Chapter 104

The air inside the cabin was thick with tension, yet for the first time in what felt like days, Amanda and Ron had a moment of stillness. The faint crackle of the fire was the only sound, its warmth chasing away the chill of the night. They had secured the perimeter, checked their weapons, and for now, there was nothing to do but wait.

Amanda stood by the window, staring into the darkness of the woods beyond. She could barely see past the trees, the night pressing in like a heavy shroud. But her thoughts weren’t on the dangers that lay outside. They were on the man who stood across the room, his presence a steady, comforting weight in the small space.

Ron was leaning against the table, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on her. He had taken off his jacket, his shirt clinging to his frame, showing the definition of his muscles. He looked as tired as she felt, but there was a raw energy between them, something unspoken yet undeniable. For weeks, they had been running, fighting, surviving—and now, in the quiet of the cabin, with the fire casting flickering shadows on the walls, that tension began to shift into something else.

Amanda turned to face him, her eyes meeting his. There was a heat in his gaze that sent a jolt through her, a hunger that mirrored her own. She hadn’t realized how much she missed this—missed him—until now.

“Come here,” Ron said softly, his voice rough around the edges.

Amanda’s pulse quickened at the sound of his voice, low and intimate. She crossed the room slowly, her eyes never leaving his. When she reached him, he didn’t move, didn’t say anything—he just looked at her with that same intensity, as if he were trying to memorize every inch of her.

They stood close now, the air between them crackling with unspoken desire. Amanda could feel the heat radiating from him, her own body responding in kind. She had spent so long pushing down her feelings, focusing on survival—but now, in this brief moment of peace, everything she had been holding back came rushing to the surface.

Without a word, Ron reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his fingers lingering on her cheek. His touch sent a spark through her, and before she could think, she leaned into him, her body pressing against his.

His hand slid down to the small of her back, pulling her closer, and in an instant, their lips met—fierce and hungry. The kiss was electric, filled with all the tension, the fear, the longing that had been building between them for weeks. Amanda’s hands found their way to his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart beneath her fingertips.

Ron groaned softly against her mouth, his hands roaming her body with a desperate kind of need. There was no hesitation, no holding back. They had both been through too much, and in that moment, all that mattered was each other.

Amanda’s breath hitched as Ron’s lips trailed down her neck, his stubble rough against her skin. Her hands moved up to tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, deeper. She could feel the heat of his body against hers, the tension in his muscles as he held her tight, as if he were afraid to let go.

“Ron,” she whispered, her voice trembling with desire.

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his eyes dark with need. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” he said, his voice rough. “I’ve wanted you.”

Amanda’s heart pounded in her chest, her own desire mirroring his. “Then take me,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

That was all it took. In one swift motion, Ron lifted her off her feet, carrying her to the bed in the corner of the room. He laid her down gently, his body covering hers, and for a moment, they just looked at each other, the weight of everything that had brought them to this moment hanging in the air.

Then, without another word, they came together again, their bodies moving in perfect sync. The world outside the cabin disappeared, the danger, the uncertainty—none of it mattered. All that existed was the heat between them, the raw need that consumed them both.

Their movements were frantic, desperate, as if they were trying to make up for all the time they had lost. Amanda’s hands roamed Ron’s back, her nails digging into his skin as he pressed himself against her, his lips finding hers again and again. She could feel the strength of him, the way his body moved against hers, and it drove her wild.

Time seemed to blur as they lost themselves in each other, the world outside forgotten. All that mattered was the way he made her feel—the way he touched her, the way he kissed her, the way he moved with her. It was all-consuming, overwhelming, and she never wanted it to end.

When they finally collapsed against each other, breathless and spent, Amanda felt a sense of peace she hadn’t known in weeks. Ron held her close, his hand gently stroking her hair, and for the first time in a long time, she felt safe.

In that moment, it didn’t matter what lay ahead. They had each other, and that was enough.

For now, at least.