taste him at last was heaven. He was salty and sweet and rich all at the same time. He was Jasper. He was perfect. I didn't release him until I was absolutely sure he was completely spent and extremely clean.

As soon as I let him fall out of my mouth he sank down to his knees beside me, lifting my still cum-coated hand to his lips and licking it clean, sucking on my fingers and swirling his tongue to lap up every last remainder of my jizz. We leaned heavily into each other, utterly sated and almost too relaxed to remain kneeling upright. When he was done with my hand he did, in fact, slide down further to lie on the forest floor with his head in my lap, pulling my now only half-hard shaft into his mouth. I whimpered as he sucked me, cognizant that this was the first time ever he had done so. If it had been physically possible, I'm sure I would have come again. As it was, I sat back on my heels, both hands resting on the ground behind me for support, looking down at him and marveling at how good his tongue felt sliding around my rod and slipping into the foreskin cowl that was now covering my head, to ensure a thorough cleansing. Finally, apparently satisfied with his work, he rolled off and rested on his back. He stared up at me with a contented Cheshire cat smile, licking his lips, his fly still spread open, his softening cock on full display in a bed of neatly trimmed blond hair.

"Happy?" I asked softly, leaning forward to hover over him and reaching down to caress his cheek and his brow.

"Oh, yeah," he affirmed quietly, but enthusiastically. He grabbed my hand and pulled it down to kiss my knuckles. "That was just amazing, Edward. Truly mind blowing. And I never would have guessed, but being here, outdoors, by the waterfall, just made it that much better. I'm starting to understand why you love the wilderness so much."

I laughed, leaning down further to kiss him. "The wilderness is great, Jas," I told him, "but it's nothing next to you. I could never love anything or anyone more than I love you."

I started to pull back, but he snaked his arm around my neck and kept me close. He suddenly looked very serious as he gazed right into my eyes and deeper still, right into my soul.

"I feel the same way, Edward. When I'm with you it's like I have tunnel vision. There's only you. I love you so much more than I could ever put into words, and being with you, like this, is everything I ever wanted."

I leaned down and kissed him again, gently and lovingly. "This is only the beginning, Jas," I whispered against his lips. "The best is still ahead. It will always be ahead, as long as we're together."