15 comments/ 24072 views/ 28 favorites The Hermit Ch. 01 By: islandqt Fear was gripping Lily's heart as she continued to walk the dark path through the forest. Her cheap flashlight was failing her and the bitter cold had long ago begun to pierce through her rather thin winter coat. She was mentally kicking herself for not charging her phone that day, they always saw one bar should last you a while, what a crock! She felt stupid for taking that shortcut and even dumber when her car broke down, the noises she had been ignoring for the past week had finally caught up with her. Tears began to trickle down her cheek as she tried desperately to get her bearings. She should have hit the main road by now. Where had she gone wrong? The fear of death was starting to penetrate her resolve as her mind starting pulling up old "files" of stories of people freezing to death in their cars, getting lost and dying of hypothermia when they dared to go get help on their own. The worst was when they were not found at all. Suddenly, Lily heard a growl behind her. She tried to keep walking, afraid to look, foolishly thinking that to keep going would keep the beast at bay. She heard another growl and then two in unison. She looked behind her and saw two wolves at the top of a mound bearing their teeth at her. She kept on walking trying not to quicken her pace but a snarl and a sharp bark from one of them frightened her into a sprint. She felt the wolves on her tail but couldn't tell how close. One of them got a nip at her boot and she lost her balance falling head over heels over the side of a deep, steep ditch that barely had a slope. She hit the bottom with a hard thud that knocked all the wind out of her. Then she felt a dull ache seep through her bones finally settling on her head. The wolves were skittishly trying to make their way down the ditch but were slow in their progress. In her injured haze she saw a flash of light and heard a loud, high-pitched, metallic crack that seemed to echo for ages and which scared off her canine attackers. After that there was only darkness. Lily's eyes fluttered open after what felt like an eternity of sleep. She knew she felt warm which was nice. She could hear the faint crackle of a fire and turned her head to the sound. The fire in the hearth was steady but no way near blazing. In turning her head Lily realized she was resting on a pillow, which meant she was on a bed, but who's? She looked down and gasped when she realized she was naked as the day she was born. Then she heard a faint grunt as a large muscled arm draped itself across her bare tummy. She turned her head to the left and gasped at what she saw. A face, a man's face, was mere inches away from hers. He was handsome to be sure with a thick, wavy mass of shiny, auburn hair and long, dark lashes that fanned out against his cheek. He had an almost olive tone to his skin and she noted his firm yet slightly full lips. She looked at his broad, muscled shoulders not covered by the sheet. He was indeed gorgeous but who was he? Had she...? Lily gasped and sat up but the sudden, quick motion caused her head to swim. "Ooooooooooooh," she groaned and fell back on to the pillow. The sound caught the man's attention and he began to try to calm her down immediately. "Ssssshhh, it's ok. My name is Noah Bowen. I found you at the bottom of a ditch being pursued by some very angry wolves. I got to them before they could get to you but when I reached you were out like a light and deathly cold. I brought you to my cabin and stripped you down-" Lily pulled the sheet even tighter around her mesmerized by his sparkling, green eyes. She tried to move away from him afraid of what she was going to hear next. "No," Noah said worried, "Please listen. I had to take off your clothes and take off mine warm you up immediately. It's the best way. Had I not done that you could have gotten very ill and you might have died." That last statement sobered Lily up immediately. The events of her car breaking down now vivid and her fear of being alone on that horrible forest trail with those wolves hit her like a ton of bricks. She began to weep. "Th- thank you. I..." Noah cut her off when he pulled her into his chest and began to stroke her hair as she wept openly. She covered her face with her hands and accepted his tenderness as she cried. Noah couldn't believe his luck. This woman was so beguiling with skin the color of milk chocolate but with a bright, almost golden hue that added to her mystique. Her face was undeniably beautiful but what had really gotten him were those almond shaped eyes, elegant nose and those full, yet defined lips. He had fought every urge to kiss them when he had laid in bed with her. Then there was her body. She was tall. He didn't normally like tall girls, which was odd considering his 6'3" frame but cuddling with her on the bed proved to be more than pleasant. While undressing her he had admired the soft swell of her breasts. He liked their natural, teardrop shape