Broken Bond by C.J. Primer

Read Broken Bond by C.J. Primer Chapter 9 – VANESSA 

Like always, I feel him before I see him. The energy in the air shifts somehow, almost crackling, and I know he‘s nearby. I glance toward the tall rocks that line the outer edge of the natural hot springs, listening to the sound of crunching snow as he strides closer, still out of sight I blow out a slow breath that fogs the air in front of me, mingling with the steam rising from the pool of warm water. 

Callum finally comes into view as he rounds the rocks, brows lifting as he takes in the sight of the crystal–clear water and my state of partial undress. “Well... this is a surprise,” he drawls, stalking closer. 

I sent him the location by dropping a pin so he could use the maps feature on his phone to find his way here. This place is technically off–territory, located on the grounds of the Cedar Ridge ski resort. It‘s easy to get turned around in these woods, so the resort offers guided trips out here for guests who want to take a dip in the natural hot springs– but since I work there, I know for a fact that none are planned for today. We‘ve got this little oasis all to ourselves. 

I‘d also planned on stripping down and getting in the water before he got here, but he‘s more punctual than I expected. 

“Skinny dipping?” Cal asks as I drop my sweatshirt to the ground, his eyes mapping the bare skin of my stomach before slowly raking up over my black bralette, lingering on my breasts for a beat before they finally rise to meet my own. The corner of his mouth lifts. “Not what I expected from a self–professed good girl.” 

Goosebumps pebble my skin, and I‘m not sure if it‘s from the cold or him. 

“Underwear stays on,” I say firmly, pointing a finger in his direction. 

His lips spread into a wicked grin. 

Maybe this wasn‘t the best idea. 

I try my best to ignore the heavy weight of his stare as I pop open the button on my jeans, shimmying them down my hips and kicking them off my legs. I‘m not a frilly underwear type of girl, so I’m just in my usual plain cotton bralette 

and a matching pair of cotton bikini briefs. From the devious look in those blue green eyes, Callum doesn‘t seem to mind my boring underwear choice one bit. 

He‘s giving me that look again– like he wants to eat me alive. 

“You sure?” Cal challenges as he shrugs out of his jacket and slowly peels hist shirt off over his head. My mouth runs dry when I catch sight of his bare chest. I already knew he was muscular judging by the fit of his clothes, but imagining and seeing are two very different things. My gaze roams over the dips and curves of his well–defined abdominal muscles, my pulse racing as I take in the sharp V–shape of his Adonis belt that disappears beneath the waistband of his boxers. His jeans ride low on his hips, and he unfastens the button, tugging them down to reveal a pair of black boxer briefs. My eyes unwittingly drop to the sizable bulge between his legs. 

“You‘re not curious about what I’m packing?” Callum teases as he shamelessly adjusts himself. 

My eyes snap back up to meet his, a furious blush forming on my cheeks. “... you... what‘d I tell you about that dirty mouth?” I stammer, completely flustered. I run my hands through my hair, distracting myself by looking away while I pull it back into a ponytail and secure it with an elastic. 

Cal chuckles, kicking off his boots and stepping out of his jeans. “You didn‘t seem to mind my dirty mouth the other night.” 

My head whips back around and I gape at his audacity, sputtering like a fish out of water. 

“Relax,” he murmurs, striding closer until he‘s standing right in front of me, his muscles rippling with every movement. He sets his hands firmly on my 

shoulders and his magnetic gaze locks in on mine. My heart skips a beat. “I‘m just messing with you, babe.” 

I can feel the heat radiating off of his body, and with him this close, all I can think about is that kiss at the bonfire pit. I could kiss him again. All I‘d have to do is lift up on my tiptoes… Callum‘s eyes flicker to the steaming pool of water beside us, then return to my own. “Are we getting in or what?” His minty breath fogs in the space between 

1. us. 

I nod, my ponytail bouncing behind me as I take a step backwards to free 

myself from his hold and calm my racing pulse. I‘m usually confident and self assured around guys, but my body has never reacted like this to anyone else. It‘s confusing and frustrating that I can‘t control my own impulses when I‘m around Callum. What is it about him that makes my senses go haywire? 

My long ponytail slaps me in the face as I whip around, starting toward the water‘s edge with a determined stride. The steam curling from the surface of the pool beckons me with every step, and I carefully navigate around the mossy rocks at the edge until I can dip my toes in. The water is delightfully warm, and I don‘t waste any time sinking further beneath the surface, the heat relaxing my tight muscles. 

I‘m forever amazed by nature‘s miracles. Natural hot springs like this one defy all logic, staying warm all year round while the lakes freeze over in the frigid winter temperatures. I submerge myself in the heated water, sighing in satisfaction as it laps at my shoulders. My body quickly adjusts to the temperature and i kick off the edge to swim out to the center of the pool, spinning around and lifting my gaze to Callum. 

