Love To Hate You

Help is on schedule

Brandon

Fuck, she tastes so good, just like she smells, sweet roses. I never imagined kissing could feel this right, but with her it’s different. There’s so much more meaning behind it. Her little noises drive me crazy. I pull her on my lap and she gasps, straddling me. Her core settles over my hard length and I hold back a buck in reaction, not wanting to scare her off. My hands slowly slide down her back. The dress has risen and I find her soft skin. I’m shocked and heavily aroused to find she’s commando. I hear scuttling behind me and brush it off. Her hips begin to move and my eyes pop open at the feel of her riding me. That’s when I find the source of the noise starting back at me.

“Mary, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we have to stop.”

She pulls back completely stricken and I want to scream my victory. I’ve waited so long for her to desire me. Too bad we’re not alone.

“Don’t panic! We have to leave the cave very slowly and stay low.”

I know the moment my words register because she stiffens above me and looks up. When she sees them, she panics making quick jumpy movements that get their attention. Over a thousand bats begin to wake. Stretching out their wings to prepare for takeoff. Mary scrambles up, running from the cave at breakneck speed screaming blue murder. I grab what I can, ducking low, and take off after her. I feel several bats brush across my skin, causing me to shudder.

“Mary… Mary!”

Shit, I’ve lost her. It’s too dark for tracking. I concentrate, turning in a circle and try to guess which direction she’d take. There’s a wide open path straight ahead, I start there, calling out her name every few feet. It’s hard not to let fear set in, every minute she’s alone is a heightened risk. Mary’s like a walking, talking danger magnet. Who knows what she’s attracted, running and screaming through a dark jungle. Especially after a storm; when hunting has been postponed for many creatures. My heart begins to pound out of my chest at the possibilities my imagination conjures up.

I hear a blood-curdling scream about fifty feet to my right. It’s her. I’m running as fast as I can toward her, pumping my arms, jumping over dead logs and dodging trees. A muffled cry sounds from directly behind me. Its Mary, her mouth is covered by a hand. A middle-aged man with glasses and a crisp button-down shirt is holding her in place. I start toward them, stopping when I hear a branch break in the opposite direction. That’s when I realize something’s off with the man’s expression. I also notice his hold is loose. Slowly turning around, I find my error. He wasn’t taking her; he was silencing her.

I’m now staring directly into the eyes of a very large boar. It’s close enough I can see the bloodstains on the fur surrounding his tusks. Five feet at best separate us. I slowly reach into my back pocket for the knife. It watches me shifting its weight gearing for attack and charges. I wait, twitching with adrenaline. He’s seconds away from contact. Swiveling to the side I jump on his back, one hand On my knife the other on his tusk and pull back slipping the knife deep into its neck and slash through the tough muscle. It stumbles before Lifelessly dropping to the ground.

“That was amazing, your like Tarzan!”

I look toward the speaker, who’s looking back like I’m his new favorite hero. My attention shifts to Mary, who’s eyes are round and wide. She looks like she’s about to be sick.

“Who the fuck are you?” I demand.

The man pushes his glasses up and points to a pin on his chest I hadn’t noticed before.

“My name is Steven Germaine I’m a biologist. Me and my partner Albert are here to research a new flower recently discovered. It’s been known to have healing properties… What are you guys doing all the way out here?”

We both look at Steven and answer the same time.

“Stranded!”

It’s just our luck he has no boat on hand and the crew won’t be back for three more days. On the upside, their camp is set up pretty decent. They offer us an extra tent while Albert tries to get a signal on the satellite phone. Steven is just slightly bigger than Mary, he gives her a pair of shoes and some clean clothing. I don’t like the way he looks at her and I observe him attentively. It’s only when she disappears in the tent, I wonder away to gut and skin the boar. It’s better than any vacuum-sealed crackers they’re offering, and I’m sick of fruit.

When I return, Mary is sitting by the fire, swimming in a grey sweat suit with the words: brains are boss, written in bold across her chest. I curl my lip in Steven’s direction. I know guys like him; they made fun of me my whole life. Thinking they’re better than me because they can turn letters into numbers. I’d like to see him handle that boar the way I did. Stevie-boy couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag.

Jamming the two Y-shaped sticks on either side of the fire. I place the prepped boar over the smoldering flames. I will her to look at me, piercing her with my eyes.

“Your going to eat that?”

What a stupid question. Albert’s face is twisted in a show of disgust.

“Why not? It’s the same as a pig.”

“Actually, a boar has a unique taste. It’s more of a cross between pork and beef.”
This comes from Steven, as he sits next to Mary with a wide smile; over teeth so white, they’re blinding.

“Have you even tried boar?”

My tone comes out a little more spiteful than I mean it to. Good.

“No, I haven’t… have you?”

His snarky tone has me clenching my fists. I want so badly to deck him. I lie flawlessly.

“Yes, I have, many times.”

Mary glances at me and I quickly turn my attention to her, but she ducks her head before we make eye contact. Damn it! Why is she avoiding me? One step forward, two back. I want so badly to continue what we started, but it’s obvious she regrets it.

“Well, I believe I will partake in this endeavor.”

Is he still talking?

“What about you, Mary? Are you going to walk on the wild side and try some?”

Seriously? She shakes her head like she was in deep thought and looks at Steven, giving him a small smile. I wait nervously for her response. She gets up and shakes her head.

“No, actually. It’s been a long day, I think I’m just going to call it a night.”

My face falls as I watch her walk off, disappearing into the tent. My gaze skims by Steven and I catch him studying me; curiosity clear in his expression. I snap my teeth at him and he quickly averts his gaze. Albert is deep in his studies, taking notes and flipping pages. He has been the entire time, completely oblivious to anything around him.

I cut a large slab that looks to be cooked and take off down the beach. Anything to avoid the feeling of loss that has embedded its way in my chest…