and his mouth had watered at the dark, chocolate areolas that adorned each one. She had "puffy nipples". The kind that lay almost completely flat until stimulated. The thought of him having to ravish her breasts to earn their arousal was more than titillating. He hadn't dared look at her womanhood as the sight of her upper body had already caused his body to betray his arousal. He only spotted enough to know that she mostly bare but didn't "get rid" of everything. Her hair was jet black and fell thickly towards her shoulders barely grazing them. He could tell she, what was the term? "Relaxed" her hair but the moisture from the snow had manipulated it into crimped waves which fell around her face wildly. He moved his hand to her shoulder to comfort her and bit back a groan. She was so soft and her skin was like silk. It made him wonder about the rest of her. She looked up at him then, her tears drying on her face. "You must think I'm silly," she said apologetically. "How many times are we told not to take short cuts, not to try to find your way by yourself-" "And at night!" he interjected. She gave him a sheepish look that broke his heart. "Yeah, and at night." She looked at him and gave him a weak smile. "I'm glad you found me, I don't know how I can ever repay you. I owe you my life!" He couldn't take it anymore, she was too adorable and her nakedness under that sheet wasn't helping. He bent down and gave her a gentle but firm kiss making sure to suck on that beautiful, bottom lip before breaking retreating. He braced himself for a slap but instead he was met with stunned silence. Her eyes were wide open with surprise and her mouth was parted slightly in shock. After a few seconds her eyes softened and she shook her head slightly as if to shake herself back into reality. "Why did you do that?" she asked. Noah noticed she wasn't pulling away from him. He cleared his throat and answered her. "I'm sorry, I don't want to freak you out or make you uncomfortable, you're just so beautiful and I mean... I couldn't help but notice how good you felt when I was holding you." "Oh' she said softly while avoiding his gaze. "I'm sorry, that's no excuse but I'm a man and it's been a long time since I've had the pleasure of sharing such an intimate space with such a lovely woman such as you." Lily felt like a stupid teen all over again. This man was supremely gorgeous and as much as she hated to admit it she had been turned on by the thought of him holding her close to him, letting her naked body feed off his warmth. "I'm flattered really. Normally I would be running out the door but for some reason I don't mind since it's you..." The words felt and sounded dumb to Lily but it was the truth. She felt completely at ease with this stranger. She stifled back a yawn and felt herself getting tired. She had hoped Noah had not picked up on it. "You probably need to rest some more. I think you're warm enough though so I'll sleep on the floor." He said. Lily reacted before she could think and grabbed his arm. "No!" Noah looked at her with one eyebrow raised, a mixture of confusion and desire expressed on his face. "I just... I just don't want you to leave me just yet. I think I'm still shaken up." Noah looked slightly disappointed but nodded and laid back down next to her. Not knowing what to do, Lily rolled on her side facing away from him which caused the sheet to fall away and expose her back all the way down the top of her buttocks. Noah inhaled sharply and instinctively reached out to run his hand from the nape of her neck all the way down her spine and back up again. Lily gasped and then sighed as she felt his hand on her skin. She had never really felt a man's touch in that way. She had kissed a few guys, had hands up her shirt and on her crotch but never anything that felt this intimate. She wanted Noah so badly that she could taste it but she was still shy to make a move. Noah slid closer to her and put his arm over her waist drawing her bare back onto his chest. She could feel his chest hair tickling her skin and she revelled in the feel of his taut skin against hers. He brushed her hair off her neck and kissed her below her ear. She shivered and felt the muscles between her legs contract. He started to kiss her neck more sensually, giving the occasional lick and bite. She moaned softly when he firmly sucked at the junction of her neck and shoulder. Picking up on her sound he moved so that she was lying on her back and he could hover over her. He kissed her deeply, his tongue darting expertly into her mouth. The shock wave ricocheted throughout her body and she returned the kiss with equal passion. He drew back to nibble and kiss her lips which made her sigh with pleasure. He pushed the sheet down to expose those breasts he so desperately wanted to touch and drew back his kiss to start trailing kisses down her neck to her chest. He hadn't noticed that she had instinctively covered her breasts with her hands. He smiled and began to lightly kiss and