He‘s still standing at the water‘s edge, watching me with rapt fascination. I shamelessly check out his lean, sculpted body again, my eyes lingering on the colorful ink decorating his thighs and forearms. I didn‘t know he had tattoos. They only add to his bad–boy image, and I‘m suddenly all too eager to see them up close. 

“Are you just going to stand there, or are you coming in?” I tease, smiling widely up at him while I tread water in the center of the pool. 

His lips spread into a predatory grin and he moves forward, a lock of hair falling down over his forehead as he ambles over the rocks at the edge and gracefully enters the water. It ripples around his body as he slowly sinks beneath the surface, caressing the taut ridges of his abs and the corded muscles of his forearms. I trap my lower lip between my teeth, watching his every move like a total creep. 

water just get hotter?

surface, his eyes sliding closed. “Damn, this is

my eyes away from him, kicking around

from the devastatingly handsome

wet strands of his hair and pushing them back off his forehead. “How‘d you

figured it was common knowledge

shakes his head, droplets of water scattering.

it,” I say, running my hands over the surface of the water and watching it ripple underneath my fingers. “When Vee and I started working at the lodge, we‘d sneak out here after our

seat on a rock ledge beneath the water and spreading his muscular arms across the stones behind him. His eyes stay trained on me while I continue

beckons me with a

in his direction, feet slicing through the water to propel me closer. Once I‘m within his reach, he takes me by surprise when he lunges forward to snatch me by the waist, strong hands gripping my skin underneath the surface. I draw a short gasp as he pulls me in closer, water splashing between us as he drags me onto his lap. My legs spread to straddle his waist,

into the alluring depths of his turquoise eyes.

drop to my mouth, then crawl up to

from my lips and I relax in his hold, looping my arms around his neck and sinking down onto him. “Zombie. My brothers are always playing this zombie hunting video game, so they‘d be able to protect me for sure.” I

into those dazzling eyes of his and tilting my head in

into a grin. “Same. I‘d rather fight something living. Easier to

shoulder lifts in a shrug. “Still easier to fight

point,” I sigh, settling into his lap. His arms wind around my waist, holding me upright in his firm grip. “Would you rather...” I muse, tapping my chin. “Have ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife? 01 have a knife, but never

Instant, “Knife.” 

shaking my head. Somehow I knew that would be his answer; the whole dangerous vibe that he puts off calls

his nose. “Never been a big

my eyes flying wide. “Everybody likes ice cream!”

“You‘ve gotta be kidding me! That‘s practically

sweet things,” he remarks, wetting his lips

yeah?” I arch a brow. “Like

he takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger, then presses the pad of his thumb against my lower lip, his eyes still fixated on my mouth. “You may

why‘d you make me leave the other night?”

so heavily on my mind

lips part, gaze lifting to mine. “Because too much of a good thing can drive a man

boldly, brushing my lips against his. “Kiss me,

yanks me in, the skin of my chest slapping against his while his lips slam

Hot. Damn. 

his neck, fingers sinking into the damp tresses of his hair while my lips slide against his and my tongue fights his for dominance; tangling and twining until I‘m not sure where my mouth ends and his begins. His fingers grip my hips with bruising force, and it‘s then that I realize that I‘m grinding against him unabashedly, my center gliding over the thick ridge of his hard–on

god, it‘s hard as stone, and it

S 

while he continues ravaging mine, his fingers beginning to toy with the

back against his chest with my palms and shaking my head firmly. “I told

that my cotton bralette is plastered to my skin, my nipples pebbling up underneath the fabric. A flush

rasps, his breathing ragged as his eyes meet mine again. His lips crease in a devilish smirk. “You

center through my underwear. I suck in a sharp gasp through

that feel good?” he murmurs against my lips, applying more pressure to my most sensitive

whisper

back of my mind, an internal war raging. I barely know Callum. Nobody

eyes closed tighter, pleasure coiling in my belly. “Oh god...”

against mine again, his tongue diving into my mouth while his deft fingers circle my clit through the thin fabric of my

sound I make, still

along the column of my throat, sucks his way to the side of my neck, then bites down hard, my pleasure and pain receptors somehow getting all jumbled up in my brain. Liquid lightning shoots through my limbs and I cry out his name as I crest the peak of an explosive climax, trembling and shaking and

on the action. “That‘s it, sweet girl,” Cal purrs in my ear as I ride his hand through my orgasm. “Don‘t stop, take what you

across my field of vision. When I finally come down, I go completely limp in Callum‘s strong arms, struggling to catch my breath. My face is hot, an embarrassed blush overtaking my cheeks as reality creeps back in. I lift my head to look into his eyes. As soon as our gazes lock, his dick twitches beneath me again and I freeze, blinking back

just let him