nibble at the fingers covering her precious areolas. She giggled softly and sighed, freeing her breasts of her hands which were now tentatively running along his shoulders and tangling in his hair. He took his chance and began to kiss and lick the undersides of her pillowy breasts being careful not to touch her nipple. He worked painfully slowly and he noted with satisfaction that she was writhing underneath him. He moved up to plant a kiss on her lips and then back down to her breast where he finally pulled her areola and nipple into his mouth and began to suck slowly but firmly. When he took his mouth off her he let his teeth lightly graze her now taut, beaded nipple which caused her to moan. He did the same to the other breast, her moans almost making him lose control. His hands began to travel down her stomach toward her now very wet and ready mound. She reached down and stopped his hand. He looked at her then. She was obviously concerned about something, but what? "I... I've never done this before." She said breathily. She bit her lip out of nervousness. What would he think? She was 26 and there was no way some guy wouldn't think she was weird or lame being a virgin at this point in her life. Noah looked at her startled. How could this beautiful specimen of a woman remain untouched? Indeed, Noah thought, truth is stranger than fiction. "Please, say something." She said. He smiled at her and kissed her lips softly, then kissed the tip of her nose and both her eyelids. She reached up and caught his lips in a kiss of her own. He kissed her back and chuckled against her lips. He drew his head back and looked down at her smiling. "What's your name my pretty girl?" he said. "Lily, Lily Montgomery," she replied. "Well, Lily. It seems we have quite the predicament on our hands. But for now, why don't we try to get some sleep so we're not completely useless tomorrow?" Lily felt disappointed but also a bit relieved. She couldn't deny her almost animal attraction to her handsome stranger but at this point that's still what he was, a stranger, in the woods no doubt. Lily nodded and Noah spooned her from behind. She felt the proof of his arousal pressing against her butt cheeks and moved to get closer to it. "Ah ah ah, now now Lily it's not nice to tease." He lightly swatted her backside which made her yelp. " I'm a good man but I'm still a man and it's going to take a LOT for me to wind down so don't tempt me hmmmm?" Lily felt excited and scared at the same time. Ultimately she decided to listen to her handsome stranger knowing in her heart he was telling the truth. "Ok, tomorrow then," she said, feeling a tad hurt that he hadn't tried to pressure her into giving in more. However, for the most part, Lily was grateful to have been saved by someone who had some shred of decency, thoughtfulness and respect. Still, a devilish thought crept into her mind before she drifted to sleep- How long would he be able to resist her? The Hermit Ch. 02 "Lily. Lily Montgomery." Lily heard the most delectable male voice lulling her out of sleep. Was she dreaming? If so she didn't want to wake up, not if it meant that that voice would go away. "Sweet Lily, please wake up. Breakfast is being prepared." She felt hands stroking her arms and shoulders which were, she supposed, exposed. It felt so delicious being touched by those warm, big hands that her fear of the dream being ruined became an increasingly traumatic thought. "No!" Lily said with a pout. The voice chuckled, a deep and spine-tingling sound. "And why not Ms. Lily?" The voice asked. She frowned and then answered, "Because if I do, you'll disappear." The hands stroking her arms stilled and then left. Lily was about to protest when fingers began to stroke her cheek. "Open your eyes Lily, you must be starving, and I'm not going anywhere." Lily did as she was told and was relieved to see the smiling, kind and beautiful eyes of Noah. The night's events came back to her in a rush bringing with it a dull ache in her nether regions. She rubbed her eyes and smiled up at him. "You're really real." She said. Noah smiled and bent down to kiss her but Lily turned on her side, covering her mouth with the sheet. "No!" She cried. "I have morning breath and you're all fresh and clean and nice-smelling!" She began to giggle at her admission but it was true. She probably looked like hell and he looked like Mr. December. Lily noticed that Noah was quiet. She looked over her shoulder at him and her breath caught at the expression on his face. He looked like he wanted to devour her. Why? She thought. A cold shiver hit the backs of her legs and she realized her folly. In turning on her side she had lifted off the remainder of the sheet exposing her naked form from the nape of her neck all the way down to her heels. She cursed herself for clearly hogging the sheet during the night. The look on Noah's face froze her. She knew she should cover herself but she couldn't move under his gaze. A part of her was petrified by his look of unfiltered lust and a part of her relished in the fact that she was making him feel that way. Noah cleared his throat and shook his head slightly before turning his back to her. "Um... the shower is tiny but it has hot and cold water. I hope you don't mind my soap; it's maybe not as flowery as you might like. Help yourself to anything you want in there. I hung up a shirt of mine and some boxers that you can wear seeing as your clothes are not quite dry yet. There's toothpaste, an extra toothbrush. Uh, I think that's it. When you're done come join me over there for breakfast." He said as he pointed to a small table in the corner. Noah walked away making sure to keep his back turned away from her. Lily gathered up the sheet and wrapped herself in it as she made her way to the bathroom. Once inside she closed the door and leaned against it. What had she gotten herself into really? She thought. She didn't even know this man and yet here she was, talking to him like they were newlyweds, acting as if she were some wanton, experienced vixen when she didn't even know where to begin with a man like that! Lily shook her head and smiled. Life could be so interesting sometimes. She frowned though as she remembered her car, the wolves and the fact that she would have had a hell of a time trying to get her vehicle towed from its snowy and rugged path. She felt a pain in her chest at the thought of leaving her 'forest man' and heading back to the real world, where men were too busy on their IPADs and other devices to really pay attention to her the way Noah had in the past however-many hours. With a reluctant sigh she dropped her sheet and proceeded to take a shower. When Lily came out of the shower she was met with a smiling Noah. "Well, you certainly took a while! I hope you left me some hot water!" Lily felt bad, she really had lost herself in the surprisingly powerful and hot spray. Noah must have seen the look on her face because he placated her immediately. "I'm just joking Lily there's plenty to go around." He said with a chuckle. They made their way to the breakfast table and began to dig in to fresh fruit, hot coffee, eggs, bacon and toast. Noah watched as Lily ate everything in sight, stopping every now and then to make little humming noises whenever something particularly tickled her fancy. Lily looked up from her gastronomic delight to observe Noah observing her. Oh God! She thought, she must look like a glutton. "Ewerything's jutht stho dewitchious!" She tried to explain with her mouth still full. Noah laughed then. She was surely a delight. "It's all good Lily, although I don't think I did anything that fabulous, I thank you for the compliment." Lily blushed and swallowed what was in her mouth. Noah cleared his throat and began to tell her what the plan would be so that she could rejoin her life. Lily listened with a hint of sadness in her heart. "I'm going to go to your car and get your phone and hopefully, a charger?" Lily nodded her head, "Yeah, I keep one in my purse." Noah continued, "I do have a phone here but I assume you have certain people you need to call to let them know what happened and where you are. I bet people are missing you." Lily looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "Well, today's Saturday and I'm not expected at work. I live alone so it's not like I have a roommate and my parents don't live in the same state." Lily wanted to sink into the floor at her admission. She made herself sound like such a loser. She had to remedy that. "I mean, I usually go out with friends at night or on Sundays we try to do something chill, but it's usually last minute and luckily I didn't make any plans for this weekend in particular." Oh God Lily, she thought, stop rambling, you're making it worse. Suddenly Lily realized that Noah probably wanted her out of his cabin. Of course! She thought. Here she was sounding like she wanted to stay and hang out with her handsome stranger, when he was ever-so-politely making it clear that she had overstayed her welcome. The thought made a lump form in her throat but she fought what she knew was an irrational feeling. He was a stranger and so was she. "In any case, I should probably be getting out of your hair I mean, you've been so kind to me and I am really grateful." Lily said. Noah just stared at her, his expression unreadable. "I'll go wash up the dishes and wait for you while you get my stuff from the car." Lily got up swiftly and started to clear the table. Noah never moved, just watched her silently as she made an effort to make herself busy. Lily had just turned the kitchen tap on when she heard Noah close the front door and watched from her tiny window as he walked along a path only he seemed to know. When he was out of sight, she let the few tears fall down her cheeks. Well Lily, she thought, at least you can say you had just a little bit of something special, but now it's time to get real and go back to your life. "If you can even call it that," she muttered bitterly.